COVERT BAR CODE PATTERN DESIGN AND DECODING

• US 20140209685A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Venkatesha, Sharath, Au, Kwong Wing
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.04
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06131 the marking comprising a target pattern, e.g. for indicating the center of the bar code or for helping a bar code reader to properly orient the scanner or to retrieve the bar code inside of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0614 the marking being selective to wavelength, e.g. color barcode or barcodes only visible under UV or IR methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers using a selected wavelength, see G06K7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1434 Barcodes with supplemental or add-on codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image

Abstract

Devices, methods, and systems for covert bar code pattern design and decoding are described herein. One covert bar code includes detector code and decoder code. The detector code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material, and the decoder code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material.

Claims

1. A covert bar code, comprising:

detector code, wherein the detector code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material; and

decoder code, wherein the decoder code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material.

2. The covert bar code of claim 1, wherein:

the responsive absorptive material of the detector code and the responsive absorptive material of the decoder code respond to wavelengths of infrared, near infrared, and/or ultraviolet radiation; and

the responsive reflective material of the detector code and the responsive reflective material of the decoder code respond to wavelengths of infrared, near infrared, and/or ultraviolet radiation.

3. The covert bar code of claim 1, wherein:

the detector code is a reference code used to detect the presence and location of the covert bar code; and

the decoder code includes information to be decoded by a bar code imager.

4. The covert bar code of claim 1, wherein the detector code and/or the decoder code includes alternating responsive absorptive and responsive reflective materials.

5. The covert bar code of claim 1, wherein the detector code and/or the decoder code includes consecutive responsive absorptive materials and/or consecutive responsive reflective materials.

6. The covert bar code of claim 1, wherein the covert bar code is a two-dimensional bar code.

7. The covert bar code of claim 6, wherein the detector code and/or the decoder code includes geometrical shapes and/or patterns.

8. The covert bar code of claim 6, wherein the decoder code is located in an area defined by the detector code.

9. The covert bar code of claim 6, wherein a design, shape, and/or size of the decoder code is based on an amount of information included in the decoder code.

10. The covert bar code of claim 6, wherein the decoder code includes a pattern of binary information defined by the responsive absorptive material of the decoder code and the responsive reflective material of the decoder code.

11. A system for detecting and decoding a covert bar code, comprising:

a scanner configured to capture a covert bar code, wherein the covert bar code includes;

detector code, wherein the detector code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material; and

decoder code, wherein the decoder code includes a combination of responsive absorptive material and responsive reflective material; and

a pattern locator and detector configured to;

search the captured covert bar code for the presence of the detector code; and

decode the decoder code upon establishing the presence of the detector code.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the scanner includes:

an illuminator configured to emit infrared and ultraviolet light of different wavelengths; and

a camera responsive to the different wavelengths of infrared and ultraviolet light emitted by the illuminator.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the pattern locator and detector is configured to determine a location of the detector code in the image.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the pattern locator and detector is configured to decode the decoder code by:

determining a bounding shape and/or size of the decoder code; and

applying a decoder algorithm on the decoder code enclosed in the bounding shape and/or size.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the pattern locator and detector is configured to determine the bounding shape and/or size of the decoder code using the detector code.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the pattern locator and detector is configured to determine an orientation of the decoder code using the detector code.

17. A method for detecting and decoding a covert bar code, comprising:

locating a detector code pattern of a covert bar code in an image, wherein the detector code pattern includes a combination of infrared or ultraviolet absorptive material and infrared or ultraviolet reflective material;

determining an alignment of a decoder code pattern of the covert bar code based on the detector bar code pattern, wherein the decoder code pattern includes a combination of infrared or ultraviolet absorptive material and infrared or ultraviolet reflective material;

decoding bit information of the decoder code pattern; and

assembling the decoded bit information to form a binary code.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the alignment of the decoder code pattern includes at least one of:

a bounding area of the decoder code pattern;

a shape of the decoder code pattern; and

a size of the decoder code pattern.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the alignment of the decoder code pattern includes pixel locations of information encoded by the decoder code pattern.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes determining the alignment of the decoder code pattern based on at least one of:

a start and/or end of the detector code pattern;

a shape of the detector code pattern; and

an intensity of the detector code pattern.