Appendix E - First Read Reliability

One of the further advantages of the 2D barcode formats is the first read reliability.

Error Correction

The main 2D barcode symbologies support the Reed-Solomon error correction coding standard.

Raising the level of error correction improves the ability of the reader to decode dirty or damaged symbols but also increases the total amount of data and therefore symbol size.

The specific error correction levels supported by QR Code are shown below. A codeword is a unit that constructs the data area of the symbol and is equal to 8 bits of data.



Processing Time

Some of the potential uses for 2D barcodes are away from the retail domain and are faced with competing technologies including Magnetic Cards, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards, Optical Character Recognition for forms processing and Biological Identification for security access.

The process time of the 2D barcodes is comparable to magnetic cards and RFID cards, details in the table below. A further comparison between 2D barcode and RFIP is provided here.



First Read Rate Success

One of the key metrics for any barcode technology is the success rate for reading the code at the first attempt. First Read Rate (FRR). Barcodes are typically employed as a process automation solution as barcode scanning need to be faster than manual input.

A comparison of FRR statistics of some of the main 2D barcode symbologies is supplied below.

Appendix D - Calculating Code Size and Capacity

The code stamp size and the data capacity are influenced by the print media and the dpi (dots per inch) capability of the printer used.

The data in a 2D barcode is rendered as groups of modules. A module contains one or more dots and is equivalent to Binary 1. The residual white space in the code is treated as a Binary 0. The interplay between the black and white areas allows the meaning of the pattern to be referenced as data.

For the matrix code types of QR Code and DataMatrix, each black area or module is recommended to comprise of 4 or more dots to maximize the stability of the code stamp. The overall size of the stamp is then constrained by the printer head and the number of dots in a module, this relationship is detailed below.



The module size will then directly impact the overall size of the barcode stamp depending on the capacity required.

Carl Sewell has a spreadsheet that shows the relationship between barcode proportions (rows and columns) , the data capacity (Numeric, Alphanumeric and ASCII) and the stamp size in inches for the DataMatrix format,

Appendix C - 2D Code Generation and Code Reader Resources

These are a small sample of resources which will allow 2D barcodes to be generated from a webpage that then allows easy dynamic generation of barcodes. There are also various software libraries available that allow the same functionality to be embedded in applications.



Samples of 2D barcode readers available for mobile phones:

Appendix B - Using a QR Code Reader

Using a 2D barcode reader such as the Kaywa Reader is a simple process.

Appendix A - QR Codes in Japan

Since QR Codes have been in use in Japan for a number of years, they appear in everyday life. Below are some example.

Conclusion

The industries and uses discussed in this report suggest that 2D barcode technology can be used in a wide range of scenarios. However, it is apparent that the most natural use would be in business-to-consumer transactions.

Such technology is extremely useful for marketers and creates a bridge between the physical and online worlds that they can exploit to their benefit.

This does not however limit or constrain the technhology's potential. The scenarios presented within this report for other transaction types (B2B, C2B, C2C and eGov) highlight that the flexibility, size, data capacity and ease of adoption can prove to be useful outside of B2C transactions.

It is envisaged that the increasing influence of user generated content and convergence of the physical and virtual domains will only create more opportunities for 2D barcodes to be deployed in innovative ways.

The number of camera equipped mobile phones in-use today has created a market waiting to be tapped. 2D barcodes could prove to be one way to unlock this market's potential.

Force Field Analysis

Cost

For some uses, it is desirable for the user to browse content online through their mobile internet connection. For the majority of mobile phone price plans in New Zealand, this kind of data access is expensive.

However, if the mobile phone operators positioned themselves in the value chain, through partnering with content providers, network economics dictates that mobile internet becomes a viable revenue model then this could change in the customer's favour.

Security

The ease of generation and copy of 2D barcodes could be a concern. When used for vouchers careful consideration for control is essential to prevent fraudulent use. Some of these issues have already been resolved for the use of PDF417 standards for the airline industry. The lessons learned in this industry could be applied to other industries to mitigate the security risk.

Equity

To make the optimal use of the benefits offered by 2D barcodes, mobile phones need to be of a reasonable specification. A minimum requirements is a camera, but GPRS or a similar mobile internet technology is desirable. Such "smartphones" are still relatively expensive in New Zealand which could constrain the size of the market.