Automated payment system and method

• US 20070112674A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Jones, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

An automated payment system for processing payment by a customer to a company. The payment system includes a document scanning system which has an input receptacle adapted to accept a document. After receiving an authorization agreement from the customer, the scanner acquires at least one image from the document. Also provided is a first computer adapted to receive images from the document scanning system. Adapted to communicate information represented by the image, a first communication link couples the document scanning system and the first computer. The payment system also includes a second computer adapted to receive images which is in communication with the first computer via a second communication link. The second communication link is adapted to communicate images and payment information.

Claims

1. A system for processing original checks, the system comprising:

a document scanning system having;

an input receptacle for receiving an original check; and

at least one image scanner for scanning both sides of the original check, wherein the at least one image scanner obtains images of both sides of the original check;

a first computer communicatively coupled to the document scanning system, the first computer electronically transmitting the images of both sides of the original check over a communications link; and

a second computer which receives the electronically transmitted images of both sides of the original check and prints a substitute check from the received images of both sides of the original check.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image scanner optically recognizes fields within the original check and automatically extracts information from the fields.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the document scanning system further comprises a transport mechanism for transporting the original check from the input receptacle past the at least one image scanner.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image scanner comprises:

a first image scanner for capturing an image of a first side of the original check; and

a second image scanner for capturing an image of a second side of the original check.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer is a payee bank computer with respect to the original check.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer is a payor bank computer with respect to the original check.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein an indicia is printed on the substitute check.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of a cancellation indicia, a paid indicia, and a payment agreement.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the image of at least one side of the original check is electronically tagged with at least one of a customer checking account number, bank number, federal reserve region, and a financial institution involved in payment of the substitute check.

14. The method of claim 1, further including printing an indicia on the substitute check.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of a cancellation indicia, a paid indicia, and a payment agreement.

10. A method for processing original checks, comprising:

scanning both sides of an original check to obtain images of both sides of the original check;

receiving the images of both sides of the original check at a first computer;

electronically transmitting the images of both sides of the original check from the first computer over a communications link; and

receiving the electronically transmitted images of both sides of the original check at a second computer and printing a substitute check from the received images of both sides of the original check.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein scanning comprises optically recognizing fields within the original check and automatically extracting information from the fields.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first computer is a payee bank computer with respect to the original check.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first computer is a payor bank computer with respect to the original check.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising electronically tagging the image of at least one side of the original check with at least one of a customer checking account number, bank number, federal reserve region, and a financial institution involved in payment of the substitute check.

17. A financial institution document processing network, comprising:

a document scanning system including a plurality of image scanners each operating to receive original checks and image both sides of the received original checks; and

a computer communicatively coupled to the document scanning system, the computer operating to print substitute checks from the images of both sides of the original checks.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein the computer further updates a financial account associated with the original check.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein the computer is located at a payee bank.

20. The network of claim 17, wherein the computer is located at a payor bank.

21. The network of claim 17, wherein the substitute check is printed with an indicia.

22. The network of claim 21, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of a cancellation indicia, a paid indicia, and a payment agreement.

23. The network of claim 17, wherein the image of at least one side of the original check is electronically tagged with at least one of a customer checking account number, bank number, federal reserve region, and a financial institution involved in payment of the substitute check.

24. A system for check processing checks, comprising:

at least one image processing unit comprising;

an input receptacle for receiving an original check;

an image scanner for scanning both sides of the original check to obtain images of both sides of the original check; and

an interface to electronically transmit the images of both sides of the original check; and

an account processing system that receives the electronically transmitted images, updates an account associated with the imaged original check and prints a substitute check from the images of both sides of the original check.

25. A method for processing checks, comprising:

scanning both sides of an original check to create an electronic image of both sides of the original check;

electronically transmitting the electronic image of both sides of the original check to a second location remote from the first location;

printing a substitute check from the electronic image of both sides of the original check; and

reconciling at least one account based on information contained in the scanned original check.

26. A system, comprising:

a first processing system receiving an electronic image of an original check and reconciling a first account based on information contained in the original check image;

a printer for printing a substitute check from the electronic image of the original check; and

a second processing system receiving the electronic image of the original check from the first processing system and reconciling a second account based on information contained in the original check image.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first account is associated with the original check and the second account is associated with a debt the original check is paying off.

28. A method for processing checks electronically, comprising:

receiving, at a first bank location, an electronic image of both sides of an original check;

determining whether to print a substitute check from the at least one electronic image at the first bank location;

determining whether to forward the electronic image of both sides of the original check to a second bank location; and

printing the substitute check at the second bank location.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of determining whether to print a substitute check comprises determining if the first bank location is responsible for an account associated with the original check.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first bank location is the payor bank.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the second bank location is the payee bank.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether to forward an electronic image comprises:

forwarding the electronic image to the second location if the first location is not responsible for the account.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising electronically tagging the image of the original check with at least one of a customer checking account number, bank number, federal reserve region, and a financial institution involved in payment of the substitute check.