Systems and methods for operating an optical scanner based on conveyance speed of physical media elements
Systems and methods for mechanically processing physical media elements, e.g., automatically scratching scratch-off lottery tickets, may include receiving a batch of tickets at an input chute of a scratching system. Tickets may be serially fed through the scratching system that includes a series of roller scratching mechanisms. Pressure rollers may be individually adjustable to set a pressure of the scratching mechanisms. One or more scanners may obtain information from the tickets before and/or after scratching. A pair of parallel plates may be used to form a feed path to guide tickets through the system. A vacuum manifold may isolate some elements of the system from debris, and remove the debris from the system via negative pressure. One or more presence sensor may detect presence of a current ticket to control operation of feed motors. Various functions or elements of the system may be distributed over a plurality of removable modules.
1 . A ticket tracking system for tracking tickets conveyed by a ticket-processing device, comprising:
an encoder roller configured to rotate with a ticket as the ticket is conveyed past the encoder roller, and to determine a conveyance speed of the ticket; and
at least one scanner configured to scan a surface of the ticket wherein one or more parameters of the at least one scanner is configured to be adjusted based on the determined conveyance speed of the ticket;
wherein:
at least a first scanner of the at least one scanner is configured to scan the surface of the ticket prior to a processing of the ticket by the ticket-processing device; and
at least a second scanner of the at least one scanner is configured to scan the surface after the processing of the ticket.
2 . The ticket tracking system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one scanner further includes a third scanner; and
the first scanner and the third scanner are configured to scan opposite surfaces of the ticket.
3 . The ticket tracking system of claim 2 , wherein rates of scanning for both the first scanner and the third scanner are adjusted based on the conveyance speed determined by the encoder roller.
4 . The ticket tracking system of claim 3 , wherein the first scanner and the third scanner are positioned upstream of a processing region of the ticket-processing device.
5 . The ticket tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one scanner includes at least one barcode scanner.
6 . The ticket tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller that operatively connects the encoder roller to the at least one scanner.
7 . The ticket tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory operatively connected to the at least one scanner and configured to store scan data generated by the at least one scanner.
8 . The ticket tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication component configured to transmit scan data from the at least one scanner to a computer system.
9 . A computer-implemented method of tracking a ticket conveyed by a ticket-processing device, comprising:
determining, via an encoder roller, a conveyance speed of the ticket, the encoder roller configured to rotate as the ticket is conveyed past the encoder roller;
adjusting one or more parameters of the at least one scanner based on the determined conveyance speed of the ticket; and
operating the at least one scanner to scan a surface of the ticket;
wherein:
at least a first scanner of the at least one scanner is operated to scan the surface of the ticket prior to a processing of the ticket by the ticket-processing device; and
at least a second scanner of the at least one scanner is operated to scan the surface after the processing of the ticket.
10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
storing scan data generated by the at least one scanner in a memory operatively connected to the at least one scanner.
11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein:
a third scanner is operated to scan the ticket prior to the processing of the ticket; and
the first scanner and the third scanner are configured to scan opposite surfaces of the ticket.
12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one scanner includes at least one barcode scanner.
13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one scanner is operated in response to detection, via at least one fork sensor positioned along a path of the conveyance of the ticket in the ticket-processing device, of a presence of the ticket.
14 . A ticket-processing device, comprising:
an encoder roller configured to rotate with a ticket as the ticket is conveyed past the encoder roller and to determine a conveyance speed of the ticket;
at least one scanner configured to scan a surface of the ticket, wherein one or more parameters of the at least one scanner is configured to be adjusted based on the determined conveyance speed of the ticket; and
at least one presence sensor positioned along a path of the conveyance of the ticket in the ticket-processing device;
wherein the at least one scanner is configured to activate based on a detection of a presence of the ticket by the at least one presence sensor.
15 . The ticket-processing device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a ticket processing assembly, wherein:
at least a first scanner of the at least one scanner is positioned upstream of the ticket processing assembly; and
at least a second scanner of the at least one scanner is positioned downstream of the ticket processing assembly.
16 . The ticket-processing device of claim 15 , wherein:
the first scanner and a third scanner are positioned upstream of the ticket processing assembly; and
the first scanner and the third scanner are configured to scan opposite surfaces of the ticket.
17 . The ticket-processing device of claim 15 , further comprising: a further encoder roller, wherein:
the encoder roller is positioned upstream of the ticket processing assembly; and
the further encoder roller is positioned downstream of the ticket processing assembly.
18 . The ticket-processing device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a memory operatively connected to the at least one scanner and configured to store scan data generated by the at least one scanner.
19 . The ticket-processing device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a controller that operatively connects the encoder roller to the at least one scanner.
20 . The ticket-processing device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a communication component configured to transmit scan data from the at least one scanner to a computer system.
21 . A ticket-processing device, comprising:
an encoder roller configured to rotate with a ticket as the ticket is conveyed past the encoder roller and to determine a conveyance speed of the ticket;
at least one scanner configured to scan a surface of the ticket, wherein one or more parameters of the at least one scanner is configured to be adjusted based on the determined conveyance speed of the ticket; and
a ticket processing assembly, wherein:
at least a first scanner of the at least one scanner is positioned upstream of the ticket processing assembly; and
at least a second scanner of the at least one scanner is positioned downstream of the ticket processing assembly.