Composite code symbology

• US 20010045461A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Schuessler, Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 6,631,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06262 with target- or other orientation-indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1434 Barcodes with supplemental or add-on codes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new composite code symbology having two differently encoded information portions positioned adjacent to each other. The linking between the two portions is achieved by external link-flag that is adjacent to at least one of the encoded portions. The link-flag can extent past one or both of the encoded portions in order to enable skewed scanning of the composite label. Methods for encoding and decoding of the invented composite code that are read by optical readers are presented.

Claims

1. A composite optical indicia located on a substrate and containing information encoded therein which is designed to be read by an optical scanner, said composite optical indicia comprising:

a) a first indicia component containing a first information part;

b) a second indicia component containing a second information part located adjacent to said first indicia component; and

c) a link-flag located adjacent to at least one of said first and said second indicia components for associating said first and said second indicia components.

2. The composite optical indicia of

claim 1

, wherein said first indicia component is a one-dimensional bar code.

3. The composite optical indicia of

claim 1

, wherein said one-dimensional bar code is a Code39 type bar code.

4. The composite optical indicia of

claim 2

, wherein said second indicia component is a two-dimensional bar code.

5. The composite optical indicia of

claim 4

, wherein said two-dimensional bar code is a MicroPDF417 bar code.

6. The composite optical indicia of

claim 4

, wherein said two-dimensional bar code is a PDF417 bar code.

7. The composite optical indicia of

claim 1

, wherein said second indicia component is located along a first edge of said first indicia component.

8. The composite optical indicia of

claim 7

, wherein said link-flag is located adjacent to a second edge of said first indicia component.

9. The composite optical indicia of

claim 8

, wherein said link-flag is separated from said second edge of said first indicia component by a predetermined distance.

10. The composite optical indicia of

claim 9

, wherein said link-flag extends substantially parallel the second edge of first indicia component and past at least one of the first edge and a third edge of said first indicia component.

11. The composite optical indicia of

claim 1

, wherein said link-flag is a pattern of rectangular bars and spaces.

12. The composite optical indicia of

claim 11

, wherein said link-flag is at least one character pattern of a one-dimensional bar code.

13. The composite optical indicia of

claim 1

, wherein said first indicia component is a one-dimensional bar code, said second indicia component is a two-dimensional bar code, said link-flag is an external link-flag associating said one-dimensional bar code with said two-dimensional bar code and said two-dimensional bar code has an internal link-flag to associate said two-dimensional bar code with said one-dimensional bar code.

14. A method for encoding information into a composite optical indicia having a onedimensional indicia component and a two-dimensional indicia component, said method comprising the steps of:

encoding a first part of the information into said one-dimensional indicia component;

encoding a second part of the information into said two-dimensional indicia component; and

providing a link-flag positioned adjacent to said one-dimensional indicia component and said two-dimensional indicia component on a substrate for associating said one-dimensional indicia and said two-dimensional indicia components.

15. The method of

claim 14

, further comprising a step of positioning said two-dimensional bar code along a first edge of said one-dimensional bar code.

16. The method of

claim 15

, wherein the step of providing a link-flag includes positioning said link-flag a predetermined distance from a second edge of said one-dimensional indicia component.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein said link-flag extends substantially parallel to the second edge of said first indicia component and past at least one of the first edge and a third edge of said first indicia component.

18. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said link-flag is a rectangular pattern of bars and spaces.

19. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said link-flag is at least one character pattern of a one-dimensional bar code.

20. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said two-dimensional indicia component is a MicroPDF417 bar code.

21. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said two-dimensional indicia component is a PDF417 bar code.

22. The method of

claim 14

, wherein said link-flag is an external link-flag for one directionally associating said one-dimensional indicia component with said two-dimensional indicia component, and said two-dimensional indicia component has an internal link-flag for one-directionally associating said two-dimensional indicia component with said one-dimensional indicia component.

23. A method for decoding information encoded in an optical indicia located on a substrate using an optical reader, said method comprising the steps of:

a) locating a one-dimensional indicia component of said optical indicia;

b) decoding said one-dimensional indicia component of said optical indicia

c) locating a link-flag positioned adjacent said one-dimensional indicia;

d) decoding said link flag;

e) determining if said optical indicia is a composite optical code based upon information encoded in said link-flag;

f) finding a two-dimensional indicia component of said optical indicia located adjacent to said one-dimensional indicia component if in step (e) it was determined that said optical indicia is a composite code;

g) decoding said two-dimensional indicia component; and

h) combining information decoded from said one-dimensional and said two-dimensional indicia components.

24. The method of

claim 23

, further including the step of outputting said combined information in a predetermined format, said format including data characters that were not encoded in at least one of said one-dimensional indicia component and said two-dimensional indicia component.