U.S. patent application number 14/949620 was filed with the patent office on 2016-05-26 for modulation of display imagery for barcode simulation.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mobeam, Inc.. Invention is credited to John Osborne, David Russell.
Application Number | 20160148083 14/949620 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56010562 |
Filed Date | 2016-05-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160148083 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Osborne; John ; et
al. |
May 26, 2016 |
MODULATION OF DISPLAY IMAGERY FOR BARCODE SIMULATION
Abstract
A method of modulating display imagery for barcode simulation is
provided. Barcode information is received into a portable device.
The portable device includes an image capture system, the image
capture system including an image sensor that is configured to
convert light into discrete signals. The image capture system has
an image sensor controller that is configured to control the image
sensor. The image capture system has an image processor that is
configured to convert the discrete signals into formatted image
data. The portable device has a display system having a display
screen configured to display formatted image data. The barcode
information is used to manipulate the image capture system such
that the display screen displays a light simulated barcode.
Inventors: |
Osborne; John; (Incline
Village, NV) ; Russell; David; (Winter Garden,
FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mobeam, Inc. |
Palo Alto |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56010562 |
Appl. No.: |
14/949620 |
Filed: |
November 23, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62084302 |
Nov 25, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
235/375 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 7/10722 20130101;
G06K 7/1417 20130101; G06K 19/06112 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06K 19/06 20060101
G06K019/06; G06K 7/14 20060101 G06K007/14; G06K 7/10 20060101
G06K007/10 |
Claims
1. A method of modulating display imagery for barcode simulation
comprising steps of: receiving barcode information into a portable
device, the portable device including an image capture system, the
image capture system including an image sensor that is configured
to convert light into discrete signals and the image capture system
having an image sensor controller that is configured to control the
image sensor and the image capture system having an image processor
that is configured to convert the discrete signals into formatted
image data and the portable device having a display system having a
display screen configured to display formatted image data; and
using the barcode information to manipulate the image capture
system such that the display screen displays a light simulated
barcode.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said using the barcode
information to manipulate the image capture system modulates
brightness of an image displayed by the display screen.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said using the barcode
information to manipulate the image capture system modulates color
of an image displayed by the display screen.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said using the barcode
information to manipulate the image capture system comprises
manipulating signals supplied to a light sensor array.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said using the barcode
information to manipulate the image capture system comprises
manipulating image signals generated by a light sensor array.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing
modulated image data prior to displaying the modulated image data
on the display screen.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display screen
displays a light simulated barcode in real time while the image is
being captured by the image capture system.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using the
barcode information to manipulate a display system.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said using the barcode
information to manipulate the image capture system is performed by
a modulation device interposed between the image sensor and the
display system.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received barcode
information is representative of a multidimensional barcode and
further comprising converting the multidimensional barcode to a one
dimensional barcode prior to said using the barcode information to
manipulate the image capture system.
11. A system for modulating display imagery for barcode simulation
comprising: an image capture system, the image capture system being
included in a portable device and having an image sensor that is
configured to convert light into discrete signals and the image
capture system having an image sensor controller that is configured
to control parameters of the image sensor and the image capture
system having an image processor that is configured to convert the
discrete signals into formatted image data; and a display system
included in the portable device, the display system having a
display screen configured to display formatted image data, wherein
the system is configured to manipulate the image capture system
such that the display screen displays a light simulated
barcode.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the image capture
system is manipulated to modulate brightness of an image displayed
by the display screen.
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the image capture
system is manipulated to modulate color of an image displayed by
the display screen.
14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the image capture
system is manipulated to modulate signals supplied to a light
sensor array.
15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the image capture
system is manipulated to modulate image signals generated by a
light sensor array.
16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a memory
coupled to the image capture system, wherein the memory is
configured to store the formatted image data prior to display of
the light simulated barcode.
17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the display screen
displays a light simulated barcode in real time while the image is
being captured by the image capture system.
18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the display system
further comprises a display controller configured to receive
formatted image data for display on the display screen and wherein
the display controller is configured to control parameters of the
display screen.
19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the barcode
information is used by the display controller to manipulate a
display system.
20. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a
modulation device interposed between the image sensor and the
display system wherein the barcode information is used by the
modulation device to manipulate the image capture system such that
the display screen displays a light simulated barcode.
