Thanks, Arnold.
Good time for an update...
The public domain specification (an AIM International Technical Standard)for
black/white Ultracode(R) will be released sometime this year, probably
around 4Q2002. We will have prototype encoding (UTF-8 to symbol graphic) and
codeword-to-UTF-8 software available for anyone to try in 2Q2002. I'll send
out notice of availability of the current draft spec and software to the
Unicode list as soon as it is ready.
Color Ultracode uses the same data encoding internal engine as monochrome
Ultracode but 1x9 colored tiles rather than 2x9 B/W tiles. This spec will
probably run about 6-9 months later.
Both versions support UTF-8 input/output and can address all codepoints on
Code Planes 0-16. Internally, the encoding has sophisticated compaction
modes for decimal numerics and delimited numeric strings, 7-bit ASCII/ISO
646, a wide range of 8-bit character sets (such as the ISO 8859/x series,
etc.; using 8-bit I/O), Unicode single-Row alphabetic languages, BMP and
multiplanar CJKV encoding.
It is a Reed-Solomon error-correcting barcode designed for rough service and
high damage applications. It can be printed and direct marked using almost
any technology, including a stencil and spray can! Several companies have
expressed interest in developing imagaing scanners for it. Zebra
Technologies will have it available in its bar code printers by the end of
the year.
Anyone with a potential application or who wants to do a field trial should
contact me off-line. I'll be delighted to help!
Cheers,
Clive
*************************************
Clive P Hohberger, PhD
VP, Technology Development
& Director of Patent Affairs
Zebra Technologies Corporation
333 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills IL 60061-3109 USA
Voice: +1 847 793 2740
FAX: +1 847 793 5573
Cellular: +1 847 910 8794
E-mail: chohberger@zebra.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Winkler, Arnold F [mailto:Arnold.Winkler@unisys.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 8:36 AM
To: admin@idautomation.com; unicode@unicode.org
Subject: FW: Bar codes using unicode
Found that somewhat old e-mail from Clive, but the web site is still there
...
Good luck
Arnold
-----Original Message-----
From: Hohberger, Clive [mailto:CHohberger@zebra.com]
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 5:34 AM
To: 'unicode@unicode.org'
Subject: Bar codes using unicode
Speaking as a member of the AIM bar code standards committee, there are new
two bar codes which support Unicode.
93i (designed by Sprague Ackey of Intermec) is a linear, error-correcting
barcode has issue as an AIM International Technical Standard, and it encodes
Unicode 2.0/2.1. For an overview, see:
http://www.aimglobal.org/standards/symbinfo/93i_overview.htm
Ultracode(r) and Color Ultracode (designed by me; Zebra Technologies
Corporation) are 2-dimensional error-correcting symbologies in the AIM
standards process. The Ultracode symbology is a constant-height, variable
length two-dimensional "linear matrix" using 9-cell high x 2-cell wide tiles
containing 283 different values (orignally was 47). Ultracode can encode
either 8-bit, multi-byte or the full 21-bit Unicode 3-series character sets.
Because of the unique way in which characters are encoded, there is little
difference in symbol length when either 8-bit or Unicode encoding is used
with either Latin or non-Latin characters such as Chinese, Japanese and
Korean. UTF-8 is the default input/output. Black & white Ultracode is
scheduled for completion this year... Color Ultracode in 2002.
Anyone wishing a copy of the current Ultracode draft spec should contact me
offline (chohberger@zebra.com)
Clive
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