Used in shipping and packaging industries.

Code 128 is high density barcode symbology which allows the encoding of alphanumeric data. Code 128 barcodes provide facility to encode 128 characters of ASCII. This barcode symbology contains a checksum digit for verification and the barcodes can be verified character by character. Code 128 barcode has been word wide used in shipping and packaging industries for product identification.

Code 128 barcode has been widely implemented in various applications where large amount of data must be encoded. Code 128 barcode includes 0-9 digits, A-Z letters and all standard ASCII Symbols and control code. Code 128 is divided into three subset A, B and C.

128A (Code 128 Set A): Code 128 Set A includes the standard ASCII symbols, digits, upper case letters and control codes (ASCII Characters 00 to 95, 0-9, A-Z and control codes, special characters and FNC 1-4).

128B (Code 128 Set B): Code 128 Set B includes standard ASCII symbols, digits, upper and lower case letters (ASCII characters 32 to 127, 0-9, A-Z, a-z, Special characters and FNC 1-4).

128C (Code 128 Set C): Code 128 Set C compresses two numeric digits into each character, providing excellent density (00-99, encode each to digits with one code and FNC 1-4).

Structure of 128-barcode:

Quit zone

The quit zone should be at least ten times the width of narrowest bar/space element. It is mandatory at the left and right side of the barcode. The quit zone must not be less than 6.4 mm wide.

Start/stop and encoded data

Each character in Code 128 barcode is composed of three bars and three spaces. Each bar or space is 1, 2, 3 or 4 unit wide, the sum of the width of the bars must be even, the sum of width of spaces must be odd and total 11 unit per character. For instance, encoding the ASCII value 0 can be viewed as 10011101100 where a 1 (one) is a bar and a 0 is space. A combination which contains a single 1 would be thinnest line in barcode. A combination including three 1 (111) in sequence indicates a bar three times as thick as single bar.

Most likely used in inventory and shipping field.

Code 128 is high density barcode symbology which allows the encoding of alphanumeric data. Code 128 barcodes provide facility to encode 128 characters of ASCII. This barcode symbology contains a checksum digit for verification and the barcodes can be verified character by character. Code 128 barcode has been word wide used in shipping and packaging industries for product identification.

Code 128 barcode has been widely implemented in various applications where large amount of data must be encoded. Code 128 barcode includes 0-9 digits, A-Z letters and all standard ASCII Symbols and control code. Code 128 is divided into three subset A, B and C.

Used for various labels such as name badges, inventory and industry.

Code 39 barcode was developed by Dr. David Allais and Ray Stevens of Intermec in 1974. Their original design included two wide bars and one wide space in each character, resulting in 40 possible characters. Setting aside one of these characters as a start and stop pattern left 39 characters, which was the origin of the name Code 39. Punctuation characters were later added that deviated from this pattern, expanding the character set to 43 characters.

Code 39 was later standardized as ANSI MH 10.8 M-1983 and MIL-STD-1189. MIL-STD-1189 has been cancelled and replaced by ANSI/AIM BC1/1995, Uniform Symbology Specification. Code 39 (also known as Code 3 of 9, Alpha39, Code 3/9, Type 39, USS Code 39, or USD-3) is a variable length, 1D discrete barcode symbology. Code 39 is first alpha-numeric one dimesional barcode symbology to be developed. It is the standard barcode used by the United States Department of Defence and is also used by the Health Industry BarCode Council.

Code 39 barcodes define 43 characters, consists uppercase letters (A through Z), numeric digits (0 through 9) and a number of special characters (-, ., $, /, +, %, and space). An additional character (denoted '*') is used for both start and stop delimiters. Each character is composed of nine elements: five bars and four spaces. Three of the nine elements in each character are wide (binary value 1) and six elements are narrow (binary value 0).

The major advantage of Code 39 barcode is that since there is no need to generate a check digit, it can be integrated into existing printing system by adding a barcode font to the system or printer and then printing the raw data in that font. The most serious drawback of Code 39 is its low data density, It requires more space to encode data in Code 39 than, for example, in Code 128. This means that very small products cannot be labeled with a Code 39 barcodes. However, Code 39 is still widely used and can be decoded with virtually any barcode reader.

Widely used in industry.

Code 39 full ASCII barcode is general purpose 1D discrete barcode symbology that can encode any ASCII characters. This barcode symbology contains the 43 character set, a start and stop character. Code 39 full ASCII barcode can encode standard characters as well as the ASCII control characters. Code 39 full ASCII is linear barcode symbology Code 39 Full ASCII can encode all 128 standard ASCII values using three digits ASCII code, preceded by the \ character.

