US 2019/0171856 A1 · GENERATING AND READING OPTICAL CODES WITH VARIABLE DENSITY TO ADAPT FOR VISUAL QUALITY AND RELIABILITY

Abstract

The parameters of an optical code are optimized to achieve improved signal robustness, reliability, capacity and/or visual quality. An optimization program can determine spatial density, dot distance, dot size and signal component priority to optimize robustness. An optical code generator employs these parameters to produce an optical code at the desired spatial density and robustness. The optical code is merged into a host image, such as imagery, text and graphics of a package or label, or it may be printed by itself, e.g., on an otherwise blank label or carton. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of generating a machine readable optical code, the method comprising:

constructing an optical code comprising an encoded variable digital payload and configured with reference signal structure for geometric synchronization of the encoded variable digital payload;
mapping elements of the optical code to spatial locations of an output image, the mapping comprising:
a) finding an optical code element value having highest priority in the optical code and forming an optical code element in the output image at a spatial location of the optical code element found to have the highest priority;
b) forming additional optical elements in order of priority of the additional optical elements, with a constraint that the forming adheres to a spatial distance constraint;
and
rendering the output image on a substrate.

3 more elements

A method of generating a sparse machine readable 2D code, employing a message signal and a 2D reference signal, comprising the acts:

identifying a first set of locations in a 2D block, said locations corresponding to extrema of the 2D reference signal;
selecting a subset of said first set of locations in accordance with the message signal;
and
producing an output signal having marks at the selected subset of locations in an output signal block;
wherein the output signal serves as a sparse machine readable 2D code, in which the marks all represent extrema of the reference signal, and their selection represents the message signal.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/002,989Filed 7 Jun 2018

Priority

7 Nov 2017

Published

6 Jun 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06K 7/1417
The method being specifically adapted for the type of code: 2D bar codes
G06K 19/06037
With optically detectable marking: multi-dimensional coding
G06K 19/06103
Constructional details: the marking being embedded in a human recognizable image, e.g. a company logo with an embedded two-dimensional code
G06K
Graphical data reading

Family

Application62/582,871Us provisional application · filed 7 Nov 2017

Application62/634,898Us provisional application · filed 25 Feb 2018

Application62/659,641Us provisional application · filed 18 Apr 2018

Application62/670,562Us provisional application · filed 11 May 2018

Application62/673,738Us provisional application · filed 18 May 2018

US 10,896,307 B2Related patent

US 2019/0171856 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Generating and reading optical codes with variable density to adapt for visual quality and reliability

Life of this patent

Generating and reading optical codes with variable density to adapt for visual quality and reliability

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21