Apparatus and method for printing two-dimensional barcode and articles incorporating such barcode

Claim 1

A method for generating and outputting a bitstream corresponding to a 2D-barcode having I first sequences of modules and J second sequences of said modules substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit in a binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels substantially parallel to said first sequences of said modules and Y second sequences of said pixels substantially parallel to said second sequences of said modules, said method comprising the steps of: a) generating a bit map corresponding to an initial first sequence of said modules and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), where for each module in said initial first sequence; a1) all P(x,y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bits are not asserted; and otherwise a2) for first pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(X−H), where H is in the range 0 to X−1, all P(x,y), equal 1; a3) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(Y−V), where V is in the range 0 to Y−1, equal 1 if a corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in a next first sequence equals 1, and otherwise equal 0; and a4) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0, or if said corresponding data bit for a diagonally adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0; and b) outputting said bit map as a bitstream by: b1) for each module in said initial first module sequence setting all P(x,y) in said second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y)=0 if a data bit corresponding to a next module in said initial first sequence=0; b2) for each module in said initial first module sequence outputting an initial first pixel sequence; b3) repeating step b2 for each remaining first pixel sequence; and c) repeating steps a and b for each remaining first module sequence; where d) H and V are not both equal to 0.

Claim 2

A method for generating and outputting a bitstream corresponding to a 2D-barcode having I first sequences of modules and J second sequences of said modules substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit in a binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels substantially parallel to said first sequences of said modules and Y second sequences of said pixels substantially parallel to said second sequences of said modules, said method comprising the steps of: a) generating a bit map corresponding to an initial first sequence of said modules and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), where for each module in said initial first sequence; a1) all P(x,y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bits are not asserted; and otherwise a2) for first pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(X−H), where H is in the range 0 to X−1, all P(x,y), equal 1; a3) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(Y−V), where V is in the range 0 to Y−1, equal 1 if a corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in a next first sequence equals 1, and otherwise equal 0; and a4) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0, or if said corresponding data bit for a diagonally adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0; and b) outputting said bit map as a bitstream by: b1) for each module in said initial first module sequence setting all P(x,y) in said second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y)=0 if a data bit corresponding to a next module in said initial first sequence=0; b2) for each module in said initial first module sequence outputting an initial first pixel sequence; b3) repeating step b2 for each remaining first pixel sequence; and c) repeating steps a and b for each remaining first module sequence; where d) H and V are not both equal to 0.

Claim 11

A system for printing a 2D-barcode corresponding to a binary data array having I first sequences of modules and J second sequences of said modules substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit in said binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels substantially parallel to said first sequences of modules and Y second sequences of said pixels substantially parallel to said second sequences of said modules, comprising: a) a programmable device programmed to generate a bit map corresponding to an initial first sequence of said modules and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), where for each module in said initial first sequence; a1) all P(x,y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bits are not asserted; and otherwise a2) for first pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(X−H), where H is in the range 0 to X−1, all P(x,y), equal 1; a3) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(Y−V), where V is in the range 0 to Y−1, equal 1 if a corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in a next first sequence equals 1, and otherwise equal 0; and a4) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0, or if said corresponding data bit for a diagonally adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0; b) a print controller responsive to said programmable device; and c) a printhead responsive to said controller for printing an indicia including at least said 2D-barcode on a substrate; where d) said bitstream is output by the steps of: d1) for each module in said initial first module sequence setting all P(x,y) in said second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y)=0 if a data bit corresponding to a next module in said initial first sequence=0; d2) for each module in said initial first module sequence outputting an initial first pixel sequence; d3) repeating step b2 for each remaining first pixel sequence; and d4) repeating steps a and b for each remaining first module sequence; and where e) H and V are not both equal to 0.

