To answer your question, a firmware upgrade will be necessary for ALL Bill
Acceptors, change machines, ATMs, any devices the visually impaired use to
differentiate their paper money and any other machines that differentiate
money. Depending on the device and the chipset it uses, either a new program
will need to be loaded onto the chip or the chip will need to be replaced with
a new one. (Some chips that are considered "secure" have "security fuses"
that can be blown after initial programming of the chip. This prevents chip
programmers (Machines) from reading the code on the chip to try and create
bogus chips for nefarious purposes. I have worked with these types of chips
when working with NCR, IVI - CheckMate Electronics and Verifone when
programming their Debit / Credit devices.) NCR is already looking into the
firmware changes their bill acceptors, change machines and ATMs will require
for the new $20s based on the articles that have described the bills. (They
do NOT have samples to work with yet, as far as I know. My husband works for
a wholly owned subsidiary of NCR and is the Lead on a major project where NCR
Bill Acceptors and Bill Changers are involved and they are being moved into
the NCR Retail development facility this weekend. So as soon as NCR DOES get
samples, I am sure I will find out. I hope the Treasury Department gives the
manufacturers enough time with the samples to get the code changed and
PROPERLY TESTED and the new chips installed in time for the new bill
rollout.) As each new bill is introduced, hopefully the Treasury Department
will get samples to the manufacturers that make the machines that need to
identify the new bills. (Hmm, the US Government planning that far ahead? I
wonder.)
If the chip with the program that decides what a bill is is a PROM, then the
chip has to be replaced. If the chip is an EPROM, the old program can be
wiped and a new one can be loaded. If the program is actually loaded in a
memory chip vs a "CPU" type chip, then, again, the memory can be wiped and a
new program can be loaded. (However, the idea that the program would actually
be loaded into memory chips is not the best one because that memory would have
to battery-backed to keep the program. So my guess is the devices used by the
visually impaired actually have PROMs or less likely EPROM with the program on
it. PROMs are far cheaper to make and buy than EPROMs and how often does the
program for a machine to differentiate American money REALLY need to change?)
MaryB. (Who knows WAY too much about this stuff for her own good, she
thinks.)
Bottom line: more than likely, when the manufacturer of the devices get
samples of the new bills and re-write their program, the devices will have to
be sent back to them for re-programming or a chip replacement.
Bud Kennedy wrote:
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>
> ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C31A39.8C394F50
> Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="us-ascii"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> this article was in the Bradenton (FLA) Herald. I wonder if the various
> devices that are available to differentiate currency will be able to
> handle this new bill. How about those people who have spent $295 to buy
> a device to determine what bills they are holding and will now be
> presented with the possibility that they won't be able to distinguish a
> bill that is ubiquitous in our system. It just goes to show how often
> we redesign currency and how many opportunities we have had to make the
> currency accessible.
>
> Bud Kennedy
>
> [log in to unmask]
> Treasury readies for another $20 makeover
>
> bradenton/archives_title
>
> Posted on Wed, May. 14, 2003
>
> Nation
>
> Treasury readies for another $20 makeover
> Redesign, dye job made to thwart fraud
> SUMANA CHATTERJEE
> Knight Ridder Newspapers
>
> WASHINGTON - Andrew Jackson is getting a major makeover.
>
> On a new $20 bill intended to foil counterfeiters, the seventh
> president's image will be larger and freed of the traditional oval. More
> of Jackson's cape
> will show. No longer a humble greenback, the new $20 bill is colored
> pastel blue, peach and green with copper highlights. It goes into
> circulation this
> fall.
>
> Treasury Secretary John Snow, whose signature is on the new $20s, said
> Tuesday that victims of counterfeit money lost $44 million last year. He
> said the
> new colors would lead people to pay more attention to their money and to
> spot a fake more easily.
>
> Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan attended Tuesday's
> unveiling.
>
> "The soundness of a nation's currency is essential to the soundness of
> the nation's economy," he said.
>
> Each year, the Federal Reserve's regional banks authenticate more than
> 35 billion notes that pass through them.
>
> The new design includes a pastel blue eagle against a light green
> background that fades to peach. The "20" in the bottom right corner of
> the bill shifts
> from copper to green when the note is tilted. A series of faint and
> random yellow "20's" on the note's back are intended to make copying it
> harder.
>
> The last time U.S. currency had a colored background was in 1905, when
> the $20 gold certificate had a golden tint and a red seal.
>
> A faint image of Jackson, known as a watermark, appears on the front and
> back of the new $20 note. So does a plastic thread embedded vertically
> in its cotton-linen
> paper. A small flag and the words "USA TWENTY" are visible on both sides
> of the note. It includes microscopic printing to the left of Jackson's
> image,
> which authorities hope will be hard to duplicate.
>
> There are other "confidential" security elements that won't be
> publicized but are known to law enforcement, said Marsha Reidhill, the
> Federal Reserve Bank's
> assistant director for cash. The idea is to enable authorities to
> identify fakes quickly while making the challenge tougher for
> counterfeiters.
>
> New $50 and $100 bills are planned, and $5s and $10s are under
> discussion. There are no plans to change the $1 bill, which isn't
> considered worth counterfeiting.
