Methods for mobile image capture and processing of checks

A computer-implemented method for mobile image capture and processing for checks, wherein one or more processors are programmed to perform the steps comprising:

• receiving a first image of a check from a mobile communication device;
• automatically detecting the check within the first image;
• geometrically correcting the first image, resulting in a second image;
• binarizing the second image, resulting in a third image;
• correcting the orientation of the third image, resulting in a fourth image;
• and
• correcting the size of the fourth image using the processor of the server, resulting in a fifth image, wherein correcting the size of the fourth image comprises:
• reading an MICR-line at the bottom of the check within the fourth image;
• computing an average width of MICR-characters within the MICR-line;
• computing a scaling factor based on the average width of the MICR-characters;
• using the scaling factor to determine whether the fourth image needs a size correction;
• applying a size correction to the first image, resulting in a resized image;
• geometrically correcting the resized image, resulting in a corrected image;
• and
• binarizing the corrected image, resulting in a binarized image;
• outputting the corrected image of the check.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling a computing device to perform the operations of:

• receiving a color image of a document from a mobile device, the color image being captured using an image capture device of the mobile device;
• detecting the financial document in the color image;
• geometrically correcting the color image and generating a gray-scale image;
• binarizing the gray-scale image to produce a bi-tonal image correcting the orientation of the bi-tonal image;
• correcting the size of the bi-tonal image using the processor of the server, wherein correcting the size of the bi-tonal image comprises:
• reading an MICR-line at the bottom of the check within the bi-tonal image;
• computing an average width of MICR-characters within the MICR-line;
• computing a scaling factor based on the average width of the MICR-characters;
• using the scaling factor to determine whether the fourth image needs a size correction;
• applying a size correction to the color image, resulting in a resized image;
• geometrically correcting the resized image, resulting in a corrected image;
• binarizing the corrected image, resulting in a corrected binarized image;
• and
• outputting the corrected binarized image.

A computer-implemented method for image capture and processing of checks, wherein one or more processors are programmed to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a color image of a check from a mobile device, the color image being captured using an image capture device of the mobile device;
• detecting the check in the color image;
• geometrically correcting the color image and generate a gray-scale image,
• binarizing the gray-scale image to produce a bi-tonal image,
• correcting the orientation of the bi-tonal image, wherein correcting the orientation further comprises:
• reading an MICR line on the bottom of the financial document;
• generating a MICR confidence value for the MICR line as read;
• comparing the MICR confidence value to a threshold;
• when the MICR confidence value exceeds the threshold, determining that the bi-tonal image is right-side up;
• and
• when the MICR confidence value does not exceed the threshold:
• determining that the bi-tonal image is not right side up,
• rotating the image 180 degrees,
• re-reading the MICR line,
• generating a new MICR confidence value,
• comparing the new MICR confidence value to the previous MICR confidence value,
• when the new MICR confidence value exceeds the first MICR confidence value, determining that the rotated, bi-tonal image is right side up, and
• when the new MICR confidence value does not exceeds the first MICR confidence value, determining that the original un-rotated, bi-tonal image is right side up, and
• correct the size of the bi-tonal image.

A computer-implemented method for image capture and processing of checks, wherein one or more processors are programmed to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a color image of a check from a mobile device, the color image being captured using an image capture device of the mobile device;
• detecting the check in the color image;
• geometrically correcting the color image and generate a gray-scale image,
• binarizing the gray-scale image to produce a bi-tonal image,
• correcting the orientation of the bi-tonal image, and
• correcting the size of the bi-tonal image, wherein correcting the size of the bi-tonal image further comprises:
• reading an MICR line on the bottom of the check;
• computing an average width of the MICR characters;
• computing a scaling factor;
• when the scaling factor is not greater than a threshold, outputting the bi-tonal image;
• and
• when the scaling factor is greater than a threshold:
• repeating geometric correction and binarization using recomputed dimensions for the check;
• and
• outputting the bi-tonal image.