Bar Code Symbol Research Articles

Improving the interference resistance of multi-color barcode images

A method of improving the interference resistance of multi-color barcodes is pro-posed, which is based on the application of two-level control of errors that occur when scanning a multi-color barcode image, using two multi-valued correcting codes: the BCH code - at the level of barcode patterns (lower level), and the Reed-Solomon code - at barcode symbol level (top level). The proposed method makes it possible to create multi-color barcodes with im-proved immunity characteristics, which ensure reliable reproduction of data during scanning of large-capacity multi-color barcode images in automatic identification sys-tems.

DeepCCB-OCC: Deep Learning-Driven Complementary Color Barcode-Based Optical Camera Communications

Display-to-camera (D2C) communications has emerged as a key method for next-generation videos that offer side information to camera-equipped devices during normal viewing. This paper presents Deep learning-driven Complementary Color Barcode-based Optical Camera Communications (DeepCCB-OCC), a D2C system using multiple deep neural networks built for imperceptible transmission and reliable communication in a D2C link. DeepCCB-OCC takes advantage of a the You Only Look Once (YOLO) model to provide seamless detection of a color barcode area in electronic displays. To identify transmitted color barcode symbols in the received image, we define various color barcode patterns caused by the synchronization jitter between the camera and the display. Then, DeepCCB-OCC incorporates convolutional neural network (CNN) models to accurately detect the pilot and data symbols in the transmission packets, regardless of the various D2C environments. Experiments with a commercial monitor and a smartphone demonstrate that DeepCCB-OCC outperforms the conventional CCB-OCC system from various distances and angles of a D2C link. The experiment results prove that, when the alignment angle was 20 degrees at a distance of 90 cm between the display and the camera, the proposed scheme achieved approximately 79.1 bps, which showed a performance improvement of 14.1% compared to the existing technique.

Data Extraction Method for Industrial Data Matrix Codes Based on Local Adjacent Modules Structure

A 2D barcode is a reliable way to provide lifetime traceability of parts that are exposed to harsh environments. However, there are considerable challenges in adopting mobile cameras to read symbols directly marked on metal surfaces. Images captured by mobile cameras are usually of low quality with poor contrast due to the reflective surface of 2D barcode symbols. To deal with this problem, a novel laser-marked Data Matrix symbols reading method based on deep learning is proposed for mobile phone captured images. Utilizing the barcode module features, we train different convolutional neural network (CNN) models to learn the colors of two adjacent modules of a Data Matrix symbol. Depending on whether the colors of the two adjacent modules are the same or not, an edge image is transformed from a square grid, which is the same size as the barcode. A correction method based on the KM algorithm is used to get a corrected edge image, which helps to reconstruct the final barcode image. Experiments are carried out on our database, and the results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms in high accuracy of barcode recognition.

Make carbon footprints available – And it is not just one value

The carbon footprint (CF) should finally have a role in the decision-making of manufacturing companies, retailers, public procurers and consumers. We consider that more systematic approaches are urgently needed for collecting, storing and presenting carbon footprint information. The key issue from the standpoint of reliability and comparability is to recognise how each CF was determined and how it has been verified. Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and the connected barcode symbol can be used to identify products. We propose that the presented framework can help to build databases which are easy to use for the manufacturers, retailers and various service providers and which can increase the production and usability of CF information.

DATA COMPRESSION IN BLACK-GRAY-WHITE BARCODING

Context. In this paper the authors propose a method for data compression to be used for presenting information in the form of 2D matrix barcode. The proposed method is based on both a structural-logical approach and using three colors in a barcode instead of two colors as it is in standard black-and-white barcodes. This approach allows to increase data density keeping the same area as bicolor barcodes take. In the paper authors present the data compression method and demonstrate the barcoding technology.Objective. The goal of the work is to develop a method of data barcoding that would allow to encode more information in the form of 2D matrix barcode.Method. The method of tricolor matrix barcoding with compression is proposed. The main idea of the method is to compress input textual information on the stage of alphanumeric sequence transformation into a set of barcode patterns, which will form a resulting barcode symbol. It is possible due to intermediate transformation of input characters from initial notation, which is determined by cardinality of an input alphabet, to a notation defined by cardinality of barcode patterns alphabet. Choice of the input alphabet influences overall compression, and it is an important step of the method to choose the initial alphabets for the textual information to be encoded. Use of three colors over standard two colors is also an important component for creating a barcode symbol with increased informational density. As ternary notation is used, the second transformation from the intermediate notation to the ternary one provides more compression. The proposed method allows to represent more textual data in a single barcode symbol than bicolor barcoding approaches do.Results. The method of tricolor matrix barcoding with compression has been developed and described. Authors provided an example of the method implementation on test data that had been barcoded using the method.Conclusions. The experiments conducted for this research have confirmed that the proposed method provides more informational density as compared with black-and-white matrix barcodes. The prospects for further research might include studying noise immunity issue in order to guarantee error-free scanning and increased reliability of the barcode, and extending the barcoding software to be used in any alphabet.

