as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2006/0249567 Al
`(43) Pub. Date: Nov. 9, 2006
`
`Byrneet al.
`
`US 20060249567A1
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`ACCEPTING CHECK DEPOSITS VIA THE
`INTERNET USING BROWSER-BASED
`TECHNOLOGY
`
`(76)
`
`Inventors: Michael D. Byrne, Edina, MN (US);
`Byron G. Chun, Daly City, CA (US);
`Art Molina, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
`Frank S. Lee, Bakersfield, CA (US);
`Stephanie Sturgis-Griffith, Oakland,
`CA (US); Bipin M. Sahni, Pleasanton,
`CA (US); Gene Weisbord, Martinez,
`CA (US); Deborah A. Young, Los
`Angeles, CA (US)
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/652,078, filed on Feb.
`10, 2005.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`GO7F 19/00
`(2006.01)
`G06F 17/00
`(52) US. C0.
`cecssccsssssssssssssssnsssensseseee 235/379; 235/375
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Correspondence Address:
`GLENN PATENT GROUP
`3475 EDISON WAY, SUITE L
`MENLO PARK, CA 94025 (US)
`
`A browserplug-in to drive a device for securely transmitting
`documentsin real-time over the Internet into an enterprise’s
`computing environmentis provided. Leveraging the Check
`Clearing for the 21st Century Act, a system and method for
`providing a browser plug-in that allows a bank customerto
`(21) Appl. No.:—11/351,457
`scan checks using a personal computer and deposit the
`checks via the browser to a bank account is provided.
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Feb. 9, 2006
`
`
` (USER LAUNCHES SESSION
`THE PLUG-IN 110
`
`TO SCAN CHECKS)
`
`BROWSER
`WINDOW
`RUNNING
`
`
`
`(USER AUTHENTICATES
`TO CEO, LAUNCHES C21 APP
`
`AND DOWNLOADS PLUGINS)
`
`
`(C21 APP WINDOW
`TO MANAGE
`CHECKS LAUNCHED)
`
`
`
`
`110 CEQ PORTAL / C27 APP
`
`
`
`
`
`(SCANNED IMAGES
`TRANSMITTED TO A
`REPOSITORY)
`
`C21 VIEWER/EDITOR
`PORTLET
`
`(FETCH/EDIT/DELETE UPLOAD
`SCANNED IMAGES)
`
`
`106
`(API CALLS TO
`COMMUNICATE
`WITH SCANNER)
`
`SCANNER
`
`INTERFACE API
`
`108
`(DEVICE DRIVER
`CALLS)
`
`SCANNER (RDM 6000)
`
`
` CHECK IMAGE
`REPOSITORY(E.g. ORACLE)
`
`
`PNC 1104
`PNC 1104
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Nov. 9, 2006 Sheet 1 of 8
`
`US 2006/0249567 Al
`
`(USER AUTHENTICATES
`
`TO CEO, LAUNCHES C27 APP
`AND DOWNLOADSPLUGINS) SSS
`
`(USER LAUNCHES SESSION
`TO SCAN CHECKS)
`
`BROWSER
`WINDOW
`RUNNING
`THE PLUG-IN
`
`106
`(API CALLS TO
`COMMUNICATE
`WITH SCANNER)
`
`TO MANAGE
`
`
`CEO PORTAL / C21 APP
`
`C21 VIEWER/EDITOR
`PORTLET
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(C21Ou ee
`112 110
`CHECKS LAUNCHED)
`
`
`
`(SCANNED IMAGES
`TRANSMITTED TO A
`REPOSITORY)
`
`(FETCH/EDIT/DELETE UPLOAD
`SCANNED IMAGES)
`
`INTERFACE API
`
`
`CHECK IMAGE
`REPOSITORY(E.g. ORACLE)
`
`SCANNER
`
`108
`(DEVICE DRIVER
`CALLS)
`
`SCANNER (RDM 6000)
`
`FIG. 7
`
`

`

`US 2006/0249567 Al
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`Patent Application Publication
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`

`Patent Application Publication Nov. 9, 2006 Sheet 8 of 8
`
`US 2006/0249567 Al
`
`702
`(APPLICATION CHILD WINDOW OR
`
`CHECK21 SERVLET
`
`USER SELECT "FINISH"
`FUNCTION TO CLOSE THE BAG
`AND COMMIT DEPOSIT
`
`
`ADD "DEPOSIT TICKET"
`AS TRAILER RECORD TO BAG
`
`PORTLET)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`POST MESSAGE TO ICING TO
`PICK UP BAG AND PROCESS
`DEPOSIT BATCH
`
`
`
`RESPOND TO USER WITH
`DEPOSIT TICKET INFORMATION
`
`
`FIG. 7
`
`

`

`US 2006/0249567 Al
`
`Nov. 9, 2006
`
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCEPTING
`CHECK DEPOSITS VIA THE INTERNET USING
