US6550685B1
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Methods and apparatus utilizing visually distinctive barcodes
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 2000-11-14
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Granted: 2003-04-22
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Expires: 2020-11-14
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus utilizing visually distinctive bar code symbols are described. An article is provided with a bar code symbol including a bar code. The bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types. The bar code symbol is made visually distinctive through one of the following features: a) at least one bar code element is not a single straight line segment; b) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing the bar code has at least two adjacent sides that are not perpendicular; or c) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing an encoding region has no side such that one end of all the bar code elements within the region touches that side. A selectable resolver is used to identify a resource for the encoded value. The resolver may access the resource to provide additional information about the article.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy P. J. G. Kindberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06018; G06K19/06028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein a contour defined by a bounding shape of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements has at least two non-perpendicular adjacent sides.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
61 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein a contour defined by a bounding shape of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements has at least two non-perpendicular adjacent sides.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a curvature of each element type varies along its length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the element types are polygonal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the element types are multi-segmented rectilinear.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the bar code symbol comprises concentric elements.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
90 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein each side of a contour defined by a polygon of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements is perpendicular to an adjacent side, wherein elements of a same type are not equidistant from each other, wherein there is no side such that one end of all the elements touches that side.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
90 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein each side of a contour defined by a polygon of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements is perpendicular to an adjacent side, wherein elements of a same type are not equidistant from each other, wherein there is no side such that one end of all the elements touches that side.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 6 wherein a curvature of each element type varies along its length.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
91 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises one or more units of encoding, wherein at least one unit of encoding comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein the first and second element types have at least one of the following properties: a) at least a portion of each element type is multi-segmented rectilinear; and b) at least a portion of each element type has a varying curvature.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
91 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises one or more units of encoding, wherein at least one unit of encoding comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein the first and second element types have at least one of the following properties: a) at least a portion of each element type is multi-segmented rectilinear; and b) at least a portion of each element type has a varying curvature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the element types are polygonal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8 wherein a contour of the bar code forms a shape other than a polygon having all sides perpendicular to respective adjacent sides.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the bar code is composed of concentric elements.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
55 words
A method comprising the steps of: a) scanning a bar code symbol to generate a decoded value; b) selecting a resolver for the decoded value from a plurality of different resolvers, wherein each resolver identifies a resource for the decoded value; and c) accessing the resource identified by the selected resolver for the decoded value.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
55 words
A method comprising the steps of: a) scanning a bar code symbol to generate a decoded value; b) selecting a resolver for the decoded value from a plurality of different resolvers, wherein each resolver identifies a resource for the decoded value; and c) accessing the resource identified by the selected resolver for the decoded value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the bar code is a linear bar code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the resource is identified as a uniform resource locator (URL).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 wherein at least one resolver includes a lookup table to associate the decoded value with a corresponding resource.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus comprising: an article of manufacture having at least one bar code symbol including a visually distinctive bar code symbol of a linear bar code symbology, wherein the visually distinctive bar code symbol further comprises a bar code having at least two element types, wherein the visually distinctive bar code is distinguished through any one of the following features: a) at least a portion of each element type is multi-segmented rectilinear; b) at least a portion of each element type has a varying curvature; c) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing all the elements of a region of encoding of the bar code has at least two adjacent sides that are non-perpendicular; and d) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing an encoding region has no side such that one end of all the bar code elements of the region touches that side.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus comprising: an article of manufacture having at least one bar code symbol including a visually distinctive bar code symbol of a linear bar code symbology, wherein the visually distinctive bar code symbol further comprises a bar code having at least two element types, wherein the visually distinctive bar code is distinguished through any one of the following features: a) at least a portion of each element type is multi-segmented rectilinear; b) at least a portion of each element type has a varying curvature; c) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing all the elements of a region of encoding of the bar code has at least two adjacent sides that are non-perpendicular; and d) a contour of a bounding shape of the smallest area encompassing an encoding region has no side such that one end of all the bar code elements of the region touches that side.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 16 having a plurality of bar code symbols.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the bar code comprises concentric elements.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
89 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein each side of a contour defined by a polygon of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements is perpendicular to an adjacent side, wherein there is no side such that one end of all the elements touches that side, wherein a curvature of each element type varies along its length.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
89 words
A method comprising the step of: providing an article with a bar code symbol including a bar code of linear bar code symbology, wherein the bar code comprises a sequence of first and second element types, wherein each side of a contour defined by a polygon of the least area encompassing all the bar code elements is perpendicular to an adjacent side, wherein there is no side such that one end of all the elements touches that side, wherein a curvature of each element type varies along its length.
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