Image mask providing a machine-readable data matrix code

A machine-readable matrix code mask encoding a message, comprising:

• a plurality of digital image elements associated with function patterns of a machine-readable matrix code;
• and
• a plurality of digital image elements associated with code-words cells of machine-readable matrix code,
• wherein the decode input values for the cells are based on the message and based on a machine-readable matrix code specification, and
• wherein each one of the plurality of digital image elements has a color property and a translucency property, and at least two cells having the same decode input values are associated with digital image elements having different color property and/or translucency property, such that when the machine-readable matrix code mask is superimposed on an image, a machine-readable matrix code image is generated.

An apparatus for generating a machine-readable matrix code image mask, comprising:

• a memory unit storing a message;
• a configurator that is adapted to initialize a plurality of digital image elements based on a template of a machine-readable matrix code, wherein each digital image element is associated with one or more machine-readable matrix code cells;
• an image processing module configured to compute a color property and a translucency property for each one of the plurality of digital image elements based on the message and based on a machine-readable matrix code specification, such that for at least two cells having an identical decode input value, the digital image elements with which each one of the at least two cells is associated have a different color property and/or a different translucency property relative to the color property and/or the translucency property of the digital image elements that are associated with the other cells from said at least two cells, and
• wherein the image processing module is configured to generate a machine-readable matrix code mask using the plurality of digital image elements.