> The new bills cost about 1 cent each, according to the Bureau of
> Engraving and Printing.
>
> Redesigns began as soon as the Treasury introduced the last new bills in
> 1998. The rapid design changes are part of an initiative to stay ahead
> of counterfeiters
> equipped with digital technology.
>
> Analysts at the Secret Service, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and
> the Federal Reserve feared the high performance of cheap and widely
> available scanners
> and inkjet printers. Scientists, chemists, forensic specialists and
> technicians at the three agencies developed the new security measures.
>
> C 2003 Bradenton Herald and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
> http://www.bradenton.com
>
> ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C31A39.8C394F50
> Content-Type: text/html;
> charset="us-ascii"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
> <HTML><HEAD>
> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
> charset=3Dus-ascii">
> <TITLE>Message</TITLE>
>
> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1126" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
> <BODY>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>this =
> article was in=20
> the Bradenton (FLA) Herald. I wonder if the various devices that =
> are=20
> available to differentiate currency will be able to handle this new =
> bill. =20
> How about those people who have spent $295 to buy a device to determine =
> what=20
> bills they are holding and will now be presented with the possibility =
> that they=20
> won't be able to distinguish a bill that is ubiquitous in our =
> system. It=20
> just goes to show how often we redesign currency and how many =
> opportunities we=20
> have had to make the currency accessible. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2> Bud=20
> Kennedy</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2> <A=20
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A></FONT=
> ></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Treasury readies for=20
> another $20 makeover</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2>bradenton/archives_title</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Posted =
> on Wed, May.=20
> 14, 2003</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial=20
> size=3D2>Nation</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Treasury readies for=20
> another $20 makeover<BR>Redesign, dye job made to thwart fraud<BR>SUMANA =
>
> CHATTERJEE<BR>Knight Ridder Newspapers</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>WASHINGTON - Andrew=20
> Jackson is getting a major makeover.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On a =
> new $20 bill=20
> intended to foil counterfeiters, the seventh president's image will be =
> larger=20
> and freed of the traditional oval. More of Jackson's cape<BR>will show. =
> No=20
> longer a humble greenback, the new $20 bill is colored pastel blue, =
> peach and=20
> green with copper highlights. It goes into circulation=20
> this<BR>fall.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Treasury Secretary=20
> John Snow, whose signature is on the new $20s, said Tuesday that victims =
> of=20
> counterfeit money lost $44 million last year. He said the<BR>new colors =
> would=20
> lead people to pay more attention to their money and to spot a fake more =
>
> easily.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Federal Reserve=20
> Board Chairman Alan Greenspan attended Tuesday's =
> unveiling.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"The =
> soundness of a=20
> nation's currency is essential to the soundness of the nation's =
> economy," he=20
> said.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Each =
> year, the=20
> Federal Reserve's regional banks authenticate more than 35 billion notes =
> that=20
> pass through them.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The =
> new design=20
> includes a pastel blue eagle against a light green background that fades =
> to=20
> peach. The "20" in the bottom right corner of the bill shifts<BR>from =
> copper to=20
> green when the note is tilted. A series of faint and random yellow =
> "20's" on the=20
> note's back are intended to make copying it harder.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The =
> last time U.S.=20
> currency had a colored background was in 1905, when the $20 gold =
> certificate had=20
> a golden tint and a red seal.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>A =
> faint image of=20
> Jackson, known as a watermark, appears on the front and back of the new =
> $20=20
> note. So does a plastic thread embedded vertically in its =
> cotton-linen<BR>paper.=20
> A small flag and the words "USA TWENTY" are visible on both sides of the =
> note.=20
> It includes microscopic printing to the left of Jackson's =
> image,<BR>which=20
> authorities hope will be hard to duplicate.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>There =
> are other=20
> "confidential" security elements that won't be publicized but are known =
> to law=20
> enforcement, said Marsha Reidhill, the Federal Reserve =
> Bank's<BR>assistant=20
> director for cash. The idea is to enable authorities to identify fakes =
> quickly=20
> while making the challenge tougher for =
> counterfeiters.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>New =
> $50 and $100=20
> bills are planned, and $5s and $10s are under discussion. There are no =
> plans to=20
> change the $1 bill, which isn't considered worth counterfeiting.<BR>The =
> new=20
> bills cost about 1 cent each, according to the Bureau of Engraving and=20
> Printing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Redesigns began as=20
> soon as the Treasury introduced the last new bills in 1998. The rapid =
> design=20
> changes are part of an initiative to stay ahead of =
> counterfeiters<BR>equipped=20
> with digital technology.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial =
> size=3D2>Analysts at the=20
> Secret Service, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Federal =
> Reserve=20
> feared the high performance of cheap and widely available =
> scanners<BR>and inkjet=20
> printers. Scientists, chemists, forensic specialists and technicians at =
> the=20
> three agencies developed the new security measures.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><SPAN class=3D468014720-14052003><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>© =
> 2003 Bradenton=20
> Herald and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.<BR><A=20
> href=3D"http://www.bradenton.com">http://www.bradenton.com</A><BR> <=
> /FONT></SPAN></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
>
> ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C31A39.8C394F50--
>
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