GLOSSARY

ACB (Advanced Code Builder)

Advanced Code Builder (ACB) allows code reading by “stitching” together two partial reads of it. ACB is effective in reading codes positioned close-to-linear, small height codes, damaged codes, or poor print quality codes. See par. 3.1

Aperture

Term used on the required CDRH warning labels to describe the laser exit window.

Barcode

A pattern of variable-width bars and spaces which represents numeric or alphanumeric data in machine-readable form. The general format of a barcode symbol consists of a leading margin, start character, data or message character, check character (if any), stop character, and trailing margin. Within this framework, each recognizable symbology uses its own unique format.

Barcode Label

A label that carries a barcode and can be affixed to an article.

Baud Rate

A unit used to measure communications speed or data transfer rate.

CDRH (Center for Devices and Radiological Health)

This organization (a service of the Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for the safety regulations governing acceptable limitations on electronic radiation from laser devices. Datalogic devices are in compliance with the CDRH regulations.

Code Positioning

Variation in code placement that affects the ability of a scanner to read a code. The terms Pitch, Skew, and Tilt deal with the angular variations of code positioning in the X, Y and Z axes. See pars. 2.2.1 and 2.5. Variations in code placement affect the pulse width and therefore the decoding of the code. Pulse width is defined as a change from the leading edge of a bar or space to the trailing edge of a bar or space over time. Pulse width is also referred to as a transition. Tilt, pitch, and skew impact the pulse width of the code.

Decode

The process of translating a barcode into data characters using a specific set of rules for each symbology.

Decoder

As part of a barcode reading system, the electronic package which receives the signals from the scanner, performs the algorithm to interpret the signals into

47