ASP Microcomputers - Barcode Scanners Use Light To Make Life Easier

Barcode Scanners Use Light To Make Life Easier

As we are walking through the store, we give very little thought to just exactly what type of technology is used to facilitate the way we get these products. That's because barcode scanners are so embedded in the way we go about our day-to-day lives that we can't imagine what it would be like without them. If you are over the age of 40, you probably remember what it was like to check out at a grocer where keys were pushed for each and every item.

Barcode scanners are not new. The technology became proven in the 1970s, but at the time it was very costly and not completely accurate. Like many technologies, the price fell quickly as it improved. By the 1980s, barcode scanning became more widely accepted, and today it is the standard by which parts and products are managed throughout the supply chain. It is unlikely that you would be able to find a warehouse or large operation that does not rely heavily on barcode scanner technology in its day-to-day business activities.

Barcode scanners use optical technology to read the black and white UPC (Universal Product Codes) that you see on almost every box and product you run across. Each rectangle of the code represents a number. Combined, these numbers create a unique identifier. This identifier is stored in a computer database that links to an inventory or other type of system. There are different systems of barcodes, but the end result is the same. Using a beam of light, either LED infrared or laser, the code is read and converted to a digital signal that is transmitted to a computer. The computer stores the database which keeps track of all the information needed about the item.

Barcode scanner systems range from the very basic pen style readers to the most advanced laser systems that we see in large warehouses or the grocery store. Systems may be hard wired in order to communicate with the database or wireless. In wireless systems, the information is relayed to a base station, decoded, and sent on to the database. Either way the end result is the same - the supplier, merchant, or other link on the supply chain has up to date information on the item.

The speed and sophistication of the system used will vary by industry and need. A library, for example, will have very different needs to an auto manufacturer. A point of sale set up for a large national retailer will be different than that of the corner shop. Never the less, the end result is the same. A light scans the UPC code and the product number is transmitted to the computer. If the transaction is a sale, then the barcode scanner allows the merchant to keep up with stock on hand, tabulate the price, and other similar tasks.

Because we have become so accustomed to barcode technology, it is now hard to imagine what our lives would be like without it. It helps us have products to purchase, helps us do our jobs, helps us manage our money and a full range of activities. Who knows what the next big advancement in supply chain tracking will be. It will have to be pretty good to displace barcode scanning.

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