Picture checks

• US 5,748,755 A
• Filed: 04/25/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moore Business Forms Inc.
• Original Assignee: Moore Business Forms Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Thomas W., Muerle, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, KIM Y
• Application Number:
  US08/637,594
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 358/448, 358/450, 358/452, 358/462, 358/400, 358/403, 358/404, 358/444, 382/115, 382/118, 382/140, 345/150, 345/143, 902/1-6, 340/825.34, 283/77
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/06 Picture of the user
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/435 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually

Abstract

A method and apparatus for composing documents such as bank checks with a picture of an account holder on each check comprising the steps of a) capturing a real time video image of the account holder at a bank site; b) converting the image to a digital image file in a personal computer; c) composing a picture check as a graphics image file in the personal computer; d) merging the digital image file and graphics image file to form a picture check; and e) printing one or more picture checks at the bank site and delivering the picture checks to the customer.

Claims

1. A method of composing a personalized document with a picture of a user of the document on each document comprising the steps of:

a) capturing a real time video image of the user at a first site;

immediately thereafter,

b) converting the image to a digital image file using a video image capture board mounted in a personal computer;

c) composing a portion of the personalized document as a graphics image file in the personal computer and adding personalized identifying data to the graphics image file;

d) merging the digital image file and graphics image file to form the document;

e) printing one or more of the personalized documents at the first site; and

f) transferring the digital image file via modem and storing said digital image file in a host computer data base at a second site remote from the first site; and

g) producing additional of the personalized documents at a document manufacturing plant remote from the first and second sites via communication with the host computer data base.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the document is a bank check and the site is a bank.

3. A bank check produced in accordance with the method of claim 2.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step a) is carried out utilizing a still video camera.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) is carried out utilizing a graphics input tablet or graphics display system and a check composition software package.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step e) is carried out utilizing a laser printer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein, for joint users, a real time video image is captured for each user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital image file created in step b) is cropped and scaled to a required size and converted to an image file format.

9. The document produced by the method of claim 1.

10. Apparatus for producing a personalized bank check which includes a picture of an account holder comprising:

an image capture device located at a bank site for capturing a real time video image of the account holder;

means including a video image capture board for converting the account holder'"'"'s image to a digital image file and for storing said digital image file in a memory device of a central processing unit located at another site remote from the bank site;

means for composing the personalized bank check in the form of a graphics image file and for adding personalized text to the graphics image file;

means for merging the digital image file and graphics image file to form a complete bank check format;

means located at the bank site for printing the personalized bank check; and

means for permitting said host computer to communicate with a check manufacturing plant located at a third site remote from said bank site and said another site.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said central processing unit comprises a personal computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 and including a main host computer in communication with said personal computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said image capture device comprises a VCR.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said image capture device comprises a camera.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said image capture device comprises a camcorder.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes a laser printer.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said composing means includes a graphic input tablet and a graphics display system.

18. Apparatus for producing a personalized identification document which includes a picture of an owner of the document comprising:

an image capture device located at a first site for capturing an image of the owner;

means including a video image capture board for converting said image to a digital image file and for storing said digital image file in a memory device of a central processing unit at a second site located remote from said first site;

means for composing the personalized document in the form of a graphics image file and for adding personalized text to the graphics image file;

means for merging the digital image file and graphics image file to form a complete document format including personalized text;

means located at the first site for printing the personalized identification document; and

means for permitting said host computer to communicate with a personalized production apparatus located at a remote manufacturing plant remote from both said first site and said second site.