Coded pattern for an optical device and a prepared surface

A method of decoding a pattern of symbols on a surface to determine data corresponding to the pattern, the pattern being divided into a plurality of windows on the surface, said method comprising:

• detecting the symbols on the surface to determine their pattern;
• determining window boundaries for the determined pattern, said window boundaries defining at least one of the windows, each defined window including at least one of the detected symbols associated therewith;
• and
• determining a position of the detected symbol within the associated window,
• wherein the determined position of the detected symbol within the associated window indicates the data corresponding to the pattern.

A system for encoding data in a pattern of symbols on a surface, said system comprising:

• a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions to:
• separate an ordered sequence of digits representative of the encoded data into a plurality of sequential windows, wherein each of the sequential windows includes a partial sequence of the ordered sequence of digits, and
• transforming the partial sequence included in each sequential window into a series of digits;
• and
• means for arranging a symbol within a plurality of surface windows on the surface, wherein each surface window corresponds to one of the sequential windows, wherein a position of the symbol within each surface window is based on one of the transformed series of digits, and wherein the position of the symbol within the surface window is indicative of the encoded data.