bar code
<convention> A printed horizontal strip of vertical bars of varying
widths, groups of which represent decimal digits and are used for identifying
commercial products or parts. Bar codes are read by a bar code reader and the
code interpreted either through software or a hardware decoder.
All products sold in open trade are numbered and bar-coded to a worldwide
standard, which was introduced in the US in 1973 and to the rest of the world in
1977. The Uniform Code Council in the US, along with the international article
numbering authority, EAN International, allocate blocks of unique 12 or 13-digit
numbers to member companies through a national numbering authority. In Britain
this is the Article Number Association. Most companies are allocated 100,000
numbers that they can use to identify any of their products, services or
locations.
Each code typically contains a leading "quiet" zone, start character, data
character, optional check digit, stop character and a trailing quiet zone. The
check digit is used to verify that the number has been scanned correctly. The
quiet zone could be white, red or yellow if viewed by a red scanner. Bar code
readers usually use visible red light with a wavelength between 632.8 and 680
nanometres.
[Details of code?]
(1997-07-18)
Nearby terms:
BAP « BAPI « bar « bar code » bare metal »
barf » barfmail
|