Image and Machine Readable Code Pixel Lightness Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machine-readable graphic codes can be difficult to combine with images without compromising their readability by machines while maintaining visual appeal, as they often require distinct light and dark areas that can clash with the image's visual characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves resizing and cropping the image to match the graphic code, associating each pixel of the graphic code with a corresponding image pixel, and adjusting the lightness of image pixels based on threshold values to ensure compatibility and readability, while preserving the image's visual features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If machine readable graphic codes use distinct light and dark areas for machine readability, then machine readability is improved, but visual appeal and compatibility with images deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine readabilityVSAvoidvisual appeal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the machine readable graphic code with an image by mapping code pixels to image pixels, merging two previously separate elements into a single integrated visual representation that maintains both machine readability and visual appeal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing to different regions by comparing pixel lightness values against threshold values, allowing the code regions to maintain high contrast for machine readability while preserving image quality in non-code regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If image pixels are modified to match graphic code requirements, then machine readability is improved, but image quality and visual features deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine readabilityVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the lightness parameter of image pixels based on comparison with threshold values derived from the graphic code, selectively modifying only those pixels necessary for code readability while preserving other image parameters and overall quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial modification by only changing image pixels where necessary for code readability, using threshold-based comparison to determine which pixels require modification, thus avoiding excessive alteration of the original image

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11436459B2Combination of image and machine readable graphic code

Publication Date: 2022.09.06 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

A method comprises providing to a processor or generating by the processor, an image, and a machine readable graphic code comprising a plurality of light pixels and a plurality of dark pixels. The processor determines whether the image and machine readable code are the same size if they are not the same size, scales or crops the image or the machine readable code such that they are the same size. The processor associates each graphic code pixel with a corresponding image pixel, each pixel having a lightness value. The processor determines for each image pixel, based on a comparison between a lightness of the image pixel and a lightness of a corresponding graphic code pixel, whether to adjust the lightness of the image pixel based on one of a low threshold lightness value and a high threshold lightness value. The lightness value is adjusted for each pixel of the image which is to be adjusted to a modified lightness value, such that a combination of the image and the graphic code is produced.