JP5392711B2 - 2D color barcode - Google Patents

Description

This invention also relates to various kinds of information in a two-dimensional color barcode capable of storing.

  One-dimensional barcodes used for distribution management of articles are widely known as an optically readable representation of information such as characters. However, with the arrival of the information society in recent years, matrix Development of matrix-type two-dimensional barcodes having a plurality of cells partitioned into a plurality of shapes and increasing the amount of information that can be stored has progressed, and some of them have been put to practical use.

Each of the plurality of cells constituting the two-dimensional barcode is usually expressed by any one of black and white colors. However, in order to store more information, each of the plurality of cells is set to a power of 2 k. A two-dimensional color barcode that is colored by being represented by any one of the colors is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-284412

In the two-dimensional color barcode of the above document, k-bit information (specifically, k = 3 and 3 bits) can be stored in each cell. When reading a barcode, it is necessary to identify the color of each cell and restore the original information based on the identified color information. Each cell is represented by one of two colors such as black and white. Since it is difficult to apply the reading algorithm for reading the conventional two-dimensional barcode and the generation algorithm for generating it as it is, it has been colored instead of the existing two-dimensional barcode expressed in black and white. In the case of using a two-dimensional barcode, it is often necessary to replace the entire related system to cope with it, and there remains a problem in terms of cost.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a matrix type two-dimensional color having a plurality of cells partitioned in a matrix and each cell is represented by one of predetermined 2k power colors. When reading the barcode 1, the fetching means 13 for fetching the two-dimensional color barcode 1 as fetched data, the restoring means 52 for restoring the original information from the fetched data, and the fetched data or original information Based on the storage means 4 to be stored and the captured data, each of a plurality of cells partitioned in a matrix has k layers of two-dimensional binarized barcodes 2 represented by one of two colors. Processing for restoring original information for each of a plurality of two-dimensional binary barcodes 2 constituting the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3. Do the restore hand The two-dimensional color barcode which is to be read by the two-dimensional barcode reading system 22 comprising 52 and which is formed in a square shape having four sides, k layers constituting the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 2 dimensional binarized barcode 2 is painted with two colors of a predetermined color different from the white and each layer, the predetermined color color k is the reference color of k colors, along cormorants upper side portion 41a in the four sides of the A belt-like region 41 formed in a rectangular frame shape having four sides 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d of a lower side 41b, a left side 41c, and a right side 41d, and surrounding the four sides, and the four sides and an information storing area 43 is an inner region, in the band-like region 41 color reference color so as to be distinguished from and information storage area 43 can direction identified, the reference color of the k colors, the 4 sides 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d color arrangement information, which is information relating to which color arrangement is made, is stored in the storage means 4, and in the direction specification, based on the color arrangement information, which side 41a, It is characterized in that the direction is specified by identifying whether the colors 41b, 41c and 41d are arranged, and the value of k is set to any integer between 4 and 10.

According to the present invention configured as described above, a plurality of two-dimensional binarized barcodes in which a plurality of cells partitioned in a matrix are represented by any one of two colors are stacked in k layers. By providing multi-layered means for converting to barcodes, the reading and generating algorithms for two-dimensional barcodes in which each cell is expressed in black and white are applied as they are to the two-dimensional binary barcodes in each layer. Since it is possible, there is an effect that it can be easily incorporated into an existing system.

Then, for example, by a dummy 2D binarized barcode portion of k 2 dimensional binarized barcode, if any two-dimensional binarized barcode is not know dummy, source information In addition to being unable to restore to the original information, it is impossible to restore the original information without knowing the rearrangement information by complexly rearranging which two-dimensional binarized barcode is stored in which layer. Thus, there is an effect that it becomes easy to ensure high security by various means.

A two-dimensional color barcode which is to be read by the two-dimensional barcode reading system and is formed in a square shape having four sides, and is provided with a belt-like region extending along at least a part of the four sides. By arranging the reference color in the position, it is possible to restore the original information more accurately and quickly using the reference color.

  In addition, by arranging the reference color in the band-like region so that the direction can be specified, there is an effect that the configuration can be simplified without the need for separately providing information regarding the direction specification.

Further, by forming a rectangular band-like region so as to surround the four sides, there is an effect that it is possible to specify the direction of the two-dimensional color barcode and the region with higher accuracy.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the specific example of the two-dimensional color barcode to which this invention is applied. It is a general conceptual diagram of a two-dimensional color barcode to which the present invention is applied. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the barcode apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a two-dimensional barcode production | generation apparatus. (A) is drawing which shows an example of the input signal regarding audio | voice data, (B) is drawing which shows an example in which an input signal is divided | segmented. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of an encoding part. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of binary tree structure data. It is a processing flow figure of a data selection means. (A)-(D) are state transition diagrams which show an example of the data selection by a data selection means. (A) is a plan view of a two-dimensional color barcode, and (B) is a list showing the structure of a restoration table. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a two-dimensional barcode reader. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a decoding part.

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific example of a two-dimensional color barcode to which the present invention is applied. The illustrated two-dimensional color barcode (two-dimensional barcode) 1 is called a so-called matrix type, and has nine cells divided in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns, and each cell has four colors (white, blue). , Yellow, green). As described above, the two-dimensional color barcode 1 that is separately colored in the color of 2 to the power of k (k is an integer of 2 or more and k = 2 in the figure) is binarized into k two-dimensional two-dimensional color codes 1. It is possible to break down into a binary barcode (two-dimensional barcode) 2.

  For example, in the two-dimensional color barcode 1 shown in the figure, since each of the nine cells partitioned in a matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns is painted with four colors, the matrix of 3 rows and 3 columns is formed. It can be converted into a two-layer multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 in which each layer is constituted by a two-dimensional binary barcode 2 that is partitioned and each cell is expressed in one of two colors.

  Specifically, a color map M is stored in a storage unit (recording means) 4 (see FIG. 3) described later, and based on the information of the color map M and the color information of each cell of the two-dimensional color barcode 1. Thus, the color information of each cell constituting each two-dimensional binarized barcode 2 is acquired.

  For example, according to the color map M in the figure, when the color of the cell of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is white, the cell at that portion of the two-dimensional binarized barcode 2 is in both the first and second layers. When the color of the cell of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is blue and the cell at that portion of the two-dimensional binary barcode 2 is blue, the first layer is blue and the second layer is white, When the color of the cell of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is yellow, the cell of that portion of the two-dimensional binarized barcode 2 becomes white in the first layer and yellow in the second layer, and the two-dimensional color bar When the color of the cell of the code 1 is green, information indicating that the cell at that portion of the two-dimensional binarized barcode 2 is blue in the first layer and yellow in the second layer is stored.

  The same applies when the conversion from the two-dimensional color barcode 1 to the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 is performed and when the conversion from the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 to the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is performed. By using the color map M, it is possible to restore correct original information from the two-dimensional color barcode 1.

  FIG. 2 is a general conceptual diagram of a two-dimensional color barcode to which the present invention is applied. In the two-dimensional color barcode 1 of the present invention, generally, each of l × m cells divided in a matrix of l rows and m columns is represented by one of 2k power colors ( l and m are integers of 2 or more). For this reason, the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is obtained by using the multi-layering means (conversion means) 6 (see FIG. 12), which is the above-described means, so that each cell divided into a matrix of l rows and m columns has two colors. Each layer can be converted into a k-layered two-dimensional barcode 3 composed of the two-dimensional binary barcode 2 represented by any one of them. Incidentally, a square two-dimensional color barcode 1 may be set as l = m.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a barcode device to which the present invention is applied. A barcode device (barcode system) 7 shown in the figure includes a control unit (CPU) 8 constituted by a microcomputer or the like, and a memory (RAM memory) 9 that stores temporary data and can be accessed at high speed from the control unit 8. An HDD (hard disk) 11 capable of storing information for a long time, an input unit 12 to which an input signal or the like is input, and a CCD that scans the above-described two-dimensional color barcode 1 and captures it as image data (captured data) A camera (take-in means, scanning unit) 13, an external recording device 17 for reading and writing information from a floppy disk (information recording medium) 14 and a CD-ROM (information recording medium) 16, and a paper medium (printing medium) ) And a printer (printer) 18 for printing the two-dimensional color barcode 1 and the like, and a network connected to a network such as the Internet. A two-dimensional barcode generation device (two-dimensional barcode generation system) 21 (see FIG. 4) for generating an image of the two-dimensional color barcode 1, and a two-dimensional color barcode 1 Is configured to function as a two-dimensional barcode reader (two-dimensional barcode reader system) 22 (see FIG. 11).

Next, the configuration of the two-dimensional barcode generation apparatus 21 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the two-dimensional barcode generation apparatus. The illustrated two-dimensional barcode generation apparatus 21 includes the above-described input unit 12 to which an analog signal such as an audio signal is input, and quantization that converts the analog input signal (analog input signal) into a quantized digital value. Unit 23, an encoding unit 24 that performs compression processing by encoding a digitized input signal (digital input signal, original information, digital input data), and the above-described data based on the compressed data from the encoding unit 24. An image generation unit (generation unit) 26 that generates an image of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 and the storage unit 4 described above are provided. Incidentally, the storage unit 4 includes a memory 9 and a HDD 11 for temporarily storing data, and stores the digital input signal, the compressed data, the two-dimensional color barcode 1 and the like.

  Note that the digital input data stored in advance in the storage unit 4 may be used to perform compression and generation of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 by the encoding unit 24 described above.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of an input signal related to audio data, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example in which the input signal is divided. For example, when the analog signal input from the input unit 12 is an audio signal, the amplitude width changes with time. In this case, N symbols are arranged at equal intervals on the horizontal axis indicating the passage of time, and the amplitude of the analog input waveform is stored for each symbol, whereby the analog signal is quantized. Incidentally, the quantization is not limited to the above means.

  At this time, in order to accurately reproduce the waveform of the analog input signal, it is necessary to reduce the interval between symbols to some extent. However, if the interval between symbols is reduced, the number of symbols increases accordingly. For this reason, the analog input signal is divided into j (j = 3 in the illustrated example) by the combining / dividing means (dividing means) 27 (see FIG. 6) so that the number of all symbols becomes n (frame in the example shown in the figure). To divide. Incidentally, j is a natural number of k or less. Then, one channel is assigned to each of the divided data (divided data).

  The analog input signal is not limited to the audio signal, and may be an image signal or the like. Further, character data or the like may be used as the digital input signal. Incidentally, the image signal can be expressed as an analog input signal of two channels by two orthogonal axes.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the encoding unit. The encoding unit 24 includes a data acquisition unit 28 that acquires a digital input signal from the storage unit 4 or the quantization unit 23, the above-described engagement / division unit 27, and j pieces of divided data from the combination / division unit 27. Vector data generating means 29 for generating vector data every time, and residual for generating residual vector data (residual signal) from the vector data generated for each channel by the vector data generating means 29 based on the linear prediction analysis 31 Vector data generation means 32, tree structure data generation means 33 for generating binary tree structure data from the residual vector generated for each channel, encoding means 34 for entropy encoding, and compressed data from binary tree structure data Data selection means 36 for selecting data for use in data selection by the data selection means 36. It is configured so as to generate and output Hazuki compressed data.

  The combining / dividing unit 27 divides the original information into j as described above, and also when the original information is constituted by a plurality of channels before the dividing process (for example, a two-channel stereo audio signal). Is configured to perform a combining process for combining the data into one before dividing j pieces of information.

The vector data generating means 29 generates vector data for every j channels based on the digital input signal. Since the digital input signal is composed of n symbols for each channel, it is regarded as an n-dimensional vector and is expressed by the following equation. In the following formula, x ₁ , x ₂ ,..., X _n correspond to the amplitude values for each of n symbols.

  The residual vector data generation means 32 obtains residual vector data from the vector data generated by the vector data generation means 29 by the linear prediction analysis 31. The linear prediction analysis 31 is a technique for predicting and outputting current and future data values based on data input in the past, and is expressed by the following equation using p samples in the past.

Here, a ₁ , a ₂ ,..., _Ap are prediction coefficients obtained by linear prediction and quantized for transmission, and “·” represents integerization. Then, the residual vector data e _t is obtained by the following equation.

Residual vector data e _t required for each the channel has a larger deviation for each component (each symbol), the compression ratio at the time of the entropy coding by the coding means 34 becomes higher.

