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`8 of 12 DOCUMENTS
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`Copyright 1995 ProQuest Information and Learning
`All Rights Reserved
`ABI/INFORM
`Copyright 1995 MCB University Press Limited 1995
`Sensor Review
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`1995
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`SECTION: Pg. 33 Vol 15 No. 1 ISSN: 02602288
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`ACC-NO: 31610
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`LENGTH: 2366 words
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`HEADLINE: PDF417 portable data files
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`BYLINE: Marriott, Mark
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`DATELINE: Bradford
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`BODY:
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`ABSTRACT
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`Today, traditional linear barcodes are in daily use throughout the world in an incredible range of applications
`transcending virtually every segment of industry, commerce, and retail. In virtually all of today's applications,
`traditional linear barcodes simply act as the key to a database - a fast, accurate means to access the detailed data
`necessary to complete the transaction. Because traditional linear barcodes do not contain the real information necessary
`to complete the application transaction, online access to an external database is typically essential. Real-time access to
`the necessary transaction data is either impossible, impractical, or prohibitively expensive. Users identified a need for a
`solution which retains the fundamental benefits of traditional linear barcodes, but with the capability to store and
`retrieve not simply an access code of 20 or 30 characters but, rather, a complete transaction file. Symbol Technologies
`began the development of a solution specifically designed to meet these new "Portable Data File" applications
`requirements. The result of a 2-year research program was PDF417. Key features, standardization, and applications of
`PDF417 are discussed.
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`FULL TEXT
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`BACKGROUND
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`Today, traditional linear barcodes are in daily use throughout the world in an incredible range of applications
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`transcending virtually every segment of industry, commerce and retail. Indeed, barcodes provide the technology
`platform for well over 70 per cent of today's Automatic Identification systems. The reasons for this are simple. Barcodes
`can be printed using a wide variety of techniques and they can be added to almost any document, form, label, or item of
`packaging for virtually zero cost. Similarly, it is possible to read traditional linear barcodes simply, accurately and
`reliably using a broad range of systems with varying performance characteristics and ergonomics tailored precisely to
`the needs of different applications. Indeed, it is primarily because traditional linear barcodes are easily readable, first
`time every time by non-specialist operators with minimal training that the technology has been so rapidly adopted on a
`universal basis.
`
`In virtually all of today's applications, traditional linear barcodes simply act as the "key" to a database--a fast,
`accurate means to access the detailed data necessary to complete the transaction. In this way, the need for slow,
`inaccurate key entry is eliminated and productivity is increased. In parallel, the overall process is improved and,
`ultimately, the quality of customer service is enhanced. Although the maximum practical capacity of traditional linear
`barcodes is restricted to 20 or 30 characters, this is usually more than sufficient to encode the necessary "unique key"
`which provides real-time access to the required transaction data.
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`NEW APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
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`Because traditional linear barcodes do not contain the "real information" necessary to complete the application
`transaction, online access to an external database is typically essential.
`
`In recent times, major users have identified a variety of needs which cannot be satisfied using such an application
`scheme. Real-time access to the necessary transaction data is either impossible, impractical or prohibitively expensive.
`
`To address these problems, users identified the need for a solution which retains the fundamental benefits of
`traditional linear barcodes, (cheap to print and easy to read) but with the capability to store and retrieve not simply an
`access code of 20 or 30 characters but, rather, a complete transaction file.
`
`Symbol Technologies carefully analysed this requirement, first by investigating existing barcode-based solutions.
`From this analysis it became rapidly clear that there was no satisfactory existing solution. As a result, Symbol began the
`development of a solution specifically designed to meet these new "Portable Data File" applications requirements.
`
`This work was carried out in collaboration with leading university specialists. In order to develop a optimized
`solution, it became clear that it was necessary to undertake fundamental scientific research based on the application of
`coding theory and information theory to barcode systems design.
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`During the course of this research, a number of landmark scientific papers were published. The result of this
`two-year research programme was PDF417.