21. The system according to claim 11, wherein the received barcode
information is representative of a multidimensional barcode and
wherein the multidimensional barcode is converted to a one
dimensional barcode prior to manipulation of the image capture
system such that the display screen displays a light simulated
barcode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to communicating
encoded information from a personal electronic device to a barcode
scanner.
[0002] A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data.
Barcodes are typically printed on items, such as paper labels or
packaging for goods, manufacturer's or retailer's coupons, or on
tickets or passes such as airline boarding passes. Barcode scanners
(also referred to as barcode readers) are used to extract
information from barcodes by detecting light reflected by the
barcode from a moving light beam. Barcode scanners are found in
many different types of facilities including stores and
supermarkets, airport security check-in and boarding areas,
stadiums, libraries, test centers, conference centers, and in many
other contexts. The use of barcode scanners has dramatically
increased the speed and convenience of performing many commonplace
transactions.
[0003] While typically printed on paper or other objects, barcodes
may also be displayed on the electronic display screens of personal
electronic devices such that the barcode can be read by a barcode
scanner. While it can be useful to present coupons and other
information in barcode form on the display screen of a personal
electronic device, there are disadvantages. Some barcode scanners,
for example, cannot reliably read barcodes displayed on certain
types of displays because the contrast ratio between the bars and
spaces shown on the display screen, which typically is a liquid
crystal display (LCD), is not sufficient. Further, the physical
dimensions and/or resolution of the display screen may also limit
the size of the barcode that may be displayed at one time.
[0004] A technology that simulates barcodes using pulsed light and
thereby overcomes various limitations of static screen-displayed
barcodes is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,093
issued Feb. 3, 2004 to Challa et al. This technique, however, may
have certain limitations. For example, some personal electronic
devices may not be capable of performing the technique, or are
controlled by application program interfaces that for technical or
business reasons cannot be modified to accomplish the
technique.
[0005] Therefore, what is needed is an improved technique for
communicating barcode information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a method of modulating
display imagery for barcode simulation. In accordance with an
embodiment, barcode information is received into a portable device.
The portable device includes an image capture system, the image
capture system including an image sensor that is configured to
convert light into discrete signals. The image capture system has
an image sensor controller that is configured to control the image
sensor. The image capture system has an image processor that is
configured to convert the discrete signals into formatted image
data. The portable device has a display system having a display
screen configured to display formatted image data. The barcode
information is used to manipulate the image capture system such
that the display screen displays a light simulated barcode.
[0007] This and other embodiments are described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention is described with respect to
particular exemplary embodiments thereof and reference is
accordingly made to the drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device configured to modulate display imagery in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a one-dimensional barcode that can be
communicated in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a graph of a modulated characteristic of
a signal for communicating a one-dimensional barcode in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an image
capture system of a portable electronic device in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device configured to modulate display imagery in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device in which a 2D barcode can be converted to a 1D
barcode in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The display screen of a portable electronic device may be
used for many purposes. One such use is for communicating
information to a barcode scanner with variations in light that
simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a
static visual image of a barcode, which may be referred to as a
"light-simulated barcode." The light-simulated barcode technology
as well as the various types of digital devices suitable for using
light-simulated barcodes are described in, for example, U.S. Pat.
No. 6,685,093 issued Feb. 3, 2004 to Challa et al., U.S. Pat. No.
6,736,322 issued May 18, 2004 to Gobburu et al., U.S. Pat. No.
6,877,665 issued Apr. 12, 2005 to Challa et al., U.S. Pat. No.
7,028,906 issued Apr. 18, 2006 to Challa et al., U.S. Pat. No.
7,395,961 issued Jul. 8, 2008 to Challa et al., U.S. Pat. No.
7,857,225 issued Dec. 28, 2010 to Challa et al., and U.S. Pat. No.
7,967,211 issued Jun. 28, 2011 to Challa et al., all of which
hereby are incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties.
[0016] Various types of light sources, including those in use in
pixel-based display devices, may be used for light-simulated
barcodes. LCDs that utilize a backlight for screen brightness may,
for example, be effective in producing light-simulated barcodes
because the entire backlight may be modulated to provide the
desired light/dark sequence. Even displays which have no backlight,
including but not limited to, light-emitting diode (LED), organic
light-emitting diode (OLED), electroluminescent, and plasma
displays, may be used for producing light-simulated barcodes.
[0017] Suitable digital devices vary greatly in their processing
power and memory. Some may lack the processing power, memory, or
both needed to carry out light-simulated barcode processing without
adversely affecting device performance, and some may not be able to
carry out light-simulated barcode processing at all. While
increasing the processing power and memory of the digital device
itself is an option, it may not be a practical or cost-effective
option in some cases.
[0018] Digital cameras and other portable devices, such as smart
phones, are typically equipped with an image capture system
including an image sensor, such as a charge coupled device (CCD)
sensor, as well as a display screen. Such sensors can typically
produce a real-time camera image on the display. Such a real-time
image is one that can change, for example, when the device is moved
or the sensor is pointed at a moving object. Still images or video
clips can be stored in memory and later reproduced on the display.
It has been shown that modulation of the display brightness, e.g.
by modulating a display backlight, can be used to stimulate the
light sensor of a one-dimensional barcode reader. The present
invention is directed toward manipulating the image capture system,
for example, the brightness of image data output from the image
sensor, so that the image being displayed can be used to transmit
barcode information from the device to a barcode reader. An
embodiment of the present invention is therefore directed toward
modulation of one or more light characteristics of real-time
imagery and specifically to modulation of sensor image signals to
simulate reading of a barcode.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device 100 in which display imagery can be modulated in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The
portable electronic device 100 can preferably be easily carried by
the user and has an imaging capability, and can be any of various
devices, including but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone,
personal digital assistant (PDA), gaming device, audio and video
player, fob, universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, tablet
computer, laptop computer, ultrabook computer, notebook computer,
convertible computer, and a variety of multimedia convergence
products such as the IPHONE.TM. mobile digital device available
from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., USA, and various competitive
devices that run the Android operating system.
[0020] Such portable electronic devices can include a processor and
a computer-readable medium in any suitable combination of hardware,
firmware and software. Examples of processors include
microprocessors, controllers and logic circuits, and a processor
may be implemented as a multi-core unit or by multiple processor
units. Examples of computer readable media, which may be realized
in a single type of read-only memory or readable-writable memory or
which may include combinations of different types of memory,
include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access
memory (DRAM), FLASH memory, solid-state memory, magnetic memory,
optical memory, compact disk read-only memory, and so forth. Data
and programs containing processor-executable instructions for
operating the mobile personal digital device and implementing
various applications may be stored in the computer-readable medium
and executed by the processor. Such portable devices can also
include special-purpose and dedicated hardware that can include
digital, analog or both types of circuitry.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary portable device 100
includes an image capture system 102 and a display system 104. The
image capture system 102 generally includes at least an image
sensor that is configured to convert light into discrete signals.
The image sensor can be, for example, a CCD image sensor. The image
capture system 102 can also include circuitry that controls
operation of the image sensor and that converts discrete signals
generated by the image sensor into a format suitable for display as
still images or video, such as JPEG or MPEG.
[0022] The display system 104 generally includes a display such as
an LED or LCD display screen. The display system 104 can also
include associated display circuitry that controls operation of the
display system 104, such as its backlight, and that receives
formatted still images or video signals, such as JPEG or MPEG to be
displayed by the display screen.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the portable device 100 can include
application software 106, a processor 108 and memory 110. The
software 106, processor 108 and memory 110 can control operation of
the device 100 so as to perform a variety of functions, including
providing a user interface for displaying menus and the like to a
user, accepting input from the user, as well as other functions.
For example, a user may employ the user interface to selectively
store a barcode within the portable device 100. In this case, the
barcode can be obtained by the portable device 100 by the user
capturing an image of a barcode using the image capture system 102,
by the user downloading the barcode from a remote location (e,g.
from a website via the Internet), by receiving the barcode in a
message (e.g. a text message or an email message) or in some other
manner. The selected barcode can be stored as a numerical code in
memory 110.
[0024] Image and video files can also be stored in the memory 110.
These can include image and video files generated by the image
capture system 102 as well as image and video files obtained in
another manner such as by the user downloading them or receiving
them in a text or email message. Software applications 106 can also
be stored in the memory 110.
[0025] An image captured by the image capture system 102 can be
displayed in real-time on the display screen of the display system
104. Alternatively, an image or video file stored memory 110 can be
retrieved from the memory 110 and displayed on the display screen
of the display system 104. In accordance with an embodiment of the
invention, the image capture system 102 is manipulated so that the
image or video displayed on the display screen simulates a barcode
through modulation of light intensity and/or color. For example,
the user can employ the user interface to select a barcode to be
transmitted. The barcode can be present in the memory 110. In this
case, a software application 106 can control the processor 108 to
retrieve the stored barcode from the memory 110. The application
106 and processor 108 may then control the image capture system 102
to modulate one or more parameters of the image, such as its
brightness, contrast, intensity, or color such that the display of
the device 100 transmits the selected barcode in light simulated
form so that a barcode reader may then detect the barcode.
[0026] More particularly, the simulated signal can be transmitted
as light pulses. For purposes of the present description, the term
"light" is a broad term as used herein, and includes visible light
and infrared light spectra. The term "pulse" refers merely to
detectable changes in characteristics of the light. The light
pulses may be generated in any visible or infrared wavelength. The
light signals may be varied in any desired way, including by
varying brightness or by turning the light output on and off, by
varying color, or in other ways.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows an illustrative one-dimensional barcode 200. As
shown in FIG. 1A, the barcode 200 includes a quiet zone 202, bars
204, and spaces 206. The quiet zone 202 and spaces 206 need to be
distinguishable from the bars 204. For example, the bars 204 can be
lighter or darker than the quiet zone 202 and spaces 206 so that
more or less light is reflected when scanned by a barcode
scanner.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows an idealized representation of a signal that
may be generated for transmission as light pulses, by which is
created light that simulates the reflection of a scanning beam off
the barcode 200 depicted in FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, as
a scanning beam scans across the quiet zone 202 and the spaces 206,
the beam is reflected to the scanner. As the beam scans across the
bars 204, however, the beam is at least partly absorbed such that
the reflected beam has a lower amplitude than the beam reflected
from the lighter quiet zone 202 and spaces 206. Thus, the amplitude
of the signal received at the scanner decreases at times t1, t3,
t5, t7, and t9, which correspond to the beam reaching a leading
edge of a bar 204, and increases at time t2, t4, t6, t8, and t10,
which correspond to the beam reaching the falling edge of a bar
204.
[0029] Data encoded in a barcode format may be actively provided to
a sequential barcode scanner by providing a light-based
representation of a signal, such as shown in FIG. 3, to a scanner,
instead of providing a potentially less reliable static barcode
image to the scanner. Since many barcode scanner receivers will
receive visual or infrared wavelength signals, mobile digital
devices that have display components that operate at these
wavelengths can be used to provide an active light representation
of the simulated reflected scanning beam to a sequential barcode
scanner. The barcode data may thus be actively provided to current
or improved sequential barcode scanners without the requirement of
altering the existing barcode scanner infrastructure.
[0030] When the barcode scanner receives the signal, the scanner
decodes the on/off sequence of the beam to determine the barcode
data being provided.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an image
capture system 102 of a portable electronic device 100. FIG. 4
provides additional detail of an image capture system 102 that may
be employed in accordance with in accordance with embodiments of
the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the image capture system
102 includes an image sensor 120, which can be a CCD sensor, an
image sensor controller 122, an image processor 124 and memory 126.
The image sensor controller 122 can provide analog power supply and
control signals to the image sensor 120 and can change these
signals in order to modulate characteristics of the image captured
by the sensor 122 so as to generate a light simulated barcode. For
example, the image sensor controller 122 can control voltage supply
signals to the image sensor 122 that effect brightness or intensity
of the captured image or portions thereof.
[0032] The image processor 124 receives from the image sensor 120
signals representative of the captured image and processes these
signals into a format suitable for display or storage. For example,
the image processor 124 can receive analog signals that are
representative of brightness or intensity for sensor elements
corresponding to image pixels. These signals can be amplified,
filtered, digitized, compressed and formatted as images or video.
