Polygonal information encoding article, process and system

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 having at least five sides, said polygons arranged with the geometric centers of adjacent polygons lying at the vertices of a predetermined two-dimensional 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 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;
• (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 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.

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 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.