Digital Imaging Technology

Laser Scanning Technology

Bar Codes and Symbologies

A bar code is a printed symbol placed on an item, consisting of vertical bars and spaces that represent information about that item. Bar code scanners capture encoded data, which is then displayed for the operator on a connected device, such as a mobile computer or cash register, and/or sent to a centralized database for information storage.

A symbology is a type, or “language,” of bar code. Each symbology has its own unique method of using bars and spaces to represent numeric or alphabetic digits. Scanners are programmed to decode the specific symbologies used in their applications. One popular example of a symbology is UPC/EAN, the bar codes used on grocery items throughout the world. Another familiar symbology is ISBN, commonplace on the backs of books. And as auto-ID and security applications become more essential in many markets, the use of 2D symbologies is on the rise. The PDF417 symbology is frequently used on U.S. drivers’ licenses, postal package identification, and airline boarding passes.

Laser scanners employ two optical systems to scan an image – the scanning optics and the collection optics. The scanning optics system generates a laser beam and uses a lens to focus the beam. An oscillating scan mirror moves the beam back and forth rapidly across the target bar code to create a laser line which illuminates the bar code. The collection optics system then retrieves the laser light reflected off the bar code and concentrates that light onto a photo-detector. The collection optics also enable the scanner to reject external light that can interfere with the laser light.

Next, a photodetector transforms the reflected laser light into an electrical analog signal and converts the analog signal to digital data. The scanner’s decoder processes the digital data and applies a symbology (a scanner’s “language”) algorithm to interpret the data. It then verifies the information via a check digit, typically the last digit of a bar code that tells the scanner whether it scanned the data correctly, and sends the data to the connected host.

Digital area imagers use a different approach to decoding bar codes. The area imager projects LED light that illuminates the target bar code. Like a digital camera taking a picture, a lens projects the image of the bar code (and the area surrounding the bar code) onto a 2D array, and the light is converted to an electrical signal to construct the digital image. Decoder software in the imager locates the bar code within the image, and processes its data using advanced decoding algorithms. Then, like the laser scanner, the imager verifies the bar code data via its check digit and forwards the information to the connected host. Digital area imagers enable omnidirectional reading of bar codes, eliminating the need to re-orient labels to accommodate the scanning device. In addition to bar code decoding, some area imagers can capture signatures and documents. This eliminates the need for additional equipment, such as flatbed scanners.

Adapted from:

http://ap.motorolasolutions.com/kr/msi-retail/docs/msi/T_MotorolaRetailVerticalssite resourcesWhitepapersLaser_Scan_Digital_Image_WP_New.pdf

A follow-up task:

1. Compare the laser scanning and the digital imaging technologies. Is any of them more efficient than another one?

2. What spheres of application do the laser barcode scanner and the digital area imager have? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

References:

1. S. R. Esteras. Infotech English for Computer Users, 4th edition (Student’s book, Teacher’s book, Workbook + audio) – Cambridge University Press, 2009. – 168pp.

2. S. R. Esteras, E. M. Fabre. Professional English in use: ICT – Cambridge

University Press, 2007. – 117 pp.

3. The Role of Computers in Modern Life [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://www.computerimportance.com/indexb0b7.html?cat=6 – Загл. с экрана.

4. Computers in modern life [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://www.indyarocks.com/blog/190255/IMPORTANCE-OF-COMPUTER-IN-MODERN-LIFE – Загл. с экрана.

5. 2014 Best Voice Recognition Software Rating [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://voice-recognition-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

6. Jeff Tyson. How scanners work [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/scanner.htm – Загл. с экрана.

7. Ma Wen Jie. History of Image Scanners [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://www.ehow.com/about_5240745_history-image-scanners.html – Загл. с экрана.

8. Ильина В. Ю. Методическая разработка по аннотированию специализированных текстов аспирантами и соискателями при сдаче кандидатского экзамена по английскому языку (для специальностей «физика», «прикладная физика», «компьютерная инженерия», «математика», «прикладная математика», «информатика») – Симферополь: ТНУ, 2011. – 60с.

9. http://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/term.php?term=sheetfedscanner

10. http://ap.motorolasolutions.com/kr/msi-retail/docs/msi/T_MotorolaRetailVerticalssite resourcesWhitepapersLaser_Scan_Digital_Image_WP_New.pdf

11. www.rozetka.com.ua

Contents:

Unit 1. Computers in our life

Unit 2. Computers in the digital age: are they our friends or foes?

Unit 3. A PC system

Unit 4. Types of computer systems

Unit 5. Bits and bytes

Unit 6. Buying a PC

Unit 7. Voice input systems

Unit 8. The scanner, types of scanners

Appendix 1. Reading numbers, mathematical expressions and formulae in English

x < y	xis less than y
x >> y	xis substantially greater than y
x ≥ y	x is greater than or equal to y
	x sub n/ x n-th
	x squared/ the square of x
	x cubed
	x to the n-th power/ x to the power n
	x to the power minus ten
	the square root of x
	the cube root of x
	the n-th root of x
	x plus y, all squared
	integral of x
	integral of x from n to m/integral of x between limits n and m
	the first (order) derivative of x
	the second (order) derivative of x
	x prime
	x second prime/ x double prime
sin	sine [sain]
cos	cosine [´kousain]
	anti-sine[´ænti´sain]
	anti-cosine [´ænti´kou´sain]
Δx	increment of x
dx	differential of x
	derivative of y with respect to x
׀x׀	absolute value of x
x!	factorial of x
	logarithm of x
	common logarithm of x
ln	natural logarithm
30%	thirty per cent [pə'sent]
6.215	six point two one five
12 + 8 = 20	twelve plus eight is/equals/is equal to twenty
25 - 5 = 10	twenty five minus/take away five is/equals/is equal to ten
6 × 10 = 60	six multiplied by ten is sixty/six times ten is sixty
12: 3 = 4	twelve divided by three equals four
	a half
	a third
	two-thirds
	two fifths
4½	four and a half
	two hundred thirteen over fifty nine
0.5	nought [nɔːt] point five/a half
0.05	nought point oh five
0.17	nought point one seven
0. 114	nought point double one four/nought point one one four
12.001	twelve point double oh one
12, 001	twelve thousand and one

Appendix 2. Phrases, expressions, word combinations and speech patterns for summarizing and reviewing a scientific piece of writing

I. Introduction (the heading/headline/title of the article or paper, the subject and the main idea of it, the author or the source the text is taken from).

1 · The title of the article/paper being reviewed/annotated is.......

· The article's title is.......

2 · The author............. tells us about.......

·............... is the author of the article.

3.· The article/paper was published in…….magazine/journal.

· The article/paper appeared on ……the Internet site.

· The text is taken from…

4 · The problem of............ is the main idea of the article/paper.

·............... problems are outlined in the given article/paper.

·............... matter is being considered in the article/paper.

· The subject of the article/paper is.......

· The article/paper is devoted to.......

· The article/paper under review contains a factual description of……

· The article/paper/survey/publication concerns/ presents/covers/deals

with/focuses on/provides/offers/surveys/examines/assesses/introduces /

gives the most up-to-date information on…/a refined analysis of…/the

new trends in…/critical issues of…/the latest achievements in the

field of…

· The paper draws/reveals/demonstrates a realistic picture of…

· The main/principal/chief/primary aim/objective/goal/purpose/task of the

article/paper is…..

· The particular/special stress in the work is put on….

· The work/study/research/paper/article under consideration/review/

discussion intends to determine…/aims to…/provides…/explains…

II. The body of the summary/review (the essence of the article/paper, quotations, different points of view on the problems being raised in the article/paper).

· The particular/specific/primary/special emphasis is given to…

· The research/work suggests a solution to the …..problem.

· Some new ideas have been advanced/suggested/developed/analyzed in the article/paper. They are the following:….

· The original/initial idea of…has been extended/illustrated by…

· There are several points of view on the problem being discussed/raised in

the article/paper....

· The article/paperpresents various points of view on the problem.

·.......... think(s) that....... /..... consider(s) that....... /..... suppose(s) that...

· It is stated that....... problems should be solved immediately because......

·........ topics/problems/ideas are being dealt with/ considered by

different scientists/researchers. The matter is that…/The point is that…….

· To be exact I'd like to quote: '.................. '

· The situation is like that..........

· I'd like to add that..........

· Moreover,..........

· The article/paper reveals the inner cause of the phenomenon / problem.

· The provided information should be carefully handled/taken into

consideration when.…

· The author advances the hypothesis that…/furthers the theory of…/does

not give details of the experiment…/provides complete/convincing/

adequate/satisfactory/doubtful explanation of…

· Convincing results of the work demonstrate…/can be applied to…/can

find practical application in…

· The author takes the standard view/ pays little attention to…/fails to

present the problem clearly/falls into errors.

· The paper/survey/study/article/paper lacks the definition of…/

contradicts…/is far from being comprehensive.

III. Conclusion (the work’s importance to science, technology, economy, everyday life, etc.; your attitude to the article/paper and the problems raised in it (for the critical review)).

· On reading the article we realize that…

· The information presented in the article/paper will be of interest to…

because...

· I admit that.... problems/ ideas/topics are very important nowadaysand

worth discussing/ considering/dealing with because...

· To my mind/In my opinion, it is really vital/essential to solve/ discuss/

deal with/consider the problems outlined in the article/paper.

· As it concerns me I think that.........

· The article is very urgent and up-to-date for it reveals/shows/helps to

understand the nature of this phenomenon/problem.

· The work appears to be of vital/great importance to scholars/scientists …

· The publication is a well written introduction to…/ is an important

contribution to the complete understanding of… because…

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