System method and apparatus using multiple resolution machine readable symbols
First Claim
1. A system arrangement using a multiple resolution optically encoded label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, said system comprising:
- a first plurality low resolution readers for decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said low resolution first information encoded data cells; and
a second plurality of high resolution readers for decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said low resolution first information encoded data cells and said high resolution second information encoded data cells.
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Abstract
A multiple resolution optically encoded label is readable at two or more optical resolutions, and is able to store two or more respective channels of optically encode information. Low resolution information is encoded in a plurality of large cells arranged in a predetermined geometric pattern. Each of the large cells includes a plurality of smaller cells for storing high resolution information. Method and apparatus are disclosed for encoding both high resolution data, and low resolution data, as well as for finding and reading both high resolution and low resolution data.
175 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system arrangement using a multiple resolution optically encoded label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, said system comprising:
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a first plurality low resolution readers for decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said low resolution first information encoded data cells; and a second plurality of high resolution readers for decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said low resolution first information encoded data cells and said high resolution second information encoded data cells.
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2. In a system arrangement using a multiple resolution optically encoded label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, a method comprising:
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decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said low resolution first information encoded data cells at a first location in said system; and decoding said optically encoded multiple resolution label to read said high resolution second information encoded data cells at a second location in said system.
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3. An item sorting system comprising:
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a multiple resolution optically encoded label on said item, said multiple resolution optically encoded label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, said low resolution first information encoded data cells encoding sorting information for said item, and said high resolution second information encoded data cells encoding other identifying information for said item;
means for decoding said multiple resolution optically encoded label to read said low resolution sorting information from said first information encoded data cells at a first location in said item sorting system; andmeans for sorting said item responsive to said decoded sorting information. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A method for use in an item sorting system, said method comprising:
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optically encoding a label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, said low resolution first information encoded data cells encoding sorting information for said item, and high resolution second information encoded data cells encoding other identifying information for said item; decoding said multiple resolution optically encoded label to read said low resolution sorting information from said first information encoded data cells at a first location in said item sorting system; and sorting said item responsive to said decoded sorting information. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. In a reader for reading an optically encoded multiple resolution label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, a method for reading said optically encoded multiple resolution label, said method comprising:
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capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of said optical encoded multiple resolution label anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; detecting the location of said optically encoded multiple resolution label within said stored two dimensional image; decoding said low resolution information encoded data cells; and decoding said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a reader for reading an optically encoded multiple resolution label having a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, an apparatus for reading said optically encoded multiple resolution label, said apparatus comprising:
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means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of said optical encoded multiple resolution label anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; means for detecting the location of said optically encoded multiple resolution label within said stored two dimensional image; means for decoding said low resolution information encoded data cells; and means for decoding said high resolution information encoded data cells. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a label printer for optically encoding a multiple resolution label encoding message information comprising a first plurality of message information data bits, a method comprising:
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encoding a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells on said label, the optical property of each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells being determined by said data bits of said message information; and encoding a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells on said label, at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A label printer for optically encoding a multiple resolution label encoding message information comprising a first plurality of message information data bits, said label printer comprising:
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means for encoding a first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells on said label, the optical property of each of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells being determined by said data bits of said message information; and means for encoding a second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells on said label, at least partially superimposed with said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, and encoding information independent of said first plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells, wherein each of said second plurality of high resolution information encoded data cells is smaller than each of said firs plurality of low resolution information encoded data cells. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification