Method and system for duplicate commercial paper detection

1. A method for detecting duplicate commercial paper transactions comprising:

identifying a check identification code from a commercial paper transaction, the check identification code comprising a plurality of fields;

determining a first hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields;

communicating the first hash value to a repository storing a plurality of hash values, each hash value associated with an authenticated commercial paper transaction;

if the repository does not include the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticating the commercial paper transaction;

if the repository includes the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identifying the commercial paper transaction as a duplicate;

identifying an updated check identification code based on a bank's processing of the authenticated transaction;

determining a second hash value based on the updated check identification code;

communicating the second hash value to the repository;

if the repository does not include the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticating the processed commercial paper transaction; and

if the repository includes the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identifying the processed commercial paper transaction as a duplicate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if the transaction is not a duplicate, storing the check identification code in the repository using the hash value as a primary key.

3. The method of claim 1 , the repository comprising a substantially nationwide MICR archive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the check identification code comprises capturing a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) code at a point-of-sale using a scanner.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the check identification code comprises capturing a MICR code at a bank using a scanner.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields comprises determining the hash value based on a route and transit number and an on-us field.

7. The method of claim 1 , the repository comprising a local repository of hash values and the method further comprising receiving an update of the local repository from a central repository.

8. Software for detecting duplicate commercial paper transactions operable to:

identify a check identification code from a commercial paper transaction, the check identification code comprising a plurality of fields;

determine a first hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields;

communicate the first hash value to a repository storing a plurality of hash values, each hash value associated with an authenticated commercial paper transaction;

if the repository does not include the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticate the commercial paper transaction;

if the repository includes the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identify the commercial paper transaction as a duplicate;

identify an updated check identification code based on a bank's processing of the authenticated transaction;

determine a second hash value based on the updated check identification code;

communicate the second hash value to the repository;

if the repository does not include the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticate the processed commercial paper transaction; and

if the repository includes the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identify the processed commercial paper transaction as a duplicate.

9. The software of claim 8 , further operable to, if the transaction is not a duplicate, store the check identification code in the repository using the hash value as a primary key.

10. The software of claim 9 , the repository comprising a substantially nationwide MICR archive.

11. The software of claim 8 , wherein the software operable to identify the check identification code comprises capturing a MICR code at a point-of-sale using a scanner.

12. The software of claim 8 , wherein the software operable to identify the check identification code comprises software operable to capture a MICR code at a bank using a scanner.

13. The software of claim 8 , wherein the software operable to determine the hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields comprises software operable to determine the hash value based on a route and transit number and an on-us field.

14. The software of claim 8 , the repository comprising a local repository of hash values and the software further operable to receive an update of the local repository from a central repository.

15. An image capture system for detecting duplicate commercial paper transactions operable to:

identify a check identification code from a commercial paper transaction, the check identification code comprising a plurality of fields;

determine a first hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields;

communicate the first hash value to a repository storing a plurality of hash values, each hash value associated with an authenticated commercial paper transaction;

if the repository does not include the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticate the commercial paper transaction;

if the repository includes the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identify the commercial paper transaction as a duplicate;

identify an updated check identification code based on a bank's processing of the authenticated transaction;

determine a second hash value based on the updated check identification code;

communicate the second hash value to the repository;

if the repository does not include the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, authenticate the processed commercial paper transaction; and

if the repository includes the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, identify the processed commercial paper transaction as a duplicate.

16. The image capture system of claim 15 , further operable to, if the transaction is not a duplicate, store the check identification code in the repository using the hash value as a primary key.

17. The image capture system of claim 16 , the repository comprising a substantially nationwide check identification code.

18. The image capture system of claim 15 , wherein the image capture system identifies the check identification code at a point-of-sale.

19. The image capture system of claim 15 , the check identification code comprising a MICR code and wherein the image capture system identifies the MICR code at a bank.

20. The image capture system of claim 15 , wherein the image capture system determines the hash value based on a route and transit number and an on-us field.

21. The image capture system of claim 15 , the repository comprising a local repository of hash values and the image capture system further operable to receive an update of the local repository from a central repository.

22. A system for detecting duplicate commercial paper transactions comprising:

means for identifying a check identification code from a commercial paper transaction, the check identification code comprising a plurality of fields;

means for determining a first hash value based on at least a portion of the plurality of fields;

means for communicating the first hash value to a repository storing a plurality of hash values, each hash value associated with an authenticated commercial paper transaction;

if the repository does not include the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, means for authenticating the commercial paper transaction;

if the repository includes the first hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, means for identifying the commercial paper transaction as a duplicate;

means for identifying an updated check identification code based on a bank's processing of the authenticated transaction;

means for determining a second hash value based on the updated check identification code;

means for communicating the second hash value to the repository;

if the repository does not include the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, means for authenticating the processed commercial paper transaction; and

if the repository includes the second hash value as one of the plurality of hash values, means for identifying the processed commercial paper transaction as a duplicate.