HomeDefinitionsWhat is a barcode? Where is it used? Barcode Types

What is a barcode? Where is it used? Barcode Types

The barcode was invented in 1952 by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, two American students who wanted to facilitate the registration of products sold by manufacturers. The invention of the UPC code (Universal Product Code) in 1970 and the proliferation of mass distribution popularized its use.

There are two types of barcodes

The barcode is sent to the barcode reader, which records the products purchased by the customers. Newer types of readers are wireless and communicate with the cash register via Bluetooth. There are two types of barcodes:

  1. A one-dimensional (1D) barcode that consists of a series of parallel lines and is one-dimensional to read.
  2. The two-dimensional (2D) barcode is rich in a wide variety of symbols (dots, rectangles, hexagons, etc.) and records significantly more information.

Therefore decoding is also performed in a unidirectional or bidirectional mode. The Plessey code for inventories provides an example of this. So printing the barcode is extremely easy.

What is the barcode used for?

Barcode is very useful. The usage areas of barcodes are many and they have spread to all kinds of activity sectors. They include advanced technologies.

Usage areas of barcodes

The barcode identifies the product. The barcode has multiple uses. These;

  • Retail: item tracking, inventory management, accounting and invoicing;

  • Tracking of parcels and letters registered by postal services;

  • Baggage tracking at airports and airlines, use of boarding passes;

  • Entertainment (theatre, concerts, cinemas);

  • Indexing of documents;

  • Identification of patients and medications;

  • Coding bridges in 2D code;

What information is hidden in barcodes?

The barcode provides the following information to the scanner:

  • the first two or three digits indicate the country of origin of the company producing the product;
  • the next four or five digits indicate the company number;
  • followed by the article number;
  • The last digit indicates the validity of the product.

Barcode saves a significant amount of time and money for large organizations such as supermarkets and airports that manage large numbers of articles and objects.

How does the barcode work?

The operation of the barcode has remained very simple for the user, despite its technological development. Barcode operation differs according to the type of reader used. There are three types of barcode readers: handheld, portable reader and terminal.

barcode scanner how it works-min

Handheld and portable Scanners

Less advanced than barcode terminals, scanners and portable readers are the most common. These;

  • Barcode scanners used in small, medium and large commercial areas as well as in the medical sector;
  • Portable barcode scanners are used to make inventory in stores, warehouses and mail.

Terminals

Standalone barcode terminals are the most efficient. They scan 1D and 2D codes, analyze the data, and then transmit it over networks. They are suitable for inventory, price control, inspection and merchandising. They meet the expectations of carriers, salespeople and inventory managers.

Mehmet S. Kaya
Mehmet S. Kayahttps://teknonel.com
Mehmet is one of the administrator of Teknonel. As a software developer, he loves to share his knowledge in related topics. He is highly familiar with the editorial process from the inception of an article idea, through the iterative process, publishing, and performance analysis as well as product reviews.

Follow us on Social Media!

12FansLike
15,848FollowersFollow
13FollowersFollow
676SubscribersSubscribe

Related Articles

HDR: Definition, Advantages and Importance

HDR stands for "High Dynamic Range". The goal is to translate as well as possible, on a photo or a video, what the human...

Keylogger: Definition, Prevention and Types

The term keylogger is used to designate any computer process (software or hardware) capable of recording the sequences of keys typed on a keyboard,...

Hyperthreading: Definition, Uses and Importance

Threads are small tasks that the computer must perform simultaneously, that is to say operations that one or more open programs must execute and...

Geofencing: Definition, Uses and Importance

Geofencing is a geolocation technology that monitors the movement of objects or people within a predefined perimeter. This system is used, for example, for...

Explore More Articles

Starfield How to Store items in your Ship-min

Starfield: How to Store items in your Ship?

0
Starfield's massive open-world comes with unlimited items to farm and collect. However, it might be little bit annoying to over encumber time to time....
Starfield How to use Scanner-min

Starfield: How to use Scanner?

0
Scanner is a tool that you'll be needing a lot of in Starfield. It allows you to see which resources and materials a planet...

Starfield: Best locations to find Argon

0
Argon is one of the gaseous resource in Starfield. It can also be found as a solid material just like lead or iron. There...
Starfield How to upgrade Ship Weapons-min

Starfield: How to upgrade Ship Weapons?

0
Within Starfield you can actually purchase upgrade or fully build your own spaceship via modules. The thing is that, a lot of this isn't...