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An Overview of the Barcode Scanners

A barcode scanner or reader is the electronic equipment, which can read as well as output the printed barcodes to the computer. It comprises of a lens, light source as well as a light sensor that translates the ‘optical impulses ‘into electrical impulses. Most of the barcode scanners contain the decoder circuitry that analyzes the ‘image data’ of the barcode provided by the sensor and by sending the content of the barcode to the output port of the scanner.


Types of Barcode Scanners on the Basis of the Technology Employed
  •  ‘Pen-Type’ Scanners:  The pen-type barcode scanners comprises of photodiode and light source that is placed at the tip of the wand or pen. The photodiode present in the scanner measures light intensity reflected back from ‘light source’ as the barcode tip crosses the space in printed code and each bar. 
  •   Laser Scanners: The laser scanners work in the same way as the pen-type scanners and the only difference is that they make use of the laser beam as the source of light. They make use of a ‘rotating prism’ or ‘reciprocating mirror’ for scanning the laser beam forth and back across the ‘barcode’.
  •   LED Scanners: The LED scanners or the CCD readers make use of many small light sensors that line up in a single row in the ‘head of the reader’. Each of the sensors measures the light intensity just in its front. 
  •   Omnidirectional Scanners: This type of barcode readers makes use of ‘curved or straight scanning lines’ of different directions in a ‘starburst form’. Unlike the single line laser readers, they produce beam patterns in different orientations permitting them in reading barcodes presented to them at varying angles. These scanners make use of rotating single polygonal mirror or a cluster of several mirrors for generating complex ‘scan patterns’. These scanners are good for reading wrinkled, poorly printed and torn bar codes.
  •   Cell Phone Cameras: Though the ‘cell phone’ cameras without the ‘auto-focus’ are not suitable for reading the barcode formats the 2D barcodes are optimized for the cell phones. With the help of the cell phone cameras, the consumers can book catalogs, play MP3 etc.

This sums up the various types of barcode scanners that find wide application in different industries. Call our pos expert at 0800112970.

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