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US 7,070,115 B2Granted
Ballot form and method for making and using same
OwnerSalvatore E. DeBiaseinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an improved scannable answer sheet or document suitable for a balloting process and a method for producing such document using a printing process, particularly a document that may be printed in a single color without impacting the ability of the document to be scanned by an automated mechanism.
Claims60
A method for producing a scannable answer sheet on a blank substrate using a single-color ink, comprising:
- printing, on at least a portion of one side of the substrate, a plurality of response bubbles using a black ink, wherein said response bubbles are arranged in a predefined orientation and spacing relative to the substrate and where said response bubbles are printed with a continuous, curvilinear line;
- and
- using the black ink, printing a plurality of timing marks associated with said response bubbles proximate at least one edge of the substrate.
A method for recording a voter's ballot selection, comprising:
- creating a ballot by printing, on at least a portion of one side of a substrate, a plurality of indicia and associated response bubbles, wherein said indicia and bubbles are arranged in a predefined orientation and are spaced within a grid oriented relative to the substrate and where said plurality of indicia and associated response bubbles are printed in black ink and said response bubbles are printed with a continuous curvilinear line to provide a complete, visible bubble to a voter, wherein said response bubbles are of a substantially elliptical shape;
- providing said ballot to a voter for casting of at least one vote by placing a mark within at least one of the response bubbles;
- retrieving a completed ballot after said voter has cast the at least one vote;
- and
- scanning said completed ballot, using an optical scanning device, to detect and record only those marks within the response bubbles as votes for candidates represented by the associated indicia.
2 more elements
A method for illuminating and reflecting the image of a scannable answer sheet comprising:
- obtaining the scannable answer sheet having user-made marks thereon, said answer sheet including a plurality of response bubbles, arranged in a predefined orientation and spacing on the sheet where said response bubbles are printed with a continuous, curvilinear line using a black ink, comprising:
- detecting timing marks printed proximate an edge of the scannable answer sheet;
- directing a beam of light upon, the surface of the sheet;
- moving the sheet such that the beam of light is scanned along the surface of the sheet at a location indicated by the timing marks;
- and
- reflecting at least a portion of the beam of light from the sheet to a photodetector disposed adjacent to the sheet, wherein the continuous line of said response bubbles does not result in the detection of the continuous line as a mark within said response bubbles and where the user-made marks within said response bubbles are recognized.
3 more elements
A scannable answer sheet printed on a blank substrate, comprising:
- black ink marks defining a rectangular perimeter of said answer sheet, said marks disposed at th8 corners of said rectangular perimeter;
- inspection marks, printed in black ink, disposed proximate to at least one edge of said answer sheet;
- a row of timing marks, printed in black ink, disposed proximate to at least one edge of said answer sheet;
- and
- a plurality of response bubbles, printed in black ink with a continuous curvilinear line and arranged in a predefined orientation and spacing relative to said substrate.
2 more elements
A method for producing a scannable answer sheet on a blank substrate, comprising:
- printing on at least a portion of one side of the substrate, using an ink that is non-reflective for a plurality of scanning light colors, a plurality of timing marks proximate at least one edge of the substrate;
- and
- printing, on the side of the substrate, a plurality of marks to indicate a plurality of response regions, said marks being printed using the ink that is non-reflective for a plurality of scanning light colors, wherein said marks are arranged in a predefined orientation and spacing relative to the substrate and where said marks are printed with at least one continuous curvilinear line segment so as to indicate the response region associated therewith and where said marks are generally aligned with said response regions.
A method for recording a voter's ballot selection, comprising:
- creating a ballot by printing, on at least a portion of one side of a substrate, a plurality of indicia and associated response regions and associated timing marks proximate an edge of said ballot, wherein said indicia and response regions are arranged in a predefined orientation and are spaced within a grid oriented relative to the substrate and where said plurality of indicia and associated response regions are printed in an ink that is non-reflective for a plurality of scanning light colors and said response regions are indicated with a continuous curvilinear line segment to provide a complete, visible response region to a voter;
- providing said ballot to a voter for casting of at least one vote by placing a mark within at least one of the response regions;
- retrieving a completed ballot after said voter has cast the at least one vote;
- and
- scanning said completed ballot, using an optical scanning device, to detect and record only those marks within said response regions, as indicated by the timing marks, as votes for candidates represented by the associated indicia.
2 more elements
A method for using a scannable answer sheet, comprising:
- illuminating and reflecting the image of said answer sheet, said answer sheet including a plurality of response regions, arranged at a plurality of predefined locations on said answer sheet where said response regions are identified by a printed line segment using an inkk that is non-reflective for a plurality of scanning light colors;
- directing a beam of light upon the surface of said answer sheet;
- moving said answer sheet relative to the beam of light such that the light is scanned along the surface of said answer sheet;
- and
- reflecting at least a portion of the beam of light from said answer sheet to a photodetector disposed adjacent to said answer sheet, wherein the printed line segment defining said response region does not result in the detection of the printed line segment as a mark within said response region.
2 more elements
A scannable answer sheet printed on a substrate using a non-reflective ink, comprising:
- marks defining a rectangular perimeter of said answer sheet, said marks disposed along a periphery of said rectangular perimeter;
- inspection marks disposed proximate to at least one edge of said answer sheet;
- a row of timing marks disposed proximate to and along at least a portion of at least one edge of said answer sheet;
- and
- a plurality of response regions defined by a curvilinear line and arranged in a predefined orientation and spacing relative to said substrate and said timing marks.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.