Ticket identification system

• US 5,927,541 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Core Consulting LLC
• Original Assignee: Core Consulting LLC
• Inventors: Dobransky, Bernard J. Jr., Stoken, Raymond G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/965,681
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 221/1, 221/7, 221/9, 221/2, 221/131, 221/92, 221/13, 221/15, 273/138.1, 273/138.2
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

A ticket identification system is for a group of tickets of the type which includes a front sheet and a rear sheet and means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together. The tickets are of a group of tickets having different classifications with some having a particular classification to establish an associated value thereof. The ticket identification system includes a normally closed bar code window in the front sheet. There are bar code markings for each ticket on the inward side of the rear sheet under the bar code window. The bar code markings include classification information to indicate the particular classification of each ticket. A ticket identification machine includes a housing and a ticket passageway through which a ticket can be inserted and advanced. A bar code window opening device is in the passageway to open the bar code window and reveal the bar code markings. A bar code reading device is operably connected to an electronic control circuit for reading and identifying the bar code markings of each ticket. The housing has a display area that is operably connected to the electronic control circuit for receiving display signals therefrom for producing display information in the display area corresponding with the classification information of each ticket passing through the ticket passageway. For each ticket having been passed through the ticket passageway, the display information in the display area is directly indicative of the particular classification of the ticket and any associated value thereof.

Claims

1. A ticket identification system for a group of tickets of the type which includes a front sheet and a rear sheet and means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together, the tickets of the group having different classifications, at least some of the tickets having a particular classification of the different classifications to establish an associated value thereof, said ticket identification system comprising:

a bar code window in one of the front sheet and the rear sheet of each ticket which said bar code window is normally closed;

bar code markings for each ticket on at least one of the inward side of said bar code window and the inward side of the other of the rear sheet and the front sheet in alignment with said bar code window;

said bar code markings for including classification information which is capable of indicating any one of the different classifications of group of tickets and which indicates the particular classification of each respective ticket of the group;

a ticket identification machine including a housing and a ticket passageway therethrough;

said ticket passageway having an inlet and a discharge;

electronic control means in said housing including ticket advancing means for advancing the ticket, which is inserted into said inlet, through said ticket passageway and out said discharge thereof;

bar code window opening means in said ticket passageway for opening said bar code window to reveal said bar code markings of each ticket passing therethrough;

a bar code reading device in said housing adjacent to said bar code window opening means operably connected to said electronic control means for reading and identifying said bar code markings of each ticket and for respectively receiving the classification information of each ticket in said electronic control means as each ticket advances toward said discharge;

said housing having a display area;

said display area being operably connected to said electronic control means for receiving display signals therefrom;

each said display signal producing display information in said display area corresponding with the classification information of the ticket passing through said ticket passageway; and

for each ticket having been passed through said ticket passageway, said display information in said display area being directly indicative of the particular classification of the ticket and any associated value thereof.

2. The ticket identification system according to claim 1, wherein

the ticket includes a center and a leading end edge during the advancing toward said bar code reading device;

said bar code window is disposed adjacent the leading end edge of the ticket;

said bar code window includes an opening edge which forms at least part of the leading end edge of the ticket and a hinge edge which is parallel with the leading end edge of the ticket and is displaced therefrom toward the center of the ticket; and

said bar code window opening means includes retarding means for retarding said opening edge relative to a remainder of the ticket to cause said bar code window to initially hinge at said hinge edge during the advancing toward said bar code reading device.

3. The ticket identification system according to claim 2, wherein said retarding means includes a hook element for hooking said opening edge of said bar code window during the advancing toward said bar code reading device.

4. The ticket identification system according to claim 3, wherein said opening edge of said bar code window includes an edge strip of the rear sheet along the leading end edge of the ticket to reinforce said opening edge during the opening of said bar code window by said hook element.

5. The ticket identification system according to claim 1, wherein said bar code window is in the front sheet and said bar code markings are on the inward side of the rear sheet of each ticket.

6. The ticket identification system according to claim 5, wherein said bar code window is separated from said inward side of the rear sheet after the opening of said bar code window to reveal said bar code markings thereon.

