Imaging device having a passive compliant card scanner and a validation sensor

• US 5,334,836 A
• Filed: 11/29/1991
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dittler Brothers, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Simon Marketing, Inc. (Simon Worldwide, Inc.)
• Inventors: Filo, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Application Number:
  US07/800,372
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 250/316.1, 250/271, 235/482, 235/454
• US Class Current: 250/316.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/26 Thermography B41M5/20, B41M5/24 take precedence; Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used B23K takes precedence; thermographic or photothermographic systems using noble metal compounds G03C1/494
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/48 combined with other image registration layers or compositions; Special originals for reproduction by thermography
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00803 Presence or absence of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00806 According to type of the original, e.g. colour paper or transparency, or reading a plurality of different types of original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02865 using an array of light sources or a combination of such arrays, e.g. an LED bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/128 using a scanning head arranged for linear reciprocating motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2323 according to characteristics of the reproducing medium, e.g. type, size or availability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/903 Lottery ticket

Abstract

An imaging device of the present invention utilized for game cards or the like, comprises a passive compliant card scanner having a wide acceptance angle configured for easy insertion of cards. A code sensor is mounted within the passive compliant card scanner and is adapted to read binary zones identifying a code, even when the binary zones are misaligned relative to the code sensor, when the card is fully inserted into the passive compliant card scanner. The passive compliant card scanner has a high tolerance for the position and condition in which the card is inserted. In addition, the imaging device comprises a validation sensor, configured to prevent fraudulent play by a retailer or the like, to pick out winning game cards. The validation sensor is coupled to a voice unit and is adapted to actuate the voice unit to announce a message, upon detecting improper play.

Claims

1. An imaging card device, comprising:

a passive compliant card scanner having a card insertion alignment axis;

receiving means in said scanner for receiving a card therein whether said card is aligned or misaligned with said alignment axis, said card having binary zones, said binary zones being selectively filled with infrared radiating ink; and

code sensor means, mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, for reading said binary zones to detect the presence and absence of said infrared radiating ink when said card is aligned or misaligned with said alignment axis.

2. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, where said code sensor means further comprises:

at least one zone sensor positioned to read an individual one of said binary zones.

3. An imaging device as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a card edge sensor configured to activate the zone sensors upon detecting a leading edge of the card.

4. An imaging device defined in claim 2, wherein each binary zone is sized such that a complete detection range of said zone sensor is always within said binary zone regardless of factors likely to cause said misalignment and cause all or a portion of said detection range of said zone sensor to fall outside said binary zone and cause detection errors.

5. An imaging device as defined in claim 4, wherein the size of said binary zone is generated by the following:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Binary Zone=(Maximum Detection Range of Zone Sensor)+(Maximum Lateral Movement of Card and Shear about the binary Zone)+(Maximum Variance of Printed Position of Binary Zone) * 1.05.

6. An imaging device as defined in claim 4, wherein said zone sensor comprises a means for emitting light and a means for detecting reflected light, said maximum detection range of said zone sensor determined by an overlapping area covered by a range of emission from the emitting means and a range of reception by the detecting means.

7. An imaging device as defined in claim 6, where said emitting means is at least one light emitting diode.

8. An imaging device as defined in claim 6, wherein said detecting means is a phototransistor.

9. An imaging device as defined in claim 6, wherein said detecting means is a photoresistor.

10. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said card further comprises:

a substrate imprinted with a pattern of infrared radiating ink; and

a thermal sensitive layer deposited over said substrate to visually conceal the ink prior to said card being inserted into said receiving means.

11. An imaging device as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a strobe light source mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, said light source bieng adapted to shine visible light through said thermal sensitive layer and onto said pattern, whereby said ink converts visible light into infrared light to expose said pattern.

12. An imaging device as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

a validation sensor disposed below said card, said validation sensor adapted to detect heat generated by the infrared ink upon being exposed to said pulse of light.

13. An imaging device defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a voice unit connected to said validation sensor, said validation unit being adapted to actuate said voice unit upon sensing no heat.

14. An imaging device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a voice unit connected to said code sensor, said code sensor being adapted to actuate said voice unti to announce a message depending upon the presence of absence of ink in the binary zones detected by the code sensor.

15. An imaging card device as defined in claim 1, wherein said passive compliant card scanner is configured to flatten a card substrate, said card substrate formed of an eight point cardboard.

16. An imaging game card device, comprising:

receiving means;

a card for insertion into said receiving means, comprising;

a substrate imprinted with a pattern of infrared radiating ink indicating a prize and binary zones denoting a code corresponding to said prize, said binary zones selectively filled with infrared ink; and

a thermal sensitive layer deposited over said substrate to visually conceal said infrared ink prior to said card being inserted into said receiving means;

a light source disposed proximate said receiving means, said light source being adapted to shine visible light through said thermal sensitive layer and onto said pattern, whereby said ink converts visible light into infrared light to expose said prize and said code;

a code sensor disposed proximate said receiving means, said code sensor being adapted to read said binary zones to detect the presence and absence of ink;

a voice unit connected to said code sensor, said code sensor being adapted to actuate said voice unit in correspondence with the presence of absence of ink detected by the sensor in the scanner zones; and

a validation sensor disposed below said pattern of infrared radiating ink and coupled to said voice unit, said validation sensor adapted to detect heat when said ink converts visible light into infrared light, said validation sensor actuating said voice unit only to announce a message upon not sensing heat and not actuate said voice unit in correspondence with presence or absence of ink.

17. An imaging card device, comprising:

a passive compliant card scanner having a wide acceptance angle configured for easy insertion of a card therein;

a card having binary zones, said binary zones being selectively filled with infrared radiating ink;

a substrate on the card imprinted with a pattern of said binary zones of infrared radiating ink;

a thermal sensitive layer deposited over said substrate to visually conceal the ink prior to said card being inserted into said receiving means;

a code sensor mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, said code sensor being adapted to read said binary zones to detect the presence and absence of ink even when said binary zones are misaligned relative to said code sensor when the card is inserted within said passive compliant card scanner;

a strobe light source mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, said light source being adapted to shine visible light through said thermal sensitive layer and onto said pattern, whereby said ink converts visible light into infrared light to expose said pattern; and

a validation sensor disposed below said card, said validation sensor adapted to detect heat generated by the infrared ink upon being exposed to said pulse of light.

18. An imaging card device, comprising:

a passive compliant card scanner having a wide acceptance angle configured for easy insertion of a card therein;

a card having binary zones, said binary zones being selectively filled with infrared radiating ink, each such binary zone is sized such that a complete detection range of said zone sensor is always within said binary zone regardless of factors likely to cause said misalignment and cause all or a portion of said detection range of said zone sensor to fall outside said binary zone and cause detection errors;

a substrate on the card imprinted with a pattern of said binary zones of infrared radiating ink;

a thermal sensitive layer deposited over said substrate to visually conceal the ink prior to said card being inserted into said receiving means;

a code sensor mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, said code sensor being adapted to read said binary zones to detect the presence and absence of ink even when said binary zones are misaligned relative to said code sensor when the card is inserted within said passive compliant card scanner; and

a strobe light source mounted to said passive compliant card scanner, said light source being adapted to shine visible light through said thermal sensitive layer and onto said pattern, whereby said ink converts visible light into infrared light to expose said pattern.

19. An imaging device as defined in claim 18, wherein the size of said binary zone is generated by the following:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Binary Zone=(Maximum Detection Range of Zone Sensor)+(Maximum Lateral Movement of Card and Shear about the Binary Zone)+(Maximum Variance of Printed Position of Binary Zone) * 1.05.

20. An imaging device as defined in claim 18, wherein said zone sensor comprises a means for emitting light and a means for detecting reflected light, said maximum detection range of said zone sensor determined by an overlapping area covered by a range of emission from the emitting means and a range of reception by the detecting means.

21. An imaging device as defined in claim 20, where said emitting means is at least one light emitting diode.

22. An imaging device as defined in claim 20, wherein said detecting means is a phototransistor.

23. An imaging device as defined in claim 20, wherein said detecting means is a phototransistor.