What is Barcode? Short article by MINDWARE~
Published on: 06 Aug, 2022 | 04:15:02 PM
A Barcode is actually a readable-machine codes in the form of
numbers and a pattern of parallel lines of varying width, printed on a
commodity.
A printed series of parallel bars or lines of varying width that is used for entering data into a computer system is called Barcodes. The bars are typically black on a white background, and
their width and quantity vary according to application. The bars are used to
represent the binary
digits 0 and 1, sequences of which in turn can
represent numbers from 0 to 9 and be processed by a digital
computer. The presence or absence of a bar of a
particular width in a particular position in a sequence is read by the computer
as either a 0 or 1. Most such codes use
bars of only two different widths (thick and thin), though some codes employ
four widths. The numbers represented by a Barcode are also
printed out at its base.
Hence a barcode essentially is a way to encode information in a visual pattern
that a machine can read. The combination of black and white bars (which is
called elements) represents different text characters which follows a set of algorithm
for that particular barcode. It contains
information about a product like; price &
weight of the product, date of manufacturing and expiry, name of the
manufacturer etc.
Author is MINDWARE. Consult MINDWARE today!
Who Invented Barcodes and when?
The barcode was invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver and named in the US in 1951. The invention was based on Morse code that was extended to thin and thick bars. However, it took over twenty years before this invention became commercially successful. An early use of one type of barcode in an industrial context was sponsored by the Association of American Railroads in the late 1960s. Barcoding was actually introduced in the 1970s and is now everywhere and a important part of routine commercial transactions.
In 1948, Bernard
Silver, a fellow Drexel Institute graduate student with Woodland,
overheard a supermarket executive asking the dean of engineering if the
Institute could determine how to capture product information automatically at
checkout. The dean turned down the request, but Silver was interested enough to
mention the problem to Woodland. After working on some preliminary ideas,
Woodland was persuaded that they could create a viable product.
Woodland took some stock market earnings, quit his teaching job and moved to his grandfather's Florida apartment. While at the beach, Woodland again considered the problem, recalling, from his Boy Scout training, how Morse code dots and dashes are used to send information electronically. He drew dots and dashes in the sand similar to the shapes used in Morse code. After pulling them downward with his fingers, producing thin lines resulting from the dots and thick lines from the dashes, he came up with the concept of a two-dimensional, linear Morse code.
Norman
Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver came up with the idea for barcodes based on
the symbols in Morse code. The two recent graduates of Drexel Institute of
Technology, (now Drexel University), applied for a patent for the invention in
1949 and received it three years later. Woodland sought the help of his
employer, IBM, in building this technology, but IBM felt technological
limitations in force at that time would prevent barcodes from catching on.The
founders sold the patent to electronics company Philco in 1962, and Philco
later sold it to RCA.
The railroad industry was one of the first to experiment with barcodes in the early 1960s, with a project spearheaded by David Jarrett Collins of electronics company Sylvania. To monitor the movement of railcars, Collins created a colorful barcode that was placed on the side of cars and scanned by a device next to the railroad tracks. Though this was an important first step, the system had some issues, and the Association of American Railroads gave up on it in the late ‘1970s. Another early adopter was General Motors, which used barcodes to track transmissions as they moved around a factory.
Types of Barcodes defined by MINDWARE~
As noted earlier, there are two basic types of barcodes. Here are the basics on each and key differences:
Linear, or 1D, barcodes are what most people visualize when they picture a barcode—black vertical bars with numbers below them. This is what most stores put on their products. Linear barcodes contain numbers, letters and symbols, which tie the code to a set of information in a database with details like product name, type, size and color. This Linear/1D barcodes are often used on consumer goods, loyalty cards, shipping labels and books etc.
Some of the 1D Barcode Symbologies are as
Follows:-
vCodabar
–
Codabar is a linear barcode symbology developed in 1972 by Pitney Bowes Corp. Its variants are also known as Codeabar, Ames
Code, NW-7, Monarch, Code 2 of 7, Rationalized Codabar, ANSI/AIM BC3-1995 or
USD-4. Although Codabar has not been registered for US
federal trademark status, its
hyphenated variant Code-a-bar is a registered trademark.
Codabar was designed to be
accurately read even when printed on dot-matrix printers for multi-part forms such as FedEx air bills and blood bank forms, where variants are still in use as of 2007.
Characteristics of Codabar:-
1. This
Symbology is used by U.S. blood banks, photo Labs, Librabries, and on FedEx air
bills.
2. Encodes
numbers and the characters –$:/.+
3. First
and last symbols ( the guard patterns) are one of A, B, C, or D. They are
returned as part of the String.
4. Supports
variable length data content.
5. Some
standards that use Coda bar will define a check digit, but there is no
agreed-upon standard checksum algorithm.
6. The width ratio between narrow and wide can be chosen between 1:2.25 and 1:3.
Code 11–
Code 11 is a barcode symbology developed by Intermec in 1977. It is used primarily in telecommunications. The symbol can encode any length string consisting of the digits 0–9 and the dash character (-). A twelfth code represents the start/stop character, commonly printed as "*".
Characteristics:-
1. Primarily used for labeling tele communication
equipment. It is also known as USD-8
2. The Barcode data can be encode
numerical data, the dash and dot character.
3. Supports variable length data
content.
4. For up to 10 data digits a single check digit is used, otherwise two check digits are used.
v Code 128
Code 128 was invented
in 1981 by Ted Williams of Laser light Corporation to solve the problem of
representing both alphabetic and numeric characters without sacrificing barcode
density. Code 128 enables you to encode all 128 ASCII characters, as Code 39 - Full ASCII does.
Additionally, when you encode only numbers, Code 128 can encode them more
densely than Interleaved 2 of 5 does.
The most common use of Code 128 is for certain shipping labels, primarily as defined by GS1 in the GS1-128 barcode standard.
Characteristics:-
1. Used in a
wide range of application.
2. The Barcode
data can be encode numerical data only or two different subsets of the ASCII
table. Combinations of the three different modes can be used in single codes.
3. Supports
variable length data content.
4. A mandatory
checksum is verified.
5. It has been standardized under ISO/IEC 15417.
Code 32 Italian Pharmacode
Code 32, also known as Italian
PHARMACODE, is used to identify pharmaceutical products in Italy. It encodes
numeric data in a compressed format by using the Code 39 - Regular character set.
Code 32 is partially defined in
the Specifiche PHARMACODE (o CODE32) document.
Characteristics:-
1. It encodes
numeric data in a compressed format by using the Code 39- Regular character
set.
2. The symbol
compromises the following elements.
3. Eight
symbol character that represent numeric digits
4. Check
digits
5. If fewer
than eight Characters are specified, padding characters are added.
6. Code 32 uses
five bars and four spaces to encode each character. Three of the elements are
wide, and other six are narrow.
7. This
symbology supports the following alphanumeric characters:
1. All numeric digits (0-9)
2. All uppercase letters except for A, R, I, and
O
8. The code 32 human
readable interpretation begins with the ASCII character “A”. This character is
not encoded into the the Barcode.
9. Code 32 uses a check digit that is based on the module 10 (mod 10) algorithm.
vCode 39–
Code 39 was developed
by Dr. David Allais and Ray
Stevens of Intermec in 1974. Their
original design included two wide bars and one wide space in each character,
resulting in 40 possible characters. Setting aside one of these characters as a
start and stop pattern left 39 characters, which was the origin of the name
Code 39. Four punctuation characters were later added, using no wide bars
and three wide spaces, expanding the character set to 43 characters. Code 39
was later standardized as ANSI MH
10.8 M-1983 and MIL-STD-1189. MIL-STD-1189 has been cancelled and replaced
by ANSI/AIM BC1/1995, Uniform Symbology Specification — Code 39.
Characteristics:-
1. Mostly
used in logistics to encode application specific identifiers.
2. The
standard version can encode numbers 0-9, capital letters A-Z, symbols -.$/+%
and space.
3. Supports
variable length data content.
4. Narrow
to wide bars ratios from 1:2 up to 1:3 are supported. 1:2.5 is recommended.
5. By
default no checksum is verified.
6. It
has been standardized under ISO/IEC 16388.
SDK
Features:
1. An
optional mod43 checksum can be enforced.
2. All ASCII characters including control characters encoding support can be enabled.
Code-93–
Code 93 is a barcode symbology designed in 1982 by Intermec to provide a higher density and data security
enhancement to Code 39. It is an
alphanumeric, variable length symbology. Code 93 is used primarily by Canada
Post to encode supplementary delivery
information. Every symbol includes two check characters.
Characteristics:
1. Mostly used in logistics to encode application specific
identifiers.
2. Data in standard encoding (numbers 0-9, capital letters A-Z,
symbols -.$/+% and space) and full ASCII mode (including
control characters) are supported.
3. Supports
variable length data content.
4. Two mod47 checksums are verified.
§
EAN
Code–
EAN stands for
‘European Article Number’. It was introduced by the predecessor institution of
today’s GS1 with the aim of providing all European products with individual
article numbers. In 2009 the EAN was replaced by the 13-digit Global Trade Item
Number (GTIN). It is important to clearly label articles and article variations
to ensure traceability and to simplify or automate production management through the entire supply
chain until the point of sale.
Characteristics:
1. Used to
encode Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTIN).
2. Contains 8
(EAN-8) or 13 (EAN-13) numerical digits.
3. Last digit
serves as a mod10 checksum.
4. Additional
data can be stored in an EAN-2 or EAN-5 add-on code.
5. It has been standardised under ISO/IEC 15420.
GS1 Data Bar
GS1 Data
Bar (formerly known as RSS or Reduced Space Symbology) is a relatively new bar
code symbology that was formally adopted by the global supply chain in January
2011. The GS1 Data Bar can carry all 14 digits of a manufacture’s GTIN and is more than 50%
smaller than the currently used UPC and EAN symbols. This makes it particularly
useful for identifying small/hard-to-mark items such as produce and
pharmaceutical items. Additionally, the GS1 Data Bar symbol can carry GS1
Application Identifiers which allow additional information such as serial
numbers, lot numbers, and expiration dates to be encoded. The greater
dimensional efficiency combined with the ability to encode additional data
opens the doors for creating trade solutions that greater support product
identification, traceability, quality control, and more flexible coding for
coupon applications.
KEY
POINTS:
1. Databar Barcode
symbols can encode all 14 digits of a GTIN-14 where UPC & EAN can not.
2. The Databar
symbol is over 50% smaller than EAN/UPC so it can be used for smaller or hard
to mark items.
3. Databar bar
codes are not going to replace EAN/UPC symbols. Product manufacturers can
decide the language they wish to use based on package design.
4. Databar symbols
and GS1 Application Identifiers will be available in all trade item scanning
systems beginning January 1, 2010. At that time, retail POS scanners should be
able to autodiscriminate between the various GS1 barcode languages.
5. Adoption of the
Databar symbology is critical to address the revised coupon coding
requirements.
Characteristics–
1. Used to encode a Global Trade
Identification Numbers (GTIN) along with variable additional information
defined by application identifiers (AI). Examples are price, weight or expiry
date.
2. Valid application identifiers (AI)
are defined in the GS1 specification.
3. Supports variable length data
content.
4. Barcode data is verified by an
implicit checksum.
5. Does not require quiet zones around
the barcode.
6. It has been standardized under
ISO/IEC 24724.
7. DataBar-14 is supported in the
omnidirectional, truncated and stacked flavour.
8. DataBar Expanded is supported in the
normal and stacked flavour.
9. DataBar Limited is supported which is also known as RSS Limited, Reduced Space Symbology Limited.
v IATA 2 of 5 Bar Code–
The IATA (International Air Transport Association) 2 of 5 barcode
is a self-checking, numeric 1D barcode that is commonly used by the airline
industry. This barcode is a variation of Industry 2 of 5 and employs a checksum for error detection.
Characteristics:
1. Also known as Computer
Identics 2 of 5.
2. Used by International
Air Transport Association (IATA) for managing air cargo.
3. Supports variable
length data content.
4. By default no checksum
is verified.
5. An optional mod1010 checksum
can be enforced.
Interleaved 2 OF 5 (ITF):
Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) is a numeric only
barcode used to encode pairs of numbers into a self-checking, high-density
barcode format. In this symbology, every two digits are interleaved with each
other to create a single symbol. If a number string containing an odd number of
digits needs to be encoded, a leading zero must be added to produce an even
number of digits in the Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode. In many cases, the Code 128 barcode offers
an advantage over the ITF barcode because it encodes even and odd numbers of
digits, as well as letters and symbols, with nearly equal density.
Characteristics:
1. It
is used primarily in the distribution and warehouse industry.
2. Encodes
an even number of numerical characters.
3. Supports
variable length data content.
4. Narrow
to wide bar ratios from 1:2 up to 1:3 are supported. 1:2.5 is recommended.
5. By
default no checksum is verified.
6. It
has been standardized under ISO/IEC 16390.
7. An optional mod10 checksum can be enforced.
KIX (Klant Index) Barcode
The Klant IndeX (KIX)
4-State Customer Code is used by the Netherlands postal system for faster
automatic processing of bulk mail and for other uses. It is a variant of
the Royal Mail 4-State Customer Barcode (CBC); KIX has the same specifications for
the data bars as CBC but lacks start and stop bars. 
Characteristics:
1. Used
for mail sorting by the postal service of the Netherlands, Koninklijke TNT Post
(Royal TNT Post)
2. Regarded
as “four-state” because there are four types of bars, classified by presence of
ascenders and/or descenders
3. Transcribable
using DAFT notation
4. Used
by a number of countries in their postal systems, though the specific
symbologies by which they encode characters can vary
5. Encodes alphanumeric characters, and is a slight variant of the Royal Mail 4-State system, omitting the start and end symbols and checksum.
Matrix 2 OF 5–
Matrix 2 of 5 (also known as Code 2 of
5 Matrix. [1] is a
variable length, discrete, two width symbology. Matrix
2 of 5 is a subset of two-out-of-five codes.
Unlike Industrial 2 of 5 code, Matrix 2 of 5 can encode data not only with
black bars but with white spaces.
Matrix 2 of 5 was developed in 1970-? by Nieaf Co. in
The Netherlands and commonly was uses for warehouse sorting, photo finishing,
and airline ticket marking.
Matrix 2 of 5 can encode only digits 0-9. Matrix 2 of 5 can
include optional check digit. Most of barcode readers support
this symbology.
Characteristics–
1. From the same family as Code 25 and IATA 2 of 5
2. Encoding uses variable width spaces as well as bars
3. ~30% more dense than Code 25 or IATA 2 of 5
4. Symbology can have variable length storage
5. Stores numerical [0-9] data only
Maxicode
Maxi Code is
a public domain,
machine-readable symbol system originally created and used by United Parcel Service.
Suitable for tracking and managing the shipment of packages, it resembles
an Aztec Code or QR
code, but uses dots arranged in a hexagonal
grid instead of square
grid. MaxiCode has been standardised under ISO/IEC 16023.
A MaxiCode symbol (internally called "Bird's Eye", "Target",
"dense code", or "UPS code") appears as a
1-inch square, with a bullseye in
the middle, surrounded by a pattern of hexagonal dots. It can store about 93
characters of information, and up to 8 MaxiCode symbols can be chained together
to convey more data. The centered symmetrical
bullseye is useful in automatic symbol location regardless of orientation, and
it allows MaxiCode symbols to be scanned even on a package traveling rapidly.
MaxiCode symbology was released by UPS in 1992.
Characteristics:-
1. Fixed
size 2D symbology originally created by UPS in 1992.
2. Used
for tracking and managing shipments of packages.
3. It
has been standardized underISO/IEC 16023.
4. Supports
encoding of a Structured Carrier Message or data in extended ASCII.
5. Uses Reed-Solomon error correction.
MSI Plessey
MSI
Plessey (also known as Modified Plessey) is a numeric-only, variable-length
symbology that is a variant of Plessey Code, which was originally developed by
the Plessey Company of England in 1971.
MSI
Data Corporation developed MSI Plessey to address the disadvantages of Plessey
Code: it does not encode numbers efficiently, and it is one of the most
error-prone of all barcode symbologies. The second check digit that MSI Data
Corporation added as an option improved the code's reliability enough that MSI
Plessey has continued to be used in specialty applications.MSI Plessey has
typically been used for inventory tracking, such as on the front edge of
shelves in supermarkets and other warehouse environments to indicate where
products are stored. It has also been used to identify storage containers.
MSI
Plessey is currently maintained by Symbol Technologies, Inc.
Characteristics:
1. MSI is used primarily for inventory control, marking storage
containers and shelves in warehouse environments.
2. Encodes any number of numerical characters.
3. By default a mod10 checksum is verified.
4. Verifying no checksum is supported as an option.
5. Alternative supported checksum options are mod11, mod1010 and
mod1110.
v Posi Lapa 4 State Code–
Characteristics–
1. Uses the same symbol alphabet as RM4SCC.
2. Uses Reed-Solomon error correction. It can correct up to 8
erasures or 4 errors.
3. LAPA can be read from left-to-right or right-to-left. The
direction can be determined by reading the leftmost or the rightmost bar.
4. Thanks to its fixed length and error correction, it offers
better robustness than RM4SCC.
v RM4SCC
RM4SCC (Royal Mail 4-State Customer Code is the
name of the barcode character set
based on the Royal Mail 4-State Bar Code symbology created by Royal Mail. The
RM4SCC is used for the Royal Mail Clean mail service. It enables UK postcodes as
well as Delivery Point Suffixes (DPSs) to be easily read by a machine at high
speed.
Characteristics:
1. Supports
variable length data content.
2. Data
encoding modes support numeric, alphanumeric, binary data and kanji characters.
3. Different
sizes (called versions) and error correction levels can be defined.
4. It
has been standardised under ISO/IEC 18004.
5. Color
inverted decoding can be enabled.
6. GS1 codes are identified to signal that application identifiers are present (GS1 QR).
v UPC Code–
A UPC, short for universal
product code, is a type of code printed on retail product packaging to aid in
identifying a particular item. It consists of two parts – the
machine-readable barcode, which is a series of unique black bars, and the
unique 12-digit number beneath it.
The purpose of UPCs is to make it
easy to identify product features, such as the brand name, item, size, and
color, when an item is scanned at checkout. In fact, that’s why they were
created in the first place – to speed up the checkout process at grocery
stores. UPCs are also helpful in tracking inventory within a store or
warehouse.
To obtain a UPC for use on a
product a company has to first apply to become part of the system. GS1
US, the Global Standards
Organization, formerly known as the Uniform Code Council, manages the assigning
of UPCs within the US.
Characteristics:
1. Used to
encode Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTIN).
2. Contains 6
(UPC-E) or 12 (UPC-A) numerical digits.
3. Last digit
serves as a mod10 checksum.
4. Additional
data can be stored in an EAN-2 or EAN-5 add-on code.
5. It has been
standardised under ISO/IEC 15420.
Feature–
1. The first
digit is always zero and can be removed on demand.
2. UPC-E representation can be automatically converted to the UPC-A format.
v USPS Intelligent Mail–
USPS Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb), also known as the USPS
OneCode Solution or USPS 4-State Customer Code, was developed by the United
States Postal Service (USPS) and is used for automated sorting of mail. It
supersedes the USPS Postal Numeric Encoding Technique (USPS POSTNET) and
Postal Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique (USPS PLANET) codes and
effectively encodes data from these symbologies into a single symbol in
addition to providing enhanced tracking data.
Characteristics:
1. Used by U.S.
Postal Service (USPS) mail stream
2. Designed to
sort and track mail deliveries, containing routing and tracking information
3. Combines and
improves functionalities of POSTNET and PLANET Code barcodes
4. Allows
providing multiple postal services with a single barcode
5. USPS Intelligent Mail barcode is height-modulated and it encodes up to 31 digits of mail piece data. It consists of 65 vertical bars using a 4-state symbology (four types of bars, which are allowing for more information to be encoded in a single barcode).
2D barcodes are also known as Matrix Barcodes. This 2D barcodes can store additional information, including quantity, images and website URLs. A 2D barcode can render this information without any connection to a database can render this information without any connection to a database.
Common uses of 2D barcodes are QR codes, which may direct users to a specific website or act as digital boarding passes. They have also become increasingly common in high-value manufacturing environments that require detailed tracking of parts and products, like medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.
Some
of the 2D Barcode Symbologies are as Follows:-
Aztec Code
Aztec Code is a type of 2D barcode invented
by Andrew
Longacre, Jr. and Robert Hussey in 1995. The code
was published by AIM, Inc. in 1997. Although
the Aztec Code was patented that patent was officially made public
domain. The Aztec Code is also published as ISO/IEC 24778:2008 standard.
Named after the resemblance of the central finder pattern to an Aztec pyramid, Aztec Code
has the potential to use less space than other matrix barcodes because it does
not require a surrounding blank "quiet zone".
§ Characteristics of Aztec Code :
1. Used
for Tickets in the transport industries,
eg. Railway companies.
2. Data
can be encoded in ASCII or extended SCII.
3. Supports
variable length data content.
4. Different error Correction Levels can be defined.
5. It has been Standardlized under ISO/IEC 24778
v Data Matrix–
Data Matrix is
a type of 2-D barcode with very high data density and can encode a large amount
of data. Data Matrix consists of a random sequence of black and white pairs.
Data matrix code type can encode the text, as well as raw data. The range of
the data encoded by the Data matrix usually lies between a few bytes up to 2
kilobytes. With this data storage space, approximately 2,335 alphanumeric
characters can be encoded by a data matrix symbol. Data Matrix coding standard
is widely used in Europe and the United States for information encoding.
ID
Matrix is credited as being the inventor of the Data Matrix barcode around
2005.
Characteristics:-
1. Supports variable length data content.
2. Encodings and sizes defined in the Data Matrix ECC 200 standard
are supported.
3. Different error correction levels can be defined.
4. It has been standardized under ISO/IEC 16022.
§ Features–
1. Color inverted decoding can be enabled.
2. GS1 codes are identified to signal that application identifiers
are present (GS1 DataMatrix).
§ Dot code–
The Dot Code is 2D
barcode which encodes data in dots in a rectangular array. It was originally
developed as a solution for a machine-readable code that could be read reliably
when printed using high-speed inkjet or laser technologies.
In industries with
high-speed production processes, Dot Codes can be used as an alternative to
other 2D codes to facilitate item-level serialization allowing products to be tracked throughout global supply chains.
The Dot Code was
developed by Dr Andrew Longacre, with official specifications published by
global industry standards organization AIM in 2009.
1. Designed to tolerate missing, extra or poorly-placed dots
without sacrificing reading integrity.
2. The symbology is intended for industrial, high-speed marking
with ink-jet or laser.
3. This variable size, dot matrix symbology encodes data in an
array of nominally disconnected dots arranged within a regular grid of possible
locations.
4. The overall symbol shape is adjustable, rectangular to nearly
square shaped symbols are possible.
5. The symbol size is theoretically unlimited but practically
limited to approximately 124 modules (lines/columns).
6. Standard code page is Latin 1.
7. Ready for GS1 applications and suitable for encoding application identifiers (AIs).
GS1 Composite Code–
As the name suggests, the GS1 Composite code
symbology combines a GS1 system linear symbol and a 2D Composite Component as
one symbology. While the two components are separated by a separator pattern,
the 2-dimensional component is printed above the linear component.
Characteristics:
Composite codes are combinations of a linear (1D) barcode and a 2D code. The linear component encodes the item’s primary identification. The 2D component describes additional data like a batch number or expiration date. The Scandit SDK version 4.14 or newer supports all GS1 Composite Codes as defined in ISO/IEC 24723:2010. The specification defines three different types; A, B and C.
The linear component of a composite A or B code
can be any of the following symbologies:
1.EAN/UPC
symbology (EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, or UPC-E)
2.GS1-128
(Code 128)
3.Any
member of the GS1 Data Bar family
Version C supports GS1-128 as the linear component only.
v Micro QR Code–
Micro QR Code was designed by
Denso Wave in Japan to be a smaller, more compact version of their
regular QR Code. Micro
QR is intended for use where QR Code would take up too much space or where less
data needs to be encoded, as with direct parts marking on small components. It
also encodes kanji characters.
Micro QR Code can be printed in black on a white background or in white on a black background.
Micro QR codes take up much less space than traditional QR codes. They can only handle 35 characters but you can easily fit them on your business card, website or a small product tag. Standards: ISO/IEC 18004, JIS X 0510, ITS – QR Code, AIM ISS – QR Code.
1. The data field can contain any extended ASCII data. The default
interpretation of data by readers is in accordance with ISO/IEC 8859-1.
2. An appropriate size will be selected to work around the
following restrictions:
3. An M1 symbol is only compatible with numeric data.
4. An M2 symbol is only compatible with alphanumeric data.
5. When the Parse option
is specified, any instances of ^NNN in the data field are replaced with their
equivalent ASCII value, useful for specifying unprintable characters.
