Variable formatting of digital data into a pattern
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of encoding data on a substrate as digital data comprising:
- formatting the data into a series of digital data values wherein said series of digital data values are formatted into a pattern comprising a plurality of spaces at least some of which have dimensions M pixels by N pixels wherein at least one bit in said series of digital data values are represented in each of said plurality of spaces where at least one logical state is expressed by the presence in the space of a spot of a spot size with dimensions X pixels by Y pixels and at least one other logical state is expressed by the absence of a spot with dimensions X pixels by Y pixels from the space and where at least one of dimensions M, N, X, and Y is capable of differing from at least one other of the dimensions M, N, X, and Y; and
outputting said pattern onto at least one substrate, such that the data is represented in digitized form on said at least one substrate.
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Abstract
A method of formatting digital data and a method of decoding the formatted digital data. User selectable format parameters vary the dimensions and other attributes of spots and the cells containing those spots as well as other features which the formatting process formats into a pattern. A method of encoding the formatted digital data using these format parameters allows for encoding a substrate optimally for any given printer or scanner. One embodiment provides for markers to facilitate determination of cell locations. In one embodiment the decoding process achieves a pyramid gain of knowledge by locating a landmark (801), which is located in a known position relative to a metasector (802), which contains information about the encoding process used to encode the main body of data (803), which the decoding process decodes to recover the original digital data. Further embodiments include encryption, transmission by facsimile, inclusion of human readable information, and automatic launches of computer files.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method of encoding data on a substrate as digital data comprising:
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formatting the data into a series of digital data values wherein said series of digital data values are formatted into a pattern comprising a plurality of spaces at least some of which have dimensions M pixels by N pixels wherein at least one bit in said series of digital data values are represented in each of said plurality of spaces where at least one logical state is expressed by the presence in the space of a spot of a spot size with dimensions X pixels by Y pixels and at least one other logical state is expressed by the absence of a spot with dimensions X pixels by Y pixels from the space and where at least one of dimensions M, N, X, and Y is capable of differing from at least one other of the dimensions M, N, X, and Y; and outputting said pattern onto at least one substrate, such that the data is represented in digitized form on said at least one substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24)
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12. A system of encoding data on a substrate as digital data comprising
selecting means for selecting at least one value for at least one format parameter from a plurality of values for the parameter, formatting means coupled to the selecting means for formatting the data into a series of digital data values wherein the series of digital data values are formatted into a plurality of cells at least some of which have a cell size with dimensions M pixels wide by N pixels high where if a value has been selected for a format parameter determining the width of a cell then M is defined as equaling the value so selected, and where if a value has been selected for a format parameter determining the height of the cell then N is defined as equaling the value so selected, wherein each cell represents at least one bit in the series of digital data values where at least one logical state is expressed by the presence of a spot with a spot size with dimensions X pixels wide by Y pixels high, where if a value has been selected for a format parameter determining the width of a spot then X is defined as equaling the value so selected and where if a value has been selected for a format parameter determining the height of a spot then Y is defined as equaling the value so selected and at least one other logical state is expressed by the absence of a spot of said spot size in the cell and wherein said formatting is done in accordance with such other values for format parameters as have been selected, and outputting means coupled to the formatting means for outputting said plurality of cells onto at least one substrate, such that the data is represented in digitized form onto said at least one substrate.
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21. A method of encoding data into a pattern as digital data comprising:
formatting the data into a series of digital data values formatted into a plurality of spaces with at least one grouping of spaces further formatted into a plurality of subgroupings of contiguous spaces each formatted into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns where each subgrouping is bordered on at least one side by a series of markers used as guideposts in determining the locations of the spaces, and where at least one bit in said series of digital data values is represented in each of said plurality of spaces where at least one logical state is expressed by the presence in the space of a spot of a particular spot size and at least one other logical state is expressed by the absence of a spot with said particular spot size from the space.
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25. A method of encoding data comprising:
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formatting the data into a series of data values arranged in a pattern, the pattern comprising a plurality of spaces formatted into a plurality of subgroupings of contiguous spaces, each subgrouping formatted into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and encoding a series of markers near each of at least two subgroupings of spaces. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of encoding data comprising:
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formatting the data into a series of data values arranged in a pattern, the pattern comprising a plurality of spaces formatted into a plurality of subgroupings of contiguous spaces, each subgrouping formatted into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and encoding a series of markers such that at least one marker in the series serves as a clocking mechanism for at least two subgroupings of spaces. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method of encoding data into a pattern for output to a substrate, the pattern comprising at least one symbol representing at least part of said data, the method comprising:
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defining at least one attribute of said at least one symbol in terms of printer pixels; and formatting said at least one symbol into said pattern. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A system of encoding data into a pattern comprising:
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selecting means for selecting at least one value for at least one format parameter from a plurality of values for the parameter; and formatting means coupled to the selecting means for formatting the data into a series of data values wherein the series of data values are formatted into a plurality of cells at least some of which have a cell size having at least one dimension which, if a format parameter value has been selected defining a first dimension of a cell, then the first cell size dimension is defined as equaling the value so selected, and wherein at least one logical state in a cell is expressed by the presence in the cell of a spot with a spot size having at least one dimension which, if a format parameter value has been selected defining a first dimension of a spot, then the first spot size dimension is defined as equaling the value so selected. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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- 48. A method of encoding digital data comprising formatting the data into a series of data values arranged in a pattern, the pattern comprising a plurality of spaces at least some of which have at least two dimensions including a first dimension M pixels and a second dimension N pixels, wherein at least one bit in said series of digital data values is represented in each of said plurality of spaces where at least one logical state is expressed by the presence in the space of a spot having at least two dimensions including a first dimension X pixels and a second dimension Y pixels, and where at least one of the dimensions M, N, X, and Y is capable of differing from at least one other of the dimensions M, N, X, and Y.
Specification