Time-varying barcode in an active display

1. A data communication system for communicating information between electronic devices via a barcode image sequence, said system comprising:

an electronic device, comprising:

a camera configured to read a barcode image sequence from another electronic device;

a barcode decoding component configured to decode the barcode image sequence and, in response to a resolution calibration test comprising a series of images displayed by the other electronic device, generate a spatial and temporal code for each image in the series of images; and

a display component configured to display an acknowledgement on a screen of the electronic device and, in response to the resolution calibration test, indicate a resolution capability of the camera by displaying the generated spatial and temporal code for each image in the series,

wherein the electronic device determines a camera location of the other electronic device relative to the screen of the electronic device by performing an alignment detection algorithm.

2. The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the other electronic device comprises a barcode generating component configured to generate the barcode image sequence from the information.

3. The data communication system of claim 2 , wherein the information is divided into packets, each packet being encoded as a barcode image.

4. The data communication system of claim 3 , wherein each packet includes redundancy information or error correction data.

5. The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the other electronic device determines the camera location of the electronic device relative to a display screen of the other electronic device by performing an alignment detection algorithm.

6. The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the other electronic device further comprises a display resolution component configured to adjust barcode image resolution based on a resolution calibration test.

7. The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the other electronic device further comprises a display size component configured to adjust barcode image size based on a size calibration test.

8. The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the other electronic device further comprises a display location component configured to adjust barcode image location based on a location calibration test.

9. A method for communicating information between a first electronic devices via a barcode image sequence, comprising:

reading a resolution calibration test comprising a series of images displayed on a screen using a camera of an electronic device,

generating, responsive to the resolution calibration test, a spatial and temporal code for each image in the series of images;

indicating, responsive to the resolution calibration test, a resolution capability of the camera by displaying the generated spatial and temporal code for each image in the series;

reading a barcode image sequence displayed on the screen using the camera;

decoding the barcode image sequence;

determining a camera location of another electronic device relative to a display screen of the electronic device; and

displaying an acknowledgement on the display screen of the electronic device based on the determined camera location.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the acknowledgement is read by the camera of the other electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the barcode image sequence comprises the information to be communicated.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the information is divided into packets, each packet being encoded as a barcode image.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each packet includes redundancy information or error code data.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a barcode image resolution is adjusted based on a resolution calibration test.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein a barcode image size is adjusted based on a size calibration test.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein barcode image location is adjusted based on a location calibration test.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the barcode image sequence is displayed with varying time intervals between images.

18. A method for providing a data communication system for communicating information between electronic devices via a barcode image sequence, said system comprising:

providing an electronic device, comprising:

a camera configured to read a barcode image sequence from another electronic device;

a barcode decoding component configured to decode the barcode image sequence and, in response to a resolution calibration test comprising a series of images displayed by the other electronic device, generate a spatial and temporal code for each image in the series of images; and

a display component configured to display an acknowledgement on a screen of the electronic device and, in response to the resolution calibration test, indicate a resolution capability of the camera by displaying the generated spatial and temporal code for each image in the series,

wherein the electronic device determines a camera location of the other electronic device relative to the screen of the electronic device by performing an alignment detection algorithm.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the other electronic device comprises a barcode generating component configured to generate the barcode image sequence from the information.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the information is divided into packets, each packet being encoded as a barcode image.