Integrating Artistic Screen Dots for Anti-Counterfeiting in High-Capacity Graphic QR Code for Medical Care

The Quick Response code (QR code) is a medium linking the virtual and real worlds and is widely used in daily life including the healthcare sector. However, current QR codes have limited information storage capacity and are visually unappealing. With the rapid advancement of technology, distinguishing between genuine and counterfeit items has become increasingly challenging, especially since the commonly used QR codes lack an anti-counterfeiting mechanism to protect privacy and ensure information security. Thus, we designed a graphic QR code with high capacity, high visual quality, and multiple anti-counterfeiting features while still being machine-readable. We randomly scrambled the eight private QR codes, excluding the public data, using a pseudo-random method by inputting the key. We embedded and blended them with the public data QR code while incorporating artistic screen dots. The hidden information is revealed and verified when overlaid with a decoding mask. The Nine distinct QR codes were successfully restored and read. QR codes are used to deliver public information with a programmatic algorithm to decode hidden messages. By adjusting the tone parameter, the readability was improved. The developed QR code can be applied in the healthcare industry to enhance security and advance the quality of medical services.