Document processing system using full image scanning

• US 20030059098A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Mennie, Douglas U., Jones, John E., Jones, William J., Jones, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0043 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/121 Apparatus characterised by sensor details
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00

Abstract

A system for tracking currency bills comprises a currency scanning device. The scanning device includes a sensor that retrieves currency identification characteristic information of each bill processed. The currency identification characteristic information permits the unique identification of each bill processed. The system further comprises a customer identification means and means for associating each processed bill with the customer depositing the bill. Means for identifying the customer (or customer account) associated with a particular processed bill after the deposit transaction has been completed is also included in the system.

Claims

1. A document processing system for processing a plurality of currency bills to be deposited in a financial account of a customer, the currency scanning device comprising:

a scanning device having

an input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of currency bills,

an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of at least one side of a currency bill and to extract a serial number field from the image, the image scanner being adapted to create an image file containing the image of the currency bill and the serial number field,

a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past the image scanner, to at least one output receptacle,

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and the image scanner, the controller adapted to control the operation of the transport mechanism and the operation of the image scanner,

an evaluation unit adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills, the evaluation unit being coupled to the controller, and

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory having stored therein at least one serial number associated with counterfeit currency bills, wherein the controller is adapted to retrieve the at least one serial number from the memory and to compare extracted serial numbers to the at least one stored serial number, wherein the scanning device is adapted to reject any currency bills having a serial number matching a serial number in the database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of currency bills is a stack of currency bills.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output receptacle is a single output receptacle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the output receptacle includes a first output receptacle and a second output receptacle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second output receptacles is an off-sort receptacle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output receptacle is a plurality of output receptacles.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of output receptacles include one off-sort receptacle.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stacker wheel comprising flexible blades positioned to restack documents in the output receptacle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the image scanned is a full image of the entire currency bill.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control panel communicatively coupled to the memory and adapted to provide an indication if the extracted serial number of the currency bill matches a serial number on the list.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control panel comprises a display screen.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the control panel comprises a light and wherein the control panel provides an indication that a currency bill has been flagged as a suspect counterfeit bill by causing the light to blink.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to flag a currency bill having a serial number matching a serial number stored in the memory.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is further adapted to halt the operation of the system if a currency bill is flagged.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further adapted to continue the operation of the system if a currency bill is flagged.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a display panel, the display panel adapted to display an image of a flagged currency bill to an operator.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further adapted to test the currency bill as being genuine by using a counterfeit test, the counterfeit test utilizing at least one of ultraviolet testing, infrared testing, magnetic testing, thread testing, and image comparison testing.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is further adapted to flag a currency bill that does not pass the counterfeit test.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to halt operation of the system if a currency bill is flagged.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to continue the operation of the system if a currency bill is flagged.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to add a reason for the flag to the image of a currency bill that has been flagged.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to add the results of the counterfeit test onto the image of a currency bill.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface coupled to the controller and adapted to automatically communicate with a financial institution, the financial institution being adapted to credit a financial account belonging to the customer substantially immediately.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism feeds the currency bills in a direction that is perpendicular to a longer edge of the currency bills.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism feeds the currency bills in a direction that is parallel to a longer edge of the currency bills.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism is adapted to transport the currency bills at a rate of between about 300 to about 400 bills per minute.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism is adapted to transport the currency bills at a rate in excess of 600 bills per minute.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the image scanner is further adapted to extract and store a denomination of the currency bill.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the image scanner is further adapted to extract and store a Federal Reserve Bank number of the currency bill.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the image scanner is further adapted to extract and store a signatory on the currency bill.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to add a date of deposit onto the image file.

32. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of checks.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a second image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of each of the checks and to extract an amount from each of the checks, the second image scanner further adapted to create an image file containing the image of the side of the check and the amount;

a second transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the checks, one at a time, from the second input receptacle and past the image scanner to a second output receptacle;

wherein the memory is further adapted to store the image file of each of the checks; and

an interface coupled to the controller and adapted to automatically communicate with a financial institution, the financial institution being adapted to credit a financial account belonging to the customer.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the input receptacle, the image scanner, the transport mechanism, the memory, and the controller are in a first housing, the system further comprising a second housing having:

a second image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of each of the checks and to extract an amount from each of the checks, the second image scanner further adapted to obtain a check image file containing the image of the side of the check and the amount;

a second transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the checks, one at a time, from the second input receptacle and past the second image scanner to a second output receptacle;

wherein the memory is further adapted to store the image file of each of the checks; and

an interface coupled to the controller and adapted to automatically communicate with a financial institution, the financial institution being adapted to credit a financial account belonging to the customer.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first housing further comprises a value entry means adapted to receive an input from a customer indicating the amount of a currency bill being imaged by the image scanner.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the value entry means comprises a plurality of denomination keys.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the value entry means comprises a keyboard.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the value entry means comprises a numeric keypad.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the second housing further comprises a display adapted to display an image of a check, wherein the amount of the check is unable to be determined by the second image scanner.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the value entry means comprises a plurality of denomination keys.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the value entry means comprises a keyboard.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the value entry means comprises a numeric keypad.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein the input receptacle is exactly one input receptacle adapted to receive both currency and checks and the output receptacle is exactly one output receptacle.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein the input receptacle is exactly one input receptacle adapted to receive both currency and checks and the output receptacle is exactly two output receptacles.

45. A method for processing currency bills to be deposited in a financial account belonging to a customer using a document scanning device having an image scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills into an input receptacle;

transporting each of the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to at least one output receptacle;

obtaining an image of each of the currency bills with the image scanner;

extracting a serial number from each of the images of the currency bills;

creating an image file containing the full image and the extracted serial number;

comparing the extracted serial number to a list of serial numbers associated with counterfeit bills and stored in a memory of the currency scanning device; and

storing the image file in a memory.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the output receptacle is exactly one output receptacle.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the output receptacle is exactly two output receptacles.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the output receptacle is a plurality of output receptacles.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising halting the operation of the document processing device if the extracted serial number matches a serial number stored on the list.

50. The method of claim 45, further comprising alerting a customer if the extracted serial number matches a serial number stored on the list.

51. The method of claim 45, further comprising discriminating the denomination of the currency bill if the extracted serial number does not match a serial number stored on the list.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising crediting the financial account of the customer based upon the denomination of the currency bill.

53. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

inserting a plurality of checks into the document processing device at the input receptacle;

transporting each of the plurality of checks, one at a time, from the input receptacle and past the image scanner;

obtaining an image of a check as the check is transported past the image scanner;

storing the image in a memory;

discriminating the amount of the check; and

updating the financial account of the customer based upon the amount of the check.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the output receptacle is a single output receptacle.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the output receptacle includes a first output receptacle and a second output receptacle.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the first output receptacle is adapted to receive on-us checks and the second output receptacle is adapted to receive transit checks.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the first output receptacle is adapted to receive currency bills, and the second output receptacle is adapted to receive checks.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein the output receptacle is a plurality of output receptacles.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the input receptacle comprises a first input receptacle and a second input receptacle, and the first input receptacle is adapted to receive currency bills and the second input receptacle is adapted to receive checks.

60. A document processing system for depositing currency bills in an account of a customer at a financial institution, the document processing system comprising:

a plurality of scanning devices, each of the plurality of scanning devices having an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of currency bills, an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of each of the currency bills and to extract information from each of the currency bills, a transport mechanism coupled to the input receptacle and adapted to transport each of the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle, past the image scanner, and to an output receptacle, each of the scanning devices further having a controller coupled to the image scanner and the transport mechanism and adapted to control the operation of the image scanner and the transport mechanism, and a memory including a list of information, wherein the controller is adapted to compare the list of information to the extracted information, and wherein the memory device is further adapted to store the image and the extracted information.

61. A currency scanning device for accepting currency bills from a customer comprising:

a scanning device having

an input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of currency bills,

an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of at least one side of a currency bill and to extract a serial number field from the image,

a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past the image scanner, to at least one output receptacle,

an input device adapted to receive an account number from the customer,

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and the image scanner, the controller adapted to control the operation of the transport mechanism and the operation of the image scanner, the controller further adapted to create an image file containing the image of the currency bill, the serial number field and the account number;

an evaluation unit adapted to determine the denomination of processed currency bills, the evaluation unit coupled to the controller,

a memory coupled to the controller and adapted to store the image file, the memory being configured to be searchable by serial number so that when a serial number is found to be associated with a counterfeit bill, the memory can be searched for an image file containing the serial number of the counterfeit bill; and

a processor coupled to the scanning device and adapted to read an account number from an image file containing a serial number of a counterfeit bill, the processor further adapted to debit a financial account associated with the account number for the denomination of the counterfeit bill.