For example, images may be formatted as digital JPEG image files or
MPEG video, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Other digital
image and video formats are possible, such as Quicktime, 3GPP,
TIFF, RIF, bitmap (BMP) and so forth. Other possible formats
include analog video formats, such as red-green-blue (RBG) video,
luminance-chrominance (Y-C) video, S-video, as so forth.
[0033] The formatted images or video can then be stored in memory
126 for later retrieval and display by the display system 104 (FIG.
1). The memory 126 can be part of the memory 110 shown in FIG. 1 or
the memory 126 can be a separate memory device. In addition to, in
instead of, storing the formatted images or video, the formatted
images or video can be provided directly to the display system 104
for immediate ("real-time") display.
[0034] The image sensor controller 122 can manipulate the captured
images or video, by modulating characteristics of them, so as to
generate a light simulated barcode upon display by the display
system 104. For example, the controller 122 can modulate supply
voltages provided to the sensor array so as to modulate brightness
or intensity of the signals provided to the image processor 124 in
accordance with the particular barcode to be simulated. When
processed by the image processor 124 and displayed, this results in
the displayed image having its brightness or intensity modulated
which simulates the barcode for a barcode reader that receives the
modulated image.
[0035] In addition to, or instead of, the sensor controller 122
manipulating the image signals in order to generate a
light-simulated barcode, the image processor 124 can manipulate the
image signals. For example, the image processor can modulate a
level of amplification applied to the signals prior to
digitization, or can multiply digital samples by a modulated
multiplication factor prior to formatting the image signals.
Alternatively, or in addition, the signal processor 122 can
modulate colors of the images, a color filter applied to the image
data, contrast of the images or other image characteristics. When
displayed, this image manipulation results in the displayed image
having its displayed characteristics, such as brightness,
intensity, and/or color, modulated which simulates the barcode for
a barcode reader that receives the modulated image.
[0036] The modulation applied to the image signals by the image
sensor controller 122 and the image processor 124 can be controlled
by an application program 106 and the device processor 108 so as to
simulate a particular selected barcode.
[0037] As described herein, the control processor 108 is not
directly controlling information displayed by the display system
104 in order to generate a light simulated barcode, but instead
controls parameters within the image capture system 102 such as
brightness, contrast, color, etc. to generate a light simulated
barcode. For example, through dedicated hardware within the image
capture system 102, hardware device(s) attached to the image
capture system 102, through software within the device 100
manipulating the brightness levels of the image sensor, or through
software within the image capture system 102 itself, the sensor can
be directed to modulate its brightness level or other
characteristics such that barcode information can be transferred
from the portable device 100 to a barcode scanning device.
[0038] As described in connection with FIG. 4, the image processor
124 is located in the signal path between the image sensor 120 and
the display system 104. In this case, the image processor 124 is
preferably able to directly manipulate, store, and analyze the
image in real-time as the manipulated image is displayed. However,
the modulation need not be performed in real-time if the image
processor 124 lacks the computation bandwidth. Thus, alternatively,
the image data can be stored into memory 110 or 126 and processed
on a frame-by-frame basis by the image processor 124, and then
streamed to the display screen to achieve modulation needed for
barcode simulation. Alternatively, or additionally, the resultant
modulated image data can be returned to memory 110 or 126, and
displayed at a later time
[0039] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device in which display imagery can be modulated in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The device
shown in FIG. 5 can be the same as the devices shown in FIGS. 1 and
3 with differences noted herein. As shown in FIG. 5, an additional
path between the image sensor 120 and a display screen 128 is
provided through modulation device 130. This path is in addition
to, or in place of, the signal path through the image processor
124. The modulation device 130 can be implemented by hardware such
as a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), custom IC, or other
dedicated processing resources connected to the image sensor 120
and configured to modulate image characteristics such as brightness
or color levels. As shown in FIG. 5, the modulation device 130 can
be designed or retrofit into the data path between the image sensor
120 and the display screen 128. The device 130 may then directly
manipulate the data stream in real-time, for example, to transpose
colors so that modulation is achieved by alternating between
displaying colors a barcode scanner is sensitive to and colors the
barcode scanner is not sensitive to. The device 130 could also
switch back and forth between the real-time image and a solid color
(e.g. black, white, red, green, etc.) or between different solid
colors. This switching is modulated according to a particular
barcode so as to transfer the barcode data to the scanner. Then,
once the barcode simulation is complete, the display can be
returned to the real-time image or some other image or turned off.
While Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) data streams can be used to
represent image data, other formats, including but not limited to,
YUV, Component, Composite, color mapped, S-VIDEO, or HDMI data
streams of varying pixel height, width, and color depth could be
manipulated in similar manner.
[0040] By employing modulation device 130, the modulation can be
performed in real-time even if the image processor 124 lacks the
computation bandwidth to perform the modulation in real-time. The
modulation device 130 can alternatively be configured to modulate
characteristics of a stored image or video rather than in
real-time.
[0041] Often there are connectors between the image sensor system
102 and the image processor 124 or the system processor 108, and/or
between the display screen 128 and other elements of the system.
These connectors provide access to the image signals for
retrofitting the image modulation hardware 130 into an existing
device.
[0042] Many mobile devices with 2D imaging systems are capable of
scanning and interpreting 2D barcodes, including but not limited
to, High Capacity Color Barcode (HCCB) from Microsoft.TM., 3-DI,
ArrayTag, Aztec Code, Small Aztec Code, Codablock, Code 1, code
16K, Code 49, ColorCode, Compact Matrix Code, CP Code, CyberCode,
d-touch, DataGlyphs, DataMatrix, Datastrip Code, Dot Code A,
EZCode, Grid Matrix Code, HueCode, INTACTA Code, JAGTAG, MaxiCode,
mCode, MiniCode, MicroPDF417, MMCC, Nintendo e-Reader#Dot code,
Optar, PaperDisk, PDF417, PDMark, QR Code, QuickMark Code,
SmartCode, Snowflake Code, SPARQCode, SuperCode, Trillcode,
UltraCode, UnisCode, Vericode, VSCode, and WaterCode. None of these
2D encoding technologies, however, can be interpreted by a 1D
barcode scanner.
[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable
electronic device in which a 2D barcode can be converted to a 1D
light simulated barcode and in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention. In FIG. 6, 2D barcode information scanned by the
imaging system is interpreted in a conventional manner, but
subsequently converted to 1D format information, and the display
screen brightness is then modulated to transfer the 2D information
in a format compatible with 1D scanners. The 2D barcode being
scanned may also be simultaneously displayed on the device's
display screen.
[0044] More particularly, as shown in FIG. 6, a 2D barcode 150, or
other multidimensional barcode, is captured by an image sensor 152.
A processor 154 may then interpret the 2D barcode and convert the
2D barcode to a 1D dimensional code. A modulation controller 156
may then manipulate a real time image (which can be the image of
the 2D barcode) in accordance with the 1D barcode so that the 1D
barcode is simulated by modulation of lights characteristics
emitted by display 158. The 2D barcode or the 1D barcode, or both,
can be stored in memory 160. As described herein a modulated image
can also be stored in memory 160 such that it can be retrieved and
displayed as a light-simulated barcode. A method of converting
multidimensional barcodes to one dimensional barcodes is disclosed
in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0156376, by Sellers et al., the
entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0045] As described herein, a simulated barcode is generated
through modulation of one or more light characteristics of
real-time imagery and specifically to modulation of sensor image
signals within an image capture system 102 (FIG. 1). Optionally,
one or more characteristics of the display system 104 (FIG. 2) can
also be modulated. For example, modulation of a display backlight
can also be modulated to simulate the barcode. In this case, the
modulation occurring in the display system 104 is preferably
synchronized with modulation performed within the image capture
system so as to avoid having the modulated signals cancel each
other.
[0046] The description of the invention including its applications
and advantages as set forth herein is illustrative and is not
intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is set forth in
the claims. Variations and modifications of the embodiments
disclosed herein are possible, and practical alternatives to and
equivalents of the various elements of the embodiments would be
understood to those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this
patent document. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, any specific
values given herein are illustrative, and may be varied as desired.
Where various timings are set forth, these timings may not be exact
unless otherwise explicitly stated, but rather may vary depending
on circuit layout, signal line impedance, and other practical
design factors as are well known in the art. A reference to
individual values indicative of a range is inclusive of all values
within the range. These and other variations and modifications of
the embodiments disclosed herein, including of the alternatives and
equivalents of the various elements of the embodiments, may be made
without departing from the scope of the invention.
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