1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 WHAT IS A QR CODE?

A QR Code is a two-dimensional barcode that is readable by smartphones. It allows to encode

over 4000 characters in a two dimensional barcode. QR Codes may be used to display text to
the user, to open a URL, save a contact to the address book or to compose text messages. To
read QR Codes with your smartphone, you need an appropriate software installed on your
phone.
They come to us from Japan where they are very common. QR is short for “Quick Response”
(they can be read quickly by a cell phone). They are used to take a piece of information from a
transitory media and put it in to your cell phone. You can see QR Codes in a magazine
advertisement, on a billboard, a web page or even on someone’s t-shirt. Once it is in your cell
phone, it may give you details about that business, or details about the person wearing the t-
shirt, show you a URL which you can click to see a trailer for a movie, or it may give you a
coupon which you can use in a local outlet.

The reason why they are more useful than a standard barcode is that they can store much more
data, including URL links, geo coordinates, and text. The other key feature of QR Codes is that
instead of requiring a chunky hand-held scanner to scan them, many modern cell phones can
scan them.

QR codes store data using patterns of black dots and white spaces, arranged in a square grid.
These patterns can be scanned and translated into human readable information, with the help
of an imaging device, like a camera or a scanner, although the most common way to scan QR
codes nowadays is to use your smartphone's camera and a specialized app for reading QR
codes.

Fig. QR Code
1.2 WHY USE A QR CODE?

QR codes are easy to generate and use. They are a convenient way to store all kinds of data in
a small space. If the data you want to store in a QR code is made of only alphanumeric
characters, a single QR code can hold up to 4000 characters.

As they can store different types of information, QR codes are used for many purposes. QR
codes are commonly used for holding data such as:

 Simple text - Welcome messages at conferences.

 Addresses - Personal home address, business address.
 Phone numbers - Personal telephone number, your company's phone number.
 E-mail addresses - Personal or business accounts.
 URLs - Addresses of websites or specific web pages.
 Links to apps - Found in app stores such as Google Play or Apple's App Store.
 Payments - QR codes can store information about your bank account or credit card.
 Online accounts authentication - Websites can display a QR code which a registered user
can scan with his or her smartphone and automatically login.
 Wi-Fi authentication - QR codes can be used to store Wi-Fi networks authentication details
such as SSID, password and encryption type. When you scan such a QR code using your
smartphone, it can automatically join that network.
 Other various uses - Such as funerary (according to Wikipedia, in Japan, there are
tombstones with QR codes that point to web pages that hold information about the
deceased), or for transcripts and degrees (used mainly in India, China, Mexico).

1.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF QR CODE

 They have a high capacity encoding of a lot of different types of data.

 QR codes are also able to handle almost any type of data and characters, not just the
letters and numbers of traditional barcodes.
 They are compact and easier to scan which allows the user to put a lot of information in
a small space.
 Another perk about these codes is that they are able to read a lot of different languages.
They do not have to be English letters or numbers.
 They are able to be restored if there is some damage done to them. They might even still
be able to be read through a scanner. This is probably one of the biggest things that a lot
of people do not know about these codes.
 They can be read in any direction. This is another great thing about them compared to
the traditional barcodes.
 The information within the QR code can be divided up into specific areas in the code.
This allows the user to read just the information on one side, or choose to go to the other
information stored on the other. This cannot be done with a traditional barcode.
 2. LITERATURE SURVEY

2.1 HISTORY

QR codes were first created back in 1994. A Toyota subsidiary named Denso Wave developed
the code in order to help in the manufacturing process, they aided in tracking vehicles and parts.
It was designed to allow for fast decoding speeds, hence the name Quick Response code. QR
codes owe their existence to the development and success of barcodes. Since their creation
barcodes became very popular due to the speed at which they could be scanned, the accuracy
they provided, and their multiple functionalities. With increased popularity, and proper
recognition of the convenience associated with barcodes, demand for barcodes that could store
more information, had more variation, and would take up a smaller printing area continuously
grew.

Thus, many efforts were made to improve the barcode technology and how much information
they could store. What was done? The amount of digits in the codes were increased, layout was
modified to include multiple codes, etc. However, these modifications came with drawbacks
as well. The size of the barcode and printing space it needed increased, thus raising costs of
printing. Also, with the developments came some occasional complications while attempting
to read/scan the new codes.

In response to the increasing demands for storage capacity, functionality, accuracy, etc. in
addition to the negative factors associated with the developments in bar code technology, came
2D (two-dimensional) QR codes. And as with the development of barcodes, since their creation
QR codes have seen increasing population, developments in the technology to improve storage
capacity and functionality, etc.

2.2 EXISTING SYSTEM

The existing system is manual in nature, that is, when one needs to send an e-mail he/she has
to manually type in the email-id, the message and the attachments. This is time consuming
when you have to send an e-mail to many people frequently which contains the same content.
It is difficult to do it manually on a large scale. Some information may be left out or maybe the
message might not reach everyone which could be a problem.

2.3 PROPOSED SYSTEM

In the proposed system, we are going to use QR codes to send e-mail. The e-mail ids of the
sender and recipients, the message and the various attachments are embedded into a QR Code.
Using this, an e-mail can be sent just by scanning the QR code without having to enter any
information. This makes sending e-mails even easier and time consumption is also less. This
system has been developed to do the above mentioned task.
2.4 WORKING

Basically, a QR code works in the same way as a barcode at the supermarket. It is a machine-
scannable image that can instantly be read using a Smartphone camera. Every QR code consists
of a number of black squares and dots which represent certain pieces of information. When
your Smartphone scans this code, it translates that information into something that can be easily
understood by humans.

