Surface Byte and Identity Tags

Although every LCD pixel on a Surface 2.0 display is an infrared sensor, objects with tags offer the most definitive interaction with Surface. Byte tags (left) store eight bits of data (one byte), so there are 256 unique tag values. In contrast, identity tags (right) store 128 bits of data. Tags are not shown to scale. Tags like these enable Surface devices to recognize objects; for example, a Surface kiosk might recognize a tag on a product and offer promotional discounts on related products.

The value of a byte tag is represented by the standardized orientation of circles on the tag. The value of an identity tag is represented by a series and a value within the series. Series and values are 64-bit numbers, and identity tags are created and printed using specialized software. Identity tags are mostly used for commercial promotions where the series can represent a code for the promotion and a value can represent individual offerings or even individual customers that the promotion targets.