Abstract: An electronic controller for conducting trusted lightweight e-commerce transactions. A trusted transactional cache and the associated transactional protocol allow e-commerce transactions to be committed to a remote server extremely quickly and with little network overhead. The end-to-end transactions are completed is just a few seconds or less. The invention operates equally well on robust private networks as on unpredictable Internet or wireless networks. The transaction is automatically completed following a temporary communication failure with the central site or following a temporary local controller failure. The invention can advantageously be used in embedded Internet products such as fixed or mobile Internet kiosks, transactional terminals, and Internet Appliances.

Abstract: A trusted disaster tolerant system architecture supporting concurrently a number of distributed online gaming operations such as slip-scan lottery, video lottery, fixed odd betting terminals, internet gaming, and interactive TV. A personality front end resolves the peculiarities of the various client systems before submitting the relevant transactional payload to a trusted transactional cache. A universal game random generator may be used either at the central game server or at each individual gaming machine, thus conferring a significant trust to the entire estate of gaming machines fitted with the game random generator. An auditable trusted log allows to rapidly resolve any dispute. The instant-draw model and the differed-draw model are supported. The system may advantageously be used in casino environments.

Abstract: A compact transactional document-scanning terminal that provides the means to conveniently capture an electronic image of most forms of printed documents at distributed locations, to capture either automatically from the scanned document or manually by operator interactivity all necessary process parameters or codes, to perform an electronic transaction in order to forward all the information to a remote computer or alternatively for local storage within the terminal, and to produce an electronic receipt and/or a paper receipt as a proof that the scan and store transaction has been successful and for later retrieval of information associated with the scanned document. The compact transactional document-scanning terminal may be configured to respond to various customer specifications.

Abstract: A document image scanner capable of branding thermally printed tickets using a single feed roller. The contact image sensor and the thermal print head are both configured to apply pressure directly against the single feed roller. When not in use, the thermal print head may be retracted. The document scanner may include a print head that is wider than the document to be scanned, thereby enabling the scanner to relatively insensitive to off centered and/or skewed documents inserted therein for scanning and/or branding.

Abstract: A compact transactional document-scanning terminal that provides the means to conveniently capture an electronic image of most forms of printed documents at distributed locations, to capture either automatically from the scanned document or manually by operator interactivity all necessary process parameters or codes, to perform an electronic transaction in order to forward all the information to a remote computer or alternatively for local storage within the terminal, and to produce an electronic receipt and/or a paper receipt as a proof that the scan and store transaction has been successful and for later retrieval of information associated with the scanned document. The compact transactional document-scanning terminal may be configured to respond to various customer specifications.

Abstract: Methods and systems that enable cashless gaming dispense with the need to set up and operate a complex centrally controlled system or dispense with the need to distribute expensive smart cards. The patrons' gaming session meters (including, for example, a measure of winning and/or available credit) are distributed amongst an estate of peer networked gaming terminals.

Abstract: A player in a casino may purchase an amount of playing time and then play as quickly as he likes on gaming machines during that period of time. The player may try his luck against a frantic rhythm with minimum return on each game or at a slower-pace rhythm with a higher return on each game. When the player actuates a cash-out signal, the time clock is frozen; the player may then choose to continue playing on another machine or return to the same machine at any other time. The game outcome is adjusted in accordance with the speed at which the game is played. The games may also be automatically triggered following a manual arming by the player. When the rhythm is slow, standby time may be used to entertain the player.

Abstract: A game of chance includes steps of accepting at least one of a wager and a selection of a predicted outcome of a competitive activity; randomly selecting an actual outcome of the competitive activity according to predetermined odds; accessing one of a plurality of video sequence that shows the randomly selected actual outcome of the competitive activity, and showing the accessed one of the plurality of video sequence on a display. A step may be carried out to pay a sum determined by the wager and the predetermined odds when the predicted outcome matches the randomly selected actual outcome.

Abstract: A secure and modular architecture for monitoring and controlling clusters of pay entertainment and gaming devices. The architecture allows flexible and secure use of state-of-the-art multimedia and Internet technologies to attract the younger player generation used to flashy and networked games. Cash or cash-less entertainment and gaming devices are supported.

Abstract: A secure and modular architecture for monitoring and controlling clusters of pay entertainment and gaming devices. The architecture allows flexible and secure use of state-of-the-art multimedia and Internet technologies to attract the younger player generation used to flashy and networked games. Cash or cash-less entertainment and gaming devices are supported.

Abstract: A secure and modular architecture for monitoring and controlling clusters of pay entertainment and gaming devices. The architecture allows flexible and secure use of state-of-the-art multimedia and Internet technologies to attract the younger player generation used to flashy and networked games. Cash or cash-less entertainment and gaming devices are supported.

Abstract: A secure and modular architecture for monitoring and controlling clusters of pay entertainment and gaming devices. The architecture allows flexible and secure use of state-of-the-art multimedia and Internet technologies to attract the younger player generation used to flashy and networked games. Cash or cash-less entertainment and gaming devices are supported.

Abstract: The present cashless gaming methods, systems and devices make use of printed coded tickets that include visible machine and human readable symbols. A coded ticket may be delivered by an automatic teller device in exchange of remitted cash or other form of electronic money. A coded ticket may also be printed by a gaming machine when the player wishes to offload his or her credit balance and/or winnings. The player may redeem his or her credit balance via an automated teller device, or alternatively may upload the credit on another gaming machine by presenting the coded ticket to the game machine's code scanner and manually providing the human readable verification code printed on the coded ticket. The present gaming machines are preferably configured within a secure managed network controlled by a server located at the gaming premise's back office or at a location remote therefrom. The server securely tracks and records all credit balances, game transactions and authorizes cash redemptions.

Abstract: A document-guiding device that clips onto the image sensor of a document scanner ensures that documents to be scanned are introduced into the scanner at an optimal angle and are applied to the transparent surface of the image sensor at an optimal pressure, thereby avoiding scratching and soiling the sensor glass surface. Moreover, the deep input guide clip includes a sharp edge that acts as a scrapper to remove or flatten protruding impurities to further reduce soiling the sensor transparent surface. The deep input guide clip has the added benefit of stopping parasitic ambient light and protecting the image sensor against hard falling objects thus avoiding breakage of the transparent surface. The deep input guide clip forms a compact enclosure that may also hold a set of document proximity sensors and associated control electronics for precisely detecting the leading edge of the document when it is introduced in the scanner, its width and its trailing edge.

Abstract: A circuit implemented on a single piece of silicon or a low cost hybrid circuit that controls all the functions required to operate sheet-fed, flatbed, handheld, slides, duplex, drum and 2D still-image document scanners. The circuit performs monochrome image sensor management, color image sensor management, light source modulation, motor management, Anti-Skew Auto-Start, pixel correction, adaptative thresholding, black-sides removal, image enhancement, dithering, up/down sampling, image compression, scan and forward action management, memory management, and host interface management with plug and play capability.

Abstract: A sensor and a method for determining the state of conductive ink patterns applied to scratchable latex layers of instant-win tickets and other documents having scratchable latex layers affixed thereon. The device and method are based upon the generation of a radio frequency field across the conductive ink patterns on the document, using an array of miniature transmission RF antennas and reception antennas, and the detection of the induced radio frequency signal. The presence, absence or state of the conductive ink patterns subjected to the RF field affects and changes the signal received on the receiving antennas. The signal received on the receiving antennas is conditioned and processed, so as to extract therefrom information relative to the state of the conductive ink patterns. This non-contact method does not damage the latex layer when the ticket or document is advanced at high speed through the sensor and is suitable for integration into high-speed optical scanners.