Reader for an optically readable ballot

• US 20060202031A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Original Assignee: Kevin Kwong-Tai Chung, Victor Jun Dong, Xiaoming Shi
• Inventors: Chung, Kevin Kwong-Tai, Dong, Victor Jun, Shi, Xiaoming
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/386
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus

Abstract

A ballot reader images a ballot, checks the ballot, and displays the ballot image for voter review. The voter may cast the ballot causing it to be collected and the vote thereon recorded, or may have the ballot returned. Checking may include, e.g., checking for a complete ballot, undervotes and/or overvotes.

Claims

1. A ballot reader for reading an optically-readable ballot comprising:

an imager for imaging the optically-readable ballot;

a processor for processing the ballot image, wherein the processing includes checking the ballot image for identifying an undervote and/or an overvote;

a display for displaying the processed ballot image including any identified undervote and/or overvote; and

means for casting the ballot and for returning the ballot uncast.

2. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein said imager includes a transport path for receiving the ballot to be imaged, for moving the ballot to a container if the ballot is cast, and for returning the ballot if the ballot is not cast.

3. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein said processor processes the ballot image to determine whether the ballot is authentic, or to determine whether all pages of the ballot have been imaged, or to determine whether the ballot is authentic and all pages of the ballot have been imaged.

4. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein said processor processes the ballot image to determine the voting selections marked thereon, wherein the determined marked voting selections are stored in a memory if the ballot is cast and are not stored if the ballot is not cast.

5. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein the ballot image displayed on said display includes a conspicuous display of any identified undervote and/or overvote.

6. The ballot reader of claim 5 wherein the conspicuous display of any identified undervote and/or overvote is indicated by any one or more of a highlighted area, a highlighted outline, a contrasting outline, a distinct outline, a contrasting color, a blinking area, and/or a flashing area.

7. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein said display comprises a touch screen display, and wherein said means for casting the ballot and for returning the ballot uncast comprises a first region on said touch screen for casting the ballot and a second region on said touch screen for not casting the ballot.

8. The ballot reader of claim 1 wherein said means for casting the ballot comprises:

a memory for storing the ballot image if the ballot is cast; and

a container for receiving the ballot if the ballot is cast.

9. The ballot reader of claim 8 wherein the ballot image is stored in said memory and the ballot is received in said container only if the ballot is cast.

10. The ballot reader of claim 1 further comprising a communication interface for communicating a ballot image and/or a voting selection determined from a ballot image to a computer separate from said ballot reader.

11. The ballot reader of claim 1 further comprising an interface for impaired voters including any one or more of voice recognition apparatus, a Braille keyboard, a pen with writing recognition interface, and means for confirming information displayed on said display and information entered by a voter.

12. The ballot reader of claim 12 wherein said means for confirming includes any one or more of an audible response device, a headphone, a loudspeaker, a Braille device and/or a tactile device.

13. A method for reading an optically-readable ballot on which a voting selection may be marked comprising:

imaging the optically-readable ballot;

processing the ballot image including checking the ballot image for identifying an undervote and/or an overvote;

displaying the processed ballot image including any identified undervote and/or overvote; and

casting the ballot or returning the ballot uncast.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said imaging includes receiving the ballot to be imaged, moving the ballot to a container if the ballot is cast, and returning the ballot if the ballot is not cast.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said processing the ballot image includes determining whether the ballot is authentic, or determining whether all pages of the ballot have been imaged, or determining whether the ballot is authentic and all pages of the ballot have been imaged.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said processing the ballot image includes determining the voting selections marked thereon, and wherein said casting the ballot includes storing the determined marked voting selections and not storing the determined marked voting selections if the ballot is returned.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said displaying the ballot image includes conspicuously displaying any identified undervote and/or overvote.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said conspicuously displaying any identified undervote and/or overvote includes displaying any one or more of a highlighted area, a highlighted outline, a contrasting outline, a distinct outline, a contrasting color, a blinking area, and/or a flashing area.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said displaying comprises displaying on a touch screen, and wherein said casting the ballot and returning the ballot uncast comprises a first region on said touch screen for said casting the ballot and a second region on said touch screen for said returning the ballot.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said casting the ballot comprises:

storing the ballot image if the ballot is cast; and

receiving the ballot in a container if the ballot is cast.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said storing the ballot image and said receiving the ballot in a container is performed only if the ballot is cast.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising communicating a ballot image and/or a voting selection determined from a ballot image to a computer separate from said ballot reader.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein said processing the ballot image includes determining whether the ballot is authentic by comparing a ballot identifier included in the ballot image with a list of known authentic ballot identifiers stored in the ballot reader.

24. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving information from an impaired voter via any one or more of voice recognition apparatus, a Braille keyboard, and a pen with writing recognition interface.

25. The method of claim 13 further comprising confirming to an impaired voter information displayed by said displaying via any one or more of an audible response device, a headphone, a loudspeaker, a Braille device and a tactile device.