Zero Suppression
What is Zero Suppression?
A method where a barcode number is shortened by removing additional 0’s. A common example of this is a UPC-E barcode, which is a normal twelve-digit UPC-A barcode that has suppressed the number system to six digits.
How Zero Suppression Works
- Leading Zero Suppression: In situations where the data includes leading zeros (e.g., “00012345”), zero suppression would remove these zeros so that only the significant digits are encoded (e.g., “12345”).
- Trailing Zero Suppression: Similarly, if the data includes trailing zeros (e.g., “12345000”), these zeros can be omitted so that only the meaningful digits are encoded (e.g., “12345”).
Benefits of Zero Suppression
- Compact Barcodes: Reducing the length of the barcode by eliminating unnecessary zeros results in a more compact barcode, which can be easier to print, scan, and read.
- Improved Readability: Shorter barcodes can improve readability and reduce the risk of scanning errors, especially in environments with high scan volumes.
- Reduced Data Transmission: In systems where barcode data is transmitted electronically, zero suppression can reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, potentially improving communication speed and efficiency.
Considerations
While zero suppression can make barcodes more efficient, it is important to ensure that the system interpreting the barcode data is configured to handle the omission of zeros correctly. Otherwise, the absence of expected zeros could lead to misinterpretation of the data.
In summary, zero suppression in barcodes is a technique used to omit unnecessary zeros from encoded data, resulting in more compact and efficient barcodes.