
Page11
Laser Scanners: These are the best type of input device and are therefore the most expensive of the hand-held options
They will work with curved or uneven surfaces and will read most very low quality bar codes They will also read over a
much greater distance than wands or CCDs, usually 5” to 27” (I2 to 65 cm) Laser scanners come in general-purpose and
heavy-duty versions
In and/or On-Counter Laser Scanners: These systems use laser readers that are xed in place, and the bar codes are
brought to the scanners The most common example is the scanners in used in grocery stores Another example is a
conveyor controlled xed-mount laser scanner that reads the labels on boxes or packages as they move down a line These
are used in the airline industry to process baggage, in warehousing to control conveyors or other devices, and in many
types of manufacturing
Slot Scanners: Slot scanners are used for time-and-attendance, security, and other systems Each scanner has a slot that
you slide bar-coded cards through These scanners look much like the credit card readers you see in retail settings, but they
read bar codes instead of magnetic coding
Combination Scanners: You can frequently mix two different types of input devices For example, you can attach a slot
scanner and a laser scanner to a decoder to allow users to enter information either way Many models allow you to attach
magnetic card scanners to bar code readers This way, you could process credit or ATM cards with the same system that
reads bar codes on packages
Interfaces
Once you have selected an input device, you must select a decoder and the type of interface to the computer Most batch
systems use a periodic download over serial ports, and you don’t have much choice in the interface method Interactive systems
have a choice of several interfaces
When choosing the interface, you must keep the following factors in mind:
Existing equipment: If you plan to use existing equipment (computers, terminals, etc), you will need to make sure the
interface type you choose is compatible with the equipment you currently have
Data Reliability: Interface types vary in ease of use One interface may allow the user to affect the data, while another may
not This does not mean that one interface type is inherently better than another It does mean that where user error can
affect data, more follow-up will be required
Locations of Readers: The location of the readers can have a profound impact on the design of the system For example,
most shop oor environments are too crowded or are unsuitable for PCs This limits the type of system interface you can
use As with the input device, you should test the system architecture you choose in as many real-world conditions as
possible
Interfaces come in these basic types:
Interactive Systems
Wedge Readers: These systems are the least expensive and the easiest to implement The bar code reader connects
between the keyboard and the computer and simulates keyboard input The application program does not know the
difference, and the user can always type in the numbers if the bar code is unreadable This is the best choice in many cases
Serial Readers: These systems are more exible than the ones using wedge readers In this case the reader is connected
to the computer or terminal over a serial port to the computer Since serial communication is standardized, you can typically
use a serial decoder with almost any computer or terminal (cabling may vary) Serial readers are ideal for terminals, since
most terminals are serial devices themselves If your terminal does not have a port available for a serial scanner, you can use
3)
4)
5)
6)
1)
2)
3)
1)
2)
Kommentare zu diesen Handbüchern