Beautified QR code with high storage capacity using sequential module modulation

Huili Cai, Bin Yan, Na Chen, Jeng-Shyang Pan, Hong-Mei Yang

Abstract: For the issue of beautification and capacity expansion of the Quick Response(QR) code, we proposed an algorithm based on sequential module modulation. First, the modules for the padding codewords are modulated by the module-based binarized background image. Then, to increase the storage capacity, low-pass textured patterns are designed for both the black modules and the white modules. The modules of the plain QR code are modulated by the second-level message. Finally, these modulated modules are further modulated by the L-channel of the background image in Lab color space. The module elimination parameter in the second modulation is optimized to maximize an objective function that accounts for both the visual quality and the decoding error. Experimental results demonstrate that, the proposed algorithm is superior to the reference method in terms of visual quality and capacity.