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`PDF417--KEY FEATURES
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`DATA CAPACITY
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`Using built-in compaction techniques, a single PDF417 symbol can contain over one kilobyte of binary data or
`almost 2,000 alphanumeric characters or almost 3.000 numeric characters. In addition, using a feature known as Macro
`PDF, multiple symbols can be linked together to contain even larger files with sufficient capacity for even the most
`demanding application.
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`BUILT-IN ERROR CORRECTION
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`Traditional linear barcodes typically incorporate a check digit or other built-in error detection techniques. Thus,
`when a linear barcode is read, there are only two likely outcomes, a decode or a decode failure. If the symbol
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`occasionally fails to decode, this is inconvenient but not a disaster since the data contained within the symbol is also
`typically printed in eye-readable form. This can be key entered if necessary. Imagine, however, a PDF symbol
`containing a complete transaction file of 1,000 characters or more. In this situation, a failure to decode would be
`extremely inconvenient. To address this key issue, PDF417 contains not only error detection, but also highly effective
`error correction techniques. As a result, if a portion of the symbol is damaged, the complete transaction file can,
`nevertheless, still be retrieved.
`
`The robustness of PDF417 error detection and correction was dramatically underlined in a recent independent study
`conducted by the University of Ohio, where over 20 million PDF417 characters were decoded without a single
`substitution, transposition or any other error being detected. From this, it is clear that PDF417 represents a highly
`rugged and reliable medium for the encoding of high-volume transaction data.
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`FLEXIBLY PRINTABLE
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`Just like traditional linear barcodes, PDF417 can be readily printed using a wide variety of computer-controlled
`techniques. Today, onboard PDF417 printing capability has already been implemented by most of the major
`manufacturers of specialist barcode printing systems. PDF capability has also been implemented by a number of major
`software suppliers offering PC-based packages for the design and printing of barcode labels and forms. Using such
`packages, PDF417 is readily printable on a wide range of general purpose devices not equipped with onboard PDF
`capability. In addition, printing software is available from Symbol Technologies and elsewhere to facilitate the easy
`integration of PDF417 into almost any application. Even the requirement for high-speed laser printing under the control
`of mainframe or other non-PC hosts can be accommodated using packaged, third-party software.
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`FLEXIBLY READABLE
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`Key to the design of PDF417 was a requirement that it should be easily readable using the broadest range of
`available technologies. This basic requirement was designed to facilitate the rapid development of practical,
`user-friendly reading systems, free from any constraints imposed by the need to develop radically new reading
`technologies.
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`As a result of this design flexibility, a variety of PDF reading solutions are already available based both on linear
`CCD and laser technology. In the future PDF417 will be equally readable using new technologies as they develop.
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`In addition, because PDF417 is fundamentally barcode-based, PDF reading systems are also inherently capable of
`reading traditional linear symbols. This basic compatibility is of critical importance since, in many applications,
`PDF417 will be utilized in close combination with traditional linear symbols. For example, in a goods-receiving
`application, by scanning a PDF417 symbol on a delivery note and then scanning the linear symbols on each container, it
`is possible to carry out an instant reconciliation between the document and the physical goods with no need for manual
`checking of the delivery note, nor any requirement for external database look-up.
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`STANDARDIZATION
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`At the industry level, PDF417 has already been published as a formal Uniform Symbology Specification by AIM,
`the prime worldwide publisher of barcode Symbology Standards.
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`At the national standards level, PDF417 is under review by ANSI in the USA for potential use within a new
`shipping label/EDI standard. On a multinational basis, PDF417 is currently in the process of standardization by CEN,
`the European standards organization whose members include the national standards bodies of the 12 European Union
`countries and the six EFTA countries. CEN has established a Technical Committee responsible for developing a wide
`variety of barcode standards. The specific Work Items of this committee include "Portable Data Files".
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`Finally, at the application level, PDF417 is already the subject of standardization activities in a wide range of
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`industry and government environments.
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`SOME APPLICATIONS
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`The following examples clearly illustrate the potential of PDF417 in a variety of important new applications.