`BROWSER-BASED TECHNOLOGY
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This application claimspriority to U.S. Provisional
`Patent Application Ser. No. 60/652,078, filed on Feb. 10,
`2005, Attorney Docket Number WELLOOS59PR, which
`application is incorporated herein in its entirety by the
`reference thereto.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002]
`
`1. Technical Field
`
`[0003] The invention relates to providing a plug-in to
`drive a device for securely transmitting documents in real-
`time over the Internet into an enterprise’s computing envi-
`ronment. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a system
`and method for providing a browser plug-in that allows a
`bank customer to scan checks using a personal computer and
`deposit the checks via the browser to a bank account.
`
`[0004]
`
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`
`[0005] The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act,
`better known as Check 21, modernized the U.S. payments
`system. This new federal legislation, which took effect on
`Oct. 28, 2004, allows banks to create and presenta substitute
`check or image replacement document (IRD) for paymentin
`place of the original check, accelerating settlement and
`eliminating manyofthe costs and risks of physically trans-
`porting checks.
`
`[0006] Presently, consumers have available to them the
`traditional banking visit model. Also, mechanismsfor allow-
`ing banksto create and present a substitute check exist in the
`market, however,
`they require the customer to install a
`non-browser-based software application, referred to as a fat
`client. Also, known problems with float, fraud, and check
`processing speed are present in these mechanisms.
`
`there are systems and methods that
`[0007] Currently,
`relate to check deposit and image processing at locations
`other than a bank, as follows. M. Martens, C. P. Tresser, R.
`J. Von Gutfeld, and C. W. Wu, Method and Apparatus for
`Depositing Ordinary Checksfrom Home or Office, U.S. Pat.
`No. 6,450,403 B1 (Sep. 17, 2002) and M. Martens, C. P.
`Tresser, R. J. Von Gutfeld, and C. W. Wu, Method and
`Apparatus for Depositing Ordinary Checks from Home or
`Office, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/
`0084321 Al (Jul. 4, 2002) discuss an apparatus and method
`that allow depositing ordinary checks from homeoroffice.
`A special scanner is used to scan an endorsed check for
`deposit. The check may haveprinted thereon encryptions in
`at least selected locations. Scanning the endorsed check with
`the scanner generates a digitized version of the check. The
`scannervirtually partitions the digitized version of the check
`into a plurality of regions. These regions may bestripes or
`zones. Each region is successively examinedto extract from
`the digitized version of the check information from that
`region. The information extracted from a region is encrypted
`and transmitted to a bank. Upon acknowledgmentfrom the
`bank, at least someof the regionsofthe plurality of regions
`are voided by a form of indelible but non-invasive, e.g.
`allowing reading after voiding, marking, such as punched
`
`holes, burned areas, overprinting of a pattern. The process-
`ing by the scanner continues until all regions have been
`processed. This progressively voiding scheme is an impor-
`tant security feature. The scanneris preferably contained in
`a secure housing with an encryption processor and the
`housing preferably includes an arrangement for detecting
`tampering and preventing normal operation if tampering is
`detected.
