Personal bill denomination reader

Abstract

An apparatus includes a pattern recognizer configured to identify a match of an image of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates. The pattern recognizer is configured to use a rotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm. The apparatus further includes an output device to provide an indication when the match has been identified.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a pattern recognizer configured to identify a match of an image of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates, wherein the pattern recognizer is configured to use a rotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm; and   an output device to provide an indication when the match has been identified.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of templates comprises a plurality of standard images or transformations of standard images. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern recognizer is configured to identify the match by comparing an image of a portion of the bill, but not an image of the entire bill, to at least one of the plurality of templates. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cellular telephone that houses the pattern recognizer and the output device. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a key fob that houses the pattern recognizer and the output device. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer memory that stores one or more of the plurality of templates. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the output device is configured to provide an indication of a denomination of the bill when the match has been identified. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the output device provides the indication via a user selectable mode of reporting, wherein the user selectable mode comprises at least one of a tactile output, an audible output, and a speech output. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of templates includes an image of a corner of a bill denomination or a transformation of the image of the corner of the bill denomination. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a camera to capture the image of the portion of the bill. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a light source, the light source configured to illuminate the portion of the bill. 
   
   
       12 . A method comprising:
 evaluating a match of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates by using a rotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm; and   providing an indication when a match is detected.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing the indication further comprises outputting the indication via a user selected mode, wherein the user selected mode comprises one or more of a tactile indicator, an audible indicator, and a speech indicator. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one of the plurality of templates comprises an image of a portion of a standard bill. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one of the plurality of templates comprises a transformation of an image of a portion of a standard bill. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of templates includes a first template corresponding to a first local currency denomination and a second template corresponding to a second local currency denomination. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising outputting a particular tactile pattern corresponding to a particular currency denomination. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a command to capture an image of the portion of the bill. 
   
   
       19 . A computer readable medium including instructions executable by a processor to:
 evaluate a match of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates by using a rotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm; and   provide an indication when a match is detected.   
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to generate a particular output pattern associated with a corresponding currency denomination, and to output the particular output pattern when a match with the corresponding currency denomination is detected.