QR code, type “dynamic” (editable QR code)
The functional principle of dynamic QR codes is not complicated: Instead of the actual destination address (URL, e.g http://www.example.com) a forwarding address managed by QR-Server will be stored in the QR code (unfortunately, dynamic QR codes are only useful for web addresses right now, because most mobile devices cannot forward to non-HTML content such as vCards).
Our QR code management platform “QR-Server” enables you to use dynamic QR codes. Therfore we use our own product to demonstrate the functional principle with an real-world example of use:
Wr created a dynamic QR code for Andreas Haerter's blog (URL: http://blog.andreas-haerter.com). QR-Server assigned the forwarding address http://x-qr.net/1DTo instead of the real blog URL and stored it into the QR code. When someone scans the dynamic QR code after it gets printed, the following happens:
+---------------------------------+
| The user scans the QR code. It |
| contains the forwarding address +--retrieval of x-qr.net---+
| (URL) http://x-qr.net/1DTo | |
+---------------------------------+ |
|
v
+----------------------------------------+
| 1. x-qr.net is using a database to |
| determine where the QR code with |
| ID "1DTo" redirects to. |
| The current result is |
| "http://blog.andreas-haerter.com" |
| |
| 2. Optional: The visitor's data (e.g. |
| the geolocation) gets logged for |
| code "1DTo" by QR-Server's embedded |
| tracking mechanism, the scan |
| counter of will be raised by one. |
| |
| 3. The user gets redirected to the |
| real destination URL. |
+-------------------+--------------------+
|
v
+----------------------------------------+
| http://blog.andreas-haerter.com |
| will be displayed |
+----------------------------------------+
Of course, the graphical printout of the dynamic QR code containing the web-address http://x-qr.net/1DTo is still unchangeable and static. But the target address stored int the database for the entry 1DTo can be changed online with QR-Server's web-interface, e.g. if http://blog.andreas-haerter.com is no more up-to-date or inappropriate as target address. Additionally, the optional QR code tracking can be used to visualize QR code scans and other statistics.