Data Communication Codes

Data Communication Codes

-prescribed bit sequence used for encoding characters and symbols
-character sets, character codes, character languages

Types of Characters Used in Data Communication Codes

1. Data Link Control Character
-used to facilitate the orderly flow of data from a source to a destination
2. Graphic Control Character
-which involves the syntax or presentation of the data at the received terminal
3. Alpha/Numeric Character
-used to represent the various used letters, numbers, and punctuation in the English language
Alpha/Numeric Character

1. MORSE CODE
-1st data communication code
-used three-unequal-length symbols (dot, dash, and space to encode alpha/number character punctuation marks and
interrogation words)
-insufficient selection of graphic and data link control character

2. BAUDOT CODE
-sometimes called “Telex Code”
-first developed by Thomas Murray (French postal engineer) in 1857 and named after
Emile Baudot
- 5-bit character code used for low-speed teletype equipment
- there are 25 or 32 combinations possible which is insufficient to represent 26 letters of the alphabet, the 10 digits, and
the various punctuation marks and control character
-uses figure shift and letter shift character to expand its capabilities to 58 characters
-CCITT International Alphabet #2
3. ASCII CODE
- American Standard Code for Information Interchange
- CCITT Int’l Alphabet #5
- 7-bit character set, 27 or 128 combinations
- LSB is designated bo
- MSB is b2
- B7-parity bit
- LSB is transmitted first

•
4. EBCDIC

- Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code

- 8-bit characters, 28 = 256 combinations are possible

- LSB - b7

- MSB - b0

- high-order bit(b7) is transmitted first and low-order bit(b0) is transmitted last

- does not facilitate the use of a parity bit

 BAR CODES

- A series of black bars separated by white

spaces indicates
1. cost of the time
2. information regarding inventory management
and control
3. security access
4. shipping and receiving
5. production counting
6. document or order processing
7. automatic billing
 Standard Bar Code Formats

Discrete code.
A discrete bar code has spaces or gaps between characters. Therefore, each character within the bar code is
independent of every other character.
Code 39 is an example of a discrete bar code.

Continuous code.
A continuous bar code does not include spaces between characters.
An example of a continuous bar code is the Universal Product Code (UPC).

2D code.
A 2D bar code stores data in two dimensions in contrast with a conventional linear bar code, which stores data along
only one axis.
2D bar codes have a larger storage capacity than one-dimensional bar codes (typically 1 kilobyte or more per data
symbol).
Code 39
- One of the most popular bar codes was developed in 1974 and called Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9 and 3 of 9
Code).
- Code 39 uses an alphanumeric code similar to the ASCII code.
- Code 39 consists of 36 unique codes representing the 10 digits and 26 uppercase letters. There are seven additional
codes used for special characters, and an exclusive start/stop character coded as an asterisk (*).
- Code 39 bar codes are ideally suited for making labels, such as name badges.
Example.
Charac Binary Word Bits Spaces Check Charac. Val.
• 0 000110100 00110 0100 0
• 2 001100001 01001 0100 2
Universal Product Code
- The grocery industry developed the Universal Product Code (UPC) sometime in the early 1970s to identify their
products.
- The National Association of Food Chains officially adopted the UPC code in 1974.
- Today UPC codes are found on virtually every grocery item from a candy bar to a can of beans.