What is ‘Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Line – MICR’
The information that appears at the bottom of a check that includes the bank’s routing number, the customer’s account number, and the check number. The magnetic ink character recognition line is printed using technology that allows computers to read the printed information. Using MICR, computers can quickly read routing numbers, account numbers and other information from printed documents including checks. MICR numbers, letters and symbols are printed with magnetic ink or toner, usually in one of two major MICR fonts. The magnetic ink allows the computer to read the characters even if they have been covered with signatures, cancellation marks or other marks.
Explaining ‘Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Line – MICR’
MICR (often pronounced micker) is used mainly by the banking industry. A benefit of MICR over other computer-readable information such as bar codes is that humans are able to read MICR. The two MICR fonts that are used worldwide are E-13B and CMC-7. These unique fonts are used to help computers recognize the characters and limit check fraud.
Further Reading
- Remote negotiable instrument processor – patents.google.com [PDF]
- Method and system for funding a financial account – patents.google.com [PDF]
- The Need for Speed: Who Should Bear the Financial Responsibility for Magnetic Ink Encoding Errors and the Future of Check Processing Technology – heinonline.org [PDF]
- Pure data: moments in a history of machine-readable type – journals.sagepub.com [PDF]
- Neural networks at work – ieeexplore.ieee.org [PDF]
- Essence of Cheque Truncation System toward Efficient Financial Service Delivery in Nigeria – platform.almanhal.com [PDF]
- The IBM 1275 recognition system and its development – link.springer.com [PDF]
- Method and apparatus for character recognition systems – patents.google.com [PDF]
- Modular system for printing and processing financial documents – patents.google.com [PDF]
