How do Barcode Scanners work?
To understand how a barcode scanner works, we have to explore the different parts of the device. Basically, there are 3 functional parts to the barcode scanner itself, the illumination system, the sensor / converter, and the decoder. The simple explanation… Barcode scanners begin by illuminating the code with red light. The sensor of the barcode scanner detects the reflected light from the illumination system and generates an analog signal with varying voltage that represent the intensity (or lack of intensity) of the reflection. The converter changes the analog signal to a digital signal which is fed to the decoder. The decoder interprets the digital signal, does that math required to confirm and validate that the barcode is decipherable, converts it into ASCII text, formats the text and sends it to the computer the scanner is attached to. Let’s look at each functional part of a barcode scanner in more detail: Illumination Systems – The illumination system is the method by which the
