StaceMcneill588
You have often seen them on cereal boxes, books, and just about every consumer product on store shelves. Those are the infamous UPC barcodes. But why could they be needed? Who's using them, and what kind of information do they glean from their store?
The good news about Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes is that they haven't been employed for nefarious government purposes as was feared once they were first introduced commercially in the 1970s. That point might be arriving the long run, but for now they are harmless towards the average consumer. They are utilised primarily to trace inventory for retail, manufacturing and other purposes.
Good reputation for the UPC Barcode
A brief history of the used PC barcode actually goes back towards the early 1930s and the first automated checkout system featuring technology using punch cards. Inventors Bernard Silver and Joseph Woodland patented the very first barcode system in the early 1950s based on their previous knowledge of those earlier punch card systems.
Various organizations and business entities then continued to test out the UPC barcode through the 1960s, yet commercial success seemed elusive typically. However, in early 1970s, IBM introduced the modern barcode for commercial use. And just what was the very first product they coded? A pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum.
How it operates
A standard UPC barcode consists of a combination of black strips, white spaces and numerical digits. A total of 12 digits from the UPC number, with each number sequence being represented with a specific mixture of black strips and white spaces. Uniqueness is achieved by permitting only one method to display any numerical sequence.
By arranging the black strips and white spaces accordingly, the UPC barcode supplies a graphical image that may be scanned using infrared light or other similar technologies. The unique number sequence of every individual code may be used to retrieve and store data linked to the item scanned.
DIY UPC Barcodes
Organizations such as the U.S. Postal Service and UPS use UPC barcodes to trace packages. Retailers like Walmart and Kmart use the codes to trace inventory in warehouses and native shops. Manufacturers even use the codes to manage raw materials coming in and handle products going out. However, you can use them you to ultimately manage your own small company or keep an eye on possessions in your home for insurance purposes.
There are a variety of free software application programs that allow individual customers to create and print their own barcodes. All you need to do is link them to a database or spreadsheet, then print a label and fix it to whatever you want to track. With a smart phone or PDA your UPC bar codes become a simple and efficient way to keep an eye on whatever you desire.