This article will tell you what bar code decryption is, with which it is easier to record information.
A barcode refers to encoded information read by special devices. It is applied to the packaging, it has the appearance of strokes. The bar code allows you to encode information on some important product parameters.
The most common are EAN (European Coding System) and the American universal product code UPC.
How is the barcode decrypted? About it below.
The composition of the encoded information includes:
- code of the country of manufacture, usually two to three digits;
- the manufacturer’s code is four or five digits - it all depends on the length of the country code;
- then another five digits - the name of the product, its color, weight, size and consumer properties;
- the last, eighth digit is the control, which is used to verify the correct reading of the scanner strokes.
Sometimes there is a “>” sign on the right, which means the release of goods under license.
Barcode decryption provides a lot of important product information.
In order to verify whether the barcode is genuine or not, the following calculations are necessary. Add up all the numbers that are located on even places. Then you should multiply the amount received by three. We save the result, we will call it “X”.
Next, add up the numbers (but only without the control number) located on odd places, to this amount we add the number "X" obtained earlier. We leave only Z from the amount that has turned out (we will call it “YZ”). Next, the simplest action is performed: 10-Z.
If the figure that was received matches the checksum indicated in the barcode, then the product is genuine. If it does not match, then this product was manufactured without observing the law.
The decoding of the barcode will be able to disclose information about the country in which the goods were produced, the identification number of the enterprise, the name of the goods.
This information encoding is used all over the world. So, consider the types of barcodes.
One of the easiest barcodes is “2 of 5”. The signs, which indicate numbers from zero to nine, contain five strokes, of which two are wide and three are narrow.
Spaces that are between the strokes do not carry any information and usually the width of the gap is equal to the width of a narrow stroke. This code, in addition to numbers, contains the signs "start" and "stop". Only three strokes are used in their image, of which two are wide. Information spaces do not carry, the code “2 of 5” is a discrete series, therefore its printing is simplified and single errors are automatically detected.
Currently, a product’s barcode may also be multicolor.
The Kodabar code is a discrete seven-element bar code. It contains numbers from zero to nine, signs “-” and “+”, “.”, “/”, “:”, 4 signs “start / stop” and a dollar sign. Left and right are limited characters of the bar code "Kodabar". The sign looks like four strokes and three spaces.
The bar code “39” is so named because of the image structure of the characters “3 and 9”, where three of the nine elements are wide (one space and two strokes), the remaining six are narrow. This code is quite reliable, which is why its advantage is manifested. Also, the reliability of such a code can be increased by adding a control character to the symbol.
The product barcode is a way of recording information.
A special place among the various bar coding systems is occupied by the bar code “93”. Having the same set of information signs as the code "39", it is able to provide a high image density of characters. Forty-eight characters are represented in code "93". It includes start / stop signs, four control characters and forty-three characters from the code “39”.
With the possibility of encoding one hundred and twenty-eight various characters, the name of the bar code is “128”. Code “128” is an uncontrolled and continuous code. Its signs contain three strokes and three spaces, and each length is equal to eleven modules.
We looked at some types of barcodes that are used all over the world.