METHODS OF OPERATING AN IMAGE-BASED CHECK PROCESSING SYSTEM TO DETECT A DOUBLE FEED CONDITION OF CARRIER ENVELOPES AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR

• US 20130156290A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: O'Neill, Darryl S., Ancell, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,625,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2253 Recognition of characters printed with magnetic ink G06V30/2247 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided of operating an image-based check processing system to detect a double feed condition of carrier envelopes. The method comprises attempting to read a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline from a first predefined area of an image of a document item. Based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the first predefined area of the item image, a determination is made if the document item is a carrier envelope. A conclusion is made that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that the document item is a carrier envelope. A conclusion is made that the document item is potentially a double-fed item when a determination is made that the document item is not a carrier envelope. The method may further comprise attempting to read a MICR codeline from a second predefined area which is different from the first predefined area of the item image. Based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the second predefined area of the item image, a determination is made if the item image has a valid MICR codeline. A conclusion is made that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has been read from the second predefined area of the item image. A conclusion is made that the document item is potentially a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has not been read from the second predefined area of the item image.

Claims

1. A method of operating an image-based check processing system to detect a double feed condition of carrier envelopes, the method comprising:

attempting to read a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline from a first predefined area of an image of a document item;

based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the first predefined area of the item image, determining if the document item is a carrier envelope;

concluding that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that the document item is a carrier envelope; and

concluding that the document item is potentially a double-fed item when a determination is made that the document item is not a carrier envelope.

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

attempting to read a MICR codeline from a second predefined area which is different from the first predefined area of the item image;

based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the second predefined area of the item image, determining if the item image has a valid MICR codeline;

concluding that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has been read from the second predefined area of the item image; and

concluding that the document item is potentially a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has not been read from the second predefined area of the item image.

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

based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the first predefined area of the item image, determining if a blank MICR codeline has been read; and

alerting an operator when a determination is made that a blank codeline has not been read from the first predefined area of the item image.

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

based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the first predefined area of the item image, determining if a dimension of the item image is within a predetermined dimension; and

alerting an operator when a determination is made that the dimension of the item image is not within the predetermined dimension.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.

6. A method of operating an image-based check processing system to detect a double feed condition of carrier envelopes, the method comprising:

attempting to read a MICR codeline from a predefined area of an image of a document item, wherein the predefined area comprises an area which is other than where a MICR codeline of a check would normally be found;

based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the predefined area of the item image, determining if the item image has a valid MICR codeline;

concluding that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that the item image has a valid MICR codeline in the predefined area which is other than where a MICR codeline of a check item would normally be found.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein determining if the item image has a valid MICR codeline includes:

determining if the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image comprises two transit Q symbols; and

concluding that the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image is not a valid MICR codeline when a determination is made that the MICR codeline does not comprise two transit Q symbols.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein determining if the item image has a valid MICR codeline includes:

determining if the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image comprises at least a predetermined number of E13B/CMC7 characters; and

concluding that the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image is not a valid MICR codeline when a determination is made that the MICR codeline does not comprise at least a predetermined number of E13B/CMC7 characters.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein determining if the item image has a valid MICR codeline includes:

determining if the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image comprises more than a predetermined number of rejects; and

concluding that the MICR codeline which has been read from the predefined area of the item image is not a valid MICR codeline when a determination is made that the MICR codeline comprises more than a predetermined number of rejects.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.

11. A check processing apparatus comprising:

a document feed mechanism having a document feed path;

a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline reader arranged to read a MICR codeline from a document item as the document item is transported along the document feed path from an upstream end of the document feed path to a downstream end of the document feed path;

an imaging camera arranged to capture image data which is representative of an image of the document item as the document item is transported along the document feed path;

an optical character recognition (OCR) reader arranged to perform an OCR read of an image of the document item as the document item is transported along the document feed path; and

a processor programmed to (i) process data read from a first predefined area of the item image, (ii) process data read from a second predefined area of the item image, and (iii) alert an operator that the document item is a potentially double-fed when processed data from the first and second predefined areas of the item image is indicative of the document item not comprising a carrier envelope.

12. A check processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to (iv) process data read from the first predefined area of the item image to determine if a blank MICR codeline has been read, and (v) alert an operator when a determination is made that a blank codeline has not been read from the first predefined area of the item image.

13. A check processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to (iv) process data from the first predefined area of the item image to determine if a dimension of the item image is within a predetermined dimension, and (v) alert an operator when a determination is made that the dimension of the item image is not within the predetermined dimension.

14. A check processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to (iv) attempt to read a MICR codeline from a second predefined area which is different from the first predefined area of the item image, (v) determine if the second predefined area of the item image has a valid MICR codeline based upon the attempted read of a MICR codeline from the second predefined area of the item image, (vi) conclude that the document item is not a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has been read from the second predefined area of the item image, and (vii) conclude that the document item is potentially a double-fed item when a determination is made that a valid MICR codeline has not been read from the second predefined area of the item image.