Systems and methods for monitoring a voting machine's condition and location data

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine, comprising at least one environment sensor for detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data; at least one navigation sensor for detecting and acquiring navigation data; at least one processing unit, connected to the said environment sensor and the said navigation sensor, for processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data; at least one communications unit, connected to the said processing unit, for exchanging data from the system to at least one third-party device; and at least one user interface, connected to the said processing unit, for allowing interaction between the said processing unit and an at least one user; wherein the processing unit is further configured to detect unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data.

Description

[0001] SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING A VOTING MACHINE'S

[0002] CONDITION AND LOCATION DATA

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring one or more voting machine's conditions and location data via one or more sensors.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In a time when election integrity and transparency are being scrutinized more than ever, a strong and reliable election system is essential. Implementing a thorough monitoring system that keeps track of both internal and external conditions of a voting machine is important to guarantee the reliability of the said system. However, despite the advancements in election technology, various challenges remain, especially in maintaining the consistency and security of the voting machine throughout the election process. For instance, many of the voting machines in use today lack sophisticated systems to monitor both internal and external variables, such as hardware and software operation, as well as environmental factors and physical security. The undiscovered errors or other operational problems could compromise the integrity of the election results.

[0007] US Patent 7,422,151 (US '151) provides systems and methods for providing security in a voting machine, wherein the system comprises an image recording device attached to one side of a voting machine that maintains secure voting election data information. The system enables the image recording device to provide security features to prevent the voters from removing and / or tampering with a recording medium or the said image recording device. The system also includes sensors such as optical sensors, paper detection sensors, motion sensors, lock / unlock detection sensors, and paper-out sensors. However, the said sensors only relate to the processes of the printer such as to detect print head failure and to determine the speed of the supply reel. The present invention provides an improvement by incorporating environment and navigation sensors to enhance the security and data integrity of the voting system. The environment sensors measure the internal and external condition of the voting machine, while the navigation sensors detect data relating to the location and logistics of the said voting machine.

[0008] US Patent 8,910,865 (US '865) provides a voting unit with a processor configured to at least verify a security feature using an electronic sensor. This invention relates to technologies for maintaining the integrity of the voting process by ensuring that only authentic ballots are used during an election. The unit detects and verifies the security features that are preferably embedded in the papers used to print the official ballots. To perform the said functions, the sensors can be ultra-violet LED and sensor, Infra-red LED and sensor, and magnetic sensor. However, US '865 does not disclose a means for notifying a user or an election officer if the security features are not detected in the paper. The present invention then provides an improvement to US '865 by providing at least one notification means and a step of activating a security procedure when such event occurs or when an unauthorized access or attempt to tamper the voting machine is detected.

[0009] To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention discloses systems and methods for monitoring one or more voting machine's conditions and location data via one or more sensors. This invention then provides several advantages in election systems such as enhanced election integrity, strengthened security measures, increased operational efficiency, elevated public confidence, and compliance with regulations. The monitoring device of this invention provides real-time surveillance of the conditions of the voting machine using a combination of different sensors.

[0010] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide systems and methods for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine via one or more sensors.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine, comprising at least one environment sensor for detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data; at least one navigation sensor for detecting and acquiring navigation data; at least one processing unit, connected to the said environment sensor and the said navigation sensor, for processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data; at least one communications unit, connected to the said processing unit, for exchanging data from the system to at least one third-party device; and at least one user interface for, connected to the said processing unit, for allowing interaction between the said processing unit and an at least one user; wherein the processing unit is further configured to detect unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the internal condition data includes battery level, voltage level, operation status, memory capacity level, network connection status, or combinations thereof, while the external condition data includes temperature, humidity, vibration, pressure, shocks, load, proximity, image, or combinations thereof.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment, the navigation data includes at least the location data, GPS coordinates, logistics data, movement data of the voting machine, or combinations thereof.

[0016] In the second aspect of this invention, the system further comprises at least one notification device for alerting or notifying at least one personnel if the processing unit detects unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine, wherein the at least one notification device is embedded in the system or is a remote notification device.

[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to understand the present invention further, are incorporated herein to illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Along with the description, they also explain the principle of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting. In the drawings,

[0019] FIG. 1 presents the block diagram of the system for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine; and

[0020] FIG. 2 shows the flow chart of the method for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine.

[0022] FIG. 1 presents the block diagram of the system for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine. The system 101 is connected to a voting machine 100 in a wired or wireless manner, wherein the latter is enabled by an electronic communications device or unit. The system 101 comprises at least one environment sensor 102, at least one navigation sensor 103, at least one processing unit 104, at least one communications unit 105, at least one user interface 106, at least one notification device 107 or at least one remote notification device 108, at least one data storage device 109, and at least one power supply 110.

[0023] The system 101 comprises at least one environment sensor 102, connected to the processing unit 104, for detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data. The internal condition data includes a battery level, a voltage level, an operation status, a memory capacity level, a network connection status, or combinations thereof. The external condition data includes temperature, humidity, vibration, pressure, shocks, load, proximity, image, or combinations thereof. The at least one environment sensor 102 can then be at least one temperature sensor, humidity sensor, air quality sensor, pressure sensor, light or ambient light sensor, vibration sensor, power sensor, network connectivity sensor, network speed sensor, electromagnetic interference sensor (EMI) sensor, or combinations thereof. The environment sensor 102 is then configured to at least: monitor the temperature fluctuations inside and around the voting machine 100 to prevent overheating and ensure the optimal performance of the system 100 by activating at least one actuator to control the heat, for example; monitor the moisture levels to prevent condensation; determine dust buildup; monitor the changes in air pressure; ensure energy efficiency; monitor excessive vibrations that could damage the voting machine 100 or its components; and / or determine EMI or any interference that could potentially damage or affect the performance of the system 101.

[0024] The system 101 comprises at least one navigation sensor 103, connected to the processing unit 104, for detecting and acquiring navigation data. The navigation data includes at least the location data, global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, logistics data, movement data of the voting machine, or combinations thereof. The navigation sensor 103 can be a GPS receiver, accelerometer, gyroscope, tilt sensor, magnetometer, inertial measurement unit, computer vision enabled device, light detection and ranging (Lidar), or combinations thereof. These sensors enable the voting machine 100 and / or the system 101 to detect obstacles, plan routes, monitor location or coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude), or track the movement of the said voting machine 100. The navigation sensor 103 detects or acquires the said data and sends them to the processing unit 104 and / or the notification device 107 to ensure that the voting machine 100 is within the authorized election area or route towards the authorized location. In the event, for example, that the voting machine 100 deviates from the predetermined route as determined by the navigation sensor 103, the processing unit 104 immediately notifies an authorized election officer or user of a possible election-related issue. In some cases, the navigation sensor 103 is used to determine whether the voting machine 100 is in a favorable environment before deployment. In this case, the navigation sensor 103 checks the surroundings along with at least one environment sensor 102. The sensors 102,103 can then check the temperature, humidity, and the GPS coordinates of the voting machine 100 if they are within the predetermined limits or thresholds. If either the internal condition data, external condition data, or the navigation data exceed or deviate from the limits, then the processing unit 104 will send a notification or alert to an at least one operator or election administrator via the at least one notification device 107 or at least one remote notification device 108 through the at least one communications unit 105. Along with the notification or alert, the notification device 107 sends the voting machine's 100 precise location or GPS coordinates to the operator or election administrator.

[0025] Preferably, the at least one environment sensor 102 and / or the at least one navigation sensor 103 are used, along with the processing unit 104, to determine an at least one possible election issue such as hardware / physical tampering or logistic discrepancies. If such issues are determined, the processing unit 104 issues a visual or audible alert or notification via the notification device 107. The processing unit 104 may also send an alert to a remote server 111 or a remote notification device 108 via at least one communications unit 105. The remote server 111 then logs the date and time when the alert was received and creates a report pertaining to the said alert. Preferably, the notification device 107 and / or the remote notification device 108 informs an election officer or an administrator of the alert and an at least one possible cause of such an alert. It is also preferable that the processing unit 104 provides to the election officer or the election administrator an at least one recommendation or a possible course of action that can be implemented to address the said alert. The recommendation or possible course of action can be a process that the voting machine 100 can perform remotely once the election officer or election administrator replies with a confirmation. The recommendation can at least be the sending of the voting machine's 100 location or GPS coordinates; terminating the voting machine's 100 operation; locking the access to the voting machine's 100 interface; activating a visual or audible alarm in the voting machine's 100 proximity; and / or sending an SOS signal to an at least one security or emergency responder.

