Mobile tagging is the process of providing data read from tags for display on mobile devices, commonly encoded in a two-dimensional barcode, using the camera of a camera phone

Camera phone

A camera phone is a mobile phone which is able to capture still photographs . Since early in the 21st century the majority of mobile phones in use are camera phones....

 as the reader device. The contents of the tag code is usually a URL

Uniform Resource Locator

In computing, a uniform resource locator or universal resource locator is a specific character string that constitutes a reference to an Internet resource....

 for information addressed and accessible through Internet.

History

Mobile tagging is currently most prominent in Asia, especially Japan. It was developed in 2003 and ever since it has been used in several fields of mobile marketing. Densos' QR Code

QR Code

A QR code is a type of matrix barcode first designed for the automotive industry. More recently, the system has become popular outside of the industry due to its fast readability and comparatively large storage capacity. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white...

 in Asia and the Data Matrix

Data Matrix

A Data Matrix code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode consisting of black and white "cells" or modules arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. The information to be encoded can be text or raw data. Usual data size is from a few bytes up to 1556 bytes. The length of the encoded data...

 are currently the most popular 2D barcodes. Both are ISO-standardised. In 2009, prominent electronics company Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...

 introduced the Microsoft Tag format, based on the company's self-developed High Capacity Color Barcode

High Capacity Color Barcode

High Capacity Color Barcode is the name coined by Microsoft for its technology of encoding data in a 2D "barcode" using clusters of colored triangles instead of the square pixels traditionally associated with 2D barcodes. Data density is increased by using a palette of 4 or 8 colors for the...

 (HCCB) standard, in an effort to establish the format through emerging mobile tagging markets in the west. Unlike most popular 2D barcodes, which use black-and-white square pixels, HCCBs are based on colors in a triangle-based arrangement.

The reason for the success of mobile tagging, besides the flexible and multiple fields of application, is the quick, precise and customer-driven access to information. According to the principle of physical world connection (see also Object hyperlinking

Object hyperlinking

Object hyperlinking is a neologism that usually refers to extending the Internet to objects and locations in the real world. The current Internet does not extend beyond the electronic world. Object hyperlinking aims to extend the Internet to the real world by attaching object tags with URLs as...

), the user is able to gather digital information immediately by scanning a two-dimensional barcode, like one on an advertisement.

In Europe mobile tagging is now gaining traction, albeit that the primary usage has been direct linking of url's to 2D codes. Indeed, several campaigns in relation to physical world connection have been launched, however a standard for multi-dimensional barcodes is still missing.

One of the key organizations driving wider implementation of two-dimensional barcodes is GS1 http://www.gs1.org/ GS1's main activity is the development of the GS1 System, a series of standards designed to improve supply chain management. The GS1 System is composed of four key product areas: Barcodes (used to automatically identify things), eCom (electronic business messaging allowing automatic electronic transmission of data), GDSN (Global Data Synchronisation Network which allows partners to have consistent item data in their systems at the same time) and EPCglobal (which uses RFID technology to immediately track an item).

Codes and readers

Currently about 70 different types of barcodes and their specific versions exist and are mostly in use in the field of logistics. In terms of mobile tagging, the number of codes is essentially restricted to a dozen types. For reading out 2d-barcodes it is essential to install specific software, a reader, on the mobile device.

The reader uses the camera of a mobile phone for the mobile tagging process. The producers of the reader are very involved in developing solutions to increase the number of compatible mobile phones. Most services on the corresponding websites offer the download directly onto the mobile device or PC. In addition, many providers offer the user a generator for creating their own codes.

Due to the absence of a standard code, the readers are faced with the same problem. On the one hand there is a remarkable number of readers which aren't able to identify barcodes apart from their own proprietary codes. On the other hand there are several readers which were created to read out non-proprietary code, these 'open source codes' are the most used for Optical Reading with Mobile like the QR Code and the Data Matrix. However, a QR code is always 60% larger than a DataMatrix code and this tends to mean that DM is the primary code used in packaging and enterprise solutions for example.

Application areas

At present, mobile tagging is not only finding its way into the day-to-day-life of campaigns in the fields of commercial, public and private tagging but also may end absolute convergence between information media. Mobile tagging connects static information carriers with the Internet and encourages the interactive behaviour of the user. At least this is not the only reason why leading experts are firmly convinced that performance in the European markets will almost reach Asian levels in the foreseeable future. However, the future success will not be attributed to simply linking to url's, as with the internet no one will pay to connect to a url. The real enterprise solutions are where the codes will be monetized and customization for business and commercial use will be at the forefront of intelligent and professional use, examples of which are; e-government, tourism, advertising and targeted marketing, packaging, supply chain management, brand management and brand protection, logistics, track and trace, anti-counterfeit or smuggling, id & passports, transport and ticketing, parking, disability, crm, cross media campaigns, m-ticketing, m-payments, e-learning, complete integration of localization, personalization, objects and other data.

Commercial tagging

Commercial tagging includes the use of multi-dimensional barcodes, especially in the fields of mobile marketing and advertising. Showcases in this context are additional information on products
(such as the nutrient content on hamburgers), direct downloads such as free ringtones, clips or mobile games) and the direct link to a specific site of a company. Particularly in the field of commercial tagging it is vital for the code to be able to be branded (it is possible to integrate a logo in the code). It is hard to convince people to use this technology.

Public tagging

In terms of public tagging, barcodes serve as a hyperlink to additional information on public information carriers. This information may include maps, customer reviews or other non-commercial advice.

Private tagging

In view of private tagging, personal motives come to the fore. Besides the opportunity for creating direct hyperlinks on blogs or profiles, it is possible to participate immediately in online auctions (such as barcodes on cars with eBay hyperlinks).

Mobile Tagging Network

A mobile Tagging Network is a virtual environment the end user is transported to after scanning a 2 dimensional bar code and or touched an NFC

NFC

NFC may refer to:* Nagacorp FC, a Cambodian sporting club* National Finance Center, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture* National Football Conference, a constituent conference of the National Football League...

 (Near Field Communication

Near Field Communication

Near field communication, or NFC, allows for simplified transactions, data exchange, and wireless connections between two devices in proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimeters. It is expected to become a widely used system for making payments by smartphone in the United States...

)] tag. The virtual environment is determined by the producer of the 2d bar code and or NFC tag.

To be considered a Mobile Tagging Network , the virtual environment must allow the end user to navigate beyond a home page, have the ability to interact and communicate with the producer of the environment, allow the end user to connect and or communicate to other networks. For example: Social Networking Sites, other available content, offer page, contact information (VCard

VCard

vCard is a file format standard for electronic business cards. vCards are often attached to e-mail messages, but can be exchanged in other ways, such as on the World Wide Web or Instant Messaging...

) which can be automatically downloaded to the end users contact files, etc.. In addition the network must be able to provide analytics outside of an "opt-in

Opt in e-mail

Opt in email is a term used when someone is given the option to receive "bulk" email, that is, email that is sent to many people at the same time. Typically, this is some sort of mailing list, newsletter, or advertising...

" form. For example: when, how and where did the end user engage in the network, where did the end user go after they entered the virtual environment.

Furthermore, barcodes allow services like saving data automatically in the contact list of mobile phones by scanning a code printed on business cards.

In addition to higher user friendliness, private tagging offers novel opportunities for self-presentation.