Bar code symbology capable of encoding bytes, words, 16-bit characters, etc. and method and apparatus for printing and reading same

• US 6,149,059 A
• Filed: 04/16/1997
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ackley, H. Sprague
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/842,644
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/494, 235/463, 235/454, 235/375, 235/487, 380/28, 380/51, 380/55
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

A new bar code symbology in an exemplary embodiment employs three bars (and spaces) within nine modules, similar to Code 93. Fifty-three data characters are defined, including several special mode characters. By employing these special mode characters, together with certain routines, three symbol characters can represent two 8-bit bytes, or one 16-bit word. As a result, the symbology can efficiently encode 8-bit bytes for use in computer processing, or encode 16-bit character sets such as Unicode. Symbology encodes extended channel interpretation (ECI) numbers, provides multiple numeric compression modes, provides a structured append using a single mode character, as well as other features.

Claims

1. A method of converting data characters to machine-readable symbols, each symbol having a pattern of dark shapes and light spaces between the shapes, the method comprising:

determining first and second character codes corresponding to first and second data characters, respectively, wherein each character code has 8 bits;

converting the first and second character codes to first, second and third symbol values; and

printing first, second, third symbol characters, wherein the first, second and third symbol characters correspond to the first, second and third symbol values, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein printing includes printing first, second and third symbol characters selected from a symbology having three shapes and nine modules per symbol character.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, converting and printing are repeated for each pair of data characters in a selected string of data characters, and wherein each data character has a corresponding 8 bit character code.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, and wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the first, second and third symbol characters correspond to at least one character code having 8 bits.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, and wherein the additional symbol character indicates that symbol characters correspond to at least one 16-bit character code selected from the Unicode standard.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first number of digits;

converting the number of digits to a second number of symbol values, the second number being less than the first number;

printing the second number of symbol characters corresponding to the symbol values; and

printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the second number of symbol characters correspond to digits.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a number corresponding to preselected data interpretable by a computer;

converting the number to at least one selected symbol value;

printing at least one selected symbol character corresponding to the at least one selected symbol value; and

printing an additional symbol, wherein the additional symbol indicates that the at least one selected symbol corresponds to one of a plurality of predetermined numbers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

employing a first check character mode if any of the first, second and third symbol values have a first range of values;

employing a second check character mode if any of the first, second and third symbol values have a second range of values; and

computing at least a first check value under the first or second check character modes based on the first, second and third symbol values.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that at least the first symbol character corresponds to a selected position within a two-dimensional symbol.

10. A method of converting data characters to machine-readable symbols, each symbol having a pattern of dark shapes and light spaces between the shapes, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of character codes corresponding to a plurality of data characters, respectively, wherein each character code has 8 bits;

uniformly converting the plurality of character codes to a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values; and

printing a plurality of symbol characters, wherein the plurality of symbols correspond to the plurality of symbol values, respectively.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein printing includes printing a plurality of symbol characters selected from a symbology having three shapes and nine modules per symbol character.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to at least one 8-bit byte.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that each group of proximate symbol characters correspond to one 16-bit word.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a first number of digits;

converting the first number of digits to a second number of symbol values, the second number being less than the first number;

printing the second number of symbol characters corresponding to the second number of symbol values; and

printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that at least the second number of symbol characters correspond to digits.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a number corresponding to preselected data interpretable by a computer;

converting the number to at least one selected symbol value;

printing at least one selected symbol character corresponding to the at least one selected symbol value; and

printing an additional symbol, wherein the additional symbol indicates that the at least one selected symbol corresponds to one of a plurality of predetermined numbers.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

employing a first check character mode if any of the plurality of symbol values have a first range of values;

employing a second check character mode if any of the plurality of symbol values have a second range of values; and

computing at least a first check value under the first or second check character modes based on the plurality of symbol values.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to a selected position within a two-dimensional symbol.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein printing includes printing several symbols selected from a standard bar code symbology.

19. A bar code structure comprising a plurality of adjacently positioned bars having spaces between the bars, groups of at least three bars and three spaces defining one of at least fifty individual data characters, each group having at least three bars and three spaces selected from a plurality of different widths that are integer multiples of first and second widths, respectively, wherein each group has a total width substantially equal to 9 times the first or second width.

20. The bar code structure of claim 19 wherein one of the groups represents a byte mode data character, wherein the byte mode character indicates that groups correspond to at least one character code having 8 bits.

21. The bar code structure of claim 19 wherein one of the groups represents a word mode data character, wherein the word mode data character indicates that groups correspond to at least one 16-bit character code.

22. The bar code structure of claim 19 wherein some of the groups are substantially identical to groups selected from a symbology standard.

23. A method of converting data characters to machine-readable symbols, each symbol having a pattern of dark shapes and light spaces between the shapes, the method comprising:

selecting a group of symbol values consisting of at least two symbol values;

selecting first or second symbol values, wherein the first symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values together correspond to a first mode and wherein the second symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values together correspond to a second mode and

printing a plurality of symbols, wherein the plurality of symbols correspond to the group of symbol values and the first or second symbol value.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein selecting a group includes selecting a group of symbol values corresponding to a string of digits, and wherein selecting first or second symbol values includes selecting first or second numeric compression modes.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein selecting first or second includes selecting a third symbol value, and wherein the third symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values corresponds to at least one character code having 8 bits.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein selecting first or second includes selecting a third symbol value, and wherein the third symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values corresponds to at least one 16-bit character code.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein selecting first or second includes selecting a third symbol value, and wherein the third symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values corresponds to at least one selected number corresponding to preselected data interpretable by a computer.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein selecting first or second includes selecting at least a third symbol value, and wherein the third symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values correspond to a selected position within a two-dimensional symbol.

