These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to drawings,
In one illustrative embodiment, imaging system 20 generates an endorsement image by incorporating both static data 26 and dynamic data 28. Static data 26 comprises any type of information that is stable from check to check, e.g., a bank's name, logos, notations such “cleared,” “returned,” etc. Dynamic data 28 comprises any type of information that may vary from check to check, e.g., a date, an amount, a sequence number, etc. Any now known or later developed system for generating an endorsement image may be utilized. For instance, the endorsement image may be generated as a black white bitmap image, a color image, etc.
Halftone system 22 converts the endorsement image into a halftone image 32 suitable for placement onto check image 30. Halftone system 22 can likewise be implemented in any manner. As is known in the art, a halftone image 32 is made up of a series of dots rather than a continuous tone. These dots can be different sizes, different colors, and sometimes even different shapes. Larger dots are used to represent darker, denser areas of the image, while smaller dots are used for lighter areas. As long as the resolution of the image is high enough, the dots appear as a continuous image to the human eye.
Positioning system 24 provides a system for positioning the halftone image 32 (i.e., endorsement) onto the check image 30. For instance, positioning system 24 may place the halftone image 32 at a determined location (e.g., in the center), at a determined skew angle, at a determined size, etc. Positioning may be done using predetermined settings, or determined dynamically, e.g., based on a software routine that analyzes information on the check.
Referring now to
In general, computer system 10 (
I/O 14 may comprise any system for exchanging information to/from an external resource. External devices/resources may comprise any known type of external device, including a monitor/display, speakers, storage, another computer system, a hand-held device, keyboard, mouse, voice recognition system, speech output system, printer, facsimile, pager, etc. Bus 17 provides a communication link between each of the components in the computer system 10 and likewise may comprise any known type of transmission link, including electrical, optical, wireless, etc. Although not shown, additional components, such as cache memory, communication systems, system software, etc., may be incorporated into computer system 10.
Access to computer system 10 may be provided over a network such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), etc. Communication could occur via a direct hardwired connection (e.g., serial port), or via an addressable connection that may utilize any combination of wireline and/or wireless transmission methods. Moreover, conventional network connectivity, such as Token Ring, Ethernet, WiFi or other conventional communications standards could be used. Still yet, connectivity could be provided by conventional TCP/IP sockets-based protocol. In this instance, an Internet service provider could be used to establish interconnectivity. Further, as indicated above, communication could occur in a client-server or server-server environment.
It should be appreciated that the teachings of the present invention could be offered as a business method on a subscription or fee basis. For example, a computer system 10 comprising an electronic endorsement system 18 could be created, maintained and/or deployed by a service provider that offers the functions described herein for customers. That is, a service provider could offer to provide halftone endorsements to check images as described above.
It is understood that the systems, functions, mechanisms, methods, engines and modules described herein can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. They may be implemented by any type of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein. A typical combination of hardware and software could be a general-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein. Alternatively, a specific use computer, containing specialized hardware for carrying out one or more of the functional tasks of the invention could be utilized. In a further embodiment, part or all of the invention could be implemented in a distributed manner, e.g., over a network such as the Internet.
The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods and functions described herein, and which—when loaded in a computer system—is able to carry out these methods and functions. Terms such as computer program, software program, program, program product, software, etc., in the present context mean any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; and/or (b) reproduction in a different material form.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.