Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022215193-A1
Application number	US-202217656629-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2022
Grant date	—

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:
receiving, at a server, a request to encode a specification of data in a scannable code; identifying a reference internal empty shape of a custom graphic; encoding the specification of data in data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic; and generating the scannable code comprising the data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a client device, an image comprising data marks positioned around an internal empty shape; identifying the internal empty shape by comparing a feature of the internal empty shape with a feature of the reference internal empty shape; identifying a boundary shape that includes the data marks and the internal empty shape; and generating an account identifier by decoding the data marks in response to identifying the internal empty shape.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining that the internal empty shape matches the reference internal empty shape by:
determining a match value that describes an amount that an attribute of the internal empty shape matches the reference internal empty shape; and
determining that the match value satisfies a threshold for the attribute.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the attribute is image area and the threshold is an image area threshold.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
retrieving, from a social network site, content associated with the account identifier; and providing the content associated with the account identifier to the client device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the content is displayed, at the client device, within a user interface that comprises a button to interact with a site account of the social network site, the site account corresponding to the account identifier decoded from the image.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
detecting a selection of the button in the user interface; and in response to detecting the selection of the button, linking a user account of a user of the client device to the site account that corresponds to the account identifier from the image.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating a notification that the user account is linked to the site account on the social network site.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user account is a first user account on the social network site and the site account is a second user account on the social network site.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the specification of data indicate an item identifier.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the item identifier includes a user account identifier of a social network site.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the specification of the data includes a specification of action, wherein the action is to be performed upon decoding of the specification of data encoded in the scannable code.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the action is to be performed on a social network site.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the action performed on the social network site includes sending a message to a user.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scannable code does not include alignment marker data.

16 . A system comprising:
one or more processors of a machine; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: receiving, at the machine, a request to encode a specification of data in a scannable code; identifying a reference internal empty shape of a custom graphic; encoding the specification of data in data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic; and generating the scannable code comprising the data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, from a client device, an image comprising data marks positioned around an internal empty shape; identifying the internal empty shape by comparing a feature of the internal empty shape with a feature of the reference internal empty shape; identifying a boundary shape that includes the data marks and the internal empty shape; and generating an item identifier by decoding the data marks in response to identifying the internal empty shape.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the internal empty shape matches the reference internal empty shape by:
determining a match value that describes an amount that an attribute of the internal empty shape matches the reference internal empty shape; and
determining that the match value satisfies a threshold for the attribute.

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

20 . A machine-readable storage device embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at the machine, a request to encode a specification of data in a scannable code; identifying a reference internal empty shape of a custom graphic; encoding the specification of data in data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic; and generating the scannable code comprising the data marks positioned around the reference internal empty shape of the custom graphic.

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06V10/245 Primary

  by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1443 Primary

  locating of the code in an image · 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

• G06K19/06131

  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 title