Patent · US Active

Ballot processing system for printing identifiers on paper ballots

US9240085B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
8References
77Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 30, 2010
Grant dateJan 19, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 13, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07C13/00
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A ballot processing system for processing paper ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon. The system includes an input area configured to receive a stack of ballots to be processed, a processor operable to determine the voting selections marked on the ballots, and an output area configured to store the processed ballots. In an exemplary embodiment, a printing device is operable to print a unique identifier on each of the ballots during each pass through the system. A detector is operable to detect the printed identifier so as to verify that each of the ballots was processed during a previous count of the ballots and/or to prevent double-processing of the ballots. The system also includes a printer operable to print a report that identifies ballot information in relation to the unique identifier for at least a portion of the processed ballots.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.