Image analysis – Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-31
2001-08-28
Nguyen, Madeleine (Department: 2622)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
C382S317000, C358S438000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282319
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information reproduction system which can prevent code reproduction errors and reduces decoding processing of invalid block data. This is accomplished by adaptively controlling the block decoding method in accordance with the image sensing state of a code upon reproduction of a code which is obtained by optically readably recording a plurality of blocks having block data each of which is obtained by segmenting information data in units of predetermined information volumes, and block headers indicating addresses assigned in units of blocks, in accordance with a predetermined block layout format.
The assignee of the present application who is also the assignee of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/571,776 which relates to an information recording medium and information reproduction system as a system that segments digital data in units of blocks each having a predetermined information volume, records the segmented blocks, and reproduces the recorded blocks.
This system reads the segmented block data together with their address data, and reproduces information by coupling the block data on the basis of the address data.
Since this system has a mechanism for recording/reproducing data in units of segmented blocks, it has excellent expandability of data and reading flexibility, and can read data that cannot fall within one image sensing frame by scanning a code.
This system is excellent since it also allows reading based on manual scans that may cause blur or changes in scan speed.
The system is very effective for recording/reproducing data in units of segmented blocks.
Hence, since the system decodes data in units of blocks, invalid blocks or inappropriately sensed blocks must be decoded carefully.
As the measure against such blocks, U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 (identified above) proposed the following systems. That is, in one system, data are decoded in turn from blocks on the image sensing frame on the scan direction side, and decoding is stopped upon detecting block data with identical address data. In the other system, data are decoded in turn from outer blocks on the image sensing frame, inner block data on the image sensing frame are overwritten on the decoded data, and block data which are expected to suffer less distortion on the inner side of the image sensing frame are finally reproduced.
With these systems, high-speed decoding can be attained by obviating the need for decoding invalid blocks, and code reproduction errors due to defective readout blocks can be reduced.
However, the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 does not sufficiently consider the image sensing state of a code.
For example, in the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776, even when illumination on the scan direction side is dark due to scanner tilt, and the image sensing state is inappropriate, block data on the scan direction side are preferentially decoded, resulting in code reproduction errors.
Also, in the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776, since the image sensing states of blocks change as scanning progresses, blocks sensed at the center of the image sensing frame are not always the optimal ones.
In other words, the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/571,776 does not appropriately decode data in correspondence with the image sensing state of the code, and leaves room for improvement in this point.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an information reproduction system which can prevent code reproduction errors due to decoding of inappropriately sensed blocks, and can reduce decoding of invalid block data.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an information reproduction system for reproducing a code defined by a plurality of blocks each of which includes at least a data pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of block data obtained by segmenting information data in units of predetermined information volumes, and a header pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of a block header indicating an address assigned to each block, and which blocks are arranged according to a predetermined block layout format, comprising:
reading means for optically reading the code by sensing the code to include a plurality of blocks within one image sensing frame;
block detection means for detecting the blocks from the code within one image sensing frame read by the reading means;
address data acquisition means for acquiring address data of the blocks detected by the block detection means;
block data decoding means for decoding block data from the data patterns of the blocks detected by the block detection means;
information data reproduction means for reproducing original information data by coupling the block data decoded by the block data decoding means in accordance with the address data acquired by the address data acquisition means;
image sensing state discrimination means for discriminating an image sensing state of the code read by the reading means; and
block decoding control means for controlling the block data decoding means based on the code image sensing state discriminated by the image sensing state discrimination means so as to preferentially decode appropriately sensed blocks of the plurality of decodable blocks.
Also, according to the present invention, there is provided an information reproduction system for reproducing a code defined by a plurality of blocks each of which includes at least a data pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of block data obtained by segmenting information data in units of predetermined information volumes, and a header pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of a block header indicating an address assigned to each block, and which blocks are arranged according to a predetermined block layout format, comprising:
a reader for optically reading the code by sensing the code to include a plurality of blocks within one image sensing frame;
a block detector for detecting the blocks from the code within one image sensing frame read by the reader;
an address data acquisition device for acquiring address data of the blocks detected by the block detector;
a block data decoder for decoding block data from the data patterns of the blocks detected by the block detector;
an information data reproduction device for reproducing original information data by coupling the block data decoded by the block data decoder in accordance with the address data acquired by the address data acquisition device;
an image sensing state discrimination device for discriminating an image sensing state of the code read by the reader; and
a block decoder for controlling the block data decoder based on the code image sensing state discriminated by the image sensing state discrimination device so as to preferentially decode appropriately sensed blocks of the plurality of decodable blocks.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a code information reproduction method for reproducing a code defined by a plurality of blocks each of which includes at least a data pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of block data obtained by segmenting information data in units of predetermined information volumes, and a header pattern, which is imaged in accordance with contents of a block header indicating an address assigned to each block, and which blocks are arranged according to a predetermined block layout format, comprising the steps of:
optically reading the code by sensing the code to include a plurality of blocks within one image sensing frame;
detecting the blocks from the read code within one image sensing frame;
acquiring address data of the detected blocks;
decoding block data from the data patterns of the detected blocks;
reproducing original information data by coupling the decoded block data in accordance with the acquired address data;
discriminating an image sensing state of th
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Nguyen Madeleine
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
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