Abstract: A scaling method for compressing a bitonal image that has print density control.

Abstract: A scaling system for compressing a bitonal image that has print density control. A system is disclosed that comprises: a pixel reduction system that generates a scaled image by reducing pixel pairs down to single scaled pixel based on a set of scaling rules; and a line density control system that allows the scaled image to be made lighter, normal or darker by changing the scaling rules.

Abstract: A system for determining the image resolution of a check image using MICR characters. The disclosed system includes an extracting system for extracting a magnetic ink code recognition (MICR) code line from the document image, wherein the extracting system provides coordinate values for each of a plurality of MICR characters in the MICR code line; a calculating system for calculating a set of resolution values based on the coordinate values of the MICR characters; and a statistical analysis system that calculates a representative resolution value from the set of resolution values.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing phase angle based magnetic ink character recognition (MICR). A system is provided that includes: a segmentation system for segmenting inputted MICR data into sets of temporal data for inputted characters; a Fourier system for generating a set of phase angle components from temporal data for each inputted character; and a matching system for comparing the normalized set of phase angle components with each of a set of reference waveforms to determine an identity of the inputted character.

Abstract: A system and method for determining skew of a document image. An image processing system is provided, comprising: an image segmentation system that identifies and segments a line of printed characters; and a skew processing system that determines the skew by calculating slope values for pairs of characters in the line.

Abstract: A gray scale image cleaning algorithm for improved check code line OCR. An image processing system for processing a gray scale image is provided that includes: a system for generating a first thresholded black white image from the gray scale image; a system for generating a second thresholded black white image from the gray scale image, wherein the second thresholded black white image is generated with a higher threshold value than the first thresholded black white image; and a system for logically combining the first and second thresholded black white images to generate a composite image.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for measuring darkness of a check image. A system is disclosed that includes a system for capturing MICR code line image data from the black white check image; a system for determining a darkness value from the captured MICR code line image data; and a system for determining if the black white check image is acceptable by comparing the darkness value to a threshold, and for outputting a resulting analysis.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for cleaning a black white image. A system is disclosed that includes a filtering system that applies a filter to the black white image, wherein the filter examines a set of neighboring pixels of each black pixel and determines if a black pixel being examined should be converted to a white pixel; and a recursive application system that causes the filtering system to repeatedly re-filter the black white image until a determination is made that the black white image is sufficiently cleaned.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting fraud. A first optical character recognition module optically recognizes a character imprinted with a magnetic ink on a medium using a first optical character recognition algorithm. A second optical character recognition module also optically recognizes the character using a second optical character recognition algorithm. In addition, a magnetic ink character recognition module magnetically recognizes the character using a magnetic recognition algorithm. A voting module determines if the character is potentially fraudulent based on the recognition results of the first optical character recognition module, the second optical character recognition module, and the magnetic ink character recognition module. If the character is potentially fraudulent, a results module communicates a fraud indicator.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting fraud. The method optically recognizes a character imprinted with a magnetic ink on a medium using a first optical character recognition algorithm. The method also optically recognizes the character using a second optical character recognition algorithm. In addition, the method magnetically recognizes the character using a magnetic recognition algorithm. The method determines if the character is potentially fraudulent based on the recognition results of the scan using the first optical character recognition algorithm, the scan using the second optical character recognition algorithm, and the magnetic scan. If the character is potentially fraudulent, the method communicates a fraud indicator.

Abstract: A compression system and method for compressing a bitonal image. A system is disclosed that comprises: a scaling system for geometrically scaling the bitonal image such that transition and isolated attributes are preserved, wherein the scaling system reduces contiguous sets of original pixels down to fewer scaled pixels; and an encoding system that encodes the scaled bitonal image using an industry standard format.

Abstract: A system for determining the image resolution of a check image using MICR characters. The disclosed system includes an extracting system for extracting a magnetic ink code recognition (MICR) code line from the document image, wherein the extracting system provides coordinate values for each of a plurality of MICR characters in the MICR code line; a calculating system for calculating a set of resolution values based on the coordinate values of the MICR characters; and a statistical analysis system that calculates a representative resolution value from the set of resolution values.

Abstract: A method for predicting when maintenance is required for a scanner comprises tracking a quality parameter history in a scanner, predicting when maintenance is required based on the quality parameter history, and notifying a user when maintenance is predicted to be required based on a quality parameter trend. The quality parameter is selected from a group consisting of an average brightness, a maximum brightness, a video gradient, and a contrast.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the image resolution of a check image using MICR characters. The disclosed system includes an extracting system for extracting a magnetic ink code recognition (MICR) code line from the document image, wherein the extracting system provides coordinate values for each of a plurality of MICR characters in the MICR code line; a calculating system for calculating a set of resolution values based on the coordinate values of the MICR characters; and a statistical analysis system that calculates a representative resolution value from the set of resolution values.

Abstract: An apparatus for predicting when maintenance is required for a scanner comprises a tracking module configured to track a quality parameter history, a prediction module configured to predict when maintenance is required based on the quality parameter history, and a notification module configured to notify a user when maintenance is predicted to be required based on a quality parameter trend. The quality parameter is selected from a group consisting of an average brightness, a maximum brightness, a video gradient, and a contrast.

Abstract: Brightness correction and image enhancement are derived to compensate for changes in captured image data by hardware scanners and the like by statistically measuring the captured data and generating or selecting a compensation quantization table to be substituted in image data encoded for compression. Three techniques of compensation usable singly or in combination are provided which may be used in combination with techniques for dynamic range reduction for extreme compression. Thus, improved images which may be enhanced in any desired manner, for example, to conform to an established image standard, may be derived from data having sufficient compression to allow economically acceptable long-term storage in high-speed access storage media even though the data captured is degraded in dynamic range, brightness and the like.

Abstract: A system and method for determining skew of a document image. An image processing system is provided, comprising: an image segmentation system that identifies and segments a line of printed characters; and a skew processing system that determines the skew by calculating slope values for pairs of characters in the line.

Abstract: A system and method for determining skew of a document image. An image processing system is provided, comprising: an image segmentation system that identifies and segments a line of printed characters; and a skew processing system that determines the skew by calculating slope values for pairs of characters in the line.

Abstract: A system and method for correcting defects in a black white image. A character recognition system is disclosed that processes character data from a black white image, including: an edge smoothing filter that examines blocks of pixels in the black white image to determine if an indent or protrusion defect exists, and if so corrects the defect in a filtered image; and a recognition engine examines the filtered image and extracts character information.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing frequency domain based magnetic ink character recognition (MICR). A system is provided that includes: a segmentation system for segmenting inputted MICR data into sets of temporal data for inputted characters; a Fourier system for generating a set of Fourier components from temporal data for an inputted character; a normalization system for normalizing the set of Fourier components to generate a normalized set of Fourier components; and a matching system for comparing the normalized set of Fourier components with each of a set of reference waveforms to determine an identity of the inputted character.