IBM® WebSphere® Multichannel Bank Transformation Toolkit provides a CheckReader service that allows Java applications to communicate with bank check reader devices that support the Amper Standard protocol. The hardware interface uses the RS-232 asynchronous serial communications interface standard. Most commercially available check reader devices support this protocol and interface.
CheckReader uses the javax.comm.SerialPort class. The javax.comm (COMM) package is the optional (standard extension) package for the Java Communications API version 2.0. CheckReader extends the Service class and implements the CheckReaderInterface.
The Check Reader Device Service API allows both synchronous and asynchronous application execution with respect to interactions with the reader device. Format descriptions are used to extract the individual fields from the data returned by the check reader.
A check reader initializes to the "unarmed" or standby state. When an "arm" or activate command is received, the device is ready to accept and read a check. In the case of a motorized reader, this means that as soon as the reader detects a check in the feed position it begins to moving and reading it. After the check has been scanned, the data read from the check is made available to the application and the reader returns to the unarmed state. In the case of non-motorized reader, an arm command is required before a manual feed will generate data. A cancel or reset command may be issued to move the reader from the armed to the unarmed state provided that the reader is not in the process of feeding and reading a check when the command is issued.