ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005

Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code verifier conformance specification — Part 2: Two-dimensional symbols

ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005 defines test methods and minimum accuracy criteria applicable to verifiers using the methodologies of ISO/IEC 15415 for multi-row bar code symbols and two-dimensional matrix symbologies, and specifies reference calibration standards against which these should be tested. It provides for testing of representative samples of the equipment. ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005 is intended to be similar in technical content (mutatis mutandis) to the linear bar code verifier conformance standard, ISO/IEC 15426-1, on which it has been based. It is to be read in conjunction with the symbology specification applicable to the bar code symbol being tested, which provides symbology-specific detail necessary for its application.

Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture des données — Spécifications de conformité des vérificateurs de codes à barres — Partie 2: Symboles bidimensionnels

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 20-Mar-2005
• Withdrawal Date: 20-Mar-2005
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 1 - Data carrier
• Current Stage: 9599 - Withdrawal of International Standard
• Completion Date: 10-Aug-2015

Relations

• Revised: ISO/IEC 15426-2:2015 - Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code verifier conformance specification — Part 2: Two-dimensional symbols
• Effective Date: 17-Jul-2010

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15426-2
First edition
2005-03-15


Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture
techniques — Bar code verifier
conformance specification —
Part 2:
Two-dimensional symbols
Technologies de l'information — Techniques d'identification
automatique et de capture de données — Spécifications de conformité
des vérificateurs de codes à barres —
Partie 2: Symboles bidimensionnels





Reference number
ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2005

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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Conformance . 1
3 Normative references . 2
4 Terms and definitions. 2
5 Symbols . 2
6 Functional requirements . 2
6.1 General requirements . 2
6.2 Reflectance calibration. 3
6.3 Mandatory functions. 3
6.3.1 Verifiers for multi-row bar code symbols. 3
6.3.2 Verifiers for two-dimensional matrix symbols. 3
6.4 Optional functions . 4
7 General constructional and operational requirements . 4
7.1 Installation, operation and maintenance . 4
7.2 Power supply. 4
7.3 Temperature . 4
7.3.1 Operating temperature range. 4
7.3.2 Storage temperature range . 4
7.4 Humidity. 4
7.5 Ambient light immunity . 5
8 Test requirements . 5
8.1 Test methods. 5
8.1.1 Selection of equipment for testing. 5
8.1.2 Scanning parameters. 5
8.1.3 Test measurements . 5
8.2 Test environment . 5
8.3 Primary reference test symbols . 5
8.4 Test report. 6
9 Certification and labelling . 7
10 Equipment specification. 7
Annex A (normative) Primary reference test symbols . 8
Annex B (normative) Verification requirements for primary reference test symbols . 13

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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 15426-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
ISO/IEC 15426 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture techniques — Bar code verifier conformance specification:
— Part 1: Linear symbols
— Part 2: Two-dimensional symbols
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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
Introduction
The technology of bar coding is based on the recognition of patterns encoded, in bars and spaces or in a
matrix of modules of defined dimensions, according to rules defining the translation of characters into such
patterns, known as the symbology specification. Symbology specifications may be categorised into linear
symbols, on the one hand, and two-dimensional symbols on the other; the latter may in turn be sub-divided
into «multi-row bar codes» sometimes referred to as «stacked bar codes», and «two-dimensional matrix
codes».
Multi-row bar codes are constructed graphically as a series of rows of symbol characters, representing data
and overhead components, placed in a defined vertical arrangement to form a (normally) rectangular symbol,
which contains a single data message. Each row of the symbol has the characteristics of a linear bar code
symbol and may be read by linear symbol scanning techniques.
Two-dimensional matrix symbols are usually rectangular arrangements of modules placed at the intersections
of a grid of two (sometimes more) axes; the coordinates of each module need to be known in order to
determine its significance, and the symbol must therefore be analysed two-dimensionally before it can be
decoded.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the term «symbol» in this part of ISO/IEC 15426 may refer to either
type of symbology.
The symbol, as a machine-readable data carrier, must be produced in such a way as to be reliably decoded at
the point of use, if it is to fulfil its basic objective. Standard methodologies have been developed for measuring
and assessing the quality of symbols for process control and quality assurance purposes during symbol
production as well as afterwards.
Manufacturers of bar code equipment, the producers of bar code symbols and the users of bar code
technology require publicly available standard conformance specifications for measuring equipment applying
these methodologies, to ensure the accuracy and consistency of performance of this equipment.
This part of ISO/IEC 15426 is intended to be similar in technical content (mutatis mutandis) to the linear bar
code verifier conformance standard, ISO/IEC 15426-1, on which it has been based. It should be read in
conjunction with the symbology specification applicable to the bar code symbol being tested, which provides
symbology-specific detail necessary for its application.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)