Code 39 full ASCII barcode is also known as Extended Code 39. Code 39 full ASCII is one dimensional barcode that contains the additional characters by combining two regular Code 39 characters. This barcode symbology is mainly used in military, manufacturing and health sectors.

Code 39 full ASCII barcodes encode all 128 ASCII character set. Code 39 full ASCII barcode symbology uses the four characters such as “$”, “/”, “+”, “%”. Since the Code-39 full ASCII barcodes use shift characters in combination with other standard characters to represent data, so each non standard character requires twice width of standard characters that are printed in barcode symbol. Code 39 Full ASCII is variants of Code39 barcode symbology that encodes all 128 characters in the ASCII table.

Code 39 Full ASCII barcode has the following structure:

• Start Character (*)
• Encoded data
• Check digit
• Stop character (*)

Retail product marking world-wide with limited label space.

EAN8 barcode is derived from the EAN13 (European Article Number). EAN8 barcode includes 2 or 3 digit country code, 4 of 5 data digits (depending on the length of the country code), and a checksum digit. While it is possible to add a 2-digit or 5-digit extension barcodes, the main purpose of the EAN8 code is to use as little space as possible. EAN8 barcode was developed for use on small packages where EAN13 barcode would be too large for examples cigarettes, pencils, chewing gum packets and other products.

Unlike the UPCE symbol, which compresses data that could also be printed as a full-size UPCA symbol by squeezing out zeroes, the data digits in an EAN8 symbol specifically identify a particular product and manufacturer. Since a limited number of EAN8 barcodes are available in each country, they are issued only for products with insufficient space for a normal EAN13 symbol. For example, 2-digit country code permits total of only 100,000 item numbers.

EAN8 is 1D barcoding system that consists 7 digits of messages plus 1 check digit. The first two or three digits identify the numbering authority. The remaining 4 or 5 identify the product.

EAN8 barcode has following structure:

• Left- hand guard bars, or starts sentinel encoded as 101.
• Two number system characters, encoded as left-hand odd parity characters.
• First two message characters, encoded as left-hand odd-parity characters.
• Center guard bars encoded as 01010.
• Last three message characters, encoded as right-hand characters.
• Check digit, encoded as right-hand character.
• Right-hand guard or end sentinel encoded as 101.

Widely used in the distribution and shipping industries.

Interleaved 2 of 5 is high density, 1D numeric barcode symbology that encodes any even number of numeric characters in the widths of the bars and spaces. This barcode symbology is called "interleaved" because the first numeric data is encoded in the first 5 bars while the second numeric data is encoded in the first 5 spaces (that separate the five bars). Thus the first five bars and spaces encode two characters.

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode is same as standard 2 of 5 barcodes expect that it encode data in both i.e. bars and spaces of barcodes. This barcode symbology is primarily used in distribution and warehouse industry.

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes combine the pairs of digits into single character. Each character is comprised of five bar and space elements. The five bars of Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode represent the first digit of the pair, while the next five spaces represent second digit of the pair.

Interleaved 2 of 5 is one dimensional barcoding system that represents only numeric data. The digits in Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes are represents in pairs. The first digit of the pair is encoded in five bars whereas the second digit is encoded in the adjacent five spaces. Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes contain quiet zone, start character, encoded information, stop character and trailing quiet zone.

Interleaved 2 of 5 is continuous barcode symbology because it does not use inter character spaces. Since this bar coding systems encode only even number of digits, so a leading zero will be added to the front of the Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode can encode data in any of the following two conditions:

• If the encoded data contains an odd number of digits and check digits are not in use.
• If the encoded data contains an even number of digits and check digits are in use.

Generally used to mark shipping cartons.

ITF-14 barcode is the GS1 implementation of an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode symbology to encode a Global Trade Item Number. ITF-14 barcode is mainly used on packaging levels of a product, such as a case box of 24 cans of soup. The ITF-14 will always encode 14 digits. The ITF-14 barcode is used to create the shipping container symbol. This ITF-14 barcode is used to mark cartoons and palettes that are including goods with an EAN13 code. One digit is added in front of the EAN13 barcode to mark the packing variant.

ITF-14 barcode is 14 digit barcode symbology which is used to mark the external containers of the products with EAN identifier. It is based on the 2 of 5 barcode. The lines at the top and the bottom of the ITF14 code are called bearer bars and are used to prevent "short scan". Due to the structure of the Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode, it is statistically possible in some situations for a scanner to cut diagonally through only part of the code. The bearer bars disrupt the scan and insure that only complete scans will return a valid read. The bearer bars have another advantage when using the flexographic process to print barcodes directly on cartons. They provide extra physical support for the ends of the bars on the flexographic plate. Using a complete box also provides support for the ends of the bearer bars.

