Bulk Barcode Generator for 4-State (PostBar)

Barcode Technology - 4-State (PastBar) Barcode               Hide the description

PostBar, also known as CPC 4-State, is the black-ink barcode system used by Canada Post in its automated mail

sorting and delivery operations. It is similar to other 4 State barcode systems used by Australia Post and the United Kingdom's Royal Mail (from which it derives), but uses an obscured structure and encoding system unique to Canada Post. This particular bar code system is used on "flats" (which are larger-than-letter-size pieces of mail, such as magazines) and parcels.

Valid characters: 0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Although all 4 State Bar Codes are based upon the same character set and all barcodes look very similar, there

are nevertheless strong distinctions, ensuring the uniqueness of the individual codes. For the main part, these distinctions lie in the algorithms for the check digit calculation, but also in the prefix and affix of the information characters. Furthermore, some of these codes only support figures, others however support also letters. Different compression procedures are also used for a compact display of the information characters. The user must in no way carry out any substitutions, as for example to print out the Canadian post barcode (Canadian Post Corporation) for mail to England (Royal Mail Customer Code).

This symbology, derived from the RM4SCC system used by the British Royal Mail, uses a series of bars, each of

which can individually have one of four possible states, to encode information used in automated sortation and delivery onto each piece of mail. Each bar can either be short and centred (known as a tracker), medium and elevated (an ascender), medium and lowered (a descender), or full height. This symbology also uses an element known as a Data Content Identifier (or DCI), which specifies what types of information are encoded into each barcode, such as postal codes, customer information, and exact delivery points. The information that goes into each barcode is obtained from the address printed on the front of the envelope it is ultimately printed on, as well as the physical dimensions of each piece of mail. This code also uses a Reed-Solomon error correction technique, so that in case a particular piece of mail is mishandled, the information encoded in the barcode can still be correctly decoded.

4-State is one of the many barcode formats currently in use.

A Barcode is a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form.

The barcode formats has two categories:

One-dimensional (1D) --- Barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines.

Two-dimensional (2D) --- Using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns to represented data.

Check digit:

Owing to the predefined setup of every single character, i.e. each consisting of two descenders and two ascenders, the necessary security is already given. Further, the code contains a check digit that is automatically generated by the ?Visual Bar Code Designer“. The check digit is calculated separately for the single postal administrations (e.g. Royal Mail, Australia Post, etc.) according to different specifications, so that no mix-up of the 4 State symbols can occur between the individual postal administrations..

Human Readable:

Most barcodes display their corresponding values below them, which makes it possible to human read and manually  enter the barcode values into the equivalent system when the barcode label is worn out and cannot be read by the barcode scanner.

The Advantages of using barcodes:

If you want to reduce costs and save time, using barcodes is a good choice. Whether you are a company or a non-commercial organization, to improve efficiency and reduce overhead, barcodes are a valuable and viable option, which is economical and reliable.

Using a barcode system can make the working process simple and easy, so it can reduces the employee training time. It only takes a few minutes to master the barcode scanner to collecting data, employees no need to familiar with the entire inventory or pricing process. This also reduces the cost of employee training.

The bar code design and printing cost are low. Generally speaking, no matter how they are used or where they are posted, the cost is not high. They can be customized economically, in a variety of finishes and materials.

Barcodes are cheap and user-friendly, providing an indispensable tool for tracking data from pricing to inventory. The end result of a comprehensive bar code system is reduced overhead.

FAQ About 4-State Barcode

What is the historical origin of the 4-State(PostBar)  barcode?

The 4-State(PostBar)  barcode is a barcode used by postal services that consists of four barcodes of different heights that can represent numbers and letters.

Its historical origins date back to 1949, when Norm Woodland and Bernard Silver invented the omnidirectional barcode symbology. Later, they improved this symbol into a circular barcode, which was patented in 1952.

The 4-State barcode is a variant developed on the basis of the circular barcode.

What industries are 4-State(PostBar)  barcodes mainly used in?

4-State barcodes are mainly used in postal services and can indicate the starting and ending location, category, date and other information of the mail.

Postal services in different countries and regions use different barcodes, such as the Intelligent Mail barcode in the United States, the Royal Mail 4-State barcode in the United Kingdom, the Japan Post barcode in Japan, etc.

What is the format of the Royal Mail 4-State barcode?

The Royal Mail 4-State barcode format is a character set based on the 4-State barcode symbology, created by Royal Mail.

It consists of four barcodes of different heights, which can represent the numbers 0-9 and letters A-Z. It also contains a format control code (FCC) that indicates the type and length of the barcode. Its length can be 23, 25, 29 or 31 bits.

Structural characteristics of 4-State(PostBar)  barcode

It consists of four barcodes of different heights, representing 0, 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

It can represent numbers 0-9 and letters A-Z, and each character is represented by four barcodes.

It contains a format control code (FCC) that indicates the type and length of the barcode.

It also contains a checksum to detect whether the barcode is correct.

Who formulated the standards for 4-State(PostBar) barcodes? Why develop this standard?

The 4-State barcode standard is developed by postal agencies in different countries and regions to improve the efficiency of mail sorting and delivery.

For example, the Intelligent Mail barcode in the United States is developed by the United States Postal Service, and the Royal Mail 4-State barcode in the United Kingdom is developed by Royal Mail.

The purpose of formulating this standard is to take advantage of the high density and readability of barcodes to encode relevant information of mails in barcodes to facilitate machine recognition and processing.

Are 4-State(PostBar) barcodes still in use?

The 4-State barcode is a graphical identifier used for mail sorting that consists of black and white bars of varying heights.

It is still used in countries such as the UK, Netherlands and Australia.

What is the difference between 4-State(PostBar) barcodes and other barcodes?

The main difference between the 4-State barcode and other types of barcodes is that its bars come in four different heights instead of just two (like EAN-13 or UPC-A).

It can also encode numbers and letters, not just numbers.

It is primarily used for mail sorting and tracking, not merchandise identification.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of 4-State(PostBar) barcoding?

Advantage:

Low cost and high efficiency, it can improve the speed and accuracy of mail sorting and tracking.

It can also encode more information, including numbers and letters.

Shortcoming:

The data capacity is small (about 30 characters), the size is large, and it is easily damaged (cannot be read after being damaged).

It also requires specialized scanning equipment and software.

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