Abstract: A method of operating an image-based self-service check depositing terminal having an optical character recognition (OCR) reader comprises the steps of (a) receiving from a self-service depositor a check to be deposited, (b) illuminating the check with infrared radiation, (c) capturing a first image of the check while the check is illuminated with infrared radiation, (d) processing the first check image to provide an enhanced image of the check, and (e) applying OCR techniques to read a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline from the enhanced check image.

Abstract: A method of operating an image-based self-service check depositing terminal having an optical character recognition (OCR) reader comprises the steps of (a) receiving from a self-service depositor a check to be deposited, (b) illuminating the check with infrared radiation, (c) capturing a first image of the check while the check is illuminated with infrared radiation, (d) processing the first check image to provide an enhanced image of the check, and (e) applying OCR techniques to read a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) codeline from the enhanced check image.

Abstract: A multiple font optical character recognition reader system for capturing character patterns by pixel, quantizing and sequencing the data representing multiple pixels, enhancing the character patterns represented by the data, locating characters within the enhanced data, and recognizing the characters. Data representing individual pixels is quantized into white, gray and black levels. During enhancement, gray pixel data is selectively changed to black or white while some black is changed to white, both operations depending on the white, gray or black levels in adjacent pixels. The enhanced data is scanned for a multiplicity of simultaneous conditions which define when a matrix of the data includes a character pattern which is optimally positioned within the matrix. The data matrix containing the character pattern is then sequentially compared to sets of data individually representing templates of potential characters.

Abstract: An optical character recognition system and method therefor is disclosed for reading a machine encoded character font, such as the E13B magnetic ink character (MICR) font. The digitized data of an optical scan band of the document to be read is read by an optical scanner and stored in memory. A two pass operation of the digitized data is then performed by the respective algorithms of the system to locate and recognize the characters read.