The ITF-14 barcode symbol is a composition of the barcode symbol used “interleaved 2 of 5” (Code 25 interleaved) and the 14 digit the length the container symbol. ITF is an abbreviation of “interleaved two of five”.

ITF-14 barcode symbology contains the following information:

• Digit 1 : Packing identifier
• Digits 2-3 : UPC numbering system or EAN prefix
• Digits 4-8 : Manufacturer identification number
• Digits 9-13 : Item identification number
• Digit 14 : Check Digit

Widely used in library shelf tags and retail stores.

MSI (Also known as Modified Plessey) is a barcode symbology introduced by the MSI Data Corporation based on the original Plessey Code symbology. It is a continuous symbology that is not self-checking. MSI is used initially for inventory control, marking storage containers and shelves in warehouse environments. The Plessey code was primarily designed in England and gave rise to several variations including the MSI, Anker, and Telxon codes. Of these, the MSI Plessey is still in use in the USA; it is used in libraries, and is often used for retail grocery shelf marking.

The MSI Plessey barcode is a pulse-width modulated non-self checking barcode symbology. Each character is represented by 4 bars; a narrow bar represents a binary 0 and a wide bar represents a binary 1. The bars have the binary weights 8-4-2-1. It is possible to encode the digits 0 through 9 and the letters A through F, although this code is most often used just for numeric information. The start character is a single wide bar, and the stop character is two narrow bars.

The MSI character set consist of the numbers 0-9 as well as two "guard" characters (representing the beginning and end of the barcode). The symbology does not support alphabetic characters. Each digit and guard character is represented by a binary number. This barcode symbology can be read in either direction (left to right or right to left).

MSI Plessey barcode encodes hexadecimal digits (i.e., the hex digits 0-F) as 4 bars (bits). The LSB (Least significant bit) is on the first bar on the left, and the MSB (Most significant bit) is the last bar on the right. A "0" bit is represented as a narrow bar, followed by a wide space. The "1" is represented by a wide bar, followed by a narrow space.

MSI Plessey barcode comprises:

• The forward start code
• The label / data digits
• The check code, for error detection
• The termination bar
• The reverse start code

Used to encode ZIP codes on US mail.

Postnet barcode was developed by the united state postal service to allow faster sorting and routing of mail. Unlike most other barcodes in which data is encoded in the width of the bars and spaces, PostNet code is 1D barcode that encodes data in the height of the bars. That is why when you look at the barcode all the bars are essentially the same width but vary only in height. The barcode itself can encode a standard 5-digit Zip Code, a Zip+4 code, or a full 11-point delivery point code.

The barcode starts and ends with a full bar (often called a guard rail or frame bar and represented as the letter "S" in one version of the USPS TrueType Font). Each individual digit is represented by a set of five bars, two of which are full bars (i.e. two-out-of-five code). The full bars represent "on" bits in a pseudo-binary code in which the places represent, from left to right: 7, 4, 2, 1, 0.

This 1 D Post net barcode is replaced by the Intelligent Mail barcode which combines entire previous Postal Service barcodes and marking into a single barcode. The initial transition between the two barcodes includes the use of the Intelligent Mail Barcode by the USPS and requirements that it be used to receive automation discount rates. The Intelligent Mail Barcode was initially supposed to be required beginning May 2011 however the USPS postponed the requirement date, allowing mailers to continue receiving automation discount rates using the Postnet Barcode after the May 2011 deadline. As the transition between barcodes continues, regular mail that includes Postnet Barcode will still be accepted by the USPS.

Encoding:

Post Net code is one dimesnional bar coding system that contains full and half bars. Each bar represents a binary value (0 or 1), and 5 bars together form a single character. The number "1" represents a "tall" bar, whereas a "0" represents a "half" bar. The numbers "10010" would represent a full bar followed by two half bars followed by a full bar and a final half bar.

Used to encode ZIP codes on US mail.

Telepen barcode introduced in 1972 in the UK to express all 128 ASCII characters without using shift characters for code switching and using only two different widths for bars and spaces. Telepen is 1D barcode symbology represents the full ASCII character set without shift characters. It is extremely secure as it has negligible risk of misreads, has a double density numeric only mode and is supported by most leading barcode reader manufacturers.

Unlike most of the one dimensional barcode symbologies, Telepen barcode does not define independent encodings for each character, but instead operates on a stream of bits. It is able to represent any bit stream containing an even number of 0 bits, and is applied to ASCII bytes with even parity, which satisfy that rule. Bytes are encoded in little endian bit order.

In Telepen barcode the string of bits is divided into 1 bits, and blocks of the form 01*0. That is, blocks beginning an ending with a 0 bit with any number of 1 bits in between.

