Industrial Scanner Product Reference Guide

Glossary
GL-7
Decoder An electronic package that receives the signals from
the scanning function, performs the algorithm to
interpret the signals into meaningful data and
provides the interface to other devices.
Density Describes the relative amount of memory contained
in a radio frequency identification tag (see Bar Code
Density).
Depth of Field The range between minimum and maximum
distances at which a scanner can read a symbol with
a certain minimum element width.
Diffuse Reflection The component of reflected light that emanates in all
directions from the reflecting surface.
Discrete 2 of 5 A binary bar code symbology representing each
character by a group of five bars, two of which are
wide. The location of wide bars in the group
determines which character is encoded; spaces are
insignificant. Only numeric characters (0 to 9) and
START/STOP characters may be encoded.
Discrete Code A bar code or symbol in which the spaces between
characters (intercharacter gaps) are not part of the
code.
EAN European Article Number. This European/
international version of the UPC provides its own
coding format and symbology standards. Element
dimensions are specified metrically. EAN is used
primarily in retail.
EAN/U.P.C. A fixed-length, numeric 13-digit bar code symbol
consisting of 30 dark elements and 29 intervening
light elements. Each character is represented by 2
bars and 2 spaces over 7 modules. A bar may be
comprised of 1, 2, 3 or 4 modules. Each EAN/U.P.C.
symbol consists of a leading quiet zone, a start
pattern, 7 left-hand data characters, a center bar
pattern, 5 right-hand data characters, a Modulo 10
check character, a stop pattern and a trailing quiet
zone. U.P.C. is often considered a 12-digit code. The
13th digit of EAN/U.P.C. symbol is a derived
character in the left-most position. In the case of
U.P.C., this derived left-most character is a 0.
Element Generic term for a bar or space.