High capacity 2D color barcode and method for decoding the same

A two-dimensional color barcode formed on an object to have a defined region differentiated from a background of the object, comprising:

• a plurality of data cells each having one of a plurality of primary colors, the data cells having identical sizes and being arranged to form a two-dimensional array containing a plurality of columns and rows separated by white spaces;
• a plurality of corner locator cells located at corners of the barcode;
• and
• a plurality of border reference cells each having one of the plurality of primary colors, arranged to form four borders located between the corner locator cells and substantially surrounding the two-dimensional array of data cells, and the border reference cells in each border between two corner locator cells having a predetermined repeating color sequence including the plurality of primary colors,
• wherein each of the corner locator cells has a solid black color, a square shape and a size larger than the size of the data cells, and wherein each of the corner locator cells is free of any data cells or border reference cells adjacent to two of its four sides and is separated from adjacent data cells and border reference cells on the other two of its four sides by white spaces wider than or equal to a width of the data cells.