A High Density Colored 2D-Barcode: CQR Code-9

Abstract

This paper presents an implementation of a colored 2D-barcode which is based on the structure of the CQR Code (Colored Quick Response Code). While the first version of the CQR Code (CQR Code-5) is a 2-D barcode of 5 colors, this new version (CQR Code-9) has 9 colors. In this paper we describe the implementation details of this new CQR Code. This new version of the CQR Code can store up to 2,048 information bits, requiring 4,576 redundancy bits. The Reed-Solomon error correction algorithm provides an error correction rate of 34.54%. Experimental tests were performed by printing CQR Codes in a 1.3 cm × 1.3 cm area. Results show that the CQR Code-9 is suitable for cryptographic applications that require that a high number of bits be stored in a small printed area.