Article Tools

• 

Skycore LLC demonstrated its mDAR (Mobile Delivery, Authentication and Redemption) technology for 2D barcodes during an AT&T event at Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2009, hosted by Research in Motion this week in Orlando, Fla. Ticketing for the event was powered by Skycore’s multimedia messaging platform, Cellyspace.com.

Skycore delivered 2D barcodes to the attendees’ phones prior to the show, primarily via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). The mobile tickets then were redeemed at the venue entrance using only 2D readers on several BlackBerry smart phones. Until recently, scanning 2D barcodes on mobile phone screens required handheld scanners, attachments, or kiosks with special optics.

The mDAR approach gives enterprises an additional scanning option by turning certain smart phones into 2D barcode scanners powerful enough to quickly and securely scan, read, and redeem 2D barcodes inside MMS messages on the recipient’s handset. MMS is almost universally supported by phones and carriers worldwide. It arrives in the phone’s inbox like SMS. And, it doesn’t require a data connection at the venue’s entry.

Also, mDAR leverages free and readily available, open-source 2D barcode generators used around the world. Barcodes are uploaded to the Cellyspace.com platform, integrated, and delivered to handsets. The venue scans the barcodes using smart phones with a custom enterprise reader downloaded as an application. The barcodes are scanned and authenticated over 3G to Skycore servers, and the data is forwarded to the enterprise for internal use and tracking.

By simplifying and digitizing the ticketing process, lowering redemption and infrastructure costs, and making it easily portable, mDAR will facilitate mobile ticketing for small and mid-size events, Skycore says. For larger events, 2D MMS barcodes can be delivered using the Cellyspace.com platform, scanned by existing ticketing infrastructure and augmented with portable smart-phone devices. Other potential applications include mobile coupons, vouchers, reservations, IDs, payments, and loyalty programs.