Rule-Based Circuit, Method and System for Performing Item Level Reconciliation

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

This application is a related to application Ser. No. 08/023,364, filed on Feb. 26, 1993, for an "Electronic Check Presentment System Having a Return Item Notification System Incorporated Therein," now U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,190, a continuation-in-part of original application Ser. No. 07/731,529, filed on Jul. 17, 1991, for an "Electronic Check Presentment System," now U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,159.

A microfiche appendix containing a computer program listing was submitted with Ser. No. 07/731,529 and is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

The present invention is directed, in general, to the field of electronic check processing and, more specifically, to a rule-based circuit, method of operation and system for performing item level reconciliation for use with electronic check processing systems and dam processing apparatus.

Conventionally, financial institutions ("FIs"), such as banks, have handled the transfer and presentment of negotiable instruments, such as checks and drafts, for payment in a manual, paper-based fashion. At specified times each day, "sending" FIs sorted all negotiable instruments presented to them by depositors and other correspondent FIs into bundles. Each of the bundles contains the negotiable instruments for the particular FIs on which they are drawn (e.g., "drawee" or "paying" FI).

The sorted bundles of negotiable instruments were then typically segregated into batches of negotiable instruments according to an assigned American Banking Association ("ABA") routing/transit number ("R/T") printed on the face of the negotiable instrument. One or more of these batches were then aggregated for shipment to the paying FI. A derailed listing and a cover letter, commonly collectively referred to as a "cash letter," were attached to each such shipment of negotiable instruments. The cash letters presented the dollar amount of all negotiable instruments within the batch and summarized its accumulated dollar amount. This summary information often included the names of the paying and sending FIs, the preassigned R/T associated with each of the same, the number of negotiable instruments in the batch and the total dollar amount of all of the negotiable instruments in the batch.

When the paying FI received the cash letter, it verified its contents (i.e., negotiable instrument amounts balanced with the totals contained on the cover letter), a process commonly referred to as "reconciliation." If a balancing discrepancy existed (e.g., missing or extra negotiable instrument, amount or arithmetic error, etc.), the condition was documented and notification of the error was slated for the sending bank. Other conventional check processing and posting functions, commonly referred to as "Demand Deposit Accounting" ("DDA"), were then performed to determine whether any of the accounts on which the negotiable instruments were drawn were restricted (e.g., closed, dormant, stop payment, account holder deceased, etc.). If a particular account was not restricted, the paying FI determined whether there was enough money in the account (i.e., sufficient funds) to cover payment of a negotiable instrument drawn thereon.

The paying FI, in response to these determinations, either accepted or rejected payment of the negotiable instrument, slating the reconciled negotiable instrument for return. The paying FI notified the sending FI of any balancing discrepancies, any negotiable instruments to be returned unpaid, or the like. The return to the sending FI was again accomplished by physical transportation of the negotiable instruments.

It became readily apparent as negotiable instrument volume, and in particular check volume, increased, that conventional negotiable instrument processing methods required automation. To facilitate this automation, the ABA introduced a method of printing information on each negotiable instrument, commonly referred to as Magnetic Ink Character Recognition ("MICR"). The MICR method, which today uses a font known as "E13B," is used to properly route and process each received negotiable instrument. The contents of the MICR line are specified in various American National Standards Institute ("ANSI") publications. The most recent standard being ANSI.times.9.13 (1990). Typically, there are six MICR fields defined: (1) dollar amount, (2) account number, (3) R/T number, (4) process control or serial number, (5) auxiliary on-us or serial number, and (6) external process code. The dollar amount, R/T number and external process code are fixed as to length and content. The other fields are variable and allow each FI the widest possible latitude in designing the fields to meet their specific requirements.

The incorporation of MICR information on each negotiable instrument significantly improved the clearing process in terms of speed and flexibility. The cash letter process was automated, while the reconciliation process remained manual.

Automation introduced additional types of reconciliation discrepancies which were largely due to: (1) differences in processing equipment and software used by the various FIs, (2) a lack of quality control standards for MICR printing, and (3) exceptions caused by environmental conditions. To address some of these problems, and to further speed the clearing process, processing systems and, later, processing system networks were integrated therein. More particularly, extracted MICR information on the negotiable instruments is used to create electronic payment transactions that are sent via data transmission means from sending FIs to paying FIs.

Today, the electronic clearing process includes electronic check presentment ("ECP"), electronic data exchange ("EDE"), automated clearing houses ("ACH"), branch item capture ("BIC") and check truncation. Each of these exemplary electronic sub-processes rely on the ability for one or more FIs to extract MICR information or data from the negotiable instrument, convert the data to an electronic transaction, apply the electronic transaction to an account for debiting purposes and subsequently match the paper negotiable instrument to the electronic transaction for reconciliation purposes.

The types of processing systems and related equipment employed in an FI's electronic clearing process typically vary in functionality. For example, the circuitry used to read the information contained within a given MICR line varies with the type of equipment and the techniques used to recognize the magnetic and/or optical representation of the individual MICR symbols and numbers. To convert the paper negotiable instrument MICR information to an electronic item, the MICR information is typically scanned and formatted to conform to one of several standard electronic transaction formats. The electronic item is then grouped with other electronic items, similar to the cash letter process described hereinabove, and transmitted via data transmission means, possibly through intermediary FIs, such as Federal Reserve Banks ("FRBs"), to a paying FI. The paper negotiable instrument follows thereafter, usually traversing each of the same FIs through which the electronic item passed. Each FI matches the received paper negotiable instrument with the previously processed electronic transaction for reconciliation. Reconciliation verifies that the electronic item was received, that there was a corresponding paper negotiable instrument and that the MICR contents of the paper negotiable instrument were correctly extracted and processed.

The matching process is often unduly complicated by factors such as variability in the placement of the contents of the MICR line information from FI to FI, the condition and quality of the paper instrument (e.g., torn, folded, dog-eared, etc.), the condition of the scanning equipment from FI to FI, etc. In point of fact, the paper instrument and the corresponding electronic item often include the same information, but due to variability caused by one or more of the foregoing factors, the paper instrument is incorrectly identified as a mismatch causing the electronic item to be incorrectly processed. This introduces an unnecessary, and often significant, latency into the check clearing process. Conventional procedures for matching an electronic item with a corresponding paper instrument fail to rationalize the contents of the MICR line as scanned by each FI. These procedures also fail to provide an accurate method of comparing and determining match criteria of a negotiable instrument's MICR line as read and captured by one FI's equipment and subsequently read and captured by another FI's equipment.

Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a system and method for reducing the amount of labor intensive, manual processes needed to perform reconciliation of electronically generated financial transactions with their corresponding paper transactions.

There exists a further need in the art for a system and method for measuring the criticality of certain fields within a negotiable instrument's MICR line, and the MICR line fields themselves, for determining the quality of the captured data from a negotiable instrument's MICR line, for assigning variable confidence level factors to the results of the paper instrument and electronic item comparison, and for determining the overall accuracy of the physical to the electronic match.

To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method for reducing the amount of labor intensive, manual processes needed to perform reconciliation of electronically generated financial transactions. It is a further object of the present invention to provide systems and methods for measuring the criticality of certain fields within a check's MICR line, as well as the MICR line fields themselves, for determining the quality of the captured dam from a negotiable instrument's MICR line, for assigning variable confidence level factors to the results of the physical, or paper, negotiable instrument and electronic item comparison, and for determining the overall accuracy of the physical to electronic match.

In the attainment of the above-identified objects, the present invention provides a reconciling circuit, and method of operation, in electronic processing of negotiable instrument's, for reconciling a first database with a second database, the first database containing first item data arranged in records and fields, the second database containing second item data arranged in records and fields. The reconciling circuit includes: (1) a matching circuit for comparing the records of the first database with the records of the second database, the matching circuit placing a designation on mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases, (2) at least one field mismatch tolerance rule indicating, by field, an allowed extent of mismatch and (3) a mismatch tolerance circuit for applying the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule to the fields of the mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases, the mismatch tolerance circuit removing the designation when the fields of the mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases fall within the mismatch tolerance rules.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the first database is a database of predetermined presentment information relating to negotiable instruments sent from a presenting FI to a receiving FI and the second database is a database of information captured from the same negotiable instruments at the receiving FI.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the fields include predefined fields of a MICR line printed on a negotiable instrument.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, each of the records corresponds to a single negotiable instrument sent from a presenting FI to a receiving FI.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, each of the records corresponds to a bundle of negotiable instruments sent from a presenting FI to a receiving FI.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule is at least one of a rule concerning: (1) an allowed number of character deviations in the fields, (2) an allowed substitution of characters in the fields, and (3) a pattern, or sequence, of adjoining records of the first and second databases.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule adapts over time as a function of the first and second item data.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the second database is a database of information captured from negotiable instruments at a receiving FI by a MICR reader, the mismatch tolerance circuit is employable to diagnose a faulty operation of the MICR reader.

