Method and system for creating and using redundant and high capacity barcodes

• US 20060196950A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pisafe, Inc.
• Inventors: Kiliccote, Han
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06075 the marking containing means for error correction
• 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 7/1473 error correction

Abstract

Methods and systems for creating and using redundant and very high capacity barcodes are presented. An individual barcode can include one or more finder patterns, one or more position detection patterns, one or more alignment patterns, one or more orientation detection patterns, one or more format and version information patterns, and one or more modules, where each of these sections can be of a separate size, shape, color and location from the other of these sections. Each individual barcode can be encoded with a separate chunk of data. The individual barcodes can be combined into a composite barcode, which can have patterns and modules used can include many different sizes, shapes, colors and locations of such patterns and modules within the barcode. The individual and composite barcodes can be used to transfer data to a capture device. Original data can be expanded and divided into chunks of data. The chunks of data can be encoded into individual or composite barcodes and then sequentially displayed as a moving image. A device can capture each frame of the moving image of barcodes and decode them into chunks. The original data can then be derived from the decoded chunks of data.

Claims

1. A method for transferring information, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing a set of data that contains interrelated elements into a plurality of chunks of data, wherein the plurality of chunks allows for transference of the set of data; and

encoding each of the plurality of chunks of data into an individual barcode to obtain a plurality of individual barcodes.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of expanding original data to result in the set of data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expanding includes adding a checksum to the original data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding padding bits to the original data such that, when the set of data is divided, each of the plurality of chunks of data will be of an approximately equal size.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the equal size is between about 64 bits and about 200 kilobits.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expanding includes adding data redundancy to the set of data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data redundancy can be added using at least one scheme selected from a set of schemes, the set of schemes including a sharing scheme, a digital fountain scheme, a threshold scheme, a data splitting scheme and a Reed Solomon scheme.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein adding the data redundancy includes dividing the plurality of chunks of data such that a subset of the plurality of chunks of data can be used to reconstruct the original data.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of expanding includes adding metadata to the set of data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the metadata added can be one or more elements selected from a group of elements, the group of elements including an assigned index and a minimum number of individual barcodes for the set of captured individual barcodes needed to reproduce the original data.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding data redundancy to the set of data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data redundancy can be added using at least one scheme selected from a set of schemes, the set of schemes including a sharing scheme, a digital fountain scheme, a threshold scheme, a data splitting scheme and a Reed Solomon scheme.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein adding the data redundancy includes dividing the plurality of chunks of data such that a subset of the plurality of chunks of data can be used to reconstruct the original data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding metadata to the set of data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the metadata added can be one or more elements selected from a group of elements, the group of elements including an assigned index and a minimum number of individual barcodes for the set of captured individual barcodes needed to reproduce the original data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the equal size is between about 64 bits and about 200 kilobits.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying the plurality of individual barcode;

capturing a set of the displayed barcodes;

decoding the set of captured barcodes into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the set of displayed barcodes includes all of the individual barcodes;

the set of the plurality of chunks of data includes all of the plurality of chunks of data; and

the combined data is the set of data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one individual barcode per frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in groups of two or more individual barcodes in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one group per frame.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of capturing uses one of a mobile phone camera and a computer video capture device.

24. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

displaying each individual barcode;

capturing a set of the displayed barcodes;

decoding the set of captured barcodes into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

25. The method of claim 24, further including the step of un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the set of displayed barcodes includes less than all of the individual barcodes;

the set of the plurality of chunks of data includes less than all of the plurality of chunks of data; and

the combined data is the set of data.

27. A method for transferring information, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of individual barcodes, wherein each individual barcode represents a chunk of data from a plurality of chunks of data that contain interrelated elements;

capturing a set of the displayed barcodes;

decoding the set of captured barcodes into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one individual barcode per frame.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in groups of two or more in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain, one group per frame.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of capturing uses one of a mobile phone camera and a computer video capture device.

33. The method of claim 27, further including the step of un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the set of displayed barcodes includes less than all of the individual barcodes;

the set of the plurality of chunks of data includes less than all of the plurality of chunks of data; and

the combined data is the set of data.

35. A method for transferring information, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing a set of data that contains interrelated elements into a plurality of chunks of data, wherein the plurality of chunks allows for transference of the set of data;

encoding each of the plurality of chunks of data into an individual barcode segment to obtain a plurality of individual barcode segments; and

merging the plurality of individual barcode segments into at least one composite barcode.

36. The method of claim 35, further including the step of expanding original data to result in the set of data.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of expanding includes adding a checksum to the original data.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding padding bits to the original data such that, when the set of data is divided, each of the plurality of chunks of data will be of an approximately equal size.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of expanding includes adding data redundancy to the set of data.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of expanding includes adding metadata to the set of data.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding data redundancy to the set of data.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the data redundancy can be added using at least one scheme selected from a set of schemes, the set of schemes including a sharing scheme, a digital fountain scheme, a threshold scheme, a data splitting scheme and a Reed Solomon scheme.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein adding the data redundancy includes dividing the plurality of chunks of data such that a subset of the plurality of chunks of data can be used to reconstruct the original data.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of expanding further includes adding metadata to the set of data.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the metadata added can be one or more elements selected from a group of elements, the group of elements including an assigned index and a minimum number of individual barcodes for the set of captured individual barcodes needed to reproduce the original data.

46. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

displaying the at least one composite barcode;

capturing a set of the displayed at least one composite barcode;

decoding the set of captured at least one composite barcode into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the at least one composite barcode in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one individual barcode per frame.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of capturing uses one of a mobile phone camera and a computer video capture device.

50. The method of claim 46, further including the step of un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

51. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

displaying the at least one composite barcodes;

capturing a set of the displayed at least one composite barcode;

decoding the set of captured at least one composite barcode into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

52. The method of claim 51, further including the steps of:

un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

53. A method for transferring information, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one composite barcodes, wherein the at least one composite barcode represents a plurality of chunks of data from a set of data that contain interrelated elements;

capturing a set of the displayed at least one composite barcode;

decoding the set of captured at least one composite barcode into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of displaying includes presenting the at least one composite barcode in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one individual barcode per frame.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of capturing uses one of a mobile phone camera and a computer video capture device.

57. The method of claim 53, further including the step of un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

58. A system for transferring information comprising:

means for dividing a set of data that contains interrelated elements into a plurality of chunks of data, wherein the plurality of chunks allows for transference of the set of data; and

means for encoding each of the plurality of chunks of data into an individual barcode to obtain a plurality of individual barcodes.

59. The system of claim 58, further including means for expanding original data to result in the set of data.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the means for expanding includes means for adding a checksum to the original data.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the means for expanding further includes means for adding padding bits to the original data such that, when the set of data is divided, each of the plurality of chunks of data will be of an approximately equal size.

62. The system of claim 59, wherein the means for expanding includes means for adding data redundancy to the set of data.

63. The system of claim 59, wherein the means for expanding includes means for adding metadata to the set of data.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for expanding further includes means for adding data redundancy to the set of data.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the means for expanding further includes means for adding metadata to the set of data.

66. The system of claim 58, further comprising:

means for displaying the plurality of individual barcode;

means for capturing a set of the displayed barcodes;

means for decoding the set of captured barcodes into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

means for combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the means for displaying includes means for presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one individual barcode per frame.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

69. The system of claim 66, wherein the means for displaying includes means for presenting the plurality of individual barcodes in groups of two or more individual barcodes in a sequential manner on a video display device at a certain frame rate, one group per frame.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the certain frame rate is at least approximately 20 frames per second.

71. The system of claim 66, wherein the means for capturing uses one of a mobile phone camera and a computer video capture device.

72. The system of claim 59, further comprising:

means for displaying each individual barcode;

means for capturing a set of the displayed barcodes;

means for decoding the set of captured barcodes into a set of the plurality of chunks of data; and

means for combining the decoded chunks into combined data.

73. The system of claim 72, further including means for un-expanding the combined data to result in the original data.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein:

the set of displayed barcodes includes less than all of the individual barcodes;

the set of the plurality of chunks of data includes less than all of the plurality of chunks of data; and

the combined data is the set of data.

75. An individual barcode, comprising:

a plurality of modules adapted for transferring a chunk of data, each of the plurality of modules having a predetermined location relative to other modules; and

a plurality of patterns adapted to facilitate recognition of the locations of each of the plurality of modules within the individual barcode,

wherein each of the patterns and the plurality of modules includes, a size, a shape, a color and a location within the individual barcode, such that the individual barcode includes a plurality of sizes, a plurality of shapes and a plurality of colors.

76. The individual barcode of claim 75, wherein the plurality of patterns includes:

a finder pattern;

one or more position detection patterns;

one or more orientation detection patterns; and

one or more format/version information patterns.