Container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material comprises a code encoding preparation information, in particular preparation information for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine to prepare a beverage or a foodstuff with beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion. The reference portion comprises at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line. The data portion comprises a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information. Each data unit of the sequence of data units encodes an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of each data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the encoded operation and wherein a distance between the data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or a distance between the data unit and another data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the encoded operation.

A container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and including a code encoding preparation information. The code includes a reference portion and a data portion. The reference portion has reference units defining a reference liner, and the data portion has a data unit. The data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, and the data unit is arranged a distance d from the intersection as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information. The encoding line D is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference liner at the intersection point. The reference units are arranged with a configuration defining a reference point from which the reference line r extends.

An omnidirectional barcode may include a graphical representation of a one-dimensional barcode wherein the graphical representation of the one-dimensional barcode is extended circumferentially around a three-dimensional (3D) object. A method of forming an omnidirectional barcode may include creating a graphical representation of a one-dimensional barcode and extending the one-dimensional representation in at least one dimension.

A spherical identifier may, in an example, include a sphere including a plurality of shells forming the sphere, a radially-defined code being discernable using the arrangement of the plurality of shells. A three-dimensional object identifier may, in an example, include a number of spheres manufactured into the body of the three-dimensional object wherein each of the spheres comprise a plurality of shells; the shells constituting a radially definable code.

A container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion, the reference portion comprising an arrangement of at least two reference units defining a reference line r, the data portion comprising: a data unit arranged on an encoding line D which intersects the reference line r, the data unit arranged a distance d along the encoding line D from said intersection as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information, whereby the encoding line D is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line r at the intersection point; and a plurality of discrete positions arranged in operative proximity to the reference line r and distal the encoding line D, whereby said discrete positions either comprise or do not comprise a data unit as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information.

Systems and methods are provided for decoding secure tags using an authentication server and secure tag reader. The system can include at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory. The memory can contain instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the secure tag reader to perform operations. The operations can include detecting a potential secure tag in an image and generating a normalized secure tag image using the image and a stylesheet. The operations can further include providing an identification request to an authentication server, the identification request including the normalized secure tag image. The operations can additionally include receiving rules for decoding tag data encoded into the secure tag as tag feature options and decoding the tag data using the received rules.

Disclosed are various embodiments involving use of a multi-scale fiducial by an autonomously controlled aerial vehicle. A first image at a first location is captured, and a first fiducial at a first scale of a multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the first image. The autonomously controlled aerial vehicle is piloted relative to the multi-scale fiducial based at least in part on information contained within the first fiducial. A second image at a second location is captured, and a second fiducial at a second scale of the multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the second image. An action is then performed based at least in part on information contained within the second fiducial.

A container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion: the reference portion comprising reference units defining a reference line r; the data portion comprising a data unit, wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, the data unit is arranged a distance d from said intersection as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line D is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line r at said intersection point, wherein the reference units are arranged with a configuration defining a reference point from which the reference line r extends.

Systems and methods are provided for decoding secure tags using an authentication server and secure tag reader. The system can include at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory. The memory can contain instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the secure tag reader to perform operations. The operations can include detecting a potential secure tag in an image and generating a normalized secure tag image using the image and a stylesheet. The operations can further include providing an identification request to an authentication server, the identification request including the normalized secure tag image. The operations can additionally include receiving rules for decoding tag data encoded into the secure tag as tag feature options and decoding the tag data using the received rules.

In one embodiment, a self-describing fiducial includes a communication element that optically communicates navigation-aiding information. The navigation-aiding information may include a position of the self-describing fiducial with respect to one or more coordinate systems and the communication element communicates the navigation-aiding information to one or more navigating objects in the vicinity of the self-describing fiducial. In another embodiment, the communication element is further configured to communicate supplementary information describing a spatial relationship between the self-describing fiducial and the surrounding environment.