ITTO20090879A1 - "DEVICE AND METHOD TO RECOGNIZE AND DECODE, IN CHECKS AND / OR BANKNOTES, AND / OR OTHER DOCUMENTS, SENSITIVE DATA REPRESENTED BY MAGNETIC OR MAGNETIZABLE INFORMATION" - Google Patents

Description

"Device and method for recognizing and decoding, in checks, banknotes and other documents, sensitive data represented by magnetic or magnetizable information"

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device and a method for recognizing and decoding sensitive data represented by magnetic or magnetizable information in checks, banknotes and other documents.

More specifically, the invention relates to a device and a method for recognizing and decoding sensitive data, in checks, banknotes and other documents, in which sensitive data are represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas.

In banking institutions, machines are widely used to automatically recognize checks to be negotiated and, in particular, to decode respective sensitive, visually and magnetically recognizable data such as the data of the issuing bank (for example CAB, ABI, CIN, in Italy) and, sometimes, the account number, having characters (MICR) printed with magnetic ink. These machines detect front and back images of the check and include recognition devices for sensitive data, such as Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) devices and magnetic character recognition devices.

MICR characters such as E 13 B and CMC 7 are generally read and recognized by MICR reading devices which employ inductive sliding contact heads on the control areas where the magnetic information is present. These MICR reading devices are subject to disturbances due to external magnetic fields and errors in the case of missing or excessive enlargement of the ink imprint on the support, also due to wear or repeated passing of checks in front of the heads. On some products, the reading of magnetic information is integrated by OCR reading devices. On the other hand, in the case of checks with stains or abrasions, even the OCR reading devices are subject to errors. In any case, the discrepancies between the magnetic readings and the optical readings must be arbitrated, with the risk of erroneous recognitions, that is, they cause the check to be discarded for subsequent manual treatment or the system stopped.

The typical structure of inductive heads for reading magnetic check information provides for a reading gap height greater than the height of the MICR characters to be recognized. The signal is therefore constituted by an average value of the scanning section and allows only recognitions made by moving the checks along a direction parallel to the longest edge [SEF - Short Edge First].

In the case of checks of banknotes equipped with magnetic wire, they are moved along an inclined direction with respect to the longer edge. For banknotes with images printed with magnetic inks, the images are detected by one or more heads in parallel, limited to one or more scanning strips associated with the width of the same heads and always as an average of analog information. These structures therefore have an extremely low resolution and are therefore not free from errors in comparing the information detected with the information considered in the standard.

Control devices for banknotes are also known having the relative serial numbers printed with magnetic ink. Such devices use for example sensors of the magneto-resistive type or the like, which allow a resolution greater than that of the inductive heads. The resolution is however of the order of 5Ã · 10 mm, insufficient for recognition; and in fact the control is limited to a verification of the sole presence of magnetic information associated with these characters.

Patent publications are known in which the use of magneto-optic sensors has been proposed that use the Kerr or Farady effect to probe the presence of magnetic elements in banknotes in order to verify their validity. These publications did not give rise to commercial products to recognize and decode sensitive data represented by magnetic or magnetizable information of checks and / or banknotes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for recognizing and decoding sensitive data of checks, and / or banknotes, which is able to operate quickly and with high reliability, in particular to recognize MICR or similar characters and without constraints of localization of the control areas.

An object of the present invention is also to provide a device and a method for recognizing and decoding sensitive data of documents whose authenticity is to be recognized, having micro-scripts printed with magnetic ink.

This object is defined by a device for recognizing and decoding sensitive data, in checks, banknotes and other documents, in which the sensitive data is represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas and comprising: a magneto-optic group with polarized light and a sensor element adjacent the control areas for generating electrical signals associated with the magnetic information; and a handling unit for moving checks, banknotes and documents relative to the magneto-optic unit for scanning the control areas. The sensor element has an extension such as to couple with a scanning section of the control area and is hit by a beam of light with a given polarization while the outgoing beam has polarization modified by the magnetic information of the areas of check. The device also includes a processing unit that responds to the signals of the magneto-optic unit to define a two-dimensional digital magnetic image of the checks and / or banknotes and to decode the sensitive data from the magnetic image.

In particular, the sensor element of the device of the invention uses the Kerr or Faraday effect.

The device is particularly designed to recognize and decode information from checks having, as sensitive data, MICR characters with standard E 13 B and / or CMC 7 fonts, aligned parallel to the longest edge of the check. For banknotes, the device recognizes serial numbers printed with magnetic ink and, for documents, it is able to decode micro-scripts which are also printed with magnetic ink.

The method recognizes and decodes sensitive data of checks and / or banknotes represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas and includes the steps: a) detecting a two-dimensional digital magnetic image of checks and / or banknotes by magnetic optical means adequate resolution for the recognition of information; and b) detect sensitive data from the magnetic image of checks and / or banknotes to be decoded.

The characteristics of the invention will become clear from the following description, given by way of example but not of limitation, with the aid of the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a bank check scheme with evidence of some identification and decoding control areas;

Fig. 2 represents MICR characters with font E 13 B;

Fig. 3 represents MICR characters with part of the CMC 7 font;

Fig. 4 shows the partial diagram of a device for recognizing and decoding checks, banknotes and other documents in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is a block circuit diagram of the device of the invention; Fig. 6 represents a functional diagram of some components of the device for recognizing and decoding checks, banknotes and documents in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 7 represents a functional diagram of some components of the device of the invention, variant of Fig.6;

Fig. 8 shows a functional diagram of a device for identifying and decoding sensitive check data, according to an example of the invention; And

Fig. 9 is a functional diagram of a device for identifying and decoding sensitive check data, according to another example of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

I n F ig. 4 a device 31 is schematically shown for recognizing and decoding sensitive data of checks 32, banknotes 33 and other documents in accordance with the invention. In particular, the checks 32 (See Fig. 1), the banknotes and the documents (not shown) have sensitive data 34 represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas 36.

The device 31 (Fig. 4) comprises a magneto-optic unit 37 with polarized light and having a sensor element 38 which can be positioned adjacent to the control areas 36, a handling unit 39 for moving the check 32 or the banknote 33 relative to the magneto-optical unit for scanning the control areas 36 and a process unit 40.

The magneto-optic unit 37 generates respective electrical signals dependent on the magnetic information of the scanned sections, while the processing unit 40 responds to the signals of the magneto-optic unit to provide a digital magnetic image of the control areas 36 and to decode the sensitive data from the € ™ magnetic image.

The sensor element 38 has an extension such as to couple with a given scanning section of the control area 36 and is hit by an incoming light beam 41. The element 38 (Fig. 5) uses the Kerr or Faraday effect and transmits the incoming light beam modified by the magnetic information of the areas 36, as an outgoing light beam 42. Specifically, the sensor element 39, has a reflective area 44 and, in the use, it is in substantial contact with the check 32 or with the banknote 33 or with the document whose authenticity is to be verified.

The magneto-optic group 37 includes: an irradiation unit 45, with a lamp 46, a collimator 47 and an input polarizer 48; a detection unit 49 with an output polarizer 50, an optic 51 and photo detector elements 52; and a beam splitter 53 interposed between the irradiation unit 45 and the detection unit 49. The lamp 46 generates a uniform light beam which is collimated by the collimator 47 parallel to the reflecting area 44 and polarized by the polarizer 48 according to a predefined polarization angle, defining the incoming light beam 41.

The beam splitter 53, of the semi-reflective type, deflects the beam 41 at 90 ° towards the area 44 of the sensor element 38 and, after reflection, transmits it without variation to the detection unit 49, as a reflected beam 42. In an alternative (not shown), the irradiation unit 45 transmits the beam 41 perpendicular to the reflecting area 44 through the beam splitter 53, while the reflected beam 42 is deflected at 90 ° by the splitter of beam towards the detection unit 49 parallel to the reflecting area.

