System and method of certifying a check
View Patent ↗A system and method of certifying a check which involves a captured image of the check. An example method includes receiving by a first computer a request from a second computer to certify a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from an account of the payer, receiving by the first computer an image file containing an image of the check from the second computer, obtaining an account number and an amount from the image file by the first computer, determining using the account number whether funds equal to the amount are in the account, and when funds equal to the amount are in the account, putting a hold on the funds equal to the amount and issuing a certification number and a password by the first computer.
1. A method of certifying a check comprising:
receiving by a first computer a request from a second computer to certify a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from an account of the payer;
receiving by the first computer an image file containing an image of the check from the second computer;
obtaining an account number and an amount from the image file by the first computer;
determining using the account number whether funds equal to the amount are in the account; and
when funds equal to the amount are in the account, putting a hold on the funds equal to the amount and issuing a certification number and a password by the first computer.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the image in the image file to include an indication of certification.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving the request includes providing a web site by the first computer and receiving the request through the web site.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of receiving the image file includes receiving the image file through the web site.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving the request includes providing a mobile application by the first computer and receiving the request through the mobile application.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of receiving the image file includes receiving the image file through the mobile application.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step includes performing optical character recognition on the image file.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the obtaining step further includes obtaining the bank routing number.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving by the first computer a verification request from a third computer to determine whether the check has been certified; and
providing an indication that the check has been certified.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of receiving a verification request comprises:
receiving a check certification number from the third computer;
determining the check using the check certification number; and
receiving a password from the third computer.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of providing an indication comprises displaying an image of the check with an indicator of certification.
12. A method of certifying a check comprising:
receiving by a bank computer a request from a payer computer to certify a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from a bank account of the payer;
receiving by the bank computer an image file containing an image of the check from the payer computer;
performing optical character recognition on the image file to obtain an account number and an amount by the bank computer;
determining using the account number that funds equal to the amount are in the bank account by the bank computer;
putting a hold on the funds equal to the amount and issuing a certification number and a one-time-use password by the bank computer;
modifying the image in the image file to include an indication of certification by the bank computer;
receiving a check certification number from a payee computer;
determining the check using the check certification number by the bank computer;
receiving the one-time-use password from the payee computer; and
providing an indication that the check has been certified to the payee computer.
13. A method for obtaining a certified check, the method comprising:
logging a payer of a check from the payer to a payee into a bank computer, the check serving to withdraw funds from a bank account of the payer;
sending a request from the payer to the bank computer to certify the check;
sending an image file containing an image of the check to the bank computer; and
receiving a certification number and a password from the bank computer following certification by the bank computer.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
capturing an image of the check.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
displaying an image of the check with an indication of certification from the bank computer upon entry of the certification number and the password.
16. A system comprising:
an image capture device for capturing an image of a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from a bank account of the payer; and
a computer for logging the payer into a bank computer, for sending a request from the payer to the bank computer to certify the check, for sending an image file containing the image of the check to the bank computer, and for receiving a certification number and a password from the bank computer following certification by the bank computer.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer comprises a mobile communication device.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer comprises a personal computer.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer comprises a self-service terminal.
20. A system comprising:
an image capture device for capturing an image of a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from a bank account of the payer; and
a computer for logging the payer into a bank computer, for sending a request from the payer to the bank computer to certify the check, for sending an image file containing the image of the check to the bank computer, and for receiving a certification number and a password from the bank computer following certification by the bank computer.
21. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for certifying a check, the method comprising:
receiving a request from a computer to certify a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from an account of the payer;
receiving an image file containing an image of the check from the computer;
obtaining an account number and an amount from the image file;
determining using the account number whether funds equal to the amount are in the account; and
when funds equal to the amount are in the account, putting a hold on the funds equal to the amount and issuing a certification number and a password.
22. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for obtaining a certified check, the method comprising:
capturing an image of a check from a payer to a payee, the check serving to withdraw funds from a bank account of the payer;
logging the payer into a bank computer;
sending a request from the payer to the bank computer to certify the check;
sending an image file containing the image of the check to the bank computer; and
receiving a certification number and a password from the bank computer following certification by the bank computer.