How to Decipher Barcodes
Barcodes come in many different forms. The type of barcode used depends on the product, industry or information contained in the code. Special scanners quickly and accurately read and decipher the code and display the information on the scanner itself or a computer screen. The most commonly seen barcodes are the UPC codes found on items in the grocery store. Deciphering some of the information contained on these simple barcodes without the use of a scanner is fairly straightforward. However, complex barcodes will require a special scanner.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Understand how barcodes work. Barcodes pass information to the scanner by varying the distances between the printed areas and the blank spaces in the code. The scanner reads the different widths as letters or numbers that correspond to a code predefined in the scanner's software.
-
2
Locate a product with a barcode that contains numbers and/or letters printed below. Only barcodes that feature numbers and/or letters can be even partially deciphered without a scanner.
-
-
3
Determine what type of barcode is in use with the barcode comparison chart (see Resources). UPC barcodes have numbers printed below the code. These numbers give information about the retail products, such as the origin and manufacturer. More complex barcodes such as QR Codes use complex 2D patterns and function as coupons stored on wireless devices like PDAs and smartphones.
-
4
Determine the meaning of printed numbers and letters below the code. UPC codes use the first two or three digits for the country code, the next three or four for the manufacturer, and the last few digits for the product ID.
-
5
Use a barcode scanner to verify that the barcode has been deciphered correctly.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit barcode_02 image by Perth from Fotolia.com
