Scheckbildübertragung mittels öffentlichen Telefonnetzes

Checks used to effect commercial and private transactions may be cleared through the banking system by transporting images of those checks between sending instituions (14) and receiving institutions (16) in forward and reverse flow paths between banks of first deposit and payor banks. The check images are transported through a public switched telephone network (10) which contains a special check imaging node (12) which provides a network-based check clearing service for customers of the telephone network. The check imaging node receives images of checks from institutions which subscribe to this service and routes those images through the telephone network to intended subscriber and non-subscriber recipients. Transmission of check images through a public switched telephone network may completely replace existing check clearance procedures or may be used in conjunction with existing procedures.