Color processing for bar code symbol compaction
First Claim
1. A method of compacting a plurality of constituent bar code symbols into an aggregate bar code symbol capable of being scanned and resolved by an imaging device back into the constituent bar code symbols, said method comprising the steps ofa) generating a plurality of constituent bar code symbols, wherein each of said constituent bar code symbols comprises bars and spaces in a pattern indicative of data encoded therein;
- b) encoding each of said constituent bar code symbols in a different color; and
c) forming an aggregate bar code symbol by overlaying each of said differently colored constituent bar code symbols on top of each other;
whereby a bar of any constituent bar code symbol which overlaps a bar of another constituent bar code symbol forms a section having a color different from any of the colors of each of said constituent bar code symbols.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for increasing the information density of a bar code symbol by generating multiple constituent bar code symbols, wherein each one is formed in a different color selected from a group of various primary colors, and overlaying each differently colored symbol on top of each other, thus forming an aggregate bar code symbol of various colors. In areas where the differently colored bars overlap each other, colors distinct from those in the original group of colors are formed. The aggregate bar code symbol is scanned by a solid state imaging device, and the scanned image is resolved by image processing techniques into the three constituent bar code symbols of the various colors. Each bar code symbol is then individually processed and decoded in accordance with the particular symbology used to encode the constituent bar code symbols. As a result of the present invention, multiple bar code symbols are printed in the space normally required by one bar code symbol, and each constituent symbol is separated by color resolution and decoded to form the original data. Thus, the information density of the bar code system is increased without the need for a new symbology. In addition, a single bar code symbol may be divided into multiple portions of substantially the same size and printed substantially over each other in different colors, thus producing a single compacted bar code symbol with increased information density. The compacted bar code symbol may be recovered by scanning and resolving the symbol back into its constituent portions, concatenating the portions together, and decoding the resulting bar code symbol in accordance with standard techniques.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of compacting a plurality of constituent bar code symbols into an aggregate bar code symbol capable of being scanned and resolved by an imaging device back into the constituent bar code symbols, said method comprising the steps of
a) generating a plurality of constituent bar code symbols, wherein each of said constituent bar code symbols comprises bars and spaces in a pattern indicative of data encoded therein; -
b) encoding each of said constituent bar code symbols in a different color; and c) forming an aggregate bar code symbol by overlaying each of said differently colored constituent bar code symbols on top of each other; whereby a bar of any constituent bar code symbol which overlaps a bar of another constituent bar code symbol forms a section having a color different from any of the colors of each of said constituent bar code symbols. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of optically imaging a multi-colored aggregate bar code symbol, wherein said aggregate bar code symbol represents multiple constituent bar codes and comprises sections of constituent colors and sections of combined colors resulting from the overlap of said constituent colors, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) resolving said aggregate bar code symbol into a first constituent color map, said first constituent color map indicating the locations on said aggregate bar code symbol where a first constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; and b) repeating step (a) for each other constituent color comprising said aggregate bar code symbol; whereby each of said constituent color maps resolved in steps (a) and (b) represent a bar/space pattern which is capable of being decoded into corresponding constituent bar codes. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. An apparatus for compacting a plurality of constituent bar code symbols into an aggregate bar code symbol capable of being scanned and resolved by an imaging device back into the constituent bar code symbols, said apparatus comprising:
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a) means for generating a plurality of constituent bar code symbols, wherein each of said constituent bar code symbols comprises bars and spaces in a pattern indicative of data encoded therein; and b) means for forming an aggregate bar code symbol by printing at substantially the same location on a substrate each of said constituent bar code symbols in a different color; whereby a bar of any constituent bar code symbol which overlaps a bar of another constituent bar code symbol forms a section having a color different from the colors of each of said constituent bar code symbols. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An apparatus for scanning a multi-colored aggregate bar code symbol, wherein said aggregate bar code symbol represents multiple constituent bar codes and comprises sections of constituent colors and sections of combined colors resulting from the overlap of said constituent colors, said apparatus comprising:
