COMBINING A QR CODE AND AN IMAGE

A QR code is combined with a base image, preserving useful functionalities of both the base image and the QR code. For example, the base image remains clearly visible and recognizable by humans; the transparent QR code remains readable by scanners; machine image search can distinguish the base image from the combined image; and faces of the combined image are usable by machine face recognition programs. A QR code is generated with transparencies for different regions. An inner portion and outer shell portion for each module each may have different transparencies. Inner portion size relative to outer shell size is selectively adjustable. The generated QR code image may be combined with a given base image such as a face or company logo using the transparency values of the QR code image to make the two images appear as overlaid on one another with varying degrees of transparency.