Method of printing MICR encoded negotiable instruments such as checks/drafts from facsimile transmitted checks

Abstract

An improved method for accurately and correctly encoding and printing complete checks on blank paper sheets from graphic check images. The method includes inputting into a computer a graphic image of a check. Scanning the graphic image, in computer memory, and identifying the MICR character codes with their locations. Printing said MICR codes with magnetic ink in MICR fonts in a designated “clear band”. Reformatting the scanned graphic image with the MICR images deleted and printing the reformatted graphic image above the “clear band” to provide a negotiable check instrument.

1. A method of reproducing a check suitable for automatic processing by the  a banking system comprising:
 receiving at a computer a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as to create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area that includes an image of a signature; the first area and second area comprising nonoverlapping portions of the graphic image;  
 using optical character recognition to identify the MICR codes and to convert the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and  
 printing a reproduced check by: 
 printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area; and  
 printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the signature;  
 
 wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein,
 printing the second area of the graphic image includes reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area.  
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer. 
     
     
       4. A computer program product for reproducing a check suitable for automatic processing by the  a banking system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:
 a first set of instructions for receiving a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as to create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area having an image of portions of the check above the MICR codes;  
 a second set of instructions for identifying the MICR codes in the first area and converting the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and  
 printing instructions for printing a reproduced check, the printing instructions including instructions for printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area, and for printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the portions of the check above the MICR codes;  
 wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.  
 
     
     
       5. The computer program product of  claim 4 , wherein the printing instructions include instructions for reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area. 
     
     
       6. The computer program product of  claim 4 , wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer. 
     
     
       7. A computer program product for reproducing an electronically transmitted check suitable for processing by the  a banking system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:
 a first set of instructions for receiving a graphic image, the graphic image representing a check that has been optically scanned so as to create the graphic image, the graphic image including a first area having an image of MICR codes and a second area that includes an image of a signature; the first area and second area comprising nonoverlapping portions of the graphic image;  
 a second set of instructions for identifying the MICR codes in the first area and converting the first area of the graphic image into a sequence of the identified MICR codes; and  
 printing instructions for printing a reproduced check, the printing instructions including instructions for printing said sequence of identified MICR codes using magnetic ink, using stored MICR fonts, in a clear band area, and for printing the second area of the graphic image above the clear band area, the printed second area of the graphic image including a facsimile representation of the signature;  
 wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by the banking system.  
 
     
     
       8. The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the printing instructions include instructions for reformatting said graphic image to exclude the first area thereof and printing the reformatted graphic image above the clear band area. 
     
     
       9. The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the received graphic image is an electronically transmitted graphic image selected from the group consisting of a facsimile image of a completed check received at the computer by direct electronic transmission, and a facsimile image of the completed check that is received at a device separate from the computer and then optically scanned into the computer. 
     
     
       10. A method of reproducing a check comprising:
   receiving an image representing a check and including a first portion that includes an image of codes in a MICR code line and a second portion that includes at least an image of a signature;        identifying a sequence of the codes in the MICR code line; and        printing a reproduced check by:      printing, in a clear band area, the identified codes using magnetic ink and MICR fonts; and        printing, outside the clear band area, at least the second portion of the image;          wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by a banking system.     
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second portion of the image excludes the MICR code line. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the image of the check is an electronically transmitted image received from a remote location. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of identifying the sequence of the codes, includes processing the image to identify the sequence of the codes and their respective positions. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of printing the sequence of codes includes the proper positioning, on the reproduced check, of the printed magnetic ink MICR codes. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising verifying the validity of at least part of the sequence of codes in the MICR code line prior to printing the reproduced check. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying an image of check prior to being printed. 
     
     
       17. A computer program product for causing reproduction of a check, comprising a computer readable storage medium comprising:
   a first set of instructions for causing receipt of an image representing a check including a first portion that includes an image of codes in a MICR code line and a second portion that includes at least an image of a signature;        a second set of instructions for causing identification of a sequence of the codes in the MICR code line; and        formatting instructions, for use in formatting for printing a reproduced check by printing, in a clear band, the identified codes using magnetic ink and MICR fonts; and by printing outside the clear band area at least the second area of the graphic image;        wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by a banking system.     
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the formatting instructions include instructions for reformatting the second portion of the image to exclude the MICR code line. 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising instructions for verifying the validity of at least part of the sequence of codes in the MICR code line prior to printing the reproduced check. 
     
     
       20. A system of reproducing a check comprising:
   apparatus configured to receive an image, representing a check and including a first portion including an image of codes in a MICR code line and a second portion including at least an image of a signature;        a computer configured to identify a sequence of the codes in the MICR code line; and        a printer for printing a reproduced check;        wherein the system is configured to cause the printer to print in a clear band area, the sequence of identified codes using magnetic ink and MICR fonts; and outside the clear band area, at least the second area of the image;        such that the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by a banking system.     
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a computer configured to format the second portion of the image to exclude the MICR code line. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the image of the check is an electronically transmitted image received from a remote location. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is further configured to process the first portion of the image to identify the sequence of codes and their respective positions. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23 , wherein when printing the sequence of codes, the printed magnetic ink MICR codes are properly positioned on the reproduced check. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 20 , further configured to verify the validity of at least part of the sequence of codes in the MICR line prior to causing the printer to print the reproduced check. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a display and being configured to display an image of the check prior to it being printed. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a display and being configured to display an image of the check prior to it being printed. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 23 , wherein the system is configured to properly position the printed magnetic ink MICR codes on the reproduced check when printing the sequence of codes. 
     
     
       29. A method of reproducing a check comprising:
   receiving a check including a first portion having MICR codes and a second portion that includes at least a signature;        identifying a sequence of the MICR codes;        verifying the validity of at least part of sequence of MICR codes;        creating an image of at least the second portion of the check; and        printing a reproduced check by:      printing, in a clear band area, the identified codes using magnetic ink and MICR fonts; and        printing, outside the clear band area, at least the second portion of the image;          wherein the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by a banking system.     
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , further comprising detecting routing marks in the MICR codes. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 29 , wherein the image of receiving the check includes receiving an image of the check electronically transmitted from a remote location. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the step of identifying the sequence of the codes, includes processing the image to identify the sequence of the codes and their respective positions. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 31 , further comprising displaying an image of check prior to being printed. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of printing the sequence of codes includes the proper positioning, on the reproduced check, of the printed magnetic ink MICR codes. 
     
     
       35. A system of reproducing a check comprising:
   apparatus configured to create an image of a check, the check including a first portion having MICR codes and a second portion including at least a signature, the created image including at least the second portion;        a computer configured to identify a sequence of the MICR codes; and        a printer for printing a reproduced check;        wherein the system is configured to cause the printer to print in a clear band area, the sequence of identified codes using magnetic ink and MICR fonts; and outside the clear band area, at least the second portion; and        further configured to verify the validity of at least part of the sequence of codes in the MICR line prior to causing the printer to print the reproduced check        such that the reproduced check is a negotiable instrument suitable for automatic processing by a banking system.     
     
     
       36. The system of  claim 35 , further configured to detect routing marks in the MICR codes. 
     
     
       37. The system of  claim 35 , wherein the created image of the check is electronically transmitted for printing at a remote location. 
     
     
       38. The system of  claim 37 , wherein the system is further configured to process the first portion of the image to identify the sequence of codes and their respective positions.