Printed page tag encoder for encoding fixed and variable data

• US 20060268347A1
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/3.280
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence

Abstract

A printed page tag encoder is provided having an input at which to receive a tag structure template, an input at which to receive fixed data bits, each fixed data bit being the same for all tags to be printed on a page, an input at which to receive variable data bits, each variable data bit being specified for a corresponding tag to be printed on a page, and a tag dot generator outputting single bits depending on position in each tag defined by the tag structure template and said fixed and said variable data.

Claims

1. A printed page tag encoder comprising:

an input at which to receive a tag structure template;

an input at which to receive fixed data bits, each fixed data bit being the same for all tags to be printed on a page;

an input at which to receive variable data bits, each variable data bit being specified for a corresponding tag to be printed on a page; and

a tag dot generator outputting single bits depending on position in each tag defined by the tag structure template and said fixed and said variable data.

2. A printed page tag encoder as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising a redundancy encoder for optionally encoding said fixed and/or said variable data.

3. A printed page tag encoder as claimed in claim 2 wherein the redundancy encoder utilises Reed-Solomon encoding.

4. A printed page tag encoder as claimed in claim 1 wherein tags are placed regularly on a page.

5. A printed page tag encoder as claimed in claim 4 wherein tags are placed in a triangular grid.

6. A method of establishing printed page tags comprising:

formatting fixed data for all tags on a page being printed together with specific tag data values according to a defined tag structure format; and

regularly locating the tags on the page.

7. A method of printing a printed page tag as claimed in claim 6 further comprising redundancy encoding the fixed and/or specific tag data.