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

• US 4,564,752 A
• Filed: 12/23/1982
• Issued: 01/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Canada Limited (NCR Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Canada Limited (NCR Corporation)
• Inventors: Nally, Robert B., Lepic, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAFTON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/452,663
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 235/437, 382/57
• US Class Current: 235/437
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices

Abstract

A method and system for processing documents such as checks for achieving concurrent, reject, re-entry of sorter rejects of the 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 is not read correctly or completely is sorted in a reject pocket. The data needed to complete or correct the MICR data is obtained by an operator viewing an image of the document on a data entry terminal while the associated document is still physically located in the reject pocket. After a first pass or run of the documents through the sorter, the now-complete data obtained by the operator is used to sort the rejected documents on a second pass through the sorter to provide the re-entry of the sorter rejects.

Claims

1. A document re-entry system comprising:

a transport system having a track along which documents are fed substantially 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 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 area 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 date 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 while the associated said last-named document is in said reject area;

said reading means including a reader for reading magnetic ink character recognition or MICR data; and

said storing means including a first memory for storing said data read by said reading means for all said documents fed along said track and also including a second memory for storing said completed data for those said documents having a said incomplete signal initially associated therewith.

2. A document re-entry system comprising:

a transport system having a track along which documents are fed substantially 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 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 area those of said documents having a said incomplete signal associated therewith;

processing means for procsssing 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 while the associated said last-named document is in said reject area;

said reading means including a reader for reading magnetic ink character recognition or MICR data;

said storing means including a first memory for storing said data read by said reading means for all said documents fed along said track and also including a second memory for storing said completed data for those said documents having a said incomplete signal initially associated therewith;

said memory of said data development means being a first-in, first-out or FIFO memory and said interface means purging from said FIFO memory all said digitized images except those having said incomplete signals associated therewith.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 in which said display and said keyboard are part of a data entry terminal and said system includes at least two said data entry terminals;

and in which said data development means also includes a means for switching a next available said digitized image data from said FIFO memory to a next available one of said data entry terminals in response to said interface means.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 in which said imaging apparatus comprises an imaging device for producing a digitized image for each said document passing thereby, and a compressor circuit for compressing said digitized image to produce said digitized image data;

each said data entry terminal including a decompressor circuit for decompressing a said digitized image data to produce an associated said image on the associated said display.

5. A method of processing documents in a document re-entry system 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 predetermined criteria;

(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 area those documents whose data is 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 and being performed while the associated document is in said reject area; and

(8) storing said completed data in said memory so as to provide a list of those said documents having an incomplete signal initially associated therewith.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 in which said developing step includes displaying an image produced by said digitized image data to enable an operator to view said image to produce said completed data.

7. A method of providing on-line and concurrent re-entry of rejected documents comprising the steps of:

(1) moving the documents along a track in a sorter 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 predetermined criteria;

(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 area 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 and being performed while the associated document is in said reject area;

(8) storing said completed data in said memory so as to provide a list of those said documents having an incomplete signal initially associated therewith; and

(9) removing said documents from said reject area and thereafter moving said last-named documents in said track in a second pass through said sorter to enable said last-named documents to be sorted according to the associated said completed data in said memory.