NeoMedia Technologies, Inc (NEOM)

[brewskih]

The inventor of the QR codes does have a patent, but is not enforcing it, and has chose not to enforce it publicly so its open source code at this time available to anyone and everyone. I am not sure the status on the DATA MATRIX codes.

But those 2 codes dont have to only be a URL. Your business card can be coded into any of them, and as long as the decoder can read them it will give you all the info contained in them without ever using NEOMs IP.

The Data Matrix code has enough space if I am not mistaken to hold a list of ingredients or other valuable information, and then could still contain the URL to take you directly to the website, if you want more information.