Two-dimensional code detection system and two-dimensional code detection program

• US 7,648,072 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yada, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marshall; Christie I
• Application Number:
  US11/523,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20070187512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46249
• US Class Current: 235/462.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10544 by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1093 sensing, after transfer of the image of the data-field to an intermediate store, e.g. storage with cathode ray tube

Abstract

A two-dimensional-code detection system includes a reading unit, a recognizing unit, a calculating unit and a position specifying unit. The reading unit reads an image including plural two-dimensional codes. The recognizing unit recognizes position detection patterns of the respective two-dimensional codes from the read image, which includes the plural two-dimensional codes. The calculating unit that selects at least two of the position detection patterns of the two-dimensional codes. The calculating unit calculates a minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns. The position specifying unit judges whether or not the minimum units forming the selected at least two position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other. When judging that the minimum units forming the selected at least two position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other, the position specifying unit specifies a position of a two-dimensional code using the selected at least two position detection patterns.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional-code detection system comprising:

a reading unit that reads an image including a plurality of two-dimensional codes;

a recognizing unit that recognizes position detection patterns of the respective two-dimensional codes from the image, which includes the plurality of two-dimensional codes and is read by the reading unit;

a calculating unit that arbitrarily selects at least three of the position detection patterns of the plurality of two-dimensional codes read by the reading unit before the calculating unit calculates a minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns; and

a position specifying unit that judges whether or not the minimum units forming the selected at least three position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other, wherein;

when judging that the minimum units forming the selected at least three position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other, the position specifying unit determines whether or not a combination of the selected at least three position detection patterns form an isosceles right triangle and specifies a region of a two-dimensional code on the basis of the combination of the selected at least three position detection patterns that formed the isosceles right triangle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional codes are QR codes.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit scans each of the selected position detection patterns in at least one direction to detect number of continuous ON pixels and number of continuous OFF pixels, and

the calculating unit calculates the minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns based on the detected number of the continuous ON pixels and the detected number of the continuous OFF pixels.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit scans each of the selected position detection patterns along a virtual straight line passing through a center of the selected position detection patterns to obtain pixel-change positions at which pixel values change between ON and OFF,

the calculating unit calculates distances between respective adjacent pixel-change positions, and

the calculating unit calculates the minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns based on the detected number based on the calculated distances.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit scans the image including the two-dimensional codes, in one direction plural times to calculate a rotational shift of the two-dimensional codes based on arrangement of at least one of ON pixels and OFF pixels, which are detected in each scanning, and

the calculating unit corrects the rotational shift of the two-dimensional codes and then, calculates the minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit calculates an inclination angle of at least one of the selected position detection patterns with respect to a horizontal direction of the read image, and

the calculating unit corrects a rotational shift of the selected position detection patterns based on the calculated inclination angle.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the calculating unit calculates an angle between one of outermost contour lines of the at least one of the selected position detection patterns and a first virtual line, which is perpendicular to a second virtual line passing through a center of the at least one of the selected position detection patterns, as the inclination angle.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein:

the calculating unit scans the at least one of the selected position detection patterns in one direction with a window having a size of plural pixels to detect the one of the outermost contour lines.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit calculates a distance between the selected position detection patterns,

the position specifying unit judges whether or not the calculated distance exceeds a predetermined value, and

when judging that the calculated distance does not exceed the predetermined value, the position specifying unit specifies the position of the two-dimensional code using the selected at least three position detection patterns.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculating unit calculates a distance between the selected position detection patterns,

the position specifying unit judges whether or not the calculated distance exceed a maximum value that a two-dimensional code can take as a distance between position detection patterns, and

when judging that the calculated distance does not exceed the maximum value, the position specifying unit specifies the position of the two-dimensional code using the selected at least three position detection patterns.

11. A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for detecting a two-dimensional code, the process comprising:

reading an image including a plurality of two-dimensional codes;

recognizing position detection patterns of the respective two-dimensional codes from the read image, which includes the plurality of two-dimensional codes;

selecting, arbitrarily, at least three of the position detection patterns of the plurality of two-dimensional codes before calculating a minimum unit forming each of the selected position detection patterns;

judging whether or not the minimum units forming the selected at least three position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other, and

when it is judged that the minimum units forming the selected at least three position detection patterns are substantially equal to each other, determining whether or not a combination of the selected at least three position detection patterns form an isosceles right triangle and specifying a position of a two-dimensional code on the basis of the combination of the selected at least three position detection patterns that formed the isosceles right triangle.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating a distance between the selected position detection patterns; and

judging whether or not the calculated distance exceeds a predetermined value, wherein;

when it is judged that the calculated distance does not exceed the predetermined value, specifying the position of the two-dimensional code using the selected at least three position detection patterns.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating a distance between the selected position detection patterns; and

judging whether or not the calculated distance exceed a maximum value that a two-dimensional code can take as a distance between position detection patterns, wherein;

when it is judged that the calculated distance does not exceed the maximum value, specifying the position of the two-dimensional code using the selected at least three position detection patterns.