  The tree structure data generation unit 33 is configured to generate binary tree structure data from the residual vector data obtained for each channel, and a similarity calculation unit 37 (similarity (vector similarity)) is calculated. A vector similarity calculating unit), a pair generating unit 38 for generating a pair having a high vector similarity from a plurality of residual vector data, and a difference data generating unit 39 for calculating difference data of the paired data. Yes.

In the similarity calculation unit 37, the two vectors _{x = [x 1, x 2} , ···, x n], y = [y 1, y 2, ···, y n] similarity is two The smaller the angle θ formed by the vectors x and y is, the smaller the angle θ is, and the angle θ formed can be obtained from the following equation. By using the following equation, the similarity between the two vectors x and y can be calculated with a small amount of calculation.

  The pair generation means 38 selects residual vector data having high similarity based on the vector similarity between the respective residual vector data calculated based on the above formula, and generates as many pairs as possible.

Subsequently, the difference data generation means 39 calculates difference vector data (difference vector, difference data) between the paired residual vector data. For example, two vectors _x = the aforementioned _{[x 1, x 2, ···} , x n], y = [y 1, y 2, ···, y n] difference vector data when it becomes pairs d is obtained by the following equation.

  Based on the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit 37, the pair generation unit 38 further generates a pair of difference data and difference data or difference data and residual vector data, so that the parent node The data having a pair of child nodes and constituting the parent node is the difference data of the two data constituting the pair of child nodes, and the data constituting the lowermost layer node having no child nodes is the divided data ( Binary tree structure data (link structure of binary tree structure data) which is residual vector data) is generated.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of binary tree structure data. In the binary tree structure data, the lowest layer node having no child nodes has residual vector data, and in the example shown in the figure, five lowest layer nodes n _{1 to} n ₅ become residual vector data. Since the similarity between the residual vector constituting node n ₁ and the residual vector constituting node n ₂ is high, node n ₁ and node n ₂ are paired, and the residual vector constituting node n ₃ is Since the similarity of the residual vectors constituting the node n ₄ is high, the node n ₃ and the node n ₄ are paired. Among the two nodes n ₆ , n ₇ constituted by the difference data of the pair of nodes and the node n ₅ not paired, a pair is generated by the node n ₅ and the node n ₇ having high similarity, generated node n ₈ by the differential data of the node pair, the node n ₉ is the root node (node with no parent node) is generated by the difference data between the node n ₆ and node n _8.

  Since the binary tree structure data is generated by the simple processing as described above, the processing speed can be increased. Since there are j residual vector data, the number of nodes in the binary tree structure data is j + (j−1 = 2j−1).

  The encoding unit 34 performs entropy encoding on all residual vector data and difference data constituting each node of the binary tree structure data generated by the tree structure data generation unit 33 described above. As the entropy code, a Huffman code is used in this embodiment, but an arithmetic code, a range coder, or the like may be used.

  The data selection means 36 is based on the number of residual vector data from all residual vector data and differential data constituting each node of the binary tree structure data so that the original digital input signal can be decoded. A certain number j of data is selected as selection data.

  FIG. 8 is a processing flow diagram of the data selection means. When the process by the data selection unit 36 is started, the process proceeds to step S1. In step S1, all lowermost nodes (nodes constituted by residual vector data) are set to “temporarily selected nodes”, and all other nodes (nodes constituted by difference data) are set to “unprocessed nodes”. Then, the process proceeds to step S2.

  In step S2, it is detected whether or not there is still a “temporarily selected node” among the nodes of the binary tree structure data. If there is no “temporarily selected node”, the processing by the data selecting means 23 is terminated, and the data constituting the node set in the “selected node” at that time is selected as the selected data. On the other hand, if the “temporarily selected node” still exists in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, an arbitrary node that is not a “unprocessed node” and that is itself a “temporarily selected node” is selected as a target node, and the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, it is detected whether or not the data constituting the target node has a lower compression ratio by entropy coding than the data constituting the parent node. If not, the process proceeds to step S5. Proceed to

  In step S5, the target node is set to “selected node” and the parent node is set to “non-selected node”, and the process returns to step S2. In step S6, it is detected whether the counter node is a “temporarily selected node”. If not, the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the target node is set to “non-selected node” and the parent node is set to “temporarily selected node”, and the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S8, it is detected whether or not the parent node set to “temporarily selected node” in step S7 or steps S11, 13, and 14 to be described later is a root node. If it is a root node, the process proceeds to step S9. If it is not the root node, the process returns to step S2. In step S9, the parent node that is the root node is set to “selected node”, and the process returns to step S2.

  If the counter node is “provisionally selected node” in step S6, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, it is detected whether or not the data constituting the counter node has a lower compression rate by entropy coding than the data constituting the parent node. move on. In step S11, the target node is set to “non-selected node”, the counter node is set to “selected node”, and the parent node is set to “temporarily selected node”, and the process proceeds to step S8.

  If it is detected in step S10 that the data constituting the opposite node of the target node has a lower compression ratio by entropy coding than the data constituting the parent node, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, it is detected whether or not the data constituting the target node has a higher compression ratio by entropy coding than the data constituting the counterpart node. If it is higher, the process proceeds to step S13. Proceed to

  In step S13, the target node is set to “selected node”, the counter node is set to “non-selected node”, and the parent node is set to “temporarily selected node”, and the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, in step S14, the target node is set to “non-selected node”, the counter node is set to “selected node”, and the parent node is set to “temporarily selected node”, and the process proceeds to step S8.

  As described above, if the information (selected node information) regarding the node regarding which node is the “selected node” and the information (tree structure information) regarding the link structure of the binary tree structure data can be acquired, each data ( All residual vector information (divided data) can be calculated based on the selection data. If all the residual vector information is known, the digital input signal information can be restored by the reverse procedure of FIG.

9A to 9D are state transition diagrams showing an example of data selection by the data selection means. In the example shown in the figure, four lowest layer nodes n _{1 to} n ₄ are constituted by four residual vector data, and these nodes n _{1 to} n ₄ are set as “temporary selection nodes” ((A )reference). Then, the tree structure data generating means 33 constitutes a parent node n _{5 that} is a child node of the _two nodes n ₁ and n ₂ and a parent node n _{6 that} is a child node of the two nodes n ₃ and n _4. it is, by the parent node n ₇ is the root node of the child node the two nodes n _5, n ₆ is constituted, the binary tree structure data is created. The numbers in the nodes indicate the order of the entropy encoding compression rate in the _seven nodes n _{1 to} n ₇ .

First, for each of the node n ₁ and the node n ₂ , the process of Step S 2 → Step S 3 → Step S 4 → Step S 5 → Step S 2 is performed. As a result, the node n ₁ and the node n ₂ are set to the “selected node”, and the node n ₅ is set to the “non-selected node” (see FIG. 5B).

Subsequently, node processing steps for _{n 3} S2 → step S3 → step S4 → step S6 → step S10 → step S12 → step S13 → step S8 → step S2 is carried out, as a result, the node _{n 3} "Selection is set to node ", a node n ₄ is set to" non-selected node ", node n ₆ is set to" provisionally selected nodes "(see FIG. (C)).

Subsequently, the process of step S2 → step S3 → step S4 → step S6 → step S7 → step S8 → step S9 → step S2 is performed on the node _{n 6,} as a result, the node _{n 6} is "unselected nodes" And node n ₇ is set to “selected node” (see FIG. 4D).

As a result of these processes, node n ₁ , node n ₂ , node n ₃ and node n ₇ are selected as selection data. At this time, in order to obtain the information of the residual vector data constituting the node n ₄ obtains the information of the node n ₅ the information of the node n ₁ and node n _2, information of the node n ₅ and node n ₇ To obtain information on the node n ₆ , and obtain information on the node n _{4 based on} the information on the nodes n ₃ and n ₆ .

  The encoding unit 24 having the data selection unit 36 having the above configuration is configured to combine / divide j selection data, tree structure information and selection node information related thereto, and original information by the combination / division unit 27. It is configured to output combined / divided information indicating whether it has been performed.

  Then, the image generation unit (generation unit) 26 shown in FIG. 4 receives the j selection data, the tree structure information related thereto, the selection node information, and the combination / division information, and based on these information, It is configured to generate digital image data of dimensional color barcode information.

  Specifically, each of the j selection data is converted into a two-dimensional binarized barcode 2 by a conventionally known means or the like. Incidentally, in order to convert the selection data into the two-dimensional binarized barcode 2, the fact that a planar image can be expressed by a two-channel signal as described above may be used. In this case, each selection data needs to be further divided into two.

  Subsequently, two layers of two or more two-dimensional binarization barcodes are arranged in which layer of each of the j two-dimensional binarization barcodes 2 in the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 composed of k layers. The code 2 is determined so as not to be duplicated and this information is held as layer arrangement information.

  By the way, when j is a natural number smaller than the value of k, there is an empty layer in which the information of the selected data is not stored in the k layers constituting the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 1. However, in this empty layer, a two-dimensional binary barcode including dummy information not related to the original information is stored, and in which layer of the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 the selection data is stored. Stored as effective layer information. Incidentally, in the case of j = k, selection data is stored in all layers of the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3, and this is indicated in the effective layer information.

  Finally, based on the above-described color map M, the two-dimensional color barcode 1 is generated from the multi-layered two-dimensional barcode 3, and an effective layer state is included together with an identifier for specifying the generated two-dimensional color barcode 1. The image generation unit 26 is configured to store the tree structure information, selection node information, combination / division information, and layer arrangement information in the restoration table T (see FIG. 10) of the storage unit 4.

  FIG. 10A is a plan view of a two-dimensional color barcode, and FIG. 10B is a list showing the configuration of a restoration table. As shown in the figure, the generated two-dimensional color barcode 1 has a square shape having four sides, and a belt-like region 41 is formed along the four sides. The belt-like region 41 is formed in a rectangular frame shape so as to surround the four sides from the outside in order to make it easy to specify the region at the time of image capture, and includes an upper side portion 41a along the upper side of the four sides and a lower side of the four sides. It comprises a lower side portion 41b along the side, a left side portion 41c along the left side of the four sides, and a right side portion 41d along the right side of the four sides. In addition, the inner regions of the four sides are arranged in predetermined predetermined positions and displayed in a rectangular cell (three in the example shown in the figure) finder patterns 42 and 2 k-colored colors. The information storage area 43 is composed of the dot patterns shown in FIGS.

  A plurality of reference colors are arranged in the belt-like region 41. The k two-dimensional binarized barcodes 2 constituting the multi-layered two-dimensional barcode 3 are painted in two colors of white and a predetermined color that differs depending on each layer, and the reference color is the predetermined color. Shows the color. That is, there are k reference colors, which are used for color tone correction, and improve the image capture accuracy of the two-dimensional color barcode 1.

  Further, the k reference colors are respectively arranged in any one of the upper side 41a, the lower side 41b, the left side 41c, and the right side 41d, and which reference color is assigned to which side 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d. It is stored in the storage unit 4 as color arrangement information. By the way, when k = 4, the basic colors of each side 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d are matched as much as possible, for example, one basic color is arranged on each side 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d. It is preferable.

  Then, by identifying which side portions 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d are arranged with a predetermined reference color, the direction of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 can be specified based on the color arrangement information. Thus, the direction specifying means 44 (see FIG. 12) to be described later is configured.

  As a specific example, if the red reference color is positioned on the lower side 41b in the captured image of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 even though the red reference color is arranged on the upper side 41a. The two-dimensional color barcode 1 needs to be rotated 180 degrees. In this way, direction specification by the direction specifying means 44 is performed.

  In the finder pattern 42, an identifier relating to the above-described two-dimensional color barcode 1, the number of rows and columns constituting the cell of the two-dimensional color barcode 1, and an area in which no information is stored in the information storage area 43 Are acquired by identification information acquisition means 46 (see FIG. 12) described later.