These are then encoded as follows:

• "1" is encoded as narrow bar-narrow space
• "00" is encoded as wide bar-narrow space
• "010" is encoded as wide bar-wide space

Otherwise, the leading "01" and trailing "10" are both encoded as narrow bar-wide space, with additional 1 bits in between coded as described above. Wide elements are 3 times the width of narrow elements, so every bit occupies 2 narrow elements of space.

Telepen barcodes always start with ASCII _ (underscore). This has code 0x5F, so the bit stream is 11111010. Thus, it is represented as 5 narrow bar/narrow space pairs followed by a wide bar/wide space.

Used to encode ZIP codes on US mail.

UPC stands for Universal Product Code. UPC barcodes were initially introduced to help grocery stores to speed up the checkout process and keep better track of inventory product. The most common form the UPCA barcode symbology is widely used in North America, UK, Australia and New Zealand for tracking retail items details. This 1D bar coding system identifies the manufacturer and its specific product so point of sale cash register systems can automatically look up the price.

UPCA barcode contains 12 numerical digits, which are uniquely assigned to each trade item. Along with the related EAN barcode, the UPC is the only barcode that allowed for scanning trade items at the point of sale per GS1 standards. UPC data structures are a component of GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers). All of these data structures follow the global GS1 standards.

UPCA barcode has a scannable strip of black bars and white spaces, above a sequence of 12 numerical digits. No letters, characters or other content of any kind may appear on a standard UPCA barcode. The digits and bars maintain a one-to-one correspondence. In other words, there is only one way to represent each 12-digit number visually and there is only one way to represent each visual barcode numerically.

The scannable area of UPCA barcode follows the pattern SLLLLLLMRRRRRRE, where the S (start), M (middle) and E (end) guard bars are represented exactly the same on every UPC and the L (left) and R (right) sections collectively represent the 12 numerical digits that make each UPC unique. The first digit L is the prefix. The last digit R is an error correcting check digit, allowing some errors in scanning or manual entry to be detected. The non-numerical identifiers, the guard bars, separate the two groups of six digits and establish the timing.

Used by United States Postal Services.

USPS Sack Label is 1D barcode symbology that is used by United States Postal Services (USPS) for labeling of postal sacks; for automation rate mailings; for periodicals and standard mail (letter size & flat size pieces). USPS Sack Label barcode is also known as USPS 25 Sack Label. USPS Sack Label barcode is same as Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode which encodes 8 digits i.e 5 digit Zip Code (the sack destination) and 3 digit content identifier number (CIN).

USPS sack label barcode represent the following information: the 5-digit ZIP Code destination of the sack and the 3-digit content identifier number (CIN) that is applicable to the content of the sack. This one dimensional bar coding system contains the "ZIP code" of the receiver and a "Content Identifier Number". The maximum length of USPS sack label barcode is 0.980 inch.

USPS sack label barcode has the following structure:

• 5 digits for "ZIP code"
• 3 digits for "Content Identifier Number" [CIN].

The "Content Identifier Number" [CIN] contain information about:

• Mailing class (express, priority, first-class, periodicals, standard, package)
• Presorting / automation process
• Sack

Primarily used in postal services.

USS-93 is high density and alpha numeric barcode symbology, developed by Intermec in 1982. USS-93 barcode is improvement over the Code 39 barcode and provides higher information density for alphanumeric data. This barcode symbology can represent the full ASCII character set by using combinations of 2 characters. USS-93 barcode can encode 47 characters. The character set of this barcode symbology includes digits (0-9), uppercase letters and special characters ($, %, /, +). USS-93 barcode is used in Canada post office to encode extra delivery information.

USS-93 is continuous and 1D barcode symbology that encodes all 128 full ASCII characters and produce denser code. Within the USS93 barcode, the characters are divided into nine modules. This barcoding system has three bars and spaces. USS-93 barcodes define 5 special characters (including start and stop character), which can be combined with other characters to represent all 128 ASCII characters. USS-93 barcode symbology is also known as Code 93, Code 9/3, Code 93 Extended, USD-3, USS-93, Code 9/3, USS-93, Code 93 and Code 93 Full ASCII.

USS-93 barcode include two check characters which "C" and "K". These two check characters follow the encoded data itself. The "C" checksum character is modulo 47 remainder of the sum of weighted value. The weighting value starts from "1" for the right most data character, 2 for the second to last, 3 for the third-to-last and so on, up to 20. After 20, the sequence wraps around back to 1.

Structure of USS-93 barcode:

• Start character (*)
• Encoded data
• First modulo-47 check character ‘C’
• Second modulo-47 check character ‘K’
• Stop character (*)
• Termination bar