Patent ID: 7878401
Filing Date: 2011-02-01
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method of decoding at least one barcode printed on a page, each said barcode comprising a set of marks modulated about a corresponding grid, the method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of starting points on a scanned image of at least a portion of the page, said plurality of starting points having a predetermined distribution across the scanned image; (b) locating a first set of marks in a neighborhood of a first identified one of the starting points and locating a second set of marks in a neighborhood of a second identified one of the starting points; (c) estimating, for each of the first and second identified starting points, at least one property which defines the grid about which the corresponding set of marks is modulated; (d) determining whether the grid about which the first set of marks is modulated is the same as the grid about which the second set of marks is modulated based on at least one of the respective estimated properties; (e) identifying, if step (d) determines the grids to be the same, a plurality of regions in the grids each having a repeated group of the marks, and merging the grid regions sharing the same repeated group of the marks to be associated with one barcode; and (f) decoding, using the merged grid regions, the at least one barcode associated with the first and second sets of marks.