Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
View Patent ↗An automated banking machine operates to carry out financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader that operates to read data from user cards. The card data corresponds to financial accounts. The automated banking machine further includes a cash dispenser and a receipt printer. The machine is operative to dispense cash to an authorized user based on identifying data including card data, and to cause a financial transfer from an account corresponding to card data through communication with at least one remote computer. The machine includes a check acceptor that operates to determine magnetic symbols included on checks. Cash may be dispensed in exchange for a check received through operation of the check acceptor of the machine.
1. Apparatus comprising:
a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account;
a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive and scan financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols,
wherein the check acceptor includes:
at least one magnetic sensor,
at least one transport,
wherein the at least one transport is operative to move a check adjacent to the at least one magnetic sensor,
wherein the at least one magnetic sensor is operative to generate electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the card reader and the check acceptor,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein,
wherein responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, the at least one processor is operative to determine for each located zone whether the zone is dirty or clean,
wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes either no detected magnetic indicia or detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine a probability associated with the check being fraudulent responsive to whether each located zone on the check is determined to be clean or dirty.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determined probability associated with the check corresponds to a relative confidence level as to whether the check is valid or invalid, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the at least one transport to move the check responsive to the relative confidence level and a configurable sensitivity setting.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one further zone includes at least one zone that is not adjacent to the MICR zone.
4. A method comprising:
a) through operation of at least one processor, causing a card reader to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols, wherein the check acceptor includes at least one magnetic sensor and at least one transport;
b) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the check acceptor to scan a check, which scan includes the at least one transport moving the check adjacent the at least one magnetic sensor and the at least one magnetic sensor generating electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
c) through operation of the at least one processor, determining locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein;
d) responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, through operation of the at least one processor determining for each located zone on the check whether the zone is dirty or clean, wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above a predetermined threshold for the respective zone, wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes either no detected magnetic indicia or a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below a predetermined threshold for the respective zone;
e) through operation of the at least one processor, determining a probability associated with the check being fraudulent responsive to whether each located zone on the check is determined to be clean or dirty.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the determined probability associated with the check corresponds to a relative confidence level as to whether the check is valid or invalid, further comprising:
f) through operation of the at least one processor, comparing the relative confidence level as to whether the check is valid or invalid to a configurable sensitivity setting;
g) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the at least one transport to move the check responsive to the comparison in (f).
6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein in (c) the at least one further zone on the check includes at least one zone that is not adjacent to the MICR zone.
7. Apparatus comprising:
a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account;
a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive and scan financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols,
wherein the check acceptor includes:
at least one magnetic sensor,
at least one transport,
wherein the at least one transport is operative to move a check adjacent to the at least one magnetic sensor,
wherein the at least one magnetic sensor is operative to generate electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the card reader and the check acceptor,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein,
wherein responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, the at least one processor is operative to determine for each located zone whether the zone is dirty or clean,
wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes at least one of no detected magnetic indicia and a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein the at least one further zone includes a leading blank zone and a trailing blank zone located respectively adjacent opposed sides of the check, wherein the MICR zone extends adjacent a bottom edge of the check intermediate of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive at least in part to the at least one processor determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one further zone includes a background zone, wherein the background zone extends adjacent the MICR zone between the leading blank zone and trailing blank zone, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that the background zone is a dirty zone.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the check acceptor is operative to scan checks with different relative sizes, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine a size of a check, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine the predetermined thresholds for each respective zone responsive to the determined size of the check.
10. Apparatus comprising:
a card reader, wherein the card reader is operative to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account;
a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive and scan financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols, wherein the check acceptor is operative to scan checks with different relative sizes,
wherein the check acceptor includes:
at least one magnetic sensor,
at least one transport,
wherein the at least one transport is operative to move a check adjacent to the at least one magnetic sensor,
wherein the at least one magnetic sensor is operative to generate electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
at least one processor,
wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the card reader and the check acceptor,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine a size of a check,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein,
wherein responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, the at least one processor is operative to determine for each located zone whether the zone is dirty or clean,
wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes at least one of no detected magnetic indicia and a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below a predetermined threshold for the respective zone,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine the predetermined thresholds for each respective zone responsive at least in part to the determined size of the check,
wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the check is potentially fraudulent responsive at least in part to whether each located zone on the check is determined to be clean or dirty.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one further zone includes at least two zones which are non-continuous on the face of the check.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that the MICR zone is a dirty zone.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one further zone includes a leading blank zone and a trailing blank zone located adjacent opposed sides of the check, wherein the MICR zone extends adjacent a bottom edge of the check between the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone, wherein the at least one processor is operative to determine that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein each predetermined threshold corresponds to a percentage of the area in a respective zone that includes magnetic indicia.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising an automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser, the card reader, the check acceptor, and the at least one processor.
16. A method comprising:
a) through operation of at least one processor, causing a card reader to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols, wherein the check acceptor includes at least one magnetic sensor and at least one transport;
b) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the check acceptor to scan a check, which scan includes the at least one transport moving the check adjacent the at least one magnetic sensor and the at least one magnetic sensor generating electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
c) through operation of the at least one processor, determining locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein, wherein the at least one further zone includes a leading blank zone and a trailing blank zone located respectively adjacent opposed sides of the check, wherein the MICR zone extends adjacent a bottom edge of the check intermediate of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone;
d) responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, through operation of the at least one processor, determining for each located zone on the check whether the zone is dirty or clean, including determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone, wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above a predetermined threshold for the respective zone, wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes at least one of no detected magnetic indicia and a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below a predetermined threshold for the respective zone;
e) through operation of the at least one processor, determining that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive at least in part to the at least one processor determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone in (d).
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein in (c) the at least one further zone includes a background zone, wherein the background zone extends adjacent MICR zone on the check between the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone, wherein (d) includes determining that the background zone on the check is a dirty zone, wherein (e) includes the at least one processor determining that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that the background zone is a dirty zone in (d).
18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the check acceptor is operative to scan checks with different relative sizes, further comprising:
f) prior to (d), through operation of the at least one processor, determining a size of the check;
g) prior to (d), through operation of the least one processor, determining the predetermined thresholds for each respective zone responsive to the size of the check determined in (f).
19. A method comprising:
a) through operation of at least one processor, causing a card reader to read card data from a user card, wherein the card data corresponds to a financial account, wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause a financial transfer at least one of to and from a financial account corresponding to the card data, wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with a check acceptor, wherein the check acceptor is configured to receive financial checks that include thereon magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) symbols, wherein the check acceptor includes at least one magnetic sensor and at least one transport, wherein the check acceptor is operative to scan checks with different relative sizes;
b) through operation of the at least one processor, causing the check acceptor to scan a check, which scan includes the at least one transport moving the check adjacent the at least one magnetic sensor, and the at least one magnetic sensor generating electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check;
c) through operation of the at least one processor, determining locations of a plurality of zones on the check, which located zones include a MICR zone that includes a plurality of MICR characters therein, and which located zones include at least one further zone that does not include any MICR characters therein;
d) through operation of the at least one processor, determining a size of the check;
e) through operation of the least one processor, determining predetermined thresholds corresponding to an amount of magnetic indicia for each respective zone responsive at least in part to the size of the check determined in (d);
f) responsive to the electrical signals corresponding to the presence of magnetic indicia on the check, through operation of the at least one processor determining for each located zone on the check whether the zone is dirty or clean, wherein a dirty zone corresponds to a zone that includes a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is above the predetermined threshold for the respective zone determined in (e), wherein a clean zone corresponds to a zone that includes at least one of no detected magnetic indicia and a detected amount of magnetic indicia that is below the predetermined threshold for the respective zone determined in (e);
g) through operation of the at least one processor, determining that the check is potentially fraudulent responsive at least in part to whether each located zone on the check is determined to be clean or dirty.
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one further zone capable of being located by the at least one processor on the check includes at least two zones which are non-continuous on the face of the check.
21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein (d) includes determining that the MICR zone on the check is a dirty zone, wherein (e) includes the at least one processor determining that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that the MICR zone is a dirty zone in (d).
22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein in (c) the at least one further zone includes a leading blank zone and a trailing blank zone located adjacent opposed sides of the check, wherein the MICR zone extends adjacent a bottom edge of the check between the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone, wherein (d) includes determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone, wherein (e) includes the at least one processor determining that the check has a relatively higher probability of being fraudulent than non-fraudulent responsive to the at least one processor determining that at least one of the leading blank zone and the trailing blank zone is a dirty zone in (d).
23. The method according to claim 19 , wherein in (g) each predetermined threshold corresponds to a percentage of the area in a respective zone that includes magnetic indicia.
24. The method according to claim 19 , wherein an automated banking machine includes the card reader, the check acceptor, the at least one processor, and a cash dispenser; further comprising:
f) through operation of the at least one processor causing the cash dispenser to dispense cash.