AUGMENTED BINARY CODE SYMBOL

An augmented binary code symbol (100) includes a perimeter, first and second data regions (20) along adjacent sides of the perimeter, first and second utility regions (30) along adjacent sides of the perimeter opposite the first and second data regions (20), first and second finder cells (40) at opposite comers of the rectangle, and inner and outer quiet regions distinguishing the first and second data regions, the first and second utility regions (30), and the first and second finder cells (40) from their background. Each data region and each utility region has at least one row (22) of a plurality of data cells (24) and utility cells, respectively, which encode data and have well-defined edges, enabling the number of data and utility cells to be increased, so as to increase the density of the encoded data. The data and utility cells are marked using a short wave length laser in order to create the well-defined edges.