System and method for processing a form

• US 7,920,299 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Metayer, Frank, Meehan, Richard Sean, Collins, Chris, Abraitis, John, Bozzi, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku; Negussie
• Application Number:
  US11/376,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/482, 358/488, 358/1.15, 358/3.28, 358/483, 358/471, 382/209, 382/217, 382/218, 382/232, 235/454, 235/46.13, 235/486, 235/493, 235/462.01, 348/220.01, 348/277, 348/E9.01, 463/17, 463/25, 345/156, 345/175, 345/179, 375/240.23, 375/240.27
• US Class Current: 358/471
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

In a system and method for processing a form comprising a plurality of entry markings, an area-array image sensor may capture an image of the form in free-space without requiring relative movement of the sensor and the form. A processor may interpret the captured image to determine at least a first entry selection based, at least in part, on the position of at least one of the plurality of entry markings with respect to at least one other marking in the image.

Claims

1. A system for processing entry markings of a form, comprising:

an area-array image sensor configured to capture an image of the form in free-space without requiring relative movement of the form and the sensor during image capture, wherein the form comprises a plurality of form markings and a plurality of entry markings and wherein the plurality of form markings are disposed within a predetermined range of positions in free-space relative to the sensor during image capture; and

a processor in communication with the area-array image sensor, the processor configured to determine a plurality of entry selections by interpreting the image to decode the plurality of entry markings on the form based at least in part on the position of the plurality of entry markings with respect to the plurality of form markings in the image.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one light source configured to emit light in a predefined pattern that indicates a predetermined range of positions with respect to the image sensor for placement of the form.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one light source is a light emitting diode.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined range of positions includes at least one of an abscissa position, an ordinate position, a distance, and an orientation.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the processor is configured to correctly interpret the image and to determine a first entry selection upon a condition that the image was captured when the form was placed within the predetermined range of positions; and

wherein the predetermined range of positions is based on an amount of space between at least two form markings.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the predetermined range of positions includes

an optimal position; and

the processor is configured to determine a difference between an actual placement position of the form within the predetermined range of positions when the image was captured and the optimal position, and interpret a first entry marking based on the determined difference.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to rotate the image to a predetermined orientation before the determination of a first entry selection.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the plurality of form markings includes a first alignment mark in a vicinity of a first edge of the form and a second alignment mark in a vicinity of a second edge of the form; and

the processor rotates the image of the form according to the first and second alignment marks.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the area-array image sensor includes an array of light sensitive diodes.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the array of light sensitive diodes is configured to simultaneously sense light reflected by an entire surface of a portion of the form that includes all of the plurality of entry markings.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the area-array image sensor is a charge coupled device (CCD).

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the area-array image sensor is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS).

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a set of numbers for a lottery drawing entry.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the set of numbers for the lottery drawing entry are indicated in the image by the positions of the plurality of entry markings that are handwritten on the form.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one entry marking includes an alpha-numeric character, and the processor is configured to determine the alpha-numeric character via optical character recognition (OCR).

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of entry markings on the form are handwritten.

17. A system for processing entry markings of a form, comprising:

an image sensor configured to sense an image of a form that is in free-space without requiring relative movement of the form and the image sensor during sensing, wherein the image sensor is configured to simultaneously sense a plurality of image lines that, when joined, form the image, and wherein the plurality of image lines includes a first line having a first feature and a second line having a second feature different than the first feature; and

a processor in communication with the image sensor, the processor configured to interpret a plurality of entry markings in the image based on the relative position of the first feature and the second feature.

18. A system for processing handwritten entry markings of a form, comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of the form in free-space without requiring relative movement of the camera and the form during image capture, wherein the form comprises at least one form marking and a plurality of handwritten entry markings; and

a processor in communication with the camera, the processor configured to interpret the image and to determine at least a first entry selection based, at least in part, on the position of a first handwritten entry marking with respect to the at least one form marking in the image.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to interpret the image and to determine a second entry selection based, at least in part, on the position of a second handwritten entry marking with respect to the first handwritten entry marking in the image.

20. A lottery terminal, comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of a lottery playslip in free-space without requiring the relative movement of the camera and the playslip during image capture, wherein the playslip comprises a plurality of entry marks and at least one playslip marking; and

a processor in communication with the camera configured to interpret the image and determine a plurality of lottery entry selections based at least in part on the positions of a plurality of entry marks relative to the at least one playslip marking in the image and to process a lottery entry based on the plurality of lottery entry selections.

21. The lottery terminal of claim 20, further comprising:

an output device in communication with the processor and configured to output a lottery ticket for the lottery entry including the plurality of lottery entry selections.

22. The lottery terminal of claim 21, wherein the plurality of lottery entry selections comprise numbers that are indicated, at least in part, by the positions of the plurality of entry marks relative to the at least one playslip marking in the image.

23. A system for processing lottery playslip markings, comprising:

a camera that includes an area-array image sensor configured to capture an image of a lottery playslip in free-space without requiring relative movement between the sensor and the playslip, wherein the playslip comprises a plurality of handwritten markings;

a processor in communication with the camera, the processor configured to interpret the image; and

at least one light emitting diode configured to emit light in a predefined pattern that indicates a range of predetermined positions with respect to the area-array image sensor for placement of the playslip,

wherein the processor decodes each of the plurality of handwritten markings according to its position as represented in the image,

wherein the range of predetermined positions includes a plurality of predetermined positions, the plurality of predetermined positions includes an optimal position, and the processor is configured to determine a difference between an actual placement position of the playslip and the optimal position, and to interpret the plurality of handwritten markings based on the determined difference,

wherein the plurality of handwritten markings is correctly interpreted by the processor upon a condition that the playslip is within the range of predetermined positions,

wherein each position within the range of predetermined positions includes at least one of an abscissa position, an ordinate position, a distance, and an orientation,

wherein the area-array image sensor is configured to simultaneously sense light reflected by an entire surface of the playslip, and

wherein at least a portion of the plurality of handwritten markings represents a set of numbers for a lottery drawing entry.