The document
scanner,
system and method operates in conjunction with a document imprinted with data and a plurality of form documents adapted to have data imprinted thereon. The documents have at least one and typically many data image fields. Ultimately, the document
scanner,
system and method outputs a delimited string of decoded characters to another computer
system via a common computer communications port. The method includes either scanning a form document to obtain positional information of the
data field or fields or inputting a topological description of the field. Typically, the operator identifies descriptors for each
data field which include
data field size information,
data type information, the presence or absence of
data validation parameters, the presence or absence of
data error reporting and data correction routines or parameters, and data output destination information. The data output destination information locates the decoded data in a certain sequence or location in the delimited string of decoded characters output to the coupled computer system. The document
scanner, system and method scans the document imprinted with data and captures an image thereof. The scanned input document image is compared with the stored forms, and particularly the stored data field descriptors utilizing positional, data
field size and
data type information. The system selects one of the stored forms, extracts the data from each data field,
decodes or calculates the data, and validates the data (in the presence of
data validation parameters) and stores the decoded /
calculated data. A
data error reporting and data
correction system, activated in the presence of the
data error reporting and correction descriptor, enables correction of errors.