Encoding and decoding data into an image using identifiable marks and encoded elements

• US 8,194,914 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: SpyderLynk LLC
• Inventors: Skogg, Nicole S., Crookham, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOTSINGER, SEAN T
• Application Number:
  US11/975,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 235454-473
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06103 the marking being embedded in a human recognizable image, e.g. a company logo with an embedded two-dimensional code
• 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

Abstract

An encoded image and methods for encoding and decoding encoded images. In one example, an encoded image may include at least one identifiable mark (also referred to herein as an anchor image); a triggering image that indicates the presence of the encoded image; and at least one encoded element adjacent to the identifiable mark, the at least one encoded element positioned at a location relative to the identifiable mark, the location representing a value. In one embodiment, a method to form an encoded image may include the operations of selecting a value, the value having one or more digits; based on at least one or more of the digits, selecting an anchor image; selecting at least one element for positioning proximate to the anchor image; forming the image using the anchor image and the at least one element; and based on at least one or more of the digits, forming a characteristic of the at least one element. A method of decoding an encoded image may include, in one example, receiving the encoded image for decoding, the encoded image comprising a decoding trigger, an anchor image, and at least one encoded element; recognizing the decoding trigger within the encoded image; recognizing the anchor image within the encoded image; selecting a decoding process from a plurality of decoding processes based on the anchor image; and decoding the encoded image using the selected decoding process.

Claims

1. A method of forming an image comprising,

selecting a value, the value having one or more digits;

based on at least one of the one or more digits, selecting an anchor image;

selecting at least one element for positioning proximate to the anchor image;

forming the image using the anchor image and the at least one element;

based on at least one of the one or more digits, forming a characteristic of the at least one element; and

wherein,

at least one of the one or more digits corresponds to an angular location of the at least one element relative to the anchor image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a characteristic of the at least one element comprises positioning the at least one element relative to the anchor image at a location that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a characteristic of the at least one element comprises coloring the at least one element with a color that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a characteristic comprises sizing the at least one element with a size that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a characteristic comprises orienting the at least one element at an orientation that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a characteristic comprises orienting the at least one element at an orientation that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

6. A method of encoding a value into an image, comprising:

forming one or more blocks of digits, each of the one or more block of digits representing a portion of the value;

selecting a primary image based on a content of at least one of the blocks of digits, the primary image being associated with an encoding technique;

selecting at least one secondary image;

constructing the image using the primary image and the secondary image; and

positioning the at least one secondary image in a location relative to the primary image based on,

the content of at least one of the blocks of digits, and

the encoding technique.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operation of selecting a secondary image is based on the content of at least one of the blocks of digits.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the primary image is a logo.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

mapping each of the one or more blocks of digits to hierarchical content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a first of the one or more blocks of digits are mapped to a first portion of the hierarchical content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a second of the one or more blocks of digits are mapped to a second portion of the hierarchical content.

12. A method of forming an image comprising,

selecting a value, the value having one or more digits;

based on at least one of the one or more digits, selecting an anchor image;

selecting at least one element for positioning proximate to the anchor image;

forming the image using the anchor image and the at least one element;

based on at least one of the one or more digits, forming a characteristic of the at least one element by corresponding a size of the at least one element to at least one of the one or more digits.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more digits corresponds to an angular location of the at least one element relative to the anchor image.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming a characteristic of the at least one element comprises positioning the at least one element relative to the anchor image at a location that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein forming a characteristic of the at least one element comprises coloring the at least one element with a color that corresponds to at least one of the one or more digits.