Method and apparatus for locating bar codes including QR codes

• US 8,640,957 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yang, Yang, Poon, Eunice
• Primary Examiner(s): MARSHALL, CHRISTLE I
• Application Number:
  US13/602,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-4622
• US Class Current: 235/462.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image

Abstract

A method for identifying a QR code in an image includes inputting an image, and using one or more computer processor to identify edges in the image; create an edge count image; label connected regions in the edge count image; create a candidate region list; for each individual candidate in the candidate region list: find regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate; group regions that overlap into a group of overlapped regions; for each group: merge the overlapped regions into a merged region; add each merged region to the candidate region list to form a new candidate region list; and perform decoding of a QR code in each region in the new candidate region list.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a QR code in an image, comprising:

inputting an image;

using a processor to;

identify edges in the image;

create an edge count image;

label connected regions in the edge count image;

create a candidate region list;

for each individual candidate in the candidate region list;

find regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate;

group regions that overlap into a group of overlapped regions;

for each group;

merge the overlapped regions into a merged region;

add each merged region to the candidate region list to form a new candidate region list; and

perform decoding of a QR code in each region in the new candidate region list.

2. A method for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 1, wherein finding regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate comprises:

finding horizontal overlap between two regions, region1 and region2 as follows

3. A method for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 1, wherein finding regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate comprises:

finding vertical overlap between two regions, region1 and region2 as follows

4. A method for identifying at least two barcodes in the same image with one barcode being rotated with respect to another barcode, comprising:

inputting an image;

using a processor to;

decode a horizontal or vertical barcode in the image, including decoding a PDF417 barcode;

next, decode a rotated barcode in the image, the rotated barcode being rotated with respect to the horizontal or vertical barcode.

5. A method for identifying at least two barcodes in the same image with one barcode being rotated with respect to another barcode, comprising:

inputting an image;

using a processor to;

decode a horizontal or vertical barcode in the image;

next decode a rotated barcode in the image, the rotated barcode being rotated with respect to the horizontal or vertical 1 barcode;

after decoding the rotated barcode in the image, then decode a 2D barcode.

6. A method for identifying at least two barcodes in the same image as in claim 5, wherein the 2d barcode is a QR code and further comprising:

using the processor to;

identify edges in the image;

create an edge count image;

label connected regions in the edge count image;

create a candidate region list;

for each individual candidate in the candidate region list;

find regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate;

group regions that overlap into a group of overlapped regions;

for each group;

merge the overlapped regions into a merged region;

add each merged region to the candidate region list to form a new candidate region list; and

perform decoding of a QR code in each region in the new candidate region list.

7. A device for identifying a QR code in an image, comprising:

a unit for inputting an image;

a processor that;

identifies edges in the image;

creates an edge count image;

labels connected regions in the edge count image;

creates a candidate region list;

for each individual candidate in the candidate region list;

finds regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate;

groups regions that overlap into a group of overlapped regions;

for each group;

merges the overlapped regions into a merged region;

adds each merged region to the candidate region list to form a new candidate region list; and

performs decoding of a QR code in each region in the new candidate region list.

8. A device for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 7, wherein finding regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate comprises:

finding horizontal overlap between two regions, region1 and region2 as follows

9. A device for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 7, wherein finding regions that overlap with the region in the individual candidate comprises:

finding vertical overlap between two regions, region1 and region2 as follows

10. A device for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 7, wherein the unit for inputting an image is a scanner.

11. A device for identifying a QR code in an image as in claim 7, further comprising a memory for storing the image.