Patent ID: 8237983

Claim:
An information output method using a dot pattern, comprising: generating a dot pattern, the generating the dot pattern including defining quadrangular or rectangular area on a medium surface of a printed material as a block; defining a straight line in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction each along an edge of the block as a reference grid line; placing a virtual grid point at a predetermined interval on the reference grid line; placing a reference grid point dot on a virtual grid point on the horizontal reference grid lines; defining a straight line connecting the reference grid point dots and virtual grid points on a vertical line as a grid line; defining an intersection point of grid lines as a virtual grid point; and arranging one or more information dots having a distance and a direction on the base of the virtual grid point; scanning the dot pattern with an optical reader to capture image information corresponding to the generated dot pattern; converting the captured image information corresponding to the generated dot pattern into a numerical value; storing the numerical value in a storage device; and reading and outputting the numerical value from the storage device.