Two-dimensional code generating device, two-dimensional code reconstructing device, and two-dimensional code decoding device

Abstract

A two-dimensional code generating device (1) comprises a data acquisition unit (11), a rule setting unit (12), and a split two-dimensional code generation unit (13). The data acquisition unit (11) acquires a two-dimensional code containing information in vertical and horizontal directions. The rule setting unit (12) sets a rule for reconstructing the two-dimensional code. The split two-dimensional code generation unit (13) generates a first split two-dimensional code and a second split two-dimensional code on the basis of the two-dimensional code and the rule.

Description

Two-dimensional code generation device, two-dimensional code restoration device, and two-dimensional code decoding device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a two-dimensional code generation device, a two-dimensional code restoration device, and a two-dimensional code decoding device.

[0002] As a two-dimensional code encoding various types of data, the QR code (registered trademark) standardized by the international standard ISO (ISO / IEC 18004) is widespread.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-9434

[0004] There is a demand for improving the security of two-dimensional codes. One or more embodiments aim to provide a two-dimensional code generation device, a two-dimensional code restoration device, and a two-dimensional code decoding device capable of improving security.

[0005] A first aspect of one or more embodiments provides a two-dimensional code generation device including a data acquisition unit that acquires a two-dimensional code having information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, a rule setting unit that sets a rule for restoring the two-dimensional code, and a divided two-dimensional code generation unit that generates a first divided two-dimensional code and a second divided two-dimensional code based on the two-dimensional code and the rule.

[0006] A second aspect of one or more embodiments provides a two-dimensional code restoration device including a data acquisition unit that acquires a first divided two-dimensional code, a second divided two-dimensional code, and a rule for restoring the two-dimensional code, and a two-dimensional code restoration unit that restores the two-dimensional code by applying the rule to a superimposed two-dimensional code obtained by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code and the second divided two-dimensional code.

[0007] A third aspect of one or more embodiments provides a two-dimensional code decoding device including the two-dimensional code restoration device of the second aspect and a data decoding unit that decodes the two-dimensional code restored by the two-dimensional code restoration device.

[0008] According to one or more embodiments of a two-dimensional code generation device, a two-dimensional code recovery device, and a two-dimensional code decoding device, security can be improved.

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a two-dimensional code generation device and a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code used in the first example. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code generated in the first example by the divided two-dimensional code generation unit of the two-dimensional code generation device according to the first embodiment. Figure 4A is a diagram showing the first divided two-dimensional code when the divided two-dimensional code generation unit divides the two-dimensional code shown in Figure 3 into a first and a second divided two-dimensional code. Figure 4B is a diagram showing the second divided two-dimensional code when the divided two-dimensional code generation unit divides the two-dimensional code shown in Figure 3 into a first and a second divided two-dimensional code. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code used in the second example. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code generated by the divided two-dimensional code generation unit in the second example. Figure 7A is a diagram showing the first divided two-dimensional code when the divided two-dimensional code generation unit divides the two-dimensional code shown in Figure 6 into a first and a second divided two-dimensional code. Figure 7B shows the second divided 2D code when the divided 2D code generation unit divides the 2D code shown in Figure 6 into a first and a second divided 2D code. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a 2D code generation device and a 2D code decoding device according to the second embodiment. Figure 9A shows the first auxiliary 2D code set in the third example. Figure 9B shows the second auxiliary 2D code set in the third example. Figure 10 shows an example of a 2D code generated by the divided 2D code generation unit in the third example. Figure 11A shows the first divided 2D code when the divided 2D code generation unit divides the 2D code shown in Figure 10 into a first and a second divided 2D code. Figure 11B shows the second divided 2D code when the divided 2D code generation unit divides the 2D code shown in Figure 10 into a first and a second divided 2D code. Figure 12A shows the image of the top indicated by the first auxiliary 2D code in the fourth example. Figure 12B shows the image of the bottoms indicated by the second auxiliary two-dimensional code in the fourth example. Figure 13 shows the image of the top shown in Figure 12A and the image of the bottoms shown in Figure 12B arranged vertically. Figure 14 is a block diagram showing preferred configuration examples of the first and second projectors.Figure 15A shows an example of an image supplied to a first projector. Figure 15B shows an example of an image supplied to a second projector. Figure 16 shows an example of an application using a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the first or second embodiment. Figure 17 is a block diagram showing a two-dimensional code generation device and a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the third embodiment.

[0010] The two-dimensional code generation device, two-dimensional code restoration device, and two-dimensional code decoding device according to each embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0011] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 shows a two-dimensional code generation device and a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the two-dimensional code generation device 1 includes a data acquisition unit 11, a rule setting unit 12, a segmented two-dimensional code generation unit 13, and a transmission unit 14. The two-dimensional code decoding device 301 includes an imaging unit 31, a receiving unit 32, a two-dimensional code restoration unit 33, and a data decoding unit 34. The imaging unit 31, the receiving unit 32, and the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 constitute a two-dimensional code restoration device 30.

[0012] As a first example, the two-dimensional code that encodes the data to be decoded by the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 is the code shown in Figure 2, and the rule for restoring the two-dimensional code is to "exclude gray areas below a predetermined brightness." The two-dimensional code shown in Figure 2 contains information in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0013] The data acquisition unit 11 encodes the data to be decoded by the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 into a two-dimensional code, as shown in Figure 2, according to a predetermined agreement. The data acquisition unit 11 may also acquire the two-dimensional code 4A shown in Figure 2, which was generated outside the two-dimensional code generation device 1. The rule setting unit 12 sets a rule to "exclude gray areas below a predetermined brightness."

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the two-dimensional code 4A has, for example, a square, and has three alignment marks 41 consisting of, for example, white squares on a black background, and three code areas 42a to 42c that form the code. The actual code areas are more complex than those shown in Figure 2, but are simplified for illustration purposes. The same applies to other examples of two-dimensional codes described later. The predetermined brightness in the rules set in the rule setting unit 12 is predetermined, for example, a brightness of 60% or less, if the white of the code areas 42a to 42c is considered to have a brightness of 100%.

[0015] The segmented 2D code generation unit 13 obtains the 2D code 4A shown in Figure 2 from the data acquisition unit 11 and the rule from the rule setting unit 12. Since the rule is "exclude gray areas below a predetermined brightness," the segmented 2D code generation unit 13 generates a 2D code 4B by adding gray areas 43a and 43b with a brightness of 50% between code area 42a and code area 42c, and between code area 42b and code area 42c, as shown in Figure 3. How the segmented 2D code generation unit 13 adds the gray areas is arbitrary. Therefore, the 2D code 4B shown in Figure 3 is just one example.

[0016] Furthermore, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 divides the two-dimensional code 4B into, for example, a first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca shown in Figure 4A and a second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb shown in Figure 4B. The first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca has a code region 42a in the two-dimensional code 4B shown in Figure 3, but does not have code regions 42b and 42c. The first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca has a rectangular gray region 44a with a brightness of 50% adjacent to the code region 42a. The second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb has a code region 42b in the two-dimensional code 4B shown in Figure 3, but does not have code regions 42a and 42c. The second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb has a rectangular gray region 44b with a brightness of 50% adjacent to the code region 42b.

[0017] When the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb are superimposed so that the alignment marks 41 match, some light from the gray area 44a and some light from the gray area 44b overlap to form a code area 42c with 100% brightness. The area in gray area 44a that does not overlap with gray area 44b becomes a gray area 43a with 50% brightness, and the area in gray area 44b that does not overlap with gray area 44a becomes a gray area 43b with 50% brightness.

[0018] That is, when the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb shown in Figures 4A and 4B are superimposed, the two-dimensional code 4B shown in Figure 3 is obtained. Therefore, the two-dimensional code 4B will be referred to as the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B generated by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb. When the rules set by the rule setting unit 12 are applied to the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B shown in Figure 3, it can be seen that the two-dimensional code 4A shown in Figure 2 is restored.

[0019] Thus, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 generates the two-dimensional code 4A shown in Figure 2, and an arbitrary first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and a second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb based on the rules. The divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 only needs to generate the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb from which the two-dimensional code 4A can be restored by applying the rules to the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B obtained by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb.

[0020] In Figure 1, the transmitting unit 14 transmits the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb to the first projector 21 and the second projector 22, respectively. The first projector 21 and the second projector 22 are external devices to the two-dimensional code generation device 1. The transmitting unit 14 transmits the rules to the two-dimensional code decoding device 301. The transmitting unit 14 may transmit the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb to the external devices via separate first and second paths, and transmit the rules via a third path different from the first and second paths.

[0021] The first to third paths, which are separate from each other, may be networks such as the Internet, but the intention is that they are transmitted independently through the network. Of course, the first to third paths may be on separate networks.

[0022] The first projector 21 and the second projector 22 project the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca shown in Figure 4A and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb shown in Figure 4B onto the screen so that they overlap each other. When the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb are superimposed, the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B shown in Figure 3 is displayed on the screen. The imaging unit 31 of the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 captures the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B displayed on the screen. The receiving unit 32 receives the rule.

[0023] The imaging unit 31 that images the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B and the receiving unit 32 that receives the rules are a first example of a data acquisition unit that acquires the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca, the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb, and the rules. By imaging the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B with the imaging unit 31, the data acquisition unit substantially acquires the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb.

[0024] The 2D code restoration unit 33 applies a rule to the superimposed 2D code 4B captured by the imaging unit 31. Since the rule is to "exclude gray areas below a predetermined brightness," the 2D code restoration unit 33 deletes the gray areas 43a and 43b in the superimposed 2D code 4B and restores the 2D code 4A shown in Figure 2. The data decoding unit 34 decodes the 2D code 4A restored by the 2D code restoration unit 33 according to a predetermined agreement.

[0025] As a second example, the two-dimensional code that encodes the data to be decoded by the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 is the code shown in Figure 5, and the rule for restoring the two-dimensional code is "exclude the yellow area." Descriptions of operations common to those of the two-dimensional code generation device 1 and the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 described in the first example above may be omitted.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5, the two-dimensional code 5A has, for example, a square, and has three alignment marks 51 consisting of, for example, a square with a black border on a white background and a white interior, and four code areas 52a, 52b, 53a, and 53b that form the code. Code areas 52a and 52b are red areas, and code areas 53a and 53b are green areas. The second example is an example in which the two-dimensional code is represented by areas of multiple colors, and the colors are not limited to red and green, and the excluded color in the rules is not limited to yellow.

[0027] The segmented 2D code generation unit 13 obtains the 2D code 5A shown in Figure 5 from the data acquisition unit 11 and the rule from the rule setting unit 12. Since the rule is "exclude the yellow area", the segmented 2D code generation unit 13 generates a 2D code 5B with a yellow area 54 added between the code area 52a and the code area 52b, as shown in Figure 6. How the segmented 2D code generation unit 13 adds the yellow area is arbitrary. Therefore, the 2D code 5B shown in Figure 6 is just one example.

[0028] Furthermore, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 divides the two-dimensional code 5B into, for example, a first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca shown in Figure 7A and a second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb shown in Figure 7B. The first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca has code regions 52a and 53a in the two-dimensional code 5B shown in Figure 6, but does not have code regions 52b and 53b. The first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca has a red region 55a adjacent to code region 52a, in the same position as the yellow region 54. A dashed line is shown to indicate a boundary between code region 52a and red region 55a, but it is not actually necessary to draw a dashed line.

[0029] The second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb has code regions 52b and 53b in the two-dimensional code 5B shown in Figure 6, but does not have code regions 52a and 53a. The second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb has a green region 55b adjacent to code region 52b, in the same position as the yellow region 54.

[0030] The first segmented two-dimensional code 5Ca may have a green region instead of a red region 55a, and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb may have a red region instead of a green region 55b.

[0031] When the first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb are superimposed so that their alignment marks 51 match, the red region 55a and the green region 55b overlap according to the principle of the three primary colors of light, forming a yellow region 54. That is, when the first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb shown in Figures 7A and 7B are superimposed, the two-dimensional code 5B shown in Figure 6 is obtained. Therefore, the two-dimensional code 5B will be referred to as the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B generated by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb. When the rules set by the rule setting unit 12 are applied to the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B shown in Figure 6, it can be seen that the two-dimensional code 5A shown in Figure 5 is restored.

[0032] In this way, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 generates the two-dimensional code 5A shown in Figure 5, and an arbitrary first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and a second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb based on the rules. The divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 only needs to generate the first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb from which the two-dimensional code 5A can be restored by applying the rules to the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B obtained by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Cb.

[0033] In Figure 1, the transmitting unit 14 transmits the first segmented two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb to the first projector 21 and the second projector 22, respectively. The transmitting unit 14 also transmits the rule to the two-dimensional code decoding device 301.

[0034] The first projector 21 and the second projector 22 project the first segmented two-dimensional code 5Ca shown in Figure 7A and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb shown in Figure 7B onto the screen so that they overlap each other. When the first segmented two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb are superimposed, the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B shown in Figure 6 is displayed on the screen. The imaging unit 31 captures the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B displayed on the screen. The receiving unit 32 receives the rule.

[0035] The 2D code recovery unit 33 applies a rule to the superimposed 2D code 5B captured by the imaging unit 31. Since the rule is "exclude the yellow area," the 2D code recovery unit 33 deletes the yellow area 54 in the superimposed 2D code 5B and recovers the 2D code 5A shown in Figure 5. The data decoding unit 34 decodes the 2D code 5A recovered by the 2D code recovery unit 33 according to a predetermined arrangement.

[0036] It can be seen that data is transmitted from the 2D code generation device 1 to the 2D code decoding device 301 in the following manner. The 2D code generation device 1 obtains a 2D code that encodes the data to be transmitted. The 2D code generation device 1 divides the 2D code into a first divided 2D code and a second divided 2D code based on the 2D code and rules for restoring the 2D code. The first and second divided 2D codes are formed such that the 2D code can be restored by applying the rules to a superimposed 2D code, which is the first divided 2D code and the second divided 2D code superimposed on each other.

[0037] The first projector 21 projects the first segmented two-dimensional code, and the second projector 22 projects the second segmented two-dimensional code, thereby generating a superimposed two-dimensional code by overlapping the first segmented two-dimensional code and the second segmented two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code decoding device 301 restores the two-dimensional code by applying rules to the superimposed two-dimensional code captured by the imaging unit 31. The two-dimensional code decoding device 301 obtains the data encoded by the two-dimensional code by decoding the restored two-dimensional code.

[0038] <Second Embodiment> Figure 8 shows a two-dimensional code generation device and a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the second embodiment includes a two-dimensional code decoding device 302 instead of the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 shown in Figure 1. In Figure 8, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as in Figure 1, and their descriptions may be omitted. In the two-dimensional code decoding device 302, the imaging unit 31 is connected to the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 and the data decoding unit 34, and the receiving unit 32 is connected to the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 and the data decoding unit 34.

[0039] A third example used in the second embodiment will now be described. In the third example, the two-dimensional code encoding the data to be decoded by the two-dimensional code decoding device 302 is assumed to be the two-dimensional code 5A shown in Figure 5. In the third example, a first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da shown in Figure 9A has code areas 52a and 53a, which are part of the code area of ​​the two-dimensional code 5A shown in Figure 5, and a second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db shown in Figure 9B has code areas 52b and 53b. For example, the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da represents the name of a first person, and the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db represents the name of a second person.

[0040] The rule for reconstructing the 2D code is to "exclude the yellow area."

[0041] As shown in Figure 10, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 generates a two-dimensional code 5E by adding a yellow region 56 between the code region 52a and the code region 52b. Here, the yellow region 56 is positioned at a distance from the code regions 52a and 52b. Furthermore, the divided two-dimensional code generation unit 13 divides the two-dimensional code 5E into, for example, a first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa shown in Figure 11A and a second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb shown in Figure 11B.

[0042] The first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa has code regions 52a and 53a in the two-dimensional code 5E shown in FIG. 10 and does not have code regions 52b and 53b. The first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa has a red region 57a at the same position as the yellow region 54. The second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb has code regions 52b and 53b in the two-dimensional code 5E shown in FIG. 10 and does not have code regions 52a and 53a. The second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb has a green region 57b at the same position as the yellow region 54.

[0043] When the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb are overlapped so that the alignment mark 51 coincides, the red region 57a and the green region 57b overlap to form the yellow region 56 according to the principle of the three primary colors of light. That is, when the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B are overlapped, the two-dimensional code 5E shown in FIG. 10 is obtained. Therefore, the two-dimensional code 5E is referred to as a superimposed two-dimensional code 5E generated by overlapping the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb. When the rule set by the rule setting unit 12 is applied to the superimposed two-dimensional code 5E shown in FIG. 10, it can be seen that the two-dimensional code 5A shown in FIG. 5 is restored.

[0044] In the third example, information indicating the relationship between the first person and the second person is set in the yellow region 56. As an example, the relationship is a husband and wife. The yellow color of the yellow region 56 itself may indicate the information indicating the relationship, or the code indicated by the yellow region 56 may indicate the information indicating the relationship.

[0045] In FIG. 8, the transmission unit 14 transmits the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb to the first projector 21 and the second projector 22, respectively. The transmission unit 14 transmits the rule to the two-dimensional code decoding device 302. In the second embodiment, the transmission unit 14 further transmits the position information of the yellow region 56 (red region 57a and green region 57b) and supplementary information indicating that the region indicated by the position information does not form a code to the two-dimensional code decoding device 302.

[0046] The receiving unit 32 receives rules, position information, and supplementary information. The receiving unit 32 transmits the rules to the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33. The receiving unit 32 transmits the position information and the supplementary information to the data decoding unit 34.

[0047] The first projector 21 projects only the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa shown in FIG. 11A onto the screen at a certain timing. The second projector 22 projects only the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb shown in FIG. 11B onto the screen at another timing. The first projector 21 and the second projector 22 project the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb onto the screen so as to overlap each other at yet another timing.

[0048] The imaging unit 31 images the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa displayed on the screen at a certain timing. The imaging unit 31 transmits the imaged first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa to the data decoding unit 34. The data decoding unit 34 excludes the red region 57a from the first divided two-dimensional code 5Fa based on the input position information and supplementary information. Thereby, the data decoding unit 34 substantially obtains the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da shown in FIG. 9A, and decodes the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da to obtain the name of the first person.

[0049] The imaging unit 31 images the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb displayed on the screen at another timing. The imaging unit 31 transmits the imaged second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb to the data decoding unit 34. The data decoding unit 34 excludes the green region 57b from the second divided two-dimensional code 5Fb based on the input position information and supplementary information. Thereby, the data decoding unit 34 substantially obtains the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db shown in FIG. 9B, and decodes the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db to obtain the name of the second person.

[0050] The imaging unit 31 captures the superimposed two-dimensional code 5E displayed on the screen at a later time. The two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 applies rules to the superimposed two-dimensional code 5E captured by the imaging unit 31, deletes the yellow region 56 in the superimposed two-dimensional code 5E, and restores the two-dimensional code 5A shown in Figure 5. The two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 transmits the two-dimensional code 5A and information indicating the relationship between the first person and the second person indicated by the yellow region 56 to the data decoding unit 34.

[0051] The data decoding unit 34 decodes the two-dimensional code 5A to obtain the data encoded by the two-dimensional code 5A. The data decoding unit 34 obtains the names of the first and second persons that have been decoded, and information indicating the relationship between the first and second persons. The names of the first and second persons and the information indicating the relationship between the first and second persons obtained by the data decoding unit 34 may be displayed on a display unit (not shown) or transmitted to an external device. The data decoded from the two-dimensional code 5A may be displayed on a display unit or transmitted to an external device.

