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Linear Barcode Symbology

Linear barcodes are one-dimensional codes composed of bars and spaces that represent data. There are various symbologies that differ in bar widths and whether they use continuous or discrete bars. Common 1D codes include UPC, EAN, Code 39, Code 128, and GS1-128. Matrix codes represent more data in a two-dimensional pattern. Examples include Data Matrix, QR, Aztec, and PDF417. These 2D codes can encode various data types including text, URLs, and images. Matrix codes are increasingly used with mobile devices to access online information by scanning codes printed in documents, advertising, and product packaging.

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234 views11 pages

Linear Barcode Symbology

Linear barcodes are one-dimensional codes composed of bars and spaces that represent data. There are various symbologies that differ in bar widths and whether they use continuous or discrete bars. Common 1D codes include UPC, EAN, Code 39, Code 128, and GS1-128. Matrix codes represent more data in a two-dimensional pattern. Examples include Data Matrix, QR, Aztec, and PDF417. These 2D codes can encode various data types including text, URLs, and images. Matrix codes are increasingly used with mobile devices to access online information by scanning codes printed in documents, advertising, and product packaging.

Uploaded by

Hanry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Linear barcodes

A first generation, "one dimensional" barcode that is made up of lines and spaces of various
widths that create specific patterns.
Example

Symbology

Continuous
or discrete

Bar
widths

Uses
An Australia Post barcode as
used on a business reply paid
envelope.
Old format used in libraries
and blood banks and on
airbills (out of date)

Australia Post
barcode

Discrete

4 bar
heights

Codabar

Discrete

Two

Code 25 Noninterleaved 2 of 5

Continuous

Two

Industrial

Code 25
Interleaved 2 of 5

Continuous

Two

Wholesale, libraries
International standard
ISO/IEC 16390

Code 11

Discrete

Two

Telephones (out of date)

Farmacode or Code
Discrete
32

Two

Italian pharmacode use


Code 39 (no international
standard available)

Code 39

Discrete

Two

Various international
standard ISO/IEC 16388

Code 49

Continuous

Many

Various

Code 93

Continuous

Many

Various

Code 128

Continuous

Many

Various International
Standard ISO/IEC 15417

CPC Binary

Discrete

Two

DX film edge
barcode

Neither

Tall/short Color print film

EAN 2

Continuous

Many

EAN 5

Continuous

Many

Addon code (magazines),


GS1-approved not an own
symbology to be used only
with an EAN/UPC according
to ISO/IEC 15420
Addon code (books), GS1approved not an own
symbology to be used only
with an EAN/UPC according
to ISO/IEC 15420

Many

Worldwide retail, GS1approved International


Standard ISO/IEC 15420

Two

USPS business reply mail

GS1-128 (formerly
named UCC/EAN128), incorrectly
Continuous
referenced as EAN
128 and UCC 128

Many

Various, GS1-approved
just an application of the
Code 128 (ISO/IEC 15417)
using the ANS MH10.8.2 AI
Datastructures. It is not a
separate symbology.

GS1 DataBar,
formerly Reduced
Space Symbology
(RSS)

Many

Various, GS1-approved

EAN-8, EAN-13

Continuous

Facing
Discrete
Identification Mark

Continuous

Intelligent Mail
barcode

Discrete

4 bar
heights

ITF-14

Continuous

Two

United States Postal Service,


replaces both POSTNET and
PLANET symbols (formerly
named OneCode)
Non-retail packaging levels,
GS1-approved is just an
Interleaved 2/5 Code
(ISO/IEC 16390) with a few
additional specifications,

according to the GS1 General


Specifications

Many

Used in Japan, similar and


compatible with EAN-13
(ISO/IEC 15420)

Japan Post barcode Discrete

4 bar
heights

Japan Post

KarTrak ACI

Discrete

Coloured Used in North America on


bars
railroad rolling equipment

MSI

Continuous

Two

Used for warehouse shelves


and inventory

Pharmacode

Discrete

Two

Pharmaceutical packaging
(no international standard
available)

PLANET

Continuous

Plessey

Continuous

JAN

Continuous

United States Postal Service


Tall/short (no international standard
available)
Catalogs, store shelves,
Two
inventory (no international
standard available)

Discrete

4 bar
heights

POSTNET

Discrete

United States Postal Service


Tall/short (no international standard
available)

RM4SCC / KIX

Discrete

4 bar
heights

RM Mailmark C

Discrete

RM Mailmark L

Discrete

Telepen

Continuous

Two

Libraries (UK)

Universal Product
Code

Continuous

Many

Worldwide retail, GS1approved International


Standard ISO/IEC 15420

PostBar

4 bar
heights
4 bar
heights

Canadian Post office

Royal Mail / PostNL

Royal Mail
Royal Mail

Matrix (2D) barcodes


A matrix code, also termed a 2D barcode or simply a 2D code, is a two-dimensional way to
represent information. It is similar to a linear (1-dimensional) barcode, but can represent more
data per unit area.
Example

