GB2444289A

GB2444289A - Multicolour barcode and messaging system

Info

Publication number: GB2444289A
Application number: GB0623990A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anna Kupka; Peter Conlon; John Doherty
Original assignee: AMMADO INTERNET SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: AMMADO INTERNET SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 2006-11-30
Filing date: 2006-11-30
Publication date: 2008-06-04
Also published as: WO2008064909A3; WO2008064909A2; GB0623990D0

Abstract

An apparatus for generating a multicolour barcode includes an input for text; a barcode generator arranged to generate a barcode from the input text and colouring means for applying a multicolour pattern to the barcode. The apparatus may transmit and receive messages as barcodes. Alternatively, a message may be stored on a server, such as a website, indexed by a reference key and the reference key transmitted to an intended recipient of the message as a multicoloured barcode so that the intended recipient can use the reference key to retrieve the message. The barcode may have bars of varying height and maybe overlaid with an image.

Description

Barcode Messaging This invention relates to multicoloured barcodes, to

barcode messaging and in particular to messaging using multicolour barcodes.

A barcode is a one-dimensional or two-dimensional machine-readable representation of information represented by widths and spacing of, for example, printed parallel lines, concentric circles or a two-dimensional grid pattern. Barcodes can be read and decoded by optical scanners or decoded from an electronic or scanned image by suitable software.

Although barcodes are usually printed with black bars separated by white spacing for high contrast, monochrome bars on a white or coloured background are also known One dimensional and two dimensional barcodes are well-known for labelling, for example for stock control, routing, and automated checkout from a retail establishment.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for generating a multicolour barcode comprising: text input means; barcode generating means arranged to generate a barcode from the text input; and colouring means arranged to apply a multicolour pattern to the barcode.

Advantageously, the colouring means is arranged to colour each bar of the bar code a single respective colour, such that no bar is coloured by more than one colour.

Conveniently, the barcode generating means is arranged to generate bars o varying height.

Conveniently, the barcode generating means comprises means for overlaying the barcode with an image.

Advantageously, the apparatus further comprises at least one of image input means and image generating means for producing an image for providing the image to overlay the barcode.

Advantageously the barcode generating means comprises means for overlaying the barcode with an animated image.

Conveniently, the apparatus further comprises colour printing means arranged to print the multicolour barcode.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises communications means for electronically communicating the multicolour barcode Advantageously, the apparatus further comprises encoder means for encoding a message as a multicolour barcode.

Preferably, the barcode generating means is adapted to produce a reference identifier and the communications means is arranged to access a server over a network and to store a message on the server under the reference identifier and to communicate the multicolour barcode representing the reference identifier to an intended recipient of the message for use in retrieving the message.

Advantageously, the barcode generating means is adapted to produce a reference identifier comprising a private or public key of a public/private key encryption system.

Conveniently, the apparatus comprises receiving means arranged to receive a multicolour barcode representing text and to decode the barcode and to output the text.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a system comprising a transmitter and a receiver as described above.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of generating a multicolour barcode comprising: inputting text; generating a barcode from the text input; and applying a multicolour pattern to the barcode.

Advantageously, applying a multicolour pattern comprises colouring bars of the bar code a single respective colour, such that no bar is coloured by more than one colour.

Conveniently, generating a barcode comprises generating bars of varying height.

Conveniently, the method further comprises overlaying the barcode with an image.

Advantageously, the method comprises overlaying the barcode with an animated image.

Conveniently the method further comprises colour printing the multicolour barcode.

Preferably, the method further comprises electronically communicating the multicolour barcode.

Advantageously, electronically communicating the multicolour barcode comprises encoding a message as a multicolour barcode.

Preferably, electronically communicating the multicolour barcode comprises producing a reference identifier, accessing a server over a network, storing a message on the server under the reference identifier and communicating the multicolour barcode representing the reference identifier to an intended recipient of the message for use in retrieving the message.

Advantageously, producing a reference identifier comprises producing a private or public key of a public/private key encryption system.

Conveniently, electronically communicating the multicolour barcode comprises receiving a multicolour barcode representing text and decoding the barcode and outputting the text.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a representation of stages of production of a one-dimensional multi- coloured barcode according to the invention; Figure 2 is a representation of stages of production of a two-dimensional multi-coloured barcode according to the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of communications according to the invention; Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of communications according to the invention; Figures 5 and 6 are examples of further multicoloured barcodes according to the invention; and Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts of a method according to the invention.

In the Figures, like reference numbers denote like parts.

Referring to Figures 1 and 7, according to one embodiment of the invention, a barcode generator inputs 701 text and produces 702 bars of a barcode 11 coloured by applying 703 a multicolour template 12 to produce a multicoloured barcode 13. While Figure 7 shows generating a barcode and applying a multicolour pattern to the barcode as separate steps, it will be understood that a multicoloured barcode may be produced in a single step. Such a multicoloured barcode may be used to identify members of a community or club. Thus the colour barcode provides each user with a personalised identifier as a member of the community. In order that the identifier is unique, any person joining the community may select a user name unique within the community for encoding into a personalised barcode. By applying a same multicolour template to the barcodes of all members of a community, their membership of the community can be recognised, at least mutually, and yet with suitable choice of colours and scanner, it is found that the barcodes may be scanned and read. The barcode generator may optionally also include means for inputting or generating 704 an image to overlay 705 the barcode.

Where it is preferable that each bar or element of a barcode should be a single colour, additional processing is applied so that a boundary between two adjacent colours does not divide a bar into two colours. For example, if a boundary between two colours would result in a major portion of a width of a bar being of a first colour and a minor portion of a second colour, the complete bar is coloured in the colour of the major portion. If a boundary would divide a bar equally into a first colour and a second colour, an algorithm may be applied which, for example, always colours the complete bar in what would otherwise be a colour of a half of the bar first generated or, alternatively, colours such bars within a barcode alternately in what would otherwise be the colour of only the first half and the colour of only the second half of the bar.

A plurality of adjacent bars may be coloured a same colour. Alternatively, or in addition, a first colour may be used for bars, or groups of bars, spaced apart by intervening bars of one or more colours different from the first colour.

Any known linear barcode format such as Code 128 may be used as the format to encode the identifier name to produce a barcode to which the colour template is applied.

Preferably the format character set includes the digits 0 to 9, the letters A to Z in upper and lower case and all the standard ASCII symbols and control codes.

Referring to Figure 2, in another embodiment, instead of linear barcodes the barcode generator produces two-dimensional codes. Starting from a two-dimensional code 21 such as DataMatrix ECC200, a two-dimensional colour template 22 is applied to the monochrome two-dimensional code to derive a multicoloured two-dimensional code.

However, elements of such a two-dimensional code are to be understood herein as included in the terms "bar" or "bars".

The multicoloured barcodes can be used in a variety of applications. For example, they may be displayed for caller identification on display telephone and mobile telephones or printed as identifiers on membership or identity cards.

In further embodiments of the invention, the multicoloured barcodes are generated and used in a messaging system. Because of their higher information content than linear, or one-dimensional, barcodes, two-dimensional codes are particularly suitable for messaging 706.

Referring to Figures 3 and 8, a first user computer 31, or, for example, a mobile telephone or personal organiser, may produce 801 a reference identifier and connect 802 over a network 30, such as the Internet, to a server 32 to store 803 a message 311 on the server together with a reference. The first user computer 31 may then send 804 a message as, or including, a barcode 312, over the same or a different network or channel, for example as a short message, to a second user computer 33, or, for example, a mobile telephone or personal organiser, of the intended recipient with the reference to the stored message. The second user then logs into the server 32 over the network 30, or some other network or channel, and retrieves 805 the message 312 by entering, at least, the barcode 312. The use of known public/private key encryption allows users to transmit relatively secure messages between each other. In such an application a barcode message may be used to transmit the private or public key. It will be understood that the embodiment may be used by an operator of the server to increase traffic to the wcbsitc of the server, for example, where the website is a game site, to encourage users to participate in games on the site.

Referring to Figure 4, in a further embodiment a first user may be provided by an operator with a barcode encoder, for example, having exclusive rights in a colour template as a brand mark, in order to promote the brand. A message is converted into a multicoloured barcode message at a first user computer 41 or, for example, mobile telephone or personal organiser, and sent as a barcode message to a second user 42 having an appropriate barcode decoder, The barcode may be transmitted as an image and recognised using a machine vision or pattern recognition application. The message is decoded at the second user 42 using the barcode decoder.

Encoding of a message as a barcode may be accomplished by loading the barcode as a font, so that encoded messages can be generated in commonly used word processing and spreadsheet applications.

The transliteration of a message may be accomplished with any known language translator application loaded with the code used in encoding the barcode.

In known linear barcodes all the information is contained in the width of the bars and their relative spacing. However, when used for messaging an extra dimension of the relative length or height of the bars may be used to convey additional information.

Referring to the example of Figure 5, in which the rightmost bars are of increasing height, a changing height of the bars may be used to represent, for example, intonation, mood, emotion or atmosphere. This has particular application where a barcode is generated by a speech recognition system or read by a speech synthesis system.

Alternatively, although the use of a colour template has been described as a brand identification, alternatively colouring of the bars could alternatively be used to represent, for example, intonation, mood, emotion or atmosphere or to encode additional information.

In addition, as shown in Figure 6, an image may be overlaid on a barcode message to represcnt, for example, intonation, mood, emotion or atmosphere. In some embodiments the overlaid image is animated.

Claims

I. An apparatus for generating a multicolour barcode comprising: a. text input means; b. barcode generating means arranged to generate a barcode from the text input; and c. colouring means arranged to apply a multicolour pattern to the barcode.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the colouring means is arranged to colour each bar of the bar code a single respective colour, such that no bar is coloured by more than one colour.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the barcode generating means is arranged to generate bars of varying height.
4. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims I to 3, wherein the barcode generating means comprises means for overlaying the barcode with an image.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising at least one of image input means and image generating means for producing an image for providing the image to overlay the barcode.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claims 4 or 5, wherein the barcode generating means comprises means for overlaying the barcode with an animated image.
7. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising colour printing means arranged to print the multicolour barcode.
8. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising communications means for electronically communicating the multicolour barcode.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising encoder means for encoding a message as a multicolour barcode.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claims 8 or 9, wherein the barcode generating means is adapted to produce a reference identifier and the communications means is arranged to access a server over a network and to store a message on the server under the reference identifier and to communicate the multicofour barcode representing the reference identifier to an intended recipient of the message for use in retrieving the message.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the barcode generator is arranged to produce a reference identifier comprising a private or public key of a public/private key encryption system.
12. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, comprising receiving means arranged to receive a multicolour barcode representing text and to decode the barcode and to output the text.
13. A system comprising communications means as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 and a receiving means as claimed in claim 12.
14. A method of generating a multicolour barcode comprising: a. inputting text; b. generating a barcode from the text input; and c. applying a multicolour pattern to the barcode.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein applying a multicolour pattern comprises colouring bars of the bar code a single respective colour, such that no bar is coloured by more than one colour.
16. A method as claimed in claims 14 or 15, arranged to generate bars of varying height.
17. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16, comprising overlaying the barcode with an image.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, comprising overlaying the barcode with an animated image.
19. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 18, further comprising colour printing the multicolour barcode.
20. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 19, further comprising electronically communicating the multicolour barcode.
21. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising encoding a message as a multicolour barcode.
22. A method as claimed in claims 20 or 21, further comprising producing a reference identifier, accessing a server over a network, storing a message on the server under the reference identifier and communicating the multicolour barcode representing the reference identifier to an intended recipient of the message for use in retrieving the message.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein producing a reference identifier comprises producing a private or public key of a public/private key encryption system
24. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 23, comprising receiving a multicolour barcode representing text and decoding the barcode and outputting the text.
25. A method comprising communicating as claimed in any of claims 20 to 23 and receiving as claimed in claim 24.
26. An apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures.
27. A system substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures.
28. A method of generating a multicolour barcode substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures.