Method for optically decoding a debit or credit card

• US 20130202185A1
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Irwin, Kenneth Earl Jr., Stanek, Edward J., Huntley, William J.
• Application Number:
  US13/573,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20130202185A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/127 in which both online and offline card verification can take place

Abstract

A method for collecting and transmitting information desired for a commercial transaction from a debit or credit card uses a processor configured with optical character recognition (OCR) capability. At least one optical image of the debit or credit card is collected by the processor. The edges of the card are algorithmically defined from the collected image. Predefined offsets are applied to the algorithmically defined edges of the debit or credit card to algorithmically locate an area in the collected image having the desired transactional data. The transactional data within the located area is encoded and transmitted for further processing of the commercial transaction.

Claims

1. A method for collecting and transmitting information desired for a commercial transaction from a debit or credit card, the method comprising use of a processor configured with optical character recognition (OCR) capability to perform steps of:

collecting at least one optical image of the debit or credit card;

algorithmically defining the edges of the debit or credit card from the collected image;

applying predefined offsets to the algorithmically defined edges of the debit or credit card to algorithmically locate an area in the collected image having the desired transactional data;

encoding the transactional data within the located area; and

transmitting the encoded data for further processing of the commercial transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the area in the collected image contains an account number associated with the debit or credit card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the edges of the debit or credit card are algorithmically defined by measuring one or both of color and intensity values of pixels in the optical image, wherein pixels having a defined differential color or intensity value relative to neighboring pixels are flagged and mapped in a memory array.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein individual pixels are compared against a running average of neighboring horizontal or vertical pixels for flagging the pixels having a defined differential color or intensity value relative to neighboring pixels.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising filtering out flagged pixels that are not connectable by a continuous line to neighboring pixels.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the mapped memory array is a two dimensional representation of each pixel in a scanner'"'"'s field of view used to collect the optical image, and further comprising connecting lines between the flagged pixels, wherein the lines denote edges of the debit or credit card.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting rounded corners at intersections of the connected lines as an aid in defining edges of the debit or credit card.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising processing the collected optical image with a digital filter to smooth out pixels having the defined color or intensity value attributable to graphics on the credit or debit card.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a skew orientation of the collected optical image relative to a scanner or camera used of collect the optical image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the skew orientation is determined by comparing known width and height dimensions of the credit or debit card to measured width and height dimensions obtained from the algorithmically defined edges.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the skew orientation is determined by measuring an angle of intersection of the algorithmically defined edges.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving attributes of known security features embedded in the credit or debit card from a database, and testing the collected optical image with the OCR software to determine if the collected image contains the security feature attributes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the security feature database is organized by credit or debit card back identification number (BIN), the area in the collected image having the transactional data contains an account number associated with the debit or credit card, wherein the BIN is extracted from the account number and used to access the security feature database.