Decoding a transformed machine readable image

• US 8,991,718 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Morse, Reed, Nassar, Kareem
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LY, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/464,270
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/462.1, 235/462.11, 235/494
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for decoding transformed machine readable images is disclosed. A reader device can acquire a machine readable image that is transformed. A configuration module can reconfigure the transformed image to a form that renders the data in the image accessible by the reader device. A read module can decode the reconfigured machine readable image to retrieve the data contained in the image.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

acquiring, by an input module of a reader device, a machine readable image that is graphically transformed such that data represented by the machine readable image is inaccessible;

graphically reconfiguring, by a configuration module of the reader device, the transformed machine readable image to a form that renders the data accessible by the reader device; and

decoding, by a read module of the reader device, the reconfigured machine readable image to retrieve the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the transformed machine readable image, further comprises:

comparing, by the configuration module of the reader device, the transformed machine readable image with a plurality of image patterns stored in a memory of the reader device;

finding a match between the transformed machine readable image and at least one of the plurality of image patterns stored in the memory of the reader device, wherein each image pattern of the plurality of image patterns is associated with a re-configuration algorithm; and

rearranging the image based on the re-configuration algorithm associated with the at least one image pattern that matches with the transformed machine readable image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when the machine readable image comprises a graphical identifier, reconfiguring the transformed machine readable image further comprises:

scanning, by a logo module of the reader device, the transformed machine readable image for the graphical identifier, wherein the graphical identifier is associated with a re-configuration algorithm; and

rearranging, by a configuration module of the reader device, the transformed machine readable image based on the re-configuration algorithm associated with the graphical identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the reader device, the decoded message to a database of a server to store the decoded message when the message is associated with a reward program; and

receiving, at the reader device, a plurality of messages associated with the decoded message transmitted from the server; and

prompting a user of the reader device to transmit the decoded message to a reader device of another user over a wireless link.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the machine readable image captured through the input module locally in the memory associated with the reader device;

performing an operation that is associated with the decoded message as instructed in the decoded message when the decoded message comprises instructions to an operation comprised therein; and

communicating, by an output module of the reader device, the message that is encoded within the machine readable image responsive to decoding the reconfigured machine readable image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein performing an operation that is associated with the decoded message further comprising:

opening a web page responsive to decoding the message encoded within the reconfigured machine readable image.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein performing an operation that is associated with the decoded message further comprising:

opening a media file responsive to decoding the message encoded within the reconfigured machine readable image when the decoded message is associated with the media file.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine readable image is one of a QR code and a bar code.

9. A computer program product embodied in a tangible storage medium and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method, the method comprising:

capturing, by an input module of a reader device, a machine readable image encoded with a message;

recognizing, by a test module of the reader device, the machine readable image has been graphically transformed to render a message encoded therein inaccessible;

graphically reconfiguring, by a configuration module of the reader device, the machine readable image to a form that is decodable, if the machine readable image is transformed; and

decoding, by a read module of the reader device, the reconfigured machine readable image to retrieve the message encoded therein.

10. A method comprising:

capturing, by an input module of a reader device, a machine readable image encoded with a message;

recognizing, by a test module of the reader device, the machine readable image has been graphically transformed to render a message encoded therein inaccessible;

transmitting the machine readable image to a server to graphically reconfigure and decode the machine readable image resulting in retrieving the message encoded therein; and

receiving the decoded message from the server.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a server from a reader device, a machine readable image that is graphically transformed to render a message encoded therein inaccessible;

graphically reconfiguring, by the server, the transformed machine readable image to a form that is decodable through the reader device;

decoding, by the server, the reconfigured machine readable image to retrieve the data; and

transmitting, from the server to the reader device, the data decoded from the reconfigured machine readable image.

12. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a storage medium and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method, the method comprising:

generating a second machine readable image by graphically transforming a first machine readable image representative of data to render the data inaccessible by a reader device absent a configuration module,

wherein the configuration module is configured to graphically transform the second machine readable image back to the first machine readable image that is decodable by the reader device to retrieve the representative data,

outputting the graphically transformed machine readable image.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the step of transforming comprises changing image characteristics of the first machine readable image.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein changing image characteristics comprises changing a layout of the machine readable image.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein changing image characteristics comprises changing a color characteristic of the machine readable image.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the machine readable image is a QR code.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the machine readable image is a multi dimensional bar code.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the transformed machine readable image is embedded with a graphical identifier in, wherein the graphical identifier facilitates a decoding of the transformed image.