UNIVERSITITEKNOLOGI MARA

CLASS ATTENDANCE SIGNING SYSTEM USING STUDENTS' SMART CARD (BARCODE)

WAN AZLENA WAN MOHAMAD

BSe (HONS) COMPUTER SCIENCE FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND QUANTITATIVE SCIENCE

31"'MAY 2007

CLASS ATTENDANCE SIGNING SYSTEM USING STUDENTS' SMART CARD (BARCODE) By WAN AZLENA WAN MOHAMAD (2005614753) A project paper submitted to FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND QUANTITATIVE SCIENCES MARA UNIVERSITITEKNOLOGI MARA In partial fulfilment of requirement for the BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (Hons) IN COMPUTER SCIENCE Major Area: Computer Science

Approved by the Examining Committee:

Azizi Ngah Tasir (PM)

Project Supervisor

Naimah (PM Dr.)

Coordinator

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR

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DECLARATION

Here is to declare that I am responsible for the work submitted in this project with all the word, facts and relevant printed material are fully under my own except several finding as specified in the references that each of their sources has been stated.

4* APRIL 2007

WAN AZLENA WAN MOHAMAD

(2005614753)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the name of Allah s.w.t the Most Merciful and Most Gracious. Praise to Allah the Mighty for showering me a good experience throughout this final project proposal and for all that has bestowed on me. It is with His ascendancy the project paper completed. My heartiest gratitude and gratefulness to Professor Madya Azizi Ngah Tasir, my project supervisor for his valuable information, advice, comments and encouragements from the beginning until the completion of this final project proposal. His guidance and v^dse supervision has benefited me greatly. I also would like to address my deepest appreciation and sincere thanks to Dr. Naimah Mohd Hussin for her guidance, ideas and tolerance towards thisfinalproject proposal. Last but not least, a special dedication to all my Mends for their support, help and ideas. This final project proposal have gives us opportunity^ to learn and gain experience.

II)

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ABSTRACT

As the world has moving towards the technology era, all of the universities and industries have started to upgrade their performance using^ computer and technology. University Technology Mara (UiTM) is one of the universities that are moving towards technology era by implementing^ the electronic system management to replace the traditional method of UiTM system management. Nowadays, as system management is being delivered through computer, software and application, the usage of barcode are common in system management in universities or industries, hi UiTM, the usage of barcode is ah-eady implementing in cafe and library system management. Networking has grown tremendously over the past several years all over the world. Networking support structured connection between computers which are found more effective and efficient in managing a system. In UiTM, Fakulti Teknologi Maklumat dan Sains Kuantitatif (FTMSK) has a network: called Local Area Network: (LAN) which provides connection between computers v^dthin FTMSK. This project implement client-server network which connects two computers through a cable, one computer works as client and the other works as server.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES

i ii iii iv v ix

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Introduction Project aim Project background Problem description Project objective Project scope Project significance 1.7.1 1.7.2 Significance to lecturer Significance to students
1 2 2 S 3 4 4 4 5

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 2.2 Introduction Advantages of using smart card to fill in class attendance 6 7

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2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9

The feature of smart card to fill in class attendance The application of the bar code on smart card to fill m class attendance The usage of the bar code reader to implement class attendance signing system The usage of PHF language in developing^ the class attendance signing^ system Implementing client-server network in class-attendance signing system Conclusion

8 9 l&

The related issues between barcode and class attendance signing system 12 13 15 17

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 3.2 Introduction Research approach and methodology 3.2.1 Data collection 3.2.2 Data analysis 3.2.3 Project design 3.2.4 Project implementation 3.2.5 Testing and evaluation 3.2.6 Projectmodel 3.3 Summary 18 18 20 2a 21 21 22 23 24

CHAPTER 4 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION 4.1 4.2 4.3 Introduction Requirements checklist Dataflowdiagram 4.3^.1 Context diagram dfd 4.3.1.1 Context diagram's explanation 25 26 27 27 28

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4.3.2 Diagram Odfd 4.3.2.1 dfd's^levelO explanation 4.4 Data design 4.4. t Normalization 4.4.1.1 INF 4.4.1.2 2NF 4.4.1.3 3NF 4.4.2 Database relationship 4.4.3 Entity relationship diagram 4.4.3.1 Relationship diagram explanation 4.5 4.6 Flow chart 4.5.1 Flow chart explanation Object modelling 4.6.1 Use case diagram 4.6.2 Sequence diagram 4.6.2.} Frit in class attendance 4.6.2.2 View attendance percentage 4.6.2.3 Edit class attendance 4.6.2.4 View complete report 4.6.2.5 Maintain system information 4.6.2.6 Enhance system 4.6.2.7 EditDatabase 4.7 4.8 Application architecture Summary

29 30 30 3t 31 31 32 33 33 35 35 36 37 37 39 39 40 40 41 42 42 43 44 46

CHAPTER 5 TESTING AND RESULT ANALYSIS 5.1 5.2 Introduction The client-server network 47 47

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5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7

The barcode reader implementation Functionalities of class attendance signing^ system for students Functionalities of class attendance signing system for lecturer Functionalities of class attendance signing^ system for administrator Testing result 5.7.1 Students feedback and acceptance towards the system 5.7.1.1 Effectiveness 5.7. f.2 Ease of use 5.7.1.3 Efficiency 5.7.2 Lecturers feedback and acceptance towards the system 5.7.2.1 Effectiveness 5.7.2.2 Ease of use 5.7.2.3 Efficiency 5.7.3 Comparison between students' attendance report m manual class attendance signing system and computerized class attendance signing: system

49 51 57 74 117 118 118 121 123 124 125 126 129

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CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 6.1 6.2 6.3 Benefits of the system Weaknesses of the system Future work 138 139 140

LIST OF REFERENCES APPENDICES Students' questionnaires Lecturers' questionnaires User manual of class attendance signing system

141 145

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

Page

2.1 3.1 3.2 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8: 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12

Client-server network diagram Research approach and Methodology Project Model Context Diagram DFD for Class Attendance Signing System Diagram 0 DFD for Class Attendance Signing System Class attendance sigmng system database relationship Class attendance signing system database relationship Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) Class attendance signing system Flow Chart Use case diagram of Class Attendance Signing System Sequence diagram of fill in class attendance Research Model Sequence diagram ofview attendance percentage Sequence diagram of edit class attendance Sequence diagram of view complete report Sequence diagram of maintain system information Sequence diagram of enhance system

16 19 23 27 29 33 34 36 38 39 40 40 41 42 42 43 45

4.13 Sequence diagram of maintain system information 4.14 Class Attendance Signing System Architecture 5.1 The network of client server implemented by class attendance signing System 5.2 5.3 Address to access the class attendance signing system through client-server network The barcode reader used in class attendance signing system

48

49 50

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5.4: 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28

The barcode on the students' smart card that will be read by the barcode reader The login page of class attendance signing system for students The main page of class attendance signing system for students The page for students to fill in class attendance The page for students to view the student's class attendance current percentage The page when students enter incorrect student I.D The page that shows the student's attendance percentage The page that views the class date The login page of class attendance signing system for lecturer The main page of class attendance signing system for lecturer The page to edit class attendance The page when class attendance status is not completed The page to view the attendance record of the selected date The page to edit the student's attendance status The page that views the class date The report page to views the class attendance report by date The page when class attendance status is not completed The page that view the students' class attendance report of the selected date The page to print the class attendance report of the selected date The page to view class attendance report by student The page that view the class attendance report by student The page to print the class attendance report by student The page to view the students' class attendance current percentage The page that views the students' class attendance final percentage The page that allow lecturer to change the lecturer's usemame or password 74 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 50 51 52 53

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5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 5.35 5.36 5.37 5.38 5.39 5.40 5.41 5.42 5.43 5.44 5.45 5.46 5.47 5.48 5.49 5.50 5.51 5.52 5.53 5.54

The login page of class attendance signing system for administrator The main page of class attendance signing system for administrator The page to views the students' attendance data by date The page that shows the list of students' attendance of the selected date

75 76 77 78

The page that allows the administrator to insert students' attendance data 79 The page that shows the list of class attendance data The page that allows the administrator to insert class attendance data The page that shows the list of students' attendance percentage data The page that allows the administrator to insert attendance percentage data The page that allows the administrator to insert login data The page that allows the administrator to insert students' login data The page that allows the administrator to insert lecturer's login data 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

The page that allows the administrator to insert administrator's login data 87 The page that allows the administrator to edit students' attendance data The page when class attendance status is not completed The page to view the attendance record of the selected date The page to edit the student's attendance data The page that allows the administrator to edit class attendance data The page to edit the student's attendance data The page to edit the attendance percentage data The page that allows the administrator to edit attendance percentage data The page that allows the administrator to edit login data The page that views the list of students' login data which can be edited The page that allows the administrator to edit students' login data The page that views the list of lecturers' login data which can be edited The page that allows the administrator to edit lecturers' login data 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

