G (),

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Proposed UPC Symbol

I
12345 67890

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12345 67890

L 12345 67890

~1.2345 67890 j

12345 67890

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Submission of these specifications for the symbol proposed to the Symbol Standardization Committee does not imply that IBM will necessarily provide products relating to the symbol proposed; nor is IBM under obligation to use the symbol in a system.

IBM reserves the right to modify or supplement these specifications for the symbol proposed. Technical questions relating to specifications should be addressed IBM P. O. Box 12275 Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 Attention: Mr. N. J. Woodland the to:

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 1.0 2.0 2.1 INTRODUCTION SYMBOL DESCRIPTION Bar Coding 2.1.1 UPC Bar Code 2.1.2 Center Pattern Bar Coding Character:J ~ 2. 1 .3 G ~ READING Reader Mechanisms Code
f,t.J..bv4. 'i3 fuI'1

Page 10 17 15 12 8 1 3 4 14 13 7 5 17 13 12 11 8 6 1 4 1

3.0 3.1 3.2 4.0 4.1 5.0 5.1 5.2 6.0 6.1 6.2 7.0 8.0 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3

ERROR DETECTION AND CORRECTION Check Character Calculation OHNIDIRECTIONALITY Scanning Wanding PRINTABILITY Grocery Manufacturer Symbol Printing In-Store Label Making READABILITY GUIDELINES COMPLIANCE SYMBOL SPECIFICATION: DIMENSIONAL PARAlffiTERS Symbol Configuration Symbol Bars and Bar Edges Symbol Area S~~,bolFormat Symbol Ernhoss~ent Symbol Surface Curvature Symbol Vertical Displacement SyrrbolViewing Angle SYMBOL SPECIFICATION: OPTICAIJPARAMETERS Substrate Reflectance Background Reflectance Ink Film Reflectance Print Quality Factors SYMBOL SPECIFICATIONS: OTHER PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Scuff and Scratch Resistance Wrinkles Transparent Wrapper

..

11

11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8

Frost Film Stain Film Moisture FilrTl Fog Dimensional Stability

17 18 18 18

18

1.0 INTRODUCTION The symbol proposed by IBM for adoption as the UPC symbol was designed to comply with the Symbol Standardization Committee's guidelines. IB~1' design criteria go beyond s the guidelines, however. It has heen an IBM requirement that the symbol be omnidirectional, that it have minimal impact on source marking costs, that it facilitate the use of an inexpensive in-store label maker, that it be readable with a handheld wand as well as with a fixed head scanner, that it be hUJT1.an readable, that it be contained in an area less than 1.5 square inches, and that its data content be coded in a self-clocking manner and with sufficient redundancy to assure that reject and substitution rates ~rill not exceed one item in 100 and 10,000, respectively. Present data indicate criteria. 2.0 SYMBOL DESCRIPTION The symhol comprises machine readahle bar code and the hUMan rearlable interpretation of that bar corle. An example of the~svmbol is shown in Figure 2.0. ~ The symbol always contains ~1dark bars built up with nominal .0136 inch modules."' Also, it ahrays contains 26 light spaces separating the hars; these light spaces are modular with the same size JT1odule. The determination of which modules are light and which dark is given in Section 2.1 where each "bit" is (nominally) a .0136 inch module. 2. 1 BAR CODING The UPC number is encoded in the shorter bars of Figure 2.0, ,.,ithfive UPC characters on either side of the center pattern of tall bars. Dark hits are represented by 1's in the tables of Sections 2.1.1, 2.1.2 and 2.1.3, while whit its are represented by O's. Individual bar e aracters are easily picked out; I,n.o.te Section in that each character begins with a dark bar and ends ith a ~ig~t space (read left to right on the left half, an right to left on the right half), and that there are two dark bars per character. that the symbol satisfies the above

'(i~

-1-

Figure 2.0

The IBM Proposed Symbol

--------Figure 3.2 Character Structure

1 Character

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The tall bars at left and right of the sYMbol co~pri

s, respectively,

of tile

The tall bars in the center cowprise pattern. 2.1.1 UPC Bar Code

the fixed c~nter

The character sets for the left and right five diqits of the UPC har code are given in the following table:
(./ OOfniHl ()000 GHARAeTRRS b000/101 LB-F 0001 1110110 1101000 1111010 1001110 0010011 1101110 0111011 I,fRIGHT 0100011 01011 CHl-,RACTERS HOOOI0 0011001 1100100 101 0110111 0111101 0001101 1011110 Or()1111 D 5 I I v oJOll/1 tY

5 DECIMAL

10001~0

2.1.2

Center Pattern

Bar Code

The center pattern

is always coded rol01.

I (

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2.1.3

- t:."~I"CharacterS

( .. I J. a. t..{'S ~~ U

. The character set _or e left and r1ght halves of the check character is given in the following table:

rh

DECIMAL VALUE o
2

LEFT HALF OF CHECK CHARACTER 1000110 1000110 1001100 1001100 1011000 1011000 1011110 1011110 1011000 1001100

RIGHT

HP-.LF OF

CHECK CHARACTER 0100011 0010011 0010011 0100011 0001011 0111011 0111011 0001011 0010011 0001011

1
3
4

5
6

7 8
9

3.0

READING READER l<1ECHANISMS

3.1

The two devices of special interest in machine reading of the label are scanners and wands. The following definitions are assumed: Scanner - A machine which reads bar code automatically. Manual Movement of the item may be involved but the reading motion is obtained opto-dynamically. The reading velocity is essentially independent of item motion, hut reading velocity will be affected by placing symbols on non-planar or irregular surfaces. Wand - A sensing device which has no reading capability of its own but relies entirely on hand movement of ,the operator to provide the necessary motion relative to the symbol. The hand moveMent introduces accelerations and a wide range of velocities. From the definitions it is apparent that scanner and wand applications differ in the nature of velocities encountered.

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In reading the symbol with either wand or scanner it is advantageous to probe for the bars with a single sensitive area small enough to resolve the narrowest mark and narrowest space, and the reader ~ust he able to recognize a transition from dark to light or light to dark.

3.2 CODE
Velocity and acceleration problems encountered in bar code reading have been addressed hy McEnroe and Jones (Identification Technology for the Retail Industry, P. V. ~cEnroe anrl J. E. Jones, paper at NRMA, octoher 1971~ IBM No. SDD G320-l210-0 RTP). They discuss delta distance codes~ the cOMments they make relative to Delta Distance Care germaine to the version of delta distance code specially developed for the sy~bol. The character set is given in Section 2.1.1 (UPC BP,P ConE). Besides having seven hits per character, the code requires that each character contai either three or five clark hits in two dark bars. Figure 3.2 shows the basic structure of a character, and relationships with adjacent characters, for the left half of the symbol. The corresponding figure for the right half of the sYI'f1hol the mirror image of Figure 3.2~ this is reflected property of the symhol facilitates reading either from right to left or left to right. In Figure 3.2, T(1) is the distance from the leading edge of this first ~ I in a character to the leading edge of the second ar in the character and T(?) is the corresponding trailing edge distance. T(3) is the distance from the leading edge of the second dark bar .~ the L character to the leading edge of the first - l=rK ~ in the following character and T(4) is the corresponding trailing edge distance. The fact t~at the code utilizes distances which are only leading -. leading or trailing - trailing is especially significant insofar as symbol printability is concerned~ note that if ink spread does not va~J among the two or three bars involved in one character, then, within li~its, ink spread "Till not affect the measurements which are vi tal in decoding. The reference used in measuring the T(1), T(2), T(3) and T(4) distances is T(R) which is the distance between the leading edge of the first dark bar in a character anc the

-'

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PI'

leading edge of the corresponding bar in the following character. Note that in the character set given in Section 2.1, T(R) is always seven bits lon~. A seven-bit length in the symbol is 7 x .0136, or .095 inches. If one assumes that velocity variation over the distance T(R) will be small, then, in reading one character, distance will be proportional to transit time. If, in reading the character, the observed transit times for T(n) and T(R) are ten) and t(R), respectively, then
T

1..)

(n) = k x
= k x

and
T (R)

t (n) t (R)
.

The number of bits in T(l), T(2), T(3) and T(4) can be estimated as the' nearest integral nuMber of bits given

by

'- ~4::::'~

~ = 7 x ~T ,) (~ Thus the code facilitates a decodin~ procedure which obviates problems deriving from systematic variations including velocity changes and ink spread.

bits (n)

~)l'\

4.0

ERROR DETECTION

AND CORRBCTION

The redundancy which has been provided in the bar code facilitates a powerful error detection and correction system. This system is comprised of an error detecting seven-bit code for each character along with a modulo-IO check character. Legal characters always have either three or five dark bits in total, comprising two dark bars. Legal characters cannot have a run of dark bits longer than four or a run of light hits longer than three. Merely checking for illegal characters will detect error in 90 percent of the symbols in which a bar code error exists, or appears to exist on account of dirt smudges, fly specks and the like. Further, the location of detected illegal characters will be known. In order to detect those errors which change a legal character into another legal (hut wrong) character, a modulo-IO check on the entire s~~bol is facilitated by a Modulo-IO check character The tall bars at left and

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right of re~pect' The Modulo-IO check provides 100 percent detection of errors involving a single substitution of one legal character for another, and 89 percent detection of all errors involving two such substitutions. If the reading of a symbol results in the detection of only one illegal character the error can he corrected by exploiting the redundancy provided by the modulo-IO check character. Finally, fixed head scanners can execute a multiplicity of scans on one pass of an iteM. Data generated on these used to detect almost all of the errors that survive the scans can be compared and resulting redundant info~ation ~ ~ ,. ~., check for illegal har cters and the modulo-IO check. I' 4.1 ECK CHARACTER C CULATIO

t:~
v

4-,1.(

f&,l,\-~-" 1. J The check characters in ~.~ ection 2.1.3 are coded representations of a~modulo-IO check digit obtained through the following steps. The calculation of the check digit
for the,UPC number

fl

'

'1~.,j,'.L

. *t ~

in Figure

{O~~step 1: Starting at up all the digits in from the left, third the example, the sum

2.0 will he u ed as an exaMple: I the left of the number, sum the odd positions (that is, first from the left and so on). For is 25. in Step 1.

Step 2: Multiply by 3 the sum obtained The product for the example'is 75. Step 3: Again starting in the even positions. 20.

at the left, sum all the digits The sum for the example is

Step 4: Add the product of Step 2 to the sum of Step 3. For the example this sums to 95.

5.0 5.1 SCANNING scanner, is

The symbol, when scanned by an appropriate totally omnidirectional.

The symbol achieves omnidirectiona1ity by being divided into two stand-alone fields each of which contains five of the ten UPC digits and each of which is taller than it is wide. The flying spot of a scanner with the simple repetitive raster of Figure 5.1 will encounter the symbol bars with an angle of incidence which is not greater than 45 degrees to the normal. With a gi.ven item movement velocity and a given excess of height over wi.dth of a fivedigit field there is a raster repetition rate which will assure that at least one scan will cross all the bars in a field. ,Similarly, there is a higher repetition rate which will assure two such effective scan~, and so on. Since a raster line crossing the bars at a given angle of incidence will generate a pulse train with a fundamental frequency which is a function of the angle of incidence, the fundamental frequency will vary from item to item. This result is precisely the same as would pertain if the flying spot velocity were different from one item to another 1 the manner in which the code obviates velocity variation problems is described in Section 3.0 (READING). 5.2 WANDING

OMnidirectiona1ity in wanding means that the wand need not be oriented to the symbol. This requireMent is met with the symbol by the symbol's ability to be read with a hand-held, pencil-type wand (see Figure 5.2) which is itself omnidirectional. Further freedom froM constraint is provided by the symbol's ability to be wanded either from right to left or left to right. 6.0 PRINTABILITY

6.1

GROCERY r1ANUFACTURER SYMBOL PRINTING

Three of the important elements which can iMpact cost of printing are the positional accuracy with which lines must be laid down, the required line edge quality, and the

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~NOTE

:IE:

1.210.121 30,7 3,1

14--------------L
BAR EDGE

NOTE XII

NOTE X2II

1
0~1(1)

006 +','
1

C\J eD

(I2X)

I NOTE:m

(52X) NOTE~

~(1)

o.0C\JeD

O~
OC\J

(1)

00 eD+'1.0
101
eDlC)

NOTE X

o~ .

