1.What is rugged phone?
A rugged smart phone is a specific type of toughened smart phone which is designed to be completely sealed within a durable housing to protect it against damage from water, shock, dust, and vibration.Rugged smart phones are designed to survive extreme weather and temperatures, accidental damage, and rough handling; making them ideal for working outdoors, or in harsh environments, along with use during extreme sports, such as sailing, rock climbing, etc. Most rugged smartphones have been tested to tough IP68 standards.However, not all waterproof smartphones will be ruggedised.
2.How can I read the dust-proof and water-proof specifications?
The IP code (International Protection Code) for the water-proof and dust-proof construction of electronic equipment is decided by the international organization EIEMA. The standard EN60529 specifies the unified global requirements for the water-proof and dust-proof function of products.
Due to the different design targets and application environments, there are different protection classes, for example: In "IP54", the first number defines the dust-proof level (0-8); level 5 in this example. The second number defines the water-proof level (0-6); level 4 in this example.
The first code represents the dust-proof level
(a) 0: No protection.
(b) 1: Excludes objects larger than 50mm.
(c) 2: Excludes objects larger than 12.5mm.
(d) 3: Excludes objects larger than 2.5mm.
(e) 4: Excludes objects larger than 1mm.
(f) 5: Dust cannot enter.
(g) 6: Completely sealed.
The second code represents the water-proof level
(a) 0: No protection.
(b) 1: Water drops from the front are tolerated.
(c) 2: Water drops within +/-15 degrees from the front are tolerated.
(d) 3: Water drops within +/-60 degrees from the front are tolerated.
(e) 4: Water splashes from each side are tolerated.
(f) 5: Low-pressure water splashes from each side are tolerable.
(g) 6: High-pressure water splashes from each side are tolerated.
(h) 7: Immersion 15cm-1m under water is tolerated.
(i) 8: Immersion in pressurized water is tolerated.
3.What is AIDC?
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) is a broad category of technologies used to collect information from an individual, object, image or sound without manual data entry. AIDC systems are used to manage inventory, delivery, assets, security and documents. Sectors that use AIDC systems include distribution, manufacturing, transportation, medicine, government and retail, among many others. AIDC applications typically fall into one of a few categories: identification and validation at the source, tracking, and interfaces to other systems. The actual technologies involved, the information obtained and the purpose of collection vary widely. Current AIDC technologies include:
-Barcodes, which consist of small images of lines (bars) and spaces affixed to retail store items, ID cards and postal mail to identify a particular product number, person or location. A barcode reader uses a laser beam that is sensitive to the reflections from the line and space thickness and variation. The reader translates information from the image to digital data and sends it to a computer for storage or for another process.2D barcodes store information not only horizontally, as one-dimensional barcodes do, but vertically as well. That construction enables 2D codes to store up to 7,089 characters. The traditional, uni-dimensional barcode has a 20-character capacity.
-Magnetic stripes, which are typically seen on credit cards, debit cards, key cards and swipe cards. The stripe consists of iron-based magnetic particles in plastic-like tape. Each particle is a tiny bar magnet. Information is written on the stripe by magnetizing the tiny bars in either a north or south pole direction. The writing process, called flux reversal, causes changes in the magnetic field that can be detected by a magnetic stripe reader.
-Smart cards, which are plastic cards about the size of a credit card with an embedded microchip. A smart card can store much more data than a magnetic stripe card. It can be loaded with data, used for telephone calling, electronic cash payments, accessing services and other applications. The card can be refreshed for reuse. Some smart cards can include programming and support multiple applications.
-Optical character recognition (OCR), which is the recognition of printed or written text characters by a computer. The process includes scanning the text character-by-character, analyzing the resulting character image and translating that image into a machine-readable character code, such as ASCII. Among other things, OCR is used to digitize documents and books, sort mail, and process checks and mail-based payments by credit cards.
-Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, which consist of three components: an antenna and transceiver (often combined into a single device) and a transponder (the tag). The antenna transmits a signal that activates the transponder, which then transmits data back to the antenna. The data is used to notify a programmable logic controller that some specific action should occur. Because RFID does not require direct contact or line-of-sight scanning, RFID tags are replacing barcodes in many applications.
-Various biometrics applications, which identify individuals by comparing captured biological data, such as fingerprints, voice characteristics and iris patterns, against stored data for that individual. Biometric systems consist of a reader or scanning device, software that converts the scanned biological data into a digital format and compares match points, and a database that stores the biometric data for comparison. Authentication by biometric verification is becoming increasingly common in corporate and public security systems, consumer electronics and point of sale (POS) applications. Specific biometric AIDC technologies include finger scanning, electro-optical fingerprint recognition, finger vein ID and voice recognition.
