How does a QR code work?

What is a QR code? 

Have you seen ads and visiting cards with these kind of prints imprinted on them?

Well these are known as QR codes (a) Quick Response codes. It is nothing but a matrix barcode (2D barcode) which was designed first for an automotive industry in Japan. Simple Barcodes are used for detecting information through optically by using machines. Barcode is actually an optical machine readable label which is used to retrieve information about the product or an item in which the label is attached. But QR code is totally different from the ordinary barcode; QR code may be developed or designed by four ways such as numberic, alphanumberic, kanji and bytes. They are used to retrieve various level of information about an item.


Comparison of 1D and 2D barcodes:

• These 2D barcodes contains a massive amount of information when compared to 1D barcodes.

• Another major disadvantage is that 1D barcodes needs powerful scanners whereas for 2D your Smart-phones are more than enough.
Some more examples for 2D codes are Maxicode and Datamatrix 

How does it work?

Ok now we’ve seen what’s a QR code let’s see how do they work.

These QR codes have two kinds of patterns namely the

• Finder pattern &

• Alignment pattern

Finder patterns are arrangement of squares that helps the scanner to detect the size of the QR code.
Alignment patterns are another arrangement of squares helps the scanner to detect whether the QR codes are distorted or damaged.

The scanners after scanning the code, analyzes the image. It calculates the ratio of black and white areas and calculates which squares are alignment squares and which squares contain the original information. Then the scanner either directs it to the main information source or the URL in which the main information is at stake.
QR code generators:

Another major ease with these codes are that these QR codes can be generated easily. There are many QR generators online for the access of public.

If you are interested in a simple business at your home then to make it more interesting you can generate your own QR code.

Here are some links that might help you in creating one

www.the-qrcode-generator.com 

createqrcode.appspot.com 

qrcode.kaywa.com 

qrcode.littleidiot.be 

These play a vital role in advertisements and website marketing. QR codes swept 1D barcodes off their feet and brought a big revolution in every major and minor industry.

Basically, QR codes are used for industrail purposes and also for consumer level advertising. Nowadays, a typical level Smartphone has a QR-code reader in it. You can convert your information over QR-code and you can transfer it to your friends and other circles. Even you can denote your URL via this QR-code and when the URL is detected by the reader, it will automatically opened in the browser of your smartphone. Finally, QR-codes are very simple and they are more effective for so many processes.