1D finder pattern for 2D bar codes

• US 6,102,289 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gabrielson, Donn E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US08/671,472
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding

Abstract

An easily findable 2-dimensional bar code is disclosed comprising a 2-dimensional bar code; and, a 1-dimensional bar code directly associated with the 2-dimensional bar code at a known distance and orientation with respect to a starting location of the 2-dimensional bar code whereby the 1-dimensional bar code acts as a locator for the 2-dimensional bar code. In one embodiment, the 1-dimensional bar code is incorporated as part of the 2-dimensional bar code into a hybrid bar code. The 1-dimensional bar code may contain information defining decoding of the 2-dimensional bar code. The 2-dimensional bar code may contain information supplemental to information in the 1-dimensional bar code. The 2-dimensional bar code may also contain information redundant to information in said 1-dimensional bar code. Further, the 1-dimensional bar code contains information required for decoding of the 2-dimensional bar code whereby a greater percentage of the 2-dimensional bar code is available to contain data. The invention also includes a bar code scanning system capable of scanning and decoding either 1-dimensional bar codes or 2-dimensional bar codes combined with 1-dimensional bar codes.

Claims

1. A plural-component symbology, comprising:

a) a 2-dimensional bar code having a predefined location; and

b) a 1-dimensional bar code associated with said 2-dimensional bar code at a known distance and orientation with respect to said predefined location of said 2-dimensional bar code, said distance and said orientation being predetermined to enable said 1-dimensional bar code to act as a locator for said 2-dimensional bar code to facilitate finding of said 2-dimensional bar code, and said distance including a horizontal component d₁ and a vertical component d₂, each of d₁ and d₂ being ≧

0.

2. The symbology of claim 1 wherein

d₂ =0.

3. The easily findable 2-dimensional bar code of claim 1 wherein:

said 1-dimensional bar code contains information defining decoding of said 2-dimensional bar code.

4. The easily findable 2-dimensional bar code of claim 1 wherein:

said 2-dimensional bar code contains information supplemental to information in said 1-dimensional bar code.

5. The easily findable 2-dimensional bar code of claim 1 wherein:

said 2-dimensional bar code contains information redundant to information in said 1-dimensional bar code.

6. The symbology of claim 1 wherein:

said 1-dimensional bar code contains information required for decoding of said 2-dimensional bar code and replaces a symbol recognition pattern of said 2-dimensional bar code.

10. A bar code scanning system comprising:

a) at least one symbology according to claim 1;

b) a scanner for scanning a 2-dimensional field of view containing said symbology;

c) a video memory for holding pixel data associated with said 2-dimensional field of view; and

d) find and decode logic for;

d1) storing pixel data associated with said 2-dimensional field of view into said video memory;

d2) searching said video memory along a pattern of scan lines until said 1-dimensional bar code of said symbology is found;

d3) using said 1-dimensional bar code to locate said 2-dimensional bar code of said symbology; and

d4) decoding said 2-dimensional bar code.

11. The bar code scanning system of claim 10 and additionally comprising:

a) a decode definitions table defining one or more ways of decoding a 2-dimensional bar code; and

,

b) said find and decode logic including logic for employing data from said 1-dimensional bar code as a pointer into said decode definitions table and for using an entry from said decode definitions table to decode said 2-dimensional bar code.

14. The symbology of claim 6, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code is disposed between portions of a data matrix of said 2-dimensional bar code.

15. The symbology of claim 1, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code is disposed between portions of a data matrix of said 2-dimensional bar code.

16. The symbology of claim 1, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code and said 2-dimensional bar code are at least partially vertically aligned, one above another.

17. The symbology of claim 4, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code and said 2-dimensional bar code are at least partially vertically aligned, one above another.

18. The symbology of claim 5, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code and said 2-dimensional bar code are at least partially vertically aligned, one above another.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein said 1-dimensional bar code and said 2-dimensional bar code are at least partially vertically aligned, one above another.

7. A method for easily finding and orienting a 2-dimensional bar code comprising:

a) associating a 1-dimensional bar code with the 2-dimensional bar code at a predetermined distance and orientation with respect to a predefined location of the 2-dimensional bar code, said distance including a horizontal component d₁ and a vertical component d₂, each of d₁ and d₂ being >

0;

b) scanning the 1-dimensional bar code in combination with the 2-dimensional bar code and creating a pixel memory map thereof;

c) searching the pixel memory map along a pattern of scan lines until the 1-dimensional bar code is found; and

d) using the predetermined distance and orientation of the 1-dimensional bar code with respect to the 2-dimensional bar code to fix the location and orientation of the 2-dimensional bar code within the data of the pixel memory map.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

a) decoding the 1-dimensional bar code; and

b) employing data from the 1-dimensional bar code to decode data contained in the 2-dimensional bar code data.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

a) providing a decode definitions table defining one or more ways of decoding the 2-dimensional bar code; and

b) employing data from the 1-dimensional bar code as a pointer into the decode definitions table, and using an entry from the decode definitions table to decode the data contained in the 2-dimensional bar code.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein associating the 1-dimensional bar code includes at least partially vertically aligning the 1-dimensional and the 2-dimensional bar codes, one above another.

12. A method for automatically decoding a 2-dimensional bar code having a plurality of interpretations comprising:

a) prior to scanning;

a1) associating a 1-dimensional bar code with the 2-dimensional bar code at a predetermined distance and orientation with respect to a predefined location of the 2-dimensional bar code, said distance including a horizontal component d₁ and a vertical component d₂, each of d₁ and d₂ being ≧

0; and

a2) including a definition of the interpretation to be accorded the 2-dimensional bar code at a time of decoding within the 1-dimensional bar code; and

b) at a time of scanning;

b1) scanning the 1-dimensional bar code in combination with the 2-dimensional bar code and creating a pixel memory map thereof;

b2) searching the pixel memory map along a pattern of scan lines until the 1-dimensional bar code is found;

b3) decoding the 1-dimensional bar code and obtaining the definition of the interpretation to be accorded the 2-dimensional bar code therefrom;

b4) using said predetermined distance and orientation of the 1-dimensional bar code with respect to the 2-dimensional bar code to fix the location and orientation of the 2-dimensional bar code within the pixel memory map; and

b5) decoding the 2-dimensional bar code from the pixel memory map according to the definition of the interpretation to be accorded the 2-dimensional bar code from the 1-dimensional bar code.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising:

a) providing a decode definitions table defining one or more ways of decoding the 2-dimensional bar code; and

b) employing data from the 1-dimensional bar code as a pointer into the decode definitions table, and using an entry from the decode definitions table to decode data contained in the 2-dimensional bar code.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein associating the 1-dimensional bar code includes at least partially vertically aligning the 1-dimensional and the 2-dimensional bar codes, one above another.