In the detection unit 49, the polarizer 50 acts as an analyzer of the polarization of the outgoing light beam 42, while the optic 51 focuses the beam 41 emerging from the polarizer on the photo-detecting elements 52, for conversion into a series of respective electrical signals. For example, the elements 52 are constituted by an ordered set of CMOS cells or by a row of CMOS cells, corresponding to the scanning section of the control area 36.

The magneto-optic unit can be without the semi-reflective beam divider if the incoming light beam 41 strikes the reflecting layer at an angle other than 90 °.

Conveniently, an interface 55 and a memory 56 are associated with the process unit 40 (Fig. 5). The process unit 40 scans the photodetector elements 52 in synchronism with the movement unit 39, digital conversion of the relative signals and storage in the memory 56 by rows and columns, defining the magnetic image 42 as a digital matrix. Naturally, parts of the process unit 40 and the memory 56 can be included in the utilization system of the device 31 downstream of the interface 55. The technique followed can be of a known type, for example similar to that for the digital acquisition of optical images and is therefore omitted.

In accordance with the invention, the device 31 recognizes and decodes sensitive data of checks 32 (Fig. 1) formed by a series of MICR magnetic characters aligned parallel to the longest edge, in particular with the E 13 B font and with the CMC 7 font standard type, for example in accordance with ISO 1004 standards, and represented with 57 (Fig. 2) and with 58 (Fig. 3).

The device 31 can recognize and decode sensitive banknote data, in particular, the magneto-optic unit 37 can recognize characters printed with magnetic ink and representative of the banknote serial number.

The device 31 can also recognize and decode sensitive data of documents whose authenticity is to be verified. Specifically, the magneto-optic unit can recognize micro-scripts printed with magnetic ink.

The magneto-optic unit 37 can consist of an integrated structure 60 (Fig. 6) for the sensor element 38, the irradiation unit and the detection unit and, if present, for the beam splitter 53.

A contrast roller 61 and a permanent magnet for pre-magnetization 62 (Fig. 6) are associated with the magneto-optic unit 37 (See Fig. 4). The roller 61 keeps the check 32 or the banknote 33 adherent to the sensor element 38 during the scanning movement, while the magnet 62 magnetizes the magnetic ink of the MICR characters to the saturation value, according to the usual technique. For the detection of very low residual magnetizations, two polarization magnets (bias) 63 and 64 (Fig. 7) can be provided on the sides of the sensor element 38.

In the embodiment of Fig.8, the device for recognizing and decoding checks, indicated by 66, has a handling unit 67 for moving the checks 32 parallel to the longer edge [SEF - Short Edge First], while the scanning section refers to the height of the control area 36. In the magneto-optic group, represented with 68, the respective sensor element has a reflecting area 69 with a height, for example 12 mm, such as to couple with the height of the area 36 intended for MICR characters.

In the embodiment of Fig. 9, the device for recognizing and decoding checks, represented by 71, has a handling unit 72 for moving the checks 32 parallel to the shorter edge [LEF - Long Edge First], while the scanning refers to the length of the control area 36. In the magneto-optic group, indicated with 73, the sensor element has a reflective area 74 with an extension, for example 220 mm, such as to couple to the maximum length checks and to cover the length of the control area 36 intended for MICR characters.

In accordance with the invention, the device 31, 66, 71 has a resolution greater than 100 dpi for the magnetic image, such as to reliably allow the recognition of MICR characters, characters printed with magnetic ink of banknotes and micro-scripts. of documents. Thus, adequate characteristics of the components used for the sensor element 38, for the collimator 47, for the optic 51 and for the photo-detecting elements 52 and a respective control of the process unit are obtained. 40.

It is also clear that the device of the invention can be applied to detect the digital magnetic image complete with checks, banknotes and documents by extending the reflective area to the maximum height of the checks, banknotes and documents to be recognizing and moving SEF parallel to the longest edge.

The recognition technique may be similar to that for optical character recognition (OCR), even in the case of reading checks, banknotes and documents parallel to the shorter edge.

Naturally, the structure of the device 31, 66, 71 allows a much higher resolution and, by way of example, it could be 200 dpi, or higher for a further improved recognition of characters and images and doing without optical recognition, in presence of complete magnetic information.

The scanning speed is very high and may have a maximum value of 200 µs. The speed of checks, banknotes and documents, relative to the magneto-optic group, is higher than 500 mm / s for the realization of high speed reading devices.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Device for recognizing and decoding sensitive data of checks, banknotes and other documents, in which said data is represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas, the aforementioned device comprising: a magneto-optic unit with polarized light and a sensor element adjacent to the control areas for generating electrical signals associated with the magnetic information; And a handling unit for moving checks, or banknotes or documents relative to the magneto-optic unit for scanning the control areas, and in which the sensor element has an extension that can be coupled with a scanning section of the control area and is hit by a beam of light with a given polarization while the outgoing beam has polarization modified by the magnetic information of the control areas; the aforementioned device being characterized by what comprises a process unit that responds to the signals of the magneto-optic unit to define a two-dimensional digital magnetic image of checks or banknotes or documents or control areas and to decode sensitive data from the aforementioned magnetic image. 2. Device according to claim 1 in which the sensor element has a reflective area and uses the Kerr or Faraday effect, characterized by what said magneto-optic group includes an irradiation unit with an illuminator and a input polarizer to generate the incoming beam of polarized light, a detection unit with an output polarizer acting as an analyzer of the polarization of the beam reflected from the reflecting area and a row of photo-detecting elements, for example CMOS, which define the aforementioned electrical signals in response to the light of the output polarizer, in which the processing unit converts the signals of the sensing elements into digital information and in which a memory is provided to store the digital information as the basis of the digital magnetic image. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the magneto-optic unit also includes a semi-reflective beam divider between the irradiation unit and the detection unit and in which the incoming beam generated by the irradiation unit it exits parallel to the reflecting area and is deflected at 90 ° by the beam splitter towards the reflecting area, while the reflected beam is transmitted without variation from the beam splitter towards the detection unit or, alternatively, the incoming beam is transmitted without variation by the beam splitter perpendicular to the reflecting area, while the reflected beam is deflected at 90 ° by the beam splitter towards the detection unit parallel to the reflecting area. 4. Device according to claim 3 or 4 characterized by what said magneto-optic group is constituted by an integrated structure for the sensor element, the irradiation unit and the detection unit. 5. Device in accordance with one of the preceding claims in particular for recognizing and decoding sensitive check data, characterized in that the magneto-optic unit recognizes MICR characters, in particular with standard E 13 B and / or CMC 7 fonts, for example according to ISO 1004 standards. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5 in particular for recognizing and decoding sensitive banknote data, characterized in that the magneto-optic unit recognizes characters printed with magnetic ink and representative of the banknote serial number. 7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, in particular for recognizing and decoding the characters printed with magnetic ink of checks and banknotes, aligned parallel to the longest edge, characterized in that the handling unit moves the checks and, respectively, banknotes; parallel to the longer edge [SEF - Short Edge First], while the scanning section refers to the height of the control area and in which the sensor element of the magneto-optic unit has a height such as to couple to the Height of the control area intended for said characters or, alternatively, the handling unit moves the checks and, respectively, the banknotes; parallel to the shorter edge [LEF - Long Edge First], while the scanning section refers to the length of the control area and in which the sensor element of the magneto-optic unit has an extension such as to couple to the length of the € ™ control area for the aforementioned characters. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it has a resolution greater than 100 dpi. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises a pre-magnetization element or elements upstream of the magneto-optic unit or upstream and downstream of the magneto-optic unit for the pre-magnetization of the magnetic information. 10. Method for recognizing and decoding sensitive data of checks, and / or banknotes and / or other documents represented by magnetic or magnetizable information arranged in respective control areas, the above method comprising the steps: a) detect a two-dimensional digital magnetic image of checks and / or banknotes and / or documents or control areas by means of magneto-optical means of adequate resolution for the recognition of the aforementioned information; And b) detect sensitive data from the magnetic image of checks and / or banknotes and / or documents or control areas to be decoded.