VIEW C

o~ ~ ....J

z ~

LL W eX ":'C\J

a: 0 OeD eD~

W ~ 5 ~

O~

(1)

00 OC\J eD

+'1.0

101
eDlC)

q~

O~ (1)

000 .
OC\J
~ 1

eD
I

C\J-

C\J _I") -

+.020 .102 -.000 2,59+0,51

+.010 .040-.000 1,02+0,25

+.010 .054-.000 1,37+0,25 .054-.000 I.-.l 1,37+0,25 +.010 1.414 (NOMINAL) EF R 35,92

I I

NOTES

IX
X

NOMINAL MODULES(OR NOMINAL BIT LENGTHS) ARE .0136(0,35) FOR A NOMINAL L OF 1.1968(30,4) IN ANY .100 (2,54) OF BAR HEIGHT, EXCLUDING THE TOP AND AT LEAST 95% BOTTOM .010 (0,25) OF EACH BAR, OF THE BAR EDGE MUST

R8

R9

RIO

NOTE ::xI.

FALL WITHIN TWO PARALLEL LINES .004 (0,1) APART AND AT LEAST 65% OF THE BAR EDGE MUST FALL WITHIN TWO PARALLEL LINES .002(0,51) APART. SEE ALSO SECTION 10.4.3.

XI I N A PRINTED

SYMBOL

THE

AVERAGE

R IS (7+ 88)

X L, OR .07955 X L. NONE OF THE TWELVE R DISTANCES MAY DIFFER FROM THE AVERAGE R BY MORE THAN .0028 (0,0711 ) AND NO MORE THAN FOUR OF THE R DISTANCES MAY DIFFER FROM AVERAGE R BY MORE THAN .0014 (0,0356) EACH R IS MADE UP OF SEVEN NOMINALLY EQUAL BITS. SEE SECTIONS 2.0 AND 2.1 FOR THE CHARACTER BIT CONFIGURATIONS. THERE ARE 89 BITS IN A SYMBOL AND THE AVERAGE BIT LENGTH IS L 788 OR .01136 X L. A T-DISTANCE IS THE MEASURED DISTANCE FROM THE LEFT EDGE OF A BAR TO THE LEFT EDGE OF AN ADJACENT BAR, OR THE CORRESPONDING RIGHT EDGE DISTANCES. THERE ARE 52 T-DISTANCES IN A SYMBOL AND EACH HAS A NORMALIZED T LENGTH WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF BITS IN ITS LENGTH MULTIPLIED BY THE AVERAGE BIT LENGTH ANYWHERE ALONG THE V-ER-l=ICAL DIMENSION EXCEPT WITHIN THE TOP AND BOTTOM 00(2,54). NOT MORE THAN TWO T-DISTANCES MAY DIFFER FROMIHEIR NORMALIZED T LENGTHS BY MORE THAN .0028 (0,0711) AND NO MORE THAN 17 T- DISTANCES MAY DIFFER FROM THEIR NORMALIZED T LENGTHS BY MORE THAN .0014 (0,0356). XIII THE NOMINAL WIDTH OFA BAR(OR SPACE) ONE BIT WIDE IS.0136 (0,35). AT ITS NARROWEST POINT, THE WIDTH OF A BAR (OR SPACE) ONE BIT WIDE SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN .008(0,2) + 010 XN M MUST BE [.534 X L +.300~.000 (13,56 X L + 7,62+0,25)]. M IS NOMINALLY .938(23,83) X5l NUMERALS ARE FUTURA MEDIUM, NOMINALLY .119(3,02) HIGH, EVENLY SPACED IN GROUPS OF FIVE X2I THE ARROW INDICATES THE PREFERRED DIRECTION OF PAPER TRAVEL THROUGH PRESS XXlII SEE SECTION 92 FOR DEFINITION OF BAR EDGE X2III IN A PRINTED SYMBOL THE AVERAGE C IS (4+88) X L OR .04545 X L. NO C DISTANCE MAY DIFFER FROM THE AVERAGE C BY MORE THAN .002(0,051) ~

+.020 ,102-.000 2,59+0,51

PRINTED SYMBOL
DRAWING 6.1

Figure

5.1

Ornnidirectionality

in Scanning

Figure

5.2

Omnidirectionality

in Wanding

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tolerance on line thickness. A coding technique has been especially developed to minimize proble~s with those three elements: it is discussed in Section 3.2. Most of the printing degradations can be divided into two classes: namely, systematic effects and random effects. Examples Systematic of Effects Examples of Random Effects Error in original layout

Growth in stroke width Size change caused by magnification error in film- or plate-making Size change caused by printing process Size change caused by dimensional instability of substrate

Stroke edge irregularity Extraneous Voids ink

Within rather of the symbol effects. The maximizing of effects.

wide limits (cf., Drawing 6.1) the efficacy is relatively unaffected hy syste~atic important consequence is that this permits tolerances available to account for random

The report "Results of the PIDAS Study of Print Quality Variation" (Grocery Industry COJT1ITli ttee, ~Tuly 14, 1972} , suggests that there is a significant printing direction effect on line edge irregularity. An important attribute of the symbol is the fact that all code elements are straight line and parallel to one another. This pllows the grocery manufacturer to orient the syrobol so that the bars are aligned to the direction of travel through the press, thus minimizing stroke edge irre~ularity. 6.2 IN-STORE LABEL MAKING

The symbol facilitates use of a small, simple, in-store label maker. The s~~bol can be printed using type elements which are adaptable to being directly driven by manually operated slides or dials. Further mechanism si~plification is afforded by the ability of a bar coded character and

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its corresponding human readable the same type element. 7.0 READABILITY

upe character

to be on

Readability is a measure of the efficacy of the sYMbol in presenting a viable coded representation of the upe number in the real world of print degradation, fly-specks, sMudging, dirt, frost, animal blood, and the like. Printability (see Section 6.1) and use of redundancy (see Section 4.0) provide a level of readability that is consistent with the SYMbol Standardization Committee's guidelines relating to reject rate (one in 100 sy~bols) and substitution rate (one in 10,000 sy~hols). 8.0 GUIDELINES COMPLIANCE

o
The symbol conf'rms to the guidelines Standardization Committee. i~sued by the Symbol (see Section 5.1) ann its The symbol is 0 nidirectional area is less than 1.5 square inches, includinq all necessary areas around it (see Drawing 6.1). Many guidelines parameters (includinc:r those relatinc:rto depth of field, tilt, item movement velocity, and reject and substitution rates) relate to capahilities of a symbol/reader system rather than to sy~bol alone. For each symbol/system parameter, guidelines compliance can be measured in terms of the facility provided by the symbol to enable guideline compliance. For example, the way that symhol design can enhance depth of field is to avoid very narrow stroke widths1 the minimum nominal stroke width in the symbol is 13.0 mils (see Section 2.0). This stroke width facilitates the design of scanners with more than sufficient depth of field to accommodate all present-day supermarket grocery items. Tilt requires depth of field capahility plus ahility to accornmodate a range of velocities1 the very significant velocity variation capability of the symhol is treated in Section 3.2. Note that curved surfaces, as a special case of tilt, is another important symbol/system paraMeter facilitated by the symbol.

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Item movement velocity requires that an item he allowed to move a finite distance between scans without loss of the opportunity to retrieve the UPC number. In the case of the symbol, that distance is nominally 300 mils. (See Section 5.1 and Drawing 6.1.) Conformance to reject and substitution rates can be promoted by the symbol only through readability; the symbol's printability and use of redundancy facilitates a level of readability consistent with guidelines reject and substitution rates (see Section 7.0). 9.0 9.1 ,.,e TheA s SYMBOL SPECIFICATIONS: SY BOL CONFIGURATION is given in Drawing 6.1. DIMENSIONAL PAR~ME~ERS

/f.

