Method for printing and reading for orthogonal bar code patterns

• US 5,298,731 A
• Filed: 12/23/1992
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ett, Allen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Young, Adrian
• Application Number:
  US07/996,292
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/494, 235/463, 235/466, 283/70, 283/74
• US Class Current: 235/462.02
• 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 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 235/901 Bar code reader specialized to read code on a highly reflective surface

Abstract

A data processing system, and method combine two alphanumeric data streams into a single bar code representation. Storing a first conversion table converts a first sequence of alphanumeric characters into a corresponding sequence of first bar code characters having character widths modulated in a first direction. A second conversion table converts a second sequence of alphanumeric characters into a corresponding sequence of second bar code characters having character heights modulated in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The system outputs a composite bar code sequence to represent both the first and the second sequence of alphanumeric characters.

Claims

1. In a data processing system, a method for combining two alphanumeric data streams into a single bar code representation, comprising the steps of:

storing a first conversion table in said data processing system, for converting a sequence of alphanumeric characters in an alphanumeric character data stream into a corresponding sequence of first bar code characters having character widths modulated in a first direction along said sequence of bar code characters;

storing a second conversion table in said data processing system, for converting a sequence of alphanumeric characters in an alphanumeric character data stream into a corresponding sequence of second bar code characters in said first direction having character heights modulated in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction;

inputting a first alphanumeric character data stream and a second alphanumeric character data stream into said data processing system;

converting said first alphanumeric character data stream in said data processing system using said first conversion table, into a first sequence of first bar code characters having character widths modulated along said first direction;

converting said second alphanumeric character data stream in said data processing system using said second conversion table, into a second sequence of second bar code characters having character heights modulated along said second direction;

adjusting the height in said second direction, of selected ones of said first barcode characters in said first sequence, using the height in said second direction of each of said second characters in said second sequence, to produce a composite barcode sequence;

outputting said composite barcode sequence from said data processing system, to represent both said first and said second alphanumeric character data stream.

2. The method of claim 1, which further comprises:

inputting into a second data processing system, said composite barcode sequence from said first said data processing system;

reading said character widths of said composite barcode sequence to produce a first modulated signal in said second data processing system;

converting said first modulated signal into a reproduction of said first alphanumeric character data stream in said second data processing system;

reading said character heights of said composite barcode sequence to produce a second modulated signal in said second data processing system;

converting said second modulated signal into a reproduction of said second alphanumeric character data stream in said second data processing system.

3. A data processing system for combining two alphanumeric data streams into a single bar code representation, comprising:

storage means for storing a first conversion table in said data processing system, for converting a sequence of alphanumeric characters in an alphanumeric character data stream into a corresponding sequence of first bar code characters having character widths modulated in a first direction along said sequence of bar code characters;

said storage means storing a second conversion table in said data processing system, for converting a sequence of alphanumeric characters in an alphanumeric character data stream into a corresponding sequence of second bar code characters in said first direction having character heights modulated in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction;

input means for inputting a first alphanumeric character data stream and a second alphanumeric character data stream into said data processing system;

converting means coupled to said storage means and said input means, for converting said first alphanumeric character data stream in said data processing system using said first conversion table, into a first sequence of first bar code characters having character widths modulated along said first direction;

said converting means converting said second alphanumeric character data stream in said data processing system using said second conversion table, into a second sequence of second bar code characters having character heights modulated along said second direction;

adjusting means coupled to said converting means, for adjusting the height in said second direction, of selected ones of said first barcode characters in said first sequence, using the height in said second direction of each of said second characters in said second sequence, to produce a composite barcode sequence;

output means coupled to said adjusting means, for outputting said composite barcode sequence from said data processing system, to represent both said first and said second alphanumeric character data stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, which further comprises:

second input means for inputting into a second data processing system, said composite barcode sequence from said first said data processing system;

reading means coupled to said second input means, for reading said character widths of said composite barcode sequence to produce a first modulated signal in said second data processing system;

second converting means coupled to said reading means, for converting said first modulated signal into a reproduction of said first alphanumeric character data stream in said second data processing system;

said reading means reading said character heights of said composite barcode sequence to produce a second modulated signal in said second data processing system;

said second converting means converting said second modulated signal into a reproduction of said second alphanumeric character data stream in said second data processing system.

5. In a data processing system a method of combining two individual data streams into a single combined bar code where the information is carried by orthogonal means of modulation, which permits the separation of the two elements of modulation into two separate data streams during the reading process without interaction, comprising the steps of:

inputting two separate data streams of Alphanumeric data, or Binary data at a first or printing station;

storing at said first station , a translation table which is addressable by said character data stream, said table storing a binary bit representation of said bar code character image corresponding to said alphanumeric character;

modifying said binary bit representation, to change the bar heights according to a second translation table, or directly from binary input, such that a logical 1 produces a full height bar, and a logical zero a half height bar;

storing the modified bit map images of said bar code characters in a bit map image comprised of all previous characters, until all input characters have been processed;

transmitting said bit map image together with appropriate control codes to a printer driver means;

transferring the bit map image of said plurality of character bar code images to an all points addressable printing means in its particular graphics printing format;

producing a bar code image comprising a horizontal component and a vertical component where the horizontal component contains the bit map image of the first data input stream and the vertical component contains the bit map image in the height of the bars corresponding to the data in the first input stream.

6. The method of claim 5 which further comprises the steps of;

merging the said stored bar code bit map into an electronic bit map representation of a document image so as to code the image and any later stored copies of the image with identification information in machine readable form.

10. Apparatus for performing the methods of claim 5, comprising;

a data input means, or a plurality of data input means which can produce a plurality of independent data streams consisting of alphanumeric codes or binary data;

means for converting the plurality of input data streams to a single bar code pattern in which all of the code components are orthogonal and non-interacting;

means for printing the bar code pattern onto a substrate.

7. In a data processing system a method of combining two individual data streams into a single combined bar code where the information is carried by orthogonal means of modulation, which permits the separation of the two elements of modulation into two separate data streams during the reading process without interaction, comprising the steps of:

inputting two separate data streams of Alphanumeric data, or Binary data at a first or printing station;

storing at said first station , a translation table which is addressable by said character data stream, said table storing a binary representation of the bar patterns and space patterns of said alphanumeric characters from said character data stream;

storing at said first station, a table containing a bit map representation of each possible code bar and space in both full and half height corresponding to matrix selection codes from a font set;

storing at said first station a translation table containing the character codes in a matrix format addressable by the said binary representation of the bar patterns and by the binary representation of the second said data stream;

said table outputting a series of code matrix position codes corresponding to the code matrix position of the said font set;

downloading said font table containing the said bar and space bit map images to a printing means capable of executing downloaded type fonts;

transmitting said code matrix position codes to a printer driver module;

the said printer driver module controlling the transfer of the font character selection codes to said printing means;

the said printing means consisting of an all points addressable printer producing a paper copy of the combined bar code patterns.

8. In a data processing system a method of reading a bar code consisting of two components corresponding to two individual bar code patterns combined into a single bar code where the information is carried by orthogonal means of modulation, which permits the separation of the two elements of modulation into two separate data streams during the reading process without interaction, comprising the steps of:

scanning the said bar code pattern, converting said pattern into a bit image representation of said pattern;

locating the said bar code pattern within the scanned bit map image;

processing said bit map image to measure the widths and height of all code bars within said pattern and the width of all inter-bar spaces;

storing a first conversion table addressable by the resulting bar widths and space widths wherein is also stored the character codes corresponding to each pattern of bar and space width;

storing a second conversion table addressable by the said bar height information containing output codes for various combinations of bar height;

converting the said measured bar widths and spaces into a data character code by means of the said first conversion table;

converting the said measured bar heights into either a data character or a binary data stream by means of said second conversion table;

outputting the detected character codes to display means, or printing means or control means.

9. The method of claim 8 which further comprises the steps of;

locating the said bar code pattern in a bit map representation of a document image stored in the data processing system also being used for image storage and retrieval;

extracting the bar code portion of the document image for use as input to said bar code processing logic for interpretation of the said orthogonal bar code components;

outputting the said bar code reading results to the document image system software for use in identification of the document and such other purposes for which this code may be employed.

11. Apparatus to perform the method of claim 8, comprising;

a scanning means for converting the optical pattern to a bit map image of the bar code pattern;

logic means for measuring the width and heights of the bit map representation all dark marks in the bar code pattern and logic means for measuring the spacing between the bit map representation of the dark marks;

logic means for comparison of the stream of said mark or bar widths and space widths with acceptable known patterns for supported bar codes;

storing the results of successful comparisons in an output buffer means;

means for converting the height of the said code bars to logical binary values wherein the tall bars are designated binary ones, and the short bars are designated binary zeros;

means for comparing the digital outputs of the aforesaid conversion to acceptable code patterns to derive character based outputs if used;

means for producing a binary data stream output if character data is not used;

means for outputting stored data from both code components to display means, printing means, or control means.

12. Apparatus of claim 11 for the reading of the said combined bar code comprising the steps of;

routing the scanned image data through existing technology for reading the horizontal component of the said combined bar code;

routing the same scanned image data through existing technology for reading the vertical component of the said combined bar code;

outputting the results of the two readings as separate data streams.