Method and apparatus for recording digital information in two-dimensional pattern, carrier of digital information recorded thereby, and a method and apparatus for decoding such digital information

A digital information recording method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a planar recording surface having an information recording area, said information recording area defining a plurality of cells arranged in matrix form,
• providing each said cell with an optically recognizable mark such that said cells together form an optically readable, two-dimensional pattern filling said information recording area;
• said two-dimensional pattern comprising first portions wherein said cells respectively correspond to bits of digital information and second portions wherein said cells correspond to specific patterns that are spaced from each other, each said specific pattern consisting of a plurality of cells which are linked together and which are given optically recognizable marks in a respective pre-selected pattern;
• locating at least a predetermined one of said specific patterns in a region in an inner portion of said information recording area spaced from a perimeter of said information recording area, said predetermined pattern including at least one central cell representing a first value and a plurality of contiguous cells representing a second value and at least partially surrounding said central cell;
• and
• filling all regions of said information recording area other than the regions occupied by said specific patterns with digital information containing cells;
• wherein the cells which make up the predetermined pattern are the same size and shape as the cells which make up the first portions of said information recording area.

A digital information recording apparatus for recording digital information as a portion of a two-dimensional pattern filling an information recording area provided on a planar recording surface, wherein

• cells each having the same size and shape are defined in a matrix form in the information recording area, and
• the recording of digital information is executed by providing an optically recognizable mark, corresponding to the digital information, at each of the cells and providing at an inner portion of said information recording area specific patterns of cells, said specific patterns of cells including a predetermined pattern, said predetermined pattern including at least one central cell representing a first value and a plurality of contiguous cells representing a second value and at least partially surrounding said central cell, said digital information recording apparatus comprising:
• input means for inputting digital information to be recorded into the digital information recording apparatus;
• pattern generating means for generating a two-dimensional pattern of cells having the same size and shape to be printed onto said information recording area of said recording surface, by placing specific patterns of said cells within and spaced from the perimeter of the information recording area to be printed, the specific patterns being each formed of a plurality of contiguous cells provided with optically recognizable marks in a respective pre-selected pattern, and by placing digital information in all regions of the two-dimensional pattern to be printed in the information recording area other than the regions occupied by the specific patterns by encoding the cells located therein with optically recognizable marks respectively corresponding to bits of said digital information;
• and
• printing means for printing the two-dimensional pattern generated by the pattern generating means onto the recording surface.

A digital information recording carrier, comprising:

• a planar recording surface having an information recording area in which cells are defined in a matrix form, each cell being provided with an optically recognizable mark so that a two-dimensional pattern filling the information recording area is formed;
• wherein said two-dimensional pattern includes specific patterns, each consisting of a plurality of cells which are linked together and which are given optically recognizable marks in respective pre-selected patterns, said specific patterns including a predetermined pattern which is placed in an inner portion of said information recording area, spaced from a perimeter of said information recording area, said predetermined pattern including at least one central cell representing a first value and a plurality of contiguous cells representing a second value and at least partially surrounding said central cell,
• wherein said specific patterns are spaced from each other, and said information recording area comprises first data areas of a polygonal shape at comers of which said specific patterns are disposed, respectively, and second data areas which are disposed along sides of each first data area and between said specific patterns and which are continuous both with said first data areas and with said specific patterns, said first and second data areas containing the digital information to be read;
• and
• wherein the cells contained in said first and second data areas are the same size and shape as the cells making up said specific patterns.

A digital information recording method, comprising the steps of:

• defining cells in a matrix form filling an information recording area provided within a planar recording surface;
• placing specific patterns at least in an interior of the information recording area, said specific patterns being spaced from each other and from a perimeter of the information recording area, wherein each specific pattern consists of a plurality of cells which are linked together and which are given optically recognizable marks in a pre-selected respective pattern, wherein said specific patterns placed in the interior, and spaced from the perimeter of the information recording area, include a predetermined pattern having at least one central cell representing a first value and a plurality of contiguous cells representing a second value and at least partially surrounding said central cell;
• and
• providing each of the cells present in regions of the information recording area other than regions thereof occupied by the specific patterns with an optically recognizable mark corresponding to digital information to be recorded so that the digital information is recorded in the information recording area as a two-dimensional pattern,
• wherein, after the digital information has been recorded, said information recording area comprises first data areas of a polygonal shape at corners of which said specific patterns are disposed, respectively, and second data areas which are disposed along sides of each first data area and between said specific patterns and which are continuous both with said first data areas and with said specific patterns, said first and second data areas containing said digital information, and
• wherein the cells contained in said first and second data areas are the same size and shape as the cells making up said specific patterns.

A digital information recording apparatus for recording a two-dimensional pattern filling an information recording area provided within a planar recording surface, wherein

• cells define a matrix form in the information recording area, and
• recording of digital information is executed by providing an optically recognizable mark, corresponding to the digital information, at each of selected ones of the cells, and providing at an inner portion of said information recording area specific patterns of cells, said specific patterns including a predetermined pattern of cells, said predetermined pattern including at least one central cell representing a first value and a plurality of contiguous cells representing a second value and at least partially surrounding said central cell, said digital information recording apparatus comprising:
• input means for inputting digital information to be recorded into the digital information recording apparatus;
• pattern-generating means for generating a two-dimensional pattern to be printed onto the recording surface, by placing specific patterns inside of the information recording area, spaced from its perimeter and each other, the specific patterns being each formed of a plurality of contiguous cells provided with optically recognizable marks in a respective pre-selected pattern, and by placing the digital information in cells of the same size and shape as the cells forming each of the specific patterns in regions of the information recording area, other than regions occupied by the specific patterns;
• and
• printing means for printing the two-dimensional pattern, generated by the pattern-generating means, onto the recording surface such that after the two-dimensional pattern has been printed on the recording surface, said information recording area comprises first data areas of a polygonal shape at corners of which said specific patterns are disposed, respectively, and second data areas which are disposed along sides of each first data area and between said specific patterns and which are continuous both with said first data areas and with said specific patterns, said first and second data areas containing said digital information to be read.

A method of recording optically recognizable digital information within a polygonal region on a planar recording surface, which region comprises a multiplicity of polygonal cells filling said polygonal region, said method comprising:

• distributing over said region and spaced from each other, a plurality of predetermined reference patterns, each of which comprises a plurality of said cells, there being both reference patterns residing within each corner of said polygonal region and also a plurality of reference patterns distributed over said polygonal region spaced from the perimeter thereof;
• and
• recording within those of said cells not occupied by said predetermined reference patterns, digital information which is to be optically readable,
• wherein the cells which make up the predetermined reference patterns are the same size and shape as the cells which are used to record the digital information.

A digital information recording carrier, comprising:

• an information recording area on a recording surface of the carrier, which area comprises a continuous data recording area and one or more mutually spaced first pattern areas, wherein
• said data recording area consists of a multiplicity of cells, said cells representing optically readable digital data;
• said one or each first pattern area consists of a plurality of cells, said cells representing an optically readable specific pattern used for compensating deviations of positions of the cells in said data recording area;
• and
• said one or each first pattern area is entirely encompassed by said continuous data recording area such that no gap exists between said data recording area and said one or each first pattern area.