Systems, devices and methods for network management of remote modification of cards
The disclosure relates to devices, systems, methods and computer readable media for providing network management of remote card handling, and physical manipulation. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to networked devices, systems, methods and computer program methods for remotely, physically modifying a card while leaving a physical record of the modified card for inspection and validation and delivering the manipulation results to a user, and/or other third parties, for example, scratch lottery cards and ballot cards.
1 . A networked device for remotely modifying physical cards, comprising:
a. a first card holder and a second card holder, the first card holder is configured to store a plurality of unmodified cards, and the second card holder is configured to receive and store physically modified cards;
b. a first card conveyor and a second card conveyor, configured to convey cards over a conveying platform, between said first card holder and said second card holder;
c. a physical modification module (PMM), which is configured to displace a modifying member, for physically modifying an unmodified card conveyed therethrough over said conveying platform, by removing at least one portion of the card;
d. an imaging module comprising one or more light modules and a camera configured to capture images of the cards conveyed on said conveying platform;
e. a cleaning module, configured to remove physical modification residues from the cards during and following their physical modification; and
f. a central processing module (CPM) configured to be in communication with one or more controllers of said first and second card holders, said first and second card conveyors, said PMM, said imaging module, said cleaning module, and with a communication network,
wherein said CPM is configured to receive remote requests for modifying one or more selected unmodified cards, to operate said first and second card conveyors, said PMM, said imaging module, and said cleaning module, for physically modifying the one or more selected unmodified cards, and to capture one or more images of said selected unmodified cards and of modified cards.
2 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the CPM is further configured to analyze the one or more captured images and to submit the analysis to a remote computing device.
3 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the PMM comprises adjustment means facilitating its adjustment to different pressure levels applied on a modified card.
4 . The networked device of claim 3 , wherein the adjustable pressure levels enable the PMM to remove ink from the physical card.
5 . The networked device of claim 3 , wherein the adjustable pressure levels enable the PMM to remove a scratchable layer from the physical card.
6 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the modifying member displacement is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the cards conveyed therethrough.
7 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning module comprises one or more cleaning means selected from the group consisting of: a blower, a brush, a suction device, and any combination thereof.
8 . The networked device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more cleaning means is installed next to the modifying member.
9 . The networked device of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more cleaning means is directed to the conveying platform.
10 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the PMM is configured to form an opening in at least one unmodified card at a predetermined location.
11 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the imaging module comprises one or more charge-coupled devices (CCDs), a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), or a combination thereof.
12 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light modules are configured to irradiate soft light.
13 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light modules of the imaging module are positioned in an angle to prevent reflections from illuminated cards.
14 . The networked device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of unmodified cards is chained to form a single roll, wherein each card is separated from an adjacent unmodified card by at least one of: a scoring perforation, a machine-readable marker, and a blank gap.
15 . The networked device of claim 14 , wherein the single roll forms a Z-fold section.
16 . A networked computerized card-modifying system, comprising:
a. a plurality of networked card modifying terminals, each of which is a networked device according to claim 1 ;
b. one or more networked client access terminals comprising: a display; a communication interface adapted for two-way communication with the communication network; a user interface adapted to provide user input; and a processor in communication with the display, configured to receive a user's request to physically modify one or more unmodified cards selected by the user, transmit said user's request to a backend management server, receive modified card analysis of said one or more cards selected by the user from said backend management server, and render the analysis results on the display;
c. a card issuing entity; and
d. a Backend Management Server (BMS) comprising: a management communication interface, adapted for two-way communication with the communication network; a first non-transitory storage device; and a backend processing module (BPM) in communication with each of said plurality of networked card modifying terminals, said one or more networked client access terminals, and said card issuing entity, whereby said BMS is configured to:
i. receive said one or more users' requests to physically modify one or more selected unmodified cards, from one or more of said one or more networked client access terminals;
ii. locate a predetermined networked card modifying terminal of said plurality of networked card modifying terminals for each request;
iii. transmit each of said users' requests, to physically modify one or more selected unmodified cards, to its predetermined networked card modifying terminal;
iv. receive unmodified card information and modified card analysis from each predetermined networked card modifying terminal associated to each request; and
v. based on the analysis, inform the card issuing entity and the corresponding networked client access terminals.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein each networked card modifying terminal is further configured to provide an analyzed modified card to a manual monitor.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the BMS is configured to locate a predetermined networked card modifying terminal with the shortest queue for each physical card modification of the unmodified card request and transmit physical card modification instructions to the located predetermined networked card modifying terminal.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined networked card modifying terminal is further configured to:
a. capture an image of the analyzed physically modified card;
b. determine if said analyzed physically modified card is a winning card;
c. if said analyzed card is the winning card, provide the card for manual monitoring; and
d. transmit the captured image to the originating networked client access terminal.
20 . A method for remotely modifying physical cards in a multi-node network environment, comprising the steps of:
a. providing the networked computerized card-modifying system according to claim 16 ;
b. operating one or more networked client access terminals to submit one or more requests for physically modifying the at least one selected unmodified card;
c. receiving the submitted one or more submitted requests by a BMS of said networked computerized card-modifying system;
d. locating a predetermined card modifying terminal of a plurality of card modifying terminals for each of said one or more submitted requests;
e. transmitting each of said requests to its predetermined card modifying terminal;
f. receiving unmodified card information and modified card analysis from each of said predetermined card modifying terminal associated with each of said one or more requests; and
g. based on the analysis, informing the card issuing entity, and the corresponding one or more networked client access terminals.
21 . The method according to claim 20 , further comprising:
a. in step f), further receiving an image of the modified card;
b. based on the modified card analysis received in step f), determining whether the modified card is a winning card;
c. if said modified card is the winning card, providing the card for manual monitoring; and
d. transmitting the image of the modified card to the originating networked client access terminal.
22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the card issuing entity is a lottery administrating agency.
23 . The method of any of claims 20 , wherein in step (d) of locating the predetermined card modifying terminal, the predetermined card modifying terminal is determined as the card modifying terminal with the shortest queue for the selected unmodified card of the received request.
24 . A method for remotely modifying physical cards, comprising:
a. providing a networked device for remotely modifying physical cards according to claim 1 ;
b. submitting a request to said networked device for modifying the at least one selected unmodified card; and
c. operating said networked device to physically modify said at least one selected unmodified card, clean the physical modification residues therefrom, and capture one or more images of the card.