Point of sale payment terminal

1. An integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check, the payment terminal being located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types, the payment terminal comprising:

a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a document slot for receiving a check, the housing defining a compact footprint and the document slot being arranged such that the presence of the document slot does not enlarge the housing footprint;

a processor disposed in the housing;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a magnetic ink character recognition device, for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check, affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor; and

an imaging device, for capturing an image of the check, affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor the imaging device being arranged such that the presence of the imaging device affixed to the housing does not enlarge the housing footprint,

wherein the processor is programmed to process multiple payment types including processing a checking account transaction when the check is placed in the document slot.

2. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a display on the housing and in communication with the processor.

3. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a keypad on the housing and in communication with the processor.

4. The payment terminal of claim 1 wherein the housing has a second slot for receiving a payment card, and wherein the payment terminal further comprises:

a magnetic stripe reader affixed to the housing at the second slot and in communication with the processor.

5. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a printing device configured to print on a roll receipt and further configured to print on the check received in the document slot.

6. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a modem located in the housing and in communication with the processor.

7. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a serial port located on the housing and in communication with the processor for connecting an external device to the payment terminal.

8. The payment terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a smart card reader affixed to the housing and in communication with the processor.

9. The payment terminal of claim 1 wherein the payment terminal is further configured to determine an authenticity of the document.

10. The payment terminal of claim 1 wherein the payment terminal is further configured to utilize dynamic thresholding to, in real-time, discriminate text from background as it relates to checks at point of sale.

11. An integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by debit, payment by credit, payment by smart card, and payment by check, the payment terminal being located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types, the payment terminal comprising:

a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a first slot for receiving a payment card, a second slot for receiving a check, and a third slot for receiving a smart card, the housing defining a compact footprint and the second slot being arranged such that the presence of the second slot does not enlarge the housing footprint;

a processor disposed in the housing;

a random access memory in communication with the processor;

a display on the housing and in communication with the processor;

a keypad on the housing and in communication with the processor;

a magnetic stripe reader affixed to the housing at the first slot and in communication with the processor;

a magnetic ink character recognition device, for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check, affixed to the housing at the second slot and in communication with the processor;

an imaging device, for capturing an image of the check, affixed to the housing at the second slot and in communication with the processor the imaging device being arranged such that the presence of the imaging device affixed to the housing does not enlarge the housing footprint;

a smart card reader affixed to the housing at the third slot and in communication with the processor;

a printing device; and

a modem located in the housing and in communication with the processor,

wherein the processor is programmed to process multiple payment types including processing a credit card when the credit card is passed through the first slot and printing a receipt, processing a debit card when the debit card is passed through the first slot and printing a receipt, processing a smart card when the smart card is passed through the third slot and printing a receipt, and further including processing a checking account transaction when a check is placed in the second slot.

12. The payment terminal of claim 11 wherein the printing device is configured to print on a roll receipt and further configured to print on the check that is received in the document slot, and wherein printing a receipt includes printing a receipt on the roll receipt.

13. The payment terminal of claim 12 wherein the processor is further programmed to, when processing a checking account transaction, print a receipt on the check and treat the transaction as an electronic debit.

14. The payment terminal of claim 13 wherein printing the receipt includes marking the check as processed.

15. The payment terminal of claim 12 wherein the processor is further programmed to, when processing a checking account transaction, frank the check for deposit and treat the transaction as payment by paper check.

16. The payment terminal of claim 12 further comprising:

a serial port in communication with the processor for connecting an external device to the payment terminal.

17. A method of electronic check conversion for use with an integrated point of sale payment terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check, the payment terminal being located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types, the payment terminal including a compact housing having a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and having a document slot for receiving a check, a processor disposed in the housing, a memory in communication with the processor, a magnetic ink character recognition device for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check and affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor, and an imaging device for capturing an image of the check and affixed to the housing at the document slot and in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to process multiple payment types including processing a checking account transaction when the check is placed in the document slot, the method comprising:

capturing an image of the check at the payment terminal;

presenting a check transaction to a host;

converting the check transaction to an electronic check transaction at the host by sending the captured image of the check to the host.