A center-alignment apparatus for use in an ATM has a transport mechanism to transport a document into the ATM. One or more plates operable in tandem to move the document toward a centerline of a path the document is to travel. Edge-detection sensor(s) on the plate sense an edge of the document when the plate(s) is moved toward the centerline. A translate/rotate mechanism translates and rotates the document while the translate/rotate mechanism transversely moves the document toward the center until another edge-detection sensor detects an edge of the document to create a parallel-aligned document. The control logic controls the plate(s) to centers the parallel-aligned document about the centerline to create a centered document.

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.

Computer-implemented methods for detecting objects within digital image data based on color transitions include: receiving or capturing a digital image depicting an object; sampling color information from a first plurality of pixels of the digital image, wherein each of the first plurality of pixels is located in a background region of the digital image; optionally sampling color information from a second plurality of pixels of the digital image, wherein each of the second plurality of pixels is located in a foreground region of the digital image; assigning each pixel a label of either foreground or background using an adaptive label learning process; binarizing the digital image based on the labels assigned to each pixel; detecting contour(s) within the binarized digital image; and defining edge(s) of the object based on the detected contour(s). Corresponding systems and computer program products configured to perform the inventive methods are also described.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for pre-cropping digital image data includes: dividing the digital image into segments; computing a color value distance between corresponding pixels of neighboring segments of the digital image; comparing the color value distance(s) against a minimum color distance threshold; clustering neighboring segments having a color value distance less than or equal to the minimum color distance threshold; computing a connected structure based on the clustered segments; computing a polygon bounding the connected structure; comparing a fraction of segments included in the connected structure and the polygon, relative to a total number of segments in the digital image, to a minimum included segment threshold; and in response to determining the fraction of segments in the connected structure and the polygon, relative to the total number of segments meets or exceeds a minimum included segment threshold, cropping the digital image based on edges of the polygon.

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 white space correction. The invention identifies a type of resource distribution instrument with white space or insufficiencies 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.

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.

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.

An asset identification and tracking system includes one or more monitoring units configured to monitor at least one designated area. Each of the monitoring units includes an imaging device and one or more processors. The imaging device is configured to generate image data depicting one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the imaging device and configured to analyze the image data to detect and decipher one or more identifiers that are displayed on a particular mobile asset of the one or more mobile assets that move through the at least one designated area. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a detection message that includes the one or more identifiers for communication to an asset control system.

In accordance with an embodiment, a magnetic ink character recognition apparatus comprises a magnetic head; a conveyance module configured to relatively convey a medium on which a magnetic ink character is printed with respect to the magnetic head; an acquisition module configured to acquire a magnetic detection signal of the medium read by the magnetic head; an excluding module configured to exclude a predetermined exclusion section including a reading result of an end portion of the medium from a signal section of the magnetic detection signal; and a recognition module configured to recognize the magnetic ink character based on the magnetic detection signal of the remaining signal section except for the exclusion section.

A system which comprises a server which processes a plurality of financial document transaction requests each having a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code and an image of a financial document and a module installed in a portable device having an image sensor, a processor and a transmitter, the module uses the processor to extract a MICR code from a financial document imaged in an image captured using the image sensor and uses the transmitter to forward the MICR code and the image to the server via a network as a financial document transaction request.