BACKGROUND FEATURES This invention is directed to a Teller Scanner business machine that transports bank checks along a path within the machine whereby to perform various functional operations on these checks. This Teller Scanner here is reduced in size and footprint (vs. like machines), so as to conveniently fit in a limited space such as on a shelf near a bank teller window or in a retail clerk (point of sale) cash register area.

Purposes: A salient purpose is to provide check processing institutions, such as banks and retail sales companies, with a machine that will scan the front and back sides of checks etc. and will generate digital images of each side, as well as read magnetic or optical characters encoded on the checks. Preferably, such a machine will also print an endorsement on the checks and sort the checks into bins. The machine preferably also has an input feeder to automatically feed the checks, one at a time, into the machine. (See Figure 1 for a preferred embodiment).

Fig. 2 suggests a more conventional arrangement 20 for imaging and otherwise processing both sides of a document: assumed inserted via Entry Bin 1 (with paper holder 2) to be transported along a U-shaped Track 14 past a magnetic Read Head 3, an optical read head 5 a print head 8, a pair of document stamp-stations (Upper 9, lower 10) and a pair of upper/lower (i. e. Front, Rear) imaging scanners (11 for top Front side, 12 for rear side) to end up in either of two recovery bins 14 & 15 directed there by a sort-gate 13--as workers will understand. Of course this array could be disposed along a more rectilinear track, but the U-shape yields a more compact manageable unit--as workers will appreciate.

As explained below, one object hereof is to dispense with separate image stations for the top and bottom faces of a passing document--e. g. running the document-top past the image station, then the document-bottom, thus simplifying the machine, making it smaller and less expensive (embodiment 30 does this; see Fig. 1).

But this presents the problem of quickly and efficiently"flipping" documents to do this. We resolve this problem with a novel"turn-over loop" (e. g. see machine 30 in Fig. 1 and loop-unit 31, which for instance, takes a document which has passed imaging station 32 with its top exposed thereto, then flips it (turns it over) and returns it to imaging station 32 with its rear face turned up and exposed to imaging station 32, as particularized below.

What is new or different: There are certain salient novel features of such machine, such as: A. CHECK PATH: the design of the check path within the machine allows both the front and back side of a check to be imaged by a single Image Camera (and endorsed by a single endorser 33, Fig. 1--Front Endorser 34 is optional here).

B. SMALL SIZE: the size and foot print of the machine is reduced so that it will occupy minimal shelf-space at a bank teller's window or retail clerk's counter.

Additionally, this machine, in its totality, will be understood as a possible key element for a novel Bank Check Processing System.

Advantages: A. CHECK PATH: A more conventional machine configuration is suggested in Figure 2, with a check path that requires two Image Cameras 11 and 12 in the machine to allow imaging of both the front and back side of a check.

By contrast, our invention presents a check path with a"turn-over loop" (see loop unit 31 in Figure 1) that allows a single Image Camera 32 to image both the front and back side of a check. This is accomplished in a transport providing a check path that directs the front side of the check past the Image Camera 32, then around the"turn-around loop"31 to reverse its direction, flip it over and then direct the back side of the check past the same Image Camera 32. This should reduce cost and enhance reliability (since the most expensive device in this type machine is the Image Camera 32) and simplify bit flow with associated electronics. Providing front and rear imaging functionality with one camera (vs. two cameras with associated electronics) is a big cost advantage; and can improve reliability (fewer parts to fail).

NOTE: The"turn-around loop"31 in this invention preferably is provided by three driven track rollers 35,36, and 37 (with associated pinch rollers) arranged to provide a track perimeter slightly greater than the maximum-length check and to provide a rectilinear track section to present the front and then the back side, of a check at the imager station 32. Similarly, loop unit 31 can also so present a check's reverse face to Endorser 33, etc.

Other embodiments of such a loop unit 31 would use one, two, four or more track rollers 35,36 and 37 (and associated pinch rollers) or belts. These embodiments would change the appearance of Teller Window Scanner, but would not change the basic function of the transport and associated turn-around loop; ie., present the front, then the back side of a check to a common Image Camera 32 etc. Figure 3 depicts a single track roller (drum) toexecuteaturn-around loop in a related embodiment, machine 40.

B. REDUCED SIZE: A more conventional machine (e. g. as in Figure 2) would have a machine"footprint"of 79 square inches or more and a machine height of 8.9 inches or more. When processing 6 inch long checks, the footprint grows to approximately 106 square inches since a portion of the 6 inch check will overhang the machine. This is a relatively large, bulky machine, inapt to fit on a teller's window or in a retail sales cash register area.

By contrast, this invention's footprint is can be about 86 square inches (13% less) with a machine height of 8.5 inches (Figure 1). The footprint grows to about 96 square inches when processing 6 inch checks; a 9% reduction vs. more conventional design, along with a 4% height reduction. This advantage amounts to taking up less space on a typically crowded teller/clerk counter top. This reduced size/footprint is achieved primarily by the following design features: a. Only one Image Camera (as noted above), for Front and Rear imaging. Reduced electronics by off loading functionality to the clients host computer, and processing Front and Rear image data serially (rather than in parallel). b. Two-direction track rollers for both approaches to the Image Camera; c. Miniature, document driven Gates at the two-direction track rollers; d. Power supply external to the machine; and NOTE: The orientation of our preferred machine is such that check motion is mostly vertical. This orientation has the advantage of gravity-assist for urging the check down against a registration surface in the machine as it travels along the transport track. Registration surface; See Figure 1A (which is an End View of Fig. 1) for the registration surface 38. The registration surface 38 is the surface in the baseplate where the bottom edge of the checks 39 are to be against. As seen in Fig. lA, gravity will tend to keep the check 39 down against the registration surface 38. Skewed track pinch roller: See Figure 3A (which is a partial End View of Fig. 3).

In this embodiment you do NOT have gravity tending to keep the check against the registration surface. To compensate for this loss of gravity assist; the machine is designed to have the track pinch rollers skewed (approximately 4 degrees) to gently drive or steer the checks down against the registration track. There are several track pinch rollers along the path of the check in the machine.

Other embodiments of such a Teller Scanner machine can have the check moving mostly horizontally. These embodiments (e. g. Figs. 3-6) have the advantage of further reducing the machine footprint. Loss of the gravity assist feature (in the"vertical machine") is off-set by incorporating a skewed-track pinch roller (e. g. see Fig. 3A) to drive the checks against a registration surface (e. g. as Fig. 1A).

Gravity in these embodiments can assist check stacking in the sort Bins.

This further reduction in machine footprint is accomplished by designing the machine so that its two outside dimensions are minimized and made to constitute its width and depth (footprint = width x depth), leaving the third and longest outside dimension as machine height--as a further feature. Three other such embodiments can have the following footprint/height: Footprint: Footprint See machine w/6"check Height Figure a. Right Side Feeder/Bins 77 sq. in 94 sq. in. 9.3 in. 4 b. Top Load Feeder 64 sq. in. 108 sq. in. 11.5 in. 5 In a more basic machine without a feeder or two bins: c. Manual Feed/no Bins 43 sq. in 93 sq. in. 9.0 in. 6 Thus, an object hereof is to provide such machines with reduced size (smaller footprint). Another object is to do so by making the checks execute a novel transport path (e. g. turn-around loop).

Another object hereof is to address at least some of the foregoing problems and to provide at least some of the mentioned, and other, advantages and features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated by workers as they become better understood by references to the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiments, which should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference symbols denote like elements.

Figure 1-a plan, view schematic of a favored Teller Scanner Transport Layout, machine 30 of this invention; and Fig. 1A, an end view thereof ; and Fig. 1B with machine skins thereon; Figure 2-a comparable, more conventional layout, machine 20; Figure 3-a comparable layout for an alternate Teller Window Scanner embodiment, machine 40, with a single turn-around roller (a drum); and Fig. 3A, an end view thereof ; and Fig. 3-B the exterior thereof ; Figure 4-a comparable layout for another alternate Teller Window Scanner embodiment, machine 50, with a right side feeder and bins; Figure 5-a comparable layout for another alternate Teller Window Scanner embodiment, machine 60, with a top loading feeder; Figure 6-a comparable layout for another alternate Teller Scanner embodiment, machine 70, without a feeder or bins. Fig. 6A shows 70 with skins 71 installed. (A more Basic machine but with significant commonality of track layout and components, as with the more fully configure embodiments such as in Figures 1, 5 and 4); Figure 7-a comparable layout of another alternate Teller Scanner embodiment, machine 80; this embodiment preferably also enhanced as in Figure 1; Figures 8-A-a comparable layout for another alternate Teller Scanner embodiment, machine 90, with the exterior thereof being shown in Fig. 8-B; and Figure 9-a comparable layout for another alternate Teller Window Scanner embodiment, machine 100, similar to machine 60 in Figure 5 but with the addition of a second front endorser 34.

The methods and means discussed herein, will generally be understood as constructed and operating as presently known in the art, except where otherwise specified; likewise all materials, methods, devices and apparatus described herein will be understood as implemented by known expedients according to present good practice.

Background Details: As suggested above, Fig. 2 is intended to suggest a more conventional scanner layout 20 whereby documents (e. g. checks) are input at the IN end of a transport track 16 (see input bin 1, with document holder 2), being sent to a MICR Reader 3, then to a print station 8, then to Front-stamp station 9, or a Rear-stamp station 10, then to a Front image scan station 11 and then a Rear image scan station 12, and finally to out-store bins (e. g. 14,15) via a bin-select gate 13. This happens to be a U-shaped track 16 (for compactness), but in any event is relatively rectilinear and one-directional with monofunctional process stations spaced therealong, and Rear- operations disposed on one side of Track 16 but Front-operations placed on the opposite side, and no bifunctional stations, e. g. operating on both document faces.

By contrast, my invention can eliminate certain stations (e. g. use only one imager) since it advances documents in one direction for operation on one (e. g. top) document-face, and then flips it over and returns the document past the same station, with its opposite face presented (e. g. for Rear-imaging).

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 lays out elements along a preferred check path for a preferred check processing machine 30 (Teller Scanner of reduced size: e. g. 14.6" wide, 8.5" high, 5.9" deep). Workers will understand that a check is introduced (at IN arrow) to be engaged by a transport 22 ("Auto Feeder") to be driven past MICR (magnetic ink character reader) station 21; then past an imaging site 32 (see"image"arrow) along rectilinear track segment 23 where suitable illumination is directed onto one (front) side and the image thereof is directed optically to an imaging camera 24--all as generally understood in the art.

Next, the check is"turned about" (see loop unit 31) to return and present its opposite (rear) face for processing (e. g. by Rear Endorser 33, then back to the imaging site 32, along track segment 23, to let the same camera 24 make an image of its rear face. Thereafter, the check diverted by gate 25 transported along an exit- path 26 to one or more storage bins (e. g. see Bins 27 and 28; gate 29 selects which Bin). An optimizing feature is that, for this, a pair of switch points 17 and 18 accommodate advancement-IN and-OUT by a common roller (i. e.-IN via Switch 17 by roller 36; then-OUT later; and similarly-IN by roller 19, past switch 18, and later -OUT past Switch 18 by roller 19, again). Front Endorser 34 may optionally be included.

Note switch points 17 & 18 are document-driven gates.

Note rollers 36 and 19 advance a check in two different directions, though they (rollers) are rotated unidirectionally.

Endorsers: Typically the Endorsement must be printed on the check BEFORE the image is taken (at least in many currently known applications). Thus one cannot do this with a single Endorser in T-IS.

Also, in many applications, what is Endorsed on the rear side of the check is based on what is read off the check at the MICR station. This requires the Rear Endorser to be after the MICR station (by an amount at least as much as the length of the longest check; 9.25") but before the Image station. To do this in T-IS would make the track length much longer and the footprint much bigger.

In our Teller Scanner we have determined that there is limited market for a Stamp Endorser, so we are offering a rear Endorser 33, Ink Jet type) only. This would be equivalent to the unit InkJet Print Head 8 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1A gives a very schematic end view of machine 30 in Fig. 1, showing a check 39"on end" (and vertical) resting on a track, or registration surface 38 located on a baseplate 41 (assume under plane of Fig. 1) located on the bottom casing of machine 30 (adapted to rest on a counter or table top). As noted check 39 is gravity-urged down onto registration surface 38, with its leading edge passing the MICR reader 21. Assume an in-hopper for feeding up to 100 checks to the auto feeder (operator energizes with START switch, rotating all rolls 22,19,35,36,37, and 42---associated pinch rolls biased thereagainst).

Conveniently, all rolls (22,19,35,36,37, and 42) rotate in one direction, yet"flip"checks and re-present them the common imaging station, albeit upside- down. Also, workers will appreciate that machine 30 tolerates only a single check at a time (e. g. next check pulled-in from in-hopper only after"current"check exits to a bin--and thus only two related streams of image bits are developed at a time, with no need to"tag"or otherwise correlate bits from Front and Rear sides if a check [a great problem with two-camera systems, operating in parallel). Note: preferably this camera 24 detects the arrival and exit of each check-face by optically sensing the relatively-bright check face, vs. a black background provided inside the machine, near the imaging site.

Thus, the camera electronics need only sense the (relatively"white") bit-stream from the front face, then an"all-black"interval after this face passes) and next a second (relatively"white) bit stream from the back face (then"all black" indicates this has passed).

In loop unit 31, the check is guided by guide-rails between rolls 35, 36, and 37 (e. g. vs. Drum 43, Fig. 3) after passing the image station the second time, the check is diverted for exit (to bins) by a novel passive, non-powered Gate 25 adapted to pass any check, etc. (However light and flimsy, but only in the exit-direction (i. e. not for incoming checks entering image station).

In Fig. lB, machine 30 is shown with"skins"on (e. g. see cover 44 for image camera 24 and cover 45 for loop unit 31. The pocket at In arrow is an in- hopper 47, with a stack-pushing plate, or"flag"46.

The foregoing summarizes one concept of a Teller Window Scanner that provides Front and Rear Images using one Camera. It also can provide MICR read and endorsement, with two pocket stacker bins provided.

Salient goals are low cost and small footprint. The footprint shown in Fig. 1 is estimated to be 86 in. 2 (5.9 x 14.6) with height at 8.5" maximum.

Preferred operational steps: A typical operational sequence for a machine 30 shown in Fig. 1 would be as follows: Input checks: operator stacks checks (e. g. up to 100) in in-hopper (not shown), then activates machine (start switch) so that auto-transport picks successive checks from in-hopper and transports them through machine 30, singly, until ejecting a check into a bin--whereupon the machine picks the next check in the hopper and starts its journey through machine 30.

For each cycle, each check will be taken automatically to each successive process station: i. e. first to Front Endorser 34 (if that option is invoked), then to MICR-read station 21, then to imaging station 32 (illuminated at 32 then imaged--on the fly--by camera which digitizes image and creates a Front-face image bit stream, as known in the art; then turned by loop unit 31 and its rear face presented up to Rear Endorser, 33, then to image station 32 where the camera records Rear-face image bits (easily correlated with associated Front-face image bits already recorded-- e. g. since no other check is admitted to machine 30 until this check is ejected to a sort bin 27 or 28).

After this imaging at image station 32, passive gate 25 diverts check for exiting (as noted before) and sends it to sort-gate 29 which will divert it to either of bins 27 or 28-depending on a command from machine control (not shown but known in the art)--e. g. if MICR read station 21 identifies check as"on-us"to bin 27, otherwise to bin 28.

This transport sequence is non-stop and continuous, with no stopping and no backup.

> then it stops, moves forward for Front imaging (at image station 24); > then it continues around"cul-de-sac"drum (or track rollers 35,36, and 37), and back upwards for rear endorse (at endorser 33), rear imaging (at imaging station 32) and then into a stacker bin 27 or 28.

Cost reduction is by virtue of one camera and associated electronics for both front and rear imaging. The small footprints are achieved in some embodiments by orientation of document movement; from top to bottom and back upwards to stacker bin. The longest track dimension is vertical, resulting in the small footprint as desired for a Teller type machine.

This"Teller Scanner Machine"preferably exhibits the key features of : a. Bi-functionality: The machine component devices can provide a more timely"Check Truncation"or a"point-of-sale"system. b. Low cost: Track loop unit 31 that allows one imaging station 24 to do both front and rear imaging; with device layout along track for minimum size and part count. c. Ergonomics: Small size, easy Operator document input and removal, low acoustic noise, versatile machine orientation (stand up or lie down), small/flexible I/O cabling. d. Reliability: Inherent reliability from reduced part count. e. Simple data-handling; e. g. vs. two-camera systems which create two bit-images and process in parallel, needing to identify which Front-image goes with which Rear-image---here, with one-camera gathering both Front and Rear images serially, in one pass, before next check enters, both images are easy to correlate.

Novel Check Processing: The foregoing suggests a new bank check processing system that reduces check processing costs by capturing digital images and codeline data from checks at the earliest possible point; i. e., at the point of first presentation, such as the bank Teller's window or at a retail point of sale---rather than having a Teller perform operations manually, and send checks to a"back room"for further processing (e. g. later imaging and machine sort, etc.).

By capturing a digital image and codeline data very early at the Teller's window or at point of sale, an electronic"picture"of the check is available for immediate transmission to another site for processing such; e. g.: to enable check truncation, amount data entry, account funds verification, correspondent bank exchange, cash management, fraud reduction.

This new bank check processing system calls for a Teller Scanner machine (e. g. as machine 30 above) that is capable of such early scanning of checks and providing an electronic"picture" (of both faces).

Purpose: To provide check processing institutions such as banks and point of sale retailers, with a system to accelerate the processing of checks presented for payment. Accelerated check processing allows banks and retailers to reduce check processing costs.

Alternative Configurations: Fig. 3 depicts a modified Teller Scan embodiment, machine 40, which will be understood as generally like machine 30 in Fig. 1, except as otherwise noted.

Here, each check is transported from entry point (IN) past MICR read and imaging station 21, then around a drum 43 in a turn-over-loop, past Endorse station 33 to return to the imaging station 32 where the check 39 (not shown) presents its opposite face thereto--and finishing the sequence in either of two sort bins 27 or 28.

Fig. 3A shows check 39 lying horizontally on drum 43, with its leading edge urged against a registration surface 48 (below plane of Fig. 3) by skewed pinch rollers 49 (e. g. three pinch rollers 49 in Fig. 3 near drum 43. Fig. 3-B shows machine 40 with skins on); Fig. 4 shows another embodiment, machine 50, more like 30 (Fig. 1) but reduced in size.

Fig. 5 shows yet another embodiment, machine 60, like machine 50 except for being top-loaded and even smaller; Fig. 6 shows still another embodiment, machine 70, like the others, except that it is even smaller and simpler, having no sort bins, and with input entry/output withdrawal being strictly manual (see exterior skins 71 in fig. 6A); Fig. 7 shows yet a further embodiment, machine 80, like machine 30, but with bins differently located; also check moves vertically, mostly, Fig. 8A shows another embodiment, machine 90, somewhat like machine 40, but locating MICR station 21 downstream of camera-imaging site 32, and ejecting the check just after second image pass at gate G-a to expel it along out- path (see dotted line), while Fig. 8-B shows the exterior of machine 90; and Fig. 9 shows still another embodiment of the invention, machine 100, which is like machine 30 except that machine 100 has two Front Endorse stations 34 (for increased print capability).