4.What is it RFID?
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology uses radio waves to identify people or objects. There is a device that reads information contained in a wireless device or tag from a distance without making any physical contact or requiring a line of sight.
RFID technology has been commercially available in one form or another since the 1970s. It is now part of our daily lives and can be found in car keys,employee identification medical history/billing,highway toll tags and security access cards.
The United States government uses two types of RFID technology for border management vicinity and proximity
-Vicinity RFID-enabled documents can be securely and accurately read by authorized readers from up to 20 to 30 feet away.
-Proximity RFID-enabled documents must be scanned in close proximity to an authorized reader and can only be read from a few inches away.
No personal information is stored on the RFID card : only a number, which points to the information housed in secure databases.
5.What Is Near-Field Communication (NFC)?
Near-field communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless technology that makes your smartphone, tablet, wearables, payment cards, and other devices even smarter. Near-field communication is the ultimate technology solution for connectivity.
With NFC, you can transfer information between devices quickly and easily with a single touch whether paying bills, exchanging business cards, downloading coupons, or sharing a research paper.
Near-field communication transmits data through electromagnetic radio fields to enable two devices to communicate with each other. To work, both devices must contain NFC chips, as transactions take place within a very short distance. NFC-enabled devices must be either physically touching or within a few centimeters of each other for data transfer to occur.
Because the receiving device reads your data the instant you send it, near-field communications (NFCs) greatly reduce the chance of human error. Rest assured, for example, that you cannot purchase something unknowingly because of a pocket-dial or by walking past a location that's embedded with an NFC chip (called a "smart poster"). With near-field communication, you must perform an action intentionally.
In fact, even after NFC technology becomes universal, users may still need to carry a backup payment method; you cannot do much of anything with a device whose battery is drained. Whether this would be a permanent downside to NFC technology, however, remains to be seen.
6.What is Cold Chain Logistics?
Cold chain logistics is the technology and process that allows for the safe transport of temperature-sensitive goods and products along the supply chain. It relies heavily on science to evaluate and accommodate for the link between temperature and perishability.
Any product known to be or labeled (perishable) will likely need cold chain management. This could include foods like meat and seafood, produce, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
While the idea of transportation is a relatively new concept, the transport of temperature-sensitive products really dates back to the late 1700s, when ice was used by the British to keep fish from spoiling. Late 1800s, it was used to transport perishables as well. Dairy products were transported from rural to urban areas to be sold, and due to a European meat production shortage, South America was sending frozen meat to France and Australia, while New Zealand was sending it to Great Britain. Cold chain tech has always been, and will continue to be, hugely important to global trade.
Cold chain logistics has many moving parts. Some of the elements include:
Cold storage:Facilities that store goods and products waiting to be transported.
Cooling systems :Systems that bring food up to and keep it at an appropriate temperature during all aspects of the supply chain, including processing, storing and transporting.
Cold transport :Ensures goods remain at stable temperature and humidity levels.
Cold processing :Facilities that allow for processing goods with sanitation in mind.
Cold distribution :Deals with loading boxes or crates and pallets to distribute goods.
7.What is hotswap?
It sometimes takes much time when your electronic device needs to replace the battery. Not to mention the waiting time to turn on device and then to restart the applications all over again. This is a serious problem because time is money, users may not have time to waste, especially when their task is time-based or urgent. Therefore, how to reduce the restarting time and not to stop in the middle of the work that is an important thing.
8.How many data items can a barcode contain?
Although
the 2-D code can be used to encode many characters, if necessary, the length
can be changed to encode fewer characters. The amount of data in a
variable-length barcode is limited by the number of symbols. The number of
these depends on the capability of the barcode reader.
For example: The standard U.P.C./EAN symbol can be used to encode a 14-digit
number. Many barcodes for warehouses, logistics, manufacturing and storage
control require a series of numbers with similar lengths of digits, so many
commonly used systems can easily encode concise symbols.
9.Which type of barcode should I use?
The wide variety of barcodes allows you to find a suitable system to meet your requirements. If you want to make sure which barcode type is the most suitable for you, the key criteria are the amount of data to be encoded, the space available to print the barcodes and the data type to be encoded.
10.What are the applications of barcodes?
Barcodes
are mainly used for saving human resources. In this respect the article barcode
system promoted by IANA (International Article Numbering Association) has been
widely adopted by advanced enterprises in many countries. Barcodes are used by
retailers on food packages, meat, household articles, agricultural products,
medicines, in the chemical and electronic industries, in logistics, etc.
