Coloring of QR code

Abstract

To facilitate grasping a content of data in a QR code(R) visually.SOLUTION: With the widespread use of smart phones, the creation of QR codes(R) has changed significantly, and the majority of QR codes(R) now serve the purpose of directing users to homepage or websites using a browser. Instead of packing a QR code(R) with a large amount of information, it is easier to guide users to a homepage or website, and the content can be updated or changed as needed. However, for cashless payment guidance, address book QR codes(R), producer verification of agricultural products, and identification tags for elderly people with dementia, four types of character data are essential. By coloring the data cells of a QR code(R) according to the present invention, differentiation of QR codes(R) can be visualized, making comparison and identification by sight easier.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] We often see and hear barcodes and QR codes affixed to products in supermarkets and other stores in our daily lives. (The QR code, a two-dimensional barcode, is a registered trademark of Denso Wave.) QR codes were developed to make it easy to read product information, and have since been used by many retailers, industries, and services, for things like company homepages and to invite people to campaigns. The arrival of smartphones further expanded the potential of QR codes, and while previously a separate device was required to read QR codes, it is now possible to "read QR codes using a smartphone camera." By applying this "combination of smartphones and QR codes" to payment systems, consumers can purchase products simply by scanning the QR code and presenting the appropriate amount, and retailers can complete the payment by simply scanning the presented amount. [Background technology]

