PDF417 barcode features and applications

The PDF417 barcode is a high-density, high-information-content portable data file. It is an ideal means to automatically store and carry large-capacity, high-reliability information such as certificates and cards, and can be automatically read by machines.

PDF417 barcode has the following characteristics:

1. Large information capacity

Depending on the bar-space ratio, each square inch can hold 250 to 1,100 characters. In the effective area of ​​an international standard card (equivalent to 2/3 of the area of ​​a credit card, about 76mm*25mm), the PDF417 barcode can hold 1,848 alphabetic characters or 2,729 numeric characters, and about 500 Chinese characters. This two-dimensional barcode has a tens of times higher information capacity than ordinary barcodes.

2. Wide coding range

PDF417 barcode can encode any digitizable information such as photos, fingerprints, palm prints, signatures, sounds, text, etc.

3. Good confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting performance

The PDF417 barcode has multiple anti-counterfeiting features. It can use password anti-counterfeiting, software encryption, and use the information it contains such as fingerprints, photos, etc. for anti-counterfeiting. Therefore, it has extremely strong confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting performance.

4. High decoding reliability

The decoding error rate of ordinary barcodes is about 2 in a million, while the error rate of PDF417 barcodes does not exceed 1 in 10 million, and the decoding reliability is extremely high.

The PDF417 barcode uses the world's most advanced mathematical error correction theory. If the damaged area does not exceed 50%, the information lost due to contamination, damage, etc. can be deciphered as usual.

6. Easy to make and low cost

PDF417 two-dimensional barcodes can be printed on paper, cards, PVC, and even metal surfaces using existing dot matrix, laser, inkjet, thermal/thermal transfer, card making machines and other printing technologies. The only additional cost is the cost of ink, so people also call PDF417 a "zero-cost" technology.

7. The shape of the barcode symbol can be changed

With the same amount of information, the shape of the PDF417 barcode can be self-adjusted according to the carrier area and artistic design.

Comparison of PDF417, IC card and magnetic card technology

1. Magnetic card

Advantages: readable and writable, the cost is slightly higher than PDF417 2D barcode card;

shortcoming:

1. Small information capacity, often relying on external databases;

2. Poor confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting performance;

3. Low reliability, susceptible to electromagnetic interference and information loss;

4. Short lifespan (1 year).

2. IC Card

Advantages: large information capacity, readable and writable;

Disadvantages: 1. High cost. The cost of IC card is usually 3-5 times that of PDF417 barcode card;

2. Short lifespan (2-3 years) and easy to break;

3. Poor reliability, easily disturbed by strong external magnetic fields and causing information to be destroyed;

4. The confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting properties are relatively poor. The fact that information can be rewritten is both an advantage and a disadvantage of IC cards, leaving an opportunity for counterfeiting information.

3. PDF417 2D barcode card

Advantages: 1. Large information capacity, strong confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting, and high reliability;

2. Low cost, the carrier is selected according to the different materials, and the price of a PDF417 barcode card is only a few yuan, or even a few cents;

3. Long service life. The service life of PDF417 two-dimensional barcode card can reach 8 or 9 years (PVC card).

Disadvantages: Information cannot be rewritten. This precisely enhances the anti-counterfeiting ability of the two-dimensional barcode card.

Through the above analysis, it can be seen that the two-dimensional barcode card has almost all the advantages of magnetic cards and IC cards. The only disadvantage is that it cannot be rewritten. If the purpose is to enhance the confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting of the card, for applications such as certificates that do not need to be rewritten frequently, the information cannot be rewritten, which just enhances the confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting performance of the card.

The current status of PDF417 barcode standardization

Since Symbol Corporation adopted PDF417 as a public system standard technology in 1991, PDF417 barcodes have been highly praised by more and more standardization organizations. For example:

AIM - Selected as the International Automatic Identification Manufacturers Association (AIM) standard in 1994.

ANSI MH10.8 - In 1996, the American Institute of Standards and Technology (ANSI) adopted the PDF417 barcode as the standard for paper EDI for transport packaging in the United States.

CEN - European Committee for Standardization (CEN) adopted the European standard of PDF417 in 1997. The 31st Subcommittee of the First Joint Committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is drafting the PDF417 two-dimensional barcode standard.

China - PDF417 2D barcode has been listed as a national key scientific and technological project during 1995. In December 1998, the national standard of PDF417 barcode "417 barcode" was officially promulgated. AIAG/ODETTE-In 1995, the North American and European automotive industry organizations have selected PDF417 as the standard for various production and management/paper EDI.

AAMVA – In 1995, the U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles selected PDF417 as the 2D barcode application standard for all drivers and motor vehicle management. Some states in the United States and some provinces in Canada have selected PDF417 as the machine-readable standard for annual vehicle inspections, annual vehicle license inspections, and annual driver's license inspections.

TCIF-The American Industry Forum has listed PDF417 as the identification standard for important telecommunications products.

EDIFICE - The European industrial organization responsible for the application of EDI and barcodes in the electronics industry has established PDF417 as the management/paper EDI application standard and included it in the transportation identification barcode label application guide.

Bahrain - PDF417 has been set as the machine-readable standard for identity cards, and some countries will soon choose PDF417 two-dimensional barcodes on identity cards.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) uses the PDF417 barcode as a machine-readable standard on its new military ID cards, with photos and emergency medical information encoded in the barcode. Approximately 16,000,000 military cards have been put into use in more than 700 U.S. military bases around the world. In addition, the U.S. Department of Defense also uses the PDF417 barcode as a standard for logistics management and paper EDI applications.

International application of 2D barcode PDF417

As a new information storage and transmission technology, the two-dimensional barcode PDF417 has received widespread attention from the international community since its birth. After several years of efforts, it has been widely used in defense, public security, transportation, health care, industry, commerce, finance, customs and government management. The driver's licenses of more than ten states such as Arizona, the United States, the US military ID, the military medical card, etc. have adopted PDF417 technology a few years ago. Encoding the personal information and photos on the certificate in the two-dimensional barcode can not only realize the automatic reading of the identity document, but also effectively prevent the occurrence of counterfeit documents. Many countries such as the Philippines, Egypt, and Bahrain have also adopted two-dimensional barcodes on identity cards or driver's licenses. According to incomplete statistics, more than 40 countries are ready to adopt two-dimensional barcode PDF417 on identity cards or driver's licenses. After my country resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the newly issued special administrative region passports for Hong Kong residents adopted the two-dimensional barcode PDF417 technology.

In addition to certificates, two-dimensional barcodes are also widely used in industrial production, national defense, finance, medicine and health, commerce, transportation and other fields.

Application Prospects of Two-Dimensional Barcodes in my country

Due to the advantages of two-dimensional barcodes such as low cost, information can be moved with the carrier, independent of database and computer network, strong confidentiality and anti-counterfeiting performance, etc., combined with the characteristics of my country's large population, weak foundation, difficulty in investing in computer networks, and high requirements for anti-counterfeiting measures for documents, it can be foreseen that PDF417 barcodes are extremely valuable for promotion in my country.

1. Document management

Since the two-dimensional barcode can encode photos or fingerprints in the two-dimensional barcode, it effectively solves the problems of machine readability and anti-counterfeiting of documents. Therefore, it can be widely used in passports, ID cards, driver's licenses, temporary residence permits, driving permits, military ID cards, health certificates, insurance cards and any other documents that require unique identification of personal identity.

2. Annual license inspection

The annual inspection of driving licenses, driver's licenses, various business licenses, tax registration certificates, health quarantine certificates, enterprise code certificates, statistical registration certificates and other government registration certificates can solve the problem of computer input for annual inspection registration by using two-dimensional barcodes, which not only saves the time of government staff, but also provides good services for enterprises and institutions. The use of this advanced technology is conducive to improving government services and public image.

3. Report management

Customs declaration forms, tax returns, insurance registration forms and any other forms that need to be re-entered or are prohibited from being forged or deleted can have the information filled in the form encoded in the PDF417 barcode to solve the problem of automatic entry of the form and prevent tampering with the content in the form.

4. Production and assembly of electromechanical products

For example, automobile assembly lines and electronic product assembly lines can all use two-dimensional barcodes to achieve automatic data exchange.

5. Bank Note Management

6. Transportation and mailing of luggage and goods

In short, two-dimensional barcodes have broad application prospects in my country. The promotion and application of PDF417 barcode technology in my country will surely bring considerable social benefits to the development of my country's information industry and the modernization of economic construction.