Barcode

Barcodes (also known as bar codes) - this is a graphical representation of numbers, characters and letters with dark and light boxes. Their main task is to read information through a code reader.

Advantages of bar codes:

• enable automatic loading of information
• automatic identification of various types of products in storage, transport and commodity science
• accuracy of data recording
• positive impact on capital and inventory management
• speed of entering, reading and processing data
• improve documentation and billing
• streamlines the erase functions
• more effective transaction execution
• accelerated customer service

Types of barcodes

Division of codes by dimensionality:

• One-dimensional bar codes (linear, 1D) - information is contained on one line, usually in the form of bars.
• Two-dimensional two bar codes - information stored in several lines, one below the other.
• Barcodes Two-dimensional matrix - the information is written on the surface of the package in a form other than lines.
• Complex barcodes - a mix of one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes.
• Three-dimensional barcodes - extruded one-dimensional codes. Their depth is used to read them.

Breakdown by stroke width:

• Codes with one stroke width
• Codes with two line widths
• Codes with many strokes widths (modular)

Breakdown by type of coded symbols:

• Numeric - only digits in the decimal system are coded
• Alphanumeric - the digits and other characters of the ASCII code are encoded, sometimes also characters appearing in some alphabets

Breakdown by code continuity (not applicable to matrix codes):

• Continuous codes - there are no gaps between coded characters
• Discrete codes - there are spaces between coded characters

Breakdown by number of coded characters:

• Codes with a strictly defined number of coded characters (fixed length)
• Codes with a different number of coded characters (variable length)

Breakdown according to the adopted method of verification of read data:

• Self-check codes - some error checking procedures are implemented in the code construction
• Codes with a control character (e.g. with a check digit)
• Self-check codes that contain an additional check mark

Country or region barcodes

Country or region codes

000-139 USA & Canada	20-29 Goods weighed in supermarkets	300-379 France
383 Slovenia	380 Bulgaria	385 Croatia
387 Bosnia-Herzegovina	40-44 Germany	45 Japan (also 49)
46 Russian Federation	470 Kyrgyzstan	474 Estonia
475 Latvia	476 Azerbaijan	477 Lithuania
478 Uzbekistan	479 Sri Lanka	480 Philippines
481 Belarus	482 Ukraine	484 Moldova
485 Armenia	486 Georgia	487 Kazakhstan
489 Hong Kong	49 Japan (JAN-13)	50 Great Britain
520 Greece	528 Lebanon	529 Cyprus
531 Macedonia	535 Malta	539 Ireland
54 Belgium & Luxembourg	560 Portugal	569 Iceland
57 Denmark	590 Poland	594 Romania
599 Hungary	600 & 601 South Africa	608 Bahrain
609 Mauritius	611 Morocco	613 Algeria
621 Syria	622 Egypt	624 Libya
625 Jordan	626 Iran	627 Kuwait
628 Saudi Arabia	64 Finland	690-692 China
70 Norway	729 Israel	73 Sweden
740 Guatemala	741 El Salvador	742 Honduras
743 Nicaragua	744 Costa Rica	745 Panama
746 Dominican Republic	750 Mexico	759 Venezuela
76 Switzerland	770 Colombia	773 Uruguay
775 Peru	777 Bolivia	779 Argentina
780 Chile	784 Paraguay	786 Ecuador
789-790 Brazil	80-83 Italy	84 Spain
850 Kuba	858 Slovakia	859 Czech Republic
860 Yugoslavia	867 North Korea	867 North Korea
869 Turkey	87 The Netherlands	880 South Korea
885 Thailand	888 Singapore	890 India
893 Vietnam	899 Indonesia	90 & 91 Austria
94 New Zealand	950 EAN - IDA	955 Malaysia
958 Macao	619 Tunisia	978 International Standard Book Numbering (ISBN)
979 International Standard Music Number (ISMN)	980 Refund receipts	981 & 982 Common Currency Coupons
977 International Standard Serial Number for Periodicals (ISSN)	99 Coupons	-

