Patent ID: 7303134

Claim:
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.