`
`J.E. Jones, P. A. Jones, R. M. Gafron, W. J. Jones,
`[0008]
`and D. U. Mennie, Image Processing Network, U.S. Patent
`Application Publication No. US 2002/0001393 Al (Jan. 3,
`2002) discuss a paperless image processing network where
`images and other information are exchanged between vari-
`ous financial institutions rather than physical documents.
`Further discussed is an image processing network where
`images andother information as well as physical documents
`are exchanged between various financial institutions. Also
`discussed is an image processing network where the pro-
`cessing of document imagesis distributed amongst various
`locations rather than concentrated at a single central loca-
`tion. Also discussed is an image processing network which
`is capable of processing both images and physical docu-
`ments; an image processing network which is capable of
`extracting the MICR, CAR, and LAR data from checks and
`inserting this data into an image file or files; an image
`processing network where images are sorted betweentransit
`and on-us imagefiles; and a data file format that comprises
`two subparts, containing image data and the other part
`containing data extracted from the document’s image.
`
`[0009] M. Martens and C. P. Tresser, Method and Appa-
`ratus for Depositing Paper Checks from Home or Office,
`USS. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0065786
`(May 30, 2002) discuss a method and apparatus in combi-
`nation with a special form of paper checks, which allows for
`the secure deposit of paper checks from homeoroffice; in
`other words, at a location other than the bank or an ATM.
`The apparatus can be implemented at the payee’s homeor
`office with a Personal Computer (PC) which has a scanner
`attached to it and connected to the World Wide Web
`
`(WWW)on the Internet. The process of depositing paper
`checks begins by the payee endorsing a check having printed
`thereon encryptions in at
`least selected locations where
`information is written by a payer, the act of writing by the
`payee obscuring some of the encryptions. The payee then
`scans the endorsed check with a scanner to generate a
`digitized version of the check. The computer extracts from
`the digitized version of the check a concatenated branch
`number, account number and check number and a corre-
`sponding digital signature. The payee then transmits the
`extracted information together with the digitized version of
`the check for deposit. The checks are specially designed to
`prevent fraud such as alterations of the payee, amount and
`multiple deposits. In addition to the encryptions imprinted
`on the check,a secret key and a plurality of digital signatures
`are generated based on the concatenated branch number,
`account number and check number.
`
`[0010] Ravi V. Acharya and J. Kang, System and Method
`for Electronic Deposit of Third-Party Checks by Non-Com-
`mercial Banking Customers from Remote Locations, Inter-
`national Publication No. WO 01/61436 A2 (23 Aug. 2001)
`discuss a system and method for initiating a deposit trans-
`action, where the depositor is a non-commercial banking
`customerlocated at a remote location, and wherethe item to
`
`

`

`US 2006/0249567 Al
`
`Nov. 9, 2006
`
`be deposited is a paper check from a third party, payable to
`the depositor. Features include a Remote Customer Terminal
`(RCT) with certain input devices, connected to a bank
`system. The image and/or other data sent from the RCT to
`the Bank of First Deposit (BOFD) may be processed by
`conversion to Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), via Elec-
`tronic Check Presentment (ECP), or via check reconstruc-
`tion.
`
`[0011] A. Slater, M. L. Sears, H. P. Rin-Rin, D.C. DO, H.
`P. McSharry, E. M. R. Dudasik. S. M. Gryte, and R. O.
`Brooks, System and Method for Image Depositing, Image
`Presentment and Deposit Taking in a Commercial Environ-
`ment, European Patent Application No. EP 0 984 410 Al (08
`Mar. 2000) discuss a method and system for scanning a
`check and/or cash to create an electronic image of the front
`and the back of the check and/or cash. The image is then
`processed and transmitted electronically to a central loca-
`tion. The image may be recreated into a paper form at the
`central location, resembling the original paper check or cash.
`Paperless processing of checks and cash is thus provided,
`including local voiding and storage of the check without
`requiring immediate pickup, while still allowing the trans-
`action to be processed.
`
`[0012] However, none of the references cited teach or
`suggest creating efficiencies by providing a browser plug-in
`that allows a bank customerto scan checks using a personal
`computer and deposit the checks via the browser to a bank
`account, while, at the same time, provide a light client vs.
`heavy client side footprint/solution and provide meansfor a
`customerto install software via application-managed down-
`load.
`
`It would be advantageous to provide a system and
`[0013]
`method for capturing data objects from a programmed
`machine where the configuration is not limited to a fixed
`location, office, or home personal computer; where a sup-
`ported capturing device, such as a scanner, is plugged into
`the programmed machine, e.g. a personal computer, at any
`location that works with downloadable runtime components,
`such as plug-in software, and can be used to capture data
`objects, e.g. to scan checks and prepare deposits.
`
`It would be advantageous to improve operating
`[0014]
`efficiencies by providing faster access to money deposited in
`a customer’s account and providing increased flexibility to
`invest and direct funds.
`
`It would further be advantageous to provide a
`[0015]
`system and methodthat can handle reductionsin float as the
`time to settle transactions between banks decreases.
`
`It further would be advantageous to provide a
`[0016]
`system and methodthat displays substitute checks or copies
`of substitute checks online when a customer requests check
`copies or view images online.
`
`It further would be advantageous to provide a
`[0017]
`system and methodthat allows a bank customerto be able
`to capture electronic images of the customer’s checks and to
`transmit the checks for processing instead of requiring the
`customer to physically transport the checks to the bank for
`deposit.
`
`It further would be advantageous to provide a
`[0018]
`system and methodthatattains the following business goals:
`
`[0019]
`
`provide faster access to funds and information;
`
`[0020]
`
`reduce transportation time and costs;
`
`[0021]
`
`leverage Check 21 legislation;
`
`[0022]
`
`provide alternative to traditional banking visit;
`
`provide low cost entry point to market model;
`[0023]
`develop, deploy, and manage such; and
`
`[0024]
`
`enrich customer experience.
`
`It further would be advantageous to provide a
`{0025]
`system and method that attains the following technical
`goals:
`
`[0026]
`solution;
`
`provide a light client vs. heavy client side footprint/
`
`provide means for a customer to install software
`[0027]
`via application-managed download;
`
`provide means for a customer to scan checks and
`[0028]
`upload them to the application;
`
`provide an application that validates checks and
`[0029]
`creates deposit transactions;
`
`provide an application that sends deposit transac-
`[0030]
`tions to an existing downstream item processing;
`
`provide for the customer access to timely informa-
`[0031]
`tion on the status of the customer’s deposit or any errors
`which would prevent an item from being accepted; and
`
`[0032]
`
`provide a same and/or better than response time.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`[0033] A browser plug-in to drive a device for securely
`transmitting documents in real-time overthe Internet into an
`enterprise’s computing environment is provided. Leverag-
`ing the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, a system
`and method for providing a browser plug-in that allows a
`bank customer to scan checks using a personal computer and
`deposit the checks via the browser to a bank account is
`provided.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0034] FIG.1 is a schematic flow diagram showing a high
`level flow of a desktop deposit according to the invention;
`
`[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an interface
`architecture system according to the invention;
`
`[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an application
`component architecture for the DD Application Server
`according to the invention;
`
`[0037] FIG.4 is a schematic context diagram illustrating
`how the CLASP componentis used in the overall Desktop
`Deposit solution architecture according to the invention;
`
`[0038] FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram depicting the
`control flow according to the invention;
`
`[0039] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram showing an
`exemplary client flow according to the invention; and
`
`[0040] FIG.7 is a flow diagram showing the client flow
`after the client elects to commit uploaded contents according
`to the invention.
`
`

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`US 2006/0249567 Al
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`Nov. 9, 2006
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`[0041] A browser software plug-in to provide an interface
`between the user and an enterprise and drive a device for
`securely transmitting documents in real-time over the Inter-
`net into an enterprise’s computing environmentis provided.
`Leveraging the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, a
`system and method for providing a browser plug-in that
`allows a bank customer to scan checks using a personal
`computer and deposit the checks via the browser to a bank
`account is provided.
`
`It should be appreciated that for the purposes of
`[0042]
`understanding the invention, the discussion herein involves
`a personal computer, a scanner, scanned image, a deposit
`post-process, and thelike. However, such specific references
`herein are by way of example only and are not meantto be
`limiting. The spirit and scope of the invention covers any
`thin client with respect to any enterprise post processing and
`any type of capturing device and captured data object, where
`here an object includes, but is not limited to, any digitized
`image, portion of an image, data stream, screen, or window.
`
`In one embodiment of the invention, five major
`[0043]
`components are provided to work in a mannerthat allows the
`user to scan, transmit, and deposit checks or documents to
`the receiving organization electronically. A personal com-
`puter type computer (PC), application software provided by
`the enterprise or third-party supplier (application software),
`a scanner supported by the application software (scanner),
`scanner drivers provided by the scanner manufacturer or
`third-party (device drivers), and a receiving software appli-
`cation to process the incoming images and data (enterprise
`application).
`
`[0044] Three of the components: PC, scanner, and device
`drivers can be packaged by any major computer manufac-
`turer. The application software provider can either make
`special arrangements with the PC provider to include the
`software or the provider can use other meansto distribute the
`software. The enterprise application is the responsibility of
`the enterprise.
`
`[0045] Application software can be packagedin twobasic
`forms. Thefirst form is normally distributed by media, such
`as CD-ROM,or electronically downloaded. Once in the
`handsoftheuser, the application software is installed on the
`machine where it stays resident on disk and is loaded into
`memory when used. The software industry refers this type of
`application as a fat application,
`i.e. stays on machine.
`Application software, installed in this manner, also normally
`has accessto the resources such as scanners, disk drives, and
`other applications available on the machine within the
`authorization scopeof the user. Additionally, software main-
`tenance, changes or new features for fat applications require
`the software provider to distribute the software and for the
`user to install the software. If the maintenanceis faulty,
`additional
`roll-back steps or
`software maintenance is
`required. Because not all users can be expected to install
`software at the sametime, software providers are forced into
`a position to support multiple, often back-leveled versions of
`software.
`
`[0046] The second form is distributed with each invoca-
`tion of the application software through the ubiquitous
`browser interface available on almost every modern per-
`
`sonal computer. The software industry refers to this type of
`application as a thin client. No software is installed on the
`disk. The application software is the same version for all
`users because the plug-in is downloaded with each invoca-
`tion of the application software, i.e. automatic maintenance.
`The plug-in does not automatically have the same level of
`access to the resourcesthat the user has. This security feature
`allows the user to give permission to the resource being
`requested, e.g. scanner, not all of the resources available to
`the user. The combined benefits of security with ease and
`speed of software maintenance makes
`the thin-client
`approach a more beneficial approach to both the customer
`and the enterprise.
`
`[0047] One embodimentof the invention can be described
`with reference to FIG. 1, a schematic flow diagram showing
`a high level flow of a desktop deposit according to the
`invention. From a client means, for example, a personal
`computer type computer (PC), a client/user authenticates
`with a desktop deposit application 102. In this example, the
`server related software is referred to as Wells Fargo’s
`Commercial Electronic Offices*™ Portal (CEO Portalor just
`CEO)and the desktop deposit application is referred to as
`C21 App. After authentication, C21 App is launched and the
`appropriate desktop deposit plug-in(s) is downloaded onto
`the client PC.
`
`[0048] The CEO Portal, C21 app as well as the plug-in are
`resident on the enterprise servers. The user launches a
`session for scanning checks from the browser window
`running the plug-in(s). Scanner interface APIs are called
`from the browser plug-in(s) for communicating with a
`scanning device that is communicably connected to the PC
`106. The scanner APIs make device driver calls to the
`
`scanner, which in this example is RDM 6000. The user
`proceeds with scanning one or more checks through the
`device. Each check can be marked with indelible ink, if the
`scanner is so equipped, indicating that the check has been
`electronically processed. Such scanned imagesare transmit-
`ted by the browser window running the plug-in(s) to a check
`image repository communicably connected to the server
`desktop deposit application 110. The desktop deposit appli-
`cation, C21 App is used to manage the checks which are
`launched. Through a viewer and editing application, which
`in this example is referred to as C21 Viewer/Editor Portlet,
`which is a part of C21 App, a user can view and edit
`commandsrelated to images stored on the check image
`repository that had been previously scanned 112. Likewise,
`through C21 Viewer/Editor Portlet, a user can perform
`various functions, such as fetch, edit, and delete on the
`scanned images 114.
`
`[0049] The invention provides flexibility as follows. In
`one embodimentof the invention, the system and method
`has the capability to perform version checks and updates. In
`one embodimentof the invention, the system and methodis
`modular;
`it employs framework adaptability to support
`future plug-ins as necessary to work with a wide variety of
`proprietary check-reader device protocols. In one embodi-
`ment of the invention, the system and method provides the
`capability of the self-detection of installed scanner device
`and capability to guide the user of related events and detects
`necessary downloads, upgrades, and patches.
`
`

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`US 2006/0249567 Al
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`Nov. 9, 2006
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`[0050] One embodimentofthe invention provides a helper
`application that facilitates the following:
`
`[0051]
`
`scanning of checks, front and back;
`
`[0052] MICR decoding;
`
`[0053]
`
`compression and encryption;
`
`[0054]
`tion;
`
`[0055]
`and
`
`allowing user to enter check amount and annota-
`
`single submission and batching of scanned checks;
`
`uploading one or a batch of checks to a staging
`[0056]
`repository via database and/or FTP uploads.
`
`[0057]
`
`System Interface Architecture
`
`[0058] An interface architecture system and method
`according to one embodiment of the invention can be
`described with reference to FIG. 2. A desktop deposit
`customer, shown here as a CEO customer 202, is authenti-
`cated and authorized by applications on the desktop deposit
`server, shown here as DesktopDeposit (DD) Application
`Server 204. A second server 206 is shown between two
`
`firewalls and serves to provide a secure interface between
`external applications and those internal to an enterprise,
`such as Wells Fargo, for example. The customer proceeds to
`scan one or more checks through the check scanner device
`208. The customer uploads the scanned check imagesto the
`DD application server for post processing. The uploaded
`images are stored, could be temporarily,
`in a database,
`shown in FIG. 2 as Check Image Work in Progress (WIP)
`210 for review and disposition. The imagesare also sent, for
`example, via an wfXML service,
`to an Image Inspector
`Services 211, referred to herein as Automated Image Metrics
`(AIM). AIM is a placeholder for certain basic services. For
`example, AIM can perform character recognition on a
`image, e.g. courtesy amount recognition and legal amount
`recognition (CARLAR) processing. For instance, a cus-
`tomer might write an amount of X in the courtesy box and
`an amount of Y in the legal amount box resulting in a
`mismatch. The system and method can respond by sending
`such information back to the customer, informing the cus-
`tomer of such mismatch. As well, the system and method can
`provides hints, such as “Okay, the person wrote the check for
`a hundred dollars. Do you agree? Yes.” Then, instead of
`keying in 100, the customer can simply click the “yes”
`button. The scanned images are sent to a second database,
`shownhere as Inbound Check Image Gateway (ICING) 212,
`to be checked again for quality and customer disposition.
`The DD Application Server 204 requests or sends a message
`query to ICING 212 for file validation and response, and
`possibly in batch mode. DD Application Server sends user
`profile information, including account information, product
`profile information, and the like,
`to enterprise backend
`servers. One such server is shown in the figure as Envoy
`214. Customer billing information is sent to a backend
`system, shown here as Tandem Billing 216.
