Confirming cancellation of truncated checks

• US 20070058851A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Ryan, Frederick, Quine, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/009 Depositing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/32 Record keeping transaction aspects G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

A method of operating a check processing system includes scanning a check on a first occasion to generate a first image of the check. The first image is transmitted to a financial institution. The check is scanned on a second occasion later than the first occasion to generate a second image of the check. The second image of the check is transmitted to the financial institution. The second image of the check is examined to determine whether the check was cancelled prior to the second occasion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning a check on a first occasion to generate a first image of the check;

transmitting the first image to a financial institution;

scanning the check on a second occasion later than the first occasion to generate a second image of the check;

transmitting the second image of the check to the financial institution; and

examining the second image of the check to determine whether the check was cancelled prior to said second occasion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second images are both generated by the same scanning device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second occasion immediately follows the first occasion.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the examining is performed at the financial institution.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the examining is performed automatically by a computer.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the examining includes comparing the second image to the first image.

7. A method of operating a check scanning device, the method comprising:

first feeding a check in a forward direction along a feed path in the check scanning device;

during the first feeding, scanning the check to generate a first image of the check and canceling the check;

second feeding the check in a reverse direction along the feed path; and

scanning the check to generate a second image of the check, the second image representing at least a cancellation mark on the check.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the scanning to generate the second image is performed during the second feeding.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising, after the second feeding, third feeding the check in the forward direction along the feed path;

wherein the scanning to generate the second image is performed during the third feeding.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

disabling a printing component of the check scanning device during the third feeding.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said second feeding is performed before the check is out fed from the feed path.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

clocking a line-scan camera from a drive wheel which feeds the check.

13. A system comprising:

a check scanning device for scanning and canceling checks; and

a computer in communication with the check scanning device for receiving images of the scanned checks;

wherein some of said checks are selected for scanning a second time, said check scanning device re-scanning said selected checks, said computer examining images generated by said re-scanning to determine whether said selected checks were cancelled by said check scanning device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said selecting is performed by said computer.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said selecting is performed by said check scanning device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said check scanning device selects for re-scanning a final check of each batch of checks processed by said check scanning device.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein said computer examines said images by comparing said images with at least one image generated by an initial scan of said selected checks.