A QR Code® (abbreviation for quick response code) is a trademark for a two-dimensional barcode, that can storage digital information. Although it was designed for the automotive industry, it has become popular for it’s fast readability and large storage capacity compared to standard 1D barcodes.
Encoded information can be:
Encoded information can be:
– plain text
– SMS
– Phone number
– Website URL
– Contact information in VCard and MeCard Format
– Calender Events
– Social network links (facebook-likes, twitter-follows)
– SMS
– Phone number
– Website URL
– Contact information in VCard and MeCard Format
– Calender Events
– Social network links (facebook-likes, twitter-follows)
STRUCTURE
Error correction level
While creating a QR Code its restoring quality is customizable in 4 correction levels. This means, if parts of the code gets destroyed physically, the code is still readable. The other encoded format information is the mask pattern used for the symbol.
While creating a QR Code its restoring quality is customizable in 4 correction levels. This means, if parts of the code gets destroyed physically, the code is still readable. The other encoded format information is the mask pattern used for the symbol.
| Level | Percent of approximately destruction that still results in an readable code |
|---|---|
| L | 7 |
| M | 15 |
| Q | 25 |
| H | 30 |
Due to it’s different error correction levels it is possible to enhance QR Codes® with artistic embellishment but still remain readable. These are called Design QR Codes® or Custom QR Codes®.
Storage Amount
Depending on the datatype(mode), version(1..40, indicating overall dimension of the symbol), and the error correction level the following capacities are possible(version:40, error correction level:L):
Depending on the datatype(mode), version(1..40, indicating overall dimension of the symbol), and the error correction level the following capacities are possible(version:40, error correction level:L):
| mode | Storage capacity |
|---|---|
| Numeric only | max. 7 089 characters [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] |
| Alphanumeric | max. 4 296 characters [0–9,A–Z(upper-case only),space,$,%,*,+,-,.,/,:] |
| Binary | max. 2 953 characters [8-bit bytes] |
| Kanji/Kana | max. 1 817 characters |
There are lots of QR Code reader available. Most smartphones include a encoding app, that allows the integrated camera to read the code. There is some variation between implementations at the application layer. A de facto standards for the encoding of URLs, contact information, and other data types was established by NTT DoCoMo.
QR Code was invented by the Toyota subsidiary Denso Wave in 1994. It’s using is free of any license. The QR Code® is defined and published as an ISO standard:
(Obtaining the full QR Code® Specification by DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED)
(Obtaining the full QR Code® Specification by DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED)
(QR Code is registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED)