Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10534949-B1
Application number	US-201816058490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2018
Priority date	Jan 19, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
storing, by a user device of a user, a reference shape feature of a reference image for a custom symbol;
generating a scannable image comprising data marks that encode data for detection, the data marks being located outside a functional shape in the scannable image such that functional shape does not contain the data marks;
identifying the custom symbol in the scannable image by determining that the functional shape exceeds a matching threshold of the reference shape feature;
in response to identifying the custom symbol, generating an item identifier by decoding the data marks that are outside the functional shape in the scannable image; and
storing the item identifier to a storage location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item identifier is a user account identifier of a social network site.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting, over a network, a request for content to one or more servers of the social network site, the request comprising the user account identifier from the scannable image; and
receiving the content over the network; and
displaying the content on a display screen of the user device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the content comprises a user interface button to interact with a user account, on the social network site, that corresponds to the user account identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional shape comprises a contour line that delineates a region of the scannable image.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the contour line delineates a region of the scannable image by having a path that starts at a particular point and returns to the particular point.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the functional shape exceeds the matching threshold of the reference shape feature comprises:
determining a match value that describes an amount that an attribute of the functional shape matches the reference shape feature; and
determining that the match value exceeds a preconfigured threshold for the attribute.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the attribute is image area and the match threshold is an image area threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, on the user device, a video sequence comprising a plurality of images, wherein the image is one of the plurality of images; and
monitoring the plurality of images for the functional shape by performing edge detection on one or more of the plurality of images.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting a distinctive feature of the custom symbol from the scannable image, the distinctive feature being indicative of an identification of the custom symbol;
determining an orientation of the custom symbol in the scannable image by comparing the distinctive feature with a reference distinctive feature of the custom symbol; and
decoding the data marks in the scannable image using the orientation for alignment of the custom symbol.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
generating a transformed image by transforming the scannable image according to the orientation of the custom symbol; and
decoding the data marks using the transformed image.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom symbol comprises at least one of a logo, icon, or trademark.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data marks are adjacent to the functional shape, and the data marks and the functional shape are included in a bounding shape in the scannable image.

14. A system comprising:
one or more processors of a machine;
a display screen;
an image sensor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
storing a reference shape feature of a reference image for a custom symbol;
generating, using the image sensor, a scannable image comprising data marks that encode data for detection, the data marks being located outside a functional shape in the scannable image such that functional shape does not contain the data marks;
identifying the custom symbol in the scannable image by determining that the functional shape exceeds a matching threshold of the reference shape feature;
in response to identifying the custom symbol, generating an item identifier by decoding the data marks that are outside the functional shape in the scannable image; and
storing the item identifier to the memory.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the item identifier is a user account identifier of a social network site.

16. The system of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
transmitting, over a network, a request for content to one or more servers of the social network site, the request comprising the user account identifier from the scannable image; and
receiving the content over the network; and
displaying the content on the display screen.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the content comprises a user interface button to interact with a user account, on the social network site, that corresponds to the user account identifier.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein determining that the functional shape exceeds the matching threshold of the reference shape feature comprises:
determining a match value that describes an amount that an attribute of the functional shape matches the reference shape feature; and
determining that the match value exceeds a preconfigured threshold for the attribute.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the attribute is image area and the match threshold is an image area threshold value.

20. A machine-readable storage device embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
storing a reference shape feature of a reference image for a custom symbol;
generating, using an image sensor, a scannable image comprising data marks that encode data for detection, the data marks being located outside a functional shape in the scannable image such that functional shape does not contain the data marks;
identifying the custom symbol in the scannable image by determining that the functional shape exceeds a matching threshold of the reference shape feature;
in response to identifying the custom symbol, generating an item identifier by decoding the data marks that are outside the functional shape in the scannable image; and
storing the item identifier to memory.

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Anderton Landon
• Gee Garrett
• Hornberger Ryan
• Ouimet Kirk
• Sheffield Kameron
• Turley Benjamin

Classifications

• G06K7/1443 Primary

  locating of the code in an image · CPC title

• G06K7/1456

  determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore · CPC title

• G06K19/06037 Primary

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G06K19/06103

  the marking being embedded in a human recognizable image, e.g. a company logo with an embedded two-dimensional code · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title