Barcode having enhanced visual quality and systems and methods thereof
First Claim
1. A machine-implemented barcode method, comprising:
- obtaining barcode data;
obtaining image data; and
merging the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions free of barcode data and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein merging comprises graphically presenting at least one machine-readable reference mark encoding a respective location of at least one of the blackout regions.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A barcode with enhanced visual quality may be used with an item such as a document. The barcode includes a background field having an embedded graphic. The background caries data related to the item. The embedded graphic may obscure some background data. A bar coding apparatus, system and a corresponding method involve two basic functions: encoding and decoding. The encoding function uses an encoding algorithm to generate the barcode. The graphic is then embedded onto the barcode and the thus-generated enhanced visually significant barcode is placed on the item. Decoding involves machine-reading the barcode using a decoding algorithm. The decoding algorithm can operate with or without an original bit map that was used to generate the graphic. The graphic may be enhanced in a manner that may make at least a portion of the encoded information within the graphic readable by a human.
106 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented barcode method, comprising:
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obtaining barcode data; obtaining image data; and merging the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions free of barcode data and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein merging comprises graphically presenting at least one machine-readable reference mark encoding a respective location of at least one of the blackout regions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A machine-implemented barcode method, comprising:
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obtaining barcode data; obtaining image data; and merging the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions free of barcode data and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein the graphically presented image data includes an image of a handwritten signature. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A machine-implemented barcode method, comprising:
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obtaining barcode data; obtaining image data; merging the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions free of barcode data and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein the graphically presented image data corresponds to a signature; obtaining the signature from a trusted authority; and removing the signature from the enhanced visually significant barcode; and reading the barcode data while avoiding blackout regions.
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13. A barcode apparatus, comprising:
an encoder configured to obtain barcode data and image data, and operable to merge the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein the encoder is operable to provide at least one machine-readable reference mark encoding a respective location of at least one of the blackout regions. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A barcode apparatus, comprising:
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an encoder configured to obtain barcode data and image data, and operable to merge the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, wherein the graphically presented image data corresponds to a signature; and a decoder operable to read the barcode data while avoiding blackout regions, wherein the decoder is operable to obtain the signature from a trusted authority and to subtract the signature from the enhanced visually significant barcode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A barcode with enhanced visual quality, comprising:
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image data presented graphically in blackout regions; barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions; and at least one machine-readable reference mark encoding a respective location of at least one of the blackout regions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A barcode with enhanced visual quality, comprising:
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image data presented graphically in blackout regions; barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions; and at least one machine-readable reference mark locating at least one of the blackout regions, wherein at least one reference mark identifies a storage location of an image corresponding to the graphically presented image data.
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28. A barcode with enhanced visual quality, comprising:
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image data presented graphically in blackout regions; barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions; and at least one machine-readable reference mark locating at least one of the blackout regions, wherein at least one reference mark comprises a vector description of the graphically presented image data.
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29. A system that encodes and decodes an enhanced, visually significant barcode, comprising:
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an encoder operable to merge the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, the encoder being further operable to graphically present at least one machine-readable reference mark encoding a respective location of at least one of the blackout regions; and a decoder operable to read the barcode data while avoiding blackout regions based on the at least one machine-readable reference mark. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A system that encodes and decodes an enhanced, visually significant barcode, comprising:
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an encoder operable to merge the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented graphically in blackout regions and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, the encoder being further operable to graphically present at least one machine-readable reference mark locating at least one of the blackout regions; and a decoder operable to read the barcode data while avoiding blackout regions based on the at least one machine-readable reference mark, wherein at least one reference mark provided by the encoder identifies a storage location of a description of an image corresponding to the graphically presented image data, and wherein the decoder is operable to retrieve the image description from the storage location based on the at least one reference mark.
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34. A system that encodes and decodes an enhanced, visually significant barcode, comprising:
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an encoder operable to merge the barcode data and the image data into an enhanced visually significant barcode having image data presented a graphically in blackout regions and having the barcode data presented graphically in regions outside of the blackout regions, the encoder being further operable to graphically present at least one machine-readable reference mark locating at least one of the blackout regions; and a decoder operable to read the barcode data while avoiding blackout regions based on the at least one machine-readable reference mark, wherein a reference mark identifies a given endpoint of a given blackout region by specifying a distance from a beginning point of the given blackout region to the given endpoint.
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Specification