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5.55

The page that views the list of administrators' login data which can be edited 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114

5.56 5.57 5.58 5.59 5.60 5.61 5.62 5.63 5.64 5.65 5.66 5.67 5.68 5.69 5.70 5.71 5.72 5.73

The page that allows the administrator to edit lecturers' login data The page that allows the administrator to delete students' attendance data The page when class attendance status is not completed The page to delete students' class attendance data on selected date The page that allows the administrator to delete class attendance data The page to delete the class attendance data on the selected date The page that allows the administrator to delete attendance percentage data The page to delete the final attendance percentage on selected student The page that allows the administrator to delete login data The page that views the list of students' login data which can be deleted The page to delete the login data on selected student's login The page that views the list of lecturers' login data which can be deleted The page to delete the login data on selected lecturer's login The page that views the list of administrators' login data which can be deleted The page to delete the login data on selected administrators' login The page that allow administrator to change the administrator's usemame or password Effectiveness - Number of students manage to fill in the class attendance in class attendance signing system using barcode reader attendance current percentage

115 116 117 119 120

Effectiveness - Helps to keep track students' attendance by viewing students'

5.74

Effectiveness - Not easy to forge Mend's signature compared to manual class attendance system 121

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5.75 Ease of Use - Barcode reader helps the students to fill in the class attendance into the class attendance signing system 5.76 5.77 5.78 5.79 5.80 5.81 5.82 5.83 Ease of Use - Helps students to view the class date Efficiency - More efficient to have computerized class attendance signing system rather than manual signing system Effectiveness - Managed to view a standardized students' attendance report Effectiveness - Helps detect students whose current attendance percentage is low Ease of Use - Easier to edit students' attendance record Ease of Use - Helps lecturers to view the class date Ease ofUse-Easier the lecturers to retrieve the class attendance signing Efficiency - helps the lecturers to keep students' attendance data efficiently compared to manual attendance system system through client-server network. 5.84 Efficiency - More efficient to have computerized class attendance signing system rather than manual class attendance signing system 5.85 Students' attendance report in manual class attendance signing system 5.86 Printed students' attendance report by date in computerized class attendance signing system 5.87 Printed students' attendance report by student in computerized class attendance signing system 5.88 Printed students' final class attendance percentage in computerized class attendance signing system 137 135 134 131 132 130 126 127 128 129 125 124 122 123

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

11 INTRODUCTION .
This project is about the class attendance signing system using students' smart card. The existing manual class attendance signing system is inefficient and not systematic. The existing manual class attendance signing system needs students to take time to sign the attendance sheet during class. It also affecting the efficiency of lecturers where lecturers have to calculate the students' attendance percentage throughout the semester and come out with their own, not standardize students' attendance report. The purpose of this project is to gather students' class attendance by using students' smart card. The other purpose is to give options for lecturers to calculate the students' attendance percentage and to view the attendance report. The development of this project uses System Development Life Cycle Approach (SDLC) approach. The reason of using SDLC approach is because an alternative model of the SDLC focuses on the interaction of planning, analysis, and design tasks, which leads to implementation, followed by operation and support. The class attendance signing system includes the implementation of the barcode. The project development involves wide research on the usage of the barcode reader to implement the barcode on the students' smart card for students' identification. At the end, this project allows students to easily touch their smart card to barcode reader in order to fill

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in the class attendance. This project also allows the lecturers to get the calculation of the class attendance and view the attendance report throughout the semester.

1.2 PROJECT AIM

The aim of this project is to develop a class attendance signing system that will improve the management of class attendance in FTMSK.

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PROJECT BACKGROUND

This electronic system management is about the class attendance signing system that read the barcode on the students' smart card. The existing manual class attendance signing system for subject Project Formulation (CSC633) is inefficient for both lecturer and students^. Lecturers^ need to calculate the students' attendance percentage throughout the semester manually and come out with their own, not standardize students' attendance report while students have to sign the attendance sheet during lecture which will disturbs their concentration of learning. Therefore, the development of class attendance signing system gives many benefits to both lecturer and students. This system allows students to easily touch their smart card on the barcode reader in order to fill in the class attendance. Students can also view their attendanee percentage by date t& control their attendance reputation. This project allows lecturers to get the calculation of the student class attendance percentage and view^the attendance report throughout the semester.

