Color barcode producing method and apparatus, color barcode reading method and apparatus and color barcode reproducing method and apparatus
A color barcode can record much more amount of information than black white barcode. However, the problem of the color barcode is that it is easy to lose integrity or authenticity in printing and copy generation. This invention provides an apparatus and a method to keep the integrity or authenticity of the color barcode. Such is accomplished by the color reference portion of the color barcode including reference color tiles filled with colors which are used in a data portion of the color barcode and an apparatus and a method for producing, reproducing and reading such color barcode.
1. A method for producing a color barcode, comprising:
producing a color reference portion, the color reference portion being a part of the color barcode and comprising reference color tiles filled with colors which are used in a data portion of the color barcode,
encrypting data,
producing the data portion according to the result of the encrypting step of the data, the data portion being a part of the color barcode, comprising the several color tiles in which colors filling in the color reference tiles of the color reference portion are assigned and representing the data,
printing the color barcode comprising the color reference portion and the data portion with the colors according to the results of the producing step of the color reference portion and the producing step of the data portion.
2. The method for producing the color barcode of claim 1 , further comprising, deciding colors used for the color reference portion before the producing step of the color reference portion, and
wherein the color reference portion is produced according to the result of the deciding step.
3. The method for producing the color barcode of claim 1 , further comprising, storing data of the color reference portion beforehand, and
wherein the color reference portion is produced on the basis of the data of the color reference portion stored.
4. The method for producing the color barcode of claim 1 , wherein in the printing step the color reference portion is printed in the place where is near the data portion.
5. The method for producing the color barcode of claim 1 , wherein in the printing step the color reference portion is printed in the place where is far from the data portion.
6. The method for producing the color barcode of claim 1 , wherein the data portion includes information about where the color reference portion is or how the color reference portion is used.
7. A color barcode producing apparatus, comprising:
a color reference portion producing device which produces a color reference portion, the color reference portion being a part of the color barcode and comprising reference color tiles filled with colors which are used in a data portion of the color barcode,
a data portion producing device which encrypts data and produces the data portion according to the result of the color reference portion producing device and the result of the encryption of the data, the data portion being a part of the color barcode, comprising the several color tiles in which colors filling the reference color tiles of the color reference portion are assigned and representing the data,
a printing device which prints the color barcode comprising the color reference portion and the data portion with the colors according to the results of the color reference portion producing device and the data portion producing device.
8. The color barcode producing apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising, deciding device which decides colors used for the color reference portion before the color reference portion producing device produces the color reference portion, and wherein the color reference portion is produced according to the result of the deciding device.
9. The color barcode producing apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising, storing device which stores data of the color reference portion beforehand, and
wherein the color reference portion producing device produces the color reference portion on the basis of the data of the color reference portion stored in the storing device.
10. A substrate imprinted thereon a color barcode, wherein the color barcode comprises:
a color reference portion comprising reference color tiles which are used in a data portion of the color barcode, wherein
the data portion comprises encrypted data, and
the reference color tiles are assigned to the color barcode and represent the encrypted data.