Method of generating a two-dimensional code with a constant background pattern

• US 20050109852A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,310,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06168 the marking being a concentric barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06262 with target- or other orientation-indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1421 Circular bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore

Abstract

A method of generating a two-dimensional code includes the steps of allocating a number of background entries on a carrier for a constant background pattern detectable by a reader. Background dots are printed on the carrier to define the background pattern. A number of data entries are allocated on the carrier for a data area in which data represented by the two-dimensional code is carried. An array of data dots, detectable by the reader, is printed in the data area to represent said data.

Claims

1. A method of generating a two-dimensional code that comprises the steps of:

allocating a number of background entries on a carrier for a constant background pattern detectable by a reader;

printing background dots on the carrier to define the background pattern;

allocating a number of data entries on the carrier for a data area in which data represented by the two-dimensional code is carried; and

printing an array of data dots, detectable by the reader, in the data area to represent said data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of printing the background dots is carried out so that the background pattern includes a locator component that is substantially independent of an orientation of the carrier, the locator component being in a predetermined position with respect to the data area.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of printing the background dots is carried out so that the background pattern includes an orientation component, detectable by a reader and having an asymmetric shape so as to indicate an orientation of the carrier.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of allocating the data entries includes the step of allocating data entries for data representing at least one parameter of the data area.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which the step of allocating the data entries includes the step of allocating data entries for data representing at least one dimension of the data area.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which the step of allocating the data entries includes the step of allocating data entries for data representing a number of data bits associated with each data area.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which the step of allocating the data entries includes the step of allocating data entries for data representing a redundancy encoding for data in the data area.