)~
BAR EDGES Bar length, bar width, constrained by Drawing

;f/~1i

~a.
or

and bar angle are specified 6.1.

Typically, the edge of a printed bar is not a straight line. In addition, the edge may be fuzzy or ill-defined. Bar edge is defined as the half-amplitude point between maximum reflection from the background and minimum reflection from the bar. For instrumented measurements an .OOS-inch diameter aperture shall be used; see Section 10.0.

9 .3

SYMBOL AREA

The area containing the symho1, including required unprinted space, is sized by Drawing 6.1 as 1.060 x 1 4 inches, or 1.499 square inches. 9.4 SYMBOL FORMAT

There is no required or preferred placement of the symbol on the item insofar as the symbol is concerned. However, productivity tests at checkout indicate that it is preferable to have the symbol on the natural bottoms of items.

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Placement of the symbol on the natural bottom of an item is unconstrained as to orientation or location. If an item has no natural bottom and it is necessary to place the symbol on a cylindrical surface, the symbol should be placed on the item with the bars roughly normal to the axis of the cylinder. 9.5 SYMBOL EMBOSSMENT provided that

Raised or depressed bars are acceptable requirements of Drawing 6.1 are met. 9.6 SYMBOL SURFACE CURVATURE

The radius of curvature of any spherical surface to which the symbol is ~ade to confo~ must be at least three inches. See also Section 9.4. 9.7 SYMBOL \mRTICAL DISPLACEMENT

Depth of field relates to capabilities of a symbol/reader system rather than to symbol alone. Refer to Section 8.0 for an additional comment regarding depth of field. 9.8 SYMBOL VIEWING ANGLE

The angle at which the symbol is viewed by a scanner depends on scanner designer preference. For the purposes of these specifications, measurements shall be made as per Section 10.0 SYMBOL SPECIFICATION: OPTICAL all syMbol optical 10.0.

PARAMETERS

All reflectance measurements in this specification shall be diffuse reflectance Measurements. The optical geometry of the instrumentation shall consist of an incident light beam or beams at 45 degrees from the plane of the sy~ol and the sensor viewing angle shall be 90 degrees from the plane of the syMbol. Reflectance measurements shall be made in a band which peaks at 633 nm and no wider than 100 nm at the 50 percent energy points. For inks which have steeply sloping spectral

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reflectance curves at 633 nm, a band width of 10 n~ must be used for critical measurements. The apertur~ size for all diffuse shall be 8 mils in diameter. reflectance measurements

Whether the material being measured is background or ink the measurement shall be made with a mat black backing whose maximum reflectance is 6 percent. All reflectance measurements shall be relative to 100 percent reflectance as determined with MgO or BaS04, and o percent reflectance as determined with a black cavity. If a transparent wrapper see Section 11.3. 10.1 SUBSTRATE is to be used over the symbol,

REFLECTANCE

Reflectance from the substrate is of no concern except where the substrate is the background~ in that case, Section 10.2.1 applies. 10.2 BACKGROUND REFLECTANCE

10.2.1

Background

Diffuse

Reflectance

Background diffuse reflectance is not specified as a separate parameter. It is integral in Section 10.4.1.

10.2.2

Background

Color test of background

Any hue is permissible which passes the contrast Section 10.4.1_. However, white is the preferred color.

10.2.3

Background

Lightness

The lightness of background is not specified as a separate paraffleter. It is integral in Section 10.4.1.

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10.2.4

Background

Uniformity patterns,

The background shall be uniform with no detectable such as a dot pattern. 10.3 10.3.1 INK FILM REFLECTANCE Ink Film Color

The color of ink used to print the symbol is limited indirectly by the contrast requirements of Section 10.4.1. The preferred color, however, is black. 10.3.2 Ink Film Gloss

Inks used in the background area must be of sufficiently low gloss to enable the contrast require~ent of Section 10.4.1 to be met.

10.3.3

Ink Film Opacity

The opacity of the ink film used to print the sy~bol is not separately specified, but must be such that the contrast requirements of Section 10.4.1 are ~et.

