Method and apparatus for generating a ticket including an image

• US 20020096562A1
• Filed: 01/19/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Jon Karl
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/02 employing selectable printing plates
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A first embodiment of a ticket generating apparatus includes a computer coupled to a server through a network and a printer coupled to the computer. A purchaser initiates a ticket purchase transaction through the network by accessing a website stored on the server. After completing the ticket purchase transaction the purchaser'"'"'s computer sends image data corresponding to the image of a person to the server. The server combines the image data with text and graphics data generated by the server to form ticket data. The ticket data is sent over the network to the computer. The computer sends the ticket data to the printer to form the ticket including an image of the person. In a second embodiment of the ticket generating apparatus, the printer is coupled to the network and receives the ticket data directly from the server to form the ticket including an image of the person. In a third embodiment of the ticket generating apparatus, the ticket generating apparatus includes a network enabled printer coupled to a network and a server coupled to the network. The text and graphics data and the image data are combined by the server to form the ticket data and sent to the printer for generating the ticket including an image of a person.

Claims

1. A method of generating a ticket, comprising:

requesting ticket data using a network;

sending ticket data corresponding to the ticket using the network, where the ticket data includes identification data corresponding to an image of a person;

receiving the ticket data through the network; and

forming the ticket, including the image, using the ticket data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

requesting the ticket data includes accessing a server over the network with a computer; and

sending the ticket data includes placing the ticket data onto the network with the server.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein:

forming the ticket includes forming the image on media with an imaging device using the identification data.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

receiving the ticket data includes storing the ticket data in the computer; and

forming the ticket includes sending the ticket data to the imaging device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein:

forming the ticket includes integrating graphics with the image.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the graphics include a watermark corresponding to the identification data.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

receiving the ticket data includes storing the ticket data in the imaging device; and

forming the ticket includes integrating graphics with the image.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the graphics include a watermark corresponding to the identification data.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

requesting the ticket data includes accessing a server over the network with an imaging device; and

sending the ticket data includes placing the ticket data onto the network with the server.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

receiving the ticket data includes storing the ticket data in the imaging device; and

forming the ticket includes forming the image on media with the imaging device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein:

forming the ticket includes integrating graphics with the image.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the graphics include a watermark corresponding to the identification data.

14. The ticket generating apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first network enabled device includes a computer; and

the second network enabled device includes a server.

15. The ticket generating apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the server includes a configuration to generate the ticket data using identification data supplied by the computer over the network; and

the server includes a configuration to generate the ticket data including graphics data integrated with the image.

16. The ticket generating apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the graphics include a watermark corresponding to the identification data.

18. The ticket as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the first network enabled device includes a server; and

the second network enabled device includes an imaging device.

19. The ticket generating apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein:

the server includes a configuration to generate the ticket data using identification data supplied by the imaging device over the network; and

the server includes a configuration to generate the ticket data including graphics data integrated with the image.

20. The ticket generating apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein:

the graphics include a watermark corresponding to the identification data.

13. A ticket generating apparatus for use with a network, comprising:

a first network enabled device coupled to the network and arranged to receive ticket data through the network;

a second network enabled device coupled to the network and arranged to send the ticket data to the network, with the ticket data including identification data corresponding to an image of a person; and

an imaging device coupled to the first network enabled device and arranged to receive the ticket data to form the ticket on media including the image.

17. A ticket generating apparatus for use with a network, comprising:

a first network enabled device coupled to the network and arranged to send ticket data to the network, with the ticket data including identification data corresponding to an image of a person; and

a second network enabled device coupled to the network and arranged to receive the ticket data through the network and configured to form the ticket on media including the image.