Systems and methods for remote deposit of checks
Remote deposit of checks can be facilitated by a financial institution. A customer's general purpose computer and image capture device may be leveraged to capture an image of a check and deliver the image to financial institution electronics. Additional data for the transaction may be collected as necessary. The transaction can be automatically accomplished utilizing the images and data thus acquired.
1 . A system for facilitating remote deposit of funds into a user's account with a bank's computing system, said system comprising:
a user device comprising a user device processor coupled to a user device memory storing camera software comprising instructions that, when executed by the user device processor, control an image capture device;
a processor of the bank's computing system; and
a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a plurality of processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform first operations comprising:
providing a remote deposit processing component to the user device;
receiving from the remote deposit processing component on the user device an identification of an account for deposit of a check, and an amount of the check;
providing instructions to the remote deposit processing component that cause the user device processor of the user device to perform second operations comprising:
displaying instructions on the user device to assist with positioning the check with respect to the image capture device and generating an initial image that comprises an image of a front side of said check,
assisting the user with modifying the initial image to meet at least one image criterion and selecting a portion of the initial image that includes the front side of the check, and
displaying an interface to receive a user approval of the selected portion of the initial image;
receiving, from the user device, the selected portion of the initial image;
performing optical character recognition (OCR) on the approved selected portion of the initial image;
determining whether the check was previously deposited, and comparing an amount of the check to an amount determined based on the OCR performed on the approved selected portion of the initial image; and
in response to a determination that the check has not been previously deposited, initiating deposit of the check into the user's account.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first operations further comprise analyzing the selected portion of the initial image of the check and confirming that the selected portion of the initial image of the check meets the at least one image criterion before initiating the deposit to the user's account.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first operations further comprise detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first operations further comprise detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement via detection of an indication of handwriting in an endorsement area of the image of the back side of the check.
5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one image criterion comprises one of an image size, an image legibility, or an image orientation.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second operations further comprise displaying instructions to the depositor to input an approval of the selected portion of the initial image indicating that the selected portion of the initial image is in an identified orientation.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first operations further comprise validating user authentication information received from the user device.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the user authentication information comprises a username and password.
9 . A method for facilitating remote deposit of funds into a user's account with a bank's computing system, said method comprising:
with a processor of the bank's computing system:
providing a remote deposit processing component to a user device having a general purpose image capture device;
receiving from the remote deposit processing component on the user device an identification of an account for deposit of a check, and an amount of the check;
providing instructions to the remote deposit processing component, the instructions assisting the user of the user device in capturing an image to meet at least one image criterion by causing a user device processor of the user device to execute steps of:
displaying instructions on the user device to assist with positioning the check with respect to the image capture device and generating an initial image including an image of a front side of said check,
assisting the user with modifying the initial image to meet the at least one image criterion and selecting a portion of the initial image that includes the front side of the check, and
displaying an interface configured to receive a user approval of the selected portion of the initial image;
receiving, from the user device, the selected portion of the initial image;
performing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on the approved selected portion of the initial image;
determining whether the check was previously deposited, and comparing an amount of the check to an amount determined by performing OCR on the approved selected portion of the initial image; and
in response to a determination that the check has not been previously deposited, initiating deposit of the check into the user's account.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing instructions to the remote deposit processing component further comprises the bank's computing system providing instructions to position the check with respect to the image capture device and generating an image of a back side of the check.
11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the processor of the bank's computing system analyzing the selected portion of the initial image of the check and confirming that the selected portion of the initial image of the check meets at least one image criterion before initiating the deposit to the user's account.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one image criterion comprises one of an image size, an image legibility, or an image orientation.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the bank's computing system detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the bank's computing system detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement by detecting an indication of handwriting in an endorsement area of the image of the back side of the check.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing instructions to approve the selected portion of the initial image further comprises providing instructions for the depositor to input an approval of the selected portion of the initial image indicating that the selected portion of the initial image is in an identified orientation.
16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the bank's computing system to validating user authentication information received from the user device.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the user authentication information comprises a digital certificate.
18 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the bank's computing system generating a log file comprising a copy of the selected portion of the initial image of the check and data associated with deposit of the check into the user's account user.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the copy of the selected portion of the initial image is stored in bi-tonal image format.
20 . A method for improving the functioning of computer devices for remote mobile check deposit of a check using a user's own handheld mobile device with a digital camera, said method comprising:
providing a downloadable application for download by a user's handheld mobile device, the user's handheld mobile device comprising camera software that controls the digital camera, the downloadable application being configured to, when downloaded and executed by the user's handheld mobile device, control the camera software and control submitting a check for deposit by causing the user's handheld mobile device to perform operations comprising:
instructing the user to take a photo of the check,
using a display of the user's handheld mobile device to assist the user in taking the photo of the check,
instructing the user, via a user interface visible on the display of the user's handheld mobile device, in utilizing the digital camera to generate the photo of the check such that the photo of the check meets at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of image size, image legibility, image orientation, and image quality, wherein the downloadable application is configured to control the digital camera via the camera software of the user's handheld mobile device,
using a wireless network, transmitting a copy of the photo from the user's handheld mobile device and submitting the check for mobile check deposit;
receiving the copy of the photo of the check from the user's handheld mobile device;
receiving, from the user's handheld mobile device, a user-entered amount of the check entered by the user;
checking for errors before the submitting is performed by the user's handheld mobile device;
confirming that mobile check deposit can go forward after optical character recognition is performed on the check in the photo, the optical character recognition determining an amount of the check and reading a MICR line;
converting the photo of the check to a bi-tonal format image of the check and performing optical character recognition using the bi-tonal format image of the check including determining an amount indicated on the check;
comparing the OCR determined amount indicated on the check with the user-entered amount to determine whether the OCR determined amount indicated on the check matches the user-entered amount;
when the OCR determined amount indicated on the check and the user-entered amount do not match, generating an error;
when the OCR determined amount indicated on the check and the user-entered amount do match, proceeding with the mobile check deposit; and
updating, at a bank computer, a balance of an account to reflect an amount of the check submitted for mobile check deposit by the user's handheld mobile device.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the bi-tonal format image is a bi-tonal TIFF format image.
22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the at least one criterion comprises two or more criteria selected from the group consisting of image size, image legibility, image orientation, and image quality.
23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the at least one criterion comprises three or more criteria selected from the group consisting of image size, image legibility, image orientation, and image quality.
24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the at least one criterion comprises image size, image legibility, image orientation, and image quality.
25 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
receiving an image of the back side of the check from the user's handheld mobile device;
detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement.
26 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
detecting whether the image of the back side of the check includes an endorsement via detection of an indication of handwriting in an endorsement area of the image of the back side of the check.