Tech Specs: Barcode Symbologies

• Discrete, variable length, alphanumeric symbology
• U.S. Government and Military are major users (LOGMARS)
• Standard code required by the Department of Defense for projects involving barcoding

• Low-density numeric symbology
• Photofinishing, warehouse management, airline industry use

• Discrete, self-checking symbology that can encode 16 different characters, plus additional 4 start/stop characters
• Used in U.S. blood banks, photo labs and on FedEx airbills

• Compressed form of Code 39 (see above), allowing for higher data density

• High-density alphanumeric code, used worldwide
• Code consists of start code (to determine character set used for encoding), data, and check digit

• Worldwide format and standard for encoding/exchanging common data
• Not a symbology per se, but a standard for encoding
• Data is encoded in Code 128 (see above)
• Data contains "Application Identifiers," which identify the type of information encoded (i.e. weight in pounds)

• Most familiar barcode symbology in use today in the United States
• 12-character numeric code
• Contains number system ID, manufacturer code, product code and check digit (a means of verifying the code)
• Manufacturer Code is unique code assigned by the UCC Council (Click here for more information on UPC Codes)
• Product Code is assigned by the manufacturer
• UPC-A is a subset of EAN-13 (see below)
• As of January 1, 2005, the UCC Council has stipulated that all decoding hardware and databases must be able to handle EAN-13, so it is best to implement EAN-13 instead of a strict UPC-A symbology.

• 6-character code, shortened version of UPC-A
• Generally used on very small packages where a full UPC-A code would not fit

• 13-character product code used internationally

• 8-character code, shortened version of EAN-13

• U.P. Postal Service code printed on envelopes
• Data is encoded in the height of the bars, not in the width of the bars
• 5, 9 or 11 digits, including ZIP Code, ZIP+4, or Delivery Point data

• Older code for library and retail shelf marking
• Limited alphanumeric data (digits 0 through 9 and letters A through F)
• Most often used for just numeric data

• Variant of Plessey (see above)
• Numeric only
• Commonly used in the United States

• High-density, numeric-only symbology used to identify telecommunications equipment

• High-density, alphanumeric code
• Essentially a set of stacked bar codes
• Contains a high amount of data
• Codes can be logically linked to hold theoretically unlimited amounts of data
• Used when item data travels with item, and no host database is available for quick look-up
• Used on hazardous materials labeling, storing electronic instrument calibration and specification data, encoding fingerprints and photographs on drivers licenses
• Requires a 2D scanner, CCD (Charged Coupling Device) scanner, or laser scanner with special software to read

• Derived from PDF417 (see above)
• Alphanumeric with limited size and error-correcting capability
• Used where barcode symbol must be smaller than PDF417 will allow

• Encode up to 2000 characters in a square format
• Squares range from 0.001 inch to 14 inches on a side
• Requires 2D scanner to read
• Used for data on electrical equipment, surgical instruments, lenses, circuit boards

• Created by UPS for use in package scanning/tracking on high-speed conveyor lines
• Up to 93 data characters can be encoded in a 1-inch (approximate) square with "bullseye" marker in center
• Requires 2D scanner to read

• Alphanumeric code for up to 1520 characters (2509 numeric characters) per square data element
• Square data element ranges from 21x21
• Designed for rapid reading using CCD array cameras and image processing technology

• Stacked barcode symbology, using 2 to 8 rows
• Alphanumeric encoding capability
• Can be read by moving beam laser or CCD (charged coupling device) scanners

• Proprietary code
• Small, circular symbols
• Used for marking shiny, curved metal surfaces such as surgical instruments

• Proprietary code
• Hexagonal symbols with complementing border, printed alone or in sequenced groups
• Optimized for reading at distances up to 50 meters or in variable lighting conditions
• Principally used to track logs and lumber

• Designed for ease of printing and decoding
• Alphanumeric code for up to 3067 characters or 1914 bytes of data
• Square data element with square central "bullseye" finder
• Sizes range from 15x15 modules to 151x151 modules
• Smaller size ("Small Aztec Code") designed for space-saving applications of up to 95 characters

• 1 to 44 stacked rows of Code 39 or Code 128 (see above)
• Codablock F has 2 to 44 rows of Code 128 data
• Can be read by standard Code 128 readers
• Used by German blood banks

• Alphanumeric matrix symbol
• Sizes range from Code 1A (13 alphanumeric characters) to Code 1H (2218 alphanumeric characters or 3550 digits)
• Can be made in a variety of shapes, (such as L, T, or U shapes)
• Used in health care industry for medicine labels, and in recycling industry for container sorting operations

• Simple-to-print-and-decode multirow/stacked symbology
• 2 to 16 rows, 5 ASCII characters per row
• Can be read by moving beam laser or CCD (charged coupling device) scanners

• Proprietary square matrix code, similar to Data Matrix code (see above)

• Proprietary code using small slashes ( /and \ ) to store binary data
• Designed to merge into product designs, (i.e. logos or tints behind text or graphics)
• Used for questionnaires, deirect-reply mail forms, survey and business cards
• Can be read using an image scanner

• Oldest of 2D symbologies
• Can encode data, graphics and even digitized sound on plain paper in highly condensed format
• Typical symbol is approximately 5/8-inch wide and up to 9 inches long, and from 150 to 1000 bits per square inch
• Data must be read with a proprietary contact reader from Datastrip, Inc.
• Originally developed to publish software in books and magazines, and now used for printing information on ID cards

• Small-area marking or direct marking by low precision marking technologies
• Square array of dots, allowing almost unlimited individual marking distinctions
• Used for marking laboratory glassware or laundry items

(No Graphic Available)

• Proprietary code using shades of gray or color to encode data
• Read using a flatbed scanner set to 400x400 dpi, and proprietary software
• used to store text information on business or medical cards

• Proprietary code for encoding text, video or audio in a secure format

• Proprietary code of square matrix symbols
• Used in tracking/sorting operations (low resolution) or shipping manifests (high resolution)

• Proprietary code of large printed binary bits
• Suitable for transmitting data via scanning/decoding or direct faxing applications

• Proprietary code, similar to Dot Code (see above)
• Used in the pharmaceutical industry in a variety of methods of application, including printed labels, ink jet printing, laser etching, indenting or hole punching

• Packet-structured encoding system that allows flexible placement of packets in non-rectangular shapes or non-standard sequences
• Alphanumeric coding

• Numeric and alphanumeric modes
• Printed pixels in lower density black and white, or higher density colored patterns
• Suited for direct printing with low linear precision

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