US 5,193,121 AGranted

Courtesy amount read and transaction balancing system

AssigneeTRW Financial Systems, Inc.

InventorsVictor P. Elischer, Ilan Keret, Milton Johnson, Ihsan Tumenbatur, David B. Aragon

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Abstract

A method and an apparatus for processing the predetermined number fields containing the handwritten numeric entries. The numeric entries are subjected to character recognition analysis, and a confidence level is associated with each such numeric field reflecting the degree of confidence with which the apparatus has recognized the numeric dollar amounts. The transaction is automatically balanced from the data in the system by computing a combined value of the recognized dollar amounts making up a transaction and comparing the combined value with the transaction total. This computation and comparison is performed automatically, without the prior intervention or assistance of a human operator to review, verify, correct or otherwise modify the dollar amounts recognized by the system.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method of processing documents to record handwritten numerical entries, a document to be processed including a plurality of first predetermined fields containing handwritten numerical entries and a second predetermined field containing a numerical entry representing the combined value of the numerical entries of said first predetermined fields, said method comprising the steps of:

locating said predetermined fields;
segmenting said predetermined fields into segments, each containing an individual character of the numerical entry of the associated predetermined field;
subjecting each said character segment to character recognition analysis so as to associate a character therewith;
assigning a character confidence level to each said character representing the accuracy with which the associated character was recognized.
deriving an overall confidence level for each numerical field from the associated character confidence levels;
automatically computing the combined value of the recognized numerical entries for said first predetermined fields;
automatically recognizing the numerical entry value of said second predetermined field;
comparing said computed combined value with the recognized numerical value of said second predetermined field to verify whether said computed combined value and said recognized value match;
if said computed and recognized values fail to match, displaying the images of the numerical entries in the order of increasing overall confidence levels, whereby a key operator may enter numerical entries from the images;
repeating said comparing step after each numerical entry from the images;
and terminating said displaying step when a match is found.

8 more elements

Apparatus for use with transaction balancing and reconciliation apparatus for processing transaction documents bearing numerical entries, said documents including a plurality of first predetermined fields containing handwritten numerical entries and a second predetermined field containing a numerical entry representing the combined value of the numerical entries of said first predetermined fields, said apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing images of said documents;
field-locating means receiving said document images for locating said predetermined fields in said images;
character segment generating means responsive to said field-locating means for partitioning located predetermined fields into segments, each said segment containing an individual character of said numerical entry;
recognition means receiving said segments for recognizing the individual characters contained therein;
character confidence level means communicating with said recognition means for assigning a confidence level to each said segment indicating the confidence with which the character contained therein is recognized;
field assembly means for assembling individual recognized characters into recognized numerical entries, said field assembly means being adapted to communicate said recognized numerical entries to said transaction balancing and reconciliation apparatus;
field confidence level means responsive to said character confidence levels for assigning overall confidence levels to said recognized numerical entries;
and
image sequencing means responsive to said transaction balancing and reconciliation apparatus for presenting the images of said predetermined fields in order of increasing overall confidence level to a display monitor when the associated transaction fails to balance;
whereby an operator may present the numerical entries from said display monitor to said transaction balancing and reconciliation apparatus one by one in order of increasing overall confidence level until the associated transaction balances.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/740,165Filed 15 Aug 1991 · continuation
Priority: 31 May 1988
Granted: 9 Mar 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G06Q 40/02
Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes: banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance
G06Q 20/042
Payment circuits: characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
G06V 30/12
Character recognition: detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern
G06V 30/18
Character recognition: extraction of features or characteristics of the image