Electronic voting apparatus, system and method

• US 7,461,787 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Original Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Inventors: Chung, Kevin Kwong-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M
• Application Number:
  US11/384,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20060169778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/386, 235/492, 235/383, 235/380, 235/381, 235/462.01, 235/472.01, 235/51, 235/50.R, 705/12
• US Class Current: 235/386
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus

Abstract

A voting system and method that provides a printed confirmation of voting selections made comprises a voter interface for receiving voting selections made during a voting session; a processor for creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session; a memory for storing the voting record; a printer for storing the voting record on a human readable and/or optically readable printed paper, and providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections printed thereon. A voting session identifier may be utilized to provide transparency of each and every vote and may maintain the anonymity of the vote and voter.

Claims

1. A method for voting providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating a voting session;

creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session and a unique randomly assigned identifying number;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number in a memory;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

after said providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections, modifying the voting record created during the voting session to include voting selections made after said providing an opportunity to verity the voting selections.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the printed paper includes election information, date, time, polling place, voting district, election district, voting machine identifier, authentication information, authentication feature, security indicia, a security feature, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session in a memory comprises storing the voting record in a floppy disk, a computer hard disk, a writeable optical disk, a memory card, a memory module, a flash memory, a magnetic tape, an optical tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a smart card, an electronically readable media printed on paper, an optically readable media printed on paper, a semiconductor memory, a random-access memory, a programmable read-only memory, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

communicating the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

encoding, encrypting, or encoding and encrypting the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory and then communicating the encoded and/or encrypted voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time;

or

displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time;

or

displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time and displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

confirming the voting selections made during each voting session prior to the end thereof.

18. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

publishing the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof;

posting on the Internet the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof;

or

publishing the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof, and posting on the Internet the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein said initiating a voting session comprises responding to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

9. A voting system providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said voting system comprising:

means for initiating a voting session;

a voter interface for receiving voting selections made during the voting session;

a processor for creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and a unique randomly assigned identifying number;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number;

a printer for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

means for providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

10. The voting system of claim 9 further comprising means for modifying the voting record created during the voting session to include voting selections made after the providing an opportunity to verify the voting selections.

11. The voting system of claim 9 wherein the printed paper includes election information, date, time, polling place, voting district, election district, voting machine identifier, authentication information, authentication feature, security indicia, a security feature, or any combination thereof.

12. The voting system of claim 9 wherein said memory comprises a floppy disk, a computer hard disk, a writeable optical disk, a memory card, a memory module, a flash memory, a magnetic tape, an optical tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a smart card, an electronically readable media printed on paper, an optically readable media printed on paper, a semiconductor memory, a random-access memory, a programmable read-only memory, or any combination thereof.

13. The voting system of claim 9 further comprising:

a communication interface coupled to said processor for communicating the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

14. The voting system of claim 9 further comprising:

said processor encoding, encrypting, or encoding and encrypting the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory and then communicating the encoded and/or encrypted voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

15. The voting system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for displaying during each voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time;

or

means for displaying during each voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time.

16. The voting system of claim 9 further comprising means for confirming the voting selections made during each voting session prior to the end thereof.

19. The voting system of claim 13 wherein the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof, are published or are posted via the Internet, or are both published and are pasted via the Internet.

41. The voting system of claim 9 wherein said means for initiating a voting session responds to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

17. A method for voting providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating a voting session;

providing for the voting session a unique identifier unrelated to the identity of a voter;

creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session and the unique identifier;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and unique identifier in a memory;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique identifier on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

42. The method of claim 17 wherein said initiating a voting session comprises responding to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

20. A method for voting providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating a voting session;

providing a unique identifier unrelated to the identity of a voter;

creating a voting record including voting selections male during the voting session and the unique identifier;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and unique identifier in a memory;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique identifier on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

43. The method of claim 20 wherein said initiating a voting session comprises responding to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

21. A voting system providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said voting system comprising:

means for initiating a voting session;

a voter interface for receiving voting selections made during the voting session;

a processor for creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and a unique identifier;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique identifier;

a printer for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique identifier on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

means for providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

44. The voting system of claim 21 wherein said means for initiating a voting session responds to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

22. A method for voting providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating a voting session

generating a unique randomly assigned identifying number for each voting session;

creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number in a memory;

storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

after said providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections, modifying the voting record created during the voting session to include voting selections made after said providing an opportunity to verify the voting selections.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the printed paper includes election information, date, time, polling place, voting district, election district, voting machine identifier, authentication information, authentication feature, security indicia, a security feature, or any combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session in a memory comprises storing the voting record in a floppy disk, a computer hard disk, a writeable optical disk, a memory card, a memory module, a flash memory, a magnetic tape, an optical tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a smart card, an electronically readable media printed on paper, an optically readable media printed on paper, a semiconductor memory, a random-access memory, a programmable read-only memory, or any combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

communicating the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

publishing the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof;

posting on the Internet the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof;

or

publishing the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof, and posting on the Internet the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof.

28. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

encoding, encrypting, or encoding and encrypting the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory and then communicating the encoded and/or encrypted voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

29. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time;

or

displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time;

or

displaying during a voting session voting information far all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time and displaying during a voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time.

30. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

confirming the voting selections made during each voting session prior to the end thereof.

45. The method of claim 22 wherein said initiating a voting session comprises responding to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or a verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.

31. A voting system providing a printed confirmation of voting selections made, said voting system comprising:

means for initiating a voting session;

means for generating a unique randomly assigned identifying number for each voting session;

a voter interface for receiving voting selections made during the voting session;

a processor for creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session and the unique randomly assigned identifying number;

a printer for storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session on a printed paper, wherein the printed paper is human readable, optically readable, or both human and optically readable; and

means for providing the printed paper for verifying the voting selections made during the voting session that are printed on the printed paper.

32. The voting system of claim 31 further comprising means for modifying the voting record created during the voting session to include voting selections made after the providing an opportunity to verify the voting selections.

33. The voting system of claim 31 wherein the printed paper includes election information, date, time, polling place, voting district, election district, voting machine identifier, authentication information, authentication feature, security indicia, a security feature, or any combination thereof.

34. The voting system of claim 31 wherein said memory comprises a floppy disk, a computer hard disk, a writeable optical disk, a memory card, a memory module, a flash memory, a magnetic tape, an optical tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a smart card, an electronically readable media printed on paper, an optically readable media printed on paper, a semiconductor memory, a random-access memory, a programmable read-only memory, or any combination thereof.

35. The voting system of claim 31 further comprising:

a communication interface coupled to said processor for communicating the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

36. The voting system of claim 35 wherein the tallied and/or tabulated voting record, the unique randomly assigned identifying number, the voting selections, or a combination thereof, are published or are posted via the Internet, or are both published and are posted via the Internet.

37. The voting system of claim 31 further comprising:

said processor encoding, encrypting, or encoding and encrypting the voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory and then communicating the encoded and/or encrypted voting record including voting selections made during the voting session that is stored in the memory to a common location, a separate location, a distant location, a central location, a central computer, or a combination thereof, for tallying voting selections, for tabulating the voting record, or for both tallying voting selections and tabulating the voting record.

38. The voting system of claim 31 further comprising:

means for displaying during each voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions all at one time;

or

means for displaying during each voting session voting information for all offices, referenda, and/or questions sequentially one office, referendum or question at a time.

39. The voting system of claim 31 further comprising means for confirming the voting selections made during each voting session prior to the end thereof.

46. The voting system of claim 31 wherein said means for initiating a voting session responds to a button being pressed, a lever being moved, a handle being moved, a switch being moved, an identifying number being entered, a personal security code being entered, a personal identifying number being entered, a chip card being inserted, inserting a smart card, or verifying a registration, for displaying voting information.