Encoding and recording a message within an image

• US 6,577,748 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Celebrate International LLC
• Original Assignee: Kenneth H.P. Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Kenneth H. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabatabai, Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US09/844,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 773 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/232, 382/270, 382/317, 382/287, 707/514, 707/529, 235/454, 235/456, 235/462, 235/494, 203/93, 203/114, 203/117, 713/176
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/143 Glyph-codes

Abstract

A method for decoding a message embedded in a pattern of pixels. The method includes the steps of determining the pixel values for pixels from the pattern of pixels, determining binary values from the pixel values for pixels from the pattern of pixels; and determining the embedded message from the binary values. The pixels have a range of pixel values between a maximum and a minimum. The pixels are divided into cells each having glyph cell and background pixels. The binary value of a glyph pixel is determined by the contrast the glyph pixel has with its background pixels. The method can be used to decode embedded web-site address from an image with a foreground image and the embedded web-site address.

Claims

1. A method for two dimensional encoding a message, comprising:

(a) providing a block of pixels to show a message stream representing the message;

(b) dividing the pixels into tiles of cells such that substantially all of the tiles having the same number of data cells, and dividing the data cells to include a first group and a second group to show a message stream, such that data cells can be located generally over the block of pixels or a portion thereof and

(c) representing the bit values of the message stream such that a bit of the message stream is represented by the relationship between a binary value of a cell of the first group and the binary value of a cell of the second group.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein a bit of the message stream is represented by the relationship between a binary value of a cell of the first group and the binary value of a cell of the second group about a geometric center point of the block of pixels.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the binary values of the cells of the first group are the inverse of the cells of the second group.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first group is geometrically symmetric to the second group about the geometric center point.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein pixels in the block of pixels are divided into data cells and synchronization cells, the synchronization cells containing logical data indicating how the factual data are to be interpreted based on the position of the data cells.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein pixels in the block of pixels are divided into data cells and synchronization cells wherein the synchronization cells are structured to have a first synchronization portion and a second synchronization portion backward in cell order to the first synchronization portion so as to be in symmetry therewith about a center point in the block of pixels.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein pixels in the block of pixels are divided into data cells and synchronization cells wherein the synchronization cells interleave the data cells substantially throughout the two dimensional pattern of pixels.

8. A device for decoding a two dimensional encoded message in a pattern of pixels, comprising:

(a) reader for receiving light from a pattern of pixels and determining pixel values of pixels in the pattern of pixels; and

(b) processor having a program of code means readable by the processor to recover an embedded message from the pattern of pixels, wherein the pixels are divided into tiles of cells, substantially all the tiles having a synchronization cell neighbored by a plurality of data cells;

the data cells for containing factual data for the embedded message and the synchronization cells containing meaningful logical data indicating how the factual data are to be interpreted based on the position of the data cells;

the synchronization cells substantially interleaving the data cells throughout the two dimensional pattern of pixels, the program comprising;

(i) code means for utilizing the synchronization cells to determine the location of the data cells; and

(ii) code means for determining the embedded message based on pixel values of the data cells.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the program comprises code means determines a web-site address by determining binary values based on the pixel values for pixels from the pattern of pixels;

and the program further comprises code means for loading the web-site address onto a web browser for connecting to the web-site according to the web-site address.

10. The device according to claim 8 wherein the code means for utilizing the synchronization cells determines a synchronization stream having a cell-order forward synchronization portion and a cell-order backward synchronization portion in symmetry therewith.

11. The device according to claim 8 wherein the data cells can be located generally over the block of pixels or a portion thereof.

12. A method for two dimensional coding of message, comprising:

(a) providing a block of pixels to show a foreground image with an embedded message; and

(b) dividing the pixels into tiles of cells, substantially all the tiles having a synchronization cell neighbored by a plurality of data cells;

the data cells for containing factual data for the embedded message and the synchronization cells containing logical data indicating how the factual data are to be interpreted based on the position of the data cells;

the synchronization cells substantially interleaving the data cells throughout the two dimensional pattern of pixels.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the synchronization cells represent synchronization comprising a synchronization stream having a cell-order forward synchronization portion and a cell-order backward synchronization portion in symmetry therewith.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the pixels in the block of pixels have binary values and the binary values of the synchronization cells and data cells can vary such that the embedded message does not obtrusively distort the foreground image and such that there is no optically readable two dimensional reference structure.

15. A method for two dimensional coding of message, comprising:

(a) providing a block of pixels to show a foreground image with an embedded message; and

(b) dividing the pixels into tiles of cells, substantially all the tiles having a synchronization cell neighbored by a plurality of data cells;

the data cells for containing factual data for the embedded message and the synchronization cells containing logical data indicating how the factual data are to be interpreted based on the position of the data cells;

the synchronization cells substantially interleaving the data cells throughout the two dimensional pattern of pixels, the synchronization cells representing synchronization that comprises a synchronization stream having a forward synchronization portion and a backward synchronization portion in symmetry therewith;

wherein the pixels in the block of pixels have binary values and the binary values of the synchronization cells and data cells can vary such that the embedded message does not obtrusively distort the foreground image and such that there is no optically readable two dimensional reference structure.