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a) means for optically imaging said aggregate bar code symbol and resolving said aggregate bar code symbol into multiple constituent color maps, each of said constituent color maps indicating the locations on said aggregate bar code symbol where a constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; and b) decoding means for converting each of said constituent color maps into data representative of the multiple constituent bar codes. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A bar code system comprising:
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a) means for generating a plurality of constituent bar code symbols, wherein each of said constituent bar code symbols comprises bars and spaces in a pattern indicative of data encoded therein; b) means for forming an aggregate bar code symbol by printing at substantially the same location on a substrate each of said constituent bar code symbols in a different color, whereby a bar of any constituent bar code symbol which overlaps a bar of another constituent bar code symbol forms a section having a color different from the colors of each of said constituent bar code symbols; c) means for optically imaging said aggregate bar code symbol and resolving said aggregate bar code symbol into multiple constituent color maps, each of said constituent color maps indicating the locations on said aggregate bar code symbol where a constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; and d) decoding means for convening each of said constituent color maps into data representative of the multiple constituent bar codes. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of compacting a standard bar code symbol into a compacted bar code symbol having increased information density and capable of being scanned and resolved by an imaging device back into the standard bar code symbol, said method comprising the steps of
a) dividing the standard bar code symbol into a plurality of bar code portions of substantially the same size, b) assigning each of said bar code portions to a different color; - and
c) forming a compacted bar code symbol by overlaying each of said differently colored bar code portions on top of each other; whereby a bar of any bar code portion which overlaps a bar of another bar code portion forms a section having a color different from any of the colors of each of said bar code portions. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of optically imaging a multi-colored compacted bar code symbol, wherein said compacted bar code symbol represents multiple bar code portions and comprises sections of constituent colors and sections of combined colors resulting from the overlap of said constituent colors, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) resolving said compacted bar code symbol into a first constituent color map, said first constituent color map indicating the locations on said compacted bar code symbol where a first constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; b) repeating step (a) for each other constituent color comprising said compacted bar code symbol; and c) concatenating each of said bar code portions to form a single combined bar code symbol. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An apparatus for compacting a standard bar code symbol into a compacted bar code symbol having increased information density, said apparatus comprising:
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a) means for dividing the standard bar code symbol into a plurality of bar code portions of substantially the same size, b) means for forming a compacted bar code symbol by printing at substantially the same location on a substrate each of said bar code symbol portions in a different color; whereby a bar of any bar code symbol portion which overlaps a bar of another bar code symbol portion forms a section having a color different from the colors of each of said bar code symbol portions. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus for scanning a multi-colored compacted bar code symbol, wherein said compacted bar code symbol represents multiple bar code symbol portions and comprises sections of constituent colors and sections of combined colors resulting from the overlap of said constituent colors, said apparatus comprising:
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a) means for optically imaging said compacted bar code symbol and resolving said compacted bar code symbol into multiple constituent color maps, each of said constituent color maps indicating the locations on said compacted bar code symbol where a constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; b) means for concatenating each of said bar code portions to form a single combined bar code symbol; and c) means for decoding said combined bar code symbol. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A bar code system comprising:
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a) means for dividing a standard bar code symbol into a plurality of bar code portions of substantially the same size; b) means for forming a compacted bar code symbol by priming at substantially the same location on a substrate each of said bar code symbol portions in a different color, whereby a bar of any constituent bar code symbol portion which overlaps a bar of another constituent bar code symbol portion forms a section having a color different from the colors of each of said constituent bar code symbol portions; c) means for optically imaging said compacted bar code symbol and resolving said compacted bar code symbol into multiple constituent color maps, each of said constituent color maps indicating the locations on said compacted bar code symbol where a constituent color is present alone or in combination with another constituent color; d) means for concatenating each of said bar code portions to form a single combined bar code symbol; and e) means for decoding said combined bar code symbol. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification