As an indispensable identification system in modern logistics, retail and other fields, barcode hides sophisticated coding technology behind it. Let's take you to understand the coding principle of barcodes, introduce its development history, and explain the application fields of different types of barcodes. By gaining an in-depth understanding of the encoding technology of barcodes, readers will better understand the mysteries behind this technology.
A barcode, as the name suggests, is a graphic made up of vertical bars of different widths, as well as blank spaces, to represent information. It is a two-dimensional graphic encoding technology, which was first used for automatic identification of goods. The main components of a barcode include lines of different widths from empty bars, and numbers used to represent specific data. The encoding process is actually the conversion of characters to specific line widths and spacing.
Encoding rules
Different barcode standards use different encoding rules. Common encoding rules include Code 39, Code 128, EAN-13, and so on. These rules specify the width of bars and spaces, as well as the representation of different characters.
The process of generating barcodes
The barcode generation process involves converting characters into a series of bars and blanks. This process usually includes the selection of character sets, the addition of start and stop characters, and the validation of data. The generated barcode can be printed, displayed, etc.
The role of the checksum
In order to improve the recognition accuracy of barcodes, a check code is usually added during the encoding process. The check sum is calculated by performing data and can be used to detect if the barcode has been damaged or misread. Common verification algorithms include modulo 10, modulo 11, etc.
Early stage of development
The concept of barcodes was first proposed by American engineer George Laurel and was put into practical use in the early 60s of the 20th century. The earliest barcode system was Code 39, which was used in the United States Automatic Vehicle Identification System.
Development stage
With the continuous advancement of technology, barcodes have been widely used. The EAN-13 and UPC barcode standards are becoming popular in the retail industry, facilitating the automatic identification of goods. At the same time, 2D barcodes such as QR codes are also beginning to emerge, which can store more information and are widely used in mobile payments, tickets and other fields.
Modern applications
With the development of technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, the application of barcodes in logistics, production, medical and other fields continues to expand. New barcode technologies such as DataMatrix and PDF417 have also gradually emerged, providing efficient data identification methods for more scenarios.
EAN-13 and UPC: Mainly used in the retail industry, it is used for the unique identification of goods and inventory management.
Code 128: Widely used in logistics and warehousing, capable of representing a larger set of characters.
QR code: It is widely used in mobile payment, advertising, ticketing and other fields, and its scanning speed is faster and the amount of information it can contain is larger.
DataMatrix: Mainly used in the industrial sector, its small size makes it suitable for marking on small objects.
Write to the end. As an indispensable identification technology in modern society, barcodes play a key role in commodity management, logistics, production and other fields. By gaining an in-depth understanding of its coding principles and development history, we are able to better understand its application in different fields and lay the foundation for the development of new marking technologies in the future. With the continuous innovation of technology, barcodes will continue to play an important role in various fields, supporting the informatization and digitization of society. Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge