Barcode Encoding and Decoding

• US 20080048044A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Xiaoxuan, Shen, Yumin, Aday, Michael, Yan, George C., Liu, Binyi, Liu, Jiana
• Application Number:
  US11/467,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048044A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• 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 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code

Abstract

Techniques to encode and decode barcodes are described. In an implementation, characters included in content are divided into a plurality of blocks, such that each block is to include compressed or non-compressed characters. An indication is added to a header for each block that specifies whether the block includes compressed or non-compressed characters. Blocks which include non-compressed characters are encoded with a particular codepage. The indication of the non-compressed characters in the header does not reference the particular codepage.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dividing characters included in content into a plurality of blocks, wherein each said block is to include characters to be compressed or characters that are not to be compressed;

adding an indication in a header for each said block that specifies whether a respective said block includes compressed or non-compressed characters, wherein the indication of the non-compressed characters does not reference a particular codepage; and

encoding blocks that include non-compressed characters with the particular codepage.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the particular codepage is used to encode each said block of non-compressed characters in the content.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein a single codepage indication:

is included in the encoded content; and

references the particular codepage that was used to encode the compressed characters.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the indication that the respective said block includes non-compressed characters does not differentiate the particular codepage used to encode the non-compressed characters from another codepage that is also usable to encode non-compressed characters.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein one or more said headers added to respective said blocks having non-compressed characters include the indication of non-compressed characters and a character count indication but do not include an indication of the particular codepage used to encode the non-compressed characters.

6. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising encoding at least one block that includes non-compressed characters without using a codepage.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising encoding at least one block that includes—

compressed characters as a binary representation of a number corresponding to the compressed characters in the at least one block.

8. A method comprising:

generating a two-dimensional barcode; and

coloring the two-dimensional barcode to mimic an image.

9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the barcode is two dimensional such that data is encoded in at least two axis.

10. A method as described in claim 8, wherein data included in the two-dimensional barcode encodes binary data that is non-textual.

11. A method as described in claim 8, wherein:

the generating includes selecting from a plurality of shapes to be included in the barcode; and

each said shape is configured to assist in a particular function that involves reading of the encoded data from the two-dimensional barcode.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the functions are selected from the group consisting of:

error correction technique indication;

mask;

finder pattern;

alignment pattern; and

timing line.

13. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the coloring is performed such that portions of the two-dimensional barcode that correspond to portions of the image have corresponding colors.

14. A method as described in claim 8, wherein:

the coloring is performed such that two-dimensional barcode includes a plurality of layers; and

each said layer is defined by two or more colors used to encode data.

15. A method as described in claim 14, wherein data encoded in a first said layer does not match data encoded in a second said layer.

16. A method as described in claim 8, wherein:

the two-dimensional barcode is a Quick Response (QR) matrix barcode; and

the coloring is performed such that each dot of the two-dimensional barcode is chosen from at least three colors.

17. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the coloring includes use of at least three colors that mimic the image.

18. A method comprising:

receiving information; and

generating a two-dimensional barcode to encode the information using a plurality of layers, in which, each said layer is defined by two or more colors.

19. A method as described in claim 18, wherein:

the two-dimensional barcode is a Quick Response (QR) matrix barcode; and

the generating is performed such that each dot of the two-dimensional barcode is chosen from at least three colors.

20. A method as described in claim 18, wherein:

a first said layer is defined by two or more said colors that include black and white; and

a second said layer is defined by two or more other said colors that are not used to define the first said layer.

21. A method as described in claim 18, wherein at least one said layer of the two-dimensional barcode is configured to be compatible with a Quick Response (QR) matrix barcode.

22. One or more computer-readable media comprising executable instruction that, when executed, direct a client to locate a module based on an identifier found in a scanned image of a barcode, wherein the module is executable to render binary data encoded in the barcode.

23. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the binary data is configured as content selected from a group consisting of:

audio content;

video content; and

multimedia content

24. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the barcode is a two-dimensional barcode such that data is encoded in at least two axes in the barcode.