Lottery game ticket processing apparatus

An apparatus for processing a lottery game ticket of the type comprising a topside and bottomside surface, at least one identification code symbol formed on one of said surfaces, at least one play area defined on one of said surfaces, and scratch-off material formed on said play area, said apparatus adapted to receive said lottery game ticket, said apparatus including:

• a controller in communication with a memory, operating under the control of a main program stored in said memory and being configured to capture image data in said memory;
• an imaging subsystem including at least one imaging assembly arranged in said apparatus so that said imaging subsystem generates image signals corresponding to at least one surface of said ticket which includes said at least one play area, said imaging subsystem being adapted so that, when said controller captures image data representative of said game ticket, contrast is indicated between image data corresponding to areas of said at least one play area covered by said scratch-off material and areas of said play area not covered by said scratch-off material;
• and
• a brander controlled by said controller, said controller being adapted to operate said brander so that said game ticket received in said apparatus, if authentic, is marked by a predetermined brand pattern indicating that said game ticket has been received in said apparatus, wherein said controller is adapted to determine if said game ticket has been previously played by determining whether said image data includes a pattern corresponding to said predetermined brand pattern.

An apparatus for processing a lottery game ticket of the type comprising a topside and bottomside surface, at least one identification code symbol formed on one of said surfaces, at least one play area defined on one of said surfaces, and scratch-off material formed on said play area, said apparatus adapted to receive said lottery game ticket, said apparatus including:

• a controller in communication with a memory, operating under the control of a main program stored in said memory and being configured to capture image data in said memory;
• an imaging subsystem including at least one imaging assembly arranged in said apparatus so that said imaging subsystem generates image signals corresponding to at least one surface of said ticket which includes said at least one play area, said imaging subsystem being adapted so that, when said controller captures image data representative of said game ticket, contrast is indicated between image data corresponding to areas of said at least one play area covered by said scratch-off material and areas of said play area not covered by said scratch-off material;
• and
• a brander controlled by said controller, said controller being adapted to operate said brander so that said game ticket received in said apparatus, if authentic, is marked by a predetermined brand pattern indicating that said ticket has been received in said apparatus, wherein said controller and said imaging subsystem are adapted so that said controller captures image data corresponding to said game ticket after said game ticket has been subjected to branding without removal of said game ticket from said apparatus, and wherein said controller authenticates said game ticket by determining if said predetermined brand pattern is represented in said image data captured after said game ticket is subjected to branding.

An apparatus for processing a lottery game ticket of the type comprising a topside and bottomside surface, at least one identification code symbol formed on one of said surfaces, at least one play area defined on one of said surfaces, and scratch-off material formed on said play area, said apparatus adapted to receive said lottery game ticket, said apparatus including:

• a controller in communication with a memory, operating under the control of a main program stored in said memory and being configured to capture image data in said memory;
• an imaging subsystem including at least one imaging assembly arranged in said apparatus so that said imaging subsystem generates image signals corresponding to at least one surface of said ticket which includes said at least one play area, said controller being adapted to capture image data corresponding to said at least one surface of said game ticket;
• and
• a brander controlled by said controller, said controller having the capacity to operate said brander so that said game ticket received in said apparatus, if authentic, is marked by a mark indicating that said game ticket has been received in said apparatus, wherein said controller is adapted to determine if said lottery game ticket has been previously played by determining whether said image data indicates that said mark is present on said game ticket.

An apparatus for processing a lottery game ticket of the type comprising a topside and bottomside surface, at least one identification code symbol formed on one of said surfaces, at least one play area defined on one of said surfaces, and scratch-off material formed on said play area, said apparatus adapted to receive said lottery game ticket, said apparatus including:

• a controller in communication with a memory, operating under the control of a main program stored in said memory and being configured to capture image data in said memory;
• an imaging subsystem including at least one imaging assembly arranged in said apparatus so that said imaging subsystem generates image signals corresponding to at least one surface of said ticket which includes said at least one play area, said controller being adapted to capture image data corresponding to said at least one surface of said game ticket;
• and
• a brander controlled by said controller, said controller being adapted to operate said brander so that said game ticket received in said apparatus, if authentic, is marked by a mark indicating that said ticket has been received in said apparatus, wherein said controller and said imaging subsystem are adapted so that said controller captures image data corresponding to said game ticket after said game ticket has been subjected to branding without removal of said game ticket from said apparatus, and wherein said controller authenticates said game ticket by determining if said mark is represented in said image data captured after said game ticket is subjected to branding.