Image analysis – Applications – Reading bank checks
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-07
2001-07-10
Black, Thomas (Department: 2171)
Image analysis
Applications
Reading bank checks
C400S055000, C400S058000, C235S375000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259808
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a point-of-sale transaction printer and, more particularly, to a point-of-sale transaction printer having a thermal printer for imprinting a check with MICR characters, and two MICR read heads.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In present day point-of-sale (POS) operations, the MICR indicia that are to appear on the check of a customer are added after the sale, and at a remote location (i.e., either at the bank, or in a separate, back room, retail site).
For the first time, this invention seeks to eliminate the post-operative role of supplying the required MICR indicia on a check presented for POS payment at a retail establishment. Owing to its new function, transaction printers now being designed by the present assignee of this invention, must be able to encode and read MICR located in a specific field (i.e., the amount field) of the check at the point-of-sale.
In a MICR encoder of the new machine, the MICR characters must be printed at a precise distance to the right edge of the check in order to place the MICR in the proper field site. In order to accomplish this, an optical sensor is provided to detect the edge of the check and stage it at a known location from the thermal, MICR print head. It then becomes an easy matter to advance the check by a stepper, drive and print motor a fixed number of step increments in order to start the printing sequence.
In addition, it is essential that the encoded MICR characters be verified after printing to assure their accuracy. The MICR indicia imprinted upon each check extend to each edge on the left and right of the check to within 0.31 inches. By adding an additional (second) read head, the movement of the check is minimized and the check feeding mechanism may be greatly simplified.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transaction printer for encoding and subsequently reading MICR indicia upon a check presented for payment at a point-of-sale transaction printer. The machine comprises a presenting zone, where the check is presented to the machine with a specific facial orientation. The check is fed into the machine by a pair of drive rollers. The check passes an encoding MICR print head in a printing zone. A reflective optical sensor disposed at the presenting zone, stages the check for various positions with respect to MICR printing. As the check is fed backwardly towards the presenting zone, the lead edge of the check is sensed by the optical sensor. The sensor generates a signal in response to the sensing of the lead edge. This signal is sent to the drive rollers, commanding them to stop feeding the check. The check is now positioned for printing (encoding) the MICR characters in the amount field of the check. After the MICR indicia has been encoded by a thermal transfer printer, the drive rollers clamp and grip the check, and the check is driven past a secondary read head of the check processing machine at which the just-printed MICR characters are verified. The edge of the check is again sensed by the optical sensor, which sends a signal to stop the drive rollers. The MICR indicia in the amount field are then read by the secondary read head. Afterward, the check is driven out of the check processing machine, and presented to the operator. The drive rollers are then opened to allow the operator to remove the check.
Novel to the thermal transfer printer of the check processing machine is a bi-directional clutch, which provides proper sequencing of indicia printing and reading. The bi-directional clutch comprises an internal pawl that engages a detent notch in a cam that raises and lowers a platen lift arm controlling the print platen, as the check is positioned for MICR imprinting and reading operations.
Another novel feature of this invention resides in the single stepper motor drive for the bi-directional clutch. All the sequencing between printing of the MICR indicia, and the reading and verifying of the MICR, can be accomplished in one sequential operation. This is due to the novel single stepper drive and bi-directional clutch, which allow the check to be processed in one continuous back-and-forth motion along the feed path of the check processing machine. The check is first introduced into the machine, and the bi-directional clutch is rotated clockwise from a home position to a MICR encode position. Then, the clutch is rotated further clockwise to a MICR read position. The clutch is then further rotated clockwise to the home position, and then it is driven from the machine by the drive rollers.
It is an object of this invention to provide a check processing machine for encoding and verifying MICR indicia on a check at a point-of-sale.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved check processing machine wherein a check is imprinted with MICR indicia in the amount field of the check at the point-of-sale.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a check processing machine that can imprint MICR indicia and read the MICR indicia in one sequential operation.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a check processing machine that can process a check in a single, sequential operation as a result of a novel bi-directional clutch that is driven by a single stepper drive motor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a MICR encoding and reading apparatus that features two read heads for reading both the indicia in the amount field, and the MICR characters in the other remaining fields.
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patent: 5956862 (1999-10-01), Momose
patent: 5997192 (1999-12-01), Martinez et al.
patent: 6012633 (2000-01-01), Ochiai et al.
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Longrod Scott J.
Martinez Phillip M.
Axiohm Transaction Solutions, Inc.
Black Thomas
Salzman & Levy
Veillard Jacques
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