Element B: DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF PRIOR SOLUTION ATTEMPTS

Introduction

The research into close design solutions to the concept of a money identification and brailling device proved to be challenging. Most of the search results were polluted from a variety of sources like banking software, blind typing aids, and random junk unrelated to the problem at hand. There were a few products that came up rather quickly without the need for specialized search terms leading to a patent on a device that stamps braille onto currency and a braille display and stamping device the search for patents hit a dead end. However, this was remedied by switching or search engine from Google to the US office of patents and trademarks database in which the search query “currency.ab. AND visually.ab. AND impaired.ab.” produced a variety of related patents related to money identification for the blind. Competing products on the market proved to be easier to find however due to the size of the industry there was only a small variety of solutions related to both the organization and re-identification of money. This phase was a go no-go point for pouring more time into this project as this team had come across several valid ideas that call into question the necessity of a money reader umbrella. However, after more research including product reviews and reviewing the project proposal survey the team felt comfortable with moving forward with this project.

Patent Search  

Patent Name: Embossing method and device for braille currency encoding 

Patent Number: US5636565A

Date of Patent: Expired 12/14 2015

Patent Abstract: "An embossing method for marking braille numbers on currency notes wherein the embossing device used by the present invention has a universal female die permanently affixed to its upper platen and interchangeable lower counters for use in marking labels to affix to currency notes or for embossing braille markings directly on currency notes. The universal female die would collectively incorporate indentations for the braille markings of all of the currency denominations commonly used, such as one dollar bills, five dollar bills, ten dollar bills, twenty dollar bills, fifty dollar bills, and one hundred dollar bills. The interchangeable lower counters could comprise braille images placed on a rotating disk or individual counter units. Applications could include, but are not limited to, marking United States currency notes, the currency notes of other nations, and currency note substitutes such as checks, coupons, travelers checks, and money orders for the benefit of visually challenged people"

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: Portable, straightforward use,

Cons: user has to already know what the value of a bill is, not very compact to fit in bags or pockets

Patent Name: Braille display device display method, braille display device, and braille stamping device

Patent Number: JP4432657B2

Date of Patent: To expire 7/23 2024

Patent Abstract: " . . . . a display tape creation device (sheet processing device) that stamps braille on a tape material while pitch-feeding the tape material (processing sheet) is known. The display tape creating apparatus is provided with a display screen so that various input information including Braille information can be confirmed on the display screen"

Pros and Cons:

Pros: lets the user add braille onto anything, portable

Cons: bulky, does not stamp currency

Patent Name: Paper currency note scanner and identifier for use by visually impaired individuals

Patent Number: US20080130980A1

Date of Patent: 2007-11-28 (Abandoned)

Patent Abstract: "A miniature hand held scanner easily transportable on a key ring or pocket, the scanner having a computer chip positioned therein, the computer chip having stored thereon indicia peculiar to each paper currency note denomination, the scanner capable of scanning a portion of a paper currency note presented to an individual, comparing the indicia scanned to the indicia stored on the chip and the scanner having an audio capability to announce the denomination of the paper currency note scanned such that a visually impaired person can be assured that they are being provided with the correct change or monies due."

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: portable, reliable, may be able to identify dollar bills with tears and heavy wear due to AI, straightforward and easy to use even without a knowledge of braille.

Cons: this particular solution does not appear like it would be friendly to use if you were blind. The current solutions that utilize this are expensive. Takes too long to read currency while paying for goods.

Patent Name: Method for tactually encoding currency, currency-equivalents, and currency surrogates for the visually-impaired

Patent Number:  US20040008871A1

Date of Patent: 2002-07-11 (Abandoned)

Patent Abstract: "The present invention is an improvement of currency, currency-equivalents, and currency-surrogates by the addition of tactile elements onto the face of these instruments, such that the visually-impaired can independently discern the different denominations of legal tender and negotiable instruments that are in circulation. This will end the unilateral and universal discrimination against the visually-impaired in financial affairs, and will lead to increased economic activity, financial independence, confidence, self-esteem, and additional security for the visually-impaired in their daily lives. The addition of these elements will also save the United States money in that it will make the counterfeiting of currency much more difficult and costly, and thus lead to an overall decrease in this activity worldwide." 

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: no matter what bill you get how it's folded or what it is it is easy to identify if you are blind. Would make counterfeiting harder. Probably faster than currency readers.

Cons: Increases the shred rate of the dollar, would wear out over time rendering it useless, cost more to produce. 

Existing Competitive Products

the ibill

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: portable, earbud optional, high accuracy

Cons: expensive, audio only, does not identify torn bills

pocket money Brailler

Pros and Cons: 

Pros:  portable, easy to use, very cheap (you can 3d print a free model, not the same company)

Cons: hurts fingers, the user still needs to know the value of the bill beforehand, the number same color as the device meaning the visually impaired cannot differentiate, and can create holes in money if pressed on too hard.

