Code 128 Barcode
The Code 128
barcode was developed by COMPUTER IDENTICS in 1981. It is a
variable-length, continuous alphanumeric barcode. It can encode
all 128 ASCII characters.
Code 128 barcode
consists of a blank area, a start mark, a data area, a check
character and a terminator. It has three subsets, namely A, B
and C, which can represent different character sets. It can also
achieve multi-level encoding through the selection of starting
characters, code set characters, and conversion characters.
It enables
high-density and efficient data representation through
multi-level encoding and can be used for automatic
identification in any management system.
It is compatible
with the EAN/UCC system and is used to represent the information
of the storage and transportation unit or logistics unit of the
commodity. In this case, it is called GS1-128.
It can encode all
128 ASCII characters, including numbers, letters, symbols and
control characters, so it can represent all characters on the
computer keyboard.
There are three
subsets of Code 128 barcodes
Namely A code, B
code and C code. Code 128 barcodes can represent 128 ASCII
values by switching different subsets, and there is no
theoretical limit to the code length.
Code 128 A code: can
encode uppercase letters and control characters (such as TAB,
CR/LF, etc.), but cannot encode lowercase letters.
Code 128 B code: can
encode upper and lower case letters, but cannot encode control
characters.
Code 128 C code: can
only encode numbers 0-9, and each two numbers are represented by
a barcode symbol. It is the most compact code set.
Code128 is a
high-density barcode.
By using three
versions of character sets (A, B, C) and selection of start
characters, code set characters, and conversion characters, the
most optimal barcode can be selected according to different data
types and lengths. Appropriate encoding method. This can reduce
the length of the barcode and improve coding efficiency.
In addition, Code128
also uses check characters and terminators, which can increase
the reliability of barcodes and prevent misreading or missed
reading.
UPC Barcode
The UPC-A barcode
is a barcode symbol used to track items in stores and is only
used in the United States and Canada. It consists of 12 digits
and each product has a unique code.
It was formulated by
the United States Uniform Code Council in 1973, jointly
developed with IBM, and has been in use since 1974.
It was the first
barcode system used in supermarket checkout, and the first item
marked with a UPC-A barcode was scanned at the checkout counter
at Troy¡¯s Marsh Supermarket.
The reason why UPC-A
barcodes are used in supermarkets is that it can quickly,
accurately and conveniently identify product information, such
as price, inventory, sales volume, etc.
The UPC-A barcode
consists of 12 digits, of which the first 6 digits represent the
manufacturer code, the last 5 digits represent the product code,
and the last digit is the check digit. In this way, as long as
we scan the barcode at the supermarket checkout counter, we can
quickly obtain the product price and inventory information,
which greatly improves the work efficiency of supermarket
salespeople.
What is the
difference between EAN-13 barcode and UPC-A?
The EAN-13 barcode
is developed by the International Article Numbering Center and
is universally used. The code length is 13 digits, and the first
two digits represent the country or region code.
The UPC-A barcode is
produced by the United States Uniform Code Committee and is
mainly used in the United States and Canada. The code length is
12 digits, and the first digit indicates the numeric system
code.
The EAN-13 barcode
and UPC-A barcode have the same structure and verification
method, and both have grooves. EAN-13 barcode is a superset of
UPC-A barcode and is compatible with UPC-A barcode.
The EAN-13 barcode
has one more country/region code than the UPC-A barcode. In
fact, the UPC-A barcode can be regarded as a special case of the
EAN-13 barcode, that is, the first digit is set to 0. 13
barcodes.
How to convert
UPC-A to EAN-13 barcode?
UPC-A barcodes can
be converted to EAN-13 barcodes by adding a leading 0.
For example, the UPC-A
barcode 012345678905 corresponds to the EAN-13 barcode
0012345678905.
There are two types
of UPC barcodes: standard codes and shortened codes.
The standard code (UPC-A)
contains 1 digit system character, 5 digits manufacturer code, 5
digits product code and 1 digit check code.
