Patent ID: 7756791

Claim:
A slip processing apparatus provided by a first financial institution, comprising: a slip image obtaining unit obtaining image information on a slip on which character information has been entered by a customer regarding a current transaction; a character recognizing unit recognizing characters entered on said slip based on said image information obtained by said slip image obtaining unit; a slip recognizing unit recognizing the current transaction on said slip directs the first financial institution or a second financial institution different from the first financial institution based on said image information obtained by said slip image obtaining unit; a slip information unit storing a predetermined determination condition corresponding to the type of said slip recognized by said slip recognizing unit which condition sets a first character recognition rate required for a transaction with the first financial institution and a second character recognition rate required for a transaction with the second financial institution, the second character recognition rate being higher than the first character recognition rate; a determining unit obtaining a time or a date when said slip image obtaining unit has obtained the image information, and determining whether the customer requires assistance, by an assistant, with the current transaction, based on the predetermined determination condition and based on the obtained time or date; and an assistance requesting unit requesting assistance by said assistant when said determining unit determines that assistance by said assistant is necessary.