[0026] The system 101 comprises at least one processing unit 104 for at least processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data. The processing unit 104 can be any microcontroller, microprocessor, or any hardware device capable of processing data, issuing instructions, or executing calculations associated to the operations and monitoring of the voting machine. Preferably, the processing unit 104 is further configured to detect an unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine 100 using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 204 is configured for activating an at least one security procedure, if the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine is detected. The security procedure pertains to corrective actions that the voting machine can perform via the processing unit 204 such as, but is not limited to:

[0028] - the sending of the voting machine's 100 GPS coordinates or location data to an at least one user, operator, and / or election officer;

[0029] - suspending the operations of the voting machine 100;

[0030] - locking the interface to prevent the access to the user interface of the voting machine 100 and / or the system 101;

[0031] - performing at least one data protection measure such as data encryption, data wipe, and / or a secure communication lockdown; - performing at least one physical safety action such as a lockdown mode, and / or voting machine movement restriction;

[0032] - activating one or more cameras to stream live video of the voting machine's 100 surroundings;

[0033] - performing at least one fail-safe action such as a power shutdown and / or safe mode activation of the voting machine 100 and / or the system 101; and / or

[0034] - performing at least one forensic evidence collection such as the recording of all interactions which includes the timestamps, access attempts, and / or tampering methods.

[0035] The system 101 comprises at least one communications unit 105, connected to the processing unit 104, for exchanging data from the system to an at least one third-party device. The communications unit 105 can be any transmitter, receiver, or transceiver used for long range (LoRa) modulation, radio frequency (RF), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, infrared, near field communication (NFC), visible light communication, microwave communication, satellite communication, Li-Fi, WiMax, ZigBee, cellular communication, code division multiple access (CDMA), 2G, global system for mobiles (GSM), 3G, 4G, long term evolution (LTE), long term evolution advanced (LTE-advanced), 5G, 5.5G, 6G, any other wireless communications protocol, or combinations thereof.

[0036] The system 101 comprises at least one user interface 106, connected to the processing unit 104, for allowing interaction between the said processing unit 104 and an at least one user. The user interface 106 can be an input device, an input / output device or a display / input device which may include simple analog buttons, a system of switches, digital display, liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) display, or a multi-point touch input screen. The user interface 106 allows the user such as authorized personnel, election officer, or an administrator to have access to the voting machine 100 and / or to the system 101. The user may then, via the user interface 106, monitor the voting machine's condition through the display of the internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data. In some cases, the user interface 106 can be accessed by the authorized user and remotely view the voting machine's condition. The system 101 comprises at least one notification device 107, connected to the processing unit 104, for alerting or notifying at least one personnel if the processing unit detects the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine 100, wherein the at least one notification device 107 is embedded in the system 100 or is a remote notification device 108.

[0037] The system 101 comprises at least one data storage device 109, connected to the processing unit 104, for storing the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and the navigation data. The data storage device 109 can be any medium or mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine or computer. The memory device can have a primary memory device and / or a secondary memory device as a backup storage device. The memory device can be a read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, hard disk storage, optical storage media, flash memory devices, universal serial bus (USB) drive, secure digital (SD) card, memory chip, or combinations thereof.

[0038] The system 101 comprises at least one power supply 110, connected to the processing unit 104, for supplying electrical energy to the system 101, wherein the power supply 106 can be at least one direct power source such as an alternating current (AC) power source, or in some cases at least one battery or energy storage device such as a capacitor. The battery and / or the energy storage device can preferably be a backup energy source that can be charged via DC power source or via a solar panel, for example. This enables the system 101 to operate even in power interruptions or blackout. The power supply 106 also enables the system 101 to operate even when in transit fulfilling its goal of monitoring the conditions and ensuring the integrity of a voting machine 100.

[0039] The voting machine 100 utilizes the system 101 to exchange data between at least one cloud or remote server 111, other voting machines 112, other systems for monitoring 112 other voting machines, or other third-party devices, via the communications unit 105 of the system 101. It is also conceivable that the voting machine 100, system 101, remote notification device 108, cloud or remote server 111, other voting machines 112, and other systems 113 can effectively exchange data with each other via wired or wireless means using an at least one communications protocol. For example, the voting machine 100 can send alerts or notifications locally to a notification device 107 or to a remote notification device 108 which is in a different geographic area or connected to a different communications network.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows the flow chart of the method for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine. The method comprises the steps of: detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data via an at least one environment sensor (step 200); detecting and acquiring navigation data via an at least one navigation sensor (step 201); processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data via an at least one processing unit, connected to the said environment sensor and the said navigation sensor (step 202); detecting an unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine via the processing unit using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data (step 203); exchanging data from the system to an at least one third-party device via an at least one communications unit connected to the said processing unit (step 204); allowing interaction between the said processing unit and an at least one user via an at least one user interface connected to the said processing unit (step 205); providing an at least one notification to the user or an at least one operator, if the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine is detected (step 206); and optionally activating an at least one security procedure, if the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine is detected (step 207).

