Method for processing a machine readable ballot and ballot therefor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for processing machine readable ballots comprising:
- imaging each page of a plurality of ballots using an image document scanner to provide a ballot image in a pixelated format or a bitmapped format for each page of each ballot, wherein each of the plurality of ballots comprises two or more pages, each page having a page number thereon;
determining from the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image the page numbers of each page of each ballot and whether the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence;
if the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence, then;
selecting a template for decoding voting selections marked on each page of each ballot responsive to the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image of each page of each ballot;
decoding from the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image of each page of each ballot the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot in accordance with the selected template; and
tabulating the decoded voting selections decoded from each page of each of the ballots consistent with the selected template;
whereby the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot are decoded and tabulated in accordance with a selected template.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for processing ballots having page numbers comprises imaging the ballot; determining the page numbers from the images and whether the page numbers are in a sequence. If the page numbers are in a page number sequence, then decoding the voting selections marked on the ballot.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method for processing machine readable ballots comprising:
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imaging each page of a plurality of ballots using an image document scanner to provide a ballot image in a pixelated format or a bitmapped format for each page of each ballot, wherein each of the plurality of ballots comprises two or more pages, each page having a page number thereon; determining from the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image the page numbers of each page of each ballot and whether the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence; if the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence, then; selecting a template for decoding voting selections marked on each page of each ballot responsive to the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image of each page of each ballot; decoding from the pixelated format or the bitmapped format ballot image of each page of each ballot the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot in accordance with the selected template; and tabulating the decoded voting selections decoded from each page of each of the ballots consistent with the selected template; whereby the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot are decoded and tabulated in accordance with a selected template. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 33, 49)
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13. A method for processing ballots having a page number on each page thereof, and having voting selections marked thereon, said method comprising:
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imaging each page of each ballot; determining from the images of the pages of each ballot the page numbers thereof and whether the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence; if the determined page numbers are in a page number sequence, then; decoding the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot, whereby the voting selections marked on each ballot are decoded in accordance irrespective of order of the pages thereof. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for processing ballots having a jurisdiction identifier and a page number on each page thereof, and having voting selections marked thereon, said method comprising:
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imaging each page of each ballot; determining from the images of the pages of the ballots and the jurisdiction identifiers and page numbers thereon the pages of each ballot; determining from the images of the pages of each ballot the page numbers thereof and whether the determined page numbers comprise a complete page number sequence; if the determined page numbers are a complete page number sequence, then; decoding the voting selections marked on each page of each ballot, whereby the voting selections marked on each ballot are decoded in accordance irrespective of order of the pages thereof. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for processing ballots comprising:
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submitting a ballot and a ballot certification by facsimile transmission; receiving the ballot and ballot certification submitted by facsimile transmission at an election computer; binding the received ballot and ballot certification together and associating the bound ballot and ballot certification with a tracking number; providing the ballot certification and tracking number for authentication; if the ballot certification is not authenticated, then rejecting the ballot; if the ballot certification is authenticated, then providing the tracking number of the authenticated ballot certification to the election computer; in response to receiving the tracking number, unbinding the ballot for determining and tabulating the votes thereon. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 34)
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35. A machine-readable plural page ballot for automated processing comprising:
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a ballot including plural ballot pages, wherein the plural ballot pages are on one side of plural ballot sheets, are on both sides of one or more ballot sheets, or are on a combination thereof, each ballot page having a ballot identifier region having a machine-readable ballot identifier therein and each ballot page having a machine readable page number thereon, wherein the ballot identifier and page numbers define the style and number of pages of one complete ballot, one or more of said ballot pages also having a plurality of contest regions thereon, each contest region having two or more mark spaces therein for making voting selections, wherein the contest regions correspond to contests in a jurisdiction represented by the ballot identifier. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for processing ballots comprising:
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receiving at an election computer a ballot and a ballot certification submitted by facsimile transmission; binding the received ballot and ballot certification together and associating the bound ballot and ballot certification with a tracking number; providing the ballot certification and tracking number for authentication; if the ballot certification is not authenticated, then rejecting the ballot; if the ballot certification is authenticated, then providing the tracking number of the authenticated ballot certification to the election computer; in response to receiving the tracking number, unbinding the ballot for determining and tabulating the votes thereon. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 50)
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Specification