What is DD CEN/TS 15844-2 - BNB-78 encoding specification about?
DD CEN/TS 15844-2 is a technical specification that defines the representation of ID-tags as a 78-position bar-no-bar code (BNB-78) printed in fluorescent ink in area R1 on the reverse side of items. BNB-78 encoding is one of two encoding specifications supported by DD CEN/TS 15844-2 for the printing of ID-tags in area R1, the other being BNB-62, which is specified in CEN/TS 15844-3.
BNB-78 encoding supersedes the earlier specified BNB-62 encoding and shall be applied in all cases in which ID-tags are placed in area R1 on the reverse side of letter mail items of a size up to and including C5, by issuers other than those explicitly authorized to continue the use of BNB-62 encoding, namely An Post (Ireland), Canada Post and United States Postal Service.
Who is DD CEN/TS 15844-2 - BNB-78 encoding specification for?
DD CEN/TS 15844-2 on BNB-78 encoding specification is useful for:
- Data representation
- Information exchange
- Data processing
- Bar codes
- Software programmers
Why should you use DD CEN/TS 15844-2 - BNB-78 encoding specification?
A general introduction to all parts of the specification is provided in CEN/TS 15844-1. DD CEN/TS 15844-2 deals only with the encoding of ID-tags in the form of a 78-position bar-no-bar code, BNB-78, printed on the reverse side of items, in area R1, using fluorescent ink. It is arranged under six main headings:
Clause No. Description of content:
- Usage limitations – a requirement for a special issuer code: explains the requirement for issuers wishing to use the BNB-78 ID-tag representation to obtain a special issuer code for this purpose;
- Value range limitations: defines limitations on the values of data elements used in ID-tags which are to be represented on items in the form of a BNB-78 bar code;
- Encoding specification: specifies the construction of a 78-position bar-no-bar code from ID-tag data elements;
- Printing of the bar code: to allow the association of computer data with a physical item, the ID tag is printed on the item itself. This clause defines the required ink and printing parameters;
- Reading and interpretation of BNB-78 bar codes: specifies the validation and error correction requirements associated with the reading of ID-tags represented using BNB-78 bar codes;
- Conversion to the message and binary representations: describes the correspondence between BNB-78 representation and the binary and message interchange representations defined in CEN/TS 15844-1.
The above definition is supported by two informative annexes:
- Error detection and correction algorithms: provides example implementations of the error detection and correction algorithms used in encoding and reading the BNB-78 representation of the ID-tag. Other implementations are possible and, depending on the environment, might well be more efficient. The examples nevertheless serve as a possible baseline and can be used for verifying the correctness of different implementations.
- S18 ID-tag 78-position BNB bar code template: provides a template that can be used for manual decoding of the data elements in printed BNB-78 representations of an ID-tag. Such manual decoding should be used with caution since, unless the complete bar code is read and processed through the appropriate error detection/correction algorithm, there is no certainty that the value obtained has been read correctly.
