Maxicode data extraction using spatial domain features
First Claim
1. A method of extracting data from a MaxiCode dataform, having a bull'"'"'s eye pattern and a pattern of similarly aligned hexagonal data cells including orientation cells, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing pixel data for an image area, said pixel data representative of illumination reflected from said MaxiCode;
(b) locating the center of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern by sampling lines of pixel data to identify two intersecting diameters of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern, said diameters identified by a pixel data T-sequence pattern characteristic of a bull'"'"'s eye diameter;
(c) determining, by moment analysis of a portion of said pixel data, the orientation of at least one MaxiCode axis normal to sides of hexagonal data cells, said orientation corresponding to the derived moment of a group of data cells in side-to-side straight line alignment; and
(d) determining the alignment of the top of said MaxiCode in said image area, based upon the location of a plurality of said orientation cells relative to the location of said bull'"'"'s eye center, and extracting data from data cells of said MaxiCode by sampling said pixel data along lines aligned with a MaxiCode axis.
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Abstract
Prior methods of reading MaxiCode dataforms have been subject to reduced resolution image scaling and processing and speed constraints of Fourier transform computations. Described spatial domain data extraction methods provide bull'"'"'s eye center location by T-sequence pixel pattern analysis, axis identification by moment analysis of data cell pairs, and integral width square wave analysis of illumination transitions to avoid reading-line cell fragmentation. The center and top of a MaxiCode are identified in high-resolution pixel data, without scaling reduction or Fourier type frequency domain processing. Data is extracted serially from rows of data cells by sampling along lines of pixels aligned by fragmentation analysis so as to traverse complete rows of data cells. Dynamic thresholding accurately defines illumination value transitions between adjacent linear groups of data cells, each group consisting of one or more data cells of the same reflectivity. Application of disclosed methods to other types of dataforms is described.
113 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of extracting data from a MaxiCode dataform, having a bull'"'"'s eye pattern and a pattern of similarly aligned hexagonal data cells including orientation cells, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing pixel data for an image area, said pixel data representative of illumination reflected from said MaxiCode; (b) locating the center of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern by sampling lines of pixel data to identify two intersecting diameters of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern, said diameters identified by a pixel data T-sequence pattern characteristic of a bull'"'"'s eye diameter; (c) determining, by moment analysis of a portion of said pixel data, the orientation of at least one MaxiCode axis normal to sides of hexagonal data cells, said orientation corresponding to the derived moment of a group of data cells in side-to-side straight line alignment; and (d) determining the alignment of the top of said MaxiCode in said image area, based upon the location of a plurality of said orientation cells relative to the location of said bull'"'"'s eye center, and extracting data from data cells of said MaxiCode by sampling said pixel data along lines aligned with a MaxiCode axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of extracting data from a MaxiCode dataform, having a bull'"'"'s eye pattern and a pattern of similarly aligned hexagonal data cells, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing pixel data for an image area, said pixel data including representations of data cells, based on illumination reflected from said MaxiCode; (b) locating the center of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern by sampling lines of pixel data to identify two intersecting diameters of said pattern, said diameters identified by a pattern of pixel data unique to a bull'"'"'s eye diameter; (c) determining, from said representations of data cells and exclusive of Fourier type domain transfer processing;
the orientation of at least one normal traversal line having an alignment normal to sides of a sequence of hexagonal data cells; and(d) extracting data from data cells of said MaxiCode by sampling said pixel data along a line aligned with one of said normal traversal lines and passing through all data cells of a row of data cells as represented in said image area. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of extracting data from a MaxiCode dataform, having a bull'"'"'s eye pattern and a pattern of similarly aligned hexagonal data cells, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing pixel data for an image area, said pixel data representative of illumination reflected from said MaxiCode; (b) locating the center of said bull'"'"'s eye pattern by sampling lines of pixel data to identify two intersecting diameters of said pattern, said diameters identified by a pattern of pixel data unique to a bull'"'"'s eye diameter; (c) determining, by moment analysis of a portion of said pixel data, the orientation of at least one MaxiCode axis with an alignment normal to sides of hexagonal data cells, said orientation corresponding to the derived moment of a group of data cells in side-to-side straight line alignment; and (d) extracting data from data cells of said MaxiCode by sampling said pixel data along a line aligned with a MaxiCode axis and passing through all data cells of a row of data cells as represented in said image area. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification