Micro PDF417 Scanner

What is a Micro PDF417 barcode?

Micro PDF417 codes are compact two-dimensional barcodes designed to encode moderate amounts of data in a small space. Defined in the ISO/IEC 24728 standard, they can store up to 150 bytes of data, 250 alphanumeric characters, or 366 numeric data, and support all 256 printable ASCII characters (including digits, uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation and special characters), as well as 8-bit binary data.

Micro PDF417’s data capacity varies based on symbol size and error correction level. The code offers 34 different symbol sizes, ranging from 1 to 4 data columns and 4 to 44 rows. Smaller versions hold around 20-30 characters, while larger ones accommodate over 200 characters.

These barcodes find applications across various industries, including logistics for tracking shipments, healthcare for patient identification, and government for official documents like identification cards.

Structure and components

Micro PDF417 codes contain the following key components:

1. Quiet zones: Margins surrounding the code to help identify boundaries.
2. Left Row Address Pattern (RAP): Indicates the specific row number within the barcode, consisting of 10 modules split into 3 black bars and 3 white spaces.
3. Data codewords: The core of the barcode where actual data is encoded using a series of codewords (4 bars and 4 spaces arranged within 17 modules).
4. Right Row Address Pattern: Same as the left RAP, but on the right side of the symbol.
5. Stop bar: A single black bar located after the right RAP, serving as the final element of each row.

Error correction

Micro PDF417 employs Reed-Solomon error correction across seven levels (0-6), which are automatically determined by the number of data codewords. This system can detect missing or corrupted codewords and reconstruct them up to the capacity of the chosen EC-level.

Error correction in Micro PDF417 improves readability by adding redundant error correction codewords to recover lost or damaged codewords, but it also increases barcode size and reduces available data capacity.

Applications of Micro PDF417 barcodes

Logistics and warehousing

Micro PDF417 barcodes facilitate tracking and management of shipments, inventory, and assets due to their compact size and high data density.

Government and ID documents

These codes are commonly used on various government-issued identification documents, such as driver’s licenses and passports, to encode essential information securely.

Healthcare

In the pharmaceutical industry, Micro PDF417 codes are used on medication packaging to store dosage instructions, expiration dates, and batch numbers, ensuring safety and compliance.

Retail

Micro PDF417 barcodes are ideal for encoding detailed product information, such as serial numbers, batch codes, or regulatory data, in a compact format. They are especially suited for labeling small items with limited space, like cosmetics or electronics accessories.

Advantages of Micro PDF417 barcodes

• Compact size: They occupy minimal space while still encoding a significant amount of data.
• Error correction: Utilizing Reed-Solomon error correction, Micro PDF417 ensures reliable data retrieval even when parts of the barcode are damaged or obscured.
• High data density: They can store up to 150 bytes, 250 alphanumeric characters, or 366 numeric characters.
• Versatility: They are suitable for a wide range of applications, including logistics for tracking shipments, government identification documents, and inventory management.

Why choose the Scanbot SDK for Micro PDF417 scanning?

The Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDK is specifically designed to handle the challenges of decoding Micro PDF417 barcodes in real-world scenarios.

What sets us apart:

• Exceptional performance: Reliably decodes even damaged, low-contrast or distorted barcodes.
• High-speed scanning: Read Micro PDF417 barcodes in as little as 0.04 seconds.
• Cross-platform compatibility: Easily integrate with Android, iOS, cross-platform, web, Windows, and Linux platforms.
• Customizable UI: Customize the ready-to-use components to match your app or website design.
• Privacy-first: Operates offline for complete data security.

Whether your use case involves Micro PDF417 barcodes, QR codes or any other barcode, the Scanbot SDK delivers the accuracy, speed, and reliability you need to succeed.

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