62. A method for processing currency using a currency scanning device having an image scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills into an input receptacle of the scanning device;

transporting each of the currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to an output receptacle;

obtaining an image of a side of each of the currency bills with an image scanner;

extracting a serial number from each of the currency bills;

creating an image file containing the image, the extracted serial number, and an account number associated with a financial account that will be credited with the currency bill;

storing the image file in a memory;

crediting the financial account of the customer based on the denominations of the currency bills; and

debiting the financial account if it is determined that credit was given for any counterfeit bill.

63. A document processing system for processing a plurality of currency bills to be deposited in a financial account of a customer, the currency scanning device comprising:

a scanning device having

an input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of currency bills,

an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of a currency bill and to extract a predetermined field from the image, the image scanner being adapted to create an image file containing the image of the currency bill,

a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past the image scanner, to at least one output receptacle,

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and the image scanner, the controller adapted to control the operation of the transport mechanism and the operation of the image scanner,

a discrimination and authentication unit adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills and to perform counterfeit testing on the currency bills, the discrimination and authentication unit being coupled to the controller, and

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory adapted to store at least one predetermined field having stored therein at least one predetermined field associated with counterfeit currency bills, wherein the controller is adapted to retrieve the at least one predetermined field from the memory and to compare extracted predetermined fields to the at least one stored predetermined field, wherein the scanning device is adapted to reject any currency bills having a predetermined field matching a predetermined field in the database.

64. A document processing system for processing a plurality of currency bills to be deposited in a financial account of a customer, the currency scanning device comprising:

a scanning device having

an input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of currency bills,

an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of a currency bill and to extract an encoded data field from the image, the image scanner being adapted to create an image file containing the image of the currency bill,

a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past the image scanner, to at least one output receptacle,

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and the image scanner, the controller adapted to control the operation of the transport mechanism and the operation of the image scanner,

a discrimination and authentication unit adapted to determine the denomination of each of the currency bills and to perform counterfeit testing on the currency bills, the discrimination and authentication unit being coupled to the controller, and

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, the memory adapted to store at least one encoded data field having stored therein at least one encoded data field associated with counterfeit currency bills, wherein the controller is adapted to retrieve the at least one encoded data field from the memory and to compare extracted encoded data fields to the at least one stored encoded data field, wherein the scanning device is adapted to reject any currency bills having a encoded data field matching an encoded data field in the database.

65. A method for processing currency bills to be deposited in a financial account belonging to a customer using a document scanning device having an image scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills into an input receptacle;

transporting each of the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to an output receptacle;

obtaining an image of each of the currency bills with the image scanner;

extracting an encoded data field from each of the images of the currency bills;

creating an image file containing the full image and the extracted encoded data field;

comparing the extracted encoded data field to a list of encoded data fields associated with counterfeit bills and stored in a memory of the currency scanning device; and

storing the image file in a memory.

66. A method for processing currency bills to be deposited in a financial account belonging to a customer using a document scanning device having an image scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a stack of currency bills into an input receptacle;

transporting each of the bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle to an output receptacle.

obtaining an image of each of the currency bills with the image scanner;

extracting a predetermined data field from each of the images of the currency bills;

creating an image file containing the full image and the extracted predetermined data field;

comparing the extracted predetermined data field to a list of predetermined data fields associated with counterfeit bills and stored in a memory of the currency scanning device; and

storing the image file in a memory.

67. A document scanning device for accepting currency bills and checks from a customer comprising:

a scanning device having

an input receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of documents,

an image scanner adapted to obtain an image of a side of a document and to extract a predetermined field from the image,

a transport mechanism adapted to transport each of the plurality of currency bills, one at a time, from the input receptacle past the image scanner, to at least one output receptacle,

an input device adapted to receive an account number from the customer,

a controller coupled to the transport mechanism and the image scanner, the controller adapted to control the operation of the transport mechanism and the operation of the image scanner, the controller further adapted to create an image file containing the image of the document, the predetermined field and the account number;

an evaluation unit adapted to determine the amount of processed documents, the evaluation unit coupled to the controller,

a memory coupled to the controller and adapted to store the image file, the memory being configured to be searchable by the predetermined field so that when a predetermined field is found to be associated with a counterfeit document, the memory can be searched for an image file containing the predetermined field of the counterfeit document; and

a processor coupled to the scanning device and adapted to read an account number from an image file containing a predetermined field of a counterfeit document, the processor further adapted to debit a financial account associated with the account number for the amount of the counterfeit document.