Bar-code reading from a smart-phone screen

[ubagas]

Hello,

I'm currently developing an application for mobile loyalty system.
In this application you will be able to store your discount/loyalty cards on a smart-phone.

Application works like this:
You scan your loyalty card's bar-code and save it on smart-phone.
When you are in a store you just show your loyalty card's bar-code on a smart-phone's screen for a discount.

The problem:

Not all types of bar-code scanners can scan directly from a smart-phone screen.
Bar-codes from the screen can easily be read by CCD or Camera-based scanners.
But if you use laser scanner you will find very difficulty or nearly impossible to scan a bar-code from a screen.
CCD or Camera-based scanners are quite new and expensive, so not all the stores have them.
Nearly 70% of the time you will find a laser bar-code scanner in a store.

Now talking from the business point of view it is possible to provide new scanners together with an application.
But talking about business - the stores won't be very happy with this kind of investment, since their current laser bar-code scanners
are perfectly doing their job.


My question to you:

Is there a way, to overcome this technological barrier, so the laser bar-code scanners could scan the bar-code from the smart-phone screen?


P.S.
I tried many different kind of filters: few types of anti-reflect screen protectors, matte film, tracing paper, nothing worked.
I also tried to make a bar-code not black and white, but black and red so foto-element in a scanner would get, not reflected light from a scanner, but emitted light from a screen, it didn't work either.

 

[IRstuff]

For the question as stated, probably not. But, don't you think that barcodes are a bit retro? Even QR codes would be a bit more modern. What equipment/applications are you supplying the store? Most cash registers have proprietary software related to the barcode reader, do they not?

Seems to me that almost everyone has a smartphone, so either use the store owner's smartphone to read the QR code displayed on the customer's phone, or Bluetooth the data over. I've been in one store where there was no barcode reader at all, and all the credit card transactions were performed through the proprietor's iPhone with a credit card reader plugged into the audio jack.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[ubagas]

My intention is not to create a new loyalty system, but to supplement existing ones.
So people can add already existing plastic cards to their phones.
Use of bar-codes is inevitable since all old cards are with them.

My aim is to find a business-friendly solution in which no big investments would be necessary.

At least in Baltic region (Europe) the new payment methods aren't spreading so fast.
And there is no need for changes since everything is still working perfectly.

 

[VEBill]

The next big thing for smart phones might be e-ink displays on the back side. This might be an actual application for this display technology. You could confirm the laser scanner compatibility using an e-book Reader with this type of e-ink display.

Another completely different approach would be to install printers in stores with email to print addresses.

NFC is another next big thing.

 

[MikeHalloran]

>>>Application works like this:
You scan your loyalty card's bar-code and save it on smart-phone.
When you are in a store you just show your loyalty card's bar-code on a smart-phone's screen for a discount.<<<

That application, without the discount, has been available for the iPhone for several years, and is also available for Android; it's called CardStar. There are surely other versions.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[davidbeach]

The TSA and air lines use laser type scanners to read boarding pass codes off smart phone displays. Old hat; especially if the TSA can do it.

 

[ubagas]

Guys,
My question was:
Is there a way, to overcome this technological barrier, so the laser bar-code scanners could scan the bar-code from the smart-phone screen?
The solution that could work right here and right now.

I am familiar with NFC or e-ink technologies, i am just aware that these technologies will take some time to get widely used in practice.



-davidbeach

You might be confused, if you see a red light during bar-code reading it doesn't mean that it is a laser bar-code reader.
It might be the combined type (laser/CCD) reader or just a CCD type reader which emits red light from LED to get better results.

 

[jraef]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but as Mike H said you are too late (unless you aspire to be an aslo-ran), this already exists. I've had CardStar on my iPhone for months now, never had any problems. I use mine for my health insurance perscription card, Costco, Safeway and Starbucks. It uses bar codes that are scannable by laser scanners, it also stores QR codes and if the merchant doesn't subscribe, it can even use your phone's camera to capture and store an image of the card, which so far has worked every time for me. There is another version called SavingStar that loads coupons when you are going to a store, then flashes the codes for the coupons when you are checking out. Love that one too, but it does requre giving them your email address.


"Will work for salami"

 

[TomDOT]

Instead of digging out a card from the stack, or even getting out my phone, opening yet another app and thumbing through choices:

I tell the checker my phone number. They punch it in. Done.

No need to engineer some complex solution - this is a solved problem.

 

[VEBill]

...CardStar on my iPhone for months now, never had any problems. ... It uses bar codes that are scannable by laser scanners...

http://www.cardstar.com/support/

Topic = Device Is Not Scanning In Store

Different merchants use all different types of scanning technologies in their stores. While the newer scanning technologies can read digital barcodes displayed on phones, some of the older scanning technologies cannot scan digital barcodes off certain mobile devices because of the device screens.

We have carried out extensive testing but unfortunately, there is no workaround we can provide for this issue of incompatible technologies (the mobile device and the scanner). This is why the phone will not scan at self-checkouts or will scan in one store but not another. It is also important to note that these older scanners have a harder time reading the retina displays installed on the newer iPhones (4 & 4S).

Please know that we are in the process of working with merchants to update their scanning technology and reduce this occurrence. In the mean time, if you are unable to scan your device in a particular store we recommend that you ask the store clerk to enter the number below the barcode manually. We understand this is a slight inconvenience to you and appreciate your patience as retail scanning technologies catch up with mobile barcode displays. CardStar continues to be a useful tool to store loyalty, rewards, and membership information and always beats carrying around a stack of plastic. ...

Seems to be crystal clear.

 

[OperaHouse]

Instead of reading the bar code, just flash the bar code in those cases where a laser scans.

 

[ubagas]

OK, Guys, look what i have found !!!

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FMLgKyIVAw8J:

http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=...jector+&cd=1&hl=lt&ct=clnk&gl=lt&client=opera

What do you think?
Could it work with Smartphones?

 

[VEBill]

Attempting to apply your Barcode Fuzzer link concept to smartphone screens, you're going to run into problems with the screen refresh rate.

Perhaps the smartphone's camera flash LED can be modulated at a high enough rate; but this is (probably) silly.

 

[RyreInc]

Not as crazy as you might think!

 

[MikeHalloran]

The second sentence of that article is just stupid, associating LED bulbs with wireless energy transmission.

The remainder, reportage of wireless data transmission by LED illumination bulbs, falls under 'Duh'.

As noted, there are a few technical problems to be ironed out, like transmitting data when the light switch is off. As not noted, there are a few more technical problems to be ironed out, like getting the data into the bulb in the first place without defeating its transient suppression mechanisms, and providing a reverse data channel for uploading, or at least for flow control.

On the other hand, some labcoat types got to spend a few more days screwing around in the lab, and did relatively little damage. Good on 'em.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA