CLAIMS: What is claimed is:

1.

A method for note processing comprising the steps of : a) detecting at least one unique identifier of each note processed; b) correlating said detected unique identifier with a printing source for each note processed; c) detecting at least one note feature of each note processed; d) selecting a processing template for said at least one detected note feature for each note processed, said processing template selected based on said printing source; e) applying said processing template to said at least one detected note feature for each note processed; and f) making a note processing determination based on the application of said processing template to said at least one detected feature of each note processed.

2.

The method of claim 1 wherein said note feature of step c) is selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence, infrared characteristics, intaglio print characteristics, offset print characteristics, acoustic signature, paper color, ink color, limpness, magnetic characteristics, light transmissivity, light reflectivity, electric conductivity, and note image.

3.	The method of claim 1 wherein said unique identifier of step a) comprises a note serial number.

4.	The method of claim 1 wherein said unique identifier of step a) comprises a bar code sequence.

5.	The method of claim 1 wherein said unique identifier of step a) comprises a magnetic signature.

6.	The method of claim 1 wherein said printing source of step b) comprises a note printing facility.

7.	The method of claim 1 wherein said printing source of step b) comprises a specific note printing press.

8.	The method of claim 1 wherein said note processing determination of step f) comprises an authentication determination.

9.	The method of claim 1 wherein said note processing determination of step f) comprises a fitness determination.

10.

A method for note processing comprising the steps of : a) establishing a plurality of source specific processing templates for at least one detected note feature; b) identifying a specific source for each note processed; and c) applying a source specific processing template to each note based on said specific source identified.

11.

The method of claim 10 wherein said detected feature of step a) is selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence, infrared characteristics, intaglio print characteristics, offset print characteristics, acoustic signature, paper color, ink color, limpness, magnetic characteristics, light transmissivity, light reflectivity, electric conductivity, and note image.

12.	The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step b) comprises reading a note's serial number and correlating said serial number to said specific source.

13.	The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step b) comprises reading a note's bar code sequence and correlating said sequence to said specific source.

14.	The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step b) comprises reading a note's magnetic signature and correlating said signature to said specific source.

15.	The method of claim 10 wherein said source of step b) comprises a note printing facility.

16.	The method of claim 10 wherein said source of step b) comprises a specific note printing press.

17.	The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of : d) determining a fitness level of a note based on a comparison of one of said processing templates to said at least one detected note feature.

18.	The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of : d) determining an authenticity of a note based on a comparison of one of said processing templates to said at least one detected note feature.

19.	A note processing machine comprising: at least one note feature detector; a means for identifying a printing source of each processed note; and a means for applying a source specific processing template to a note feature detected by said at least one note feature detector.

20.

The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said note feature detector comprises a detector selected from the group consisting of a fluorescence detector, phosphorescence detector, infrared characteristics detector, intaglio print characteristics detector, offset print characteristics detector, acoustic signature detector, paper color detector, ink color detector, limpness detector, magnetic characteristics detector, light transmissivity detector, light reflectivity detector, electric conductivity detector, and note image detector.

21.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a serial number for each note and correlating said serial number to said printing source.

22.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a bar code sequence for each note and correlating said sequence to said printing source.

23.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a magnetic signature for each note and correlating said signature to said printing source.

24.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said printing source comprises a note printing facility.

25.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said printing source comprises a specific note printing press.

26.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein fitness level determinations are made for each processed note based on the application of said source specific processing template to said note.

27.

The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein note authenticity is determined for each processed note based on the application of said source specific processing template to said note. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 21 December 2001 (21.12.01); original claims 15,1011,1320,2223 and 2627 amended; remaining claims unchanged (6 pages)] What is claimed is: 1. A method for note processing comprising the steps of : a) detecting at least one unique identifier of each note processed; b) correlating said detected at least one unique identifier with a printing source for each note processed; c) detecting at least one note feature of each note processed; d) selecting a processing template for said at least one detected note feature for each note processed, said processing template selected based on said printing source; e) applying said processing template to said at least one detected note feature for each note processed; and f) making a note processing determination based on the application of said processing template to said at least one detected note feature of each note processed.

28.

2 The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one note feature of step c) is selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence, infrared characteristics, intaglio print characteristics, offset print characteristics, acoustic signature, paper color, ink color, limpness, magnetic characteristics, light transmissivity, light reflectivity, electric conductivity, and note image.

29.	3 The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one unique identifier of step a) comprises a note serial number.

30.	4 The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one unique identifier of step a) comprises a bar code sequence.

31.	5 The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one unique identifier of step a) comprises a magnetic signature.

32.	6 The method of claim 1 wherein said printing source of step b) comprises a note printing facility.

33.	7 The method of claim 1 wherein said printing source of step b) comprises a specific note printing press.

34.	8 The method of claim 1 wherein said note processing determination of step f) comprises an authentication determination.

35.	9 The method of claim 1 wherein said note processing determination of step f) comprises a fitness determination.

36.

10 A method for note processing comprising the steps of : (a) establishing a plurality of source specific processing templates for at least one detected note feature; (b) detecting said at least one detected note feature for each note processed; (c) identifying a specific source for each note processed; and (d) applying a source specific processing template to said at least one detected note feature for each note processed based on said specific source identified.

37.

11 The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one detected note feature of step a) is selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence, infrared characteristics, intaglio print characteristics, offset print characteristics, acoustic signature, paper color, ink color, limpness, magnetic characteristics, light transmissivity, light reflectivity, electric conductivity, and note image.

38.	12 The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step c) comprises reading a note's serial number and correlating said serial number to said specific source.

39.	13 The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step c) comprises reading a note's bar code sequence and correlating said note's bar code sequence to said specific source.

40.	14 The method of claim 10 wherein the identification of step c) comprises reading a note's magnetic signature and correlating said note's magnetic signature to said specific source.

41.	15 The method of claim 10 wherein said specific source of step c) comprises a note printing facility.

42.	16 The method of claim 10 wherein said specific source of step c) comprises a specific note printing press.

43.	17 The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of : d) determining the fitness level of a note based on a comparison of one of said source specific processing templates to said at least one detected note feature.

44.	18 The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of : d) determining the authenticity of a note based on a comparison of one of said source specific processing templates to said at least one detected note feature.

45.

19 A note processing machine comprising: at least one note feature detector; a means for identifying a printing source of each note processed; a means for correlating said identified printing source with a source specific processing template; and a means for applying said source specific processing template to a note feature detected by said at least one note feature detector.

46.

20 The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said at least one note feature detector comprises a detector selected from the group consisting of a fluorescence detector, phosphorescence detector, infrared characteristics detector, intaglio print characteristics detector, offset print characteristics detector, acoustic signature detector, paper color detector, ink color detector, limpness detector, magnetic characteristics detector, light transmissivity detector, light reflectivity detector, electric conductivity detector, and note image detector.

47.	21 The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a serial number for each note and correlating said serial number to said printing source.

48.	22 The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a bar code sequence for each note and correlating said bar code sequence to said printing source.

49.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said means for identifying said printing source of each processed note comprises reading a magnetic signature for each note and correlating said magnetic signature to said printing source.

50.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said printing source comprises a note printing facility.

51.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein said printing source comprises a specific note printing press.

52.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein fitness level determinations are made for each processed note based on the application of said source specific processing template to said each processed note.

53.	The note processing machine of claim 19 wherein note authenticity is determined for each processed note based on the application of said source specific processing template to said each processed note.