Document imaging and processing system

• US 8,204,293 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Csulits, Frank M., Anderson, Matthew, Blake, John R., Klein, Robert J., Mennie, Douglas U., Watts, Gary, Hallowell, Curtis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARKA, DAVID PETER
• Application Number:
  US12/044,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 382/135
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/95 Pattern authentication; Markers therefor; Forgery detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/127 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/12 Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A document processing system comprising one or more document scanning devices that extract information from document images that uniquely identify a document. The system further comprises a central processor remotely connected to the document scanning devices. The central processor is configured to receive the document images and the extracted information from the document scanning devices and is further configured to execute a correction routine configured to adjust errors in the extracted information from the document image.

Claims

1. A document processing device comprising:

a single input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents including intermingled currency notes and checks;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of said plurality of documents, said scanner further being configured to extract information from said document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of said plurality of documents one at a time from said input receptacle to said image scanner and from said image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to said transport mechanism and to said image scanner, said controller configured to at least partially control said transport mechanism and said image scanner;

a memory coupled to at least one of said controller and said image scanner, said memory being configured to store said information extracted from each of said document images; and

a processor coupled to said memory, said processor configured to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting errors in information extracted

wherein said transport mechanism is configured to transport said intermingled currency notes and some of said checks at a rate of up to 1,000 documents per minute with said currency notes and said some of said checks being transported in a direction perpendicular to a wider edge of said currency notes and said some of said checks and wherein said device is further configured to transport others of said checks in a direction perpendicular to a narrower edge of said others of said checks at a rate of about 50-100 documents per minute.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said document images includes an image of at least a portion of a MICR code.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said image scanner extracts information from said MICR code image.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said check contains a MICR code parallel to a narrower edge of said check, said image scanner further configured to extract information from said MICR code parallel to said narrower edge of said check.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said check contains a barcode parallel to at least one of a wider edge of said check and a narrower edge of said check, said image scanner further configured to extract information from said barcode.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said memory is further configured to store a denominating image, said processor being further configured to compare said extracted information with said denominating image for denominating said currency notes.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said document image is an image of an entire document, and said processor crops and deskews a portion of said document image.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said processor executes a cropping algorithm and a deskewing algorithm to crop and deskew said document image.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said processor applies an algorithm to said cropped and said deskewed document image to denominate said currency notes.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said algorithm is a denominating algorithm.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said processor applies an algorithm to said cropped and said deskewed portion of said side of said plurality of documents to extract information from said image.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor operates remotely to said image scanner.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said image scanner is configured to locate a field within said document image and to extract characters from said field as information to be associated with a corresponding document.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said automatic adjusting of said error occurs at least partially after said device processes said plurality of documents using an additional algorithm.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism transports said documents having an error that cannot be automatically corrected to a separate output receptacle.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said image scanner and said processor deskews said portion of at least one side of each of said plurality of documents.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising a communications link between said document processing device and a network system, wherein said processor is further configured to compare said extracted information with information on said network system.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said information on said network system is a suspect list of at least one of known counterfeit documents and known forgery documents.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said controller is configured to cause the transport mechanism to transport documents matching at least one of said known counterfeits and said known forgery documents to a separate output receptacle.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a communications link between said document processing device and a banking network, wherein said processor is further configured to transmit at least one of said extracted information and said document image to a banking device over said banking network.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to transmit at least one of said document images and said extracted information to a banking device for at least one of processing said checks, denominating said currency notes, comparing said currency notes to known counterfeits, and comparing said checks to known forgeries.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to transmit at least one of said document images and said extracted information to a banking device for a provisional credit to a customer account.

23. The device of claim 1, further comprising a printer for printing at least one of a portion of said document image and a portion of said extracted information.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said document processing device is an automated banking machine configured to print a receipt including at least one of a portion of said extracted information and a portion of said document image.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said receipt further includes customer identifying information.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein said automated banking machine is an automated teller machine.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein said some of said checks being transported in said direction perpendicular to said wider edge are standard checks and wherein said others of said checks transported in said direction perpendicular to said narrower edge are commercial checks.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein said wider edge of said standard checks is about 6 inches and wherein said commercial checks have a wider edge between about 9 inches and about 10 inches.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