5. The version option
is used to specify the size of the symbol, either version=M1, version=M2,
version=M3 or version=M4.
6. The eclevel option is
used to specify the error correction level:
1. eclevel=L – Low (default)
2. eclevel=M – Medium; Not compatible with M1 symbols
3. eclevel=Q – Quality; Only compatible with M4 symbols
7. If unspecified the encoder will select the version of the symbol that is the minimum size to represent the given data at the selected error correction level.
v Micro PDF 417
MicroPDF417 is a
two-dimensional, variable-length stacked symbology that is designed to encode a
moderate amount of data in a very small space. It is based on PDF417 and shares
several of its features.
MicroPDF417
is two-dimensional (2D), multi-row symbology, derived from PDF417 that encodes up to 150 bytes. All of our MicroPDF417 products
were created from ISO/IEC 24728. Micro-PDF417 is designed for applications
requiring improved area efficiency, and is used for Composite
Codes in GS1 DataBar.
Characteristics:
1. More space efficient version of PDF417 without start and end
patterns.
2. Used in GS1 Composite Codes type A (CC-A) and B (CC-B).
3. Supports variable length data content using one to four columns
and up to 44 rows.
4. All size versions have a fixed error correction level.
5. It has been standardised under ISO/IEC 24728.
v PDF 417
PDF417 is used in many applications by both commercial
and government organizations. PDF417 is one of the formats (along with Data Matrix) that can be used to print postage accepted by the United
States Postal Service. PDF417 is also used by
the airline industry's Bar Coded Boarding Pass (BCBP) standard as the 2D bar code symbolism for paper boarding passes.
PDF417 is the standard selected by the Department of Homeland Security as the machine
readable zone technology for RealID compliant driver licenses and state issued identification cards. PDF417 barcodes are also
included on visas and border crossing cards issued by the State of Israel
Characteristics:
1. Used in a wide range of applications.
2. Supports variable length data content.
3. The number of rows and Coloumns are Configurable.
4. Different error correction levels can be defined.
5. It has been standardized under ISO/IEC 15438.
6. Truncated PDF417 codes are supported.
v QR Code–
A QR
code (an initialism for quick
response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or
two-dimensional barcode) invented in 1994 by the Japanese automotive company Denso Wave. QR codes often
contain data for a locator, identifier, or tracker that points to
a website or application. A QR code uses four standardized encoding modes
(numeric, alphanumeric, byte/binary, and kanji) to store data efficiently; extensions may also be used.
Characteristics:
1. Supports variable length data content.
2. Data encoding modes support numeric, alphanumeric, binary data
and kanji characters.
3. Different sizes (called versions) and error correction levels
can be defined.
4. It has been standardised under ISO/IEC 18004.
5. Color inverted decoding can be enabled.
6. GS1 codes are identified to signal that application identifiers
are present (GS1 QR).
Key differences Between
1D & 2D Barcode :-
While 1D barcodes have only horizontal or
vertical lines, 2D versions can have both, along with other shapes and
patterns. This allows 2D barcodes to hold as many as 2,000 characters, compared
with 80 characters with 1D codes. In addition, a wide variety of scanners can
read linear barcodes, while 2D barcodes require more advanced scanners or
smartphones. Finally, matrix barcodes can have smaller physical footprints than
linear ones, so they’re often ideal for small items with minimal space for a
barcode.
What are the Uses of Barcodes?
There are countless uses of Barcodes. Here are a few most popular uses of Barcodes:-
1. Tracking inventory: Companies
need to know the current location of those products, at all times. Barcodes can
resolve that warehouse management issue—warehouse
associates scan new items as they arrive and again when they’re shipped out as
part of an order; in more automated facilities. Every products needs a barcode,
of course, and codes must be linked to a database that has all the necessary
product information. But once that’s set up, inventory numbers will always be
reliable and update in real time.
2. Tracking assets: Barcodes
are the most popular method for tracking the assets that businesses use to
support their daily operations. For mobile items like computers or vehicles,
barcodes can show who last used those items and when. They also help company
leaders understand the usage and condition of different assets as they plan
future investments.
