A barcode is a static, optical machine-readable representation (image) of data. The bars are read by variances in reflected light. Barcode readers are relatively inexpensive and more accurate than key entry. However, issues arise when the barcode image is low resolution or has become obstructed or damaged in some way, causing a failed read or misread of the barcode information. Barcodes are also susceptible to limitations of the printer and reader. For example, barcodes printed on dark backgrounds like corrugated cardboard may be difficult to read. Heretofore, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to address these shortcomings.
U.S. Patent Application 20110000958 discloses a method and system for communicating encoded information through “animated” barcodes wherein a single bar code area on an electronics' display or television is scanned multiple times while the bar code area changes from one bar code image to another.
U.S. Patent Application 20100020970 discloses a system and method for creating a camera imaging data channel by encoding a sequence of bar codes from a display screen and captured by a camera, then decoded by software on a cell phone or similar device.
U.S. Patent Application 20060054695 discloses a dynamic bar code display apparatus that includes a storage medium and means for displaying at least two or more bar codes continuously.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,360,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,180 disclose a hand-supportable digital imaged-based bar code symbol reading device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,952 discloses a bar code reader that utilizes a CCD imager device to capture the image and the memory data from the imager device is analyzed to recognize and decode any symbols included within the image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,397 discloses a multi-resolution bar code reader in which the bar code reader's optics and sensing elements are organized to send two channels of data derived from a bar code scan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,954 discloses the bar code location and recognition processing system in which a bar code is optically scanned and a digital video processor converts the scan to binary data and determines the location and pattern of the bar code in the scan image.
U.S. Patent Application 20080277475 discloses a digital image capture and processing system that combines video and snapshot image captures into a single bar code data capture cycle.
U.S. Patent Application 20070199993 and U.S. Patent Application 20070187509 disclose a hand-supportable digital bar code reader that has multiple modes of image processing capabilities that include reading both 1D and 2D bar code symbols.
None of these references, however, teach the use of an error-identifying or two-way communication feed-back loop in a dual electronic device apparatus that uses image display and image capturing devices to communicate between the devices via bar codes in at least one direction. Furthermore, none of these references teach the use of bar codes that have varying sections of bar code image pattern resolution within a single bar code pattern.