[0002] With smartphone-based QR code payments, a minimum payment environment is established simply by installing a dedicated app on the store's smartphone or tablet. Regular smartphones can also be used as payment terminals, making them easy to implement for small and medium-sized business owners and temporary stores that cannot afford capital investment. While the spread of cashless transactions is expected to reduce cash-related crimes, the promotion of cashless transactions may also lead to other crimes. However, the transparency of cash flows increases, making fraudulent use more difficult. South Korea and several other countries around the world are mandating card payments at stores to prevent tax evasion. The widespread adoption of cashless transactions stems from a number of benefits, including convenience for users and stores, a sense of insecurity about carrying cash, low-cost system implementation, reduced workloads for cash payments, faster cash conversion times, easier crime prevention measures, access to non-payment services, increased transparency of money flows, and the ability for governments and businesses to utilize data. Barcodes and QR codes affixed to products at supermarkets and other locations are being used for shopping, with unmanned registers expected to become more common in the future to reduce labor costs, and for payments in various aspects of daily life. So-called cashless payments using cards or smartphones are becoming more common, and service providers are responding by introducing multi-payment terminals to accommodate this. A multi-payment terminal or multi-payment service is a system in which credit card payments from multiple contracted companies are sent to headquarters using a dedicated mobile terminal for reading and a centralized management device. While there is a tendency for these systems to proliferate, it is expected that after repeated under-the-table mergers and acquisitions, and due to regulations such as the Prevention of Unfair Competition and Antimonopoly Act, the number will eventually settle down to three or four major companies. Devil Twin, a currently prominent attack technique, involves installing a fake wireless access point (AP) at a public Wi-Fi hotspot and eavesdropping on communications from unwitting users who connect to it. It's a phishing scam designed to lure users into a fake system and steal confidential information. While the scam acts like a real one, relaying Internet connections and otherwise, the attacker monitors and records communications. It intercepts confidential information, such as authentication information (accounts, passwords, etc.) for external systems and services, and credit card numbers sent during online payments. Encrypting the wireless connection is ineffective against this. Therefore, when using public Wi-Fi hotspots, it's important to check their security. WPA3 security is the latest encryption standard designed to prevent attacks such as eavesdropping on Wi-Fi (wireless LAN) communications. It's being implemented in corporate offices, public facilities, and cafes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2938338 Two-dimensional code [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2023-101436 An invention that expands functionality by introducing the concepts of magnetism and color into black and white QR codes DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] QR codes were invented by a Japanese company called Nippon Denso Co., Ltd. in 1994. Their primary purpose was parts management in factories. Their value subsequently grew with the spread of cashless payments via QR codes and smartphones. However, the first challenge is the difficulty of visually identifying QR codes, which have become widespread in society. The second challenge is the widespread availability of PC and smartphone tools, making QR codes easy and convenient for individuals to create. The third challenge is the possibility of malicious actors, such as Devil Twin, using QR codes to lure money and valuables to malicious individuals' smartphones. Many websites offer QR code creation services, including the "Official QR Code Maker." To create a QR code for posters, flyers, product descriptions, or other items that lead to your company's website, simply visit this page, enter the URL address in the "URL" field, select whether or not to enable access analysis (record click counts), and click the "Create QR Code" button. Many QR code creation websites are free, and the automated process poses challenges in eliminating malicious Devil Twins. QR codes are also used for cashless payment, even for event charges and temporary food stall payments. In an era when QR codes will even be used in middle and high school students' address books, insufficient regulation and visual recognition is extremely dangerous. While some middle and high school students can distinguish between address QR codes and more complex QR codes using simple pattern recognition, they can actually decode them on their own if they understand the basic structure of a QR code. QR codes contain position correction patterns and format information, including error correction levels and mask types. They are read in a zigzag pattern and converted into characters using a correspondence table. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] There are four modes to choose from when creating a QR code. Four types of characters can be converted into QR codes: numeric data (maximum 7,089 characters, indicator 0001), alphanumeric data (maximum 4,296 characters, indicator 0010), 8-bit byte data (maximum 2,953 characters, indicator 0100), and Kanji data (maximum 1,817 characters, indicator 1000). The characters to be used in the QR code are converted into a string of bits according to a set of rules, which then creates code words and error-correction code words. This requires dividing the code words into blocks according to a set of rules. Each data code word is divided into n RS blocks, and an error-correction code word is calculated for each block of the divided data code words. Data words and error-correction code words are taken from each RS block in order to construct the final column. The data words and error-correction code words of the core blocks are arranged according to a set of rules. A masking pattern is applied to the symbol's coding area, and the mask with the lowest loss of points among eight mask patterns is selected based on a set of evaluation criteria. Format information and model number information (appears in model numbers 7 and above) are added to complete the QR code. To make the QR code visible, the four characters used in the QR code are individually colored, and the other data cells are left black with the matrix's basic white color. This allows the QR code of the present invention to be visually inspected using multiple colors, making it possible to determine its content and distinguish it from illegal QR codes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] By visually inspecting the QR code of the present invention using multiple colors, it becomes possible to determine its content and distinguish it from illegal QR codes, which will be useful for crime prevention. In the future, if QR codes are recognized as art QR codes or quiz QR codes, QR code pattern recognition will become commonplace. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Image of a monochrome QR code [Figure 2] Image of a QR code in red, white, and black [Figure 3] Image of a QR code in red, white, blue, and black DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] There are four modes to choose from when creating a QR code. Four types of characters can be converted into QR codes: numeric data (maximum 7,089 characters, indicator 0001), alphanumeric data (maximum 4,296 characters, indicator 0010), 8-bit byte data (maximum 2,953 characters, indicator 0100), and Kanji data (maximum 1,817 characters, indicator 1000). The characters to be used in the QR code are converted into a string of bits according to rules, which then creates code words and error-correction code words. This requires dividing the data into blocks according to certain rules. Each data code word is divided into n RS blocks, and an error-correction code word is calculated for each block of the divided data code word. Data words and error-correction code words are taken in order from each RS block to form the final column. The data words and error-correction code words of the core blocks are arranged according to certain arrangement rules. A mask processing pattern is applied to the symbol coding area, and the mask with the lowest loss of points out of eight mask patterns is selected based on certain evaluation criteria. Format information and model number information (appears in model numbers 7 and above) are added to finally complete the QR code. In simple terms, the data is set and binary coded, then CRC (a function that detects errors in the data) is added, an error correction code is added, and a two-dimensional arrangement is performed. An exclusive OR (an XOR circuit that considers it true only if one of two propositions is true, where current flows and false if it does not) is performed with a matrix pattern for changing cell characteristics (a structure or diagram in which two or more elements are arranged on a board), the optimal arrangement is detected, and it is placed in a two-dimensional code. The data is then sent to a host computer (not shown), and the host computer performs the specified control based on this data. [Example]