Information technology — Automatic identification and data
capture techniques — Bar code verifier conformance
specification —
Part 2:
Two-dimensional symbols
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15426 defines test methods and minimum accuracy criteria applicable to verifiers using
the methodologies of ISO/IEC 15415 for multi-row bar code symbols and two-dimensional matrix symbologies,
and specifies reference calibration standards against which these should be tested. This part of
ISO/IEC 15426 provides for testing of representative samples of the equipment.
NOTE ISO/IEC 15426-1 applies to verifiers for linear bar code symbols.
2 Conformance
The instrument shall be considered to conform with this part of ISO/IEC 15426 if it performs the functions
defined in 6.3 and if the results of measurements of primary reference test symbols carried out in accordance
with Clause 8 demonstrate that the arithmetic means of the ten measurements (for multi-row bar code
symbols) or five measurements (for two-dimensional matrix symbols) of individual reported parameters are
within the tolerances shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1 — Tolerances for measured parameter values
Parameter Symbology type Tolerance
R and/or R Both
± 5 % reflectance
max s
R and/or R
Both ± 3 % reflectance
min b
UEC Both
± 0,0
Decodability Multi-row
± 0,08
Defects Multi-row ± 0,08
Codeword Yield Multi-row ± 0,08
Grid Nonuniformity Matrix
± 0,06
Modulation Matrix ± 0,08 of the value
measured for the
reduced dark widow on a
calibrated test symbol
card
Fixed Pattern Damage Matrix Within calibrated grade
boundaries

NOTE The tolerances in Table 1 are additional to any tolerances stated by the supplier of the primary reference test
symbols.
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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
3 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 2859-1:1999, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes — Part 1: Sampling schemes indexed by
acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection
ISO 9001:2000, Quality management systems — Requirements
ISO/IEC 15415, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code
print quality test specification — Two-dimensional symbols
ISO/IEC 15416, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code
print quality test specification — Linear symbols
ISO/IEC 15438, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code
symbology specifications — PDF417
ISO/IEC 16022, Information technology — International symbology specification — Data Matrix
ISO/IEC 19762 (all parts), Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)
techniques — Harmonized vocabulary
ISO/IEC 18004, Information technology —Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code
symbology — QR Code
4 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 15415, ISO/IEC 19762 (all
parts) and the following apply.
4.1
primary reference test symbol
bar code symbol intended for the testing of the accuracy of bar code verifiers and manufactured to close
tolerances, of at least ten times the precision listed in Table 1, by methods traceable to national standards
5 Symbols
R Bar Reflectance, as defined in ISO/IEC 15416
b
R Maximum reflectance, as defined in ISO/IEC 15416
max
R Minimum reflectance, as defined in ISO/IEC 15416
min
R Space Reflectance, as defined in ISO/IEC 15416
s
6 Functional requirements
6.1 General requirements
The general requirement of a two-dimensional symbol verifier is that it shall provide assessments of the
quality of a bar code symbol which are accurate and consistent, both in relation to measurements of a specific
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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
symbol made with the same instrument over a period of time and in relation to measurements of a specific
symbol made by different instruments. Such consistency is essential to enable valid comparisons to be made
of assessments of a symbol verified at two different times or on two different instruments.
6.2 Reflectance calibration
Verifiers shall have means of calibration and adjustment where necessary of reflectance values against
reference reflectance calibration samples. Two calibration points should be used, one as near the high
reflectance end of the range and the other as near the low reflectance end of the range as possible.
ISO/IEC 15415 defines the reference reflectance material against which these samples shall be calibrated.
6.3 Mandatory functions
6.3.1 Verifiers for multi-row bar code symbols
A verifier for multi-row bar code symbols applying the methodology defined in ISO/IEC 15415 shall be capable
of:
 collecting reflectance measurements from points along multiple scan paths across a bar code symbol;
 establishing scan reflectance profiles from these measurements;
 analysing the scan reflectance profiles;
 reporting individual scan reflectance profile parameter grades and profile grades;
 reporting the Codeword Yield value and grade;
 reporting the Unused Error Correction value and grade;
 determining and reporting an overall symbol grade;
 reporting the decoded data.
6.3.2 Verifiers for two-dimensional matrix symbols
A verifier for two-dimensional matrix symbols applying the methodology defined in ISO/IEC 15415 shall be
capable of:
 collecting reflectance measurements from a sample area framing the test symbol and its quiet zones,
extending for certain symbol sizes 20X beyond the quiet zones (see Clause 10);
 establishing a reference grey-scale image and a binarised image as described in ISO/IEC 15415;
 decoding these images in accordance with the applicable reference decode algorithm;
 reporting individual values and grades for each of the parameters listed in ISO/IEC 15415;
 determining and reporting an overall symbol grade;
 appending an asterisk to the reported overall symbol grade, for certain symbol sizes, under the additional
reflectance check provisions of ISO/IEC 15415;
 reporting the decoded data.
The method of reporting is not specified but may be by means of, for example, a display screen in the
instrument, a printed report, or electronic communication with another device such as a computer.
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ISO/IEC 15426-2:2005(E)
6.4 Optional functions
Users of verifiers have differing requirements for the amount of detail reported by the instrument, and a verifier
may therefore perform additional functions, for example:
 reporting of number of scan reflectance profiles or images on which the overall symbol grade is based;
 reporting of print growth in one or both axes;
 reporting of symbology verified;
 reporting all decoded symbol characters or codewords;
 print-out or display of all or, at the user’s option, selected scan reflectance profiles or images.
7 General constructional and operational requirements
7.1 Installation, operation and maintenance
The manufacturer shall specify in documentation provided for or available to the installer, user and maintainer
of the equipment the conditions for installation, operation and maintenance of the equipment. These
documents shall indicate the recommended extent and frequency of maintenance, if any. When equipment
which is the subject of this part of ISO/IEC 15426
...