31. A document processing device comprising:

a single input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents including intermingled currency notes and checks;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of said plurality of documents, said document image being an image of an entire document, said scanner further being configured to extract information from said document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of said plurality of documents one at a time from said input receptacle to said image scanner and from said image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to said transport mechanism and to said image scanner, said controller configured to at least partially control said transport mechanism and said image scanner;

a memory coupled to at least one of said controller and said image scanner, said memory being configured to store said information extracted from said document image of each document; and

a processor coupled to said memory, said processor being configured to identify at least one error in said information extracted from said document image of each document and to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting said at least one error identified in said information extracted, said processor further being configured to crop and deskew a portion of said document image of each currency note and to apply an algorithm to said cropped and said deskewed document image of each currency note to denominate said currency notes,

wherein said algorithm calculates a predetermined number of average luminance samples of pixels within said cropped and deskewed image.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein said processor compares said average luminance samples with at least one master characteristic pattern to denominate said currency notes.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

35. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of said plurality of documents, said scanner further being configured to extract information from said document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of said plurality of documents one at a time from said input receptacle to said image scanner and from said image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to said transport mechanism and to said image scanner, said controller configured to at least partially control said transport mechanism and said image scanner;

a memory coupled to at least one of said controller and said image scanner, said memory being configured to store said extracted information from said document image;

a processor coupled to said memory, said processor configured to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting errors identified in said extracted information; and

a buffer memory coupled to said memory and coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to reduce the rate said transport mechanism transports said currency notes from said input receptacle to said image scanner when said buffer memory approaches a predetermined buffer limit.

36. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of said plurality of documents, said scanner further being configured to extract information from said document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of said plurality of documents one at a time from said input receptacle to said image scanner and from said image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to said transport mechanism and to said image scanner, said controller configured to at least partially control said transport mechanism and said image scanner;

a memory coupled to at least one of said controller and said image scanner, said memory being configured to store said information extracted from said document image of each document;

a processor coupled to said memory, said processor configured to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting errors in information extracted from a document image; and

a buffer memory coupled to said memory and coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to reduce the rate said transport mechanism transports said currency notes from said input receptacle to said image scanner when said buffer memory approaches a predetermined buffer limit, and wherein said controller is configured to stop said transport mechanism from transporting said currency notes when said buffer memory approaches a buffer overrun condition.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

39. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents including currency notes and checks;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of the plurality of documents, the image scanner further being configured to extract information from the document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of the plurality of documents one at a time from the input receptacle to the image scanner and from the image scanner to an output receptacle, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the currency notes and the checks at a rate of up to 1,000 documents per minute when the currency notes and the checks are transported in a direction perpendicular to a wider edge of the currency notes and the checks, and wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the checks in a direction perpendicular to a narrower edge of the checks at a rate of about 50-100 documents per minute;

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and to the image scanner, the controller being configured to at least partially control the transport mechanism and the image scanner;

a memory coupled to at least one of the controller and the image scanner, the memory being configured to store the information extracted from the document image of each document; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to identify at least one error in the information extracted from at least one of the document images and to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting the at least one error identified in the information extracted.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the information extracted from the document image of each of the checks includes a routing number, a bank account number, or both.

41. The device of claim 39, wherein the automatic adjusting of the at least one error includes using an additional algorithm after the device transports at least a portion of the plurality of documents.

42. The device of claim 39, wherein the device has a foot print of less than 2 square foot and wherein the device weighs less than 35 pounds.

43. The device of claim 39, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

44. The device of claim 39, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

45. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents including currency notes and checks;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of the plurality of documents, the image scanner further being configured to extract information from the document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of the plurality of documents one at a time from the input receptacle to the image scanner and from the image scanner to an output receptacle; and

a processor configured to crop and deskew a portion of the document image associated with each currency note and to apply an algorithm to the cropped and the deskewed document image associated with each currency note to denominate each currency note, the algorithm being configured to calculate a predetermined number of average luminance samples of pixels within the cropped and deskewed document image associated with each currency note, and wherein the processor is further configured to identify at least one error in the information extracted from one or more of the document images and to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting the at least one error identified in the information extracted from the one or more of the document images.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the document image is an image of an entire document.

47. The device of claim 45, further comprising a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and to the image scanner, the controller being configured to at least partially control the transport mechanism and the image scanner.

48. The device of claim 47, further comprising a memory coupled to at least one of the controller and the image scanner, the memory being configured to store the information extracted from the document image of each document.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the processor compares the average luminance samples with at least one master characteristic pattern to denominate the currency notes.

50. The device of claim 45, wherein the automatic adjusting of the at least one error includes using an additional algorithm after the device transports at least a portion of the plurality of documents.

51. The device of claim 45, wherein the device has a foot print of less than 2 square foot and wherein the device weighs less than 35 pounds.

52. The device of claim 45, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

53. The device of claim 45, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

54. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of the plurality of documents, the image scanner further being configured to extract information from the document image of each of the plurality of documents;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of the plurality of documents one at a time from the input receptacle to the image scanner and from the image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and being configured to at least partially control the transport mechanism;

a device memory coupled to at least one of the controller and the image scanner, the device memory being configured to store the information extracted from one or more of the document images;

a processor coupled to the device memory, the processor being configured to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting errors identified in the information extracted from one or more of the document images; and

a buffer memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the rate the transport mechanism transports the documents when the buffer memory approaches a predetermined buffer limit.

55. The device of claim 54, wherein the plurality of documents includes currency bills and the information extracted for each currency bill includes a serial number, a signature, a denomination, a series, a back plate, a front plate, a print code, or any combination thereof.

56. The device of claim 54, wherein the plurality of documents includes checks and the information extracted for each check includes a routing number, a bank account number, a check number, a check amount, a payee name, a drawer signature, a drawee name, an endorsement signature, a drawer name, contact information, memo field information, or any combination thereof.

57. The device of claim 54, wherein the buffer memory is coupled to the device memory.

58. The device of claim 54, wherein the controller is further coupled to the image scanner and configured to at least partially control the image scanner.

59. The device of claim 54, wherein the device has a foot print of less than 2 square feet.

60. The device of claim 54, wherein the device has a foot print of less than 1 square foot.

61. The device of claim 54, wherein the device weighs less than 35 pounds.

62. The device of claim 54, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

63. The device of claim 62, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

64. The device of claim 54, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

65. The device of claim 54, wherein the automatic adjusting of the errors includes using an additional algorithm after the device transports at least a portion of the plurality of documents.

66. The device of claim 54, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the rate the transport mechanism transports the documents when the buffer memory approaches a predetermined buffer limit from a first non-zero speed to a second non-zero speed that is slower than the first non-zero speed.

67. The device of claim 66, wherein the first non-zero speed is about 1000 documents per minute and the second non-zero speed is about 500 documents per minute.

68. A document processing device comprising:

an input receptacle configured to receive a plurality of documents;

an image scanner configured to obtain a document image of at least a portion of at least one side of each of the plurality of documents, the image scanner further being configured to extract information from the document image of each document;

a transport mechanism configured to transport each of the plurality of documents one at a time from the input receptacle to the image scanner and from the image scanner to an output receptacle;

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and being configured to at least partially control the transport mechanism;

a device memory coupled to the controller, the image scanner, or both, the device memory being configured to store the information extracted from the document image of each document;

a processor coupled to the device memory, the processor being configured to identify at least one error in information extracted from a document image and to execute a correction routine that applies a first algorithm for automatically adjusting errors identified in the information extracted; and

a buffer memory coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to stop the transport mechanism from transporting the documents when the buffer memory approaches a buffer overrun condition.

69. The device of claim 68, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the rate the transport mechanism transports the documents when the buffer memory approaches a predetermined buffer limit from a first non-zero speed to a second non-zero speed that is slower than the first non-zero speed.

70. The device of claim 69, wherein the first non-zero speed is about 1000 documents per minute and the second non-zero speed is about 500 documents per minute.

71. The device of claim 68, wherein the controller is further coupled to the image scanner and configured to at least partially control the image scanner.

72. The device of claim 68, wherein the buffer memory is coupled to the device memory.

73. The device of claim 68, wherein the plurality of documents includes currency bills and the information extracted for each currency bill includes a serial number, a signature, a denomination, a series, a back plate, a front plate, a print code, or any combination thereof.

74. The device of claim 68, wherein the plurality of documents includes checks and the information extracted for each check includes a routing number, a bank account number, a check number, a check amount, a payee name, a drawer signature, a drawee name, an endorsement signature, a drawer name, contact information, memo field information, or any combination thereof.

75. The device of claim 68, wherein the device has a foot print of less than 1.5 square feet.

76. The device of claim 68, wherein the device weighs less than 35 pounds.

77. The device of claim 68, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

78. The device of claim 77, wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 100 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 1000 documents per minute.

79. The device of claim 68, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport each of the plurality of documents in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of about 450 documents per minute and wherein the image scanner is configured to obtain a document image at approximately 200 DPI while the transport mechanism transports the documents at the rate of about 450 documents per minute.

80. The device of claim 68, wherein the automatic adjusting of the errors includes using an additional algorithm after the device transports at least a portion of the plurality of documents.