29. A method of converting data characters to machine-readable symbols, each symbol having a pattern of dark shapes and light spaces between the shapes, the method comprising:

selecting a group of symbol values consisting of at least two symbol values;

providing first and second symbol values, wherein the first symbol value indicates that the group of symbol values correspond to a portion of a two-dimensional symbol, and wherein the second symbol value indicates a selected position of the group of symbol values within the two-dimensional symbol; and

printing a plurality of symbols, wherein the plurality of symbols correspond to the group of symbol values and the first and second symbol values.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein selecting a group includes computing at least one check character for the two dimensional symbol.

31. A method of decoding a bar code label formed on a surface, the method comprising:

imaging the bar code label to produce a signal representative of each of a plurality of symbol characters therefrom;

analyzing the signal to identify the symbol characters; and

converting each symbol character into a corresponding symbol value, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values, and wherein a plurality of symbol values together uniformly represent at least one character code having 8 bits.

32. A printer apparatus for printing machine-readable symbols comprising:

a processor that uniformly converts a plurality of character codes to a plurality of symbol values, wherein the plurality of character codes correspond to a plurality of data characters, respectively, wherein each character code has 8 bits, and wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values; and

a printer mechanism coupled to the processor that prints a plurality of symbol characters, wherein the plurality of symbol characters correspond to the plurality of symbol values, respectively.

33. A reader apparatus for reading machine-readable symbols comprising:

an optical receiver that receives light reflected from a plurality of symbols and produces a signal representing the plurality of symbol characters; and

a processor coupled to the optical receiver that receives the signal and converts the plurality of symbol characters to a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values, wherein each symbol value corresponds to one of a plurality of data characters, wherein at least some of the plurality of data characters uniformly correspond to a plurality of character codes, respectively, and wherein each character code has 8 bits.

34. A method of converting data characters to machine-readable symbols, each symbol having a pattern of dark shapes and light spaces between the shapes, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of character codes corresponding to a plurality of data characters, respectively, wherein each character code has 8 bits;

without using shift symbols, converting the plurality of character codes to a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values; and

printing a plurality of symbol characters, wherein the plurality of symbols correspond to the plurality of symbol values, respectively.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein printing includes the printing a plurality of symbol characters selected from a symbology having three shapes and nine modules per symbol character.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to at least one 8-bit byte.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising printing a additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that each group of proximate symbol characters correspond to one 16-bit byte.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

employing a first check character mode if any of the plurality of symbol values have a first range of values;

employing a second check character mode if any of the plurality of symbol value have a second range of values; and

computing at least a first check value under the first or second check character modes based on the plurality of symbols values.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising printing an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to a selected position within a two-dimensional symbol.

40. A method of decoding a bar code label formed on a surface, the method comprising:

imaging the bar code label to produce a signal representative of each of a plurality of symbol characters therefrom, wherein the plurality of symbol characters are selected from a set of symbol characters;

analyzing the signal to identify the symbol characters; and

converting each symbol character into a corresponding symbol value, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values corresponding to the set of symbol characters, wherein a plurality of symbol values together represent at least one character code having 8 bits, and wherein the converting is performed uniformly with respect to the entire set of symbols values.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein converting includes converting each symbol characters from the set of symbol characters, wherein each symbol characters in the set of symbol has three shapes and nine modules per symbols character.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

identifying an additional symbol character wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to at least one 18-bit byte.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

identifying an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that each group of proximate symbol characters correspond to at least one 16-bit word.

44. A printer apparatus for printing machine-readable symbols comprising:

a processor that converts a plurality of character codes to a plurality of symbol values, wherein the plurality of character codes correspond to plurality of data characters, respectively wherein each character code has 8 bits, and wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values, and wherein the converting is performed uniformly with respect to the entire set of symbol values; and

a printing mechanism coupled to the processor that prints a plurality of symbols characters, wherein the plurality of symbol characters correspond to the plurality of symbols values, respectively.

45. The printer of claim 44, wherein each of the symbol characters is selected from a symbology having three shapes and nine modules per symbol character.

46. The printer of claim 44, wherein the printer prints an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to at least one 8-bit byte.

47. The printer of claim 44, wherein the printer mechanism prints an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that each group of proximate symbol characters correspond to one 16-bit word.

48. A reader apparatus for reading machine-readable symbols comprising:

an optical receiver that receives light reflected from a plurality of symbols and produces a signal representing the plurality of symbol character, wherein the plurality of symbols are selected from a set of symbols; and

a processor coupled to the optical receiver that receives the signal and converts the plurality of symbol characters to a plurality of symbol values, wherein each of the plurality of symbol values are selected from a set of less than 256 symbol values corresponding to the set of symbols, wherein each symbols values correspond to one of a plurality of data characters, wherein at least some of the plurality of data character correspond to a plurality of character codes, respectively, wherein each character code has 8 bits and wherein the processor uniformly converts all symbol characters in the set of symbols.

49. The reader apparatus of claim 48, wherein each plurality of symbol characters has three shapes and nine modules per symbols character.

50. The reader apparatus of claim 48, wherein the optical receives light reflected from an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that the plurality of symbol characters correspond to at least one 8-byte.

51. The reader apparatus of claim 48, wherein the optical receiver receives light from an additional symbol character, wherein the additional symbol character indicates that each group of proximate symbol characters correspond to one 16-word.