Automatic check reading device

Claim 1

A device for automatically reading checks, characterized by comprising: a central processing unit (3); scanning means (5) associated with said central processing unit (3) and for scanning checks (7); said scanning means (5) comprising first reading means (9) for reading an identification code (11) of said check (7) and for supplying the central processing unit (3) with data (D code ) associated with the identification code (11); said scanning means (5) also comprising second reading means (13) for taking an image of at least part of said check (7) and for supplying said image to the central processing unit (3); said central processing unit (3) comprising: search means (130) for selecting local file means (6) on the basis of the data (D code ) associated with the identification code; said local file means (6) supplying a number of check format data (D format ) on the basis of the input data (D code ); said format data (D format ) defining at least the dimensions and locations, within the check, of a numeric field (16) containing the numeric amount entered on said check, and of an alphabetic field (17) containing the alphabetic amount entered on the check; selecting means (140, 145) defining, on the image of the check and on the basis of the supplied format data (D format ), at least a first subimage (I num ) corresponding to the numeric field (16), and a second subimage (I alf ) corresponding to the alphabetic field (17); automatic numeric reading means (180) receiving said first subimage (I num ) and generating at least one associated numeric amount (N i ); automatic alphabetic reading means (210, 220) receiving said second subimage (I num ) and generating at least one associated alphabetic amount (A j ); correlating means (240) for correlating said numeric amount (N i ) with said alphabetic amount (A j ) to elect a final amount (Ne) of said check.

Claim 2

A device for automatically reading checks, characterized by comprising: a central processing unit (3); scanning means (5) associated with said central processing unit (3) and for scanning checks (7); said scanning means (5) comprising first reading means (9) for reading an identification code (11) of said check (7) and for supplying the central processing unit (3) with data (D code ) associated with the identification code (11); said scanning means (5) also comprising second reading means (13) for taking an image of at least part of said check (7) and for supplying said image to the central processing unit (3); said central processing unit (3) comprising: search means (130) for selecting local file means (6) on the basis of the data (D code ) associated with the identification code; said local file means (6) supplying a number of check format data (D format ) on the basis of the input data (D code ); said format data (D format ) defining at least the dimensions and locations, within the check, of a numeric field (16) containing the numeric amount entered on said check, and of an alphabetic field (17) containing the alphabetic amount entered on the check; selecting means (140, 145) defining, on the image of the check and on the basis of the supplied format data (D format ), at least a first subimage (I num ) corresponding to the numeric field (16), and a second subimage (I alf ) corresponding to the alphabetic field (17); automatic numeric reading means (180) receiving said first subimage (I num ) and generating at least one associated numeric amount (N i ); automatic alphabetic reading means (210, 220) receiving said second subimage (I num ) and generating at least one associated alphabetic amount (A j ); correlating means (240) for correlating said numeric amount (N i ) with said alphabetic amount (A j ) to elect a final amount (Ne) of said check.