Data collection and transfer techniques for scannable forms

• US 8,718,535 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scantron Corporation (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scantron Corporation (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Inventors: Radtke, Todd Nelson, Watson, Hugh Eugene, Sprenger, Jason Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Mosser, Kathleen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alley, Peter J
• Application Number:
  US13/015,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 434/355, 434/363, 434/353, 382/183, 382/184
• US Class Current: 434/353
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition

Abstract

Implementations feature scannable form techniques and systems. Some aspects feature a scannable form including at least one response column parallel to a first longitudinal edge of the scannable form, and a broken ladder having two substantially parallel lines with locations for multiple rungs corresponding to encoded information that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form. A top rung is positioned on the scannable form so that the top rung can be a first rung that is scanned by a test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and a bottom rung is positioned so that the bottom rung can be a last rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder. Other aspects feature a method to determine correct scoring key data in the test scoring machine for a test, and a method of transmitting information between the test scoring machine and a portable memory device.

Claims

1. A scannable form comprising:

at least one response column parallel to a first longitudinal edge of the scannable form;

a control mark column parallel to the first longitudinal edge and parallel to the response column; and

a broken ladder, independent of the control mark column, comprising a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and locations along the two substantially parallel lines for a plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form,

wherein the preprinted frame of the two substantially parallel lines is configured to be scanned by a test scoring machine to cause detection of the broken ladder on the scannable form, and a top rung of the broken ladder is positioned along the two substantially parallel lines so that the top rung is positioned to be a first rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and a bottom rung of the broken ladder is positioned along the two substantially parallel lines so that the bottom rung is positioned to be a last rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder.

2. The scannable form of claim 1, wherein the encoded information comprises an offset value to at least one student identification (ID) number in a class roster.

3. The scannable form of claim 1, wherein a number of offset values in the broken ladder is represented by a number of rungs between the top rung and the bottom rung in the broken ladder.

4. A scannable form comprising:

a. an elongated rectangular shape with first and second substantially straight longitudinal edges;

b. at least one response column parallel to the first longitudinal edge;

c. a control mark column, parallel to the first longitudinal edge and parallel to the response column but spaced therefrom, the control mark column containing, in a direction parallel to the first longitudinal edge;

(1) a first set of response control marks having a first length;

(2) a second set of response control marks having the first length;

(3) a start-of-form mark having a second length different from the first length; and

(4) an end-of-form mark having a third length different from the first length and the second length;

the first set of response control marks being column aligned with the start-of-form mark and before the second set of response control marks, the start-of-form mark being column aligned before the second set of response control marks, and the second set of response control marks being column aligned before the end-of-form mark; and

d. a broken ladder, independent of the control mark column, comprising a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and locations along the two substantially parallel lines for a plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form, wherein the preprinted frame of the two substantially parallel lines is configured to be scanned by a test scoring machine to cause detection of the broken ladder on the scannable form.

5. The scannable form of claim 4, wherein the broken ladder comprises a plurality of unconnected rungs, wherein the unconnected rungs in broken ladder are configured to be connected with a mark in an unconnected location between the rungs.

6. The scannable form of claim 4, wherein two or more of the rungs in the broken ladder represents a number of bits for the encoded information.

7. The scannable form of claim 4, wherein one or more rungs represent a binary number, wherein a value of the binary number for each of the one or more rungs depends on whether the rung is connected or unconnected.

8. The scannable form of claim 4, wherein the broken ladder is configured to be read with the test scoring machine that determines the encoded information from the broken ladder.

9. The scannable form of claim 8, wherein the broken ladder is positioned at a leading edge of the scannable form that is at an area of the scannable form that is fed into the test scoring machine upon scanning.

10. The scannable form of claim 9, wherein a top rung and a bottom rung are connected rungs, wherein the top rung defines an area for the test scoring machine to recognize that scanning has commenced for data for the broken ladder, and wherein the bottom rung defines an area for the test scoring machine to recognize that the data for the broken ladder has been completely scanned.

11. The scannable form of claim 9, wherein a top rung is positioned on the scannable form so that the top rung is a first rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and a bottom rung is positioned so that the bottom rung is a last rung scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder.

12. The scannable form of claim 11, wherein a number of rungs between the top and bottom rungs represent a number of bits of the encoded information.

13. The scannable form of claim 4, wherein the encoded information represents an offset number corresponding to student identification numbers in a class roster.

14. The scannable form of claim 13, wherein the scannable form further comprises an offset area on the scannable form for printing the offset number on the scannable form.

15. A test scoring machine comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) for receiving user data;

a scanner bed path for receiving a scannable form having a control mark column and a broken ladder independent of the control mark column, wherein the broken ladder comprises a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and a plurality of rungs along the substantially parallel lines, the plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form;

a sensor for reading the broken ladder on the scannable form and producing image data for the broken ladder;

a memory unit to store information corresponding to the broken ladder; and

a processor to process the image data and information from the memory unit to generate information that identifies the person assigned to the scannable form, wherein the processor is configured to process the image data for the broken ladder by detecting the preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines to detect the broken ladder on the scannable form.

16. The test scoring machine of claim 15, wherein a top rung and a bottom rung on the broken ladder are connected rungs, wherein the top rung defines an area for the test scoring machine to recognize that scanning has commenced for data for the broken ladder, and wherein the bottom rung defines an area for the test scoring machine to recognize that the data for the broken ladder has been completely scanned.

17. The scannable form of claim 15, wherein a top rung is positioned on the scannable form so that the top rung is a first rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and the bottom rung is positioned so that the bottom rung is a last rung scanned for the broken ladder.

18. A scannable form comprising:

at least one response area to receive a response mark on the scannable form for reading by a test scoring machine;

a control mark column configured to receive a plurality of control marks; and

a broken ladder, independent of the control mark column, comprising a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and locations along the two substantially parallel lines for a plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that associates the scannable form with a unique identifier that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form, wherein the preprinted frame of the two substantially parallel lines is configured to be scanned by the test scoring machine to cause detection of the broken ladder on the scannable form.

19. The scannable form of claim 18, wherein the response area is to be completed by the person assigned to the scannable form.

20. The scannable form of claim 18, wherein the unique identifier comprises binary information associated with an identification number for the person assigned to the scannable form.

21. A test scoring machine comprising:

a transport mechanism for receiving a scannable form having a control mark column, a broken ladder independent of the control mark column, and at least one response area to receive a response mark on the scannable form;

an optical mechanism for reading data from the scannable form, including data from the broken ladder and the at least one response area, wherein the broken ladder comprises a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and locations along the two substantially parallel lines for a plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that associates the scannable form with a unique identifier that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form;

a processor for processing the data read from the scannable form, wherein the processor is configured to process the data read from the scannable form by detecting the two substantially parallel lines to detect the broken ladder on the scannable form; and

a memory unit to store the processed data.

22. The test scoring machine of claim 21, wherein when reading data from the broken ladder, the test scoring machine is configured to first read a top rung of the broken ladder and last read a bottom rung of the broken ladder.

23. The test scoring machine of claim 21, wherein when reading data from the broken ladder, the test scoring machine is configured to simultaneously read data from all rungs from the broken ladder.

24. The test scoring machine of claim 21, wherein the encoded information comprises an offset value to at least one student identification (ID) number in a class roster.

25. A scannable test form comprising:

at least one response column parallel to a first longitudinal edge of the scannable test form;

a control mark column parallel to the first longitudinal edge and parallel to the response column; and

a broken ladder diagram, independent of the control mark column, comprising a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines separated by a first distance, wherein the two parallel lines are configured to be connected at substantially equidistance locations along the parallel lines with one or more rungs that are perpendicular to the two parallel lines,

wherein the broken ladder diagram corresponds to encoded information that associates the scannable test form with an identifier that identifies a person assigned to the scannable test form, and the preprinted frame of the two substantially parallel lines is configured to be scanned by a test scoring machine to cause detection of the broken ladder diagram on the scannable test form.

26. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the broken ladder diagram is configured to have a maximum number of rungs that corresponds to a number of encoded bits.

27. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the identifier is configured to have information relating to a number of connected rungs and a number of unconnected rungs on the broken ladder diagram.

28. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the identifier is configured to have information relating to encoded bits corresponding to binary data represented by connected rungs and unconnected rungs on the broken ladder.

29. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the broken ladder diagram is configured to have the rungs to be connected via a pencil mark to be read by the test scoring machine.

30. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the broken ladder diagram is configured to have the rungs to be connected via an ink mark to be read by the test scoring machine.

31. The scannable test form of claim 25, further comprising a top rung positioned on the scannable test form so that the top rung is a first rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and a bottom rung is positioned so that the bottom rung is a last rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder diagram.

32. The scannable test form of claim 31, wherein between the top and bottom rungs, the broken ladder diagram is configured such that a user of the form can connect the one or more rungs to the parallel lines at the locations along the parallel lines.

33. The scannable test form of claim 31, wherein between the top and bottom rungs, the broken ladder diagram is configured to have the one or more rungs to connect to the parallel lines at the locations by a printing device.

34. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the broken ladder diagram is configured such that a user of the form can connect the one or more rungs to the parallel lines at the locations along the parallel lines.

35. The scannable test form of claim 25, the broken ladder diagram is to have the one or more rungs to connect to the parallel lines at the locations by a printing device.

36. The scannable test form of claim 25, wherein the encoded information represents an offset number corresponding to student identification numbers in a class roster.

37. A scannable form comprising:

at least one response column parallel to a first longitudinal edge of the scannable form; and

a broken ladder comprising a preprinted frame of two substantially parallel lines and consecutive locations along the two substantially parallel lines for a plurality of rungs corresponding to encoded information that identifies a person assigned to the scannable form,

wherein the preprinted frame of the two substantially parallel lines is configured to be scanned by a test scoring machine to cause detection of the broken ladder on the scannable form, and a top rung of the broken ladder is positioned along the two substantially parallel lines so that the top rung is positioned to be a first rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder, and a bottom rung of the broken ladder is positioned along the two substantially parallel lines so that the bottom rung is positioned to be a last rung that is scanned by the test scoring machine for the broken ladder.

38. The scannable form of claim 37, wherein the encoded information comprises an offset value to at least one student identification (ID) number in a class roster.

39. The scannable form of claim 37, wherein a number of offset values in the broken ladder is represented by a number of rungs between the top rung and the bottom rung in the broken ladder.