Customizing barcode images for particular displays
First Claim
1. A method of displaying an image of a barcode in a pixel display belonging to a device, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying, based on characteristics of the pixel display, a plurality of possible image forms of the barcode for the pixel display, wherein in at least one of the possible image forms includes a barcode wherein;
i. the barcode has a minimum display size in pixels which renders each element of the barcode readable by a barcode reader from the pixel display;
ii. each element of the barcode has a minimum element size in the pixel display and the barcode has a minimum size in which every element of the barcode is its minimum element size,iii. a display size of the barcode on the pixel display is an integer multiple of the minimum size of the barcode and is at least equal to the minimum display size;
selecting and generating an image form from the plurality of possible image forms of the barcode, the selected and generated image form being readable as a barcode, when displayed in the pixel display and read from the pixel display by a barcode reader such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the image form, as displayed in the pixel display of the device; and
causing the selected image form to be displayed in the pixel display.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for ensuring maximum readability of barcodes displayed in pixel displays. The techniques use the characteristics of the pixel display to determine the form of the barcode in the pixel display. Determination of the form includes determining a size of the barcode which renders the barcode'"'"'s elements easily readable by a barcode reader and a shape, and or orientation of the barcode in the display which permits the entire barcode to be displayed in the display. Additionally, in a barcode with redundant information, the amount of redundant information may be reduced in the displayed barcode. The techniques may be applied to both one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes.
53 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of displaying an image of a barcode in a pixel display belonging to a device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
identifying, based on characteristics of the pixel display, a plurality of possible image forms of the barcode for the pixel display, wherein in at least one of the possible image forms includes a barcode wherein; i. the barcode has a minimum display size in pixels which renders each element of the barcode readable by a barcode reader from the pixel display; ii. each element of the barcode has a minimum element size in the pixel display and the barcode has a minimum size in which every element of the barcode is its minimum element size, iii. a display size of the barcode on the pixel display is an integer multiple of the minimum size of the barcode and is at least equal to the minimum display size; selecting and generating an image form from the plurality of possible image forms of the barcode, the selected and generated image form being readable as a barcode, when displayed in the pixel display and read from the pixel display by a barcode reader such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the image form, as displayed in the pixel display of the device; and causing the selected image form to be displayed in the pixel display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
6. A method of displaying an image of a barcode in a pixel display belonging to a device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
identifying, based on characteristics of the pixel display, a plurality of possible image forms of a barcode for the pixel display; selecting and generating an image form from the plurality of possible image forms of the barcode, the selected and generated image form being readable as a barcode, when displayed in the pixel display and read from the pixel display by a barcode reader such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the image form as displayed in the pixel display of the device; and causing the selected image form to be displayed in the pixel display; wherein a possible image form has a minimum display height in pixels and a minimum display length in pixels which render the possible image form readable by the barcode reader; wherein the barcode is a one-dimensional barcode; and a display length of the barcode is an integer multiple of a minimum length of the barcode, the minimum length being a length such that every element of the barcode is a single pixel wide, and the display length is at least equal to the minimum display length. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
15. A method of making a pixel representation of a one-dimensional barcode for a pixel display such that when the pixel representation is displayed in the pixel display, the barcode is readable by a barcode reader from the pixel display, the method performed by a processor of a device having the pixel display and comprising the steps of:
-
the processor determining a minimum length of a one-dimensional barcode to be displayed on a pixel display for reading by a barcode reader, wherein each element of the one-dimensional barcode has a width of 1 pixel in the pixel display; the processor determining a minimum element width which each element of the one-dimensional barcode must have when displayed on the pixel display to be readable by the barcode reader; and the processor generating the pixel representation by multiplying the minimum length by an integer amount such that the width in pixels of each element of the barcode in the pixel representation results in an element width of the element as displayed in the pixel display which is at least equal to the minimum element width, the processor causing the generated pixel representation to be displayed on the pixel display, wherein the displayed pixel representation is readable by the barcode reader as a barcode from the pixel display such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the generated pixel representation as displayed on the pixel display.
-
-
16. A method of making a pixel representation of a two-dimensional barcode for a pixel display such that when the pixel representation is displayed in the pixel display, the barcode is readable by a barcode reader from the pixel display, the method performed by a processor of a device having the pixel display and comprising the steps of:
-
the processor determining a minimum size of a two-dimensional barcode in which each element of the two-dimensional barcode has a minimum size in pixels; the processor determining a minimum display size which each element of the two-dimensional barcode must have when displayed on the pixel display to be readable by the barcode reader; and the processor generating the pixel representation by scaling the minimum size by an integer amount such that the size in pixels of each element of the barcode in the pixel representation results in an element size of the element as displayed in the pixel display which is at least equal to the minimum display size, the processor the generated pixel representation to be displayed on the pixel display of the device, wherein the displayed pixel representation is capable of being read by the barcode reader as a barcode from the pixel display such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the generated pixel representation as displayed on the pixel display.
-
-
17. A device for displaying a barcode for reading by a barcode reader, comprising:
-
a pixel display; and a processor in communication with the pixel display configured to; identify a plurality of possible image forms for displaying a barcode on the pixel display, wherein at least one of the possible image forms has a barcode wherein; i. the barcode has a minimum display size in pixels which renders each element of the barcode readable by a barcode reader from the pixel display; ii. each element of the barcode has a minimum element size in the pixel display and the barcode has a minimum size in which every element of the barcode is its minimum element size, iii. a display size of the barcode on the pixel display is an integer multiple of the minimum size of the barcode and is at least equal to the minimum display size; and select and generate an image form from the plurality of possible image forms of the barcode, the selected image form being readable as a barcode, when displayed in the pixel display and read from the pixel display by a barcode reader such that the barcode reader can extract barcode information from the image form as displayed in the pixel display of the device; wherein the pixel display displays the selected image form. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A device for generating readable barcodes for display on a mobile device, comprising:
a processor configured to; receive data to be encoded as barcode information according to barcode characteristics; determine, according to the barcode characteristics and characteristics of the display of the mobile device, sizes of barcode elements on the display of the mobile device, wherein; i. the barcode has a minimum display size in pixels which renders each element of the barcode readable by a barcode reader from the display; ii. each element of the barcode has a minimum element size in the display and the barcode has a minimum size in which every element of the barcode is its minimum element size, iii. a display size of the barcode on the display is an integer multiple of the minimum size of the barcode and is at least equal to the minimum display size; and generate an image that includes the readable barcode with elements of barcode information of the determined size, such that when the image is displayed on the display and read from the display by a barcode reader, the barcode reader can extract the barcode information from the image as displayed on the display. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
27. A device for generating readable barcodes for display, comprising:
-
one or more processors configured to; receive data indicative of a display; receive data to be encoded as barcode information according to barcode characteristics; in response to receiving the data to be encoded and the indication of the display, produce an image that includes a readable barcode with barcode elements encoding the received data, by; generate barcode elements of the barcode encoding the received data in the image, such that the barcode has a size in pixels in the image that is; a. an integer multiple of a minimum size of the barcode in pixels, in which each barcode element in the barcode is a minimum element size for the barcode element in pixels in the display, and b. at least equal to the minimum display size of the barcode in pixels of the barcode which renders each barcode element readable by a barcode reader from a display, such that when the produced image is displayed on the display and read from the display by a barcode reader, the barcode reader can extract the data encoded as barcode information from the image as displayed on the display; and in response to the processor producing the image, cause the produced image to be displayed on the display.
-
Specification