Marked card reader
First Claim
1. A reader for encoding data represented by presence and position of hand-written marks on at least one card having printed areas for receiving them marks, the reader comprising:
- an image recorder operative to capture a substantially instantaneous planar image of a surface of the card, the image including data representing grey levels for each pixel in an x-y matrix of pixels, and the image having at least two spaced identification marks, the identification marks being located at predetermined locations on the card and at indeterminate locations in the image;
a comparator operative to detect location of said identification marks in the image and means responsive to detected location of said marks for mapping the matrix of pixels in the image into potential mark areas; and
a discriminator operative to compare the grey levels for pixels at said potential mark areas with the grey levels for pixels surrounding the potential mark areas, whereby marks present at said potential mark areas are sensed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reader for cards having handwritten marks positioned to encode data, is provided with an image recorder for capturing an instantaneous image of the possible mark-bearing area of the card, including the handwritten marks and identification marks printed on the card. A data processor digitizes the data to a matrix of pixels representing grey levels at spaced points in the image. Digital means are provided to locate the identifcation marks and define the expected mark areas of the image field while accounting for positioning error such as skew, and to map the image field into potential mark-bearing areas. A comparator then compares the grey levels at successive pixels or groups of pixels in the mark areas with immediate adjacent pixels or groups, thereby detecting marks by finding contrasting edges. The identification marks printed on the card can be variable in type or position to provide for separate game cards. The reader is adaptable to be reprogrammed for additional games and functions.
203 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A reader for encoding data represented by presence and position of hand-written marks on at least one card having printed areas for receiving them marks, the reader comprising:
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an image recorder operative to capture a substantially instantaneous planar image of a surface of the card, the image including data representing grey levels for each pixel in an x-y matrix of pixels, and the image having at least two spaced identification marks, the identification marks being located at predetermined locations on the card and at indeterminate locations in the image; a comparator operative to detect location of said identification marks in the image and means responsive to detected location of said marks for mapping the matrix of pixels in the image into potential mark areas; and a discriminator operative to compare the grey levels for pixels at said potential mark areas with the grey levels for pixels surrounding the potential mark areas, whereby marks present at said potential mark areas are sensed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A data encoding system, comprising:
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a supply of sheets having predetermined areas for receiving handwritten marks, the sheets bearing distinctive identification marks at spaced locations, the identification marks being positioned in predetermined relation to the areas for receiving handwritten marks; illumination means for the sheets and an image recorder operative to record in an image buffer a matrix of data points representing frozen-frame grey levels of pixels within a length and width on the sheets, the length and width including the identification marks; a data processor operative with the image buffer to define potential mark areas on the sheets relative to the identification marks; a discriminator having weighting and arithmetic elements operative to discern marks in the potential mark areas by weighting grey levels at a part of the potential mark areas and subtracting from the weighted grey level values of areas nearby said central part, the result indicating a mark present. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A mark sensing card reader for discerning presence of handwritten marks on potential mark fields on a plurality of cards, the cards having indicia at spaced locations, the indicia being distinctive of a certain product, the reader comprising:
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a planar image sensing device with drive and amplification means operative to capture analog data representing an image signal across an entire length and width of a field on successive ones of the cards fed into the reader; an analog to digital converter operative to digitize the analog signal into a matrix of pixel data points having variable grey levels; an image memory for storing said data points; means operable to detect the presence of said indicia distinctive of the certain product and to determine a position thereof in the image memory; a data processor operable to address data in the image memory to map said pixel data points relative to the indicia distinctive of the certain product and to define potential mark addresses within the matrix of pixel data points; and a contrast discriminator comparing the grey levels at pixels at said potential mark addresses with grey levels nearby said potential mark addresses, for discerning presence of said marks. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for reading a lottery game card having handwritten marks positioned thereon to indicate data, the method comprising the steps of:
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recording an instantaneous image of the card, the card having at least two spaced identification marks printed thereon; defining a plurality of potential mark areas with respect to the identification marks; comparing contrast between a central part of the potential mark areas and parts adjacent to the central part, thereby discriminating presence and absence of marks; and
,storing the data. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification