A simple and efficient image pre-processing for QR decoder

Abstract

In order to lower the consumed threshold, a practical image preprocessing method was proposed for Quick Response (QR) barcode recognition. It could increase the speed of recognition by this decoder so as to embed this algorithm into mobile terminals. Instead of using the traditional methods such as edge detection and line detection, the encoding characteristic of QR had been used, thus the influence by background noise and geometric distortion was minimized. Moreover, it used alignment patterns to adaptively sample the barcode in terms of regions, which greatly improved the recognition rate. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can overcome the influence in noise, inhomogeneous light and geometric distortion, what is more, it meets the requirement of decoding in real time. © the authors.