초록 ▼

In one embodiment there is described a reader capable of processing image data representing a substrate. The reader can include a multiple pixel image sensor and a lens focusing image onto the multiple pixel image sensor. In one embodiment the image data representing a substrate processed by a reade

In one embodiment there is described a reader capable of processing image data representing a substrate. The reader can include a multiple pixel image sensor and a lens focusing image onto the multiple pixel image sensor. In one embodiment the image data representing a substrate processed by a reader can include a representation of a bar code symbol.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A system for detecting scratch-off material on a game ticket of the type comprising at least one play area having scratch-off material formed thereon, said system comprising: a game ticket having scratch-off material formed on a play area and a bar code symbol encoding identification i

We claim: 1. A system for detecting scratch-off material on a game ticket of the type comprising at least one play area having scratch-off material formed thereon, said system comprising: a game ticket having scratch-off material formed on a play area and a bar code symbol encoding identification information, wherein said play area, in a layer exposed by removal of said scratch-off material has a light sensitive additive incorporated therein, and wherein said additive is a material that emits light in a second band of wavelengths when illuminated by light in a first band of wavelengths; a reader comprising an imaging means including imaging optic means responsive to said light in said second wavelength band for imaging said game ticket to capture image data representing said at least one play area and said bar code symbol, wherein said reader is configured to determine said identification information and wherein said image data indicates contrast between areas of said play area covered by said scratch-off material and areas of said play area not covered by said scratch-off material; and an external host processor system in communication with said reader, wherein said system is configured so that responsively to said reader determining said identification information, said reader sends a communication to said external host processor system, wherein responsively to said communication said host processor system sends information to said reader, and wherein said reader utilizes said information in processing said image data. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is further adapted to capture an image representation corresponding substantially to an entire surface of said game ticket. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to determine whether said ticket has been played based on a percentage of non scratch-off material indicating pixels of said play area image representation. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to determine whether said ticket has been tampered with by analyzing image data of said play area image representation. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to determine whether said ticket has been tampered with based on a percentage of non scratch-off material indicating image data of said play area image representation. 6. A reader capable of reading a bar code symbol from a two dimensional substrate carrying a bar code symbol, said reader comprising: (a) an imaging assembly including a solid state multiple pixel image sensor and a lens focusing images onto said solid state multiple pixel image sensor, and (b) a microprocessor based controller coupled to said imaging assembly configured to capture image data representative of said two dimensional substrate, wherein said reader is configured such that said pixels of said solid state image sensor receive narrow wavelength band light reflected from said substrate, said narrow wavelength band light received by said pixels comprising light in at least two different narrow wavelength bands such that said image data captured by said microprocessor based controller includes first set image data corresponding to image signals generated by the receipt by pixels of said image sensor of light in said first narrow wavelength band, and second set image data corresponding to image signals generated by the receipt by pixels of said solid state image sensor of light in said second narrow wavelength band, (c) wherein said microprocessor based controller is further configured to process said first set image data to locate a representation of said bar code symbol within said first set image data and to decode a bar code symbol represented within said first set image data. 7. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader includes an illumination assembly which projects light in said first and second narrow wavelength bands. 8. The reader of claim 6, wherein said first narrow wavelength band is the red band and wherein the second narrow wavelength band is the green band. 9. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader includes a housing and wherein disposed in an interior of said housing is a first light source emitting light in said first wavelength band and a second light source emitting light in said second wavelength band. 10. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader includes a light emitting assembly for projecting light onto said substrate. 11. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader includes a transport mechanism for transporting said substrate bearing said bar code symbol. 12. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader is constructed such that said pixels of said image sensor receive light in said second narrow wavelength band sequentially in time relative a time at which said pixels receive light in said first narrow wavelength band. 13. The reader of claim 6, wherein said image sensor is a two dimensional image sensor including a two dimensional array of pixels. 14. The reader of claim 6, wherein said image sensor is a one dimensional image sensor including an N횞1 array of pixels. 15. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader is constructed so that a particular set of pixels of said solid state image sensor receives light both in said first narrow wavelength band and in said second narrow wavelength band. 16. The reader of claim 6, wherein said controller is configured to process said image data to determine whether scratch off material from a lottery game ticket has been removed. 17. The reader of claim 6 wherein said controller is configured to process said first set and said second set image data to determine whether scratch off material from a lottery game ticket has been removed. 18. The reader of claim 6, wherein said controller is configured to process said first set and said second set image data to determine whether scratch off material from a lottery game ticket has been removed, and wherein said reader further includes a lookup table storing a location for said play area, said lookup table correlating play area locations with identification numbers, each identification number being decodable by the decoding of a bar code. 19. The reader of claim 6, wherein said reader is adapted to receive from a remote computer game data, said game data including information respecting how a particular style of lottery game ticket is to be processed by said reader.