US5504322A — High density two dimensional bar code symbology

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

A machine readable data file structure comprising: (a) at least two rows of codewords, one row being adjacent to and beneath another row; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each of said marks being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said row being defined by a specified rule for each of said rows that differs from the rule specified for said adjacent row; and (e) each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 125 words

A machine readable data file structure comprising: (a) at least two rows of codewords, one row being adjacent to and beneath another row; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each of said marks being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said row being defined by a specified rule for each of said rows that differs from the rule specified for said adjacent row; and (e) each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said mark patterns includes a pattern of markings of varying optical reflectivity.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said mark pattern includes a pattern of alternating reflecting and nonreflecting surfaces.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said mark pattern includes a pattern of magnetically detectable marks.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said rule partitions the set of detectable mark patterns into a plurality of subsets of equidistant error distance.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said subset includes only codewords having said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 78 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said data file structure includes at least three rows of said codewords; (b) said respective subsets include only codewords X having x-sequence function as follows: f(x)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said x-sequence functions being equal to respective preselected values; and (c) each x i for a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 59 words

A machine readable data file structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said respective subsets include only codewords X having t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i +x.sub.i+1 said t-sequences being not greater than 9; and (b) each x i of a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codework, where i is an integer.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 33 words

The machine readable data file structure according to claim 1, wherein each said rule is a function of the width of each respective mark and the total width of each respective mark pattern.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 173 words

A machine readable data file structure comprising: (a) at least three rows of codewords, including a second row adjacent to and disposed between a first row and a third row; (b) each said codewords representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords X having: said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, x-sequence function as follows: f(X)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said f(X) being equal to one of 0, 3, and 6, respectively, and t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i +x.sub.i+1 said t i being not greater than 9; and each x i for a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 173 words

A machine readable data file structure comprising: (a) at least three rows of codewords, including a second row adjacent to and disposed between a first row and a third row; (b) each said codewords representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords X having: said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, x-sequence function as follows: f(X)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said f(X) being equal to one of 0, 3, and 6, respectively, and t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i +x.sub.i+1 said t i being not greater than 9; and each x i for a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 128 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory including a substrate having a machine readable data file structure comprising: at least two rows of codewords, one row being adjacent to and beneath another row; each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each of said marks being representative of one of a plurality of different states; the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said row being defined by a specified rule for each of said rows that differs from the rule specified for said adjacent row; and each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 128 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory including a substrate having a machine readable data file structure comprising: at least two rows of codewords, one row being adjacent to and beneath another row; each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each of said marks being representative of one of a plurality of different states; the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said row being defined by a specified rule for each of said rows that differs from the rule specified for said adjacent row; and each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of said mark patterns includes a pattern of marks of varying optical reflectivity.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of said mark pattern includes a pattern of alternating reflecting and nonreflecting surfaces.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of said mark pattern includes a pattern of magnetically detectable marks.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein each said rule partitions the set of detectable mark patterns into a plurality of subsets of equidistant error distance.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein each said subset includes only codewords having said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 74 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said machine readable data file structure includes at least three rows of said codewords; said respective subsets include only codewords X having x-sequence functions as follows: f(X)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said x-sequence functions being equal to respective preselected values; and each x i for a codeword representing the width of an ith mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 54 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said respective subsets include only codewords X having t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i +x.sub.i+1 said t-sequences being not greater than 9; and each x i of a codeword representing the width of an ith mark on the codework, where i is an integer.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 31 words

The nonvolatile read-only memory according to claim 11, wherein each said rule is a function of the width of each respective mark and the total width of each respective mark pattern.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 174 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory including a substrate having a machine readable data file structure comprising: at least three rows of codewords, including a second row adjacent to and disposed between a first row and a third row; each said codewords representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; each respective said subset including only codewords X having: said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, x-sequence functions as follows: f(X)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said f(X) being equal to one of 0, 3, and 6, respectively, and t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i+x.sub.i+1 said t i being not greater than 9; and each x i for a codeword representing the width of an ith mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 174 words

A nonvolatile read-only memory including a substrate having a machine readable data file structure comprising: at least three rows of codewords, including a second row adjacent to and disposed between a first row and a third row; each said codewords representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; each of said mark patterns comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; the codewords in each said row being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; each respective said subset including only codewords X having: said marks of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, x-sequence functions as follows: f(X)=(x.sub.1 -x.sub.3 +x.sub.5 -x.sub.7) mod 9 said f(X) being equal to one of 0, 3, and 6, respectively, and t-sequences as follows: t.sub.i =x.sub.i+x.sub.i+1 said t i being not greater than 9; and each x i for a codeword representing the width of an ith mark of the codeword, where i is an integer.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 137 words

A data file structure that includes: (a) at least two groups of information-containing codewords, each group being discrete and separate from another group, all groups together constituting a single identifiable data record; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said group being defined by a specified rule for that group that differs from the rule specified for at least one other group; (e) each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 137 words