Next, the configuration of the two-dimensional barcode reader 22 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the two-dimensional barcode reader. The two-dimensional barcode reader 22 includes the above-described CCD camera 13 that captures the image of the two-dimensional color barcode 1, the quantization unit 47 that digitizes the signal from the CCD camera 13, and the two-dimensional color barcode 1 A decoding unit 48 that restores original information based on digital image data and the above-described storage unit 4 that stores digital image data and original information are provided. Further, the original information may be restored by the decoding unit 48 from the digital image data of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 acquired from the network interface 19 or the digital image data of the two-dimensional barcode stored in the storage unit 4, For this reason, these also constitute take-in means for taking in the two-dimensional color barcode 1 as take-in data.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the decoding unit. The decoding unit 48 fetches from the acquired reference color, the data acquisition unit 49 that acquires the digital image data of the two-dimensional color barcode 1, the reference color acquisition unit 51 that acquires the reference color from the acquired digital image data, and the like. The above-mentioned direction specifying means 44 for specifying the direction of the two-dimensional color barcode 1 and the above-mentioned various information including the above-mentioned identifier information from the finder pattern 42 of the acquired digital image data are acquired, and the restoration table related to this identifier is stored. The identification information acquisition means 46 for acquiring information of each field, and the two-dimensional color barcode 1 whose direction is specified based on the acquired digital image data and the reference color is converted into a multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3 described above. The multilayering means 6 and the information and identification information acquisition means 46 from the direction specifying means 44 From multilayered two-dimensional bar code 3, which is converted based on al of the information and a restoring means 52 to restore the original information.

  The restoration means 52 performs a process of extracting selection data for restoring the original information for each of the j secondary binary barcodes 2 constituting the multilayered two-dimensional barcode 3, and this selection data The original data is restored based on the identifier and the information of the restoration table T related to the identifier. Incidentally, details are as described above.

  According to the barcode device 7 configured as described above, by capturing the two-dimensional color barcode 1 three-dimensionally, not only can the existing algorithm be used, but also the processing speed and security can be improved. It becomes possible to plan. Incidentally, it is desirable that the number k of layers of the multi-layered two-dimensional barcode 3 is 10 as an upper limit in consideration of the accuracy of a generally used CCD camera or scanner.

1 2D color barcode (2D barcode)
2 Two-dimensional binary barcode (two-dimensional barcode)
3 Multi-layered 2D barcode 4 Storage unit (storage means)
6 Multi-layering means (conversion means)
13 Take-in means 22 Two-dimensional barcode reader (two-dimensional barcode reader system)
26 Image generation unit (generation means)
27 Joining / dividing means (dividing means)
33 Tree structure data generation means 34 Encoding means 36 Data selection means 38 Pair generation means 39 Difference data generation means 41 Band-like region
41a Upper side (side)
41b Lower side (side)
41c Left side (side)
41d Right side (side)
43 Information storage area 52 Restoring means

Claims (1)

When reading a matrix type two-dimensional color barcode (1) having a plurality of cells partitioned in a matrix and each cell is represented by one of the predetermined 2k power colors, The fetch means (13) for fetching the two-dimensional color barcode (1) as fetch data, the restore means (52) for restoring the original information from the fetch data, and the fetch data or the original information are stored. And a two-dimensional binarized barcode (2) in which each of a plurality of cells partitioned in a matrix is represented by one of two colors based on the captured data. A multi-layered means (6) for converting into a multi-layered two-dimensional barcode (3) having layers, and a plurality of two-dimensional binarized barcodes (2) constituting the multi-layered two-dimensional barcode (3) To restore the original information for each A two-dimensional color barcode which is to be read in the two-dimensional barcode reading system (22) constituting the restoring means (52) and is formed in a square shape having four sides, the multilayered two-dimensional barcode The k-layer two-dimensional binarized barcode (2) constituting (3) is divided into two colors of white and a predetermined color that differs depending on each layer, and the predetermined color of k colors becomes a reference color of k colors. , along cormorant upper side to the four sides (41a), a lower side portion (41b), the left side portion (41c) and right portions of four sides of (41d) the 4 has (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d ) and A strip-shaped region (41) formed in a rectangular frame shape surrounding the side and an information storage region (43) that is an inner region of the four sides are provided, and the direction of the strip-shaped region (41) can be specified. and a distinguishable information storage area (43) And color scheme urchin reference color, the reference color of the k colors, the four sides (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d) one on color arrangement information is information regarding the color scheme the storage means (4) for storing In the direction specification, the direction is specified by identifying which side (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d) the predetermined reference color is arranged based on the color arrangement information, and the value of k A two-dimensional color barcode in which is set to any integer between 4 and 10.

Images