METHOD FOR ENCODING AN ORIENTATION INDEPENDENT DOT-BASED DATA PACKAGE TEMPLATE

• US 20080067259A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,804 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

Provided is a method for encoding an orientation-independent dot based data package template for printing on a carrier. The method includes the step of allocating a number of background entries for printing as background dots on the carrier to define a constant background pattern detectable by a reader. The background pattern has an orientation component to indicate an orientation of the carrier to said reader. The method also includes the step of allocating a number of data entries for printing as data dots in a data area on the carrier for detection by the reader. The pattern and data area defines an arbitrary shaped data package indicating how the data itself is stored as dots within the data package.

Claims

1. A method for encoding an orientation-independent dot based data package template for printing on a carrier, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating a number of background entries for printing as background dots on the carrier to define a constant background pattern detectable by a reader, said background pattern having an orientation component to indicate an orientation of the carrier to said reader; and

allocating a number of data entries for printing as data dots in a data area on the carrier for detection by the reader, said pattern and data area defining an arbitrary shaped data package indicating how the data itself is stored as dots within the data package.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps of allocating the background entries and data entries are carried out in real-time during printing.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of allocating the data entries includes the step of allocating redundancy data for error correction by the reader.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, which includes writing a bi-level data bitstream to a bi-level First-In-First-Out (FIFO) memory for subsequent printing.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, which includes reducing a data storage footprint in the memory using double indirection.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orientation component is in a predetermined position with respect to the data area.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package is encoded for two-dimensional printing.