A barcode reader (or barcode scanner) is a is used for reading barcodes printed on various surfaces. The unit contains decoder circuitry which converts the barcode image into a number.
Barcode Scanner Sub-Categories
Handheld Barcode Scanners A handheld Barcode Scanner is, of course, any scanner that is held in the hand of the user. Most handheld Barcode Scanners are designed like a handgun, with a grip and a trigger to activate the scanning operation.
Bluetooth Barcode Scanners From cashiers moving around the register to scan large, heavy items and check for missed items to healthcare workers double checking that the right patient is receiving the right medication, integrated Bluetooth wireless personal area networking (WPAN) provides reliable and secure wireless transmission of data between the scanner and your host.
Cordless CCD Barcode Scanners CCD scanners work by illuminating red LED light onto the barcode and capture the reflected code. They work well in an indoor environment, but poorly in well lit areas. They are often used to scan small barcodes and have a shorter capture range than a Laser barcode scanner
Cordless Laser Barcode Scanners Some industrial laser scanners, developed for a warehouse type environment, can scan up to ten metres away. Laser scanners are made up of a number of oscillating mirrors that are subject to wear and mechanical failure
Omni Directional Desktop Barcode Scanners These types of scanners are easy to use and are suited to a fast pace environment such as a retail store or supermarket. The scanner send beams in multiple directions allow for an easy 'swipe and scan' system. No need to position a barcode is an exact location.
Omni Directional Inbench Barcode Scanners Commonly found in your local supermarket checkout, in-bench scanners are usually fitted into the bench. These models are available in Vertical and Horizontal.
PDA Barcode Scanners Turn your PDA into a portable data terminal, by fitting a compatible scanner to your PDA.
Portable Industrial Barcode Scanners Designed for a rough environment, these ruggedized scanners are built to resist moisture, dust , dirt and drops.
Scale Barcode Scanners These are similar to an omni-directional scanner, but with a built in scale, allowing you not only scan your products, but weigh them.
2D Barcode Scanners 2D barcodes contain more information than conventional 1D linear barcodes. 1D barcodes have a single row of bars. In a 2D barcode, data is encoded both horizontally and vertically. Only a 2D scanner can read a 2D barcode. It is also capable of reading 1D barcodes.
A barcode (also bar code) is a machine-readable representation of information (usually dark ink on a light background to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1s and 0s). Originally, barcodes stored data in the widths and spacings of printed parallel lines, but today they also come in patterns of dots, concentric circles, and text codes hidden within images.
Benefits of using barcodes
In point-of-sale management, the use of barcodes can provide very detailed up-to-date information on key aspects of the business, enabling decisions to be made much more quickly and with more confidence. For example:
Fast-selling items can be identified quickly and automatically reordered to meet consumer demand,
Slow-selling items can be identified, preventing a build-up of unwanted stock,
The effects of repositioning a given product within a store can be monitored, allowing fast-moving more profitable items to occupy the best space,
Historical data can be used to predict seasonal fluctuations very accurately.
Items may be repriced on the shelf to reflect both sale prices and price increases.
Besides sales and inventory tracking, barcodes are very useful in shipping/receiving/tracking.
When a manufacturer packs a box with any given item, a Unique Indentifying Number (UID) can be assigned to the box.
A relational database can be created to relate the UID to relevant information about the box; such as order number, items packed, qty packed, final destination, etc...
The information can be transmitted through a communication system such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) so the retailer has the information about a shipment before it arrives.
Tracking results when shipments are sent to a Distribution Center (DC) before being forwarded to the final destination.
When the shipment gets to the final destination, the UID gets scanned, and the store knows where the order came from, what's inside the box, and how much to pay the manufacturer.
The reason bar codes are business friendly is that bar code scanners are relatively low cost and extremely accurate – only about 1/100,000 entries will be wrong.
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