Two-dimensional code, generation device, and reading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12260290-B2
Application number	US-202418421208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2024
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A two-dimensional code 100 includes a plurality of lines L arranged in a second direction (X direction) at an interval S, and each line L includes a plurality of cells that indicate a plurality of bits and are arranged in series in a first direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the second direction. Each of the plurality of cells is either a first data cell 101 indicating a first value out of two values that the bits indicate, or a second data cell 102 indicating a second value out of the two values that the bits indicate. The first data cell includes a first density region 103 indicating the first value at a first position in the second direction. The second data cell includes a second density region 104 indicating the second value at the first position, and a third density region 105 adjacent to the second density region in the second direction. A difference in density between the first density region and the second density region is greater than a difference in density between the first density region and the third density region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A two-dimensional code comprising a plurality of lines arranged in a second direction at an interval, each line including a plurality of cells that indicate a plurality of bits and are arranged in series in a first direction orthogonal to the second direction, wherein
each of the plurality of cells is either a first data cell indicating a first value out of two values that the bits indicate, or a second data cell indicating a second value out of the two values that the bits indicate,
the first data cell includes a first density region indicating the first value at a first position in the second direction,
the second data cell includes a second density region indicating the second value at the first position, and a third density region adjacent to the second density region in the second direction,
a difference in density between the first density region and the second density region is greater than a difference in density between the first density region and the third density region,
in each of the plurality of lines, positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the first density region are aligned with positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the second density region, and
the third density region is arranged adjacent to opposite sides, in the second direction, of the second density region, and a width in the second direction of each of the third density regions arranged adjacent to the opposite sides of the second density region is substantially equal to half a width in the second direction of the second density region.

2. The two-dimensional code according to claim 1 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not smaller than twice the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

3. The two-dimensional code according to claim 2 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not larger than three times the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

4. The two-dimensional code according to claim 1 , wherein the third density region is formed from an end to the other end, in the first direction, of the second data cell.

5. A generation device configured to generate a two-dimensional code,
the two-dimensional code comprising a plurality of lines arranged in a second direction at an interval, each line including a plurality of cells that indicate a plurality of bits and are arranged in series in a first direction orthogonal to the second direction, wherein
each of the plurality of cells is either a first data cell indicating a first value out of two values that the bits indicate, or a second data cell indicating a second value out of the two values that the bits indicate,
the first data cell includes a first density region indicating the first value at a first position in the second direction,
the second data cell includes a second density region indicating the second value at the first position, and a third density region adjacent to the second density region in the second direction,
a difference in density between the first density region and the second density region is greater than a difference in density between the first density region and the third density region,
in each of the plurality of lines, positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the first density region are aligned with positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the second density region, and
the third density region is arranged adjacent to opposite sides, in the second direction, of the second density region, and a width in the second direction of each of the third density regions arranged adjacent to the opposite sides of the second density region is substantially equal to half a width in the second direction of the second density region.

6. The generation device according to claim 5 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not smaller than twice the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

7. The generation device according to claim 6 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not larger than three times the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

8. A two-dimensional code generation method comprising causing a computer to execute a process of generating a two-dimensional code,
the two-dimensional code including a plurality of lines arranged in a second direction at an interval, each line including a plurality of cells that indicate a plurality of bits and are arranged in series in a first direction orthogonal to the second direction, wherein
each of the plurality of cells is either a first data cell indicating a first value out of two values that the bits indicate, or a second data cell indicating a second value out of the two values that the bits indicate,
the first data cell includes a first density region indicating the first value at a first position in the second direction,
the second data cell includes a second density region indicating the second value at the first position, and a third density region adjacent to the second density region in the second direction,
a difference in density between the first density region and the second density region is greater than a difference in density between the first density region and the third density region,
in each of the plurality of lines, positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the first density region are aligned with positions of opposite ends, in the second direction, of the second density region, and
the third density region is arranged adjacent to opposite sides, in the second direction, of the second density region, and a width in the second direction of each of the third density regions arranged adjacent to the opposite sides of the second density region is substantially equal to half a width in the second direction of the second density region.

9. The generation method according to claim 8 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not smaller than twice the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

10. The generation method according to claim 9 , wherein
in the plurality of lines, an interval between the first density region or the second density region in a certain line, and the first density region or the second density region in another line adjacent to the certain line in the second direction is not larger than three times the width in the second direction of the first density region or the second density region.

11. A reading device for reading a two-dime

Assignees

• Ritsumeikan Trust
• Nozaki Insatsu Shigyo Kk

Inventors

• Douseki Takakuni
• Fukumizu Yohei
• Misawa Junichi
• Kimura Kentaro

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G06K19/06046

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G06K7/1417 Primary

  2D bar codes · CPC title