`
`In this particular example of one embodiment of
`[0059]
`the invention, an ActiveX component (VC++) is used for
`interacting with the device API, referred to herein as Ranger
`API, for scanning the checks. The Envoyclient is used for
`retrieving the entitlements. The Envoy client uses T3 pro-
`tocol, which is proprietary to WebLogic Application Server.
`DD Application Server uses HTTPS/Post for interfacing
`
`with AIM.A Wells Fargo standard, WFXML,is followed for
`making the request/response to AIM service. DD Applica-
`tion Server posts messages in X9.37 format
`to ICING
`MOQSeries queue. DD Application Server uses standard
`JDBC implementation to interact with Work In Progress
`(local) Database. For retrieving Account Name needs to
`interact with internal system using Xstream Interface. For
`RIN validation an external system is used. It should be
`appreciated that the implementation described hereinabove
`is for illustrative purposes and is not meant to be limiting.
`
`In one embodiment of the invention, the system
`[0060]
`and method incorporates a detection and notification mecha-
`nism. In one embodiment of the invention, the DD Appli-
`cation Server takes certain customer profile information,
`such as type of scanner, account numbers for which the
`customer is authorized, etc., and uses the information to
`detect certain states, such as, if the customer’s scanner is
`plugged in, and appropriately notify the customer. Follow-
`ing is a list of examples of what the detection mechanism
`can detect: If the scanneris the right version; Was a part of
`the scanner plugged in the wrong way; if there is a problem
`with the firmware, i.e. the electronically erasable module on
`the scanner; etc. The invention can provide a link to the
`customerfrom where the customer can download the appro-
`priate helpful information or applications.
`
`[0061] Also, if a new application feature becomes avail-
`able and, for example, the user has a particular scanner
`model that has an old version of their basic drivers, the
`invention can download or direct the customer to a place
`where the customer can getthe driversets that are designed
`for the system or application and can download them. The
`customercan elect to have a system administrator install the
`feature and appropriate updates or a LAN administrator, and
`the like. As well, the enterprise can perform the installation,
`downloads, and upgrades given permission. A clear advan-
`tage the invention provides to the enterprise and to the
`customer is the efficiency provided by the enterprise not
`having to ship CDsandthe like to customers. Theinstalla-
`tions and upgrades are performed in real-time. Such makes
`the customer interaction and experience muchbetter.
`
`[0062] Application Component Architecture
`
`[0063] An exemplary application component architecture
`for the DD Application Server according to one embodiment
`of the invention can be described with reference to FIG.3.
`Such example is not meant to be exhaustive or limiting. The
`DD Application Server is also referred to herein simple as
`Desktop Deposit.
`
`the Desktop
`In this example implementation,
`[0064]
`Deposit application applies a Java 2 Enterprise Edition
`(J2EE) component architecture for developing a flexible,
`scalable, cross-platform enterprise application. The Desktop
`Deposit application uses Struts framework for developing
`applications. A strut is based on Model-View-Controller
`(MVC)architecture. An MVC design pattern serves as a
`guideline for building the Desktop Deposit Application. By
`applying the MVCarchitecture to a J2EE application, one
`can separate the core data access functionality from the
`presentation and control logic that uses this functionality.
`Such separation allows multiple views to share the same
`enterprise data model, which makes supporting multiple
`clients easier to implement, test, and maintain.
`
`

`

`US 2006/0249567 Al
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`Nov. 9, 2006
`
`[0065] FIG. 3 shows main components for the following
`tiers: browser 302; application 304; mid-tier 306, and per-
`sistence 308. Descriptions of specific components follow.
`
`[0066] Model
`
`[0067] Model 310 represents business data, and the busi-
`ness rules that govern access and modification of that data,
`on which application is based. Models that have been
`envisaged for Desktop Deposit include:
`
`[0068] Business Model classes: these