METHOD OF ENCODING CODING PATTERN

• US 20100085607A1
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/539,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/3.280
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes

Abstract

A method of encoding a coding pattern for disposition on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises the step of: co-encoding, in a merged data symbol, a first individual data symbol from a first codeword with at least a second individual data symbol from a second codeword. The merged data symbol is represented on the surface by a plurality of data elements disposed thereon.

Claims

1. A method of encoding a coding pattern for disposition on a surface of a substrate, said method comprising the step of:

co-encoding, in a merged data symbol, a first individual data symbol from a first codeword with at least a second individual data symbol from a second codeword, wherein said merged data symbol is represented on said surface by a plurality of data elements disposed thereon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said co-encoding minimizes a number of said data elements disposed on said surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said co-encoding minimizes visible coloration of said surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said merged data symbol is represented by said data elements using pulse position modulation (PPM).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said data elements are macrodots, and wherein each merged data symbol is represented by m macrodots, each of said macrodots occupying a respective position from a plurality of predetermined possible positions p within said merged data symbol, the respective positions of said macrodots representing one of a plurality of possible data values, wherein m is an integer value of 1 or more, and p>

m.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said coding pattern comprises a plurality of said merged data symbols.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing said merged data symbol onto said surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each merged data symbol encodes a coordinate data symbol from a coordinate codeword and a common data symbol from a common codeword.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each merged data symbol encodes an x-coordinate data symbol from an x-coordinate codeword, a y-coordinate data symbol from a y-coordinate codeword and a common data symbol from a common codeword.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said common codeword encodes information common to an extended region of the surface, wherein said information is selected from the group consisting of:

a region identity, an encoding format, a region flag, a pattern scale identifier and a CRC.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second individual data symbols are symbols from different error-correcting codes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said different error-correcting codes are selected from the group consisting of:

Reed-Solomon codes, binary codes, simplex codes and cyclic position codes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said cyclic position codes use a cyclic code sequence, and wherein a w-bit subsequence of said cyclic code sequence defines a codeword.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the cyclic code sequence is an m-sequence or a simplex code.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said cyclic code sequence has a length n and a dimension k, and wherein:

n>

w>

k.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the w-bit subsequence of said cyclic code sequence defines a coordinate codeword.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each merged data symbol in a set of said merged data symbols encodes a coordinate data symbol from said coordinate codeword, each coordinate data symbol encoding one bit of said w-bit subsequence.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said first individual data symbol is a multi-bit data symbol and said second individual data symbol is a 1-bit data symbol.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first individual data symbol is a Reed-Solomon data symbol from a Reed-Solomon codeword.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said coding pattern comprises a plurality of target elements defining a target grid, said target grid comprising a plurality of cells, each cell defining a symbol group containing one or more of said merged data symbols, wherein neighboring symbol groups share target elements.