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EP0223395A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Document processing apparatus using a thermal encoder

Assignee: NCR Canada Ltd
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Filing: 1986-10-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-09
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Abstract

Abstract In an apparatus for use in endorsing documents (16), like checks, in a banking system, a magnetic stripe (66) is printed or encoded on the reverse side of each document (16) entering the processing system. Human readable, endorsement data (78) is also printed next to the magnetic stripe (66) at the time that the stripe is being printed. The endorsement data is also magnetically written into a portion of the magnetic stripe during a subsequent, real-time operation to provide both machine-readable and human-readable forms of data to facilitate tracing a document's processing trail through several banks. A low-cost method of providing endorsements on checks through using the MICR encoder (75) to print the usual monetary amount, inverting the check, re-entering the check, and using the MICR encoder (75) to print the endorsement on the reverse side of the check is also disclosed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ralf Maynard Brooks

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 18:56
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K17/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 212 words
An apparatus for processing documents including: a document track (12) and transport means (26, 28, 30, 32) for moving said documents 16 sequentially along said document track (12); and processing means (38) for processing said documents to obtain data relative to said documents and also for controlling the operation of said apparatus; characterized by reading means (70) coupled to said processing means for determining whether or not a document (16) in said document track has a magnetic stripe (66) thereon, and also for reading data on said magnetic stripe (66) when said magnetic stripe is present; printing means (64) coupled to said processing means (38) for printing a magnetic stripe 66 on those of said documents 16 which do not have a magnetic stripe (66) thereon as determined by said first reading means (70); and writing means (76) coupled to said processing means (38) for magnetically writing at least a portion of the data obtained from said processing means (38) for a document (88) onto the associated magnetic stripe (66) while said document (16) is in said document track (12); said printing means being arranged to print, data received from said processing means (38) in human readable form (78) as said magnetic stripe (66) is being printed on the associated document (16).
Claim 2
Independent Claim 212 words
An apparatus for processing documents including: a document track (12) and transport means (26, 28, 30, 32) for moving said documents 16 sequentially along said document track (12); and processing means (38) for processing said documents to obtain data relative to said documents and also for controlling the operation of said apparatus; characterized by reading means (70) coupled to said processing means for determining whether or not a document (16) in said document track has a magnetic stripe (66) thereon, and also for reading data on said magnetic stripe (66) when said magnetic stripe is present; printing means (64) coupled to said processing means (38) for printing a magnetic stripe 66 on those of said documents 16 which do not have a magnetic stripe (66) thereon as determined by said first reading means (70); and writing means (76) coupled to said processing means (38) for magnetically writing at least a portion of the data obtained from said processing means (38) for a document (88) onto the associated magnetic stripe (66) while said document (16) is in said document track (12); said printing means being arranged to print, data received from said processing means (38) in human readable form (78) as said magnetic stripe (66) is being printed on the associated document (16).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 52 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said printing means (64) includes a pringing unit comprised of a line of resistive heating elements arranged in a row to produce a printed dot density of at least 6.05 dots per millimeter, and also includes a ribbon containing heat transferable magnetic ink.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said documents have MICR data thereon, characterized in that said printing means (64) is positioned along said document track (12) so as to print said magnetic stripe (66) on said documents (16) at a location away from said MICR data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 45 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said printing means (64) is positioned along said document track (12) so as to print both said magnetic stripe (66) and said data in human readable form (78) on the reverse side of said documents (16).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 63 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said printing means -(64) has associated therewith a sensing means (68) coupled to said processing means (38) for sensing the length of said documents, said length being used by said processing means (38) to control the length of said magnetic stripe (66) being printed by said printing means (64) on a particular document (16).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said magnetic stripe (66) is continuous and includes sections P-1, P-2, P-3 for writing in pointer data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said magnetic stripe (66) is printed in discrete sections (82-1, 82-2, 82-3) with each said discrete section having an area (P-1, P-2, P-3) reserved for pointer data.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 118 words
A method of encoding a document in which data to be encoded on the document 16 is entered in a controller (38), said method including the steps of: encoding MICR data (62, 86) on the front side of said document (16) by moving it in operative relationship with a MICR encoder (75) located in a document track (12); removing said document(16) from said document track (12) after said encoding of MICR data (62, 86) is completed, characterized by the further steps of inverting said document (16); and re-entering said document (16) in said document track (12) so that the reverse side of said document (16) faces said MICR encoder (75) to encode endorsement data on said reverse side.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 118 words
A method of encoding a document in which data to be encoded on the document 16 is entered in a controller (38), said method including the steps of: encoding MICR data (62, 86) on the front side of said document (16) by moving it in operative relationship with a MICR encoder (75) located in a document track (12); removing said document(16) from said document track (12) after said encoding of MICR data (62, 86) is completed, characterized by the further steps of inverting said document (16); and re-entering said document (16) in said document track (12) so that the reverse side of said document (16) faces said MICR encoder (75) to encode endorsement data on said reverse side.

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