Systems methods and computer program products for encoding and decoding tax return data

1. A computer-implemented method for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data and a tax return preparation application executing on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

a computing apparatus of the mobile communication device receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using the tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

the computing apparatus parsing the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation;

the computing apparatus decoding respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

the computing apparatus mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data;

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the tax return preparation application, executing on the mobile communication device, preparing at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data; and

electronically transmitting a completed electronic tax return that was completed utilizing the tax return preparation application from the mobile communication device to a computer of the tax authority through a network to electronically file the completed electronic tax return with the tax authority.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the determined tax data comprising data of a W2 tax form.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the two-dimensional machine readable representation comprising a two-dimensional matrix.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the two-dimensional machine-readable representation comprising a Quick Response code.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein

a first type of tax data is determined by decoding a first pre-determined segment of the Quick Response code; and

a second type of tax data is determined by decoding a second pre-determined segment of the Quick Response code,

the method further comprising, before populating respective fields, verifying the first and second types of tax data based at least in part upon decoding a third pre-determined segment of the Quick Response code.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , receiving the image comprising the computing apparatus of the mobile communication device receiving an image generated by a camera of the mobile communication device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , receiving the image comprising the computing apparatus receiving an image generated by a camera.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the tax return preparation application completing the electronic tax return based exclusively on determined tax data.

9. The method of claim 1 , the computing apparatus providing determined tax data to the tax return preparation application operable to populate respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, complete the electronic tax return, and electronically file the completed electronic tax return with a tax authority.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , receiving the image comprising the computing apparatus receiving an image acquired by a scanner.

11. A computer-implemented method for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation tax data, a mobile communication device and a tax return preparation application, the method comprising:

a computing apparatus receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data acquired by a camera of the mobile communication device, wherein the tax data is for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using the tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

the computing apparatus decoding the two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data to determine tax data based at least in part upon a pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

the computing apparatus mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data;

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the tax return preparation application, executing on the mobile communication device, preparing at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data and completing the electronic tax return; and

electronically filing the completed electronic tax return with the tax authority utilizing the tax return preparation application.

12. The method of claim 11 , receiving the image comprising the computing apparatus of the mobile communication device receiving an image acquired by the mobile communication device comprising a smartphone.

13. The method of claim 11 , the electronic tax return being completed based exclusively on determined tax data decoded from the two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data.

14. The method of claim 11 , the determined tax data comprising data of a W2 tax form.

15. The method of claim 11 , the two-dimensional machine readable representation comprising a Quick Response code.

16. A computer-implemented method for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data and a tax return preparation application, the method comprising:

a computing apparatus receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using the tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

the computing apparatus parsing the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation;

the computing apparatus decoding respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

the computing apparatus mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data; and

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the computing apparatus executing the tax return preparation application to prepare at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data; and

the computing apparatus electronically filing the electronic tax return with the tax authority by transmitting the electronic tax return from a mobile communication device to a computer of the tax authority through a network.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , the computing apparatus being a component of the mobile communication device, wherein the electronic tax return is prepared based at least in part upon decoding respective segments, mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return and populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, and electronically filed from the mobile communication device.

18. A system for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the system comprising a mobile communication device including a computing apparatus configured to:

receive an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation,

parse the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation,

decode respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation according to the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition,

map respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data,

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the tax return preparation application, executing on the mobile communication device, being configured to prepare at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, and

electronically transmit a completed electronic tax return that was completed utilizing the tax return preparation application from the mobile communication device to a computer of the tax authority through a network to electronically file the electronic tax return with the tax authority.

19. A system for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the system comprising:

a mobile communication device including:

a computing apparatus, and

a camera,

the computing apparatus being configured to

receive an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data acquired by the camera of the mobile communication device, wherein the tax data is for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation,

the computing apparatus being further configured to

decode the two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data to determine tax data based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

map respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data; and

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the tax return preparation application, executing on the mobile communication device, being configured to

prepare at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, and

complete the electronic tax return, and

electronically file the completed electronic tax return with the tax authority utilizing the tax return preparation application.

20. A system for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the system comprising: a mobile communication device including a computing apparatus configured to

receive an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

parse the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation;

decode respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation according to the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

map respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data; and

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, execute the tax return preparation application to prepare at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, and

electronically file the electronic tax return with the tax authority by transmitting the electronic tax return from the mobile communication device to a computer of the tax authority through a network.

21. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying one or more instructions executable by a computing apparatus of a mobile communication device to perform a process for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the process comprising:

receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

parsing the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation;

decoding respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation according to the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data;

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, the tax return preparation application executing on the mobile communication device and preparing at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data; and

electronically transmitting a completed electronic tax return completed utilizing the tax return preparation application from the mobile communication device to a computer of the tax authority through a network to electronically file the electronic tax return with the tax authority.

22. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying one or more instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the process comprising:

receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data acquired by a camera of a mobile communication device, wherein the tax data is for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

decoding the two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data to determine tax data utilizing the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data;

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, a tax return preparation application, executing on the mobile communication device, preparing at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data, completing the electronic tax return; and

electronically filing the completed electronic tax return with the tax authority.

23. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying one or more instructions executable by a computing apparatus to perform a process for preparing a portion of an electronic tax return using a symbolic representation of tax data, the process comprising:

receiving an image of a two-dimensional machine readable representation of tax data for inclusion in the electronic tax return being prepared using a tax return preparation application and that is to be filed with a tax authority, the two-dimensional machine readable representation being encoded according to a pre-determined segmentation;

parsing the image into segments based at least in part upon the pre-determined segmentation of the two-dimensional machine readable representation;

decoding respective segments of the two-dimensional machine readable representation according to the pre-determined segmentation to determine respective tax data, wherein decoding does not involve optical character recognition;

mapping respective segments to respective fields of the electronic tax return to be populated with respective determined tax data;

before the electronic tax return is filed with the tax authority, executing the tax return preparation application to prepare at least a portion of the electronic tax return by populating respective fields of the electronic tax return with respective determined tax data; and

electronically filing the electronic tax return with the tax authority by transmitting the electronic tax return from a mobile communication device to a computer of the authority through a network.