10.3.4

Ink Film Lightness

The lightness of ink film is not specified as a separate parameter. It is integral in Section 10.4.1. 10.4 10.4.1 PRINT QUALITY Contrast FACTORS

Contrast is the diffuse reflectance (see Section 10.0) of the background less the diffuse reflectance of the ink. Minimum acceptable contrast is 30. The contrast of a bar shall be measured by moving an .008inch diameter aperture across the sy~bol in a direction perpendicular to the bar length. The background reflectance shall be the highest reflectance measured in the light

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area on either side of a bar. The ink reflectance shall be the lowest reflectance measured while traversing the bar. The minimum acceptable contrast pertains to the total height of all bars except for the top and bottom .010 inches of. each bar.

10.4.2

Voids

Voids are poorly-inked areas within bars. Since the size and reflectance of these areas affects contr.ast, voids are restricted by Section 10.4.1. In addition, voids shall not cause a contrast variation of more thRn 5.0.

10.4.3

Edge Roughness in Note X of Drawing

Allowable edge roughness is specified 6.1. See also, Section 9.2.

10.4.4

Ink and Dirt Spots

Since the size and reflectance of ink and dirt spots in the light areas of the symbol affect contrast, ink and dirt spots are restricted by Section 10.4.1. In addition, ink and dirt spots shall not cause a local background contrast greater than 5.0.

10.4.5

Ink Film Uniformity constrained by

Non-uniformity of ink film is indirectly Sections 10.4.1 and 10.4.2.

10.4.6

Ink Fill-in

Ink spread which tends to fill in between printed hars is restricted by Section 10.4.1 and by Notes X and XIII of Drawing 6.1.

10.4.7

Show Through

Image show through is indirectly controlled through the procedures for measuring contrast in Section 10.4.1. In

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addition, image show through shall not cause a local background contrast greater than 5.0. 11.0 11.1 SYMBOL SPECIFICATIONS: SCUFF AND SCRATCH OTHER PHYSICAL PPOPERTIES

RESISTANCE

Scanning of a single symbol a number of times provides redundancy which can be used to obviate scuff and scratch problems. The check digit incorporated in the symbol (see Section 4.0) significantly enhances reliability in the use of multiple scans redundancy. The coding enables decoding logic to be provided which can detect that, because of a scuff, scratch, or some other random effect, a bit or a bar is missing. More importantly, the code structure and the check digit permit automatic correction (cf., Section 4.0) of certain errors which occur frequently in scuffed or scratched symbols. 11.2 WRINKLES

Section 6.1 points out that within rather wide limits the efficacy of the IBM proposed symbol is relatively unaffected by systematic effects. Accordingly, a wrinkle whose aMplitude is not too large and whose wavelength is not too small to prevent compliance with Note XI of Drawing 6.1 will cause no difficulty in reading the symbol. Generally, a wrinkle whose wavelength is at least 10 times as large as its amplitude will not be a problem wrinkle. 11.3 TRANSPARENT WRAPPER

A transparent wrapper over the printed symbol tends to reduce contrast slightly. If a transparent wrapper is used over the printed s~~bol, the transparent wrapper shall be considered to be an integral part of the symbol and all reflectance measurements shall be made with the wrapper on the surface. 11.4 FROST FILM

An ice deposit on the surface of the s~~bol reduces contrast. This effect is not separately specified, but is limited per Section 10.4.1.

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11.5

STAIN FILM

A dark stain or color contamination on the symbol surface reduces contrast. This effect is not separately specified, but is limited per Section 10.4.1.

11.6

MOISTURE FILM

Water film on the symbol reduces contrast. This effect is not separately specified but is limited per Section 10.4.1.

11.7

FOG

Fine water droplets in the air next to the surface of the symbol reduces contrast. This effect is not separately specified but is limited per Section 10.4.1.

11.8

DI~mNSIONAL STABILITY

Size changes in the printed symbol due to changes in moisture, humidity, and temperature are systematic effects which are tolerated so long as the linear change produced does not exceed 10 percent from nominal. See Drawing 6.1.

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NOTES

~) gj~

Systems

Development

Division,

Research

Triangle

Park, N C