Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes

• US 9,111,164 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderton, Landon, Gee, Garrett, Hornberger, Ryan, Ouimet, Kirk, Sheffield, Kameron, Turley, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US14/612,409
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 235/437, 235/492, 235/494
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning

Abstract

Systems and methods for custom functional patterns for optical barcodes are provided. In example embodiments, image data of an image is received from a user device. A candidate shape feature of the image is extracted from the image data. A determination is made that the shape feature satisfies a shape feature rule. In response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature rule, a custom graphic in the image is identified by comparing the candidate shape feature with a reference shape feature of the custom graphic. In response to identifying the custom graphic, data encoded in a portion of the image is decoded.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a communication module to receive reference image data of a reference image for a custom graphic;

a finder module to determine a reference shape feature of the custom graphic from the reference image data, the reference shape feature being indicative of an identity of the custom graphic;

a memory configured to store a shape feature rule and the reference shape feature of the custom graphic; and

a hardware processor coupled to the memory, the hardware processor comprising the communication module,

the communication module further configured to receive image data of an image from a client device;

the finder module further configured to;

extract a candidate shape feature of the image from the image data;

determine that the candidate shape feature satisfies the shape feature rule;

in response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature rule, identify a custom graphic in the image based on a comparison of the candidate shape feature and the reference shape feature of the custom graphic; and

in response to the finder module identifying the custom graphic, a decoder module configured to decode data encoded in a portion of the image from the image data by detecting markings indicative of data included in the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the finder module is further configured to:

calculate an area value of the candidate shape feature from the image data, the area value being calculated in conjunction with another candidate shape feature to scale the area value;

determine an area score for the candidate shape feature by comparing the area value with a reference area value of the custom graphic; and

determine that the candidate shape feature satisfies an area rule based on the area score exceeding a threshold, wherein the shape feature rule comprises the area rule.

3. A method comprising:

receiving reference image data of a reference image for a custom symbol;

determining a reference shape feature of the reference image from the reference image data, the reference shape feature being indicative of an identity of the custom symbol;

receiving image data of an image from a user device;

extracting a candidate shape feature of the image from the image data;

determining that the candidate shape feature satisfies a shape feature criterion;

in response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature criterion, identifying the custom symbol in the image by comparing the candidate shape feature with the reference shape feature of the custom symbol;

in response to identifying the custom symbol, extracting, using a hardware processor of a machine, a geometry attribute of the custom symbol in the image from the image data; and

decoding data encoded in a portion of the image from the image data using the geometry attribute of the custom symbol in the image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

calculating a size approximation of the candidate shape feature from the image data, the size approximation being calculated in conjunction with another candidate shape feature to scale the size approximation;

determining a size score for the candidate shape feature by comparing the size approximation with a reference size of the custom symbol; and

determining that the candidate shape feature satisfies a size criterion based on the size score exceeding a threshold, wherein the shape feature criterion comprises the size criterion.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining from the image data that the candidate shape feature comprises an enclosed line, wherein the enclosed line encircles a portion of the image by having a path that starts at a particular point and returns to the particular point; and

determining that the candidate shape feature satisfies a path criterion based on the candidate shape feature comprising the enclosed line, wherein the shape feature criterion comprises the path criterion.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the geometry attribute comprises at least one of a position, scale, or orientation of the custom symbol in the image.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

extracting a distinctive feature of the custom symbol from the image data, the distinctive feature being indicative of an identification of the custom symbol;

determining an orientation of the custom symbol in the image by comparing the distinctive feature with a reference distinctive feature of the custom symbol; and

decoding the data encoded in the image using the orientation and a position of the custom symbol in the image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a distinctive point of the custom symbol in the image, wherein the distinctive feature comprises the distinctive point; and

determining the orientation of the custom symbol in the image by comparing a position of the distinctive point in relation to the custom symbol in the image with a position of a reference point of the custom symbol.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a transformed image by transforming the image according to the orientation of the custom symbol; and

decoding the data encoded in the portion of the image using the transformed image.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a failure to decode the data encoded in the portion of the image using the transformed image;

generating another transformed image by transforming the image according to a different orientation of the custom symbol; and

decoding the data encoded in the portion of the image using the other transformed image.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the data encoded in the portion of the image is encoded using multiple marks positioned in relation to the custom symbol in the image, wherein respective marks of the multiple marks represent a piece of data.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the custom symbol comprises at least one of a logo, icon, or trademark.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving the image data in real time from an image sensor of the user device.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein a shape of the custom symbol comprises at least one asymmetry.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to decoding the data encoded in the image, performing an action on the user device using the data decoded from the image.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the action comprises an action specified by the data decoded from the image.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the action is performed without communicating with a server.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the action is exclusive to a mobile computing application that decoded the data encoded in the portion of the image.

19. A machine-readable medium having no transitory signals and storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving reference image data of a reference image for a specific design;

determining a reference shape feature of the reference image from the reference image data, the reference shape feature being indicative of an identity of the specific design;

receiving image data of an image from a client system;

extracting a candidate shape feature of the image from the image data;

determining that the candidate shape feature satisfies a shape feature rule;

in response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature rule, identifying the specific design in the image by comparing the candidate shape feature with the reference shape feature of the specific design;

in response to identifying the specific design, extracting a spatial property of the specific design in the image from the image data; and

decoding data encoded in a portion of the image from the image data using the spatial property of the specific design in the image.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

calculating a size approximation of the candidate shape feature from the image data, the size approximation being calculated in conjunction with another candidate shape feature to scale the size approximation;

determining a size score for the candidate shape feature by comparing the size approximation with a reference size of the specific design; and

determining that the candidate shape feature satisfies a size rule based on the size score exceeding a threshold, wherein the shape feature rule comprises the size rule.