INFORMATION CODE, INFORMATION CODE PRODUCING METHOD, INFORMATION CODE READER, AND SYSTEM WHICH USES INFORMATION CODE

• US 20160042262A1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: TANAKA, Masami, YODA, Takuya, ITO, Kunihiko, YOSHIDA, Kenichi, USHIJIMA, Takao, WATABE, Motoaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,704,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/12 otherwise than by punching
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• 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 19/06075 the marking containing means for error correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06103 the marking being embedded in a human recognizable image, e.g. a company logo with an embedded two-dimensional code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning

Abstract

An information code producing apparatus produces a free space inside the code region of an information code arranged on a medium such as sheets of paper. The free space is arranged at a position other than specification pattern regions. Data being interpreted, which are expressed by cells, are not recorded in the free space. The free space has a preset size which is larger than that of a single cell. The information code producing apparatus detects the size of this free space by, at least, either selection from a plurality of candidate shapes prepared in advance or input of shape designating information provided from the outside.

Claims

1-95. -95. (canceled)

96. A method of producing an information code by an information code producing apparatus, cells being arranged inside a predetermined code region of a medium, each of the cells functioning as a unit of information,

the method comprising:

arranging, in the code region, i) a specification pattern region in which predetermined-shape specification patterns are arranged, the specification patterns including patterns indicating a position of the code area, and ii) a data recording region in which data are recorded using a plurality of types of the cells; and

configuring, in the code region, an image region to which a predetermined image recognition process is applied by the image information code reader.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein

the code region includes the specification pattern region, the data recording region, and an error-correction-code recording region in which error correction codes are recorded with a plurality of types of the cells, and

the image region is present in the code region.

98. The method of claim 96 comprising:

arranging, inside the code region, a free space at a position located outside both the specification pattern region and the data recording region, the free space having a size larger in area than a single cell of the cells, the free space having no data being interpreted based on the cells,

wherein the image region is present in the code region.

99. The method of claim 96, comprising:

recording, into the data recording region, position data showing a position of the image region which is located in the cord region, the image region should being recognized as an image by the information code reader.

100. The method of claim 96, comprising:

recording, into the data recording region, identification information showing that the image region is present in the code region, the image region should being recognized as an image by the information code reader.

101. The method of claim 96, wherein the image region recording step records the image region as a region in which a signature is recorded.

102. An information code, wherein cells are arranged inside a predetermined code region of a medium, each of the cells functioning as a unit of information, comprising:

a specification pattern region is arranged in the code region, predetermined-shape specification patterns being arranged in the specification pattern region, the specification patterns including patterns indicating a position of the code area;

a data recording region is arranged in the code region, data being recorded in the data recording region using a plurality of types of the cells; and

an image region is configured in the code region, a predetermined image recognition process being applied to the image region by the image information code reader.

103. The information code of claim 102, wherein

the specification pattern region, the data recording region, and an error correction code recording region in which an error correction code is recorded using a plurality of types of the cells;

and

the image region is configured so as to be present in the code region.

104. The information code of claim 102 wherein

a free space is disposed in a position other than the specification pattern region and the data recording region inside the code region, the free space being a region in which no data being interpreted is recorded by the cells, the free space having a predetermined size in area larger than a size of a single cell of the cells;

and

the image region is configured so as to be present inside the free space.

105. The information code of claim 102, wherein

position data is recorded in the data recording region, the position data showing a position of the image region which is located in the cord region.

106. The information code of claim 102, wherein

identification information is in the data recording region, the identification information indicating that the image region is present in the code region.

107. The information code of claim 102, wherein

the image region is configured as a region in which a signature is recorded.

108. An information code reader which reads an information code in which cells are arranged inside a predetermined code region of a medium, each of the cells functioning as a unit of information,

the information code comprising:

a specification pattern region arranged in the code region, predetermined-shape specification patterns being arranged in the specification pattern region, the specification patterns including patterns indicating a position of the code area;

a data recording region arranged in the code region, data being recorded in the data recording region using a plurality of types of the cells; and

an image region configured in the code region, an image different from an image based on the cells being provided in the image region, and

the information code reader comprising;

an imaging unit imaging the information code as a code image;

a data-recording-region reading section reading the data recorded in the data recording region based on contents of the data recording region provided in the code image of the information code when the information code is imaged by the imaging unit; and

an image processing section performs a process for recognizing an image of the image region provided in the code image, based on a method which is different from an interpretation process to be applied to the data performed by the data-recording-region reading section.

109. The information code reader of claim 108, wherein the information code comprises, in the code region, the specification pattern region, the data recording region, and an error-correction-code recording region in which error correction codes are recorded with a plurality of types of the cells, and the image region is present in the code region.

110. The information code reader of claim 108 wherein

the information code comprises, inside the code region, a free space at a position located outside both the specification pattern region and the data recording region, the free space having a size larger in area than a single cell of the cells, the free space having no data being interpreted based on the cells,

wherein the image region is present in the code region.

111. The information code reader of claim 108, wherein

the information code includes predetermined identification information in the data recording region, and

the image processing section performs the process for recognizing the image of the image region, based on results read from the data recording region by the data-recording-region reading section, when the identification information is recorded in the data recording region.

112. The information code reader of claim 108, wherein

the information code reader comprises a storage in which a pattern image is registered, the pattern image being compared with the image of the image region,

wherein the image processing section determines whether or not the image of the image region included in the code image corresponds to an image registered in the storage via a consistent judgment between the image of the image region and the pattern image registered in the storage.

113. The information code reader of claim 112, wherein

a signature image is registered in the storage as the pattern image;

and

the image processing section determines whether or not the image of the image region included in the code image corresponds to the signature image registered in the storage via a consistent judgment between the image of the image region and the signature image registered in the storage.

114. A system which uses an information code, comprising:

an information code producing apparatus producing an information code in which cells are arranged inside a predetermined code region of a medium, each of the cells functioning as a unit of information; and

an information code reader reading the information code produced by the information code producing apparatus,

wherein the information code producing apparatus produces the information code comprising;

a specification pattern region arranged in the code region, predetermined-shape specification patterns being arranged in the specification pattern region, the specification patterns including patterns indicating a position of the code area;

a data recording region arranged in the code region, data being recorded in the data recording region using a plurality of types of the cells; and

an image region configured in the code region, an image different from an image based on the cells being provided in the image region, and

wherein the information code reader comprises;

an imaging unit imaging the information code as a code image;

a data-recording-region reading section reading the data recorded in the data recording region based on contents of the data recording region provided in the code image of the information code when the information code is imaged by the imaging unit; and

an image processing section performs a process for recognizing an image of the image region provided in the code image, based on a method which is different from an interpretation process to be applied to the data performed by the data-recording-region reading section.