Barcodes with graphical elements

US8840032B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TARGET BRANDS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Kim O. Lindahl · Minneapolis, US
• Kelly Kuhn-Wallace · Minneapolis, US
• David Sha · Jacksonville, US
• John J. Kaiser · Windom, US
• Ellen A. Boldt · Minnetonka, US
• Eric B. Erickson · Minneapolis, US
• Vicki L. Domka · Detroit Lakes, US
• John J. Butcher · Chanhassen, US
• Bonnie Eggleston · Apple Valley, US
• Ted C. Halbur · Lino Lakes, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 28, 2011
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0207
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Barcodes are provided that convey images to help consumers and/or to help identify information about the origin of an article. The images conveyed by the barcodes may be associated with a merchant, a department, an event, a season, a theme or a product, for example. The barcodes may be placed on any number of articles including purchaser receipts, gift receipts, marketing receipt coupons, paper coupons, electronic coupons, rewards cards, gift cards, registry printouts, and products/packaging, for example. Under some embodiments, the barcodes help consumers to associate articles with a particular merchant or department. Under other embodiments, the barcodes help consumers to distinguish purchaser receipts from gift receipts. In some embodiments, the barcodes are generated dynamically by altering font-based barcodes to convey the image.