An advantageous embodiment for using or distributing the present invention is as software. The software embodiment includes a plurality of processing instructions which, along with the first and second databases and the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule, are stored to a suitable conventional memory or other equivalent storage medium. The instructions are readable and executable by one or more processing systems having one or more processing circuits. The instructions, upon execution, direct the processing circuitry to perform negotiable instrument by negotiable instrument reconciliation for use with electronic processing in accordance with the present invention. Exemplary memory and storage media include without limitation magnetic, optical, and semiconductor, as well as suitably arranged combinations thereof. An advantageous source code embodiment is attached hereto as APPENDIX A, and is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

An exemplary network in accordance with the principles of the present invention is operative to reconcile a first database with a second database. The network includes at least a presenting FI processing system and a receiving FI processing system, and the first and second databases contain first and second item data arranged in records and fields, respectively. The network further includes a matching circuit, at least one mismatch tolerance rule, and a mismatch tolerance circuit. The matching circuit is operative to compare the records of the first and second databases, and to place a designation on mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases. The one or more field mismatch tolerance rules indicates, by field, an allowed extent of mismatch. The mismatch tolerance circuit, which is associated with the matching circuit, is operative to apply the one or more field mismatch tolerance rules to the fields of the mismatching ones of the records. The mismatch tolerance circuit, in response thereto, is operative to remove the designation when the fields of the mismatching ones of the records fall within the mismatch tolerance rules.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention set forth hereinbelow. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers designate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary processing system that provides a suitable environment within which the present invention may be implemented and operated;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary microprocessing circuit that may suitably be associated with the exemplary processing system of FIG. 1, and that provides a suitable environment within which the present invention may be implemented and operated;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block representation of an exemplary MICR capture and processing process, performed at a sending FI, in which captured item data generates an extract cash letter file for electronic transmission to an intermediary or receiving FI; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block representation of an exemplary MICR capture and processing process, performed at the intermediary or receiving FI, in which captured item data is compared with the cash letter file created by the sending FI of FIG. 3, to determine MICR capture mismatches, the MICR capture mismatches are compared with one or more mismatch tolerance rules to determine whether the mismatches are within tolerance in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Preferred circuits, systems and methods for performing various aspects of a preferred electronic check clearing process for use and in accordance with the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,159, entitled "Electronic Check Presentment System," issued Aug. 17, 1993; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,190, entitled "Electronic Check Presentment System Having a Return Item Notification System Incorporated Therein," issued May 2, 1995; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,464, entitled "Electronic Check Presentment System Having a Return Item Notification System Incorporated Therein;" U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/236,632, entitled "Improved Electronic Check Presentment System Having a Non-ECP Exceptions Notification System Incorporated Therein;" U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/535,739, entitled "System and Method for Providing Electronic Advance Notification of Closed for Cause Financial Institution Accounts;" U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/489,227, entitled "System and Method for Providing Advance Notification of Potential Presentation Returns Due to Account Restrictions." Each of the above-identified patent documents is commonly owned with the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Turning initially to FIG. 1, illustrated is an isometric view of an exemplary processing system (generally designated 100). Processing system 100 is capable of being programmed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Exemplary processing system 100 includes a housing 105, a display device 110 and a keyboard 115. "Include," as the term is used herein, means inclusive without limitation. Housing 105 includes a hard disk drive 120 and a floppy disk drive 125. Hard disk drive 120 is suitable to provide fast access storage and retrieval. Floppy disk drive 125 is suitable to receive, read or write to external disks, and may suitably be replaced by or combined with other conventional structures for transferring data or instructions, including tape and compact disc drives, telephony systems and devices (including telephone, video phone, facsimile or the like), network communication ports or the like. "Or," as the term is used herein, is inclusive, meaning and/or.

Housing 105 is partially cut-away to illustrate a battery 130, a clock 135, a detached local memory 140 and processing circuitry 145, all of which are suitably housed therein. Detached local memory 140 is operative to store data and tasks. A "task," as the term is used herein, means a set of instructions, in either source code or object code, which upon execution instruct or direct processing system 100 to perform a set of procedures or functions that may suitably involve collection of data, processing, or presentation of results. Processing circuitry 145, which is associated with detached local memory 140, is operative to execute selected ones of the stored tasks. "Associated with," as the term is used herein, means included within, interconnected with, contains, contained within, connected to, coupled to or with, communicable with, juxtaposes, cooperates with, interleaves, or the like.

In an advantageous embodiment, display device 110 is operative to provide a display area 150 that is accessible to executed ones of the plurality of tasks. Display area 150 is capable of displaying a graphical user interface in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Further coupled through individual conventional connectors on housing 105 are a mouse 155 and a printer 160. Exemplary peripheral devices 110, 115, 155 and 160, which are all associated with processing circuitry 145, allow processing system 100 to interact with a user. Exemplary peripheral devices 110, 115, 155 and 160 may suitably be replaced by or combined with other user interfaces, including voice recognition systems, scanners and the like. "Scanners," as the term is used herein, means any suitably arranged device providing a means by which text, images, bar codes or other indicia may be read or perceived. Text and bar code scanners (e.g., MICR readers, sheet-fed scanners, hand-held scanners, etc.) typically recognize printed fonts, bar codes, hand-writing and the like, and convert the same into a digital code. Graphics scanners, in contrast, typically convert printed images into video images, such as raster graphics, for example, without recognizing the actual content of the text or pictures scanned.

Although processing system 100 is illustrated having single processing circuitry, a single hard disk drive and a single local memory, processing system 100 may suitably be equipped with any multitude or combination of processing circuitry or storage devices. Processing system 100 may, in point of fact, be replaced by, or combined with, any suitable processing system operative in accordance with the principles of the present invention, including sophisticated calculators, and hand-held, laptop/notebook, mini, mainframe and super computers, as well as processing system network combinations of the same.

Conventional processing system architecture is more fully discussed in Computer Organization and Architecture, by William Stalling, Macmillian Publishing Co. (3rd ed. 1993); conventional processing system network design is more fully discussed in Data Network Design, by Darren L. Spohn, McGraw-Hill, Inc. (1993); and conventional data communications is more fully discussed in Data Communications Principles, by R. D. Gitlin, J. F. Hayes and S. B. Weinstein, Plenum Press (1992) and in The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James Harry Green, Irwin Professional Publishing (2nd ed. 1992). Each of the foregoing publications is incorporated herein by reference.

Turning to FIG. 2, illustrated is a block diagram of an exemplary microprocessing circuit (generally designated 200) that may suitably be associated with processing system 100 of FIG. 1. Microprocessing circuit 200 includes detached local memory 140, processing circuitry 145, bus controller circuitry 205, a conventional read-only memory ("ROM") 210 and a set of peripheral ports 215. A host bus 220 is shown and is suitably operative to associate processing circuitry 145, detached local memory 140 and bus controller circuitry 205. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, detached local memory 140 may suitably include random access memory ("RAM"), and processing circuitry 145 may suitably include one or more processors acting in concert.

An input/output ("I/O") bus 225 is shown and is operative to associate bus controller circuitry 205, ROM 210 and the set of peripheral ports 215. The set of peripheral ports 215 couple I/O bus 225 to peripheral devices 110, 115, 155, and 160 of FIG. 1 for communication therewith. Included among the set of peripheral ports 215 is a parallel port. Bus controller circuitry 205 provides suitable means by which host bus 220 and I/O bus 225 may be associated, thereby providing a path and management for communication therebetween. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, host bus 220 is relatively fast to facilitate rapid communication between processing circuitry 145 and detached local memory 140 and is typically burdened with as few components as possible to maximize its speed. I/O bus 225 is allowed to run at a slower pace with respect to host bus 220 because its speed is less critical. Each of the lines of conventional buses 220, 225 require a drive current to carry signals thereon. The illustrated embodiment therefore operates in conjunction with a conventional system controller (not shown) that supplies the required drive current. Of course, the present invention may also suitably function within an architecture that only has a single bus or, alternatively, more than two buses.

In accordance with the present embodiment, detached local memory 140 is operative to store data or tasks, which processing circuitry 145 is operative to retrieve and execute. Processing circuitry 145 includes a control unit 230, an arithmetic and logic unit ("ALU") 235, and a internal memory 240 (e.g., stackable cache, a plurality of registers, etc.). Control unit 230 is suitably operative to fetch ones of the instructions from memory 140. ALU 235 is suitably operative to perform a plurality of operations, such as addition and Boolean AND, needed to carry out those instructions. Internal memory 240 is suitably operative to provide local high speed storage used to store temporary results and control information.

In an advantageous embodiment, processing system 100 is located at a receiving or an intermediary financial institution ("FI"). Hard disk drive 120 and detached local memory 140 are suitably arranged to cooperatively store first and second databases, a control task and at least one field mismatch tolerance rule. The first and second databases respectively contain first and second item data arranged in records and fields. The first database is a database of predetermined presentment information, such as extracted MICR information, relating to negotiable instruments transmitted, such as electronic checks, from a presenting FI to the receiving or intermediary FI. The second database is a database of information captured from one or more physical or paper negotiable instruments, such as corresponding MICR information, at the receiving FI.

The control task, upon execution, directs processing circuitry 145 to control electronic check processing in accordance with the present invention and, more particularly, to reconcile the first item data of the first database with the second item data of the second database. Processing circuitry 145 compares the records of the first database with the records of the second database and, in response thereto, places a designation on mismatching ones of the records of at least one of the first or second databases. Processing circuitry 145 then applies at least one of the one or more field mismatch tolerance rules to the fields of the mismatching ones of the records. The one or more field mismatch tolerance rules indicating, by field, an allowed extent of mismatch. If the fields of the mismatching ones of the records compare favorably with the one or more applied mismatch tolerance rules, then processing circuitry 145 removes the above-identified mismatch designation from the mismatching ones of the records.

In an exemplary embodiment, the allowed extent of mismatch associated with ones of the field mismatch tolerance rules define or represent points separating conditions that produce a given effect from conditions of a higher or lower degree that will not produce the effect. For example, at least one of the one or more field mismatch tolerance rules may suitably represent at least one of: (1) a rule concerning an allowed number of character deviations in the fields, (2) a rule concerning an allowed substitution of characters in the fields, and (3) a rule concerning a pattern of adjoining records of the first and second databases. In a related exemplary embodiment, the control task further directs processing circuitry 145 to adapt or modify at least one of the one or more field mismatch tolerance rules over time as a function of the first and second item data. The adaption or modification may, for example, be in response to a sensitive scanner or other equipment problem within the transmission path.

An important aspect of the present invention is that ones of the field mismatch tolerance rules may be based upon, derived from, or established upon any suitably applied mathematical theory, including statistics, stochastic modeling, chaos theory, standard deviation, probability theory, permutations and combinations, frequency, or the like.

In alternate preferred embodiments, the above-identified microprocessing circuit 200, in whole or in part, may be replaced by or combined with any other suitable processing circuits, including programmable logic devices, such as programmable array logic ("PALs") and programmable logic arrays ("PLAs"), digital signal processors ("DSPs"), field programmable gate arrays ("FPGAs"), application specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"), very large scale integrated circuits ("VLSIs") or the like. Those of ordinary skill in the art should realize that processing system 100 described hereinabove is co-operable with the processes, files, tasks and databases and various other machines, such as MICR readers, to be described more particularly hereinbelow, to form the various types of circuitry described and claimed herein.

Turning to FIG. 3, illustrated is a schematic block representation of an exemplary MICR capture and processing process (generally designated 300), illustratively performed at a sending FI, in which captured negotiable instruments, such as paper checks, and deposit slips are processed. Exemplary conventional software and hardware for performing the foregoing include IBM 3890 reader/sorters and IBM Check Processing Control System ("CPCS"), Unisys DP 1800 reader/sorters and Unisys Item Processing System ("IPS"), or the like. These processes create both paper cash letters and electronic cash letters. The electronic cash letters are grouped into ECP files which are transmitted through data transmission means to either an intermediary, such as a FRB, an ECH, a data center or to the receiving or paying FI. The actual paper cash letters are physically transported, typically through each of the intermediaries, if any, which the ECP file passed, to the receiving FI.

More particularly, during the course of daily operations of an FI, such as a commercial bank, deposited negotiable instruments 310 are received from a variety of sources and transactions (e.g., over-the-counter, drive-in depositories, automated teller machines ("ATMs"), mail or lockboxes, etc.). Deposited negotiable instruments 310 are accompanied by a deposit slip 312 that reflects the depositor's FI account number and the sum of the dollar amounts of the accompanying negotiable instruments. Many of deposited negotiable instruments 310 are drawn on other FIs, but may also include checks drawn on the depositor's FI. The latter items are commonly referred to as "on-us" deposited checks.

In conventional data capture systems, negotiable instruments and deposit slips are preconditioned for processing and are read through scanner/reader/sorter machines 320 (including, optical or other mechanical or electrical data capturing systems or machines, etc.), collectively-commonly referred to within the broader term "data capture circuitry," with groups of deposit slips and negotiable instruments being processed in transaction sets. During the data capture process, the deposit portion of the transaction set is first read and validated and information contained on the MICR line is extracted and stored in a database.

The physical documents may suitably be microfilmed, have a unique item sequence number ("ISN") assigned, or be directed to a designated pocket of the reader/sorter as either "on us," for those items drawn on the FI performing the capture and sorting operations, or as "transit," for those items drawn on all other FIs. Transit negotiable instruments 322 are directed, or segregated, to multiple pockets corresponding to the specific FIs on which the negotiable instruments are drawn (i.e., the paying FI), to correspondents of the paying FI or to specific Federal Reserve Districts or cities according to predefined tables commonly referred to as "sort patterns." The segregated negotiable instruments are then wrapped with a processing system generated detail list and cash letter covering report 323 for each group of negotiable instruments and the groups are dispatched via ground or air transportation to the other FIs for further processing.

The MICR code line information that has been extracted from the negotiable instrument is used to prepare electronic files for early data transmission to the other FIs, far in advance of the physical groups of negotiable instruments set forth above, which are to be dispatched at a later time. Thus, during the high speed capture process, a database may suitably be created on a host processing system that contains the data extracted from each item's MICR line. This database may suitably be referred to as an "all items file" 330. All items file 330 may advantageously contain ones of the following data for each item processed, namely,

(1) from a deposit slip:

(a) depositor's account number; (b) deposit amount; (c) deposit process control; (d) deposit auxiliary on-us; (e) deposit item sequence number; and (f) deposit out-of-balance indicator; and

(2) from a check:

(a) account number; (b) check amount; (c) check process control; (d) check auxiliary on-us or check number; (e) check item sequence number; (f) check R/T; (g) external process control code; and (h) eligibility/disposition code.

The illustrated embodiment may suitably employ all items file 330 as a database from which eligible detail items, corresponding to a physical negotiable instrument, are extracted in an extraction process 340 to provide an early determination of whether an item is drawn on an FI that is capable of receiving an ECP file. This determination may be made as a result of a comparison of the negotiable instrument's R/T to a file of eligible R/Ts contained on a central information file ("ClF") 350.

The extraction process 340 generates an extract file of items eligible for ECP processing that is formatted and prepared for transmission 370 to generate a transmission file 380. Transmission file 380 contains data from only those negotiable instruments eligible for further processing that has preferably been formatted into a suitable standard format. Transmission file 380 is transmitted via electronic means to an applicable receiving or intermediary FI.

Turning now to FIG. 4, illustrated is a schematic block representation of an exemplary MICR cash letter capture and processing process (generally designated 400), illustratively performed at the receiving FI where captured cash letter data related to previously transmitted ECP file 380 is compared to determine mismatches. The resulting mismatches, if any, are compared with one or more mismatch tolerance rules to determine whether the mismatches are within tolerance in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Conventionally, transmission file 380 is used by a receiving FI to: (1) further segregate the electronic items contained therein to their final destination, typically determined by the R/T, or (2) accelerate the posting of a DDA account prior to a physical negotiable instrument corresponding to a particular electronic item being received.

After the ECP process has completed at the receiving FI and suitably passed to a "next" FI, if any, the receiving FI receives a physical cash letter (i.e., the segregated checks 322 wrapped within the processing system generated detail list and cash letter 323) via ground or air transportation from the sending FI, such as that of FIG. 3. The set of checks 322 associated with cash letter 323, are preconditioned for processing, if necessary, and are read through a scanner/reader/sorter machines 410 (including, optical or other mechanical or electrical data capturing systems or machines, etc.), also collectively-commonly referred to within the broader term "data capture circuitry." During the data capture process 411, the negotiable instruments are again read and validated and information contained on the MICR line is extracted and stored into a captured item database 414. The physical documents may suitably be microfilmed, a unique item sequence number ("ISN") be assigned or the documents be directed to a designated pocket of the reader/sorter as either "on us" for those negotiable instruments drawn on the receiving FI or as "transit" for those negotiable instruments dram on all other FIs. If processing is performed by the receiving FI, all negotiable instruments are considered as "on-us."

The transit items may again be directed to multiple pockets corresponding to the specific FI on which a particular negotiable instrument was drawn (i.e., the paying FI), to a correspondent of the paying FI or to specific Federal Reserve Districts or cities according to sort patterns. The segregated negotiable instruments 412 are wrapped with a processing system generated detail list and cash letter covering report 413 for each group of negotiable instruments. The groups (i.e., cash letters) are dispatched via ground or air transportation to the other FIs for further processing.

Captured item database 414 preferably includes ones of the following fields for each negotiable instrument processed, namely, (a) account number; (b) check amount; (c) check process control; (d) check auxiliary on-us or check number; (e) check item sequence number; (f) check R/T; (g) external process control; and the like.

The receiving FI performs a matching process 415, whereby an electronic comparison is suitably made between ones of the records associated with extract file database 380 and ones of the records associated with captured item database 414. Techniques for performing matching between databases, files, records, fields, or the like are known. Extract file database 380 items that do not match corresponding items of captured item database 414 are suitably identified as "mismatched" by placing a designation on mismatching ones of the records, or in alternate embodiments on mismatching ones of the fields, of at least one of databases 380 and 414.

The receiving FI electronically performs a mismatch tolerance process 425, whereby a set of field mismatch tolerance rules (i.e., one or more) 430 is applied to the fields of the mismatching ones of the records of at least one of extract file database 380 and captured item database 414. The set of field mismatch tolerance rules 430 indicates, by file, record, field, or the like, various types of an allowed extent of mismatch of the mismatching ones of the records of databases 380 and 414. In an exemplary embodiment, the set of field mismatch tolerance rules may suitably include at least one of a rule concerning: (1) an allowed number of character deviations within the mismatching fields, (2) an allowed substitution of characters in the mismatching fields, (3) a pattern of adjoining records of extract file database 380 and captured item database 414. In alternate embodiments, ones of the set of mismatch tolerance rules may suitably be derived using any suitably applied mathematical theory, as has been set forth hereinabove.

More particularly, the source code embodiment attached hereto as APPENDIX A, and incorporated by reference hereinabove, provides a means by which the contents of the MICR line of an item received as extract fie database 380 and captured into captured item database 414 may suitably be rationalized. Upon execution, the code directs a processing system, such as processing system 100, to measure the criticality of certain characters, such as digits, within the item's MICR line, as well as the MICR line fields themselves, thereby determining the quality of the captured data, assigning variable confidence level factors to the results of the comparison and determining the overall accuracy of the physical negotiable instrument as compared to the electronic match.

For the purposes of discussion, it is assumed that a full MICR line match (i.e., no fields excluded), a full field reject repair, and a R/T single digit repair have all been performed. Each of these concepts are known. A confidence level factor is also suitably assigned to each field in the MICR line, preferably by processing system 100, such as:

Processing system 100 determines a count of the number of bad reads (e.g., characters or digits that were unreadable by the scanner, reader/sorter equipment) of each of the above-identified fields. In a preferred embodiment, the dollar amount and R/T fields may suitably be further subdivided, such as, (1a) Dollar Amount--Low order 5 digits, (1b) Dollar Amount--High order digits, (2a) R/T--Check digit, and (2b) Base R/T number. In accordance therewith, processing system 100 assigns a maximum number of unreadable digits (i.e., bad reads) allowed per field, such as:

If the number of bad reads in any field exceeds the allowable number, a current item remains a mismatch. In a related embodiment, if the current item is considered mismatched, but it is preceded or followed by a matched item, such as a negotiable instrument or group of matched negotiable instruments, the maximum allowable number of bad reads associated with the current item may suitably be increased for one or more of the fields.

Processing system 100 determines if the total number of bad reads per item, as weighted by the confidence level factor by field as set forth hereinabove, is greater than an associated limit. If the total number of weighted bad reads is greater than the associated limit, then the current item remains a mismatch. Again, however, if the current item is considered mismatched, but it is preceded or followed by a matched item, such as a negotiable instrument or group of matched negotiable instruments, the associated limit may suitably be increased, such as by a percentage factor.

Consider the following example wherein the associated limit per item is 46.

Since the total number of weighted bad reads (48) exceeds the associated limit (46), the current item associated with Table 3 remains a mismatch. Assume, however, that the items preceding or succeeding the current item associated with the values set forth in Table 3 were matched, a percentage factor may suitably be used to increase the associated limit above 46. Assuming a percentage factor of 10%, for example, a revised associated limit of 50.6 (i.e., 46+4.6) results in the current item qualifying as a match. In a related embodiment, missing or "blank" fields may suitably be assigned a maximum number of bad reads as a function of the field size, however, the Full Dollar Amount and/or the Full Account Number fields may not be missing. Use of percentage factors may be based on any suitable applied mathematical theory, it should be understood that the value of a given percentage factor may be application or situation dependant, and may suitably be adaptive over time. More generally, various ones of set of field mismatch tolerance rules 430 may suitably adapt over time as a function of extract file database 380 and captured item database 414. For example, the limit associated with an item may suitably be permanently set equal to the revised associated limit of 50.6, as calculated hereinabove. Further, in alternate embodiments, the set of mismatch tolerance rules 430, in whole or in part, may suitably include rules based upon any suitably applied mathematical theory.

Processing system 100, in response to application of the set of mismatch tolerance rules 430 to the fields of the mismatching ones of the records of extract file data base 380 and captured item databases 414, may suitably remove the mismatch designation when the fields of the mismatching ones of the records fall within the mismatch tolerance rules.

In an alternate preferred embodiment, processing system 100, as a function of mismatch tolerance process, may suitably use one of extract fie database 380 or captured item database 414, or the frequency of removal of mismatch designation, to diagnose an operation, or mis-operation, of the MICR reader, or other equipment, used during the capture process locally, or at a sending FI.

Upon completion of mismatch tolerance process 425, processing system 100 may traverse extract file database 380 or captured item database 414 to create a report of any mismatched items 435. The mismatched items are used to generate a report or other files 435 adapted to interface to other systems, such as of the sending FI, for example to generate an adjustment notification in the event of a large dollar mismatch. This report 440 may simply take the form of the mismatched items in a properly formatted file or another appropriate form, such as an interactive database or real-time alert. The report may be printed on paper or may be embodied in machine-readable form 440.

It should be understood that while the illustrated embodiment was presented with respect to a sending FI and at least one Intermediary or receiving FI, the principles of the present invention may suitably be implemented in connection with any single or plurality of FIs. From the above, it is apparent that the present invention provides a reconciling circuit for, and method of, reconciling a first database with a second database, the first database containing first item data arranged in records and fields, the second database containing second item data arranged in records and fields. The reconciling circuit includes: (1) a matching circuit for comparing the records of the first database with the records of the second database, the matching circuit placing a designation on mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases, (2) at least one field mismatch tolerance rule indicating, by field, an allowed extent of mismatch and (3) a mismatch tolerance circuit for applying the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule to the fields of the mismatching ones, the mismatch tolerance circuit removing the designation when the fields of the mismatching ones fall within the mismatch tolerance rules. An important aspect of the present invention is the reduction of the amount of labor intensive, manual processes associated with conventional approaches for performing reconciliation of electronically generated financial transactions and to provide an automated means for generation and transmission of adjustment items as the result of the mismatch conditions.

The present invention is not limited to embodiment in a personal computer illustrated in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2. The present invention may, in point of fact, suitably be more preferably embodied in computing equipment that has traditionally found more widely-accepted use in the banking industry, such as minicomputers, mainframe or super computers. The principles of operation of the present invention are, without regard to the class or type of associated processing system, fundamentally the same. The present invention may alternatively be implemented in firmware or in hardwired integrated circuits or discrete electronic components.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. ##SPC1##