Multi-color information encoding system
First Claim
1. A method for decoding a data region, on a medium, and converting the data region into at least a portion of a human-ascertainable informational element, the data region being encoded with at least one of n different colors, wherein each color of the plurality of n different colors has a wavelength in a range of wavelengths defining a bandpass, and one of m different intensities, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining the color of the data region;
determining the intensity of the data region;
decoding the color and intensity to provide a bit stream, wherein each data region has at least (nk) different unique bit streams which can be provided from the region; and
converting the bit stream into the at least a portion of the human-comprehensible informational element.
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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
35 Claims
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1. A method for decoding a data region, on a medium, and converting the data region into at least a portion of a human-ascertainable informational element, the data region being encoded with at least one of n different colors, wherein each color of the plurality of n different colors has a wavelength in a range of wavelengths defining a bandpass, and one of m different intensities, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining the color of the data region; determining the intensity of the data region; decoding the color and intensity to provide a bit stream, wherein each data region has at least (nk) different unique bit streams which can be provided from the region; and converting the bit stream into the at least a portion of the human-comprehensible informational element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for decoding data encoded in an amorphous data region, on a medium, the data region having one of a plurality of different intensities, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining an intensity of the amorphous data region; deriving a bit stream from the determined intensity of the amorphous data region; and converting the bit stream into at least a portion of a human-comprehensible informational element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for encoding data on a medium comprising the steps of:
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encoding at least a portion of a data element into encoded data; and providing a plurality of regions on a medium, each region having at least one of a plurality of colors and at least one of a plurality of intensities, the at least one color and the at least one intensity representing the encoded data. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for decoding a data region, on a medium, and for converting the data region into at least a portion of a human-ascertainable informational element, the data region have at least one of a plurality of different colors and at least one of a plurality of different intensities, the apparatus comprising:
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an energy source which provides an incident energy to the data region; a detector which receives an energy emitted from the data region and detects the color and the intensity of the data region; and means for decoding and for converting the color and the intensity into the at least a portion of the human-comprehensible information element. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification