Document processing system having improved operational sequencing

• US 8,098,391 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Check Corp
• Original Assignee: Burroughs Payment Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kiplinger, Michael John, Tratar, David Brian, Saunders, Michael A., Spall, Michael James, Bakker, Johan P., McCarthy, Paul John, Copenhaver, Gary Benton
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US12/140,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20090123055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/488, 358/501, 358/498, 358/497, 358/496, 382/139, 382/182, 382/497, 382/137, 382/1.15, 400/105, 400/73, 400/708, 271/302, 271/8.1, 271/303
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

An automated document processing system is disclosed. The system includes a magnetic character reader located along a path of travel of a document. The system also includes a first image scanner located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the first image scanner configured to capture an image of a first side of the document. The system further includes an endorser located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, where the endorser is configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document. The system also includes a second image scanner located after the endorser along the path of travel, the second image scanner configured to capture an image of the at least one side of the document endorsed by the endorser.

Claims

1. An automated document processing system comprising:

a magnetic character reader located along a path of travel of a document;

a first image scanner located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the first image scanner configured to capture an image of a first side of the document;

an endorser located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travels the endorser configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document;

a second image scanner located after the endorser along the path of travel, the second image scanner configured to capture an image of the at least one side of the document endorsed by the endorser.

2. The automated document processing system of claim 1, further comprising a parking position located after the first image scanner.

3. The automated document processing system of claim 2, wherein the parking position provides a location for the document to pause along the path of travel prior to being endorsed by the endorser.

4. The automated document processing system of claim 1, further comprising a framing device located after the parking position along the path of travel.

5. The automated document processing system of claim 1, further comprising control logic configured to transmit data received from the magnetic character reader to a computing system.

6. The automated document processing system of claim 5, wherein the control logic receives response information from the computing system.

7. The automated document processing system of claim 5, wherein the control logic is further configured to transmit image data received from at least one of the first and second image scanners to the computing system.

8. The automated document processing system of claim 1, further comprising a sorting mechanism configured to select one of a plurality of document output pockets.

9. An automated document processing system comprising:

a magnetic character reader located along a path of travel of a document;

an endorser located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the endorser configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document; and

a parking location located after the magnetic character reader and before the endorser, the parking location providing a location to pause movement of the document before the document passes the endorser.

10. The automated document processing system of claim 9, further comprising an image scanner located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the image scanner configured to capture an image of a first side of the document.

11. The automated document processing system of claim 10, wherein the endorser is configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document based on data obtained from the image scanner.

12. The automated document processing system of claim 9, wherein the endorser is configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document based on data obtained from the magnetic character reader.

13. The automated document processing system of claim 9, further comprising a second image scanner located after the endorser along the path of travel, the second image scanner configured to capture an image of the at least one side of the document endorsed by the endorser.

14. The automated document processing system of claim 9, further comprising a sorting mechanism configured to select one of a plurality of document output pockets.

15. The automated document processing system of claim 14, wherein the sorting mechanism selects the one of a plurality of document output pockets based at least on successful acquisition of data using the magnetic character reader.

16. The automated document processing system of claim 9, further comprising a length determination mechanism located proximate to the magnetic character reader and capable of detecting the length of a document passing along the path of travel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising franking the processed document.

18. A method of processing documents in a document processing device, the method comprising:

reading data on a printed document using a magnetic character reader, the printed document passing through the document processing device along a path of travel;

transmitting the data to a computing system;

receiving an instruction from the computing system regarding subsequent processing of the document based on the data;

upon receiving the instruction, allowing the document to proceed along the path of travel to a sorting mechanism; and

processing the document based on the instruction.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to receiving the instruction, parking the document located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein processing the document comprises:

endorsing the document; and

scanning the endorsed document.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein processing the document comprises routing the document to a rejected document pocket.

22. A check scanning device comprising:

a magnetic character reader located along a path of travel of a check, the magnetic character reader configured to read characters printed on a front side of a check;

a first image scanner located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the first image scanner configured to capture an image of a first side of the document;

an endorser located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the endorser configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document;

a parking location located after the magnetic character reader and before the endorser, the parking location providing a location to pause movement of the document before the document passes the endorser; and

a second image scanner located after the endorser along the path of travel, the second image scanner configured to capture an image of the at least one side of the document endorsed by the endorser.

23. The check scanning device of claim 22, wherein the device accommodates a plurality of sizes of checks.

24. The check scanning device of claim 22, further comprising a sorting mechanism configured to select one of a plurality of document output pockets.

25. The check scanning device of claim 24, wherein the sorting mechanism selects the one of a plurality of document output pockets based at least on successful reading of data using the magnetic character reader.