Multi-color information encoding system
First Claim
1. A method for machine-reading data encoded on a medium having a number of regions, each region having a spot with one of a plurality of hues and one of a plurality of intensity levels, wherein the number of regions includes data regions and reference regions, the reference regions having respective predetermined reference hue and respective predetermined reference intensity, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining the hues and the intensity levels of the data regions;
determining the hues and the intensity levels of the reference regions;
comparing the determined hues and intensity levels of the reference regions with the corresponding predetermined reference hues and the predetermined reference intensity levels;
determining an error factor based at least in part on the difference between the determined hue and intensity of at least one reference region and the predetermined reference hue and predetermined reference intensity of at least one reference region; and
applying a correction factor to the determined hue and intensity of at least one data region to obtain an adjusted hue and/or an adjusted intensity, wherein the correction factor is derived at least in part from the error factor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exceptionally dense information encoding system, with 4-10 times the density of CD ROM diskettes, employs colored areas in the form of bars or checkerboard matrices of colored dot regions to encode information including alphanumerics, with each colored region being variable as to both color and intensity. In one embodiment, so-called super pixel dots have differently colored sub-regions within them, arranged with side-by-side colors or with colored regions stacked one on top of the other, such that information from one dot has as many color variables as there are stacked layers or mixed colors. In one embodiment the super pixel dot is 5 microns in diameter with 2 micron spacing between adjacent dots. For each color in one embodiment there are as many as 64 intensities yielding a coding system of high information density. The various colors are read out at one super pixel dot position by dividing out reflected or transmitted energy from a dot by color filtering such that a color and intensity can be detected for each color intensity within the super pixel dot. The code provided by the subject system is substantially invisible to the naked eye, with machine vision and computer analysis of the information being required to effectively decode differences of intensity. Additionally, encrypting can be performed on the digitally encoded information to further hide the information carried by the colored dot matrix. Moreover, standardized intensities are established by one or more of the coded regions to assist in machine decoding, and correction techniques are applied for variations in detected color and intensity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for machine-reading data encoded on a medium having a number of regions, each region having a spot with one of a plurality of hues and one of a plurality of intensity levels, wherein the number of regions includes data regions and reference regions, the reference regions having respective predetermined reference hue and respective predetermined reference intensity, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining the hues and the intensity levels of the data regions; determining the hues and the intensity levels of the reference regions; comparing the determined hues and intensity levels of the reference regions with the corresponding predetermined reference hues and the predetermined reference intensity levels; determining an error factor based at least in part on the difference between the determined hue and intensity of at least one reference region and the predetermined reference hue and predetermined reference intensity of at least one reference region; and applying a correction factor to the determined hue and intensity of at least one data region to obtain an adjusted hue and/or an adjusted intensity, wherein the correction factor is derived at least in part from the error factor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for machine-reading colored regions on a medium, the regions each having one of a plurality of hues and one of a plurality of intensity levels, the regions including data regions and reference regions, the machine comprising:
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means for detecting the hue and the intensity level of the data regions and the reference regions; means for changing the detected hue and intensity level for at least one data region in response to the detected hue and intensity level of at least one reference region; means for converting changed detected data region hues and intensity levels to corresponding pieces of information; and means for providing an output signal indicating the corresponding piece of information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification