Voting Apparatus with Secure Ballot Box Assembly
First Claim
1. A voting apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
an interactive user terminal associated with the housing and for receiving a voter selection;
a means for generating a paper ballot containing information corresponding to the voter selection, the generating means disposed within the interactive user terminal;
a ballot box for receiving the generated ballot, the ballot box being removeably coupled to the interactive user terminal for securely storing the generated ballot, the ballot box including a drive assembly for conveying the ballot into a chamber within the ballot box; and
an input device for authenticating a voting session.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A ballot box assembly includes a secure location for storing a paper ballot generated by an interactive user terminal. The assembly includes a housing, a ballot storage chamber, an aperture and a drive assembly. The housing is provided for holding the ballot generated by the interactive user terminal. The housing includes a coupling portion for removeably securing the housing to the interactive user terminal. The ballot storage chamber is disposed within the housing. The aperture is provided for receiving the ballot from the interactive user terminal when the housing is secured to the interactive user terminal. The aperture passes through the housing. The drive assembly is provided for conveying the ballot from the aperture to the inner ballot storage chamber. The drive assembly selectively blocks passage of the ballot between the aperture and the ballot storage chamber. An input device is provided for authenticating a voting session.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A voting apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
-
a housing; an interactive user terminal associated with the housing and for receiving a voter selection; a means for generating a paper ballot containing information corresponding to the voter selection, the generating means disposed within the interactive user terminal; a ballot box for receiving the generated ballot, the ballot box being removeably coupled to the interactive user terminal for securely storing the generated ballot, the ballot box including a drive assembly for conveying the ballot into a chamber within the ballot box; and an input device for authenticating a voting session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. The voting apparatus of claim, wherein the means for generating a ballot is a printer assembly contained within the interactive user terminal.
-
13. A method of establishing a voting session, the method comprising:
-
authenticating a voting session by an authorized voting personal using an input device operatively associated with a voting apparatus; receiving a voter input from the interactive user terminal; generating a paper ballot inside the interactive user terminal corresponding to the received user input; and conveying the ballot through an aperture in the ballot box using a drive assembly contained in the ballot box while the ballot box is removeably coupled to the interactive user terminal, wherein at least a portion of the ballot box is disposed inside the interactive user terminal, such that the paper ballot is deposited inside the ballot box from inside the interactive user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification