Encoding and decoding data in two-dimensional symbology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9569710-B1
Application number	US-201514967510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

Examples of techniques for encoding data in a 2D symbology are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes assigning a first data symbol representative of a 0-bit and a second data symbol representative of a 1-bit, each of the first data symbol and the second data symbol include a line segment. The method further includes designating a starting indicator and an ending indicator. The method also includes generating, by a processing device, the 2D symbology. The 2D symbology includes a series of data symbols representing a binary string. Each data symbol in the series of data symbols are positioned in an end-to-end orientation starting at the starting indicator and ending at the ending indicator. The series of data symbols include 0-bit symbols represented by the first data symbol and 1-bit symbols represented by the second data symbol.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method for encoding data in a two-dimensional (2D) symbology, the method comprising:
assigning a first data symbol representative of a 0-bit and a second data symbol representative of a 1-bit, each of the first data symbol and the second data symbol comprising a line segment, wherein the first data symbol representative of a 0-bit is an empty circle on the line segment, and wherein the second data symbol representative of a 1-bit is a solid circle on the line segment;
designating a starting indicator and an ending indicator; and
generating, by a processing device, the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a series of data symbols representing a binary string, wherein each data symbol in the series of data symbols are positioned in an end-to-end orientation starting at the starting indicator and ending at the ending indicator, and wherein the series of data symbols comprise 0-bit symbols represented by the first data symbol and 1-bit symbols represented by the second data symbol.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the designating further comprises designating a connector pair comprising a first connector symbol and a second connector symbol.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the first connector symbol indicates the end of a first segment and the second connector symbol indicates the start of a second segment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the designating further comprises designating additional connector pairs, each of the connector pairs comprising two connector symbols, wherein the two connector symbols are the same.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising printing the 2D symbology.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the designating further comprises designating an operational symbol.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the 2D symbology forms a human-recognizable layout.

8. A system for encoding data in a two-dimensional (2D) symbology, the system comprising:
a processor in communication with one or more types of memory, the processor configured to:
assign a first data symbol representative of a 0-bit and a second data symbol representative of a 1-bit, each of the first data symbol and the second data symbol comprising a line segment, wherein the first data symbol representative of a 0-bit is an empty circle on the line segment, and wherein the second data symbol representative of a 1-bit is a solid circle on the line segment,
designate a starting indicator and an ending indicator, and
generate the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a series of data symbols representing a binary string, wherein each data symbol in the series of data symbols are positioned in an end-to-end orientation starting at the starting indicator and ending at the ending indicator, and wherein the series of data symbols comprise 0-bit symbols represented by the first data symbol and 1-bit symbols represented by the second data symbol.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the designating further comprises designating a connector pair comprising a first connector symbol and a second connector symbol.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first connector symbol indicates the end of a first segment and the second connector symbol indicates the start of a second segment.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the designating further comprises designating additional connector pairs, each of the connector pairs comprising two connector symbols, wherein the two connector symbols are the same.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to print the 2D symbology.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the designating further comprises designating an operational symbol.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the 2D symbology forms a human-recognizable layout.

15. A computer program product for encoding data in a two-dimensional (2D) symbology, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
assigning a first data symbol representative of a 0-bit and a second data symbol representative of a 1-bit, each of the first data symbol and the second data symbol comprising a line segment, wherein the first data symbol representative of a 0-bit is an empty circle on the line segment, and wherein the second data symbol representative of a 1-bit is a solid circle on the line segment,
designating a starting indicator and an ending indicator, and
generating the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a series of data symbols representing a binary string, wherein each data symbol in the series of data symbols are positioned in an end-to-end orientation starting at the starting indicator and ending at the ending indicator, and wherein the series of data symbols comprise 0-bit symbols represented by the first data symbol and 1-bit symbols represented by the second data symbol.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the designating further comprises designating a connector pair comprising a first connector symbol and a second connector symbol.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the first connector symbol indicates the end of a first segment and the second connector symbol indicates the start of a second segment.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the designating further comprises designating additional connector pairs, each of the connector pairs comprising two connector symbols, wherein the two connector symbols are the same.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Guenter Erich
• Maresh Mark E
• Nolan Colm
• Vargas Juan F
• Whitney Michael J

Classifications

• 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 Primary

  2D bar codes · CPC title