| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus to evaluate transportation of a recording medium based on a detection signal from a magnetic head, and based on the result of this evaluation to efficiently execute a post-processing operation such as sorting the recording media after passing the magnetic head reading position. Using this method the transportation path can be shortened in a recording media processing apparatus such as a check reading device. The check reading device 1 reads a check 4 traveling on a transportation path 5 by means of a magnetic head 54 , and makes an evaluation to determine (ST 21, 25 ) that the top and bottom of the check are inverted or the medium is paper on which magnetic ink characters are not printed if there is no change in the detection signal. If magnetic ink characters cannot be recognized from the detection signal, a magnetic ink character recognition process is used to evaluate the detection signal patterns that are output when the magnetic ink characters are read from the back side (ST 23, 26 ), whereupon the front and back of the check 4 are determined to be reversed if recognition is possible (ST 27, 28 ), and the top and bottom of the check 4 are determined to be inverted if recognition is not possible (ST 27, 29 ). Transportation is paused (ST 6 ) so that the check 4 does not reach the first and second check discharge units 7 and 8 or the printing mechanism 56 until this determination can be completed. Transportation of the check 4 resumes when the determination is completed (ST 9 , ST 13 ), and the check 4 is routed to the first check discharge unit 7 or second check discharge unit 8 or is printed by the printing mechanism 56 . The transportation path 5 can therefore be shortened and the check reading device 1 can be rendered small.
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