ISO/IEC 19762-2:2008

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19762-2
Second edition
2008-06-15
Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture (AIDC)
techniques — Harmonized vocabulary —
Part 2:
Optically readable media (ORM)
Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques
d'identification et de saisie de données (AIDC) — Vocabulaire
harmonisé
Partie 2: Médias lisibles optiquement (ORM)

Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2008
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ii © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Classification of entries . 1
3 Terms and definitions. 1
4 Abbreviations . 17
Bibliography . 18
Index. 19

© ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved iii

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 19762-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 19762-2:2005), which has been technically
revised.
ISO/IEC 19762 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture (AIDC) techniques — Harmonized vocabulary:
⎯ Part 1: General terms relating to AIDC
⎯ Part 2: Optically readable media (ORM)
⎯ Part 3: Radio frequency identification (RFID)
⎯ Part 4: General terms relating to radio communications
⎯ Part 5: Locating systems
iv © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

Introduction
ISO/IEC 19762 is intended to facilitate international communication in information technology, specifically in
the area of automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) techniques. It provides a listing of terms and
definitions used across multiple AIDC techniques.
Abbreviations used within each part of ISO/IEC 19762 and an index of all definitions used within each part of
ISO/IEC 19762 are found at the end of the relevant part.
© ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19762-2:2008(E)

Information technology — Automatic identification and data
capture (AIDC) techniques — Harmonized vocabulary —
Part 2:
Optically readable media (ORM)
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 19762 provides terms and definitions unique to optically readable media (ORM) in the
area of automatic identification and data capture techniques. This glossary of terms enables the
communication between non-specialist users and specialists in ORM through a common understanding of
basic and advanced concepts.
2 Classification of entries
The numbering system employed within ISO/IEC 19762 is in the format nn.nn.nnn, in which the first two
numbers (nn.nn.nnn) represent the “Top Level” reflecting whether the term is related to 01 = common to all
AIDC techniques, 02 = common to all optically readable media, 03 = linear bar code symbols, 04 = two-
dimensional symbols, 05 = radio frequency identification, 06 = general terms relating to radio, 07 = real time
locating systems, and 08 = MIIM. The second two numbers (nn.nn.nnn) represent the “Mid Level” reflecting
whether the term is related to 01 = basic concepts/data, 02 = technical features, 03 = symbology, 04 =
hardware, and 05 = applications. The third two or three numbers (nn.nn.nnn) represent the “Fine” reflecting a
sequence of terms.
The numbering in this part of ISO/IEC 19762 employs “Top Level” numbers (nn.nn.nnn) of 02, 03, and 04.
3 Terms and definitions
02.01.01
optically readable medium
ORM
member of the set of automatic identification techniques such as a linear bar code, two-dimensional, mark
sense, or optical character recognition (OCR) symbols, that are illuminated by a light source and examined by
an optical detector that converts the received reflectance into electrical signals that are grouped in a
predetermined method, recognized by the reader and converted into the corresponding computer code
02.01.02
symbology
standard means of representing data in optically machine readable form
NOTE Each symbology specification sets out its particular rules of composition or symbol architecture.
02.01.03
bar code symbol
combination of symbol characters and features required by a particular symbology which together form a
complete scannable entity
© ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved 1

02.01.04
symbol architecture
structure of a bar code symbol
NOTE See symbology.
02.01.05
bar
dark element corresponding to a region of a scan reflectance profile below the global threshold
02.01.06
quiet zone
area free from interfering markings which must surround a bar code symbol and, in particular, precede the
start character and follow the stop character
02.01.07
symbol character
physical representation of the codeword as a pattern of dark and light elements
NOTE There may be no direct one-to-one mapping between symbol character and data character or auxiliary
character. Decoding through the compaction rules is necessary to identify the data.
02.01.08
coded character set
set of single characters that are mapped onto their byte values according to a linear bar code or two
dimensional symbology
02.01.09
bar code character
See symbol character.
02.01.10
X dimension
specified width of the narrow elements in a bar code symbol or the specified width of a single element in a
two-dimensional symbol
cf. Z dimension
02.01.11
Y dimension
specified height of the elements in a linear bar code symbol or a row in a multi-row symbology
cf. bar height
02.01.12
Z dimension
average achieved width of the narrow elements in a bar code symbol, equal to half the sum of the average
narrow bar width and the average narrow space width in two-width symbologies, or to the quotient of the
average overall character width divided by the number of modules per character in modular symbologies
02.01.13
module(1)
〈linear or multi-row bar code symbology〉 nominal unit of measure in a symbol character
NOTE In certain symbologies, element widths may be specified as multiples of one module. Equivalent to
X dimension.
2 © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

02.01.14
element
〈symbol character or symbol〉 single bar or space in a bar code symbol or a polygonal or circular single cell
in a matrix symbol, which according to symbolоgy rules form a symbol character
NOTE The width of individual elements may be expressed in modules, or in multiples of the X dimension.
02.01.15
resolution
width of the narrowest element capable of being read by the scanner equipment under test conditions
02.01.16
bar height
dimension of an individual bar in a linear bar code symbol or in a row of a multi-row bar code symbol
measured perpendicular to the scanning direction
cf. Y dimension
02.01.17
bar width
transverse dimension of an individual bar in a linear bar code symbol or two-dimensional symbol
measured parallel to the scanning direction
NOTE The number of possible width variations within a particular printed symbol depends on the symbology used.
02.01.18
symbol width
total width of a bar code symbol including the quiet zones
NOTE Also referred to as symbol length.
02.01.19
symbol aspect ratio
ratio of the symbol height to the symbol width
02.01.20
bar-space sequence
sequence which represents the module widths of the elements of a symbol character
02.01.21
self-checking
property of a symbology whereby a checking algorithm is applied to each character in the code
NOTE Substitution errors can then only occur if two or more separate printing defects occur within one character.
Codes, which are not self-checking usually, have a check character added to the encoded data. Check characters can be
added to self-checking symbols to further enhance data integrity.
02.01.22
orientation pattern
unique spatial arrangement of dark and light modules in a symbology used to detect the spatial orientation
of the symbol
02.01.23
shift character
symbology character which is used to switch from one code set to another for a single character, or in the
case of "double shift" or "triple shift" characters, for two or three characters, respectively, following which data
encodation reverts automatically to the code set from which the shift was invoked
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02.01.24
latch character
symbology character which is used to switch from one code set to another
NOTE The code set stays in effect until another latch or shift character is explicitly brought into use or until the end
of the symbol is reached.
02.02.01
decode algorithm
set of rules used, in a bar code or matrix symbology, to convert the element pattern of a symbol to data
characters
02.02.02
print quality
degree to which a printed optical symbol complies with the requirements which are specified for it, such as
dimensions, reflectance, edge roughness, spots, voids, etc., which will affect the performance of the
scanner
02.02.03
verification
verification by which a symbol is measured to determine its conformance with the specification for that
symbol
02.02.04
verifier
device used for verification of a symbol
NOTE A verifier is used to measure and analyse quality attributes of a symbol such as symbol element width and
quiet zone dimensions, reflectance, and other aspects against a standard to which the linear bar code and two-
dimensional symbols should conform.
02.02.05
background
light area between and surrounding the dark elements of a printed symbol
NOTE The background can be the substrate on which the symbol is printed or an overprinting of a suitable light
colour.
02.02.06
substrate
material or medium upon which printed matter such as a bar code symbol, OCR characters or a coating is
imposed
02.02.07
reflectance
ratio of the reflected radiant or luminous flux to the incident flux in incident radiation of given spectral
composition, polarization and geometrical distribution
[IEC 50 (845) 845-04-58]
NOTE 1 Reflectance (sometimes in AIDC techniques called reflectance factor) is measured on a scale of 0 to 1, at a
wavelength or bandwidth of light (spectral response) specified in the particular application specification.
NOTE 2 Barium sulphate or magnesium oxide are used as 'near perfect' reference white standards (a perfect standard
of pure white would have a reflectance of 1,00 at any wavelength of light). The absence of any light in a vacuum is used
as reference black standard.
NOTE 3 Samples (such as substrates, inks, etc.) are tested against the standards under similar illumination.
4 © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

02.02.08
regular reflection
reflection in accordance with the laws of geometrical optics, without diffusion
[IEC 50 (845) 845-04-45]
NOTE Also known as specular reflection.
02.02.09
diffuse reflection
diffusion by reflection in which, on the macroscopic scale, there is no regular reflection
[IEC 50 (845) 845-04-47]
02.02.10
spectral response
sensitivity of a scanner or other device to light of different wavelengths
02.02.11
reflectance difference
difference between the reflectance of light and dark elements of a bar code symbol
02.02.12
show through
property of a substrate that allows underlying markings or materials to affect the reflectance of the substrate
cf. opacity
02.02.13
gloss
propensity of a surface to reflect a proportion of incident light in a specular manner
02.02.14
transmittance(1), τ
ratio of the transmitted radiant or luminous flux to the incident flux for incident radiation of given spectral
composition, polarization and geometrical distribution
Unit: 1
[IEC 50 (845) 845-04-59]
02.02.15
transmittance(2)
(optical) density, D
τ
algorithm to base ten of the reciprocal of the transmittance
D = - log τ
τ 10
[IEC 50 (845) 845-04-66]
NOTE τ is transmittance.
02.02.16
opacity
property of a substance of preventing light from passing through it
NOTE Substrate opacity affects show-through from the reverse side of the substrate or any substance underneath it.
Ink opacity determines the show through from the substrate.
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02.02.17
scan reflectance profile
plot of the variations in reflectance with distance along a scan path through a symbol representing the
analogue waveform produced by a device scanning the symbol
02.02.18
densitometer
photometer for measuring reflectance or transmittance optical density
[IEC 50 (845) 845-05-27]
NOTE 1 A densitometer measures the degree to which light is transmitted through or reflected from a material.
NOTE 2 A calibrated photometer compares the transmitted or reflective light with the incident light, and the result may
be displayed as percentage reflectance or density.
02.02.19
photometer
instrument for measuring photometric quantities
[IEC 50 (845) 845-05-15]
NOTE In AIDC techniques, a photometer is used to measure the luminous intensity of light at specified wavelengths.
02.02.20
print contrast signal
PCS
measure of the relative difference between the reflectance of light and dark elements
cf. reflectance difference
NOTE 1 PCS = (RL - RD)/RL, where RL and RD are the reflectance of light and dark elements, respectively.
02.02.21
printability test
test of print quality
02.02.22
defect
lack of, or deficiency in, a characteristic essential in satisfying applicable requirements, that may affect the
ability of a functional unit to perform a required function
NOTE Area of unwanted image usually referred to as spots or voids.
02.02.23
void
area of high reflectance in an area of a bar code symbol which is intended to be of low reflectance
cf. spot
02.02.24
speck
See spot.
02.02.25
spot
ink or dirt mark or other area of low reflectance in an area of a symbol which is intended to be of high
reflectance
cf. void
6 © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

02.02.26
reference decode algorithm
decode algorithm quoted in a symbology specification as the basis for the reference threshold's
decodability values
02.02.27
reference threshold
boundary point used by a reference decode algorithm to make a decision as to the measurement of an
element or combination of elements
02.02.28
decodability
measurement of relations from combinations of bars and spaces together or alone according the reference
decode algorithm
NOTE The value gives a measurement of how well a bar code symbol can be decoded.
02.04.01
scan(1), noun
single pass of a scanning beam over a symbol or a portion of a symbol
02.04.02
scan(1), verb
systematically examine data
02.04.03
scan(2), noun
single image capture with an image capture device
02.04.04
scanner
optical device that converts optical information (e.g. a printed bar code or two dimensional symbol) into
electrical signals for subsequent decoding and transmission to a computer
02.04.05
bar code reader
device used to capture the data encoded in a bar code symbol, consisting of two parts:
a) the scanner, an input device which sends signals proportional to the reflectivity of each successive
element of the symbol to the decoder;
b) the decoder, which examines the signals from the scanner and translates them into recognizable or
computer-compatible data
NOTE The decoder itself is sometimes erroneously called a reader.
02.04.06
read rate
percentage representing the number of good reads per 100 attempts to read a particular symbol
02.04.07
contact scanner
particular type of scanner in which the scanning action takes place with the scanner in actual or near contact
with the symbol
EXAMPLES wand, light pen
© ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved 7

02.04.08
wand
pen-shaped object that includes a graphics tablet's stylus but most commonly refers to the scanning
mechanism used with many bar code readers
02.04.09
aperture
effective opening in an optical system that establishes the field of view
02.04.10
effective aperture
apparent field of view of a scanner or similar device determined by the smaller of the spot size and the
physical aperture of the scanner for reception of reflected light
02.04.11
single line (beam) scanner
scanner in which the light beam traverses a single path, giving a one-dimensional field of view
02.04.12
slot reader
bar code reader which requires that the bar-code material be drawn through a slot into which a near-contact
bar code reader is built
NOTE The device requires that the bar code symbol be in a fixed location relative to the edge of a thin substrate.
02.04.13
charge-coupled device
CCD
electronic light-sensitive component used in a linear or two-dimensional array as the light-collecting element
in certain types of bar code reader
02.04.14
helium neon laser
type of laser commonly used in bar code scanners that emits visible coherent red light at a wavelength of
632,8 nm
02.04.15
moving beam scanner
scanning device in which the scanning beam is swept by mechanical or electronic means
02.04.16
fixed beam scanner
scanning device in which the beam of light is emitted in a fixed direction, relying on movement of the bar code
symbol relative to the beam to achieve the scanning action
02.04.17
raster scanner
moving beam scanner which emits several parallel scanning beams
02.04.18
raster
projection of a laser beam to create multiple, nearly parallel, scan lines instead of a single line
cf. bar code reader
02.04.19
oscillating mirror scanner
single beam scanner with an additional mirror oscillating in a plane at right angles to the scanner beam and
causing, for example, a horizontal field of view to be swept up and down vertically
8 © ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved

02.04.20
omnidirectional scanner
scanner capable of reading symbols whatever their orientation
...