Method and device for generating two-dimensional barcode, program, two-dimensional barcode, and method and device for reading two-dimensional barcode

1. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode, comprising:

obtaining a protection-encoding pattern based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mark pattern;

obtaining a protection-encoded code block by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

generating the module group based on the protection-encoded code block; and

generating a two-dimensional barcode having the module group to which the standard mask pattern is applied.

2. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 1 , the method further comprises:

using different mask pattern references to generate a plurality of the two-dimensional barcodes; and

selecting a certain two-dimensional barcode among the plurality of two-dimensional barcodes based on a predetermined evaluation.

3. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 1 , wherein,

the protection-encoding is a step of XORing the code block with the protection-encoding pattern on a bit-by-bit basis.

4. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 1 , wherein

the two-dimensional barcode is a QR code, and

the mask pattern reference is contained in format information of the QR code.

5. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 1 , wherein

the code block contains a correction code that corrects the code block,

the protection-encoding pattern is obtained based on the mask pattern reference and one other reference,

a part of the protection-encoded code block is replaced with the other reference, and

a correcting capacity of the correction code is equal to or more than a number of words of the other reference.

6. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 5 , wherein

a position which has been replaced with the other reference is identified based on the mask pattern reference.

7. A method for generating a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 1 , wherein

when the code block is partly replaced with one other reference,

at least a part of the code block is replaced with a closed data codeword,

at least the part being a part other than a part that has been replaced with the other reference, and

a correcting capacity of a correction code contained in the code block is equal to or larger than a sum of a number of the closed data codewords and a number of words of the other reference.

8. A device for generating a two-dimensional barcode, comprising:

an encoder in which:

a protection-encoding pattern is obtained based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

a protection-encoded code block is obtained by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

the module group is generated based on the protection-encoded code block; and

the two-dimensional barcode having the module group to which the standard mask pattern is applied is generated.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer to perform the following processes:

obtaining a protection-encoding pattern based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting a two-dimensional barcode,

the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

obtaining a protection-encoded code block by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

generating the module group based on the protection-encoded code block; and

generating a two-dimensional barcode having the module group to which the standard mask pattern is applied.

10. A two-dimensional barcode wherein:

a protection-encoding pattern is obtained based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

a protection-encoded code block is obtained by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

the module group is generated based on the protection-encoded code block; and

the two-dimensional barcode having the module group to which the standard mask pattern is applied is generated.

11. A method for reading a two-dimensional barcode, comprising:

reading a two-dimensional barcode,

the two-dimensional barcode being generated by the following steps:

obtaining a protection-encoding pattern based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

 the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

obtaining a protection-encoded code block by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

generating the module group based on the protection-encoded code block; and

applying the standard mask pattern to the module group;

extracting the mask pattern reference that is contained in the two-dimensional barcode;

obtaining the module group by unmasking the two-dimensional barcode using the standard mask pattern that is identified by the mask pattern reference;

obtaining the protection-encoded code block from the module group;

obtaining the code block by protection-decoding the protection-encoded code block using the protection-encoding pattern that is obtained based on the mask pattern reference; and

extracting the data codeword from the code block.

12. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 11 , wherein

the two-dimensional barcode is a two-dimensional barcode that is selected among a plurality of two-dimensional barcodes based on a predetermined evaluation,

the plurality of two-dimensional barcodes being generated using different mask pattern references.

13. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 11 , wherein

the protection-decoding is a step of XORing the protection-encoded code block with the protection-decoding pattern on a bit-by-bit basis.

14. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 11 , wherein

the two-dimensional barcode is a QR code, and

the mask pattern reference is contained in format information of the QR code.

15. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 11 , wherein

the code block contains a correction code that corrects the code block,

the protection-encoding pattern is obtained based on the mask pattern reference and one other reference,

a part of the protection-encoded code block is replaced with the other reference, and

a correcting capacity of the correction code is equal to or more than a number of words of the other reference.

16. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 15 , wherein

a position which has been replaced with the other reference is specified based on the mask pattern reference.

17. The method for reading a two-dimensional barcode according to claim 11 , wherein

when the code block is partly replaced with one other reference,

at least a part of the code block is replaced with a closed data codeword,

at least the part being a part other than a part that has been replaced with the other reference, and

a correcting capacity of a correction code contained in the code block is equal to or larger than a sum of a number of the closed data codewords and a number of words of the other reference.

18. A device for reading a two-dimensional barcode, comprising:

a decoder in which:

a two-dimensional barcode is read,

the two-dimensional barcode being generated by the following steps:

obtaining a protection-encoding pattern based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

 the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

obtaining a protection-encoded code block by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

generating the module group based on the protection-encoded code block; and

applying the standard mask pattern to the module group;

the mask pattern reference contained in the two-dimensional barcode is extracted;

the module group is obtained by unmasking the two-dimensional barcode using the standard mask pattern that is identified by the mask pattern reference;

the protection-encoded code block is obtained from the module group;

the code block is obtained by protection-decoding the protection-encoded code block using the protection-encoding pattern that is obtained based on the mask pattern reference; and

the data codeword is extracted from the code block.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer to perform the following processes:

reading a two-dimensional barcode,

the two-dimensional barcode being generated by the following steps:

obtaining a protection-encoding pattern based on a mask pattern reference,

the mask pattern reference being a reference for identifying a standard mask pattern that is applied to a module group,

the module group being composed of a plurality of modules,

each module being a unit cell constituting the two-dimensional barcode,

 the protection-encoding pattern being different from the standard mask pattern;

obtaining a protection-encoded code block by protection-encoding a code block with the protection-encoding pattern,

the code block having at least a data codeword;

generating the module group based on the protection-encoded code block; and

applying the standard mask pattern to the module group;

extracting the mask pattern reference that is contained in the two-dimensional barcode;

obtaining the module group by unmasking the two-dimensional barcode using the standard mask pattern that is identified by the mask pattern reference;

obtaining the protection-encoded code block from the module group;

obtaining the code block by protection-decoding the protection-encoded code block using the protection-encoding pattern that is obtained based on the mask pattern reference; and

extracting the data codeword from the code block.