---
key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes
type: mechanic
id: phone-microphone--family-codes
lang: en
title: Acoustic codes and data exchange
summary: >-
  A sound sequence carries an encoded message. The microphone receives it, and a
  decoder translates temporal or frequency patterns into data.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Phone microphone interactions
  - Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
  - source-0640a44cc89f46be
  - source-41eef8ff234ac120
  - source-47f6341cc0c6a2ab
sources:
  - id: source-0640a44cc89f46be
    title: 'ggwave: small data via sound'
    url: 'https://github.com/ggerganov/ggwave'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-41eef8ff234ac120
    title: 'Apple ShazamKit: Audio Fingerprinting and Sync'
    url: 'https://developer.apple.com/shazamkit/'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-47f6341cc0c6a2ab
    title: Morse-It
    url: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: phone-microphone
    id: family-codes
    title: Phone microphone interactions
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-microphone/#family-codes'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Acoustic codes and data exchange
    description: >-
      A sound sequence carries an encoded message. The microphone receives it,
      and a decoder translates temporal or frequency patterns into data.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/sensor-morse-it-4.webp
      width: 720
      height: 1280
      game: Morse-It
      sourceUrl: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource126/v4/34/96/00/3496003f-ae4b-4019-936c-d0a598f7d7c0/e930babf-81f4-4d3d-9860-ff5a23b1a5a2_5_-_5.5_-_iPhone_8_Plus-5.png/720x1440bb.jpg
      credit: Francis Bonnin
      rights: >-
        © Francis Bonnin. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights
        reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: 'Morse-It: decoding microphone-received code into text'
      alt: 'Morse-It: decoding microphone-received code into text'
      markers:
        - x: 51
          'y': 27
          label: Decoded text and the received-signal strip below
    tips:
      - 'Distinguish no signal, synchronization errors and invalid symbols.'
    examples:
      - title: Morse-It
        url: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/phone-microphone
---
# Acoustic codes and data exchange

id: phone-microphone--family-codes
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-codes/

A sound sequence carries an encoded message. The microphone receives it, and a decoder translates temporal or frequency patterns into data.

## At a glance

![Morse-It: decoding microphone-received code into text](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/sensor-morse-it-4.webp)

[Morse-It](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4) · © Francis Bonnin. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. Decoded text and the received-signal strip below

- Distinguish no signal, synchronization errors and invalid symbols.

- [Morse-It](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4)

## How it works

Data is transmitted either by a pattern of signals or by a digital audio protocol. This is a separate task from understanding speech.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-codes-variants"></a>

- The ABC of short and long signals. Signal: Duration of pulses and pauses. Application: Transmit Morse messages, open sound locks. Access level: Signal analysis. <a id="variant-mic-121"></a>
- Tone code. Signal: A sequence of frequencies. Application: Use DTMF or fictitious tone symbol system. Access level: Signal analysis. <a id="variant-mic-122"></a>
- Short packet through sound. Signal: Decodable digital signal. Application: Transfer a level seed, room code or small game token. Access level: D. <a id="variant-mic-123"></a>
- Sound beacon. Signal: Known code in ambient audio. Usage: Open content when a prepared beacon is detected. Access level: D. <a id="variant-mic-124"></a>
- Find out the record. Signal: Audio fingerprint of the finished fragment. Application: Recognize a prepared song or cue and issue a related task. Access level: Recognition. <a id="variant-mic-125"></a>
- Second screen. Signal: Position within the recognized record. Application: Synchronize your phone with a movie, audio play or board game. Access level: Recognition. <a id="variant-mic-126"></a>
- Sound exchange of progress. Signal: A packet from one phone to another. Application: Transmit local move without entering a code; do not promise high speed. Access level: D. <a id="variant-mic-127"></a>
- Collect a message from the ether. Signal: Multiple recognized packets or tags. Application: Combine fragments obtained from different prepared sources. Access level: D. <a id="variant-mic-128"></a>

## Context and limits

Author's design map for mobile games and interactive applications. 144 techniques in 18 groups, including basic signals, rules and combinations. Applications are design ideas and not a list of released games.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.

- [ggwave: small data via sound](https://github.com/ggerganov/ggwave) (id: source-0640a44cc89f46be)
- [Apple ShazamKit: Audio Fingerprinting and Sync](https://developer.apple.com/shazamkit/) (id: source-41eef8ff234ac120)
- [Morse-It](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?uo=4) (id: source-47f6341cc0c6a2ab)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors