Augmented color recognition by applying erasure capability of Reed-Solomon algorithm

Abstract

Color-image data is generally more complex than black and white version in terms of the number of variables in the channels and "color constancy" issues. Most of two-dimensional (2D) codes are dominant in a black and white domain such as QR code, PDF417, Data Matrix and Maxicode rather than in color domain, affected usually by such technical difficulties of handling color variables. Conventional 2D codes adopt Reed-Solomon (RS) algorithm for their error control codes mainly to recover from damages such as stains, scratches and spots, while highlight and shadow issues in color codes are much more complex. In this paper we propose a new decoding approach by applying recoverable erasures by RS algorithm in color codes to resolve color recognition issue effectively. Using erasure concept ultimately for color constancy, marking erasure strategy during color recognition processing steps is very crucial. Our algorithm ultimately mitigates color recognition load overall in decoding color codes. Consequently our new erasure decision algorithm prevents color recognition failures within erasure correction capability of RS algorithm, and it can be applied along with other color constancy algorithms easily to increase overall decoding performance just using RS erasure. © 2006 Springer.