Patent ID: 7690561

Claim:
A method comprising: a) reading card data from a user card through operation of a card reader in an automated banking machine; b) determining responsive to operation of the automated banking machine, that the card data read in (a) corresponds to an authorized user; c) accepting a check into the machine; d) producing image data through operation of the machine, wherein the image data corresponds to optical characteristics in a first area of the check; e) selecting first data from the image data through operation of the machine using an electronic template; f) analyzing the selected first data through operation of the machine to determine whether the selected first data represents indicia from a predetermined area of the check; g) if step (f) results in a negative determination, then carrying out the additional steps of: h) selecting through operation of the machine, second data from the image data produced by the machine in (d) using the electronic template, wherein the second data corresponds to optical characteristics in a second area of the check, wherein at least a portion of the second area differs from the first area; i) analyzing the selected second data through operation of the machine to determine whether the selected second data represents indicia from the predetermined area of the check; j) including through operation of the machine, data corresponding to optical indicia in the predetermined area in a transaction message sent by the machine to a remote computer located remotely from the machine and adapted to authorize a transaction at the machine involving the check.