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Basically, this system v^U be implementing in Local Area Network (LAN) in FTMSK. LAN allows lecturer to access^ the mformation of the student attendance through the lecturer's personal computer in the lecturer's room and at the same time print out the class attendance report for record, hi this project, LAN will be implementing in the networking of client server (involve only two personal computer) fortesting;

1.4 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

The problem description of this project is the existing manual class attendance signing system for subject Project Formulation (CSC633) is inefficient and not systematic. The existing manual class attendance signing system needs students improperly^ sign the attendance sheet during class. The lecturer has to keep all attendance sheets and calculate the attendance report throughout the semester manually and come out with their own, not standardize students' attendance report. In the manual system, students can easily forge their firiends' signature purposely to fill in the class attendance.

1.5 PROJECT OBJECTIVE

One of the objectives of this project is to gather students' class attendance bousing students' smart card. The other objective is to allow lecturers to get the calculation of the students' attendance percentage throughout the semester and view the standardize attendance report The other objective is to control students'

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signature forge in filling the class attendance. The last objective is to allow lecturer to easily access the information of the class attendance through network.

1.6 PROJECT SCOPE

The scope for this project is to gather UiTM students' attendance by using students' smart card for alt classes the students take throughout the semester. The testing for this project will be do on a smaller scope which involve only^ Bachelor in Computer Science students (CSe230) for a specific subject which is Project Fomulation (CSC633).

1.7 PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE

This project gives significance to both lecturer and students of subject Project Formulation ( e s e 633).

1.7.1 Significance to Lecturer

Lecturers are able to get the calculation of the class attendance percentage, to easily access the information oftiieclass attendance and to view the standardize attendance report throughout the semester.

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1.7.2

Significance to Students

Students able to fill in the class attendance by only touch their smart card on the smart card reader, which is more efficient and can view their attendance percentage which will motivate them to control their class attendance reputation.

1.8 SUMMARY

Chapter one is an introduction chapter, which explains clearly about the development of this project. This chapter includes the project background which shortly explains the project description. This chapter also includes the problem description which simply^ explains the problem of the existing system that becomes the main point of the idea of this project. Chapter one also includes the objective and the scope of the project. The project significance in chapter one is based on both lecturer and students. The main purpose of this chapter is to show the main idea about what this project is all about

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CHAPTER!

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Smart cards are programmed to perform tasks and store information. Smart cards currently^ are used in telephone, transportation, banking, and heahhcare transactions. Smart card can store lots of mformation and can perform multiple ftmctions in a wide range of industries. A recent study found that 27% of smart card applications were within banking, 18% wdthin health and welfare and 15% within transport (Rogerson, p.t). In UiTM, smart cards are aheady implemented and are gainmg popularity among the UiTM communities. UiTM communities get many advantages by the usage of the smart card in system management. Currently, smart card is use as an id card and as an ATM bank card in UiTM. This project is going to level up the usage of the smart card in UiTM by usmg smart card to fill in class attendance. The barcode on the students' smart card will be implementing^ in this project: Nowadays, barcode isfi-equentlyused in almost all industrial branches whenever an information needs to be read automatically (Jorg^ et ah, 1999,pp.3). This literature review will focus on the advantages of using smart card to fill in class attendance, the feature of smart card, the application of bar code on smartcard, the usage of barcode reader to implement class attendance signing system, the related issues between barcode and

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class attendance signing system and the usage of PHP language in developing the class attendance signing^system.

2.2 ADVANTAGES OF USING SMART CARD TO FILL IN CLASS ATTENDANCE

Smart card generally, gives lots of advantages to the user. For this project, the researcher will explore the advantages of using smart card to fill in class attendance. One of the advantages is using smart card will easier the students to fill in the class attendance. The time constraint of using smart card to fill in class attendance is small compared to the existing manual system which use attendance sheet. This is because smart card allows the system to get students' identification efficiently; The main improvement is the possibility to process the information directly on the card (Flandre et al, p.2). Other advantages is each student can use smart card securely because the unique identification that the smart card provide. Smart cards can of course retain a huge amount of information compared to the magnetic strip cards, but they can also manage this information much more securely, using authentication and user identification procedures (Flandre et al, p.2). Other advantage is using smart card in signature system can tackle student to attend to class. This is because the students know that the system can easily detect those students who regularly attend the class. The students can also view their class attendance percentage which will motivate them to control their attendance reputation. Usage of smart card gives advantages to the lecturer because the smart card will directly input the information of student attendance to the system. The lecturers

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do not have to carry the attendance sheet every class time and filing the attendance sheet manually which is not efficient Smart cards can improve access to services for the disabled and elderly (Rogerson, p.l). The lecturer can easily get the percentage of student attendance at the end of the semester without face the difficulties to calculate the percentage manually and view the standardize student attendance report

2 3 THE FEATURE OF SMART CARD TO FILL IN CLASS . ATTENDANCE

The interesting features and functionality of smart card that make it popular is the multi- purpose card it applies. To implement a smart card scheme certain design features is to ensure integrity across applications on multi-purpose cards (Rogerson, p.3). Smart cards have three broad functions^ authentication, storing value and storing personalized information. The smart card can also be used as a portable storage device and with the capability of holding a large amount of data of different forms and for different purposes. UiTM students' smart card includes barcode which completely implemented in order to achieve the aim of this project. The feature of smart card, which it is a portable hardware unit makes it more convenient to use. A smart card is the most convenient and most portable cryptographic hardware unit; public key smart cards are able to perform the signing operation inside the card (Hamman et at, p.6). In recent years, many brands and types of smart cards have come to market. Several major categories of smart card are simplefile-system-orientedsmart cards without public key capability, advanced file-system smart cards with public key capability, Java Cards, Windows-powered smart cards, and MULTOS (muhi-application operating system) cards (Hamman et al, p.7). Smart cards are a personal piece of hardware that must communicate with

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some other device to gain access to a display device or a network. Cards can be plugged into a reader, commonly referred to as a card terminat (Komerling^ and G.Kuhn, p.3). For this project, as the first-time class attendance signing system development, the researcher has decided to use UiTM student's smart card where the connection is made when the barcode reader contacts the barcode on the back of the students' smart card. The barcode reader provides a path for the applieatio to^ send and receive commandsfiromthe barcode on the students' smart card. There are many types of readers on the market, the most prevalent being the serial, PCCard, and keyboard models (Seliger, p.2). Once it can communicate with the reader, there is one protocol for communicating with smart card (Seliger, p.3).

2.4 THE APPLICATION OF THE BAR CODE ON SMART CARD TO FILL IN CLASS ATTENDANCE

The implementing of smart card to fill in class attendance only can be access by UrTM commxmities (the students and the lecturers). It is show that authentication is very important in using smart card. Authentication is concerned with ensuring only authorized individuals gain access to systems (Komerling and G.Kuhn, p.4). The great variety of applications led to the existence of approximately 200 different codes which are altogether subsumed under the term barcode (Jorg: et al.,1999,pp.3.). The barcode generator is used to generate the logical parts of a barcode. To make it easy to create the barcode generator, the BarcodeUtil singleton class is used which will choose the correct barcode implementation depending on the configuratiGn built (JeremiasMarki, 2004, pp.3). The barcode on the students' smart

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card must be accurate in terms of width and darkness in order to ensure the accurate data retrieved. For this project, students have to signing electronically with a smart card at the beginnings of each class. Each student has their own smart card to fill in class attendance in class attendance signing system. By using this system, student can discipline themselves to always carry their student smart card as it is a compulsory to UiTM students. The computer that implements this system is equipped with a barcode reader. Students fill in their class attendance by touching: their card at the barcode reader which automatically records the attendance information in the server. The reader, in turn, communicates with card, thereby acting^ as the intermediary before sending the data to the server. The b^code reader wiggles the barcode on the smart card and record the data in the server. That way, data can be processed immediately and in a totally automated way. At the end of the semester, lecturers can get the calculation of the students' attendance percentage more efficiently and view the standardize attendance report.

2.5 THE USAGE OF THE BAR CODE READER TO IMPLEMENT CLASS ATTENDANCE SIGNING SYSTEM.

There are four different types of barcode readers available. Each uses a sli^tly different technology forreading^and decoding^ a barcode. Barcode reader provides a good introduction into the fundamentals of barcode information theory while a comprehensive description may be found in (Jorg: et al.,1999,pp.4.). There are pen type readers (i.e. bar code wands), laser scanners, CCD readers and camera basedreaders.The computer that hnplements this system is equipped with a barcode reader.

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