3. Invoicing: Many
organizations put barcodes on invoices to make it easier to track accounts
payable (AP) and accounts receivable
(AR). Companies could put barcodes on invoices to tie
it to a specific customer. When the customer pays, an employee can scan the
barcode to make sure they credit the correct account, and could follow the same
process for accounts payable (AP)
4. Mail: Much
like with inventory, businesses can use barcodes to track all the mail and
packages they send out. They can scan letters and packages before handing them
off to couriers to link tracking information to that order, and then send it to
customers so they can check the status of their orders. If mail is returned to
the seller, it can scan the barcode to quickly identify the customer it needs
to contact to resolve the issue.
5. Mail Merges: A mail merge links a data source, like a spreadsheet, with another document to automatically plug that data into preset fields. Business can use mail merges to create barcodes for a batch of items in a few simple steps. It’s a much more efficient method than handling them one by one.
How do Barcodes Work? As we know that a barcode is a square or rectangular image consisting of a series of parallel black lines and white spaces. The information is encoded between the length of each shaded line and the space between them. A scanning device uses a laser to "read" the bar code by scanning in the unique bar of shaded lines. A barcode scanner reads the lines from left to right.
A barcode scanner reads pattern of black and white bars which turns the
information in the binary code (0 or 1). Then Computer reads the information in the binary forms only and same is displayed on the the screen of the monitor.
The "number"
written in the right hand side of the "center guard" informs about
the type of the product whether it is made of plastic or by natural things,
vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
In the picture given below, If “2” is
written instead of 0; it shows that the product is either vegan or non-vegan.
If “3” is written; it means that the product is related to pharmacy
Two digits near the left
bar i.e. 0 and 5 inform that the product if either made in USA or in
Canada because barcode from 00 to 13 is assigned to these two
countries.
The last digit "7" given on the right hand side of the barcode is a check number, which ensures that whether information has been properly read by the barcode reader or not.
Now let us know that what barcode is
assigned to different countries of the world-
1. India: 890:
2. France: 30-37
3. Germany: 40-44
4. Japan: 45-49
5. Russia: 46
6. Taiwan: 471
7. Philippines: 480
8. Hong Kong: 89
9. United States and Canada: 00 -13
10. China: 690-692
From the data given above, now we came to know about the different
Barcodes of the different
countries of the world.
Now the question is how
Barcode is made?
A barcode has 95 blocks.
Out of 95 blocks; the barcode is written in the 12 blocks
Out of these 95 blocks three blocks are named as the, left guard, centre guard
and right guard.
So on the basis of the
information given above we can conclude that what is barcode and how is it
made.
Now we are going to discuss about the advantages of Barcodes–
It is very important
to understand the advantages of Barcodes and how it can be applied to help your
business grow. The following are the some advantages of barcodes:
1. Barcodes eliminate the possibility of human error. The occurrence of
errors for manually entering data is higher than data entered by barcodes and
scanning machines. A barcode scanner is a more reliable and less time-consuming
option than to enter data by hand.
2. Using barcode systems reduces the time spent in training the
employees. It
only takes a few minutes to learn and understand how a barcode scanner works
for reading barcodes compared to the hours spent training employees.
3. Barcodes will inevitably reduce labour cost. Barcodes will do a
two-man job. It is perfectly possible for one person to operate it.
4. Barcodes are inexpensive to design and print. Generally, they
cost very less, regardless of their purpose or where they will be placed. Also,
they can be customized in a variety of finishes and materials.
5. Barcode usage is extremely varied. They can be used for any
kind of data collection necessary. This could include pricing or inventory
information.
6. Barcodes improve inventory control. Since barcodes make
it possible to track inventory so precisely, excess inventory levels can be
reduced. Additionally, the location of inventory can be tracked, reducing the
time spent searching for it.
7. Barcodes provide better data. Since one barcode can be
used for both inventory and pricing information, it is possible to obtain data
for a wide variety of products.
8. Data obtained through barcodes is available quickly. Since the
information is scanned directly into a computer, it is ready and accessible
instantly. This ensures that time will not be wasted on data entry or retrieval.
9. Barcodes promote better decision making. Since the data is obtained rapidly, it is possible to make more informed decisions that ultimately helps saves money and time.
Written by ~ MINDWARE (Indian Barcode Corporation)
You can contact us for more information~ +91 9810822688
E-mail - gm@indianbarcode.com
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https://www.indianbarcode.com/knowledge-base
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