Efficient Decoding of Blurred, Pitched, and

Scratched Barcode Images

J. P. Liyanage
Zone24x7 Inc
janakal@zone24x7.com

There are two fundamental types of one-dimensional

barcodes; width code and delta code [8]. In delta codes, we
divide the available interval into modules and assign either

1s (where the modules are painted to form bars) or 0s

(forming spaces). In width codes, we assign 1 to a narrow
bar or space and 0 to a wide bar or space. We can have
either just two different widths or number of different
widths (usually a power of two). If we had four different
widths we can assign two bits (e.g. 00, 01 etc) to each bar
or space, encoding more information.
The barcode decoding is made complicated by various
distortions found on captured barcode images. The
distortions may be either present on the original barcode
(on paper) or introduced in the capturing stage by the
digital camera. The distortions in the original barcode
include ink spread, scratches, fading, folded papers, and
curved surfaces. The distortions introduced by the
capturing phase include reflections, skewing, pitching,
blurring, noise, and rotations.
There are number of barcode decoding algorithms
developed my many scientists ranging from those that uses
basic thresholding to advanced edge detection in the spatial
domain and Fourier transformation in frequency domain.
Rotations are one common problem that affects most of
the decoding algorithms negatively. Most of the barcode
algorithms work only on horizontally oriented barcodes,
requiring them to use an additional algorithm to correct the
rotations in the image. Detecting the barcode orientation
has been implemented using number of methods. A simple
approach is discussed by Mikio, where the relative position
of corners of the barcode is used to determine the
orientation [4]. Another approach proposed by Eisaku is to
use the spiral method to find a bar and then use edge
detection to find the orientation of the edge [7].
Noise and scratches are some other major causes, which
make decoding complicated. Donald explains a method,
which uses Fourier transformation and putting together
number of images to reduce the effect of noise and
increase the resolution of the barcode images [2].
Super-resolution is a method based on the idea of using
the information contained in the whole 2D image to create
a single high resolution 1D signal. A barcode reader based
on this principal of projecting all the pixels in the barcode
image to a single high resolution line is presented by Todd
[10].
Some decoding algorithms like the one presented by
Rusen are forced to find a predetermined number of bars in
the image [9]. While this would substantially simplify the

algorithm and will work very well on symbologies like

EAN13, it will not work on many popular symbologies
like CODE39 or CODE128 as they support any number of
characters and thus contain variable number of bars.
Most of the best decoding algorithms are based on
transforming the original image information to a frequency
domain, such as approaches based on the Fourier
transformation or the Hough transformation as proposed
by Muniz [5]. These approaches are often used in

professional image recognition software running on

desktop computers, as they offer very good recognition
rates. However, their requirements in terms of system
resources can be too demanding for typical mobile devices
and thus not suitable for real time barcode decoding in
mobile devices [1]. An alternative to costly domain
transformation is proposed by Robert [1]. It is a much
simpler approach based on scanlines, which try to
detect the bar code along a particular line through the

Abstract - While there are number of domain transformation

based image processing algorithms for decoding barcode
images, these algorithms are computationally intensive and
thus not suitable for embedded or online applications. These
algorithms are better implemented on desktop or server
systems for decoding images offline. In this paper, we discuss
a camera independent barcode image decoding algorithm
suited for embedded real-time applications like barcode
scanning in Point-Of-Sales terminals. While the algorithm is
ideal for a charge-coupled device (CCD) type scanner with a
camera module, it can also be used to decode images taken
from a distance (as in laser scanners) and is robust against
most of the common distortions caused by low cost
cameras/lenses.

I. INTRODUCTION
With the advent of the microprocessors and digital
cameras, using the digital images captured from cameras
for many non-traditional applications has seen a sharp rise.
One such application is using smart cameras for barcode
decoding, where a digital image is processed by a
microprocessor to obtain the data coded in the barcode.
Since prices of both digital cameras and microprocessors
are going down in a rapid pace, such an apparatus can
effectively replace high cost traditional barcode scanners.
However, processing barcode images introduces lot of
challenges since the images can be blurred, rotated, or
distorted. A trivial scan line based approach may not work
for most of the images and number of people has proposed
approaches that are more sophisticated.
Given an image containing a barcode, finding the data
string encoded in the barcode is usually two fold:
Searching the image to find the barcodes called
barcode localization
Decoding the barcode and extracting the
information contained called decoding (reading)
In this paper, our focus would be on the barcode decoding
or reading phase, where we have introduced a simple yet
powerful algorithm to decode most types of 1D barcodes.
II. BACKGROUND

image. Though such algorithms need much fewer

computing resources making them suitable even for mobile
camera phones, they suffer from poor recognition rates
specially when dealing with dirty surfaces, reflections,
shadows, or slight misalignments. Though some of these
problems can be alleviated by extensive use of multiple
scanlines, it substantially increases the complexity of the
algorithm. In addition, they also need barcode localization
to be carried out prior to decoding, in order to
properly align the scanline.
Because of uncertainties about the contrast and problems
with ambient illumination, it is advisable to look for
changes in the intensity of the reflected light rather than
the absolute level of the light (despite of automatic gain
controls). Most bar code systems use edge detection or
highly adaptive thresholding techniques that look at the
slope of the waveform produced when a bar code is
scanned. While the ideal signal would be a set of
rectangular pulses, the real signal has a rounded form
because of convolution distortion [8].

Fig. 1 The thin lines show the ideal waveform from a scan, while the
dotted line shows a possible output from a sensor [8]

Edge detection is a popular method as it can identify the

orientations of individual bars as well. Edge detection

The major workload is done in the first and last stages of

the algorithm. The second and third stages were added to
make it easier to understand. The Fig. 2 below elaborates
on the inner workings of the first stage.
Manually localized
barcode image

when used with non-maximum suppression is somewhat

robust in identifying bar positions in blurred barcode
images as well. Normand proposes a method based on
second derivative edge detection and blur modeling [6].
Eugene has given an effective method for blurred images
using waveform peak location detection [3] as opposed to
the point of greatest slope (NMS). This method
significantly reduces misclassification for blurred images.
Narrow bars are more susceptible to severe distortions
since lesser number of pixels is used to represent them in
the captured image. For this reason, it is always advisable
to magnify the image using zoom lenses or macro lenses
when the barcode is of high density.
III. METHODOLOGY
Our approach to barcode decoding is primarily based on
edge detection. The requirement for the algorithm to be
simple and efficient prevented us from going for a complex
algorithm based on domain transformations. However, it
was required that the algorithm is robust against most of
the common distortions occurring when the barcode
images are captured from a low cost camera in a mobile
device.
The predominant distortion in images captured from
mobile devices is blurring, which occurs due to focusing
problems in the camera. Blurring can be very severe that it
merges two bars together or severely changes the widths of
bars in a barcode; virtually making is impossible for the
decoding algorithm to extract the information.
In general, our recognition algorithm is also scanline
based, in the sense that it applies edge detection mask
along horizontal scanlines. In order to improve robustness,
we are using a set of multiple scanlines. If multiple
scanlines cross the bar code, each at a different position in
the barcode, we can increase the robustness by combining
the results from multiple scanlines in a majority-voting
fashion. This way an inaccuracy due to dirt, noise or
reflections on one line can be compensated by two or more
correct identifications on other lines. Finally yet
importantly, by using a variable amount of scanlines, we
have a simple mechanism to adapt our algorithm to the
processing power of the individual device it is running on.
The algorithm combines information from other scan
lines corresponding to the missing information, and
computes the best fit. Even if a bar code is scratched
diagonally from one end to the other, this algorithm is able
to find the correct barcode, where a scan line bar code
reader (like a laser scanner) will fail.
The algorithm works in four stages:
1. Identify the alternating black and white bars in the
image using edge detection
2. Calculate the widths of these bars
3. Identify the barcode Symbology from bar widths
4. Decode the bar widths resulting in text data
in thick edges in the edge detection phase, which are
problematic in identifying the width of the bars. While
finding the point of greatest change (NMS) can eliminate
thick edges in a normal edge detection applications it may
not be suitable for the bar width identification. Therefore
we are calculating the mid point of thick edges by taking
Determine angle of the first bar

Edge Detection on
Horizontal Scan Lines

Calculate Mid
point of thick
edges

Determine the
angle of this bar

Remove Noisy
edge points

Find the next

best bar

Fig. 2: Sub modules of stage 1 - determining the positions of individual

bars

Since the algorithm does not implement the barcode

localization part, the input image should contain only the
barcode. A simple charge-coupled device (CCD) type
barcode scanner, which requires the scanner to be in nearcontact with the printed barcode while capturing the image,
results in images suitable for this algorithm (without any
localization). A simple localization algorithm can be used
to obtain a cropped image in all other cases, where the
barcode will not fill the entire image area.
As for the edge detection, since we are only interested in
near vertical black lines, we are using a mask, which
detects vertical edges. This mask was derived from firstderivative based Sobel operator. The masks, which are
convoluted with the images, are given in Fig. 3.

-1
-2
-1

1
2
1

-1
-2
-1

0
0
0

the position where the intensity is halfway between the

highest and lowest. The efficacy of this method over NMS
in identifying widths of blurred bars is illustrated in Fig. 4.
Next step is to remove the edge points created due to
various noise characteristics of the camera sensors. The
magnitude of an edge is calculated to be the difference
between highest and lowest intensity values. Any edge
whose magnitude falls below an empirical value (which
depends on the camera sensor), would be regarded as a
noisy edge and discarded.
The algorithm assumes that individual bars would be
straight lines and tries to match a set of edge points along a
near-vertical straight line to an edge of a bar. Due to this
assumption, the algorithm fails if the bars are severely
curved. However, preliminary test results show that the
algorithm decodes barcodes with moderately curved bars
successfully. In order to determine the equation of a
potential straight line to match with a bar, we first need an
approximate value for the gradient of the line. The
orientations of consecutive bars in a barcode do not change
by much, making the gradient of the previously matched
straight line a good candidate for this. However, for the
first bar (since we do not have a previous bar) we need a
different method for calculating the orientation. A simple
method of determining the orientation would be to use an
edge detection operator. However, this method is not
robust in case of distorted barcode images, and thus we
find the orientation by matching a regression line to the set
of first edge points from each of the scanlines.
After finding an approximate gradient for a straightline to
match with the edge points, straightlines at various offsets
are matched with the set of closest edge points to that line.
The matched straightline is the one that is closest to its
closest edge points along each scanline. This is illustrated
in Fig. 5.
NMS
identified
point
Mid point of
intensity

1
2
1

Fig. 3 2x3 and 3x3 Sobel masks used to detect vertical edges

Blurred bars results in gradual changes in intensity values

opposed to sudden changes as in sharp images. This results
Edge point closest
to the straight line

Fig. 4 NMS identifies the point of greatest slope, which is highly

dependent on the shape of the waveform

Matched line

Calculate the
widths of the bars

Horizontal
scanlines

Another line with

the same
gradient but
different offset

Determine the type

of the barcode

raighlines with the

same
gradient

but different
offsets to
edge points

Perform CODE39 decoding

After finding the matched straightline, the associated

edge points are matched again with a regression line to
find out the exact gradient of the line created by this set of
edge points. This is required since orientations of bars may
change gradually from one end of the barcode to the other.
This new gradient is used to match a straightline to the set
of edge points constituting the next bar.
This process continues from the left end of the barcode to
the right end of the barcode and stopped when sufficient
number of edge points can not be found to be matched with
a line.
The set of matched straightlines are sent as output from
the first stage to the second stage as input. The stages after
the first stage are illustrated in Fig. 6. The second stage of
calculating the widths of the bars is straightforward. The
widths are derived from the horizontal offset difference of
two consecutive straightlines.
The third stage of identifying the symbology of the
barcode is simple since only two different types of
symbologies are supported at this time. The program
currently supports only Code39 (a width code) and EAN13
(a delta code). The number of bars identified in the first
two stages can be used to determine the type of the barcode
without any ambiguity in this case. However as support for
more symbologies are added ambiguities will occur with
this approach and in such cases we will have to decode the

Per
f

orm EAN13
decoding
Check Digit
calculation

Fig. 6 Stages in the decoding the barcode after the first stage of
identifying the bars

The fourth stage of decoding the bar widths is non trivial

as widths can change substantially due to distortions such
as blurring. It is observed that blurring has the most
negative effects in changing the widths from the original
values.
A Decoding CODE39
CODE39 symbology, as a width code of just two
different widths is relatively simple to decode, since even
with moderate width changes it is easier distinguish
between the two categories, narrow and wide. Since each
character is represented by nine bars (6 narrow, 3 wide), a
set of nine consecutive bar widths are selected and sorted.
In the sorted list, if the difference between the 6th and 7th
widths is more than a specified threshold value, the bar
widths are matched with the CODE39 decoding table to
find out the representing character. Otherwise, the
algorithm returns as unsuccessful. This is illustrated in Fig.
7.

x>T

bar widths according to the rules of two for more

symbologies to determine the correct type.

x<T
Fig. 7 Sorted bar widths in a line; can be decoded (top); cannot be
decoded (bottom)

This method prevents incorrect decoding which can occur

due to substantial blurring. Since the decoding is carried

out character at a time without defining a global threshold

to categorize the narrow and wide bars, local changes in
the widths due to curved (horizontal) barcodes or lens
distortions do not affect the decoding.
B Decoding EAN13
Decoding EAN13 bar widths is manly concerned about
categorizing bar widths into one if four possible classes.
Since we have four different widths as opposed to just two
in CODE39, blurring and other distortions, which affect
the bar widths, reduce the decoding rate substantially. The
three thresholds required to classify the bar widths into
four classes, are calculated as follows:
Sort the bar widths in ascending order

Wi ,i [1, N ]

Let the ordered list be W, where

Calculate
a
new

Calculate

Sort the AvgW list taking Z as the keys to sort it

in the descending order
Now the first three elements in the AvgW list are
taken as the global threshold to classify the bar
widths, such that

list

Z,

AvgW,

where

(W Wi )
Z i = i +1
,i [1, N 1]
W
i
where
a

new

list

(Wi +1 +Wi )
AvgWi =
,i [1, N 1]
2

For each width w in W

if (w AvgW1 ) then w C

Fig. 8 The main window of the prototype barcode decoder decoding a

skewed barcode image

The algorithm was tested with various barcodes imaged

under various distortions and the results surpassed the
original expectations of the algorithms decoding rate.
Following are some of the barcode images that were
decoded successfully.

else if (w AvgW2 ) then w

C 3 else if (w AvgW3 ) then
w C 2 else w C1
where C1, C2, C3 and C4 are the narrowest to
widest classes in that order.
Since global thresholds are used to categorize the bars,
curved barcodes or lens distortions will make barcode hard
to decode. A different method which does adaptive
thresholding should be found in order to improve the
robustness for these cases.

Fig. 9 faded EAN13 code, the algorithm compensates the faded regions
from good ones

Fig. 10 scaled image of a CODE39 with reflections

IV. RESULTS
The prototype algorithm was written in C# using .NET
framework 2.0. The programs main window is shown in
Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 CODE39 on crumpled paper

Fig. 12 CODE39 on vertically curved surface - like on a marker pen

Since our algorithm assumes that each individual bar in

the barcode have different yet associated orientations,
skewed and pitched barcodes can be decoded successfully.
The algorithm is also robust against barcodes with
scratches and reflections as long as these distortions do not
cover a complete bar.
Following are some of the images, which failed to decode.

distortions. Replacing empirical constants with dynamic

values derived from the attributes of the image is one.
Another is to replace the global thresholding with adaptive
thresholding so that various local distortions will not have an
effect on the decoding. A Fuzzy based algorithm can be used
for finding a matching character for a set of bar widths.
Currently this matching is implemented as a simple table
lookup.

Fig. 13 A blurred image of EAN13, taken without properly focusing the

camera

Fig. 14 EAN13 on a horizontally curved surface

In Fig. 13 the image is blurred severely such that

consecutive narrow bars have merged to form a wide bar.
Barcodes like this cannot be decoded without a technique
like blur modeling which is computationally intensive and
not implemented in our algorithm. When the barcode is
printed on a horizontally curved surface, the bars in the
middle of the barcode become wider than those in the
edges like in Fig. 14, making it impossible to classify the
bars using a global threshold.
A Focus Requirements
The algorithm works optimally when distance between
the barcode and the camera is 5 to 10 centimeters and that
the camera is properly focused onto the barcode. If the
barcode X dimension is small, camera can be brought
closer to the barcode and change the focus accordingly to
obtain an adequate sized image.
B Resolution Requirements
The resolution requirement is such that each bar should
be at least one pixel wide. However due to camera noise
and focus issues, an ideal bar with one pixel wide is not
practically obtainable. It is observed that a barcode with its
narrowest bar being approximately two pixels wide is
easily decoded by our algorithm. Depending on the length of
the barcode, the resolution required by the camera to capture
an adequate sized barcode image changes.
V. CONCLUSION
The simple yet powerful algorithm for barcode decoding
presented in this paper can be used to decode barcode images
in devices with limited processing power. A simple barcode
scanner can be implemented by porting the algorithm into an
Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) processor and interfacing a
low-cost camera module to the same. It would take less than
one second for a barcode image in full VGA resolution
(640x480) to be decoded in a
266Mhz ARM processor (e.g. FreeScale MX21).
Number of improvements can be done in order to increase
the decoding rate of the algorithm, under various

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I want to thank the management of the Zone24x7 Inc,
who provided the necessary guidance and resources to start
and continue the project from start to end. Special thanks
go to Manjula Dissanayake and Llavan Fernando for the
encouragement provided in the same.
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