Distributed network voting system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An encrypted computer readable form embodying machine executable instructions for permitting a voter to cast a ballot by interaction with an official ballot image resulting in the creation of a cast vote record that maybe transmitted to a server, comprising:
- a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program instructions operable to convert the computer readable form from an encrypted to a decrypted state such that in the decrypted state the computer readable form includes voter authentication code for comparing official voter authentication data against data to be provided by the voter at the voter'"'"'s personal computer;
display code configured for use in displaying the official ballot image to the voter while permitting the voter to create a cast vote record by interaction with the ballot image until such time as the voter casts the ballot; and
message transmission code for use in transmitting the cast vote record to the server, wherein the voter authentication code is configured to authenticate a voter for voting on a personal computer without requiring a server to assist in authenticating an individual voter while the display code is present on the personal computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A secure election system provides a downloadable ballot viewer object for the casting of ballots. The ballot viewer object authenticates the user, permits user interaction in the casting of ballots, seals the cast ballot image by encryption, and transmits the cast ballot to election headquarters. The ballot viewer object may be used to perform secure voting on the Internet.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. An encrypted computer readable form embodying machine executable instructions for permitting a voter to cast a ballot by interaction with an official ballot image resulting in the creation of a cast vote record that maybe transmitted to a server, comprising:
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a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program instructions operable to convert the computer readable form from an encrypted to a decrypted state such that in the decrypted state the computer readable form includes voter authentication code for comparing official voter authentication data against data to be provided by the voter at the voter'"'"'s personal computer;
display code configured for use in displaying the official ballot image to the voter while permitting the voter to create a cast vote record by interaction with the ballot image until such time as the voter casts the ballot; and
message transmission code for use in transmitting the cast vote record to the server, wherein the voter authentication code is configured to authenticate a voter for voting on a personal computer without requiring a server to assist in authenticating an individual voter while the display code is present on the personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of voting using network telecommunications through use of a downloadable encrypted ballot viewer object containing an official ballot image, voter authentication information, and executable code for use in casting a ballot, the method comprising the steps of:
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downloading the encrypted ballot viewer object;
decrypting the ballot viewer object to produce a decrypted ballot viewer object authenticating a voter in association with the decrypted ballot viewer object;
displaying an official ballot image derived from the decrypted ballot viewer object;
creating a cast vote record by voter interaction with the official ballot image; and
transmitting the cast vote record to an election server the step of authenticating the voter being performed after the step of decrypting the ballot and before the step of transmitting the cast vote record by executing voter authentication code from the ballot viewer object and authenticating the voter without interacting with the server after the step of downloading the ballot viewer object. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A system for use in voting through network telecommunications devices that transmit a downloadable encrypted ballot viewer object containing an official ballot image, voter authentication information, and executable code for use in casting a ballot, the system comprising:
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means for downloading the encrypted ballot viewer object;
means for decrypting the encrypted ballot viewer object to provide a decrypted ballot viewer object;
means for authenticating a voter in association with the decrypted ballot viewer object;
means for displaying an official ballot image derived from the decrypted ballot viewer object;
means for creating a cast vote record by voter interaction with the official ballot image; and
means for transmitting the cast vote record to an election server, the means for authenticating the voter being configured for operation sequentially after execution of the means for downloading the ballot and before execution of the means for transmitting the cast vote record, the means for authenticating the voter including executable authentication code obtained from the decrypted ballot viewer object, the executable voter authentication code not requiring interaction with a server after the downloading the encrypted ballot viewer object to complete voter authentication processing. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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Specification