A method for image processing is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining an image associated with a check; obtaining target strings associated with a payor of the check and based on a user input; obtaining extracted strings by applying multiple optical character recognition (OCR) processes with different segmentation modes to the image; identifying, using an expandable and sliding window (ESW), matches between the plurality of target strings and the plurality of extracted strings; and selecting a winning match from the plurality of matches.

A smoking article includes identification information encoded on the smoking article. The smoking article can be used with an electrically heated smoking system having a detector for detecting the smoking article and distinguishing the smoking article from other articles based on the identification information. A cleaning article includes identification information encoded on the cleaning article. The cleaning article cleans an electrically heated smoking system having a detector for detecting the cleaning article and distinguishing the cleaning article from other articles based on the identification information. An electrically heated smoking system for receiving an article configured for use with the smoking system includes: a cavity for receiving the article having identification information encoded thereon, a heating element, a power supply, electrical hardware, and a detector capable of detecting the presence of the article in the cavity and distinguishing the article from other articles based on the identification information.

A system comprising: a check Image Record (CIR) database configured to store, for each of a plurality of accounts, a CIR, wherein each CIR comprises feature information related to features extracted from a plurality of reference checks associated with the associated account of the plurality of accounts; memory configured to store instructions; and a processor coupled with the CIR database and the memory, the processor configured to run the instructions, which cause the processor to: receive an image of a test check associated with an account of the plurality of accounts, extract feature information from the image, compare the features with the feature information stored in the CIR database for the account associated with the test check, and generate a fraud score.

Computerized techniques for real-time object detection from video data include: defining an analysis profile comprising an initial number of analysis cycles dedicated to each of a plurality of detectors, each detector being independently configured to detect objects according to a unique set of analysis parameters; receiving a plurality of frames of digital video data, the digital video data depicting an object; analyzing the plurality of frames using the plurality of detectors and in accordance with the analysis profile, wherein analyzing the plurality of frames produces an analysis result for each of the plurality of detectors; determining a confidence score for each of the analysis results; and updating the analysis profile by adjusting the number of analysis cycles dedicated to at least one of the plurality of detectors based on the confidence scores. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed.

A method of processing a mixed bunch of banknotes and checks in a recycling self-service terminal is described. The method comprises: receiving a bunch of documents; recognizing each document from the received bunch; for each banknote recognized from the received bunch, validating the authenticity of that banknote; for each check recognized from the received bunch, extracting financial information from that check; and notifying a customer of the total value of the deposited bunch. A document validator, and a self-service terminal including the document validator, are also described.

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for providing an internal digital encoding as an overlay of a data element on a resource distribution instrument for blank space correction. The invention identifies a type of resource distribution instrument with blank space or faded spaces and queue it for encoding. In this way, the encoding may be a layer for a user to view the data element to confirm the resource associated with the resource distribution instrument. The encoding may be embedded into the resource distribution instrument and removable upon external transmission.

Systems for item validation and image evaluation are provided. In some examples, a system may receive an instrument and associated data. The instrument may be received and at least one of a bill pay profile and a user profile may be retrieved. The bill pay profile and user profile may each include a plurality of previously processed instruments that have been determined to be valid and/or authentic. The instrument may be compared to the plurality of previously processed instruments to determine whether one or more elements of the instrument being evaluated match one or more corresponding elements of the plurality of previously processed instruments. Matching or non-matching elements may be identified. In some examples, one or more user interfaces may be generated displaying the instruments and including any highlighting or enhancements identifying matching or non-matching elements.

Systems and methods for automatic enrollment and identity verification based upon processing a captured image of a document are disclosed herein. Various embodiments enable, for example, a user to enroll in a particular service by taking a photograph of a particular document (e.g., his driver license) with a mobile device. One or more algorithms can then extract relevant data from the captured image. The extracted data (e.g., the person's name, gender, date of birth, height, weight, etc.) can then be used to automatically populate various fields of an enrollment application, thereby reducing the amount of information that the user has to manually input into his mobile device in order to complete the enrollment process. In some embodiments, a set of internal and/or external checks can be run against the data to ensure that the data is valid, has been read correctly, and is consistent with other data.

A method for image processing is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining an image including a check with a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code; generating a mask including a plurality of shapes based on the image and an estimated rotation angle of the check; generating a stroke width map (SWM) by applying a stroke width transform (SWT) to a plurality of regions in the image corresponding to the plurality of shapes; generating a first word line associated with a first region based on a plurality of words in the SWM; rotating a portion of the SWM associated with the first word line; and detecting, after rotating, the MICR code by applying a plurality of OCR processes to the portion of the SWM.

Systems and methods for automatic enrollment and identity verification based upon processing a captured image of a document are disclosed herein. Various embodiments enable, for example, a user to enroll in a particular service by taking a photograph of a particular document (e.g., his driver license) with a mobile device. One or more algorithms can then extract relevant data from the captured image. The extracted data (e.g., the person's name, gender, date of birth, height, weight, etc.) can then be used to automatically populate various fields of an enrollment application, thereby reducing the amount of information that the user has to manually input into his mobile device in order to complete the enrollment process. In some embodiments, a set of internal and/or external checks can be run against the data to ensure that the data is valid, has been read correctly, and is consistent with other data.