introducing qr code; technical spec, how to build qr code, libraries

1. QR code
Hyoungjin Kim

2. Introduc)on
UPC ISBN EAN
1D barcode representation
QR Code Data Matrix PDF417
(Japan) (USA) (USA)
2D barcode representation
2

3. 1D versus 2D barcode
3

4. Comparison Table between 1D and 2D
barcode
Informa:on Informa:on
Barcode type Informa:on type
density capacity
Low Small Numbers, English
URL, SMS, Phone
High Big contact, Email Address,
other text messages
4

5. Data Capacity and Feature of QR Code
Compared to Its Counterparts
QR Code Data Matrix PDF417
Symbol Technologies
Developer (country) DENSO (Japan) RVSI Acuity CiMatrix (USA)
(USA)
Numeric 7,089 3,116 2,710
Alphanumeric 4,296 2,355 1,850
Binary 2,953 1,556 1,018
Kanji 1,817 778 554
Large capacity Small
Main features printout size High Small printout size Large capacity
speed scan
5

6. Objectives
►To explain the step-by-step implementation
of 2D barcode (QR code) for mobile in
everyday life.
►To share the experience in 2D barcode (QR
code) reading
► To show the various characteristics of
QRcode implementation that relates to
individual mobile service providers.
6

7. Service Providers
► Kaywa (Switzerland)
► Quickmark (Taiwan)
► I-nigma (Japan)
7

8. Characteristics of service providers
Requirement / Services I‐nigma Kaywa Quickmark
Membership No No Yes
Yes Yes No
Direct download from mobile
SMS download support
Yes No No
in Thailand
Computer to mobile phone No Yes Yes
Mobile device support info Yes Yes Yes
8

9. Implementation of QR Code
A. 2D barcode reader installation on mobile
phone
Barcode reader Easy Medium Difficult
Quickmark reader
(h`p://www.quickmark.com.tw)
Kaywa reader
(h`p://qrcode.kaywa.com)
Direct download: reader.kaywa.com
I‐nigma reader
(h`p://www.i‐nigma.com)
Direct download: www.i‐nigma.mobi
9

10. 7 steps to get mobile direct download
10

11. Implementation of QR
B. Generating of 2D barcode
Type of Kaywa* Quickmark** i‐nigma***
Data
code (pixel) (pixel) (pixel)
hWp://www.
URL 155 x 155 132 x 132 116 x 116
google.com
Text 135 x 135 132 x 132 116 x 116 Love my dog
Tel. 115 x 115 116 x 116 111 x 111 0813497774
SMS 155 x 155 148 x 148 ‐ Chocolate
*Kaywa: qrcode.kaywa.com, **Quickmark: www.quickmark.com.tw
and ***I-nigma: www.i-nigma.com
11

12. Implementation of QR Code
12

13. Requirement of 2D Barcode
Reading
• Hardware
• 2 MP-or-higher camera phone with
GPRS, WAP, and HTTP support
• Software
• Kaywa, I-nigma, or Quickmark
• Reading Techniques
13

14. Flow Diagram of 2D barcode
reading
14

15. C. Reading technique
15

16. Experimental Result
16

17. Result and Discussion
• 2D barcode is superior to the conven)onal 1D
barcode in its data capacity and various
applica)ons
• Camera phone equipped with 2D barcode
reader is preferable to use as 2D barcode scanner.
• The implementa)on cycle of 2D barcode involves
• I. Barcode genera)on
• II. Barcode sodware installa)on on mobile
phone
• III. Reading techniques
17

18. Result and Discussion
(cont)
• Kaywa and quickmark provide more
genera)ng code func)ons than i‐
nigma
• I‐nigma is experimentally
considered the easiest‐to‐install
barcode reader on mobile phone.
• Proper light intensity and focal
18

19. Trends of 2D Barcode Applications
• E – ticket
• Electronic Coupons
• Electronic Payment
• Screen on Product
19

20. Other Applications
Jewellery Shop (France)
Source : Tan Jin Soon, synthesis journal 2008
Advertisement (Japan)
20

21. Payment Slips
(Taiwan)
Source : Tan Jin Soon, synthesis journal 2008
21

22. 2D Trend example
(Thailand)
(เช็คช่วยชาติ)
22

23. New Experience of using 2D barcode
23

24. Bar code to 2D Code
• Bar codes became popular and their convenience universally recognized
✓ speed, accuracy and superior functionality characteristics
• Various efforts were made to increase the amount of information stored by
bar codes, such as increasing the number of bar code digits or layout
multiple bar codes.
• 2D code emerged in response to these needs and problems.
• 2D code is also progressing from the stacked bar code method, to the
increased information density matrix method.

25. About QR code
• “Quick Response”
• A kind of 2D symbol developed by Denso Wave(a division of Denso Corp. at
the time) and released in 1994 with primary aim of being a symbol that is
easily interpreted by scanner equipments
• QR code holds a considerably greater volume of information than a bar
code.

26. Typical 2D code

27. QR code features
• High capacity encoding of data
- While conventional bar codes are capable of strong a maximum of
approximately 20 digits, QR code is capable of handling several dozen to
several hundred times more information
-

28. QR code features
• Small Printout Size
• Kanji and Kana Capability
• Robust to Dirt and Damage
• Readable from any direction in 360’
• Structured Append Feature

29. QR code features
• Small Printout Size
• Kanji and Kana Capability
• Robust to Dirt and Damage
• Readable from any direction in 360’
• Structured Append Feature

30. QR code features
• Small Printout Size
• Kanji and Kana Capability
• Robust to Dirt and Damage
• Readable from any direction in 360’
• Structured Append Feature

31. QR code features
• Small Printout Size
• Kanji and Kana Capability
• Robust to Dirt and Damage
• Readable from any direction in 360’
• Structured Append Feature

32. QR code features
• Small Printout Size
• Kanji and Kana Capability
• Robust to Dirt and Damage
• Readable from any direction in 360’
• Structured Append Feature

33. QR code Standardization
• Open 2D code
• QR code is open in the sense that the specification of QR code is
disclosed and that the patent right owned by Denso is not exercised
• QR code outline specification

34. QR Code system configuration

35. QR code size decision factor
• The size of QR code is decided by determining a symbol version, based on
data capacity, character type and error correction level, and by setting a
module size, according to the performance of the scanner or printer.

36. Symbol version
• The symbol versions of QR code range from Version 1 to Version 40. Each
version has a different module configuration or number of modules.
• Each higher version number comprises 4 additional modules per side.

37. Error Correction
factory environment
• Raising this level improves error correction
capacity but also increases the amount of data QR
code size.

38. Error Correction Feature
• The QR code error correction feature is
implemented by adding a Reed-Solomon Code to
the original data.
• The error correction capability depends on the
amount of data to be corrected.
encoded
100 codewords -> 50 of which need to be corrected = 100 codewords of
Reed-Solomon Code are required. 2x
• In this case, the total codewords are 200, 50 of
which can be corrected. ( the error correction
rate : 25% -> error correction level Q)

39. example
given 100 digits of numerical data
to determine error correction level
the value : 100
-> version : ???

40. Setting Module size

41. Printer head density and
module size

42. QR code Area
(Example) Creating QR Code to encode 50 alphanumeric characters
1. Specify the error correction level as the standard "M".
2. Obtain a version from the Version and maximum data capacity table (find the
intersection of alphanumeric characters and Level M). → Version 3 capable of
storing 50 or more characters. (Version 2 with Level M holds only 38
characters.)
3. Use a printer with 400 dpi resolution. → 0.254 mm when printed with 4-dot
configuration.(Equation: 25.4 mm/inch ÷ 400 dpi × 4 dots/module = 0.254 mm/
module)
4. Version 3 = 29 modules, therefore, the size of QR Code is 29 modules × 0.254
mm/module = 7.366 mm.
5. Secure a four-module wide margin. 7.366mm + 0.254mm/module × 8 modules
=9.398mm
In other words, the required QR Code area is 9.398mm2.

43. QR code Library
• Barcodes as URLs(About reading QR Code on iPhone) by Kevin Chiu,
Colombia University
• iPhone 2d barcode reader by fyzle
• An Entertainment System using QR Code Reader: At Kyushu Institute of
Technology Campus Festival, 2005 (And Its Report) by Cutie
• J2MEQRCode: QR Code Encoder/Decoder application runs under
cellphones by GuoQing Hu
• QR Code Reader application for Vodafone 702NK(NOKIA 6630) by
Windstorm
• Instruction of QR Code decoding CGI with JSONP by Dan Kogai
• QRCodec: QR Code Decoder application runs under some Japanese mobile
phones by Yusuke Yanbe

44. Other Language bindings
• pyqrcode
Python binding of this library written by Alexandre Fiori
Examples

45. web examples
• http://zxing.appspot.com/generator/ Zebra Crossing

46. References
• http://qrcode.sourceforge.jp/ Open Source QR code Library
• http://code.google.com/p/iphone-qrcode/ iPhone-QRcode reader
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code QR code in wiki
• JISC: Japanese Industrial Standards Committee
You can download JIS-X-0510, the QR Code specification for free. Note that it
written in Japanese from this site.
• ISO/IED 18004:2006
ISO Standard version of above is available. It is written in English, but under fee
based (> $100).