Name

Aztec Code

Code 1
ColorCode
Color
Construct
Code

Notes

Designed by Andrew Longacre at Welch Allyn (now


Honeywell Scanning and Mobility). Public domain.
International Standard ISO/IEC 24778

Public domain. Code 1 is currently used in the health care


industry for medicine labels and the recycling industry to
encode container content for sorting.[31]
ColorZip[32] developed colour barcodes that can be read by
camera phones from TV screens; mainly used in Korea.[33]
Color Construct Code is one of the few barcode
symbologies designed to take advantage of multiple
colors.[34][35]

CrontoSign

CyberCode
d-touch

DataGlyphs

Data Matrix

CrontoSign (also called photoTAN) is a visual


cryptogram[36] containing encrypted order data and a onetime-use TAN.[37]

From Sony.
readable when printed on deformable gloves and stretched
and distorted[38][39]
From Palo Alto Research Center (also termed Xerox
PARC).[40]
Patented.[41] DataGlyphs can be embedded into a half-tone
image or background shading pattern in a way that is
almost perceptually invisible, similar to
steganography.[42][43]
From Microscan Systems, formerly RVSI Acuity
CiMatrix/Siemens. Public domain. Increasingly used
throughout the United States. Single segment Data Matrix
is also termed Semacode Standard: ISO/IEC 16022.

Datastrip Code From Datastrip, Inc.

digital paper

patterned paper used in conjunction with a digital pen to


create handwritten digital documents. The printed dot
pattern uniquely identifies the position coordinates on the
paper.

EZcode

Designed for decoding by cameraphones;[44] from


ScanLife.[45]

High Capacity
Developed by Microsoft; licensed by ISAN-IA.
Color Barcode

Han Xin
Barcode

HueCode

InterCode

Barcode designed to encode Chinese characters introduced


by Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
in 2011.

From Robot Design Associates. Uses greyscale or


colour.[46]
From Iconlab, Inc. The standard 2D barcode in South
Korea. All 3 South Korean mobile carriers put the scanner
program of this code into their handsets to access mobile
internet, as a default embedded program.

MaxiCode

Used by United Parcel Service. Now Public Domain

MMCC

Designed to disseminate high capacity mobile phone


content via existing colour print and electronic media,
without the need for network connectivity

NexCode

NexCode is developed and patented by S5 Systems.

Nintendo eReader#Dot
code

Developed by Olympus Corporation to store songs, images,


and mini-games for Game Boy Advance on Pokmon
trading cards.

PDF417

Originated by Symbol Technologies. Public Domain.

Qode

American proprietary and patented 2D barcode from


NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.[45]

QR code

Initially developed, patented and owned by Toyota


subsidiary Denso Wave for car parts management; they
have chosen not to exercise their patent rights. Can encode
Japanese Kanji and Kana characters, music, images, URLs,
emails. De facto standard for Japanese cell phones. Also
used with BlackBerry Messenger to pickup contacts rather
than using a PIN code. These codes are also the most
frequently used type to scan with smartphones.
International Standard : ISO/IEC 18004

ShotCode

Circular barcodes for camera phones. Originally from High


Energy Magic Ltd in name Spotcode. Before that probably
termed TRIPCode.

SPARQCode

QR code encoding standard from MSKYNET, Inc.

VOICEYE

Developed and patented by VOICEYE, Inc. in South


Korea, it aims to allow blind and visually impaired people
to access printed information. It also claims to be the 2D
barcode that has the world's largest storage capacity.

Example images

First, Second and Third Generation Barcodes

GTIN-12 number encoded in UPC-A barcode symbol. First and last digit are always
placed outside the symbol to indicate Quiet Zones that are necessary for barcode scanners
to work properly

EAN-13 (GTIN-13) number encoded in EAN-13 barcode symbol. First digit is always
placed outside the symbol, additionally right quiet zone indicator (>) is used to indicate
Quiet Zones that are necessary for barcode scanners to work properly

"Wikipedia" encoded in Code 93

"*WIKI39*" encoded in Code 39

'Wikipedia" encoded in Code 128

An example of a stacked barcode. Specifically a "Codablock" barcode.

PDF417 sample

Lorem ipsum boilerplate text as four segment Data Matrix 2D

"This is an example Aztec symbol for Wikipedia" encoded in Aztec Code

Text 'EZcode'

High Capacity Color Barcode of the URL for Wikipedia's article on High Capacity Color
Barcode

"Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia" in several languages encoded in DataGlyphs

Two different 2D barcodes used in film: Dolby Digital between the sprocket holes with
the "Double-D" logo in the middle, and Sony Dynamic Digital Sound in the blue area to
the left of the sprocket holes

The QR Code for the Wikipedia URL. "Quick Response", the most popular 2D barcode
in Japan, is promoted by Google. It is open in that the specification is disclosed and the
patent is not exercised.[47]

MaxiCode example. This encodes the string "Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia"

ShotCode sample

detail of Twibright Optar scan from laser printed paper, carrying 32 kbit/s Ogg Vorbis
digital music (48 seconds per A4 page)

A KarTrak railroad Automatic Equipment Identification label on a caboose in Florida

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