Electronic verification machine for documents

• US 6,053,405 A
• Filed: 10/03/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panda Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Panda Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Irwin, Kenneth E. Jr., Streeter, Gary R., Daigle, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/165,666
• Time in Patent Office: 570 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/440, 235/441, 235/451, 235/492, 235/487, 235/494, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 283/83, 283/102, 283/103, 283/903
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0665 having a message becoming legible after rubbing-off a coating or removing an adhesive layer for educational purposes G09B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/067 Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/081 electrostatic, e.g. by detecting the charge of capacitance between electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/085 metal detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/087 flux-sensitive, e.g. magnetic, detectors G06K7/10336 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 5/04 for recording or registering tickets issued
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0043 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/02 Testing electrical properties of the materials thereof G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/026 using capacitive sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns

Abstract

Determination of the authenticity and integrity of various types of documents such as lottery tickets is accomplished by using an electronic verification machine to compare data contained in electronic circuits printed on the document to document data printed on the document. The electronic circuits are printed on the document in conductive or semiconductive ink using, for example, the gravure printing process, and the presence and status of the circuits can be used to verify or authenticate the document. Data can be represented in the electronic circuits by the electrical signature of the circuit which is measured by the electronic verification machine. In the case of lottery tickets, a ticket can be validated by having the electronic verification machine determine which play spots have been removed from the ticket and comparing data on the ticket with the removed play spots to determine a play redemption value for the ticket. Document verification or lottery ticket validation can also be accomplished by transmitting signature data from the electronic circuits via the electronic verification machine to a central computer for comparison with document data.

Claims

1. An electronic verification machine for a document comprising:

a sensor plate;

an excitation plate;

an alignment mechanism for aligning the document with said sensor plate and said excitation plate;

signal application means for applying an AC signal to said excitation plate;

detection means operatively connected to said sensor plate for generating a signal representing a thickness of the document.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said detection means determines the capacitance of a capacitor including said sensor plate and said excitation plate with the document serving as a dielectric between said plates.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said alignment mechanism includes a roller supporting the document against said plates and said AC signal is reflected off said roller.

4. The machine of claim 3 wherein said roller includes an elastomeric material having a plurality of conductive particles encapsulated therein.

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein said elastomeric material is rubber and said conductive particles are carbon particles.