Back to results
US 8,261,984 B2Granted
Ballot processing system
AssigneeES&S Innovations, LLC
InventorsDean Baumert, Mike Dvorak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ballot processing system for processing a plurality of 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, an output area configured to store the processed ballots, and a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area. In an exemplary embodiment, the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section to form a generally S-shaped path. The length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area.
Claims54
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed, wherein the input area comprises an imaging device operable to produce an image of each of the ballots;
- a processor electrically coupled to the imaging device and operable to process the image of each of the ballots to determine the voting selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots, wherein the output area comprises a plurality of output bins and a diverter operable to divert each of the ballots into one of the output bins based on instructions received from the processor;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- a plurality of sensors each of which is positioned adjacent to the transport path for tracking each of the ballots between the input area and the output area.
3 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed;
- a processor operable to process the ballots by determining the voting selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- a plurality of sensors each of which is positioned adjacent to the transport path for tracking each of the ballots between the input area and the output area.
3 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed;
- a processor operable to process the ballots;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area;
- a plurality of sensors each of which is positioned adjacent to the transport path for tracking each of the ballots between the input area and the output area;
- and
- wherein the input area, the transport path and the output area are dimensioned to be placed in a space having a height of between approximately 25 to 45 inches, a width of between approximately 30 to 50 inches, and a depth of between approximately 15 to 35 inches.
4 more elements
A method for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of ballots to be processed in an input area;
- transporting each of the ballots from the input area to an output area over a transport path comprising a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, wherein the ballots are transported from the input area to the output area at a speed of between approximately 50 to 120 inches per second;
- processing each of the ballots prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- storing each of the processed ballots in the output area.
2 more elements
A system for processing a stack of documents, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a stack of documents to be processed, wherein each of the documents includes one or more selections marked thereon;
- a processor operable to process the documents by determining the selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed documents;
- and
- a transport path operable to transport each of the documents from the input area to the output area, wherein two or more documents are positioned in the transport path at a given time, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the documents to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- a plurality of sensors each of which is positioned adjacent to the transport path for tracking each of the documents between the input area and the output area.
4 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed, wherein the input area comprises an imaging device operable to produce an image of each of the ballots;
- a processor electrically coupled to the imaging device and operable to process the image of each of the ballots to determine the voting selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots, wherein the output area comprises a plurality of output bins and a diverter operable to divert each of the ballots into one of the output bins based on instructions received from the processor;
- and
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area, wherein the first curve section has a first arc section length, the planar section has a planar section length, and the second curve section has a second arc section length, and wherein the sum of the first arc section length, the planar section length and the second arc section length is between approximately 40 to 75 inches.
2 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed;
- a processor operable to process the ballots by determining the voting selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots;
- and
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area, and wherein the transport path is operable to transport the ballots from the input area to the output area at a rate of between approximately 250 to 360 ballots per minute.
2 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed;
- a processor operable to process the ballots by determining the voting selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots;
- and
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area, wherein the first curve section has a first arc section length, the planar section has a planar section length, and the second curve section has a second arc section length, and wherein the sum of the first arc section length, the planar section length and the second arc section length is between approximately 40 to 75 inches.
2 more elements
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed;
- a processor operable to process the ballots;
- an output area configured to store the processed ballots;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area;
- wherein the input area, the transport path and the output area are dimensioned to be placed in a space having a height of between approximately 25 to 45 inches, a width of between approximately 30 to 50 inches, and a depth of between approximately 15 to 35 inches;
- wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- wherein the first curve section has a first arc section length, the planar section has a planar section length, and the second curve section has a second arc section length, and wherein the sum of the first arc section length, the planar section length and the second arc section length is between approximately 40 to 75 inches.
5 more elements
A system for processing a stack of documents, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a stack of documents to be processed, wherein each of the documents includes one or more selections marked thereon;
- a processor operable to process the documents by determining the selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed documents;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the documents from the input area to the output area, wherein two or more documents are positioned in the transport path at a given time, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the documents to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- wherein the transport path is operable to transport the documents from the input area to the output area at a rate of between approximately 250 to 360 documents per minute.
3 more elements
A system for processing a stack of documents, comprising:
- an input area configured to receive a stack of documents to be processed, wherein each of the documents includes one or more selections marked thereon;
- a processor operable to process the documents by determining the selections marked thereon;
- an output area configured to store the processed documents;
- a transport path operable to transport each of the documents from the input area to the output area, wherein two or more documents are positioned in the transport path at a given time, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the documents to be processed prior to reaching the output area;
- and
- wherein the first curve section has a first arc section length, the planar section has a planar section length, and the second curve section has a second arc section length, and wherein the sum of the first arc section length, the planar section length and the second arc section length is between approximately 40 to 75 inches.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.