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Barcode | RFID

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01. What's a Bar Code?
02. What's a Bar Code Wand Scanner?
03. What's a Bar Code CCD Scanner?
04. What's a Bar Code Laser Scanner?
05. What's a Bar Code Portable Reader?
06. What's an Integrated Bar Code Portable Reader?
07. What's CODE 39 Bar Code Format?
08. What's UPC Bar Code Format?
09. What's Interleaved 2 of 5 Bar Code Format?
10. What's CODE 128 Bar Code Format?

What's a Bar Code?	BarCode is an automatic identification technology. It allows data to be collected accurately and rapidly. A BarCode symbol consists of a series of parallel, adjacent bars and spaces. Predetermined width patterns are used to code actual data into the symbol. To read information contained in a BarCode symbol, a scanning device, such as a light pen (or wand), is moved across the symbol from one side to the other. As a scanning device is moved across the symbol, the BarCode width pattern of bars and spaces is analized by the BarCode decoder, and the original data is recovered. The most visible application of this technology is the supermarket industry, where it has been in use since 1970. BarCode is now the de facto automatic identification technology, for virtually any application.


What's a Bar Code Wand Scanner?	BarCode Wands are the most popular BarCode readers or scanners, due to their low cost. Wands are manually moved across BarCodes to perform the reading function, hence their classification as "contact" scanners. BarCode Wand are extremely simple to use, but require users to keep a reasonably constant scanning motion accross the BarCode, and a flat surface behind the BarCode to support the pressure applied by the operator during the scanning motion.


What's a Bar Code CCD Scanner?	BarCode CCD Scanners are faster and easier to use than Wand Scanners. User simply holds the CCD Scanner slightly above the BarCode, and pulls the trigger button. CCD scanners typically read BarCodes from contact to about one-half inch distance, hence their classification as "near-contact" scanners. BarCode physical length must be considered when using CCD BarCode Scanners, as the complete BarCode must be covered by the CCD scanner optical head.


What's a Bar Code Laser Scanner?	BarCode Laser Scanners are faster and easier to use than Wand or CCD Scanners. User simply holds the Laser Scanner above the BarCode, and pulls the trigger button. Laser scanners typically read BarCodes from near contact to 12 inch distance (some models up to four feet), hence their classification as "non-contact" scanners. BarCode Laser Scanners are best suited for reading BarCodes from a distance, reading poorly printed labels, reading a wide range of label sizes, and reading labels on irregular surfaces.


What's a Bar Code Portable Reader?	A Bar Code Portable Reader is an integrated microcomputer system, which includes a display, key-pad, BarCode decoding capability, RS-232 communications port, batteries, and memory for data and program storage. For BarCode data collection, the system can be equiped with BarCode Wand, CCD, or Laser Scanners. The system provides operators with prompts, in response to which, operators enter data via key-pad or BarCode Scanners. Collected data is saved, until Portable Reader uploads data (via RS-232 port) to the PC, where data is typically saved in delimited ASCII files, for easy import into Access, FoxPro, Excel, and other applications. Programming for custom operator prompt sequences can be cumbersome, if you choose to program using proprietary language/software provided by the equipment manufacturer, or extremely fast and simple if you use an Easy-to-Use Application Program Generator. Application Program Generators provide non-technical personnel the ability to program for specific prompt sequences in only a few minutes.


What's an Integrated Bar Code Portable Reader?	An Integrated BarCode Portable Reader is a traditional Portable BarCode Reader that has a permanently attached BarCode Scanner (typically a Laser Scanner). The advantage of using this type of Portable is that operator can perform the data collection operation using only one hand (vs. two hands when using a detached BarCode Scanner).


What's CODE 39 Bar Code Format?	The CODE 39 BarCode Format (aka: 3 of 9) is the most commonly used BarCode Format because it enables numbers, upper case letters, and some punctuation marks (Capital Letters A-Z, Numbers 0-9, the "space" character, and the symbols:-,+,/,$,.,%) to be BarCoded. CODE 39 is a variable length format, allowing for encoding any number of digits. This format has become the standard for Government, Manufacturing, BarCode Industry, Education, and Business applications.


What's UPC Bar Code Format?	The UPC BarCode Format is the standard BarCode Format for items that are for sale to the public. Probably the largest user of the UPC code is your local supermarket. The UPC BarCode Format is used to encode a 12 digit number. The first number is the number system character, the next five are the manufacturer number, the next five are the product number, and the last digit is the checksum character. This BarCode Format only encodes numeric information and must have 12 characters in length (exactly).


What's Interleaved 2 of 5 Bar Code Format?	The Interleaved 2 of 5 BarCode Format (aka: CODE 25) is a numeric only code that prints out a little larger than the UPC BarCode when ten digits are encoded. The Interleaved 2 of 5 is an excellent choice for numeric only applications, because it has the flexibility of having from 2 to 30 digits. The Interleaved 2 of 5 code requires an even numbers of digits to be encoded. A leading 0 must be added if the digit count is not even.


What's CODE 128 Bar Code Format?	The CODE 128 BarCode Format is a very compact BarCode for codes with all numeric information. Alphanumeric information can also be encoded, but at the expense of loosing the "very compact" benefit. The compact size of the BarCode printed with the CODE 128 when using only numeric digits is achived by using "double density" (two numbers are included in one character width). When alphanumeric data is encoded, however, CODE 128 uses "single density", and the BarCodes are twice as long. This is not a simple BarCode Format to use, as there are several CODE 128 subsets, each with specific specifications and limitations.