Abstract: The invention improves the appearance of freehand drawn lines and shapes in an electronic document by first recognizing freehand drawn lines and shapes and generating a line made up of sequential straight line segments for the freehand drawn line when the line does not form a closed line and generating a multiple straight-line-segment shape when the line forms a closed line. If a multiple segment shape is being reshaped, a basic shape is selected from reference ideal shapes as the basic shape of the multiple segment shape. The basic shape is adjusted to provide a specific shape as an improved shape for the freehand drawn shape. The recognition of the freehand drawn lines and shapes is accomplished by comparing source segments of a source freehand drawn line to a straight line and substituting a straight line segment for a source segment if the deviation between the source segment and the straight line is below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Information is provided to a point of sale system to assist a sales clerk in preventing a bank check having a fraudulent signature from being accepted at the point of sale. The check signature is scanned from the bank check and an account identifier is read from the bank check. A reference signature set associated with the account identifier is retrieved from the database. The check signature is compared against reference signatures in the reference signature set to verify the check signature and generate a signature confidence value based on how closely the check signature matches one or more of the reference signatures. The signature confidence value is tested against a predetermined value to accept or not accept the check signature. An accept check message is sent to the point of sale system if the act of testing verifies the check signature. The check signature is added to the reference signature set for the checking account identified by the check identifier if the check signature is verified.

Abstract: A check processing system for recognizing text on a check and processing the check using an interpretation for the recognized text is disclosed. The check processing system recognizes text on a check using a text recognition method wherein the text is compared to information entries in a customized recognition list stored in a restrictive lexicon. Thus, a process of creating restricted lexicons containing only customized recognition lists is disclosed. Like the text on the check, the information entries may be strings of characters, such as, without limitation, strings of numerical characters, alphabetic characters or a combination of alphabetic and numerical characters. Furthermore, the strings of characters for the text, as well as the information entries, may be a word or a phrase of words, such as payee names or memo categories. After the text is recognized, the check processing system processes the check using the interpretation by linking the check to the interpretation on an account statement.

Abstract: An issued check is verified in a computer-implemented positive-pay bank check processing system. A scanned check amount, a scanned bank account number, and a scanned check number are read from a scanned image of the issued check. A payee name field on the scanned image of the issued check is located, and a scanned payee name is read from the payee name field. Based on the bank account number and the check number, a record payee name or names are retrieved from an issued check file listing checks issued by a payer or owner of the checking account on which the issued check is drawn. A payee name field on the scanned image of the issued check is located, and a scanned payee name is separated from other information in payee name field, such as payee address. The scanned payee name is matched against a lexicon of record payee name variations based on the record payee name or names. Also, standard noise payee names are added to the lexicon to create a competition with the payee name from check issued file.

Abstract: Images of handwritten cursive records are extracted, and an automated search on the images of the cursive records is performed based on an ASCII query for a record. A cursive equivalent of the ASCII query is matched to the images of the cursive records, and a similarity value is generated to indicate the extent of match between features of the cursive equivalent of the ASCII query and features of each cursive record. The records are sorted based upon their similarity value determined in the matching process. This provides a candidate list of cursive record images to be manually examined by a user for the purpose of making a final determination as to whether any of the cursive records on the candidate list satisfy the query.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an e-mail service for handling electronic ink input. Text input and drawing input is received from a client as text electronic ink input and drawing electronic ink input. Handwritten characters from the text electronic ink input are recognized and electronic ink text data is generated. Draw tool configuration information based on selections at the client is received and applied to the drawing electronic ink input to generate electronic ink drawing data. An electronic ink display is created based on the electronic ink text data and the electronic ink drawing data. The text input from the client may also include keystroke text input. The keystroke computer readable code is converted into electronic ink text data. In addition, the input from the client may include electronic ink gestures. The electronic ink gestures are interpreted, and based on the interpretation a gesture action is called to operate on the electronic ink display.

Abstract: In an electronic-mail computing system having a display and a pointing device for entering geometric elements in a geometric document, additional writing space is inserted in an existing geometric document having original space with one or more original geometric elements. This is accomplished by creating a boundary line or split line and inserting open or free space at the boundary line in the document. Further, an insertion of a boundary line in the midst of a geometric elements of a document to split the elements and add free space is accomplished by grouping geometric elements split by the boundary line or split line and then locating grouped geometric elements on one side or the other of the split line before space is inserted at the split line. The split line on the geometric document is detected, and original geometric elements crossed by the split line are detected and identified as crossed geometric elements.

Abstract: The invention improves the appearance of freehand drawn lines and shapes in an electronic document by first recognizing freehand drawn lines and shapes and generating a line made up of sequential straight line segments for the freehand drawn line when the line does not form a closed line and generating a multiple straight-line-segment shape when the line forms a closed line. If a multiple segment shape is being reshaped, a basic shape is selected from reference ideal shapes as the basic shape of the multiple segment shape. The basic shape is adjusted to provide a specific shape as an improved shape for the freehand drawn shape. The recognition of the freehand drawn lines and shapes is accomplished by comparing source segments of a source freehand drawn line to a straight line and substituting a straight line segment for a source segment if the deviation between the source segment and the straight line is below a predetermined value.