Дослідження відповідності розмірів елементів штрих-кодового знаку та структури коду EAN-13 на картонних пакованнях

The article presents the results of the experimental studies of conformity of the dimensions of elements of a barcode and structure of barcodes EAN-13, printed on cardboard packaging.To create a bar code mark electronically, special software is used that takes into account a number of specific features of the label printing process, for example, reducing the bar width to compensate of dot gain for printing ink with the selected technology.But most of these programs, intended for demonstration or illustration purposes, do not allow the correct bar code to be obtained at all, or do not allow for the consideration of all the necessary features for a specific packaging (for example, dot gain for printing ink). Often, such programs (especially demo) generate a barcode marker with mistakes in bar code symbols. These tags are not read by scanners at all.The objects of the research were bar code marks printed on a cardboard by press Heidelberg SORMZ-2. To study the decoding, a camera and a special Barcode Reader Toolkit decoding software for the Windows operating system were used.The results of the study have shown that the quality of the barcode printing depends primarily on the material on which the printing is made, as well as on the technology of its application.An analysis of the quality of the reproduction of EAN-13 barcode labels printed offset printing has shown that the most probable distortion for linear bar codes is the loss of a single-width dot and the change in the geometric dimensions of one of the elements of the bar code mark on the unit width. It has been verified that the small size and fuzzy edges of the bar code negatively affect the basic function of the code — the transmission and reading by a scanner coded by the information producer.

基于国密SM2加解密的视频流的运动的多条码识别算法研究

从整幅图像中圈定条码区域和基于运动的多条码识别即是去除运动造成的模糊一直以来是国内的难点，如何快速有效对条码进行定位与识别。本文研究了基于国密SM2加解密的视频流的运动的多条码识别技术。首先探讨了运动图像去模糊技术，一维条码的定位分割技术，即在条码中分割出单行码字符号的图像，本文主要采用模板匹配方法对条码进行定位分割，采用8个方向的模板对条码进行匹配；其次由于运动条码会存在扭曲，需要进行矫正、进行识别，根据条码的识别原理译码，统计各黑白模块宽度，获取条空序列，然后查找码字表获得码字序列，由于一维条码存储信息量少，需要查询数据库进行关联获得条码的产地、日期等可以追溯到的敏感信息，采用国密的SM2对敏感信息加密，最后在追溯查询阶段对敏感信息进行解密识别出条码。实验结果表明，该识别算法具有优秀的性能，显著地提高了条码的识别率，在产品入库阶段满足了实际使用的要求。 The delineation of the bar code from the whole image area and the bar code identification based on multi-movement, i.e. the removal of the blur by the motion, is a difficulty on how to quickly and effectively find the barcode for recognition and location. In this paper, we studied the multi-bar code recognition technology based on the SM2 encryption and decryption of the motion of the video stream. First of all, the paper discusses the motion image deblurring techniques, positioning the one-dimensional bar code segmentation technology—the segmentation of single row codeword in the bar code symbols. This paper mainly uses the method of template matching to locate barcode segmentation and adopts 8-direction template for barcode matching. Secondly there will be distortions of bar code due to the movement, and there is a need to be corrected and be identified, with the decoding according to the principle of identification, the statistics of width of black and white modules, getting empty sequences, and the foundation of the codeword table for the codeword sequence. Because the amount of information stored in the barcode is lacking, we need to query the database to obtain related barcode origin, the date and the information which can be traced back, use the country’s dense SM2 encrypting sensitive information, and identify the bar code at the end of the encryption of sensitive information in the back stage. Experimental results show that the recognition algorithm has excellent performance, significantly improves the recog-nition rate of the bar code, and meets the requirements of the actual use in the product storage stage.

Subsampling-Based Image Tamper Detection and Recovery Using Quick Response Code

Quick response (QR) code is the prevalent trademark for a type of matrix barcode symbol. That code is always scanned to efficiently acquire data, especially for mobile device users. It involves the capabilities of data storage, reliable readability and strong error correction. This paper utilizes these properties of a QR code to propose an image tamper detection and recovery scheme for grayscale images. The image to be protected is first subsampled and decomposed the principal energy compaction for image blocks. These are regarded as the image authentication and recovery data and then are encoded into the pattern of a QR code. The QR code is subsequently embedded into the original image. Experimental results showed that the authentication and recovery data in a QR code is able to sustain certain perceptible distortions such that the proposed scheme can detect tampered regions clearly and recover them roughly. Moreover, the proposed scheme also provides a better embedded image quality in comparison with the previous method.

Analysis of Edge Detection in Bar Code Symbols: An Overview and Open Problems

Accurate edge localization is essential in bar code decoding. Since speckle noise is the most dominant form of noise in laser bar code scanners, it is important to fully understand its effects on edge detection. Starting with the basic statistical properties of speckle patterns, we present stochastic analysis of speckle noise. We derive the autocorrelation function and power spectral density (PSD) of the noise in terms of intensity distribution of the scanning beam. We then study the signal‐to‐noise ratio for signals that result from scanning different configurations of edges. Next, we consider statistical properties of edge localization error caused by speckle noise. We show that the standard deviation of the error is determined by the PSD of the noise and relative positions of edges in a bar code symbol. Based on the analysis presented here, we propose new criteria for system design.

微細表面形状の塑性加工による情報伝達機能の創成

Microforming of controlled cavities over workpiece surfaces is a promising application of metal forming although it is not yet popular. Metallic surfaces can thus have the function of reliable and durable information transmission that can be used, for example, in quality control, recycling and the disposal of industrial parts. However, usually metal forming requires a set of tools that is suitable for producing geometrically fixed parts and has some difficulties adapting to various geometries corresponding to various information to be transmitted. In this paper, numerals and characters are converted into two-dimensional bar code symbols of the Data Matrix and QR Code by a PC software. The symbol images are exported to a PC-controlled dot impact machine and then all the white cells of the symbol are dotted onto a metal sample, for example a polished stainless steel plate, by a cone-shaped dot impact pin. The pitch of dots is fixed at 0.12 mm and the diameters of dots range from 28 to 68 μm depending on the setup of the machine. Dotted marks of even three hundred characters are rapidly decoded by a PC-controlled optical system that supports direct marking and is equipped with a CCD macrolens and a ring light guide. Further miniaturization seems possible owing to the flexibility of the measuring system in terms of cavity size, illumination and optical magnification.

Edge detection in bar code signals corrupted by integrated time-varying speckle

Accurate edge localization is of primary importance in bar code decoding. In this paper we investigate statistical properties of edge localization error when a bar code signal is corrupted by additive noise which is a weakly stationary random process. We derive a first order approximation for the expected value and standard deviation of the error in terms of the power spectral density (PSD) of the noise. This result is used to estimate the edge localization error caused by speckle noise. We show that the standard deviation of the error is determined by the intensity distribution of a scanning beam and the positions of neighboring edges. We discuss how the error analysis determines the detection rates of a scanning system, and how it can be used in the system design. Analytical examples are provided for UPCA bar code symbols and a scanning beam with Gaussian distribution.

Impact of bar code print quality on the performance of high-speed sortation systems

This study analyzed the effect of low-quality bar code symbols on the automated high-speed sortation process typically used in large warehouses of high-volume manufacturing and distribution companies. The results were then used to generate recommendations that could be followed to increase the reliability of reading the symbol on the first attempt. Upon printing, the quality of bar code symbols was deliberately varied, then subjected to a physical simulation of the automated sortation process. Independent variables included Symbol Contrast, X Dimension, Bar Growth, Aspect Ratio, Symbol Orientation, Quiet Zones, and Conveyor Line Speed. The dependent variable was the bar code symbol's read rate. Results showed that the bar code symbol read rate was significantly affected by such print quality factors as X Dimension, Bar Growth, and Symbol Contrast. As part of the study, a predictive model was developed that accurately predicts the likelihood of a symbol's read rate upon its printing.

Fingerprinting: Commercial Products and Elements

Correlation between commercial bar codes and element emission spectra gives rise to an activity that relates the familiarity of everyday things to a chemical concept. The analogy between bar codes found in everyday items and absorption-emission spectra emerges from the fact that both contain information in the form of lines and those lines identify a specific product or element. Bar codes are most commonly read by computerized scanners, which obtain a reflectance pattern from the line widths of a bar code. Emission spectra are similar to these reflectance patterns. In the activity entitled Fingerprinting, students interpret bar code patterns and use the properties of bar code symbols to identify the properties of emission spectra.

Two-Dimensional Bar Code as a Medium for Electronic Data Interchange

:The development in the late 1980s of two-dimensional bar code symbols capable of storing kilobytes of information in a single symbol and unlimited data in multiple symbols has led to the suggestion that the bar code could be used as a medium for transmitting electronic data interchange (EDI) messages. This paper considers whether this suggestion targets any real business problem and whether such a system would work in practice. The transmission of shipment information between suppliers and customers was identified as a potential application of bar code ED!. Problems arising from lack of synchrony between the electronic message and physical delivery are encountered with conventional EDI approaches, and these problems become especially acute in a just-in-time replenishment environment. This paper reports the results of three studies to address the organizational, technical, and practical feasibility of bar code EDI.

Test protocol for comparing two-dimensional bar code hand-held reader technologies

Abstract Current advances in reader technology offer users of two-dimensional bar codes many choices in selecting a hand-held reader for their particular application. Specifications exist that describe required functionality for various scanning technologies, but little work has been done in the published literature with respect to assessing the relative performances of these technologies when actually incorporated into a hand-held unit. In this paper, a suite of standard tests is presented to measure the decode time of hand-held readers. These tests were applied to a PDF417 two-dimensional bar code symbol and used to compare the performance of five newly developed hand-held readers over four different reader technologies. The technologies included laser scanning, linear CCD, area CCD, and CMOS technology. The tests focused on the following factors that typically affect decode time: lighting conditions, reading distance, orientation angles of the reader, and use of the readers in a typical freehand application. Results show the tests to be a valid means for comparing performance of differing hand-held reader technologies typically used for two-dimensional dimbologies.

EDI and Related Standards

Summary This presentation focused on the importance of the Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI), its implementation and use in various types of serials transactions, and its relation to the SISAC Bar Code Symbol. Recent revision efforts are also discussed.

A program evaluation of classroom data collection with bar codes

A technology incorporating bar code symbols and hand-held optical scanners was evaluated for its utility for routine data collection in a special education classroom. A different bar code symbol was created for each individualized Educational Plan objective, each type of response occurrence, and each student in the first author's classroom. These symbols were organized by activity and printed as data sheets. The teacher and paraprofessionals scanned relevant codes with scanners when the students emitted targeted behaviors. The codes, dates, and approximate times of the scans were retained in the scanner's electronic memory until they could be transferred by communication software to a computer file. The data from the computer file were organized weekly into a printed report of student performance using a program written with commercially available database software. Advantages, disadvantages, and costs of using the system are discussed.

Automated data collection using bar code

Using bar code technology to automate data collection provides a rapid and reliable alternative to paper-and-pencil tracking or keyboard entry into pocket or laptop computer. An array of bar code symbols is printed on a data menu, with a unique symbol corresponding to each possible observation. Bar code symbols are scanned using hand-held readers, which record the event, log the observation time, and store data for transfer to a personal computer. Advantages of the bar code monitoring system include: (1) ease of use by staff with minimal technical training, (2) reduced data entry errors and increased entry speed, (3) reliable portable operation, and (4) low-cost hardware. While the bar code system described here is used for behavioral monitoring in a residential treatment setting for the developmentally disabled, with minimal modification this system can be adapted for use in a wide variety of research and clinical applications.

Using Bar Code Technology for Horticultural Research and Plant Inventory Activities

Abstract The development and use of bar codes for automatic identification and systematic data collection is one of the most significant technological changes in American business and industry today. Most people become familiar with bar codes at the grocery store. The bar code symbol (Fig. 1) is that portion of the merchandise label with black bars and white spaces that is scanned by machines at the check-out counter. Bar codes are achieving widespread popularity because they can be incorporated into the primary-source marking of products from production to consumption (23). Bar codes are having tremendous impact on manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution activities. Bar code symbols are used for automatic identification of items as varied as hospital supplies, library books, and marathon runners; and are used to keep track of the manufacture of items as diverse as automobiles, hot steel ingots, and integrated circuits.

Multidirectional Holographic Scanner For Point-Of-Sale Bar-Code Symbol Reader

A multidirectional laser beam scanning method using holographic zone plates is described. To increase the number of scanning directions, not only is a hologram disk rotated at fixed speed (col ), but a laser beam incident on the disk is reversely rotated at another speed (w2). The focus of the laser beam diffracted by the hologram disk draws multidirectional scanning lines. The number of scanning directions (n) is equal to (w1 /c02) + 1. Experimentally, the effectiveness of this method is demonstrated for nineteen scanning directions. This scan method is applied to a point-of-sale (POS) scanner to read a non-moving bar-code symbol.