7. A method of identifying tickets of a group of tickets having different classifications, at least of some of the tickets having a particular classification of the different classifications to establish an associated value thereof, the tickets being of the type which includes a front sheet and a rear sheet and means for bonding the front sheet to the rear sheet, said method comprising the steps of:

providing bar code markings for each ticket on a bar code portion of the inward side of one of the front sheet and the rear sheet which bar code markings include classification information which is capable of indicating any one of the different classifications of the group of tickets and which indicates the particular classification of each respective ticket of the group;

providing a ticket identification machine having a housing and a ticket passageway therethrough;

advancing a ticket through said passageway from an inlet to an outlet of said passageway;

relatively separating said bar code portion of the inward side of one of the front sheet and the rear sheet and a corresponding portion of the inward side of the other of the front sheet and the rear sheet in said passageway to reveal said bar code markings of each ticket during said advancing;

reading said bar code markings to identify said classification information and storing said classification information of the ticket after said relatively separating;

providing a display areas on said housing; and

utilizing said classification information from said storing to display information in said display area indicative of the particular classification of each ticket advanced through said passageway and any associated value thereof.

8. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 7, wherein said providing said bar code markings for each ticket includes the steps of providing a bar code window in one of the front sheet and the rear sheet of each ticket which said bar code window is normally closed and locating said bar code portion on at least one of the inward side of said bar code window and the inward side of the other of the front sheet and the rear sheet in alignment with said bar code window to hide said bar code markings thereunder when said bar code window is closed and said relatively separating said bar code portion and said corresponding portion includes the step of opening said bar code window.

9. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 8, wherein said providing said bar code window is in the front sheet and said locating said bar code portion is on the inward side of the rear sheet in alignment with said bar code window in the front sheet of each ticket.

10. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 8, wherein said opening said bar code window occurs during a step of advancing the ticket prior to said reading said bar code markings.

11. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 10, wherein the ticket includes a center and a leading end edge during said advancing;

further including the step of providing said bar code window adjacent the leading end edge of the ticket with an opening edge which forms at least a part of the leading end edge of the ticket and a hinge edge which is parallel with the leading end edge of the ticket and is displaced therefrom toward the center of the ticket; and

said opening said bar code window includes retarding said opening edge relative to a remainder of the ticket to cause said bar code window to initially hinge at said hinge edge during said advancing prior to said reading said bar code markings.

12. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 11, wherein said retarding includes hooking said opening edge of said bar code window during said advancing.

13. The method of identifying tickets according to claim 7, further including the step of temporally discontinuing said advancing the ticket along said passageway with said bar code markings of the ticket aligned in said passageway for said reading said bar code markings until said reading is properly completed.

14. An improved ticket for being identified by a machine, the ticket being of the type which includes a front sheet and a rear sheet, means for bonding the front sheet and the rear sheet together, the ticket being one of a group of tickets having different classifications, at least some of the tickets of the group having a particular classification of the different classifications to establish an associated value thereof, said improvement comprising:

a bar code cover on one of the front sheet and the rear sheet of the ticket;

bar code markings for the ticket on one of the front sheet and the rear sheet in alignment with said bar code cover;

said bar code cover being normally in a position to cover said bar code markings to prevent any viewing thereof prior to being inserted in the machine;

said bar code cover for being removed by the machine during the passage of the ticket through the machine to reveal said bar code markings thereunder; and

said bar code markings including classification information which relates to the different classifications and is capable of being read by the machine after the removal of said bar code cover by the machine for indicating the particular classification of the ticket and any associated value thereof.

15. The improved ticket according to claim 14, wherein said bar code cover includes a bar code window in the front sheet and said bar code markings are on the inward side of the rear sheet of each ticket and said bar code window is removed from the inward side of the rear sheet by the machine.

16. The improved ticket according to claim 15, wherein

the ticket includes a center and an end edge,

said bar code window is disposed adjacent the end edge of the ticket to include an opening edge which forms at least a part of the end edge of the ticket and a hinge edge which is parallel with the end edge of the ticket and is displaced therefrom toward the center of the ticket, and

said bar code window is for being opened by being initially hinged at said hinge edge relative to a remainder of the ticket.

17. The improved ticket according to claim 16, wherein said opening edge of said bar code window includes an edge strip of the rear sheet along said end edge of the ticket to reinforce said opening edge during the opening of said bar code window.