[0052] A fourth example used in the second embodiment will now be described. In the fourth example, the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da shown in Figure 9A represents an image of the top of the garment shown in Figure 12A, and the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db shown in Figure 9B represents an image of the bottom of the garment shown in Figure 12B. In the fourth example, the yellow region 56 contains information indicating that the image decoded from the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da is the top in the top-down relationship, and the image decoded from the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db is the bottom in the top-down relationship.

[0053] The two-dimensional code generation device 1 and the two-dimensional code decoding device 302 operate in the same manner as in the third example. The data decoding unit 34 decodes the first auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Da and the second auxiliary two-dimensional code 5Db to obtain the image of the top shown in Figure 12A and the image of the bottom shown in Figure 12B, and obtains the top-down relationship indicated by the yellow area 56. As shown in Figure 13, the images of the top and bottom are displayed on a display unit (not shown) arranged vertically according to their top-down relationship.

[0054] In the first and second embodiments, as shown in Figure 14, the first projector 21 and the second projector 22 may each be equipped with imaging units 211 and 221 for imaging the screen 23. Figure 15A shows an image supplied to the first projector 21, and Figure 15B shows an image supplied to the second projector 22. Figures 15A and 15B illustrate the case where the image includes a first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and a second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb in the first example.

[0055] If the first projector 21 and the second projector 22 are each equipped with imaging units 211 and 221, the first projector 21 and the second projector 22 can easily superimpose the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb according to the alignment marks 41. The same applies to the superposition of the first segmented two-dimensional code 5Ca and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Cb in the second example, and to the superposition of the first segmented two-dimensional code 5Fa and the second segmented two-dimensional code 5Fb in the third example.

[0056] If the first projector 21 and the second projector 22 are portable projectors that can be held by a person, the two-dimensional code decoding device 3 or 30 can be used in entertainment such as maze games or escape games. As shown in Figure 16, users 61 and 62 each hold the first projector 21 and the second projector 22, and superimpose the first and second divided two-dimensional codes so that the superimposed two-dimensional code is displayed. In Figure 16, the superimposed two-dimensional code is the superimposed two-dimensional code 5B in the second example.

[0057] If the data indicated by the 2D code restored based on the superimposed 2D code is used as information necessary for progressing through the game, or as hints for escaping in the case of an escape game, then the 2D code decoding device 3 or 30 can be used effectively.

[0058] <Third Embodiment> Figure 17 shows a two-dimensional code generation device and a two-dimensional code decoding device according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 17, the third embodiment includes a two-dimensional code decoding device 303 instead of the two-dimensional code decoding device 301 shown in Figure 1. In Figure 17, the same parts as in Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted. The two-dimensional code decoding device 303 includes a two-dimensional code restoration device 300 instead of the two-dimensional code restoration device 30. The two-dimensional code restoration device 300 has a receiving unit 32 and a divided two-dimensional code superimposition unit 35. In the third embodiment, the first projector 21 and the second projector 22 are not necessary, and the two-dimensional code restoration device 300 does not have an imaging unit 31.

[0059] Let's take the example where the segmented two-dimensional code generation unit 13 generates a first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca shown in Figure 4A and a second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb shown in Figure 4B. The transmission unit 14 transmits the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca, the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb, and the rules to the reception unit 32. The reception unit 32 receives the first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca, the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb, and the rules. The first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca, the second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb, and the rules are transmitted from the transmission unit 14 to the reception unit 32 independently of each other via the first to third paths. The first to third paths mean that even if they pass through the same network, they are transmitted independently of each other.

[0060] The receiving unit 32 is a second example of a data acquisition unit that acquires a first segmented two-dimensional code 4Ca, a second segmented two-dimensional code 4Cb, and a rule.

