Color scanhead and currency handling system employing the same

A document handling method for processing documents, the method comprising:

• transporting documents along a document transport path;
• detecting the presence of a document with an edge sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning one of at least two primary colors with a first primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning the other of at least to primary colors with a second primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path, the first primary color sensor, the second primary color sensor, and the edge sensor being linearly aligned transverse to the document transport path;
• processing data corresponding to the color and other characteristics scanned from one or more documents;
• and
• using the data to evaluate one or more documents.

A color scanhead apparatus for a document handling system having a document transport mechanism for transporting documents along a transport path from an input receptacle to at least one output receptacle, said color scanhead comprising:

• a scanhead body including a plurality of receptacles linearly-aligned transverse to the document transport path;
• a full color sensor including a plurality of color cells, the plurality of color cells being disposed adjacent to the transport path, each of said color cells comprising at least two primary color sensors being adapted to sense each of at least two primary colors, each of the least two primary color sensors being mounted within one of the plurality of receptacles;
• and
• at least one edge sensor for detecting at least the presence of a document mounted within one of the plurality of receptacles.

A color scanning method for a document handling system for processing documents, the method comprising:

• transporting documents along a document transport path;
• detecting the presence of a document with an edge sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning one of at least two primary colors with a first primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning the other of at least to primary colors with a second primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path, the first primary color sensor, the second primary color sensor, and the edge sensor being linearly aligned transverse to the document transport path;
• scanning at least one characteristic of the document other than color;
• processing data corresponding to the characteristics scanned from one or more documents;
• using the data to evaluate one or more documents;
• generating analog signals representing variations in at least two primary color contents of a document being scanned, and converting said analog signals to digital signals;
• and
• storing the digital signals corresponding to two of said primary colors and determining a value of the third primary color content of the document from the two stored digital signals.

A currency handling system for processing currency bills, the system comprising:

• a currency bill transport mechanism being adapted to transport currency bills along a transport path from an input receptacle to at least one output receptacle;
• a full color sensor being adapted to scan color characteristics of a currency bill, the full color sensor including at least one color cell disposed adjacent to the transport path, the at least one color cell including at least two primary color sensors for sensing each of at least two primary colors, each of the primary color sensors being linearly aligned transverse to the transport path;
• an edge sensor being adapted to detect at least the presence of a currency bill, the edge sensor being linearly aligned with the primary color sensors;
• and
• a processor being adapted to process data corresponding to the characteristics scanned from one or more currency bills with the color sensor and to use the data to evaluate one or more documents.

A currency bill handling method for processing currency bills, the method comprising:

• transporting currency bills along a document transport path;
• detecting the presence of a currency bill with an edge sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning one of at least two primary colors with a first primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path;
• scanning the other of at least to primary colors with a second primary color sensor disposed adjacent to the transport path, the first primary color sensor, the second primary color sensor, and the edge sensor being linearly aligned transverse to the document transport path;
• processing data corresponding to the color and other characteristics scanned from one or more documents;
• and
• using the data to evaluate one or more currency bills.