Examples of Barcode

• UPC Barcode: This type of barcode is the most common type of barcode used for consumer products. It is a 12-digit numerical code that can be found on almost any product, from food to electronics. This type of barcode is used to identify the item and to help keep track of inventory.
• QR Code: A QR Code is a two-dimensional barcode that can store various types of data, including text, website URLs, and contact information. It is commonly used to quickly and easily transfer information between two devices, such as a smartphone and a computer.
• ISBN Barcode: An ISBN barcode is used to identify books and other publications. It is a 13-digit numerical code that is printed on the back cover of a book, and is used to track books in libraries and bookstores.

Advantages of Barcode

Barcodes have many advantages, including:

• Increased accuracy and speed of data entry. Barcodes can be quickly and accurately scanned by a code reader. This ensures that data entry is more accurate and efficient compared to manual data entry.
• Cost savings. Barcodes are very cost efficient, as they require minimal investment in hardware, and they save time and labour costs associated with manual data entry.
• Increased efficiency. Barcodes allow for quick and easy tracking of inventory, and can be used to track shipments and other items in transit.
• Improved security. Barcodes can be used to prevent fraud and counterfeit items, as each code is unique and can be tracked.

Limitations of Barcode

Barcodes have many limitations which make them less than ideal for some applications. The following are some of the main limitations of barcodes:

• Barcodes are limited in size due to the number of characters or data that can be encoded in a single barcode. This limits their application to items that are small enough to fit the size of the barcode.
• Barcodes are only able to store a limited amount of information. They are not suitable for storing large amounts of data such as images, video, or audio.
• Barcodes are prone to errors, such as incorrect scanning or misreading of the code. This can lead to inaccurate data being recorded.
• Barcodes can be easily damaged or distorted, making them difficult to read and leading to inaccurate data being collected.
• Barcodes are limited to linear formats, which limits the type of information that can be encoded.

Other approaches related to Barcode

Barcodes are not the only approach to read information through a code reader. Other approaches include:

• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) which uses radio waves to transmit information from a tag attached to a product to a reader device. This technology is commonly used in the retail industry for tracking inventory, managing access control, and more.
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which uses a camera to take a picture of text and then uses software to recognize the text. This technology can be used to quickly scan documents and quickly extract data from them.
• QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) which are two-dimensional barcodes that can store more data than traditional barcodes. QR codes are used in many applications such as product tracking, customer loyalty programs, payment systems, and more.
• NFC (Near Field Communication) which uses two devices that are in close proximity to each other to exchange information. This technology is commonly used in mobile payments and contactless cards.

In summary, there are a variety of approaches for reading information through a code reader. Each approach has its own benefits and drawbacks and is suitable for different applications.

Barcode — recommended articles

Notice of arrival — Shipping bill — Attendance management — Electronic purse — Pos terminal — Radio frequency identification (RFID) — Airline code — Buck slip — CAD

References

• Daw-Tung Lin, Chin-Lin Lin, (2013). AUTOMATIC LOCATION FOR MULTI-SYMBOLOGY AND MULTIPLE 1D AND 2D BARCODES. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, Vol. 21, No. 6, p. 664-666.
• Erol Ozcelik, Cengiz Acarturk, (2011). Reducing the Spatial Distance between Printed and Online Information Sources by means of Mobile Technology Enhances Learning: Using 2D Barcodes. Accepted Manuscript, p. 10-15.
• Jun-Chou Chuang, Yu-Chen Hu, Hsien-Ju Ko, (2018). A Novel Secret Sharing Technique Using QR Code. International Journal of Image Processing, no.4, p. 469-470.
• Melinda Katona and Laszl ´ o G. Ny ´ ul, (2012). A novel method for accurate and efficient barcode detection with morphological operations. IEEE, p. 1-3.

Author: Natalia Wróblewska