Method for producing indicators and processing apparatus and system utilizing the indicators

• US 7,328,845 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonix Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sonix Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Yao-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): CAPUTO, LISA M
• Application Number:
  US10/189,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/435
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06 characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06178 the marking having a feature size being smaller than can be seen by the unaided human eye
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06234 miniature-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06262 with target- or other orientation-indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1408 the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for producing graphical indicators and interactive systems for utilizing the graphical indicators. On the surface of an object, visually negligible graphical indicators are provided. The graphical indicators and main information, i.e. text or pictures, co-exist on the surface of object. The graphical indicators do not interfere with the main information when the perception of human eyes are concerned. With the graphical indicators, further information other than the main information on the surface of object are carried. In addition to the main information on the surface of object, one is able to obtain additional information through an auxiliary electronic device or trigger an interactive operation.

Claims

1. A processing system comprising:

an optical device for capturing an image from a selected zone on a surface of an object by a user, wherein the image includes a graphical indicator that is visually negligible and is affixed on the surface of the object;

a processing device coupled to the optical device for receiving the image, the processing device retrieving the graphical indicator from the image and acquiring an additional information corresponding to the graphical indicator by processing and/or transforming the graphical indicators; and

an output device coupled to the processing device for outputting the additional information.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicator comprises a plurality of graphical micro-units arranged in a layout, the layout corresponds to an indicator information, the processing device analyses the layout of the graphical micro-units to retrieve the indicator information and further to acquire the additional information from the indicator information by processing and/or transforming the graphical indicators.

3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein each graphical indicator occupies very small amount of area, and each graphical micro-unit occupies very small amount of area, and number of graphical micro-units of each graphical indicator is substantially equal to each other.

4. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the surface of the object comprises a main information that overlaps and co-exists with the graphical micro-units on the surface of the object, wherein the graphical micro-units are negligible when the user observes the main information.

5. The processing system of claim 4, wherein the graphical indicator comprises a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing the graphical micro-units, wherein each of the state zones displays a state from at least two candidate states.

6. The processing system of claim 5, wherein the candidate states comprise a first state and a second state, as in the first state, the state zone includes one graphical micro-unit, and as in the second state, the state zone does not include the graphical micro-unit.

7. The processing system of claim 6, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 3000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.

8. The processing system of claim 6, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 6000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.

9. The processing system of claim 6, wherein the state zones are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form and the graphical indicator comprises a header information and a content information, each header information within each graphical indicator is capable of distinguishing the corresponding graphical indicator from adjacent graphical indicators and indicating the orientation of the corresponding graphical indicator to the optical device.

10. The processing system of claim 4, wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in an ink that substantially absorbs infrared ray, and the main information is printed in an ink that hardly absorbs infrared ray, and the optical device emits infrared ray onto the surface of the object and then receives a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

11. The processing system of claim 10, wherein the ink is a black oil ink, while the main information is printed in a Near-K ink that hardly absorb infrared ray.

12. The processing system of claim 4, wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in a fluorescent ink, and the main information is printed in a typical oil ink, the optical device emitting ultraviolet ray or blue ray onto the surface of the object and then receiving a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

13. The processing system of claim 4, wherein the surface of the object comprises multiple index zones, each index zone corresponds to one index value, and multiple identical graphical indicators are arranged in each index zone.

14. The processing system of claim 1 further comprising a mapping unit indicating mapping relationship of the indicator information and the additional information, the processing device being coupled to the mapping unit to retrieve one additional information corresponding to the indicator information.

15. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the additional information comprises a multi-media information, and the output device outputs the multi-media information to the user.

16. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicator is recorded in a vehicle that is affixed onto the surface of the object.

17. The processing system of claim 1 further comprising a mapping unit indicating mapping relationship of the indicator information and the additional information, the mapping unit retrieves one additional information corresponding to the indicator information.

18. A processing system comprising:

a surface of an object including multiple index zones, multiple visually negligible graphical indicators are arranged in each index zone; and

an electronic system comprising an optical device for capturing a selected zone on the surface of the object by a user, the optical device capturing an image from the selected zone, the electronic system retrieving the graphical indicators from the image and producing an response by using an additional information corresponding to one graphic indicator.

