Automatic Identification and Data Capture
Sections:
1. Overview of Automatic Identification Methods
2. Bar Code Technology
3. Radio Frequency Identification
4. Other AIDC Technologies
Automatic Identification
and Data Capture
A family of technologies that provide direct entry of data into a computer
or other microprocessor controlled system without using a keyboard
• Reasons for using AIDC:
1. Data accuracy
2. Timeliness
3. Labor reduction
Alternative to AIDC: Manual Methods of Data
Collection and Entry
Problems with manual collection and data entry:
1.Human errors
• When data are collected and entered manually
2.Time factor
• Time delay between occurrence of activities and events and entry
of associated data
• Manual methods are inherently time consuming
3.Labor cost
• Cost of full-time attention of human worker
AIDC Applications
• Retail sales and inventory control
• Material handling
• Shipping and receiving, sortation, order picking, mail and parcel handling
• Factory operations
• Order processing, WIP tracking, machine utilization, worker attendance
• Other
• Patient identification in hospitals, check processing in banks, security
system
Components of AIDC
Nearly all AIDC technologies consist of three principal components,
which are the sequential steps in AIDC:
1. Data encoding - alphanumeric characters are translated to
machine-readable form
2. Machine reading or scanning - scanner reads the encoded data
and converts it to alternative form, usually an electrical signal
3. Data decoding - electrical signal is transformed into digital data
and finally back into original alphanumeric characters
AIDC Technologies
1. Optical
• Bar codes (linear and 2-D), optical character recognition, machine
vision
2. Electromagnetic
• Radio frequency identification (RFID)
3. Magnetic
• Data are encoded magnetically, similar to magnetic tape (e.g., plastic
credit cards, bank checks)
AIDC Technologies
4. Smart card
• Small plastic cards imbedded with microchips (integrated
circuits)
5. Touch techniques
• Touch screens
6. Biometric
• Voice recognition, fingerprint analysis, retinal eye scans
Measures of AIDC Reading Accuracy
1. First read rate (FRR)
• Probability of a successful (correct) reading by the scanner in its initial
attempt
2. Substitution error rate (SER)
• Probability of scanner incorrectly reading the encoded character as
some other character
• In a given set of encoded data containing n characters, the expected
number of errors = SER multiplied by n
Bar Code Technology
• Bar codes are of two basic types:
1. Linear
• Encoded data are read using a linear sweep of the scanner
2. Two-dimensional
• Encoded data must be read in both directions
Linear (One-Dimensional) Bar Codes
Two forms of linear bar codes:
1. Width-modulated
• Symbol consists of bars and spaces of varying width
• Most widely used (e.g., Universal Product Code)
2. Height-modulated
• Symbol consists of bars and spaces of varying height
• Used only by U.S. Postal Service for ZIP code identification
Two Forms of Bar Codes
(a) (b)
(a) Width-modulated bar code, exemplified here by the
Universal Product Code (UPC), and (b) height-modulated bar
code, exemplified by Postnet, used by the U.S. Postal Service
SOS Distress Signal in
"Morse" Bar Codes
Difficulties with the "Morse" bar codes: (1) only the dark bars
are used, thus increasing the length of the coded symbol, and
(2) the number of bars making up the alphanumeric characters
differs, making decoding more difficult
Reading the Bar Code
(a)
(b)
Conversion of bar code into a electrical signal pulse train : (a)
bar code and (b) corresponding electrical signal
Code 39
A typical grouping of characters to form a bar code in Code 39.
USD-2
Character Set
USD-2 is a subset of Code 39
Linear Bar Code Readers
Usually classified as:
1. Contact
• Hand-held wands or light pens operated by moving the tip quickly past
the bar code
2. Noncontact
• Readers focus a light beam on the bar code and a photodetector reads
the reflected signal
1. Fixed beam - stationary readers used fixed beam
2. Moving beam - light beam (lasers) traverse an angular sweep to search for
the bar code
Bar Code Scanner
Stationary moving beam bar code scanner located along a moving conveyor
Bar-Coded Route Sheet
Bar-coded production order and route sheet
Two-Dimensional Bar Codes
• First 2-D bar code introduced in 1987
• Two basic types of 2-D bar code symbols
1. Stacked bar codes
• Consists of multiple rows of conventional bar codes stacked on top of
each other
2. Matrix symbologies
• Consists of 2-D patterns of data cells that are usually square and are
colored dark or white
• Advantage over stacked bar codes is capability to contain more data
2-D Stacked Bar Code (PDF417)
2-D Matrix Bar Code (Data Matrix)
Radio Frequency Identification
RFID uses an identification tag containing electronically coded
data that is attached to the subject item
• The tag consists of a memory microchip and an antenna,
usually encased in a plastic container
• The tag is a transponder - a device capable of emitting a signal of
its own when it receives a signal from an external source
• The tag communicates the encoded data by RF as the item passes a
reader and is activated by a low-level RF magnetic field transmitted
by the reader
Radio Frequency Identification
• RFID represents the biggest challenge to the predominance of
bar codes
• Wal-Mart, Target, Metro AG (Germany) and U.S. DoD have
mandated their suppliers use RFID on incoming materials
• According to a study of Wal-Mart, "RFID stores are 63 percent
more effective in replenishing out-of-stock items than traditional
stores"
Types of RFID Tags
1. Passive tags
• Have no internal power source
• They derive their electrical power from the external signal
transmitted by the reader
• Smaller, less expensive, longer lasting
2. Active tags
• Have their own battery power packs
• Possess a larger memory capacity and longer communication
range
• Higher cost and used for higher value items
Industrial Applications of RFID
• Inventory management
• Supply chain management
• Tracking systems
• Warehouse control
• Location identification
• Work-in-progress
RFID Advantages and Disadvantages
• Advantages
• Identification does not depend on physical contact or direct line of sight
• Much more data can be contained in the identification tag than with most
AIDC technologies
• Data in read/write tags can be altered for historical usage purposes or to
reuse the tag
• Disadvantages
• More expensive than most other AIDC technologies
Bar Codes vs. RFID
Comparison Bar Codes RFID
Technology Optical Radio frequency
Read-write capability Read only Read-write available
Memory capacity 14 to 16 digits (linear) 96 to 256 digits
Line-of-sight reading Required Not required
Reusability One-time use Reusable
Cost Very low cost per label Approx 10X cost of bar
code
Durability Susceptible to dirt Mode durable in plant
and scratches environment
Other AIDC Technologies
• Magnetic stripes
• Used for credit cards and money access cards
• More expensive than bar codes
• Must contact scanner to obtain a reading
• Optical character recognition (OCR)
• Can be read by humans and machine readers
• Low first read rate
• Machine vision
• Principal application is inspection
• Used with 2-D optical symbols