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the notification in step 206 can be an audible or visual alert for informing one or more users and / or operators of a possible unauthorized access or attempt to tamper the voting machine as identified by the processing unit. The audible alert or alarm can be embedded, coupled, integrated, or connected to the voting machine such as beep, siren, chime, buzzer, melodic, and / or horn alarms. The visual alert can then be one or more LED indicators, flashing lights, strobe lights, screen notifications, warning icons, light bars, projection alerts, backlit displays, rotating beacons, signal flags, or combinations thereof. The security procedure in step 207, according to the preferred embodiments of the invention, pertains to corrective actions that the voting machine can perform preferably via the processing unit 104 such as, but is not limited to:

[0042] - the sending of the voting machine's GPS coordinates or location data to an at least one user, operator, and / or election officer;

[0043] - suspending the operations of the voting machine;

[0044] - locking the interface to prevent the access to the user interface of the voting machine and / or the system;

[0045] - performing at least one data protection measure such as data encryption, data wipe, and / or a secure communication lockdown;

[0046] - performing at least one physical safety action such as a lockdown mode, and / or voting machine movement restriction;

[0047] - activating one or more cameras to stream live video of the voting machine's surroundings;

[0048] - performing at least one fail-safe action such as a power shutdown and / or safe mode activation; and / or

[0049] - performing at least one forensic evidence collection such as the recording of all interactions which includes the timestamps, access attempts, and / or tampering methods.

[0050] It is contemplated for embodiments described herein to extend to individual elements and concepts described herein, independently of other concepts, ideas or system, as well as for embodiments to include combinations of elements recited anywhere in this application. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. As such, many variations and modifications will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. Illustrative embodiments such as those depicted refer to a preferred form but are not limited to its constraints and are subject to modification and alternative forms. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents. Moreover, it is contemplated that a feature described either individually or as part of an embodiment may be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments, even if the other features and embodiments make no mention of the said feature. Hence, the absence of describing combinations should not preclude the inventor from claiming rights to such combinations.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system (101) for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine (100), comprising: an at least one environment sensor (102) for detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data; an at least one navigation sensor (103) for detecting and acquiring navigation data; an at least one processing unit (104), connected to the said environment sensor (102) and the said navigation sensor (103), for processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data; an at least one communications unit (105), connected to the said processing unit (104), for exchanging data from the system to an at least one third-party device; and an at least one user interface (106), connected to the said processing unit (104), for allowing interaction between the said processing unit (104) and an at least one user; wherein the processing unit (104) is further configured to activate an at least one security procedure when an unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine (100) is detected using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal condition data includes a battery level, a voltage level, an operation status, a memory capacity level, a network connection status, or combinations thereof; wherein the external condition data includes temperature, humidity, vibration, pressure, shocks, load, proximity, image, or combinations thereof; and wherein the navigation data includes at least the location data, GPS coordinates, logistics data, movement data of the voting machine, or combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the security procedure can be one or more corrective actions such as but is not limited to:- the sending of the voting machine's (100) GPS coordinates or location data to an at least one user, operator, and / or election officer;- suspending the operations of the voting machine (100);- locking the user interface (106) to prevent the access to the said user interface (106) of the voting machine (100) and / or the system (101); and / or- performing an at least one data protection measure such as data encryption, data wipe, and / or a secure communication lockdown via the processing unit (104).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the security procedure can be one or more corrective actions such as but is not limited to:- performing an at least one physical safety action such as a lockdown mode, and / or voting machine movement restriction via the processing unit (104);- activating one or more cameras to stream live video of the voting machine's (100) surroundings;- performing an at least one fail-safe action such as a power shutdown and / or safe mode activation of the voting machine (100) and / or the system (101); and / or- performing an at least one forensic evidence collection such as the recording of all interactions which includes the timestamps, access attempts, and / or tampering methods via the processing unit (104).

5. A method for monitoring condition data and location data of a voting machine, comprising the steps of: detecting and acquiring internal condition data and external condition data via an at least one environment sensor; detecting and acquiring navigation data via an at least one navigation sensor; processing the acquired internal and external condition data, and the navigation data via an at least one processing unit, connected to the said environment sensor and the said navigation sensor; detecting an unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine via the processing unit using at least the processed internal condition data, external condition data, and / or the navigation data;exchanging data from the system to an at least one third-party device via an at least one communications unit connected to the said processing unit; allowing interaction between the said processing unit and an at least one user via an at least one user interface connected to the said processing unit; - providing an at least one notification to the user or an at least one operator, if the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine is detected; and optionally activating an at least one security procedure, if the unauthorized access or attempt to tamper with the voting machine is detected.

Images