Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2002-08-06
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C235S494000, C358S003050, C358S001200, C382S256000, C382S299000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06429951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing print data of a two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code comprises numerous cells representing binary coded data and arranged as a bright-and-dark pattern on a two-dimensional matrix. Furthermore, the present invention relates to recording media storing program data required for executing the processing for producing the print data in a computer.
Compared with conventional bar codes, many of the two-dimensional codes have the capability of storing a great amount of information. This is advantageous in reducing the overall size of the code. The reading operation of the two-dimensional codes is generally performed based on a dark-and-bright judgement on each cell. Prior to the dark-and-bright judgement, the central position of each cell on a two-dimensional code image is estimated based on computations. Then, the dark-and-bright judgement is performed by judging brightness or darkness of each cell at (or in the vicinity of) the estimative central position. However, the two-dimensional code may not be positioned in parallel with the reading line of a scanner. The two-dimensional code may be printed on a curved or curled surface. In such cases, the scanner possibly reads the two-dimensional image along an inclined direction, with an incorrect estimative central position of each cell deviated from the true position.
If the deviated estimative central position remains in the same cell, it is still possible to correctly judge the brightness and darkness of the cell. Namely, the dark cell will be judged as a dark portion and the bright cell will be judged as a bright portion as far as the estimative central position remains in the same cell.
In many cases, facsimile machines and copying machines are involved in the reading operation of the two-dimensional codes. For example, a receiver's facsimile or copying machine prints out a copy of the two-dimensional code which comprises dark cells having grown fat. In the case of the facsimile machine, the resolution limit of its line sensor causes such a growing-fat phenomenon of the dark cells since each sensor element decides the minimum resolution level in the judgment of the darkness and brightness.
FIG. 9A
shows a scanning operation by a line scanner performed along a periphery of a dark cell. When seen in individual sensor elements, the dark cell occupies part (e.g., a half or a quarter) of the unit area in some of sensor elements. More specifically, when focused on six sensor elements arraying in the line scanning direction shown in
FIG. 9A
, a first sensor element is a complete bright portion. A second sensor element is a composite element whose three-quarter is a bright portion with the remaining quarter of a dark portion. Next two, i.e., third and fourth, sensor elements are also composite elements each consisting of a bright portion and a dark portion by fifty-fifty. Then, a fifth sensor element is a composite element whose three-quarter is a bright portion with the remaining quarter of a dark portion. And, the last, i.e., a sixth, sensor element is a complete bright portion.
FIG. 9B
shows an output signal of the line sensor which is proportional to the area of the bright portion (i.e., proportional to brightness) in each sensor element. A threshold, for detecting the dark portion, is set at a predetermined level which is relatively high. When the sensor signal of a sensor element is lower than the threshold, this sensor element is judged as a dark portion. If the threshold is set at a lower level, certain information may be neglected. For example, a sensor element will be judged as a bright portion when it comprises a smaller dark portion and a larger bright portion. In other words, there is the data not reproducible due to neglect or elimination of the smaller dark portions. Thin lines may disappear. To avoid such disappearing of important information, the threshold is set to a relatively higher level. Accordingly, there is a high probability that a composite sensor element, comprising both dark and bright portions, is judged as a dark portion. As a result, each cell tends to grow fat. For example, a regular-size dark cell of 3 dots×3 dots shown in
FIG. 9C
expands to the size of 4 dots×4 dots shown in FIG.
9
D. For comparison,
FIG. 9E
shows a shrunken dark cell of 2 dots×2 dots.
FIG. 10
shows an example of two-dimensional code including a growing-fat dark cell. Each dark cell has peripheral sides overhanging over neighboring bright cells. The above-described estimative central position of the dark cell may deviate largely into the overhung region. In such a case, a bright cell will be erroneously detected by as a dark cell. This drawback will be explained in more detail with reference to
FIG. 10. A
cell “A” and a cell “D” shown in
FIG. 10
are originally bright cells and are discriminable as bright cells even at their deviated estimative center positions. A cell “B” is originally a dark cell and is discriminable as a dark cell even at its deviated estimative central position. However, a cell “C” is judged as a dark cell although it is originally a bright cell because a neighboring (i.e. right) dark cell overhangs over the deviated estimative central position of the cell “C”. Thus, the bright cell “C” is erroneously judged as a dark cell. Thus, the data, represented by the brightness and darkness of the cells, is undesirably changed into another data having different contents or meaning.
The above-described explanation is for the growing-fat phenomenon of the dark cells, but is equally applied to the growing-fat phenomenon of the bright cells. In this case, the bright cells overhang over the dark cells. The dark cell is erroneously judged as a bright cell when its estimative central position is located in the overhanging region of the bright cell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the present invention has an object to provide an apparatus and a method for producing print data of a two-dimensional code which is capable of preventing erroneous judgement in the reading of the data, even when a facsimile or copying machine prints out a two-dimensional code including growing-fat dark cells. Furthermore, the present invention provides recording media which store program data required for executing the processing for producing the print data.
To accomplish the above and other related objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing print data of a two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code comprises cells representing binary coded data and arranged as a pattern on a two-dimensional matrix. The pattern comprises dark and bright cells. The printing operation is performed by printing only dark cells while leaving a non-printed region which is discriminable as the bright cells. A print data producing means is provided for producing print data for modifying the size of the dark cells in advance so that a boundary between the dark cells and the bright cells is adjustable before performing the printing operation.
According to the present invention, it is preferable that the print data producing means is for producing the print data for expanding the cell size of each dark cell when the boundary between the dark cells and the bright cells is shifted toward the region of the bright cells, and is for producing the print data for expanding the cell size of each bright cell when the boundary between the dark cells and the bright cells is shifted toward the region of the dark cells.
In general, the print data are developed as a matrix pattern of 0 and 1 representing bright and dark portions on a bit map. Accordingly, when the regular-size cell has a cell size of 5 dots×5 dots, expansion of the dark cell is performed by increasing the cell size to 6 dots×6 dots and developing the expanded dark cell on the bit map. When the dark cell is expanded to the size of 6 dots×6 dots, the expanded dark cell (
1
) overhangs over a neighboring bright cell (
0
) or da
Kiuchi Jun-ichiro
Kurobe Takahiro
Shigekusa Hisashi
Takai Hiromitsu
Denso Corporation
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC
Rogers Scott
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for producing print data of a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for producing print data of a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for producing print data of a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2963745