A system for remote data acquisition and centralized processing and storage is disclosed called the DataTreasury System (600). The DataTreasury System provided comprehensive support for the processing of documents and electronic data associated with different applications including sale, business, banking and general consumer transactions. The system retrieves transaction data such as credit card receipts checks in either electronic or paper form at one or more remote locations, encrypts the data, transmits the encrypted data to a central location, transforms the data to a usable form, performs identification verification using signature data and biometric data, generates informative reports from the data and transmits the informative reports to the remote location(s). The DataTreasury System (200, 400, 600) has many advantageous features which work together to provide high performance, security, reliability, fault tolerance and low cost. First, the network architecture facilitates secure communication between the remote location(s) and the central processing facility. A dynamic address assignment algorithm performs load balancing among the system's servers for faster performance and higher utilization. Finally, partitioning scheme improves the error correction process.

Remote image capture with centralized processing and storage

Harnessing information technology to manage documents is one of the most important challenges facing I/S managers in this decade. It is important because most of the valuable information in organizations is in the form of documents such as business forms, reports, letters, memos, policy statements, contracts, agreements, etc. Moreover, most of the important business processes in organizations are based on, or driven by, document flows. Electronic Document management (EDM) promises major productivity and performance increases by applying new technology to documents and document processing.The purposes of this paper are to show the value of new technology for managing Documents, to illustrate the variety of ways this value can be realized, to develop some structure for understanding this rapidly evolving field, and to suggest some actions I/S managers can take now to prepare for this revolution in information management. The paper argues that the I/S Department, as the developers and managers of the technical infrastructure for EDM, will be in a position to lead this evolution as major change agents as they did in the EDP and MIS eras, but some specific actions will be needed to assume this leadership role.This paper explores the scope and importance of EDM in more detail, and illustrates how it expands our view' of information management. It is designed to help structure the field by approaching it from three perspectives: technologies that are making EDM possible, the application areas in which business value are being realized, and the roles and responsibilities of several departments that will be involved in developing EDM. The paper suggests what I/S managers can do now to begin preparing for this major advancement in information management.

Electronic document management: challenges and opportunities for information systems managers

A system that includes computer hardware, computer software, apparatus, and methodology that enables individuals, businesses, and all types of organizations (both for profit and non-profit) to capture and securely transmit check images (including, but not limited to, personal checks, business checks, travelers checks, money orders, merchant coupons, food coupons, line of credit checks, etc.), deposit information, and other information from remote locations (i.e., locations that could include the financial institution's remote locations, other financial institution's locations, businesses, private residences, etc.), for the purpose of having those checks credited to the depositing individual's or organization's bank account(s) and having the check images (and/or physical checks) entered into the bank check clearing channels for ultimate delivery to the maker bank for payment out of the maker's account.

Method and system for processing financial instrument deposits physically remote from a financial institution

The old competitive strategies of invention and mass production no longer work in an increasingly turbulent business environment. Successful firms are implementing the new competitive strategies of continuous improvement (constant process improvement) and mass customization-a dynamic flow of goods and services via a stable set of processes. This paper provides a "lens" through which managers can assess their firm's current competitive position, build a vision for where they must be in the future, and craft a transformation strategy to turn that future vision into reality.

New competitive strategies: challenges to organizations and information technology

A method for effecting electronic payment, safeguarding banking and account information, while utilizing existing payment systems. The method comprises generating a system routing number and a payment identification code (PIC) relating to the beneficiary's account information, distributing payment identification codes to the existing payment system and financial institutions owning the account related to the payment identification codes, and the originator receiving a system routing number and the beneficiary's PIC number. The method also includes the originator communicating a payment instruction to a financial institution of the originator, wherein the payment instruction includes the system routing number beneficiary's payment identification code, the originator's financial institution receiving the payment instruction from the originator, wherein if the received PIC matches the originator's financial institution internal list of PICs, the originator's financial institution performs an “on us” transaction, and transmitting a payment instruction to an existing payment system in a case where the received PIC does not match originator's financial institution internal list of PICs. The method also includes the existing payment system validating the received PIC, wherein if the PIC is invalid, the payment instruction is returned to the originator's financial institution, converting the PIC and system routing number to a receiving payment instruction in a case where the PIC is a valid PIC, wherein the receiving payment instruction includes the beneficiary's financial institution's routing number and the beneficiary's account number. The existing payment system transmits the receiving payment instruction to a financial institution of the beneficiary, that financial institution credits the beneficiary's account if no problem exists, and otherwise returns a receiving payment instruction to the existing payment system. Upon receipt of the returned receiving payment instruction, the existing payment system translates the receiving payment instruction into the payment instruction prior to transmitting the payment instruction back to originator's financial institution.

Payment identification code and payment system using the same

A large-scale, optical disk-based, operational image system for office-size documents has been implemented to support an insurance customer service application. Images stored on optical disk can be displayed on any of the more than 1400 workstations or printed on any of 22 printers. This system was the prototype for the IBM MVS/ESA™ ImagePlus™ product. Each day over 25 000 pages of incoming mail are scanned, stored, and delivered to users for processing. In addition, computer-generated data (soon expected to reach one million pages per day) are stored for display or print on image-stored overlay forms. The system is described in the context of any large-scale office document application. The discussion includes some of the business factors that created an environment for success and the business issues that led to the development of the system. The paper discusses the discoveries and lessons learned from use of two pilot systems. The authors conclude that the present level of technology makes this a good time to move forward with the installation of large-scale operational document image systems.

C. A. Plesums

Papers

Large-scale image systems: USAA case study