Polygonal information encoding article, process and system

A process for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image corresponding to a multiplicity of noncontiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising the steps of:

• (a) performing a two-dimensional clock recovery on said sensed label image to obtain a recovered clock signal;
• (b) utilizing said recovered clock signal of step (a) to locate the geometric centers of said polygons to identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (c) decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process.

A process for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image corresponding to a multiplicity of partially contiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising the steps of:

• (a) performing a two-dimensional clock recovery on said sensed label image to obtain a recovered clock signal
• (b) utilizing said recovered clock signal of step (a) to locate the geometric centers of said polygons to identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (c) decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process.

A combination optical mark sensing and decoding system, comprising:

• (a) an optically readable label for storing en-coded information comprising a multiplicity of information-encoded polygons having at least five sides, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a two-dimensional hexagonal array, and said polygons having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) means for illuminating a predetermined area;
• (c) means for optically imaging said predetermined illuminated area through which said label is arranged to pass and generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said polygons and striking each pixel of said imaging means;
• (d) means for converting said analog electrical signals into a sequenced digital bit stream corresponding to the intensities of light recorded by said pixels of said imaging means;
• (e) means for storing said digital bit stream for subsequent decoding of said label;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said digital bit stream, said decoding means producing an electrical output representative of the encoded information.

A combination optical mark sensing and decoding system, comprising:

• (a) an optically readable label for storing encoded information comprising a multiplicity of information-encoded polygons, said polygons noncontiguously-arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a two-dimensional hexagonal array, said polygons having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) means for illuminating a predetermined area;
• (c) means for optically imaging said predetermined illuminated area through which said label is arranged to pass and generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said polygons and striking each pixel of said imaging means;
• (d) means for converting said analog electrical signals into a sequenced digital bit stream corresponding to the intensities of light recorded by said pixels of said imaging means;
• (e) means for storing said digital bit stream for subsequent decoding of said label;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said digital bit stream, said decoding means producing an electrical output representative of the encoded information.

A combination optical mark sensing and decoding system, comprising:

• (a) an optically readable label for storing encoded information comprising a multiplicity of information-encoded triangles, said triangles arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent triangles lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said triangles having one of at least two different optical properties and further comprising a plurality of Concentric Rings, said Concentric Rings having alternating optical properties corresponding to at least two of the optical properties of said triangles;
• (b) means for illuminating a predetermined area;
• (c) means for optically imaging said predetermined illuminated area through which said label is arranged to pass and generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said triangles and striking each pixel of said imaging means;
• (d) means for converting said analog electrical signals into a sequenced digital bit stream corresponding to the intensities of light recorded by said pixels of said imaging means;
• (e) means for storing said digital bit stream for subsequent decoding of said label;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said digital bit stream, said decoding means producing an electrical output representative of the encoded information.

A combination optical mark sensing and decoding system, comprising:

• (a) an optically readable label for storing encoded information comprising a multiplicity of information-encoded polygons, said polygons noncontiguously-arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons, lying at the vertices of a two-dimensional hexagonal array, said polygons having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) means for illuminating a predetermined area;
• (c) means for optically imaging said predetermined illuminated area through which said label is arranged to pass and generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said polygons and striking each pixel of said imaging means;
• (d) means for converting said analog electrical signals into a sequenced digital bit stream corresponding to the intensities of light recorded by said pixels of said imaging means;
• (e) means for storing said digital bit stream for subsequent decoding of said label;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said digital bit stream, said decoding means producing an electrical output representative of the encoded information.

A combination optical mark sensing and decoding system, comprising:

• (a) an optically readable label for storing encoded information comprising a multiplicity of information-encoded polygons, said polygons partially contiguously-arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, said polygons having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) means for illuminating a predetermined area;
• (c) means for optically imaging said predetermined illuminated area through which said label is arranged to pass and generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said polygons and striking each pixel of said imaging means;
• (d) means for converting said analog electrical signals into a sequenced digital bit stream corresponding to the intensities of light recorded by said pixels of said imaging means;
• (e) means for storing said digital bit stream for subsequent decoding of said label;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said digital bit stream, said decoding means producing an electrical output representative of the encoded information.

An apparatus for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image of a multiplicity of noncontiguosly-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising:

• (a) means for performing a two-dimensional clock recovery on said sensed label image to obtain a recovered clock signal;
• (b) means for utilizing said recovered clock signal of step (a), to locate the geometric centers of said polygons and identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (c) means for decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process.

An apparatus for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image of a multiplicity of noncontiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising:

• (a) means for performing a nonlinear mapping operation on said digital signals to identify transitions between adjacent polygons having different optical properties;
• (b) means for performing a Fourier transformation on the nonlinear mapped digital signals to obtain a two-dimensional representation corresponding to the direction, spacing and intensity of optical property transitions of said polygons;
• (c) means for filtering said transformed nonlinear mapped digital signals to eliminate incorrect direction and spacing of optical property transitions of said polygons;
• (d) means for performing an inverse Fourier transformation of said filtered transformed nonlinear mapped digital signals to obtain said recovered clock signal;
• (e) means for utilizing said recovered clock signal to locate the geometric centers of said polygons and to identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process for said polygons.

