Case Studies

Since 2004, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has partnered with ASP Microcomputers to develop and implement a custom solution to track Census forms in real time

Overview

A seven story building in the heart of Melbourne was the location of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Data Processing Centre (DPC) for the 2006 census. In 2011 the DPC is in the old Age building on Spencer Street in Melbourne and in Melbourne again in 2016 and 2021. The task of tracking the millions of forms in the DPC for the 2021 census is again going to be deployed by ASP Microcomputers custom built solution. Around 40,000 census officers are appointed to distribute and collect the forms to every household in Australia, and each is allocated a Collection District (CD). The eighteen pages which make up the census form are collected and sent back to the DPC in Melbourne for processing. Over 800 people are employed to manage and process the more than nine million completed census forms that are returned to the DPC.
That’s where ASP’s solution starts.

Project Objective

Design an effective and secure real time census form tracking and reporting system for implementation at the Data Processing Centre in Melbourne.

Solution

• A real time barcode tracking system over a 802.11 wireless infrastructure of the DPC
• A barcode scanner program using ASP’s middleware RFolution!™
• Custom designed labels
• Four custom developed PC applications – Label Printing, Configuration, Enquiry & Reporting, and Receipt & Registration
• Data replication using Microsoft® SQL server

Benefits

• Exceeded security requirement
• Freedom to move across all floors to scan packs over a wireless infrastructure
• Wide range of reporting
• Ergonomic and light weight scanners
• Rapid application development
• Fast data transmission
• Instant pack location

Hardware and Software

• Denso BHT303BW portable barcode scanners with 802.11 radio frequency transmission
• Industrial label printer and custom labels
• ASP RFolution!™ middleware
• Cisco access points

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