[0061] The receiving unit 32 supplies the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb to the divided two-dimensional code superposition unit 35 and supplies the rules to the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33. The divided two-dimensional code superposition unit 35 aligns the positions of the first divided two-dimensional code 4Ca and the second divided two-dimensional code 4Cb, adds the pixel values ​​of both pixel by pixel, generates a superimposed two-dimensional code 4B, and supplies it to the two-dimensional code restoration unit 33. The two-dimensional code restoration unit 33 restores the two-dimensional code 4A by applying the rules to the superimposed two-dimensional code 4B.

[0062] As explained above, according to the first to third embodiments, the two-dimensional code 4A or 5A itself to be decoded by the two-dimensional code decoding devices 301 to 303 is not transmitted from the two-dimensional code generation device 1 to the two-dimensional code decoding devices 301 to 303, thus improving security. The two-dimensional code generation device 1 and the two-dimensional code decoding devices 301 to 303 may be configured as computers equipped with a processor and memory.

[0063] Some or all of the data acquisition unit 11, rule setting unit 12, segmented two-dimensional code generation unit 13, and transmission unit 14 may be composed of the processors of the computer that constitutes the two-dimensional code generation device 1. Some or all of the receiving unit 32, two-dimensional code restoration unit 33, data decoding unit 34, and segmented two-dimensional code superposition unit 35 may be composed of the processors of the computers that constitute the two-dimensional code decoding devices 301 to 303.

[0064] The present invention is not limited to the first to third embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the first segmented two-dimensional code projected by the first projector 21 and the second segmented two-dimensional code projected by the second projector 22 may be displayed separately without being combined, so that limited information can be obtained from each.

[0065] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-159020, filed with the Japan Patent Office on 13 September 2024, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional code generation device comprising: a data acquisition unit for acquiring a two-dimensional code having information in the vertical and horizontal directions; a rule setting unit for setting rules for restoring the two-dimensional code; and a divided two-dimensional code generation unit for generating a first divided two-dimensional code and a second divided two-dimensional code based on the two-dimensional code and the rules.

2. The two-dimensional code generation device according to claim 1, wherein the divided two-dimensional code generation unit generates the first and second divided two-dimensional codes such that the two-dimensional code can be restored by applying the rule to a superimposed two-dimensional code obtained by superimposing the first divided two-dimensional code and the second divided two-dimensional code.

3. The two-dimensional code generation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the first and second divided two-dimensional codes to two external devices via separate first and second paths, and transmits the rule to a two-dimensional code decoding device that decodes the two-dimensional code via a third path different from the first and second paths.

4. The two-dimensional code generation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the first segmented two-dimensional code, the second segmented two-dimensional code, and the rule to a two-dimensional code decoding device that decodes the two-dimensional code in a first to third manner, each being different from the others.

5. The two-dimensional code generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rule is to exclude areas with a brightness below a predetermined level or areas of a predetermined color in the superimposed two-dimensional code.

6. A two-dimensional code restoration device comprising: a data acquisition unit that acquires a first segmented two-dimensional code, a second segmented two-dimensional code, and rules for restoring a two-dimensional code; and a two-dimensional code restoration unit that restores the two-dimensional code by applying the rules to a superimposed two-dimensional code obtained by overlapping the first segmented two-dimensional code and the second segmented two-dimensional code.

7. The two-dimensional code restoration device according to claim 6, wherein the data acquisition unit comprises: an imaging unit that images a superimposed two-dimensional code obtained by superimposing the first segmented two-dimensional code projected by the first projector and the second segmented two-dimensional code projected by the second projector; and a receiving unit that receives the rule.

8. The two-dimensional code restoration device according to claim 6, wherein the data acquisition unit has a receiving unit that receives the first divided two-dimensional code, the second divided two-dimensional code, and the rule, and the two-dimensional code restoration device further comprises a divided two-dimensional code superposition unit that superimposes the first divided two-dimensional code and the second divided two-dimensional code received by the receiving unit to generate a superimposed two-dimensional code and supplies it to the two-dimensional code restoration unit.

9. A two-dimensional code decoding device comprising: a two-dimensional code recovery device according to any one of claims 6 to 8; and a data decoding unit for decoding the two-dimensional code recovered by the two-dimensional code recovery device.

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