19
2011
Who Invented the Barcode
An article by 
A man named Wallace Flint recommended an automated retail system in the year 1932 but it was not a successful invention. Bar codes were originally invented to support grocery shops towards tracking the inventory. Bar code can be defined as a method of automatic identification and data collection. Bernard Silver was a student at Drexel Institute of Technology. A food chain supplier requested the institute to research on automatic product reading method. Bernard Silver joined hands with Joseph Woodland to find out the solution.
Barcodes were invented by Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver. They have received the first patent for bar code type product in the year 1952. Bar code invented by them was referred to as ‘bull’s eye’ symbol which were made up of a series of concentric circles.
It is a simple and effective way to identify the products. A bar code consists of 12 digits. The first two digits point out the country of origin. The next four digits indicate the manufactures and the remaining six digits refer to manufacturer and the product code of a specific product. Each number or character in the bar is represented by two black stripes and two white stripes.
In 1977 George J. Laurer, availed the credit of inventing the widely used bar code UPC system – Universal Product Code.
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