Color Micro Barcode Marker for Long-Range Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard area imaging-based scanners face difficulties in localizing and decoding small barcodes at long distances due to their relative size becoming smaller compared to the scanned area, leading to challenges in applications requiring small, unobtrusive, and low-resolution barcode scanning.
Innovation Solution
A Color Micro Bar Code Marker system utilizing visual geometric features with different colors, comprising a background color, localization features, and information encoding features arranged proximate to each other, allowing for image analytics to determine the marker's location and decode digital values from color information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If standard area imaging-based scanners are used to scan small barcodes, then the scanner can operate in close proximity, but the barcode becomes harder to localize and decode at far distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional 1D/2D barcode patterns to a 3D spatial arrangement of colored quadrilaterals organized in bins. This dimensional change allows the barcode to encode more information in a compact space while maintaining detectability at distance through the use of distinct color properties as an additional dimension for feature identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different colors to different quadrilaterals within specific bins, creating local quality variations that enable precise localization and decoding. Each bin contains quadrilaterals with specific color properties that distinguish them from others, allowing the system to identify and decode individual features even when the overall barcode size is small.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the barcode size is reduced to be small and unobtrusive, then it can be concealed on objects, but it becomes harder to read and decode with standard scanners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses distinct color properties of quadrilaterals as the core encoding mechanism. By assigning specific colors to different data values and positions, the system enables small, concealed barcodes to be detected and decoded through color-based image analysis rather than relying on larger physical dimensions for scanner detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent organizes colored quadrilaterals into a structured bin system with specific spatial arrangements. This dimensional organization allows the barcode to maintain a small physical footprint while encoding sufficient information for reliable detection and decoding through the combined spatial and color properties of the features.
3Measurement precision
If high-quality sensors are used to scan small barcodes from long distances, then decoding accuracy improves, but the system becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the encoding parameters from traditional high-contrast black-and-white patterns to multi-colored quadrilaterals with distinct color properties. This parameter change allows standard sensors to differentiate between code features based on color rather than requiring high spatial resolution, thereby maintaining decoding accuracy while reducing sensor complexity requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces color as an additional dimension for feature differentiation beyond spatial arrangement. This allows the system to encode and decode information using color properties that are easily captured by standard sensors, reducing the need for high-quality, expensive sensors while maintaining accurate decoding of small barcodes at distance.
Data Source
AI summary
A micro marker is formed of geometric features having various colors to apply to an object. The micro marker includes a background having a first color, multiple localization features formed on the background having a second color, and multiple information encoding features, each information encoding feature having a color selected from multiple colors to represent digital values, the information encoding features being arranged proximate the localization features on the background.