SPARQCode

The QR Code standard as defined by Denso-Wave in ISO/IEC 18004 covers the physical encoding method of a binary data stream.

[1] However, the Denso-Wave standard lacks an encoding standard for interpreting the data stream on the application layer for decoding URLs, phone numbers, and all other data types.

NTT Docomo has established de facto standards for encoding some data types such as URLs, and contact information in Japan, but not all applications in other countries adhere to this convention as listed by the open-source project "zxing" for QR Code data types.

The SPARQCode convention also recommends but does not require the inclusion of visual pictograms to denote the type of encoded data.

The term SPARQCode itself is a trademark of MSKYNET, but has chosen to open it to be royalty-free.