Quite simply, a QR code is an encoded piece of data. The data in a QR code can be
alphanumeric, numeric or binary. Although that is the technical explanation of how a QR code
works, something much more important to focus on is the fact that QR codes can be scanned
at the touch of a button by the hundreds of millions of people around the world that use a
Smartphone on a daily basis. This makes them great for marketers.

If you've ever scanned a QR code with your Smartphone, you'll likely have noticed that they
can be scanned extremely quickly (we're talking within a second-or-two here). This makes QR
codes an extremely simple way to access stored information in an instant which in-turn, makes
them a perfect solution to conversion-hungry marketers.
 3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

3.1 HARDWARE SPECIFICATION

Main Memory : 64MB.

Micro Processor : Pentium –III or above

Hard Disk Drive : 4.3 GB.

Cache Memory : 512KB.

3.2 SOFTWARE SPECIFICATION

Operating System : Windows 98/NT or above

Front End : PHP

Back End : MySQL Server

 4. SYSTEM DESIGN

4.1 QR CODE STRUCTURE

Fig. Structure of QR Code

Position Detection Patterns

These patterns are placed at all the corners of the image, except for the bottom left. They give
an opportunity to the scanning device to define the location of the QR code and to start the
process of scanning and recognition quicker. In order it happens efficiently and promptly the
position patterns are separated from the rest of the image with the help of white area, so called
separator.

Version Information

This pattern of the image contains the encoded information about the version of the code. The
versions of it are directly connected with their dimensions and the amount of data which should
be encoded. They can vary from the first, the smallest to the fortieth, the largest.

Timing Patterns

They are situated between the three position patterns and look like a line of alternating dark
and light (black and white) squares. They serve to define the density of the modules and the
preliminary definition of the QR version.

Format Information

This area of the image helps the scanning device to define the data format, encoded in the QR
code. This may be for example contact information, calendar date, the web site link and etc.
Alignment Patterns

There may be several patterns according to the version of the QR code. They allow the scanning
device to define the possible perspective distortion of the QR code image.

Data and Error Correction Areas

A QR code has always an image of a square. The main element of the code is its matrix. Its
elaborate pattern, consisting from black squares and lines, called modules, contains different
information. According to the amount of information that should be encoded to the image the
number of modules can vary. The smallest QR code of the first version can contain 441
modules. The largest and the most capacious QR code of the fortieth version can contain 31329
modules. The most popular became the codes in the range form the first to the tenth version.
In addition to this the image contains the modules, which have the data assisting the scanning
devices to recognize the included information correctly. Despite of the apparent obscure form
of the matrix it is possible to include different data to it. The data in the matrix are kept in two
dimensions, in the horizontal and vertical directions, which distinguish QR codes from the old
bar codes well. A usual bar code can contain information consisting from 13 numbers, while a
QR code matrix can contain 4296 numbers and letters, 7189 numbers, 1817 hieroglyphs and
2953 bytes of binary code.

Quiet Zone

This spacing is important for the scanning program in order to distinguish the QR Code from
its surroundings.

4.2 ENTITY RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM

Fig. ER Diagram of QR Code Generator

4.3 SCHEMA DIAGRAM

Fig. Schema diagram

4.4 DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

Fig. Data Flow Diagram

 5. SYSTEM TESTING

After you create a QR Code, you want to test it before you use it in a marketing campaign, to
make sure it’s working. Some testing methods are mentioned below.

Scan the QR Code in different lighting

If it doesn’t work, you can increase the contrast of the code (a darker color on a lighter
background if you started with something lighter than a black code on a white background) or
you can take steps to make sure it’s displayed in an area with the right amount of light.

Try it out on multiple devices

Scan the code with as many different types of devices, old and new and QR Code readers as
possible to make sure it works.

Test the code at the distance it will be scanned by people

Sure, the code works correctly when you scan it on the table in your office. But what about
when the QR Code is on a billboard and hundreds of yards from where people will scan it?
Will it work then?

Test Internet access in that area

Make sure people have Internet access at the very spot at which the code will be scanned.
Everyone knows how temperamental mobile and Wi-Fi service can be. One spot might be a
dead zone, but ten feet away you might have coverage. It’s frustrating but a reality you need to
prepare for.
 6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

6.1 LOGIN PAGE

Fig. Login Page of QR Code Generator

6.2 SIGN-UP PAGE

Fig. Sign-Up Page of QR Code Generator

6.3 WELCOME PAGE

Fig. Welcome Page of QR Code Generator

6.4 RESET PASSWORD PAGE

Fig. Reset Password Page of QR Code Generator

6.5 QR CODE GENERATOR MAIN PAGE

Fig. QR Code Generator Main Page

 7. CONCLUSION
In the decades since the introduction of QR codes, it has increased rapidly. From the year 1994,
many codes have been developed but QR code still remains functional.

It is still better than barcodes which are used less than the QR codes and with its pros it tends
to get better. But still QR codes are not an efficient way to send information as it can be decoded
with any smart phones with QR code app reader and sending malicious data.

Consumers are interested in interacting with advertising that bears a QR code – thus, the
promise of additional benefits in the form of deals, coupons, videos, sweepstakes, social media
interactions, etc.

QR codes can help an ad break through the clutter by increasing the chance it will be
remembered: great news for advertisers who have already integrated a QR code strategy into a
traditional advertising campaign or are looking to insert one in a future campaign.
 REFERENCES
[1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code
[2]. https://www.qrstuff.com/
[3]. https://www.fastprint.co.uk/blog/quick-response-codes-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-
work.html
[4]. https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-data-matrix-codes-work.html
[5]. https://blog.axiom.us.com/2012/01/the-anatomy-of-a-qr-code-7-things-to-know-about-
quick-response-codes
[6]. http://www.free-qr-codes.net/qr-code-history.html