Encoding and decoding data in two-dimensional symbology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9760819-B2
Application number	US-201514967596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 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 for encoding data in a 2D symbology is provided. The method comprises assigning a first indicium representative of a 0-bit and a second indicium representative of a 1-bit, designating a starting indicator, and generating, by a processing device, the 2D symbology including a unit array defining a bit length and a plurality of bit arrays.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for encoding data in a two-dimensional (2D) symbology, the method comprising:
assigning a first indicium representative of a 0-bit and a second indicium representative of a 1-bit;
designating a starting indicator; and
generating, by a processing device, the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a unit array defining a bit length and a plurality of bit arrays,
wherein the unit array extends in a first direction from the starting indicator,
wherein the plurality of bit arrays are positioned in an end-to-end layout extending from an end of the unit array and ending at an end of a bit array being surrounded by a blank space, each of the plurality of bit arrays comprising at least one bit indicator, the at least one bit indicator being one bit length long and indicating a bit of a binary string,
wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a continuous line starting with the starting indicator and ending at the end of the bit array being surrounded by the blank space,
wherein a first bit array of the plurality of bit arrays is in a second direction different from the first direction, and
wherein 0-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the first indicium and 1-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the second indicium.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the starting indicator indicates an encoding scheme.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the starting indicator indicates an encryption scheme.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first indicium is a first color and wherein the second indicium is a second color.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first indicium is a first line weight and wherein the second indicium is a second line weight.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first indicium is a first line style and wherein the second indicium is a second line style.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unit array comprises a bit indicator.

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

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein none of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays intersect with any other of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a human-recognizable layout.

11. A system for encoding data in a two-dimensional (2D) symbology, the system comprising:
a processing device in communication with one or more types of memory, the processor configured to:
assign a first indicium representative of a 0-bit and a second indicium representative of a 1-bit,
designate a starting indicator, and
generate the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a unit array defining a bit length and a plurality of bit arrays,
wherein the unit array extends in a first direction from the starting indicator,
wherein the plurality of bit arrays are positioned in an end-to-end layout extending from an end of the unit array and ending at an end of a bit array being surrounded by a blank space, each of the plurality of bit arrays comprising at least one bit indicator, the at least one bit indicator being one bit length long and indicating a bit of a binary string,
wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a continuous line starting with the starting indicator and ending at the end of the bit array being surrounded by the blank space,
wherein a first bit array of the plurality of bit arrays is in a second direction different from the first direction, and
wherein 0-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the first indicium and 1-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the second indicium.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the starting indicator indicates an encoding scheme.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the starting indicator indicates an encryption scheme.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first indicium is a first color and wherein the second indicium is a second color.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first indicium is a first line weight and wherein the second indicium is a second line weight.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first indicium is a first line style and wherein the second indicium is a second line style.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the unit array comprises a bit indicator.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein none of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays intersect with any other of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays, and wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a human-recognizable layout.

19. 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 indicium representative of a 0-bit and a second indicium representative of a 1-bit,
designating a starting indicator, and
generating, by a processing device, the 2D symbology, the 2D symbology comprising a unit array defining a bit length and a plurality of bit arrays,
wherein the unit array extends in a first direction from the starting indicator,
wherein the plurality of bit arrays are positioned in an end-to-end layout extending from an end of the unit array and ending at an end of a bit array being surrounded by a blank space, each of the plurality of bit arrays comprising at least one bit indicator, the at least one bit indicator being one bit length long and indicating a bit of a binary string,
wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a continuous line starting with the starting indicator and ending at the end of the bit array being surrounded by the blank space,
wherein a first bit array of the plurality of bit arrays is in a second direction different from the first direction, and
wherein 0-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the first indicium and 1-bits of the binary string are indicated by bit indicators being of the second indicium.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein none of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays intersect with any other of the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays, and wherein the unit array and the plurality of bit arrays form a human-recognizable layout.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G06K19/06103 Primary

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