有關二維條碼的專利，但是基礎專利在哪裡呢？
二維條碼現在普遍應用的應該就是QR Code（quick response (QR) code），本網站也順應時勢，放了一個QR Code的圖案，讓想要記錄本網URL的人方便取得。
QR Code與Bar Code(一維)都是可以載入資訊的圖形碼，但是顯然QR Code可以載入更多資訊，且為統一標準，不像Bar code可自行定義。QR Code可以載入多種資訊，網路上有不少QR Code產生器，所載內容可以為URL,文字,電話號碼或簡訊(SMS)。
查了一下，QR Code(二維條碼)的商標是DENSO WAVE(http://www.denso-wave.com/)公司所有，因此使用到"QR Code"這個字的時候，應該加入(TM)或是說明商標權是DENSO WAVE公司所有，但在該公司網頁有提到，如果僅使用這個二維條碼圖案，就不用標註商標權所有。但是登錄商標權的國家僅及於日本、美國、澳洲與歐洲。
QR Code的使用規範由JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards)所管理，但使用卻不用這間公司授權，大家都可使用！
經過美國專利檢索，專利權人設為"DENSO WAVE"，有50多件核准專利，多半為條碼掃描器的硬體專利，這也符合這間公司網站上介紹他們所販售的產品品項，經初步瀏覽，涉及QR Code的專利佈局分別為US6,997,384（商業交易時顯示與讀取資訊碼的方法，申請日：July 9, 2003）、US7,802,730（整合光學可讀取符號的資訊載器，申請日：2006年10月19日）與US7,032,823（二維條碼、產生與顯示此二維條碼的方法、裝置，申請日：1987年3月31日）
以較早申請的US6,997,384（優先權：JP2002-211038）來看，此案揭露一種商業交易時顯示與讀取資訊碼的方法，此時已經出現QR Code的身影，顯然這件並非是二維條碼的最早專利，看了一下審查委員的引證資料，其中有兩件名稱有關於"two-dimensional"的專利，其一為US5,414,251所揭露的解碼二維光學資訊的讀取器，申請日為1992年3月；另一為US5,631,457所揭露的二維符號讀取裝置，申請日為1995年8月。上述US5,631,457說明書文中得知多個一維條碼的日本專利技術，如：JP05-307627與JP03-154187。
US5,414,251
US6,997,384
此件專利說明書提到兩個日本專利案JP2001-188846與JP2002-109420，其中JP2002-109420已揭露消費者使用QR Code提供POS系統讀取而進行交易的技術。顯然這些專利都用沿用二維條碼的技術。US6,997,384揭露了作為商業交易手段的光學資訊讀取器，可以讀取與解碼顯示在手機顯示器上的QR Code。
聰明的人會先去Wikipedia找QR Code的資料，我呢，最後才知Denso Wave所擁有的US5,726,435、EP0672994與JP2938338才算是基礎專利。
US5,726,435原始擁有人是NIPPONDENSO CO., LTD.，2002年才轉給DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED，所以我在DENSO WAVE的專利中確實找不到此件專利，也沒有看到引用此件專利的資訊。
US5,726,435
此案摘要就已將將QR Code的構造與原理交待清楚了，雖非實體物品，卻也是清清楚楚的元件描述。二維條碼的圖案中包括有三個定位符(positioning symbols 2)，一個資料區(data region 3)、多個時序元(timing cells 4)與一個頂點偵測元(apex detecting cell 5)，可對照左圖，各個元件形狀為長寬一樣數目的方形，掃描線經過每個定位符(2)的中心點，因為這些為固定的位置，而可得到整個圖案的比例，因此，即便掃描時有個旋轉角度，也不會被影響，之後就判讀其中時序元所載的資訊。
權利範圍獨立項涉及一個二維碼，具有多個符號元(cell)，每一個cell表示一個二進位的編碼資料，多個cell即形成可供掃描的二維矩陣，另至少有三個定位符，設於二維矩陣圖案的預設位置，其中至少有兩個用以得到圖案比例的定位符，使得無論怎樣掃描都行。
1. A two-dimensional code comprising:
a plurality of cells, each of said plurality of cells representing a binary-coded datum;
said plurality of cells forming a two-dimensional matrix pattern readable by a scanning operation along any arbitrary scanning lines; and
at least three positioning symbols disposed at predetermined positions in said two-dimensional matrix pattern, at least two of said at least three positioning symbols having a pattern capable of gaining an identical frequency component ratio irrespective of an orientation of said any arbitrary scanning lines whenever said arbitrary scanning lines pass through a center of each of said at least three positioning symbols.
另主張一個光學二維條碼讀取器的獨立範圍，主要元件有：影像擷取裝置、解碼單元、二進位編碼手段、記憶體、符號偵測手段、頂點偵測手段、矩陣定位判斷手段與讀取手段等。
7. A two-dimensional code reading apparatus for optically reading a two-dimensional code including a plurality of binary-coded cells in a two-dimensional matrix pattern, said two-dimensional code including a symbol disposed in a vicinity of an apex of said two-dimensional matrix, said symbol having a specific pattern including concentric similar figures overlapped successively, said reading apparatus comprising:
an image pickup device to take an image of said two-dimensional code to convert said image pixel by pixel into a resultant image signal in response to a light intensity of said image, and to successively output said resultant image signal; and
a decoder unit to decode said resultant image signal into a binary-coded signal, said decoder unit comprising:
binary-encoding means for binary encoding said resultant image signal in accordance with a level of said resultant image signal, and outputting said binary-coded signal successively;
memory means for storing said binary-coded signal as image data in accordance with a position of a pixel where said image was taken;
symbol detecting means for detecting said specific pattern corresponding to said symbol based on said binary-coded signal;
apex detecting means for detecting coordinates of said symbol from said image data stored in said memory means based on said specific pattern detected by said symbol detecting means;
matrix position determining means for finalizing a contour and an orientation of said two-dimensional matrix based on coordinates of said symbol detected by said apex detecting means, thereby identifying all coordinates of said plurality of binary-coded cells; and
reading means for reading out said image data stored in said memory means in accordance with said finalized contour and said orientation of said two-dimensional matrix.
Ron
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