Method of operating a remote check image capture device and an apparatus therefor

• US 20070076941A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Norris, David, Carreon, Susan
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,859 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: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]

Abstract

A method is provided of operating a remote check image capture device. The method comprises capturing a color image of a check provided by a user at the remote check image capture device, storing the color image of the check, deriving from the color image a non-color image of the check, transmitting to an institution the non-color image of the check, and receiving from the institution a request to retrieve the color image of the check in response to the institution determining that the non-color image of the check is unusable.

Claims

1. A method of operating a remote check image capture device, the method comprising:

capturing a color image of a check provided by a user at the remote check image capture device;

storing the color image of the check;

deriving from the color image a non-color image of the check;

transmitting to an institution the non-color image of the check; and

receiving from the institution a request to retrieve the color image of the check in response to the institution determining that the non-color image of the check is unusable.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the color image of the check in response to the request received from the institution; and

transmitting the retrieved color image of the check to the institution to fulfil the request from the institution.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-color image of the check comprises a binary image of the check.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-color image of the check comprises a grayscale image of the check.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein (i) the institution comprises a back office facility of a bank, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a table-top check processing terminal located at a merchant'"'"'s check image capture facility which is located remote from the back office facility of the bank.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein (i) the institution comprises a back office facility of a bank, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a table-top check processing terminal located at a bank branch which is located remote from the back office facility of the bank.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein (i) the institution comprises a third party check processing service provider, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a terminal located at a bank which uses the third party check processing service provider to process checks.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein (i) the institution comprises a first bank at which checks can be processed, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a terminal located at a second bank which is different from the first bank and which uses the first bank to process checks.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the remote check image capture device comprises a color image-based self-service depositing terminal.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the color image-based self-service depositing terminal comprises an image-based check depositing automated teller machine (ATM).

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein (i) the institution comprises a third party check processing service provider, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a terminal located at a bank which uses the third party check processing service provider to process checks.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein (i) the institution comprises a first bank at which checks can be processed, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a terminal located at a second bank which is different from the first bank and which uses the first bank to process checks.

11. A method of operating a remote check image capture device, the method comprising:

capturing a color image of a check provided by a user at the remote check image capture device;

storing the color image of the check locally to the remote check image capture device;

deriving a binary image of the check from the color image of the check;

transmitting to a institution the binary image of the check; and

receiving from the institution a request to retrieve the color image of the check in response to the institution determining that image quality of the binary image of the check is suspect.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

retrieving the color image of the check which is stored locally to the remote check image capture device; and

transmitting the retrieved color image of the check to the institution to fulfil the request from the institution.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein (i) the institution comprises a back office facility of a bank, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a table-top check processing terminal located at a merchant'"'"'s check image capture facility which is located remote from the back office facility of the bank.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein (i) the institution comprises a back office facility of a bank, and (ii) the remote check image capture device comprises a table-top check processing terminal located at a bank branch which is located remote from the back office facility of the bank.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the remote check image capture device comprises an image-based self-service depositing terminal.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the color image-based self-service depositing terminal comprises a color image-based check depositing automated teller machine (ATM).

19. An apparatus comprising:

a color imaging camera for capturing a color image of a check provided by a user;

a check image data memory for storing the color image of the check; and

a controller for (i) deriving from the color image a non-color image of the check, (ii) transmitting to an institution the non-color image of the check, (iii) receiving from the institution a request to retrieve the color image of the check from the check image data memory in response to the institution determining that image quality of the non-color image of the check transmitted thereto is suspect, (iv) retrieving the color image of the check from the check image data memory in response to the request received from the institution, and (v) transmitting the retrieved color image of the check to the institution to fulfil the request from the institution.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising (i) a number of check storage bins, and (ii) a check transport mechanism for transporting a check to a check storage bin after the color imaging camera has captured a color image of the check.