Negotiable instrument processing apparatus

• US 20060115141A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Naohiko Koakutsu, Yukihiro Okamura
• Original Assignee: Naohiko Koakutsu, Yukihiro Okamura
• Inventors: Koakutsu, Naohiko, Okamura, Yukihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/162 Quantising the image signal

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for processing checks and other negotiable instruments efficiently captures MICR data required for electronic payment and an image of the check or negotiable instrument enabling the amount, payee, and other information printed or written on the check face to be clearly read. The image reading unit 11 of the check processing apparatus 110 scans and outputs a gray scale image of the check. A threshold value determination unit 12 sets a threshold value for digitizing the image data based on the density level frequency distribution of primary gray scale image data obtained by the image data reading unit scanning a first scanning area T. This first scanning area contains part of a printed text area 127 where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of the background 49 of the negotiable instrument. A digital image processor 20 digitizes and converts secondary gray scale image data to digital image data based on the threshold value set by the threshold value determination unit 12. The secondary gray scale image data is generated by the image reading unit 11 scanning a predefined second scanning area of the negotiable instrument.

Claims

1. A negotiable instrument processing apparatus comprising:

an image reading unit that scans a negotiable instrument and outputs an image;

a threshold value determination unit that sets a threshold value used for digitizing an image, the threshold value based on a density level frequency distribution of gray scale image data being obtained from a first scanning area of the negotiable instrument when the image data reading unit scans the first scanning area,

the first scanning area containing part of a printed text area where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of a background of the negotiable instrument; and

a digital conversion processing unit that digitizes and converts at least one image to digital image data based on the threshold value set by the threshold value determination unit,

the at least one image being obtained from a second scanning area of the negotiable instrument when the image reading unit scans the second scanning area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first scanning area comprises a first area containing the part of the printed text area, a second area containing the part of the background, and the first and second areas are noncontiguous.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second area includes multiple sections, each section containing part of the background.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the threshold value determination unit determines the threshold value based on a density level frequency distribution after weighting the gray scale image data in the first area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the printed text area is a magnetic ink character printing area where magnetic ink characters are printed.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a magnetic head that reads magnetic ink characters;

and

the threshold value determination unit detects a magnetic ink character printing area based on output signals from the magnetic head, and sets the first scanning area based on the magnetic ink character printing area.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold value determination unit applies an averaging process to the density level frequency distribution and determines the threshold value based on the averaged density level frequency distribution.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold value set by the threshold value determination unit is a lightness value for generating the digital image data that includes the text but substantially excludes the background.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold value determination unit identifies a first peak representing the text and an adjacent second peak representing the background in the density level frequency distribution, and sets the threshold value between the first and second peaks.

10. A negotiable instrument processing method comprising the following steps:

(a) scanning a first scanning area of a negotiable instrument and generating gray scale image data,

the first scanning area containing part of a printed text area where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of a background of the negotiable instrument;

(b) generating a density level frequency distribution of the gray scale image data;

(c) determining a threshold value for digitizing an image based on the density level frequency distribution;

(d) scanning a second scanning area of the negotiable instrument to obtain an image; and

(e) digitizing the image obtained in step (d) based on the threshold value determined in step (c) to generate digital image data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first scanning area comprises a first area containing the part of the printed text area, a second area containing the part of the background, and the first and second areas are noncontiguous.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second area includes multiple sections, each section containing part of the background.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (b) generates a density level frequency distribution after weighting the gray scale image data in the first area;

and

step (c) determines the threshold value based on the weighted density level frequency distribution.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the printed text area is a magnetic ink character printing area where magnetic ink characters are printed.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the following steps:

(f) reading the magnetic ink characters using a magnetic head; and

(g) detecting the magnetic ink character printing area based on output signals from the magnetic head, and setting the first scanning area based on the magnetic ink character printing area.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) generates the density level frequency distribution after applying an averaging process;

and

step (c) determines the threshold value based on the averaged density level frequency distribution.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold value determined by step (c) is a lightness value for generating the digital image data that includes the text but substantially excludes the background.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein step (c) identifies a first peak representing the text and an adjacent second peak representing the background in the density level frequency distribution, and sets the threshold value between the first and second peaks.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising a step (h) of printing on the negotiable instrument, step (h) being executed after step (a) and before step (d).

20. A negotiable instrument processing method comprising the following steps:

(a) scanning a first scanning area of a negotiable instrument and generating gray scale image data,

the first scanning area containing part of a printed text area where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of a background of the negotiable instrument;

(b) generating a density level frequency distribution of the gray scale image data;

(c) determining a threshold value for digitizing an image based on the density level frequency distribution; and

(d) digitizing an image of a second scanning area of the negotiable instrument based on the threshold value determined in step (c) to generate digital image data.