Patent Issued for Method for preventing check fraud (USPTO 11127008): United Services Automobile Association

2021 OCT 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Buentello, Andre Rene (San Antonio, TX, US), Haverlah, Sharon Kay (Bulverde, TX, US), filed on June 18, 2020, was published online on September 21, 2021.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11127008, is United Services Automobile Association (San Antonio, Texas, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Checks provide a safe and convenient method to transfer money between individuals and companies. Typically, a checking account, or other similar account, must be opened at a financial institution and funds deposited. These funds are then available for withdrawal. The payor (e.g., the account owner) usually designates a payee (e.g., a merchant or seller), an amount payable on the check, and signs the check. As a result, the check becomes negotiable and authorizes funds to be withdrawn from the payor’s account and transferred to the payee.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “Systems and methods are described for using 2D barcodes on checks to decrease non-conforming image percentages. In some embodiments, a digital image of a check that has been remotely captured by a user can be received. The digital image of the check can include a 2D barcode with embedded positional information of one or more check features (e.g., signature line, a date line, a memo line, a check number, a magnetic ink character recognition code, an amount line, and/or an amount block). The positional information embedded within the 2D barcode of the one or more check features can be decoded. In addition, one or more check features on the digital image of the check can be optically identified. Examples of positional information within the 2D barcode include, but are not limited to, a size of the check, a distance to a signature line on the check, a distance to one or more edges of the check, a distance from an edge of the check to the top, bottom, start, or end of a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code, and a distance to amount block on the check.

“Based on the one or more check features that were optically identified, estimated positional information for the one or more check features can be generated. A set of rotational and scaling adjustments can be computed by comparing the estimated positional information with the positional information of the one or more check features. A more accurate representation of the check can be produced by applying the set of rotational and scaling adjustments to the digital image of the check. Once a more accurate representation of the check has been produced, the check can be electronically processed using a routing transit number found on the check.

“In some embodiments, the 2D barcode can also include one or more check parameters. These check parameters can be decoded and used for processing, verification, and/or fraud prevention. Examples of check parameters include, but are not limited to, an account indicator if the check is drawn from a business account or a personal account, a maximum amount allowed on the check, account information, a government identifier, or an electronic watermark.

“Account holder information can also be embedded in the 2D barcode. Examples of account holder information that can be embedded within the 2D barcode include, but are not limited to, a driver’s license number of an account holder of the check, a representation of the signature, and/or a photo of the account holder. The account holder information embedded within the 2D barcode can be decoded and presented to a recipient of the check (e.g., via a point of sale device).

“Embodiments of the present invention also include computer-readable storage media containing sets of instructions to cause one or more processors to perform the methods, variations of the methods, and other operations described herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A fraud prevention method comprising: capturing, at a device associated with a user, a digital image of a check that includes a barcode identifying one or more check parameters; and submitting, via a network, the digital image of the check to a check processing system; wherein the submitting the digital image of the check causes the check processing system to decode, using one or more processors, the one or more check parameters identified by the barcode, including positional information of one or more check features that are on the check.

“2. The fraud prevention method of claim 1, further comprising: verifying, during processing of the check by the check processing system, the one or more check parameters that were decoded.

“3. The fraud prevention method of claim 1, wherein the one or more check parameters further includes an account indicator if the check is drawn from a business account or a personal account, account information, a government identifier, or an electronic watermark.

“4. The fraud prevention method of claim 1, wherein account holder information is identified in the barcode, wherein the method further comprises: decoding the account holder information identified within the barcode; and presenting the account holder information to a recipient of the check.

“5. The fraud prevention method of claim 1, wherein the barcode is a two-dimensional barcode.

“6. The fraud prevention method of claim 1, further comprising: decoding any positional information of the one or more check features embedded within the barcode; identifying the one or more check features on the digital image of the check; generating estimated positional information for the one or more check features that were identified; determining a set of rotational and scaling adjustments by comparing the estimated positional information with the positional information of the one or more check features; and applying the set of rotational and scaling adjustments to the digital image of the check to produce a more accurate representation of the check.

“7. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: capturing, at a device associated with a user, a digital image of a check that includes a barcode identifying one or more check parameters; submitting, via a network, the digital image of the check to a check processing system; wherein the submitting the digital image of the check causes the check processing system to decode, using one or more processors, the one or more check parameters identified by the barcode, including positional information of one or more check features that are on the check.

“8. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise: verifying, during processing of the check by the check processing system, the one or more check parameters that were decoded.

“9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more check parameters further includes an account indicator if the check is drawn from a business account or a personal account, account information, a government identifier, or an electronic watermark.

“10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein account holder information is identified in the barcode, wherein the operations further comprise: decoding the account holder information identified within the barcode; and presenting the account holder information to a recipient of the check.

“11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the barcode is a two-dimensional barcode.

“12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise: decoding any positional information of the one or more check features embedded within the barcode; identifying the one or more check features on the digital image of the check; generating estimated positional information for the one or more check features that were identified; determining a set of rotational and scaling adjustments by comparing the estimated positional information with the positional information of the one or more check features; and applying the set of rotational and scaling adjustments to the digital image of the check to produce a more accurate representation of the check.

“13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the positional information embedded within a two-dimensional barcode includes a size of the check, a distance to a signature line on the check, a distance to one or more edges of the check, a distance from an edge of the check to the top, bottom, start, or end of a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code, and a distance to amount block on the check.

“14. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the system to: capture, at a device associated with a user, a digital image of a check that includes a barcode identifying one or more check parameters; and submit, via a network, the digital image of the check to a check processing system; wherein the submitting the digital image of the check causes the check processing system to decode the one or more check parameters identified by the barcode, including positional information of one or more check features that are on the check.

“15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to verify the one or more check parameters that were decoded.

“16. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more check parameters further includes an account indicator if the check is drawn from a business account or a personal account, account information, a government identifier, or an electronic watermark.

“17. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to: decode any positional information of the one or more check features embedded within the barcode; identify the one or more check features on the digital image of the check; generate estimated positional information for the one or more check features that were identified; determine a set of rotational and scaling adjustments by comparing the estimated positional information with the positional information of the one or more check features; and apply the set of rotational and scaling adjustments to the digital image of the check to produce a more accurate representation of the check.”

For more information, see this patent: Buentello, Andre Rene. Method for preventing check fraud. U.S. Patent Number 11127008, filed June 18, 2020, and published online on September 21, 2021. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11127008.PN.&OS=PN/11127008RS=PN/11127008

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)