Remote deposit image inspection apparatuses, methods and systems

• US 8,837,806 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Prasad, Bharat, Ethington, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Koziol, Stephen R
• Assistant Examiner(s): GILLIARD, DELOMIA L
• Application Number:
  US13/156,007
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20132 Image cropping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/40 using histogram techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/20 Image preprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/44 Local feature extraction by analysis of parts of the pattern, e.g. by detecting edges, contours, loops, corners, strokes or intersections; Connectivity analysis, e.g. of connected components
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/443 by matching or filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/50 by performing operations within image blocks; by using histograms, e.g. histogram of oriented gradients [HoG]; by summing image-intensity values; Projection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/16 Image preprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/18019 by matching or filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/416 Extracting the logical structure, e.g. chapters, sections or page numbers; Identifying elements of the document, e.g. authors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40012 : Conversion of colour to monochrome
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

The REMOTE DEPOSIT IMAGE INSPECTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (hereinafter “ImageInspector”) transforms uploaded check images and check deposit information inputs via ImageInspector components image into deposit confirmation outputs. For example, in one embodiment, a user may employ a personal computer connected to a web camera, and/or a smartphone with a built-in camera to initiate the remote deposit by holding a check in front of the camera, and the ImageInspector may capture images of the check and send them to a financial institution for deposit processing.

Claims

1. A financial instrument image assessment method, comprising:

in a system having a memory comprising processor executable instructions, and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor;

obtaining a financial instrument image captured by an image capture component of a communication device;

analyzing a portion of the financial instrument image, wherein the portion of the financial instrument image is less than the whole financial instrument image;

generating an initial image quality score for the obtained financial instrument image based on a contrast image characteristic obtained from the analyzed portion of the financial instrument image;

determining whether the generated initial image quality score meets or exceeds an image quality threshold, wherein the initial image quality score is generated to be within a specified range of scores;

in response to determining that the initial image quality score meets the image quality threshold;

performing at least an edge detection process on the financial instrument image, wherein a type of edge detection process performed is based on the specified range of scores the initial image quality score corresponds to; and

processing the financial instrument image for deposit; and

in response to determining that the initial image quality score fails to meet the image quality threshold, sending a denial notice to the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is any of a personal computer, a smart phone, and a cellular phone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capture component is any of a scanner, a digital camera, and a web camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image quality score is related to at least one of:

image contrast level;

MICR OCR readability;

CAR OCR readability;

endorsement detection;

financial instrument dimension matching;

histogram distribution;

corner detection noise;

or

darkness and lightness balance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a four-sided edge detection and cropping procedure if the contrast level is within a first predetermined range of scores; and

applying an alternative edge detection and cropping procedure if the contrast level is within a second predetermined range of scores that is lower than the first predetermined range of scores.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image quality threshold is pre-determined by a system operator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image quality threshold is dynamically obtained via statistical analysis.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the image quality threshold is obtained via analyzing past image assessment data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing image properties of the obtained financial instrument image;

determining a type of image source based on the properties of the obtained financial instrument image; and

determining the image quality threshold based on the type of image source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the type of image source is one of a scanner, a camera, a cellular phone built-in camera, or a web camera.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving heuristics of previously processed image data of the type of image source.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a hierarchical structure to assess the obtained financial instrument image based on the type of the image source.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining an image assessment threshold based on thresholds of previously processed images based on the type of the image source.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial image quality score is further generated based on a non-contrast image characteristic of the portion of the financial instrument image.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the financial instrument image corresponds to a portion depicting a MICR line on the financial instrument image.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of processing instructions, comprising instructions configured to cause a processor to:

obtain a financial instrument image captured by an image capture component of a communication device;

analyze a portion of the financial instrument image, wherein the portion of the financial instrument image is less than an entirety of the financial instrument image;

generate an initial image quality score for the obtained financial instrument image based on a contrast characteristic obtained from the analyzed portion of the financial instrument image;

determine whether the generated initial image quality score meets or exceeds an image quality threshold, wherein the initial image quality score is generated to be within a specified range of scores;

in response to determining that the initial image quality score meets the image quality threshold;

performing at least an edge detection process on the financial instrument image, wherein a type of edge detection process performed is based on the specified range of scores the initial image quality score corresponds to, and

processing the financial instrument image for deposit; and

in response to determining that the initial image quality score fails to meet the image quality threshold, sending a denial notice to the communication device.

15. A financial instrument deposit apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, and configured to execute a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory to;

obtain a financial instrument image captured by an image capture component of a communication device;

analyze a portion of the financial instrument image, wherein the portion of the financial instrument image is less than an entirety of the financial instrument image;

generate an initial image quality score for the obtained financial instrument image based on a contrast image characteristic obtained from the analyzed portion of the financial instrument image;

determine whether the generated initial image quality score meets or exceeds an image quality threshold, wherein the initial image quality score is generated to be within a specified range of scores;

in response to determining that the initial image quality score meets the image quality threshold;

performing at least an edge detection process on the financial instrument image, wherein a type of edge detection process is applied based on the specified range of scores the initial image quality score corresponds to; and

processing the financial instrument image for deposit; and

in response to determining that the initial image quality score fails to meet the image quality threshold, provide a denial notice to the communication device.