Inventor of the QR Code Develops a New Reader Application

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine pulling out your smartphone and using it as a scanner to download videos, coupons, information about a store or business, or even someone's business card info. Well, welcome to a truly digital world, because we're already there. All you need is a QR reader application.

DENSO WAVE Incorporated, the inventor of the two-dimensional barcode, called a Quick Response (QR) Code, introduced a QR Code reader application for the iPhone. The English version of the application "QRdeCODE" can be downloaded from the Apple Inc., App Store beginning June 7, for $1.99.

Not only will the QRdeCODE app allow you to scan these two-dimensional barcodes and get information, you can also create your own personal QR code so you can give information. The app will take information, like a name, number and email address and create a QR code so you can exchange your information. The user can also create a QR Code containing a text message and/or url.  

The QR codes can be printed on posters, t-shirts, business cards – really, on just about anything. U.S. automakers, professional sports teams and other industries are beginning to use QR codes in marketing and advertising to drive consumers to websites.

Utilizing its in-depth experience from developing the QR Code, DENSO's new reader application has high recognition performance due to its quick reading speed, and its ability to read complicated QR codes where the pixels are smaller due to the amount of information, as well as smaller-sized QR codes, from a distant position. Once the QR code iPhone's camera recognizes the QR Code, it will auto-zoom on the code up to a maximum of three times – the download is nearly instantaneous. The application also has a function that can automatically focus on the area that is tapped on the screen to get a more clear focus on the QR Code.

Starting with this software for the iPhone, DENSO WAVE looks to widely expand its QR Code reader software business to other information and digital devices.

What is a QR Code?

The Quick Response (QR) Code is a two-dimensional code developed at DENSO Corporation's Industrial Systems Product Division (currently separated in 2001 to become DENSO WAVE Incorporated) in 1994.

The code was originally developed to manage automotive component inventories in DENSO plants. Traditional bar codes were conventionally used, but as the need increased to include more information in a limited space, DENSO set up a team in 1992 to develop a new code, and in two years the QR Code was developed.

The QR Code carries information in both the vertical and horizontal direction, which allows it to store up to several hundred times the amount of data carried by a bar code. Over 7,000 numeric characters can be encoded in one QR code.

The QR Code has position detection patterns located at the three corners of the code, which enable reader equipment to quickly and accurately read the code from any direction.

Since the QR Code was originally developed for factory use, one of the development focuses was to create a code that could withstand stains and damage. Through this development, the code's data can be restored even if a maximum of 30 percent of the code is damaged.

The patent rights for the code are owned by DENSO WAVE, but the specifications and use of the code were made open and free to the public to widely expand its use in the market. The code was also approved as an ISO international standard in 2000. In Japan, where the QR Code holds commanding share for two dimensional codes, it has been widely used in production and distribution management. And, since QR Code reader functions were installed to cellular phones in early 2000, their usage has vastly expanded to the consumer market in areas including, advertising and marketing, business cards, ticket passes, coupons and more.

* "QR Code" and "QRdeCODE" are registered trademarks of DENSO WAVE Incorporated.

DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, offers automatic data capture equipment, industrial robots, programmable controllers and other apparatus and systems. For more information, visit http://www.denso-wave.com/en/index.html.

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global supplier of advanced technology, systems and components. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 120,000 people in 34 countries and regions, including Japan. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 totaled US$32.0 billion. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.

In the Americas, DENSO employs more than 16,000 people with consolidated sales totaling US$5.7 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010.

SOURCE DENSO International America