Eye Note

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: Phones are common, Free, can communicate the amount to the user in a multitude of ways, quick response times

Cons: The Bureau for Engraving and printing found a lower degree of accuracy in app based compared to other note readers in an older study (probably fixed now). A fair amount of the features of phones and electronic devices are not blind friendly. It may take a little bit more time to line up the dollar bill with the camera than with regular currency readers. Takes to long to read currency while paying for goods.

Cash READer

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: Phones are common, can communicate through vibrations and sound, quick response times, can read a large number of international currencies.

Cons: The Bureau for Engraving and printing found a lower degree of accuracy compared to other note readers in an older study (may be fixed now). A fair amount of the features of phones and electronic devices are not blind friendly. Cost money ($9.99) which is fine except for the free trail making people mad. Takes to long to read currency while paying for goods.

Bifold Leather Wallet

Pros and Cons: 

Pros: keeps your cash separated from each other, cheap ($25), quick cash identification, people are already used to carrying around wallets.

Cons: only allows you to use pre-sorted cash, limited pockets for different bill denominations, once out of the wallet you cannot re-identify it.

Citations

• Cash reader: Bill identifier - apps on google play. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martindoudera.cashreader 

• EyeNote app overview. (n.d.). Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.bep.gov/eyenote 

• Gildersleeve, M. E. (2006, December 4). Paper currency note scanner and identifier for use by visually impaired individuals. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://patents.google.com/patent/US20080130980A1/en?oq=US+20080130980+A1 

• Gitari, M. G. (n.d.). Cash Reader. Perkins School for the Blind. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.perkins.org/resource/cash-reader/ 

• iBill - US Bank Note Reader. (2016). Orbit Research. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from http://www.orbitresearch.com/product/ibill-talking-banknote-identifier/ 

• Lawrance, M. (1995, December 14). Embossing method and device for braille currency encoding. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://patents.google.com/patent/US5636565A/en?oq=US5636565A 

• MaxiAids. (2009, February 12). Amazon.com: Click Pocket Money Brailler : Health & Household. Amazon. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/MaxiAids-Click-Pocket-Money-Brailler/dp/B00II5SSUS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2HA030YECMQZW 

• RFID blacking black bifold leather wallet for men blind & visually imp. (n.d.). www.juzartapal.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://juzartapal.com/products/genuine-minimalist-leather-bi-fold-wallet-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-three-separate-bill-slots-picture-id-hidden-key-holder-two-separate-sides-for-credit-cards-and-three-hidden-pocket 

• Smith, D. (2002, July 11). Method for tactually encoding currency, currency-equivalents, and currency-surrogates for the visually-impaired. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040008871A1/en?oq=US+20040008871+A1 

• Winsted, C. W. (2017, November). Second generation iBill talking money identifier. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B008OVG9UC 

• 倉科弘. (2004, July 23). Braille display device display method, braille display device, and braille stamping device. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://patents.google.com/patent/JP4432657B2/en?oq=JP4432657B2 

Summary:

All these products either failed to provide primary identification of the bill needing something else to sort it or allow visually impaired people to identify the value of a currency while having to use another method or tool to allow for later identification of the bill.  Folding money and putting money into different compartments is semi-limited by the number of ways someone can fold and the bulk of adding more pockets. Furthermore, this identification technique is useless once out of the wallet and unfolded which means that if someone dropped the contents of their wallet it may take some time to re-identify the bills. With folding money, bills can already have creases in them which increase their likelihood to fold over on their own and other bills can get stuck inside the folds causing an overpayment. Pocket money braillers have their own problems with one amazon user stating "I do not love that this painfully punches holes in my fingers faster than it does the paper" speaking to the problem of adding braille to mass amounts of bills. This product allows people to re-identify money quickly however it could be improved if it had a better way to stamp braille in a consistent place. Moreover for determining the value of currency for the first time there is only one dedicated physical reader and a bunch of phone apps. Due to being blind, navigation of mobile devices and tablets may make currency reader apps hard to use especially since it's needed to line everything up. However, someone who's experienced can read bills rather fast with these apps with one reviewer saying "I noticed it takes about 1.5 to 2 seconds to work. I don't know if this is related to all the other money it will read or not,"  (Cash Reader: Bill Identifier - Apps on Google Play, n.d.).  However, you will need another technique to help with re-identification. The one major currency reader found was the Ibill which is expensive, costing $149. A review on Amazon for the I bill states,  "This device works well most of the time. I say most of the time because there are occasions when dollar bills are battered and it does have a hard time reading them. This is better than using an app because you won't have a light on a bill. If you have the money brailler this is another good tool to have work in conjunction with it," (Winsted, 2017).  Whichever way a blind person identifies currency they are still met with problems, one of which is the impracticality of scanning every bill and transaction due to high identification time. This means that these devices are often paired with another technique listed above for re-identification which as stated above has its own set of problems. Overall, there is a gap in the market of combining a currency re-identification technique with a currency identifier to eliminate some of the problems stated above.