A data file structure that includes: (a) at least two groups of information-containing codewords, each group being discrete and separate from another group, all groups together constituting a single identifiable data record; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said group being defined by a specified rule for that group that differs from the rule specified for at least one other group; (e) each said rule being a function of respective widths of said marks.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The data file structure according to claim 21, wherein each said rule is a function of the width of each respective mark and the total width of each respective mark pattern.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 149 words

A data file structure including: (a) at least three groups of codewords; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords X whose said marks are of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, whose x-sequence functions f(X)=(x 1 -x 3 +x 5 -x 7 ) mod 9 are equal to 0, 3 or 6, respectively, and whose t-sequence t 1 =x 1 +x 1+1 are not greater than 9; (f) each x 1 for a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codeword.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 149 words

A data file structure including: (a) at least three groups of codewords; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords X whose said marks are of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit, whose x-sequence functions f(X)=(x 1 -x 3 +x 5 -x 7 ) mod 9 are equal to 0, 3 or 6, respectively, and whose t-sequence t 1 =x 1 +x 1+1 are not greater than 9; (f) each x 1 for a codeword representing the width of an i th mark of the codeword.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 156 words

A data file structure that includes: (a) at least two groups of information-containing codewords, each group being discrete and separate from another group and containing a predetermined number of codewords not necessarily the same in each group, all groups together constituting a single identifiable data record; (b) each information-bearing data character being represented by one or more codewords, and at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said group being defined by a specified rule of that group that differs from the rule specified for at least one other group; (e) each said rule being a function of a detectable characteristic of the respective said marks.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 156 words

A data file structure that includes: (a) at least two groups of information-containing codewords, each group being discrete and separate from another group and containing a predetermined number of codewords not necessarily the same in each group, all groups together constituting a single identifiable data record; (b) each information-bearing data character being represented by one or more codewords, and at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of one of a plurality of different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns, the subset for said group being defined by a specified rule of that group that differs from the rule specified for at least one other group; (e) each said rule being a function of a detectable characteristic of the respective said marks.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 94 words

A data file structure including: (a) at least three groups of codewords; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords whose said marks are of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 94 words

A data file structure including: (a) at least three groups of codewords; (b) each said codeword representing at least one information-bearing character and being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns; (c) each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states; (d) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns; (e) each respective said subset including only codewords whose said marks are of respective widths not greater than a specified upper width limit.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of reading and decoding a machine readable symbol, the symbol including a plurality of groups of codewords, each group comprising a plurality of individual codewords having a detectable mark/space pattern; at least some of the codewords together defining, when taken in sequence, an encoded version of the data to be decoded, the method comprising: (a) scanning and reading the codewords, not necessarily in the said sequence; (b) calculating a function f (x) the value of which distinguishes the group containing x from at least one other group of codewords; (c) dividing the scanned codewords into a plurality of partial scans, each partial scan consisting wholly of codewords of one group; (d) recreating the said sequence; and (e) decoding the codewords and outputting or storing the sequenced decoded data.

Claim 35

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of reading and decoding a machine readable symbol, the symbol including a plurality of groups of codewords, each group comprising a plurality of individual codewords having a detectable mark/space pattern; at least some of the codewords together defining, when taken in sequence, an encoded version of the data to be decoded, the method comprising: (a) scanning and reading the codewords, not necessarily in the said sequence; (b) calculating a function f (x) the value of which distinguishes the group containing x from at least one other group of codewords; (c) dividing the scanned codewords into a plurality of partial scans, each partial scan consisting wholly of codewords of one group; (d) recreating the said sequence; and (e) decoding the codewords and outputting or storing the sequenced decoded data.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 181 words

A data file structure for representing information in the form of machine-readable indicia formed from sets of data records, including: (a) at least two groups of adjacently disposed codewords, at least one group containing a predetermined number of codewords, at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns, each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states denoted as "bars" and "spaces," the aggregate of groups of adjacently disposed codewords constituting an identifiable data record; (b) each information-bearing data character being represented by one or more codewords in at least one of said groups; (c) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns according to a predefined rule so that codewords of one group are distinguishable from codewords of another group, each respective subset including only codewords consisting of exactly four bars, each codeword having a total width equal to a specified upper width limit at least equal to sixteen times the minimum bar width.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 181 words

A data file structure for representing information in the form of machine-readable indicia formed from sets of data records, including: (a) at least two groups of adjacently disposed codewords, at least one group containing a predetermined number of codewords, at least some of said codewords being selected from among a set of detectable mark patterns, each said mark pattern comprising a pattern of marks, each said mark being representative of exactly one of two different states denoted as "bars" and "spaces," the aggregate of groups of adjacently disposed codewords constituting an identifiable data record; (b) each information-bearing data character being represented by one or more codewords in at least one of said groups; (c) the codewords in each said group being selected from a subset of said mark patterns according to a predefined rule so that codewords of one group are distinguishable from codewords of another group, each respective subset including only codewords consisting of exactly four bars, each codeword having a total width equal to a specified upper width limit at least equal to sixteen times the minimum bar width.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-04-02	1999-10-02	2000-04-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-04-02	2003-10-02	2004-04-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-04-02	2007-10-02	2008-04-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

High density two dimensional bar code symbology

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