An apparatus for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image of a multiplicity of partially contiguouslyarranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising:

• (a) means for performing a two-dimensional clock recovery on said sensed label image to obtain a recovered clock signal;
• (b) means for utilizing said recovered clock signal to locate the geometric centers of said polygons and identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (c) means for decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process.

An apparatus for decoding a stream of digital signals representing an electro-optically sensed label image of a multiplicity of partially contiguously-arranged polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising:

• (a) means for performing a nonlinear mapping operation on said digital signals to identify transitions between adjacent polygons having different optical properties;
• (b) means for performing a Fourier transformation on the nonlinear mapped digital signals to obtain a two-dimensional representation corresponding to the direction, spacing and intensity of optical property transitions of said polygons;
• (c) means for filtering said transformed nonlinear mapped digital signals to eliminate incorrect direction and spacing of optical property transitions of said polygons;
• (d) means for performing an inverse Fourier transformation of said filtered transformed non-linear mapped digital signals to obtain said recovered clock signal;
• (e) means for utilizing said recovered clock signal to locate the geometric centers of said polygons and identify the optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (f) means for decoding said polygons by performing the inverse of said encoding process for said polygons.

A process for encoding information in an optically readable label comprising a multiplicity of partially contiguously-arranged polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising the steps of:

• (a) assigning one of at least two optical properties to each polygon to create a plurality of partially contiguously-arranged polygons having different optical properties;
• (b) encoding the information by ordering the polygons in a predetermined sequence;
• and
• (c) printing each polygon in its assigned optical property.

A process for encoding information in an optically readable label comprising a multiplicity of contiguously-arranged polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined twodimensional array, said polygons having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising the steps of:

• (a) assigning one of at least two optical properties to each polygon to create a plurality of contiguouslyarranged polygons having different optical properties;
• (b) encoding the information by ordering the polygons in a predetermined sequence;
• and
• (c) printing each polygon in its assigned optical property.

A process for encoding information in an optically readable label comprising a multiplicity of noncontiguously-arranged polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties, comprising the steps of:

• (a) assigning one of at least two optical properties to each polygon to create a plurality of noncontiguously-arranged polygons having different optical properties;
• (b) encoding the information by ordering the polygons in a predetermined sequence;
• and
• (c) printing each polygon in its assigned optical property.

A process of storing and retrieving data, comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing on a label a multiplicity of partially contiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) illuminating said label;
• (c) optically sensing light reflected from said polygons with an electro-optical sensor;
• (d) generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said optical properties as sensed by individual pixels of said sensor;
• (e) converting said analog electrical signals into sequenced digital signals;
• (f) storing said digital signals in a storage medium connected to a computer to form a replica of said digital signals in said storage medium;
• (g) decoding said replica of said digital signals to retrieve the characteristics of the intensities, locations and orientations of the individual optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (h) generating a digital bit stream output from the computer representing the decoded information represented by the polygons.

A process of storing and retrieving data, comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing on a label a multiplicity of noncontiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons defining a multiplicity of interstitial spaces among said polygons, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a two-dimensional hexagonal array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties;
• (b) illuminating said label;
• (c) optically sensing light reflected from said polygons with an electro-optical sensor;
• (d) generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said optical properties as sensed by individual pixels of said sensor;
• (e) converting said analog electrical signals into sequenced digital signals;
• (f) storing said digital signals in a storage medium connected to a computer to form a replica of said digital signals in said storage medium;
• (g) decoding said replica of said digital signals to retrieve the characteristics of the intensities, locations and orientations of the individual optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (h) generating a digital bit stream output from the computer representing the decoded information represented by the polygons.

A process of storing and retrieving data, comprising the steps of:

• (a) printing on a label a multiplicity of contiguously-arranged polygons encoded in accordance with an encoding process, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional array, and said polygons and said interstitial spaces having one of at least two different optical properties,
• (b) illuminating said label;
• (c) optically sensing light reflected from said polygons with an electro-optical sensor;
• (d) generating analog electrical signals corresponding to the intensities of light reflected from said optical properties as sensed by individual pixels of said sensor;
• (e) converting said analog electrical signals into sequenced digital signals;
• (f) storing said digital signals in a storage medium connected to a computer to form a replica of said digital signals in said storage medium;
• (g) decoding said replica of said digital signals to retrieve the characteristics of the intensities, locations and orientations of the individual optical properties of said polygons;
• and
• (h) generating a digital bit stream output from the computer representing the decoded information represented by the polygons.