The shortened code (UPC-E)
is the result of removing or compressing some numbers in the
standard code and can only represent 8 digits.
EAN Barcode
EAN, short for
European Article Number, is a barcode protocol and standard used
in supermarkets and other retail industries.
EAN-13 is
established based on the UPC-A standard established by the
United States to meet the needs of international applications.
EAN-13 consists of a
prefix code, manufacturer identification code, product item code
and check code, with a total of 13 digits. Its encoding follows
the principle of uniqueness and can ensure that it is not
repeated worldwide.
The EAN-13 barcode
standard was formulated by the International Commodity Barcode
Association. It is a world-wide commodity barcode system that is
designed to facilitate the identification and circulation of
commodities. The EAN-13 barcode standard specifies the barcode
structure, encoding method, printing requirements, etc.
There are four
types of EAN barcodes:
EAN-13: The original
13-digit format, suitable for countries around the world except
the United States and Canada, which use UPC barcodes.
EAN-8: 8-bit
compressed version suitable for small products.
EAN-5: A 5-digit
extension appended to the EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode to indicate
currency and price.
EAN-2: A 2-digit
extension appended to the end of the EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode to
indicate the issue number of magazines and newspapers.
QR Code - 2D
Barcode
QR Code was
invented in 1994 by a team led by Masahiro Harada of the
Japanese company Denso Wave, based on its original use for
marking car parts. It is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that
can be used for a variety of purposes.
Later, the encoding
and decoding rules of QR Code were formulated into multiple
international standards, such as AIM International, JIS X 0510
and ISO/IEC 18004:2015.
The reason why QR
Code is used instead of one-dimensional barcode in some
situations is that QR Code has the following advantages:
QR Code can store
more information because it uses a two-dimensional square matrix
instead of one-dimensional lines. One-dimensional barcodes
usually only store a few dozen characters, while QR Codes can
store thousands of characters.
QR Code can be
scanned and recognized faster because it has four positioning
marks and can be scanned from any angle. One-dimensional
barcodes usually need to be scanned from a specific direction.
QR Code can
represent more data types, such as numbers, letters, binary,
Chinese characters, etc. One-dimensional barcodes usually can
only represent numbers or letters.
QR Code is more
resistant to damage and interference because it has error
correction capabilities that can recover partially lost or
obscured data. One-dimensional barcodes generally do not have
such functionality.
QR Code is not
the only two-dimensional barcode
According to
principles, QR codes can be divided into two categories: matrix
type and stacked type.
Why are QR codes
faster to scan?
The reason why QR
codes scan faster is that they can express information in both
the horizontal and vertical directions, while one-dimensional
codes can only express information in the horizontal direction.
QR codes also have some special geometric patterns, such as
positioning patterns, alignment patterns and correction
patterns, which can help the scanner quickly identify the
position and direction of the QR code. QR codes also have
certain error correction capabilities. Even if part of the QR
code is blocked or damaged, the data can still be recovered.
The difference
between QR code and one-dimensional barcode:
Mainly lies in the
encoding method and information capacity. QR codes use a
two-dimensional square matrix, which can store more information
and represent more data types. One-dimensional barcodes use
one-dimensional lines, which can only store a small amount of
information and can only represent numbers or letters. There are
other differences between QR codes and one-dimensional barcodes,
such as scanning speed, error correction capabilities,
compatibility, etc.
Common types of
QR codes include: Data Matrix, MaxiCode, Aztec, QR Code, PDF417,
Vericode, Ultracode, Code 49, Code 16K, etc.
They have different
applications in different fields.
Why does mobile
payment use QR Code?
The reasons are as
follows:
QR Code can quickly
and easily transmit payment information without entering a card
number or password.
QR Code can save the
cost of payment terminals and is suitable for merchants of
various scenarios and sizes.
QR Code can reduce
the risks of contact payments and improve payment security and
hygiene.
QR Code can support
a variety of payment methods, such as bank cards, e-wallets,
third-party payment platforms, etc. |