19. The processing system of claim 18, wherein each graphical indicator comprises a plurality of graphical micro-units arranged in a layout, the layout corresponds to an indicator information, the processing device analyses the layout of the graphical micro-units to retrieve the indicator information and further to acquire the additional information from the indicator information by processing and/or transforming the indicator information.

20. The processing system of claim 19, wherein the surface of the object comprises a main information that overlaps and co-exists with the graphical micro-units on the surface of the object, wherein the graphical micro-units are negligible when the user observes the main information.

21. The processing system of claim 20, wherein each graphical indicators comprises a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing the graphical micro-units, and each state zone displays a state from at least two candidate states.

22. The processing system of claim 21, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 3000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.

23. The processing system of claim 21, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 6000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.

24. The processing system of claim 21, wherein the candidate states comprise a first state and a second state, as in the first state, the state zone includes one graphical micro-unit, and as in the second state, the state zone does not include the graphical micro-unit.

25. The processing system of claim 24, wherein the state zones are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form and the graphical indicator comprises a header information and a content information, each header information within each graphical indicator is capable of distinguishing the corresponding graphical indicator from adjacent graphical indicators and indicating the orientation of the corresponding graphical indicator to the optical device.

26. The processing system of claim 20, wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in an ink that substantially absorbs infrared ray, and the main information is printed in an ink that hardly absorbs infrared ray, and the optical device emits infrared ray onto the surface of the object and then receives a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

27. The processing system of claim 26, wherein the ink is a black oil ink, while the main information is printed in a Near-K ink that comprises an ink hardly absorbing infrared ray.

28. The processing system of claim 20, wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in a fluorescent ink, and the main information is printed in a typical oil ink, the optical device emitting ultraviolet ray or blue ray onto the surface of the object and then receiving a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

29. The processing system of claim 18, wherein each graphical indicator occupies very small amount of area, and each graphical micro-unit occupies very small amount of area, and number of graphical micro-units of each graphical indicator is substantially equal to each other.

30. The processing system of claim 18, wherein the surface of the object comprises multiple index zones, each index zone corresponds to one index value, and multiple identical graphical indicators are arranged in each index zone.

31. The processing system of claim 18, wherein the response comprises outputting the additional information to the user.

32. The processing system of claim 18 further comprising a response system for receiving the additional information to implement the response.

33. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an optical-reading device for capturing an image from a selected zone on a surface of an object by a user, emitting infrared ray to the surface of the object, and then receiving a response image from the surface of the object as the image, the image comprising a graphical indicator that is visually negligible and is affixed onto the surface of the object, the graphical indicator comprising a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing a plurality of graphical micro-units, and each state zone displaying a state from at least two candidate states;

an image-processing circuit coupled to the optical-reading device and used to retrieve the image from the graphical indicator and acquire an additional information corresponding to the graphical indicator; and

an output circuit being coupled to the image-processing circuit and outputting the additional information;

wherein the surface of the object comprises multiple index zones, each index zone corresponds to one index value, and multiple identical graphical indicators are arranged

in each index zone, the surface of the object further comprises a main information that overlaps and co-exists with the graphical micro-units on the surface of the object, and the graphical micro-units are negligible when the user observes the main information, and each graphical micro-unit is printed in an ink that substantially absorbs infrared ray, and the main information is printed in an ink that hardly absorbs infrared ray.

34. The electronic apparatus of claim 33, wherein the candidate states comprise a first state and a second state, as in the first state, the state zone includes one graphical micro-unit, and as in the second state, the state zone does not include the graphical micro-unit.

35. The electronic apparatus of claim 34, wherein the state zones are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form and the graphical indicator comprises a header information and a content information, each header information within each graphical indicator is capable of distinguishing the corresponding graphical indicator from adjacent graphical indicators and indicating the orientation of the corresponding graphical indicator to the optical device.

