Method of printing MICR encoded negotiable instruments such as checks/drafts from facsimile transmitted checks

• US 6,697,512 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1995
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Jerome Simonoff
• Inventors: Simonoff, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US09/793,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 382/139, 382/137, 382/317, 382/135, 347/140, 347/131, 347/158, 705/45, 235/379, 283/70, 358/1.18
• US Class Current: 382/139
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2253 Recognition of characters printed with magnetic ink G06V30/2247 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved method for accurately and correctly encoding and printing complete checks on blank paper sheets from graphic check images. The method includes inputting into a computer a graphic image of a check. Scanning the graphic image, in computer memory, and identifying the MICR character codes with their locations. Printing said MICR codes with magnetic ink in MICR fonts in a designated “clear band”. Reformatting the scanned graphic image with the MICR images deleted and printing the reformatted graphic image above the “clear band” to provide a negotiable check instrument.

Claims

1. A method of reproducing a check suitable for automatic processing by the banking system comprising:

receiving at a computer a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area that includes an image of a signature;

the first area and second area comprising nonoverlapping portions of the graphic image;

using optical character recognition to identify the MICR codes and to convert the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and

printing a reproduced check by;

printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area; and

printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the signature;

wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein,

printing the second area of the graphic image includes reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer.

4. A computer program product for reproducing a check suitable for automatic processing by the banking system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

a first set of instructions for receiving a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area having an image of portions of the check above the MICR codes;

a second set of instructions for identifying the MICR codes in the first area and converting the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and

printing instructions for printing a reproduced check, the printing instructions including instructions for printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area, and for printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the portions of the check above the MICR codes;

wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the printing instructions include instructions for reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area.

7. A computer program product for reproducing an electronically transmitted check suitable for processing by the banking system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

a first set of instructions for receiving a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area that includes an image of a signature;

the first area and second area comprising nonoverlapping portions of the graphic image;

a second set of instructions for identifying the MICR codes in the first area and converting the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and

printing instructions for printing a reproduced check, the printing instructions including instructions for printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area, and for printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the signature;

wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the printing instructions include instructions for reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer.