A
system and method for
data acquisition and
processing is described which can form the basis of online gaming. Encoded
datagram images are captured from a computer screen or a printed document using a
mobile phone or PDA or fixed line device and processed relative to a stored profile and then transmitted to a remote
server to be decoded. The received
datagram is read and compared with one of a plurality of stored
datagram images and or decoded according to specific attributes of the datagram image. The method makes possible the capture and transmission and
processing of datagrams to access services such as to cause the download of specific
software such as a
software application. In one embodiment this may comprise an online casino application where a player receives the
software to play as well as a certain amount of credit. In a separate gaming application, the datagrams may be unique such that a player captures and transmits a datagram to find whether it is a winning datagram. The datagrams may be black and white or colour in which case they may comprise hidden colour codes which can be extracted by the decoding algorithms in the image-capturing device or in the remote
server. In a separate embodiment, the method may be combined with television advertising such that viewers need only capture a displayed datagram from the
television screen and send it to a published or encoded
IP address or phone number so that they can access information about advertised products.