Two-dimensional code having superior decoding properties making it possible to control the level of error correcting codes, and a method for encoding and decoding the same

• US 7,198,194 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iconlab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Iconlab, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyoung-Tae, Kwon, Dong-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman; Jared J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt; Kristy A.
• Application Number:
  US10/532,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20060163357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/494, 235/462.1
• US Class Current: 235/462.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06131 the marking comprising a target pattern, e.g. for indicating the center of the bar code or for helping a bar code reader to properly orient the scanner or to retrieve the bar code inside of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0163 by means of additional timing marks on the record-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1473 error correction

Abstract

Two-dimensional Code having superior decoding property making it possible to control the level of error correcting codes, and a method for encoding and decoding the two-dimensional code is provided. The two-dimensional code includes a finding pattern area comprised of finding patterns for discriminating the code area from the whole image, a timing pattern area comprised of timing patterns for checking a position of the data area from the whole code and the position of each cell of the data area, and a data area being inputted with various kinds of data and decoding information.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional code comprising:

a finding pattern area including finding patterns to discriminate a code area from a whole image;

a timing pattern area including timing patterns to check a data region position and each cell in a data region from a whole code image, said timing pattern area being configured on three sides of said whole code image; and

a data area having recorded various kind of predetermined data and decoding information.

2. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coded data recorded in said data area are at least one among a figure, mark, Korean alphabet, English alphabet, or special character.

3. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data are directly interpreted by decoding process.

4. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a quiet zone for identification of an existence of said code, wherein a size of said quiet zone is at least a standard unit size of a cell in said code.

5. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 1, wherein said finding pattern area is located on any one-side or facing each other on two-sides of edge surfaces, and

said finding patterns has a predetermined number of bars which are different in width from one another.

6. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 5, wherein said finding patterns has two black bars wherein each width of said black bars is at least 1.5 times or more a unit size of a cell.

7. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 5, wherein said timing pattern area is located on at least any one or more sides of said edge surfaces except said finding pattern area.

8. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 7, wherein said timing pattern area has at least one more row and column of edge surfaces in a whole code plane, and the sizes of the cells in each area are different from one another.

9. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data area includes

a first data code,

a Reed-Solomon code,

a second data code that codes and records an error level information of said Reed- Solomon code, and

a BCH code.

10. The two-dimensional code as claimed in claim 9, wherein codeword data are extracted from said first data code and said Reed-Solomon code by an error-level decision of said Reed-Solomon code from said BCH code.