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`MANUFACTURING
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`Several major motor manufacturers have already implemented PDF417 for a range of applications. In factories
`PDF417 is being used for the communication of set-up parameters to flexible electronic testing systems on production
`lines. The use of PDF417 eliminates the need to install a costly local area network and an associated requirement for
`major hardware/software upgrades to manufacturing computer systems. In addition, with this PDF-based solution, there
`is no risk of production stoppages resulting from any periodic failure of local area network communications. One major
`motor manufacturer is also currently implementing PDF417 for the marking of critical sub-assemblies. PDF417 labels
`will contain key traceability data including part number, batch number, serial number and source. As vehicles are
`assembled, these labels will be scanned to create a complete configuration database.
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`In the future, the marking of all key sub-assemblies will facilitate the implementation of new maintenance control
`systems throughout franchised dealer networks. In this way, it will be possible to achieve major improvements in
`customer service in parallel with significant reductions in the cost of warranty repairs.
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`SUPPLY CHAIN COMMUNICATIONS
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`Beyond the manufacturing environment, PDF417 has the potential to deliver major improvements in supply-chain
`communications. PDF417 symbols printed on delivery, invoice and other documents enable critical information to be
`transferred between trading partners in a machine-readable manner without the requirement for every partner within the
`trading chain to be capable of supporting traditional EDI communications. In this way, PDF417 acts as a powerful
`complement to EDI and, in addition, because the PDF data can travel with the physical goods, PDF417 provides a
`valuable backup to EDI, enabling transactions to be processed despite any failure or delay in EDI communications.
`
`In Europe, two leading retailers are currently implementing PDF417-based systems for the communication of
`delivery data to their retail stores both from suppliers and from central warehousing facilities. Others will certainly
`follow.
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`GOVERNMENT
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`In the government sector a wide variety of applications are under way. The US Department of Defense has already
`implemented PDF417 for a new machine readable military ID card system. Data encoded in PDF format on the card
`includes personnel information plus details of privileges and entitlements, together with an encoded photograph of the
`bearer. To ensure security and privacy, all of this data is encoded in an encrypted format which is almost impossible to
`intercept.
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`This new machine-readable card will be used to control access to restricted areas, to confirm entitlement to various
`facilities, to speed emergency hospital admissions and to track the movement and disposition of military personnel.
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`One of the most powerful opportunities centres around driver and motor vehicle administration. In North America,
`PDF417 has already been adopted for a wide range of applications including machine-readable driver and vehicle
`licences, licence renewals and emissions testing. Beyond the achievement of significant improvements in administrative
`efficiency and customer service, the adoption of PDF417 will open the door to a variety of important law enforcement
`applications. With PDF417 symbols printed on drivers licences and vehicle licences, law enforcement officers will be
`able to achieve major improvements in the efficiency and accuracy with which moving traffic and parking violations are
`processed. Because all key driver and vehicle data will be available in machine-readable form, the requirement for the
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`manual transcription of data will be largely eliminated.
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`Compared with other technologies, the key benefits of PDF417 in these applications include its ability, unlike
`linear barcodes or magnetic stripe, to encode all data necessary to perform any transaction without the need for real-time
`access to a central database--a vital requirement in distributed environments. Compared to smart cards, the key
`advantages of PDF417 include durability, immunity to damage from electromagnetic interference and, above all, an
`overall system cost a fraction of an equivalent smart card solution.
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`CONCLUSION
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`PDF417 Portable Data File technology opens the door to a wide range of important new application opportunities
`complementary to and beyond the reach of traditional linear barcodes. In essence, PDF417 transforms low-cost paper
`into a high value, high data capacity, machine readable communications medium.
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`PDF417 is already the established de facto standard for Portable Data File applications and its use will expand even
`more rapidly as formal standards continue to be developed.
`
`Mark Marriott is Director of International Marketing--PDF417, Symbol Technologies International, 13 Oaklands
`Park, Fishponds Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG11 2FD, UK. Tel: 01734 771399: Fax: 01734 771986.
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`LOAD-DATE: February 12, 2016
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