12,271,508 - Method and system for processing a document and validating data integrity and reliability of document processing results
Abstract:A method and apparatus are provided for processing a document and validating data integrity and reliability of document processing results. The document includes one or more data collection areas which are located in and are part of the document and which are configured to receive input by a person who enters information in the one or more data collection areas, and a unique identifier which is located in and is part of the document. In operation, a document is received at the document distributor which distributes an electronic representation of the document to each of two or more document processing systems, each of which has an associated database. Processing of the document is initiated in each of the two or more document processing systems by reading the unique identifier of the document, interpreting any inputted information in the one or more data collection areas, and updating the associated database for each of the two or more document processing systems with document processing results including the read unique identifier of the document, and any interpreted inputted information. A hash value is computed in each of the two or more document processing systems, for each of the document processing results. A validation engine matches the computed hash values. The validation engine validates data integrity and reliability of the document processing results when the computed hash values match. The processing of the document in the database of each of the two or more document processing systems is then finalized when the data integrity and reliability of the document processing results has been validated. In one embodiment, the document is an election ballot.