36. The electronic apparatus of claim 35, wherein the ink is a black oil ink, while the main information is printed in a Near-K ink that comprises an ink hardly absorbing infrared ray.

37. The electronic apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a mapping unit indicating mapping relationship of the indicator information and the additional information, the image-processing circuit being coupled to the mapping unit to retrieve one additional information corresponding to the indicator information.

38. The electronic apparatus of claim 36 further comprising a mapping unit indicating mapping relationship of the indicator information and the additional information, the mapping unit retrieves one additional information corresponding to the indicator information.

39. The electronic apparatus of claim 33, wherein the additional information comprises a multi-media information and the output circuit outputs the multi-media to the user.

40. The electronic apparatus of claim 33, wherein the graphical indicator is recorded in a vehicle that is affixed onto the surface of the object.

41. A memory vehicle comprising:

an indicator information;

an additional information; and

mapping relationship of the indicator information and the additional information;

wherein the indicator information corresponds to a graphical indicator that comprises a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing a plurality of graphical micro-units, each state zone displays a state from at least two candidate states, a surface of an object comprises multiple index zones, each index zone corresponds to one index value, and multiple identical graphical indicators are arranged in each index zone, and the surface of the object further comprises main information that overlaps and coexists with the graphical micro-units that are negligible when a user observes the main information.

42. An image-processing circuit comprising:

a digital-signal-processing chip coupled to a memory vehicle and used for capturing a graphical indicator from an image and retrieving additional information corresponding to the graphical indicator;

wherein the graphical indicator comprises a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing a plurality of graphical micro-units, and each the state zone displays a state from at least two candidate states, and the digital-signal-processing chip analyzes a layout of the graphical micro-units to retrieve the plurality of indicator information and further to acquire the additional information by processing and/or transforming the indicator information.

43. A coordinate positioning system allowing a user to make positioning action over a surface of an object, said surface including a main information, comprising:

a coordinate system, implemented over said surface, including multiple coordinate zones, each coordinate zone including at least a visually negligible graphical indicator, said graphical indicator including multiple graphical micro-units co-existing with the main information over the surface without interference with the main information, multiple graphical micro-units being arranged in a layout in the graphical indicator, the layout corresponding to an indicator information indicating a coordinate value of each coordinate zone; and

a device for capturing the layout from the graphical indicator, retrieving the coordinate value responsive to said layout, and providing a response in response to the coordinate value.

44. The coordinate positioning system of claim 43, wherein the graphical indicator comprises a plurality of state zones for selectively respectively storing the graphical micro-units, wherein each of the state zones displays a state from at least two candidate states, combination of states in each graphical indicator is different from combination of states in one different graphical indicator.

45. The coordinate positioning system of claim 44, wherein the candidate states comprise a first state and a second state, as in the first state, the state zone includes one graphical micro-unit, and as in the second state, the state zone does not include the graphical micro-unit.

46. The coordinate positioning system of claim 45, wherein the state zones are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form and the graphical indicator comprises a header information and a content information, each header information within each graphical indicator is capable of distinguishing the corresponding graphical indicator from adjacent graphical indicators and indicating the orientation of the corresponding graphical indicator to the optical device.

47. The coordinate positioning system of claim 46, wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in an ink that substantially absorbs infrared ray, and the main information is printed in an ink that hardly absorbs infrared ray, and the optical device emits infrared ray onto the surface of the object and then receives a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

48. The coordinate positioning system of claim 47, wherein the ink is a black oil ink, while the main information is printed in a Near-K ink that hardly absorb infrared ray.

49. The coordinate positioning system of claim 47 wherein each graphical micro-unit is printed in a fluorescent ink, and the main information is printed in a typical oil ink, the optical device emitting ultraviolet ray or blue ray onto the surface of the object and then receiving a response image from the surface of the object as the image.

50. The coordinate positioning of claim 45, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 3000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.

51. The coordinate positioning of claim 45, wherein each square centimeter of the selected zone includes more than 6000 state zones of which less than seventy percent are in the first state, and percentage of area occupied by the graphical micro-unit in the state zone is less than 80.