Document counting and batching apparatus with counterfeit detection

An apparatus for counting documents, comprising:

• a guide plate defining a document transport path, said transport path having righthand, central, and lefthand path portions;
• a right sensor disposed adjacent the righthand portion of said transport path for generating a right sensor signal in response to the presence of a portion of a document in said righthand path portion;
• a center sensor disposed adjacent the central portion of said transport path for generating a center sensor signal in response to the presence of a portion of a document in said central path portion;
• a left sensor disposed adjacent the lefthand portion of said transport path for generating a left sensor signal in response to the presence of a portion of a document in said lefthand path portion;
• sampling means for sampling said left sensor signal, said center sensor signal, and said right sensor signal to produce representative digital values based on the responses of the respective sensors;
• and
• a programmable controller means programmed to produce in response to said representative digital values, (i) a count of the documents passing through the apparatus, (ii) control signals for operating the apparatus, and (iii) status signals for monitoring the operation of the apparatus.