It is similar to DataMatrix/QR codes in that it has 'capture patterns' that makes it easy to scan at any orientation.

However it is designed in such a way, that the barcode can be scanned by a smartphone in a lengthwise motion, much like PDF417 (which is a set of stacked 1d barcodes). Which would result in a large binary data that can be opened/saved as a webpage/image/pdf/etc...

The idea is that instead of transmitting large text, or compressed html pages as one single dense QR code (which is harder to scan), or having a sequence of smaller QR codes (which is annoying to use). You split it and stack it up like PDF417, but with regular capture patterns that makes it easier to grab the next block of data rapidly (instead of stopping at each QR code individually like with QR's structured append feature). Thus scanning a large 2d barcode is via moving the camera along the length of the barcode.

It looks like a set of Datamatrix/QR code stacked lengthwise, but with a restricted height (so that cameras can easily see the code height wise)

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Application:

Data preservation on paper.

Crypto key transfer. (e.g. public key sharing)

Static HTML pages.

Picture/files embedded on paper so you don't have to download it? E.g. PDF of a map?

Small javascript apps(via static HTML)! : E.g. Calculate your BMI index

CSV data of findings

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I Know it is possible because "Phono Paper" is essentially doing something similar, but in the analog sound domain only ( sound --> analog barcode).
-- mofosyne, Jul 19 2014

Phono Paper http://warmplace.ru/soft/phonopaper/
Encodes sound as analog barcode (separated via frequency) [mofosyne, Jul 19 2014]

QR version 20 http://en.wikipedia...e:QR_Droid_2663.png
Largest I could scan with my smartphone is 1265 bytes, that's crap for embedding files [mofosyne, Jul 19 2014]

HTMLz https://cloudconver...formats/ebook/htmlz
Any support for static html pages, should support some form of compression. (And if possible, a reader side static dictionary of common HTML tags) [mofosyne, Jul 19 2014]

Data URI in QR code http://zproxy.wordp...and-fez-sky-island/
You can place it in a QR code, but reader/browser support in smartphones is quite limited. (As well as barcode size). Plus base64 encoding is not as efficient as binary. [mofosyne, Jul 19 2014]

UltraCode - Colour barcodes http://fileformats.....org/wiki/UltraCode
Black and white barcode is good, but we should also have a colour barcode mode to fit more data into the same space. Especially if embedding stuff like PDFs [mofosyne, Jul 19 2014]

Makes sense... I suppose, we could then use computer screen to download larger files, use it almost like an infrared link, except that the transfer speed would be much higher. I wonder what would be the data transfer rate limit.
-- Mindey, Jul 20 2014


Would be limited somewhat by refresh rate of the sending screen, and the camera. Say 30fps.

Also limited by processing speed, and size of QR. So say... 500 byte each frame. Which is really only 15kB per second (if flashing codes in seqence).

This 'loooong barcode' is more for embedding in posters, to transfer very small embedded data to the smartphone without an internet connection. Like... say a a protest poster needing to convey some important vector maps of the march.

Or they need a way to distribute public key in public so people can email them securely.
-- mofosyne, Jul 20 2014



random, halfbakery