Claim 12

A system for printing a 2D-barcode corresponding to a binary data array having I first sequences of modules and J second sequences of said modules substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit in said binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels substantially parallel to said first sequences of modules and Y second sequences of said pixels substantially parallel to said second sequences of said modules, comprising: a) a programmable device programmed to generate a bit map corresponding to an initial first sequence of said modules and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), where for each module in said initial first sequence; a1) all P(x,y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bits are not asserted; and otherwise a2) for first pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(X−H), where H is in the range 0 to X−1, all P(x,y), equal 1; a3) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P( 1 ) through P(Y−V), where V is in the range 0 to Y−1, equal 1 if a corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in a next first sequence equals 1, and otherwise equal 0; and a4) for first pixel sequences P(X−H+1) through P(X), all P(x,y) in second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y) equal 0 if said corresponding data bit for an adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0, or if said corresponding data bit for a diagonally adjacent module in said next first sequence equals 0; b) a print controller responsive to said programmable device; and c) a printhead responsive to said controller for printing an indicia including at least said 2D-barcode on a substrate; where d) said bitstream is output by the steps of: d1) for each module in said initial first module sequence setting all P(x,y) in said second pixel sequences P(Y−V+1) through P(Y)=0 if a data bit corresponding to a next module in said initial first sequence=0; d2) for each module in said initial first module sequence outputting an initial first pixel sequence; d3) repeating step b2 for each remaining first pixel sequence; and d4) repeating steps a and b for each remaining first module sequence; and where e) H and V are not both equal to 0.

Claim 16

A method for printing a 2D-barcode having I first sequences of modules MOD(i,j) and J second sequences of said modules MOD(i,j) substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules MOD(i,j) having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit DATA(i,j) in a binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels P(x,y) substantially parallel to said first sequences of modules MOD(i,j) and Y second sequences of said pixels P(x,y) substantially parallel to said second sequences of modules MOD(i,j), said method comprising the steps of: a) generating bitmaps corresponding to said first sequences of said modules MOD(i,j) and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), by the steps of; a1) setting all P(x,y) equal 0, i equal 1, and j equal 1; a2) if data bit DATA(i,j) equal 1, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels P( 1 , 1 ) through P(X−H, 1) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a6; a3) if data bit DATA(i+1,j) equal 1, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels P(X−H+1, 1 ) through P(X, 1 ) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a4; a4) for module MOD(i,j), setting pixel rows P( 2 ) through P(Y) equal to pixel row P(1); a5) if data bit DATA(i+1,j+1) equal 0, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels common to pixel columns P(X−H+1,) through P(X,) and pixel rows P(Y−V+1,) through P(Y) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a6; a6) if j is not equal to J setting j equal to j+1 and going to step a2), and otherwise going to step a7, whereby one of said bitmaps is generated; a7) outputting said generated bitmap as a bitstream; a8) if i is not equal to I, setting i equal to i+1 and j equal to 1 and going to step a2), and otherwise exiting, whereby a said bitmaps are sequentially generated; where b) H and V are not both equal to zero.

Claim 17

A method for printing a 2D-barcode having I first sequences of modules MOD(i,j) and J second sequences of said modules MOD(i,j) substantially orthogonal to said first sequences, each of said modules MOD(i,j) having a one-to-one correspondence with a bit DATA(i,j) in a binary data array and comprising X first sequences of pixels P(x,y) substantially parallel to said first sequences of modules MOD(i,j) and Y second sequences of said pixels P(x,y) substantially parallel to said second sequences of modules MOD(i,j), said method comprising the steps of: a) generating bitmaps corresponding to said first sequences of said modules MOD(i,j) and comprising binary pixel values P(x,y), by the steps of; a1) setting all P(x,y) equal 0, i equal 1, and j equal 1; a2) if data bit DATA(i,j) equal 1, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels P( 1 , 1 ) through P(X−H, 1) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a6; a3) if data bit DATA(i+1,j) equal 1, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels P(X−H+1, 1 ) through P(X, 1 ) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a4; a4) for module MOD(i,j), setting pixel rows P( 2 ) through P(Y) equal to pixel row P(1); a5) if data bit DATA(i+1,j+1) equal 0, for module MOD(i,j) setting pixels common to pixel columns P(X−H+1,) through P(X,) and pixel rows P(Y−V+1,) through P(Y) equal to 1, and otherwise going to step a6; a6) if j is not equal to J setting j equal to j+1 and going to step a2), and otherwise going to step a7, whereby one of said bitmaps is generated; a7) outputting said generated bitmap as a bitstream; a8) if i is not equal to I, setting i equal to i+1 and j equal to 1 and going to step a2), and otherwise exiting, whereby a said bitmaps are sequentially generated; where b) H and V are not both equal to zero.