DESC:FIELD OF INVENTION
[1] The field of invention generally relates to a system and method for enhancing quality of an image containing QR code, more specifically, the invention provides a process for image correction by means of superimposing a three-corner box image on the image to be processed to detect the QR code.

BACKGROUND
[2] QR code or Quick Response code is a type of two dimensional barcode that uses four standardized encoding modes to preserve data in a methodical way. QR code comprises of a square shaped grid on a white background with black squares positioned in the grid or black background with white squares placed in the grid. As QR codes have faster response time and larger storage capacity, they are best suited to transmit encoded message to a receiving end. Also, QR codes find usage in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and warehousing to logistics and healthcare.
[3] Information encoded in the QR codes can be retrieved by scanning/reading them with the help of scanners. The scanning system consists of an application that reads QR code where the application uses a Smartphone, tablet, etc., equipped with a camera. Generally, the scanner illuminates the QR code with red light by means of the illuminator embedded in the scanning system. There is a sensor/convertor contained in the scanning system, which detects the reflected light. Once the light is detected, an analog signal is generated, which contains voltage with different values based on the intensities of the light reflection. The sensor that converts the analog signal into a digital signal that is interpreted by the decoder present in the scanning system, the decoder then transmits the information to the user device i.e. Smartphone etc.
[4] In an image that embeds QR code, information is collected from the code by first detecting the QR code in the image and then reading it. However, scanning of QR code from the image depends on image quality that varies in accordance with the environment and scanners used. For example, the device used for scanning should be held properly in front of the QR code, and not at an angle. At times, in digital copies of QR codes, the digital copy comprising the QR code may be damaged, thereby making reading of information from the QR code a tough task. There should not be any glare from stray light sources, the environment should be evenly lit. Moreover, if resolution and focus of the image are not good, it may create problems in reading the QR code. In many cases, because of poor image quality, for lot of these images, the scanning system doesn’t even detect the QR code and hence QR code is not read.
[5] Hence, there is utmost need for a system which provides a solution for above mentioned problem by providing a method to correct the QR code image that is to be processed for detection and scanning of the QR code.

OBJECT OF INVENTION
[6] The principle object of the invention is to provide a method to enhance the quality of an image containing QR code.
[7] Another object of the invention is to provide a method to superimpose one image into another.
[8] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method to detect the QR code in the document image by superimposing an image with three black boxes at its corners.
[9] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method to perform iterations at different coordinates of the image to be processed.
[10] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method to feed the superimposed image to the QR reading function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[11] This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which, like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.
[12] The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[13] Fig. 1 depicts/illustrates the components and working details of a system that corrects and reads the document image containing QR code, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[14] Fig. 2(a) depicts/illustrates a system that superimposes a three-corner box image in the document image, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[15] Fig. 2(b) depicts/illustrates the method of superimposition into a document image, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION
[16] The present invention discloses a system for enhancing quality of an image comprising a QR code, called a document image, in order to ensure better readability of the QR code. The disclosed system comprises of a user device such as a smart phone or a laptop capable of scanning and storing a QR code. The user device further comprises of a processor for executing instructions and an input/output unit to send and receive data signals. The user device also comprises a memory unit to store instructions and a platform for enhancing the quality of the document image.
[17] The platform enhances the quality of the document image comprising the QR code by a method of superimposition. In this method, a three-corner box image is superimposed on the document image on multiple co-ordinates to achieve better success rate of readability of the QR code.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[18] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and / or detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[19] The embodiments here in below provide a system and a method to improve quality of an image containing QR code, herein forward referred to as a document image, to make reading the QR code easier. A QR code, also known as a Quick Response code, is a type of a 2-D bar code that provides an easy access to information. The present disclosure discloses a system comprising a platform devised to superimpose a three-corner box image on the document image whose QR code is to be read. The superimposed image is represented to a QR reading function embedded in said platform for processing it to extract data encoded in the QR code by further taking the superimposed image forward through other necessary steps. In order to achieve a better success rate, iterations are done at different coordinates of the document image to be processed.
[20] In the present disclosure, superimposition may refer to a technique by which an image or video can be positioned on top of an already existing image or video, adding to an overall image effect.
[21] In the present disclosure, platform may refer to a means of enhancing quality of a document image for reading and collecting data encoded in the QR code.
[22] In the present disclosure, HSM may refer to a physical computing device that can be implemented for reading a document image. Traditionally, these devices come in the form of a plug-in card or an external device that can be attached directly to a computer or network server.
[23] In the present disclosure, an application may refer to a another means of reading a QR code by installing it in a user device such as smartphone, tablet and the like.
[24] The present disclosure, document image may refer to an image that contains a QR code. The document image is scanned to get information encoded in the QR code.
[25] Referring now to the drawings, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, are shown in preferred embodiments.
[26] Fig 1 depicts the components and working details of a user device 100 that corrects and reads the document image comprising a QR code. The user device 100 is disposed with a processor 101 that is configured to execute a set or sets of instructions received from multiple modules disposed within the same user device 100.
[27] In a preferred embodiment, the user device 100 may be any digital device such as, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop capable of scanning a document image comprising a QR code and further comprising a screen to view the scanned document image.
[28] In one embodiment of the invention, a module may be a component in the user device 100 configured to send and execute instructions in the process of scanning and fetching data from a QR code.
[29] In a preferred embodiment, the user device 100 further comprises an input/output unit 102 for sending (output) and receiving (input) data/signals and a memory unit 103 that stores instructions and/or other related data.
[30] The user device 100 further comprises a platform 104 that enhances image quality of document image by superimposing a three-corner box image onto the document image and subsequently reads the superimposed document image to interpret the data encoded in QR code.
[31] In a preferred embodiment, a three-corner box image is a digital image comprising of a pattern of three box shaped figures, the three boxes are disposed on only three vertices/corners of a square, with the fourth vertex having no box shaped figure.
[32] Further, with respect to Fig. 1, the platform 104 comprises of different modules including image collection module 105, image superimposition module 106, contour/pattern finding module 107, iteration module 108, QR reading function module 109 to aid its purpose.
[33] In a preferred embodiment, the document image comprising a QR code is collected by the image collection module 105 through the input/output unit 102 and is saved in the memory unit 103. In one embodiment, the document image may be directly captured by the user device 100 or may be provided as an input as a soft copy.
[34] In a preferred embodiment, the image superimposition module 106 then positions a three-corner box image on the document image of interest. The contour/pattern finding module 107 searches for a pattern that builds or superimposes the corner boxes on the boxes in the image that is superimposed. Further, the iteration module 108 performs anoperation of superimposition multiple times at different coordinates of the document image to achieve better success rate. The superimposed image is then fed to the QR reading function module 109 for reading the data encoded in QR code.
[35] The foregoing description may be understood better with the following example:
[36] The QR code comprises of various aspects of information related to an entity, or an individual or may also comprise of information directing to a website. The QR code is disposed in a digital image, called a document image. This document image is scanned by the image collection module 105 disposed in the user device 100. In an embodiment of the invention, the QR code in the document image may be blurred, or a part of the QR code may be hazy. In this situation, the information received from the QR code may be altered or the required information may not be received at all.
[37] In this case, an image is generated comprising of three boxes on three vertices of a square whose dimensions may be similar to the dimensions of the QR code. The three boxes are commonly known in the art as ‘position markers’ that help identify the position and the orientation of a QR code. This three box image is superimposed onto the document image by the image superimposition module 106. The contour/pattern finding module 107 further detects patterns of the QR code in order to superimpose the three-image on the document image. Further in the process, the iteration module 108 detects multiple co-ordinates on the document image to superimpose the three-box image on the QR code in the document image, in order to enhance the quality of reading by enabling scanning of alignment of the QR code.
[38] Fig. 2 (a) depicts a system 220 that superimposes a three-corner box image in the document image 221 and enhances the overall image effect of it. The QR code is detected by finding reliable patterns in it which form three black boxes at the corners. Based on this principle, a three-corner box image 231 (shown in Fig 2(b)) is superimposed onto the document image 221 and, after superimposition 222, the resulting image is fed to the QR reading function 223 disposed within the platform.
[39] In one embodiment of the present invention, the platform may be an application that can be implemented for reading the QR code.
[40] In another embodiment, the platform may be a HSM that can read the QR code by attaching it directly to any user device or network server.
[41] Fig. 2(b) depicts the method 230 of superimposing the three-corner box image 231 into a document image 232 containing the QR code. The step of placing image 231 on top of the document image 232 is iterated multiple times at different coordinates of the document image 232 until the black boxes of the image 231 are mapped onto the three black boxes present in the corner of QR code contained in document image 232. The mapping is accomplished by finding the contour of the boxes; once the mapping is achieved, the resulted image is represented to the QR reading function 223 (shown in Fig. 2(a)). The QR reading function 223 now scans/reads the pattern within the three-corner boxes and extracts the encoded information.
[42] In another embodiment of the present invention, the described method of image correction may also be implemented when the document image contains any barcode and not restricted to only QR code.
[43] In one embodiment of the invention, the document image 232 may comprise of more than one QR code.
[44] The above-mentioned system may be advantageously used to redress a poor-quality image that contains QR code. Nowadays, in almost every field, a QR code is used to authenticate data. In many cases, the image is not of readable quality due to many reasons. In such scenarios, the present invention is advantageous in the image scanning system.
[45] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein. ,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We claim:
1. A system for enhancing quality of at least one image comprising at least one QR code, said system comprising:
at least one user device (100), said user device (100) comprising:
at least one processor (101), wherein said processor (101) is configured to execute at least one instruction set received from at least one module disposed in said user device (100);
at least one input/output unit (102), wherein said input/output unit (102) is configured to communicate at least one data or signal;
at least one memory unit (103), wherein said memory unit (103) is configured to store at least one instruction; and
at least one platform (104) present in the user device (100), wherein the platform is configured to:
collect at least one document image comprising encoded data;
enhance image quality of at least one document image; and
read the one or more encoded data.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platform (104) further comprises:
at least one image collection module (105) configured to collect the at least one document image;
at least one image superimposition module (106) configured to situate a three-corner box image on said document image, wherein said three-corner box image comprises a pattern comprising three boxes, wherein each of the three boxes are positioned at threecorners of said three-corner box image;
at least one contour/pattern finding module (107) configured to search for pattern to build boxes in said three-corner box image;
at least one iteration module (108) configured to superimpose said three-corner box image at least once on said document image on at least set of one co-ordinates; and
at least one QR reading function module (109) configured to read data encoded in said QR code.

3. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said superimposition by said iteration module (108) comprises superimposing said three-corner box image on said document image on at least one co-ordinate.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein acquired result of superimposition by said iteration module (108) is further sent to QR reading function module (109).

5. A method for enhancing quality of a document image comprising a QR code, said method comprising:
capturing, by an image collection module (105), an image comprising a QR code into a user device (100) as a document image;
superimposing, by an image superimposition module (106), a three-corner box image on said document image on at least one co-ordinate at least once; and
feeding a result of said superimposition into a QR reading function to read encoded data in said QR code.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said three-corner box image comprises a pattern comprising three boxes, with one box each at threecorners of said three-corner box image.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:
searching for a three-box pattern in the document image, by using a contour/pattern finding module (107);
superimposing, by using an iteration module (108), said three-corner box image at least once on said document image on at least one set of co-ordinates; and
reading and capturing data encoded in said QR code by using a QR reading function module (109).