The main applications are product barcodes and distribution
barcodes, such as:
(1) Manufacture/Supplier: For manufacturers the main objective
is efficiency and competitiveness: production yield control, the management of
raw materials, production process arrangement, final product storage and
distribution, etc. Barcodes make each product easily traceable from
manufacturing to transportation and delivery.
(2) In the Transportation Industry the main goals are
shortening product delivery times, controlling product flow, and providing
customers with information so as to keep proper control of the product receipt
and delivery processes.
(3) Logistics and Distribution Centers use new features such
as effective distribution and logistics systems, effective market development,
market information, customer services, etc.
(4) Retailers and Hypermarkets use barcode scanners to reduce
the effects of human error and improve efficiency.
Product Barcodes: In the manufacturing and sales markets,
barcodes can be used in consumer units and distribution and supply units. Also,
depending on the situation and system used, barcodes can either be a backup in
the practical logistics and information exchange process, or they can be the
only method used.
Distribution Barcodes: The main applications in
distribution is the reading of identification symbols on barcodes during their
shipping, loading, unloading, warehouse storage, transportation, etc.
11.How many barcode types are available now?
Nowadays,
there are hundreds of available barcode symbol systems. However, only a few are
widely used. Each of these (symbologies) has unique barcode patterns, spacing
modes, and data encoding rules. There are two basic types of barcodes: 1-D and
2-D barcodes.
1) A 1-D barcode is a one-dimensional line-type code with the
data arranged in bars with spaces between them. The U.P.C./EAN symbol system is
a typical 1-D barcode.
2) 2-D barcodes use another dimension to encode the data.
There are two main types of 2-D barcodes: Stack and matrix type symbol systems.
The stack type consists of many one dimensional symbols stacked over each
other. The matrix type consists of blocks or lines formed by squares and
geometric patterns. In addition, there are also hybrid type 2-D symbol systems
and other variations.
12.What is EPC?
The
concept of EPC was originally proposed by the Auto-ID Laboratory (it became EPC
global after transformation from an R&D organization into a standards
promotion organization). EPC is the abbreviation of Electronic Product Code. It
can be the standard code of any object and is suitable for use on RFID labels.
Combined with the internet and information technology this system connects
objects to computers as a network to promote mutual communication.
EPC technology starts with the storing of the EPC code in the
label. As the object moves, the code reader on the transportation path emits
radio waves and senses the label on the object. The back-end system then starts
the data inquiry, storage and retrieval. The entire operation relies on the
complete integration of the system. The transmitted information about the
object includes not only basic data such as the appearance, weight, material
and package, but also information such as manufacture, upstream raw material
and even the distribution of the final products and a description of the
activity path and production process.
EPCglobal Network uses technologies such as EPC code, Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) and the information network to establish a
global standard RFID infrastructure for the automation, tracking and tracing of
supply chains and improving the visible information for object exchange with
improved efficiency and information accuracy. Also, the application of the EPCglobal
Network technology allows trade partners to accelerate the handling process of
purchase orders, provide rapid response to customer's requirements as well as
improve efficiency during the receipt, calculation, categorization and
transportation of objects.
13.What is compliance labeling?
Many companies will ask their suppliers and other partners to add barcodes or RFID labels so as to categorize the received materials and manage stock to facilitate the operation of automatic systems. The labeling that complies with these requirements is called compliance labeling because the transportation company needs it to comply with the regulations or meet the requirements. The design, contents, barcode system, printing quality of the compliance labeling should follow a strict format.
14.How do barcode scanners recognize and read symbols?
The barcode scanner has an automatic decoding and recognition capability. This allows the barcode reader to map the bars and spacing into the correct characters and avoid read errors. The accuracy of the recognition is very high with an error rate of only one in more than 3 million characters.
15.Can a barcode scanner read more than one type of symbol system?
Yes. The barcode readers usually support many commonly used systems. Typically, more barcode scanners can recognize 1-D barcodes than 2-D ones. However, some of them can support several commonly used 2-D formats. Barcode scanners models from different manufactures support a variety of Barcode systems.
16.What's DPM?
DPM Technology ( Direct Part Marking) is a process that allows users to imprint a bar code directly on an item instead of printing the code on a paper label. Different technologies are available to directly mark objects such as laser marking, chemical etching, dot peen marking and ink jet printing. One of the advantages of this technology is that the code is permanently marked on a surface and will survive for a long time (ideally forever), regardless of the part being passed by any stress, the code still main tains well during it is life cycle.