Image Validation Overview

Image validation consists of several types of validations performed by Gateway Server, Image Compliance, and Business Rules. Image validation tests address IQA and TIFF edits.

At the start of a batch, Gateway Server looks for the image validation rule set. It retrieves the rule set from the partner tables as part of the batch rules for context validation, which allows different rule sets for different file types, processors, collection types, products, or depositors. Gateway Server passes the image validation rule set to Image Compliance, which provides enhanced Image Compliance functions and ensures Image Compliance operates with the image validation tests configured for the rule set that is specified. It returns Image Validation results to Gateway Server for storage in the item validation results table.

When an image validation test fails, Image Compliance assigns an error code to the failure based on the configuration for the validation rule. Each image validation rule can be assigned a unique error code. Gateway Server uses the attributes of the error code and the failure processing options in the Image Validation rule set to determine:
  • Rejection actions, which are:
    • Reject the item by flagging the payment as suspect
    • Reject the item by flagging the payment as a candidate for Payment Repair
    • No rejection, only a warning is issued
  • Rejection errors are overridden by a review or repair operator
The error code and review indicator are stored in the database with actual failing data and an indication of which image view failed.
Note: The stored information includes warning rejection levels.

The rejection level and override indicator control subsequent processing. If the error code indicates an override is possible, Image Compliance marks the payment for review, which allows a review operator to override the rejection. If the error code indicates an override is not possible, Image Compliance does not mark the payment for review.

Subsequent components, such as AutoAdjust, Suspect Image Review, and Payment Repair, access the rejection and error information in the database for their processing requirements.

To avoid excessive initialization time, a pool manages image rule sets and Image Compliance jobs. The pool supplies all image validation jobs, as needed, for each image processing thread configured in Gateway Server. The image validation jobs are identified by the rule set name and the time the rule set was last updated. When an idle image validation job in the pool matches an image validation job, the job is dedicated to an image processing thread while Gateway Server ingests the corresponding batch. When no job matches are available in the pool, a new image validation job is initialized and dedicated to an image processing thread for Gateway Server to ingest. In both cases, Gateway Server returns the job to the pool at the end of the batch. Gateway Server runs a background thread to end jobs that have been idle in the pool for an extended period.

Image validation occurs in Gateway Server image processing threads. Image Compliance collects the validation data so it can apply the specified set of image validation rules, which allows a rule set to execute the same image test using different threshold criteria. Scenarios are evaluated without incurring multiple passes through Image Compliance. Gateway Server stores the failing results in database tables while inserting the corresponding item in the FTM database.