Concurrent, image-based, reject-re-entry repair system and method

• US 4,555,617 A
• Filed: 12/23/1982
• Issued: 11/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Canada Limited (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Brooks, Ralf M., Lepic, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/452,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/449, 209/534, 364/900
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 83/02 performed on the same pile or stack
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

A method and system for processing a batch of documents such as checks for achieving concurrent, reject re-entry and repair of rejects of the batch of documents in association with a sorting machine. A document reader such as a MICR reader for example, and an imaging apparatus are included along the document track to generate MICR data and digitized image data for each document passing thereby. A document whose MICR data is read correctly is routinely sorted while a document whose MICR data for a field is missing, for example, is sorted in a reject pocket. The data needed to complete the missing field is obtained by an operator viewing an image of the document on a data entry terminal while the associated document which was sorted in the reject pocket is stored at an encoder coupled to the reject pocket. The now-complete data obtained by the operator is used by the encoder to print the now-complete data for the missing field on the associated document.

Claims

1. A document re-entry and repair system comprising:

a reader/sorter having a reject pocket into which rejected documents are fed, said rejected documents meaning those documents which have the entire monetary amount missing thereon; and

means for encoding data on said rejected documents, with said means for encoding data being connected to said reject pocket to receive said rejected documents from said reject pocket as said rejected documents are fed into said reject pocket by said reader/sorter to provide on-line encoding of said rejected documents.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for encoding data includes a printer which prints data on said rejected documents while they are located at said means for encoding data.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which said means for encoding data includes means for supplying monetary amount data for each of said rejected documents to said printer to enable said printer to print the associated monetary amount data on each said rejected document.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said printer is capable of printing in magnetic ink.

5. A document re-entry and repair apparatus for encoding a missing field on documents, comprising:

means for reading said fields on said documents;

means for moving said documents along a track in reading relationship with said means for reading to determine which of said documents has a said missing field;

a reject pocket;

means for diverting those of said documents having a said missing field into said reject pocket;

means for developing data for said missing fields to produce completed data for each of said documents diverted into said reject pocket; and

means for encoding data being located adjacent to said reject pocket for receiving documents as they are diverted into said reject pocket;

said means for encoding data including an encoder which encodes said completed data from said means for developing data on the associated said document diverted into said reject pocket.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said means for encoding data includes a means for storing said documents as they are received from said reject area and for delivering said documents to said encoder on a first-in, first-out basis, and in which said encoder is capable of encoding in magnetic ink.

7. A document re-entry and repair system comprising:

a transport system having a track along which documents are fed sequentially in a feeding direction by an associated feed mechanism;

reading means positioned at said track in operative relationship with said documents as they are fed along said track so as to read therefrom monetary data associated with each said document;

said reading means including means to determine whether the data read from each said document is complete or incomplete with respect to predetermined criteria and to produce corresponding complete and incomplete signals, respectively;

diverting means positioned along said track for diverting into a reject pocket those of said documents having a said incomplete signal associated therewith;

processing means for processing said data read by said reading means and for controlling said diverting means;

said processing means including;

storing means for storing said data read from said documents and also for enabling said data read to be distinguished as complete or incomplete with regard to the associated documents;

means for completing data for those documents having an incomplete signal associated therewith; and

comprising;

an imaging apparatus positioned along said track downstream along said feeding direction from said reading means to produce digitized image data of each said document passing thereby;

data development means including a memory for storing said digitized image data, a display and a keyboard; and

interface means for interfacing said processing means with said data development means to enable said data for a document having an incomplete signal associated therewith to be viewed on said display along with an image for said document derived from the associated digitized image data from said memory to enable an operator to key in additional data on said keyboard to thereby complete the data, forming completed data for said last-named document;

said completed data being transferred from said data development means to said storing means via said interface means and said processing means upon actuation of a transfer key on said keyboard; and

means for encoding data on said documents which have a said incomplete signal associated therewith, and which were diverted into said reject pocket, with said means for encoding data being connected to said reject pocket to receive said last name documents as they are divided into said reject pocket by said diverting means, and also with said means for encoding data being coupled to said storing means to receive said completed data for said documents being diverted into said reject pocket to enable said means for encoding data to encode the associated said completed data on the corresponding said document.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 in which said means for encoding data includes a printer which prints the said completed data on the corresponding said document in magnetic ink.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 in which said means for encoding data includes a means for storing said documents as they are received from said reject pocket and for delivering said documents to said printer on a first-in, first-out basis.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 in which said completed data represents a monetary amount for said documents having an incomplete signal associated therewith.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 in which said encoding step is effected using magnetic ink.

11. A document re-entry method of repairing a missing data field on documents comprising:

(1) moving the documents along a track in reading relationship with a means for reading said documents to determine which of said documents has a said missing data field;

(2) diverting said documents having a said missing data field into a reject pocket;

(3) developing data for said missing data field to produce completed data for each of said documents diverted into said reject pocket without using said diverted documents;

(4) locating an encoder adjacent to said reject pocket for recieving said documents as they are diverted into said reject pocket in said diverting step to provide on line encoding of said rejected documents;

(5) encoding the corresponding completed data for each said document at said encoder as obtained from said developing step.

13. A document re-entry method of repairing a completely missing field on documents comprising the steps of:

(1) moving the documents along a track in reading relationship with a reader;

(2) reading data from said documents during said moving step;

(3) deciding whether the data read in said reading step is complete or incomplete with regard to said missing data field;

(4) storing the data read from said documents in a memory and in a manner enabling the data read from said documents to be distinguished as complete or incomplete with regard to the associated documents;

(5) imaging said documents after said reading step while being moved along said track so as to produce digitized image data for each said document;

(6) diverting into a reject pocket those documents whose data read is incomplete;

(7) developing data for each of said documents whose data read from said reading step is incomplete by utilizing the associated data from said reading step and the associated digitized image data from said imaging step to produce completed data for the associated document;

said developing step being initiated after said diverting step;

(8) storing said completed data in said memory;

(9) locating an encoder adjacent to said reject pocket for receiving said documents as they are diverted into said reject pocket in said diverting step;

(10) using said encoder to encode the associated said completed data as obtained from said memory for each of said documents from said reject pocket.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 in which said encoding step is effected using magnetic ink.