Method of concurrently processing physical documents and electronic images of the physical documents

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for tracking documents. The documents are tracked by simultaneously monitoring each document's electronic processing status and physical location. Determinations are made whether specific combinations of electronic processing states and physical locations are valid and whether specific movements of documents are permitted. Invalid combinations or movements are reported to a reporting station. The preparation of batches of documents prior to scanning may be monitored and operator metrics related to the batch prep process may be tracked. Exception documents rejected during document processing may be monitored to enable retrieval of such documents.

主权项

1. A method of concurrently processing physical documents and electronic images of the physical documents, the method comprising the steps of:
a. scanning physical documents with a scanner to provide document images including the step of scanning at a scanning location physical checks and coupons that have been extracted from a plurality of envelopes to provide electronic check and coupon images; b. categorizing a check and a coupon extracted from an envelope as a single transaction having one check and one coupon; c. assigning a unique identifier to the physical documents and the document images including the step of assigning a unique identifier to the extracted physical checks and coupons and to the corresponding electronic check and coupon images; d. associating a physical status with the unique identifier that describes the physical location of the physical documents; e. electronically processing the document images with at least one electronic process and associating an electronic status with the unique identifier that indicates the status of the at least one electronic process performed on the document images including the step of electronically processing the electronic check images to determine check amounts and updating an electronic status for the electronic checks indicating whether the check amount determination has been completed; f. detecting the physical documents at a selected physical location beyond the scanner and associating the first selected physical location with the physical status so that the physical status reflects the position of the physical documents at the selected physical location beyond the scanner; g. determining whether the status of the at least one electronic process has been performed to a selected condition for the documents located at the selected physical location including reading at the selected physical location the unique identifier assigned to the physical checks and coupons extracted from envelopes and determining whether a check amount reading was completed for the corresponding associated electronic check image of each check and determining whether the physical location of the checks and coupons at the selected physical location beyond the scanner comprises a permissible condition of movement to the selected physical location relative to the electronic status; h. detecting whether an error condition is associated with one or more of the physical status and the electronic status and, when the error condition is detected, associating the error condition detected with one or more of the physical status and the electronic status including determining if the check amount determination was completed for physical checks located at the selected location beyond the scanner and verifying that the amount of each check matches an amount of the corresponding coupon of the single transaction; and i. reporting the physical and electronic status to a user.