[0009] Figure 1 is an image of a conventional monochrome QR code, a black and white QR code (1). It is divided into three positioning symbols (4) and a matrix data area (5), with the data area consisting of a timing cell (6) for correcting cell misalignment and a cell for detecting vertices (7). Data cells are set in the data area and binary coded, followed by the addition of a CRC and an error correction code, followed by two-dimensional placement, which is then exclusive-ORed with a matrix pattern for changing cell characteristics to find the optimal placement and place it in the two-dimensional code. [Example]

[0010] Figure 2 shows an image of a QR code (2) with a white base and a red-black matrix, created with red for the data cells and black for the three other elements: the positioning symbol (4), the timing cell (6), and the vertex detection cell (7). QR codes can represent four types of characters: numeric data, alphanumeric data, 8-bit byte data, and kanji data. While 8-bit byte data can represent all characters, using numeric data is more efficient for numeric-only data. The characters to be created are first analyzed to determine which of the four modes—numeric data, alphanumeric data, 8-bit byte data, or kanji data—can be used. Additionally, there is a mixed mode, allowing multiple modes to be used depending on the character. In this example, the mixed mode is used to uniformly color the data cells red. The code is divided into three positioning symbols (4) and a matrix data area (5), which consists of data cells, timing cells (6), and vertex detection cells (7). The data cells in the data area are colored red and set, and after binary encoding, a CRC is added. The data cells have bit groups shown in red for numeric data mode, alphanumeric data mode, image and sound data mode, kanji, katakana, and hiragana data mode. The positioning symbol (4), timing cell (6), vertex detection cell (7), error correction word, filler code word, filler bit, residual pit, residual code word, and residual pattern are colored in black. The data in three colors, red, black, and the basic white matrix, is converted into a two-dimensional code and sent to a host computer (not shown), which then performs the specified control based on this data. [Example]

[0011] Figure 3 shows an image of a QR code (3) with five colors: red, blue, and yellow for the data cells, and black for the three positioning symbols (4), timing cells (6), and vertex detection cells (7), all in red, blue, yellow, and black, as well as a white matrix. It is divided into three positioning symbols (4) and a data area (5), which consists of data cells, timing cells (6), and vertex detection cells (7). The data cells in the data area are colored red, blue, and yellow and set, then binary-encoded, followed by the addition of a CRC and an error correction code colored black. The data cells have bit groups that show numeric data cells and alphanumeric data cells in red, image and sound data cells in yellow, and kanji, katakana, and hiragana data cells in blue, and the data mode is colored in a designated data cell, and the positioning symbol (4), timing cell (6), vertex detection cell (7), error correction word, filler code word, filler bit, residual pit, residual code word, and residual pattern are colored in black.The data cells in five colors - red, blue, yellow, black, and the basic matrix white - are converted into a two-dimensional code and sent to a host computer (not shown), which then performs the specified control based on this data. [Industrial Applicability]

[0012] By providing QR codes with three colors: red data cells, black non-data cells, and white matrix basics, and five colors: red, blue, and yellow data cells, black non-data cells, and white matrix basics, it becomes possible to visually compare and distinguish the contents of the QR codes, which will help to curb crime. [Explanation of symbols]

[0013] 1. Black and white QR code 2 Red, black and white QR codes 3 Red, blue, yellow, black, and white QR codes 4 Positioning symbols 5 Data Area 6 Timing Cell

Claims

1. A QR code characterized in that, for the purpose of facilitating visual comparison in a two-dimensional code arranged as a pattern on a two-dimensional matrix, the numeric data cells, alphanumeric data cells, image, sound data cells, kanji, katakana, and hiragana data cells of the data pattern have bit groups colored in red, and the positioning symbols (4), timing cells (6), apex detection cells (7), error correction words, filler code words, filler bits, residual pits, residual code words, and residual patterns have bit groups colored in black, and a three-color pattern is arranged on a matrix of basic colors.

2. A QR code characterized in that, for the purpose of facilitating visual comparison and discrimination in a two-dimensional code arranged as a pattern on a two-dimensional matrix, four types of data cells of the data pattern, namely, numeric data cells, alphanumeric data cells, image and sound data cells, have bits colored differently for each of them, and that positioning symbols (4), timing cells (6), apex detection cells (7), error correction words, filler code words, filler bits, residual pits, residual code words, and residual patterns are colored in black, and a six-color pattern is arranged on a matrix of basic colors.

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