Composite code symbology

• US 6,631,843 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Schuessler, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim
• Application Number:
  US09/788,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 235/462.07, 235/456, 235/462.01, 235/462.09, 235/462.02, 235/462.03, 235/436, 235/462.7
• US Class Current: 235/462.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06056 the marking comprising a further embedded marking, e.g. a 1D bar code with the black bars containing a smaller sized coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06262 with target- or other orientation-indicating feature
• 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 7/1434 Barcodes with supplemental or add-on codes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new composite code symbology having two differently encoded information portions positioned adjacent to each other. The linking between the two portions is achieved by external link-flag that is adjacent to at least one of the encoded portions. The link-flag can extent past one or both of the encoded portions in order to enable skewed scanning of the composite label. Methods for encoding and decoding of the invented composite code that are read by optical readers are presented.

Claims

1. A composite indicia readable by electro-optical readers, comprising:

a) a first, machine-readable component encoded with first information according to a first symbology;

b) a quiet zone devoid of indicia and located outside the first component;

c) a second, machine-readable component in a non-overlapping relationship with the first component and encoded with second information according to a second symbology, the second component being encoded with internal flag information for identifying a presence of the first component and a type of the first symbology used; and

d) a machine-readable flag located outside the quiet zone and encoded with external flag information for identifying a presence of the second component and a type of the second symbology used.

2. The indicia of claim 1, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional symbol, and wherein the second component is a two-dimensional symbol.

3. The indicia of claim 2, wherein the one-dimensional symbol is a Code 39 bar code symbol, and wherein the two-dimensional symbol is a MicroPDF 417 bar code symbol.

4. The indicia of claim 1, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional bar code symbol having leading and trailing regions at opposite ends of the symbol, and wherein the quiet zone is one of said regions.

5. The indicia of claim 1, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional bar code symbol having upper and lower regions above and below the symbol, and wherein the second component is located at one of said regions.

6. The indicia of claim 1, wherein the flag information is encoded according to the first symbology of the first component.

7. The indicia of claim 6, wherein the first component and the flag are one-dimensional bar code symbols spaced apart along a linear path.

8. The indicia of claim 7, wherein the first component has bars of a predetermined height, and wherein the flag has bars of the same predetermined height.

9. The indicia of claim 7, wherein the first component has bars of a predetermined height, and wherein the flag has bars of a height greater than the predetermined height.

10. A method of encoding information into a composite indicia readable by electro-optical readers, comprising the steps of:

a) encoding first information according to a first symbology in a first, machine-readable component of the indicia;

b) locating a quiet zone devoid of indicia outside the first component;

c) encoding second information according to a second symbology in a second, machine-readable component of the indicia;

d) positioning the components in a non-overlapping relationship;

e) encoding flag information in a machine-readable flag located outside the quite zone, the flag information encoding step including identifying a presence of the second component, and identifying a type of the second symbology used; and

f) encoding the second component with internal flag information for identifying a presence of the first component and a type of the first symbology used.

11. A composite indicia readable by a first electro-optical reader having a first scan and by a second electro-optical reader having a second scan larger than the first scan, the composite indicia comprising;

a) a first component encoded with first information according to a first symbology and readable by both the first and second readers;

b) a quiet zone devoid of indicia and located outside the first component;

c) a second component in a non-overlapping relationship with the first component and encoded with second information according to a second symbology and readable by the second reader; and

d) a flag located outside the quiet zone and readable solely by the second reader, the flag being encoded with external flag information for identifying to the second reader a presence of the second component and a type of the second symbology used.

12. The indicia of claim 11, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional symbol, and wherein the second component is a two-dimensional symbol.

13. The indicia of claim 12, wherein the one-dimensional symbol is a Code 39 bar code symbol, and wherein the two-dimensional symbol is a MicroPDF 417 bar code symbol.

14. The indicia of claim 11, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional bar code symbol having leading and trailing regions at opposite ends of the symbol, and wherein the quiet zone is one of said regions.

15. The indicia of claim 11, wherein the first component is a one-dimensional bar code symbol having upper and lower regions above and below the symbol, and wherein the second component is located at one of said regions.

16. The indicia of claim 11, wherein the flag information is encoded according to the first symbology of the first component.

17. The indicia of claim 16, wherein the first component and the flag are one-dimensional bar code symbols spaced apart along a linear path.

18. The indicia of claim 17, wherein the first component has bars of a predetermined height, and wherein the flag has bars of the same predetermined height.

19. The indicia of claim 17, wherein the first component has bars of a predetermined height, and wherein the flag has bars of a height greater than the predetermined height.

20. The indicia of claim 11, wherein the second component is also encoded with internal flag information for identifying a presence of the first component and a type of the first symbology used.