Barcode Technology

Barcode History

Barcode Label Paper

Barcode Printer

Barcode Application

Inventory Management

AI Barcode QRCode

Barcode Scanner

Barcode Software

Barcode Software B

Barcode Software C

Barcode Software D

Barcode Software E

New Technology A

New Technology B

Robot Technology

Barcode Types

Barcode Types B

Barcode Types C

Barcode Types D

Barcode Types E

Barcode Types F

Electronic Technology

Psychology at Work

The general structure of a QR encoding is as a sequence of 4 bit indicators with payload length dependent on the indicator mode (e.g. byte encoding payload length is dependent on the first byte).

A QR code is a type of matrix barcode that contains information about the encoded data through a series of modules arranged in a square grid. The encoding process involves several modes and specific bit structures.

Below is a detailed explanation of the general structure of a QR encoding using 4-bit mode indicators and payload length dependent on the indicator mode.

QR Code Mode Indicators and Structures

1.Mode Indicator:

The mode indicator is a 4-bit sequence that identifies the encoding mode of the QR code. The modes determine how the subsequent data is interpreted and structured.

Encoding Modes and Their Structures

1. Numeric Mode (0b0001):

Description: Encodes decimal digits (0-9).

Structure:

[0001 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Character Count Indicator : variable ] : Number of characters encoded

[ Data Bit Stream : 10 × charcount / 3 ] : Encoded data

2. Alphanumeric Mode (0b0010):

Description: Encodes a subset of the ASCII characters (0-9, A-Z, space, $, %, *, +, -, ., /, :).

Structure:

[0010 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Character Count Indicator : variable ] : Number of characters encoded

[ Data Bit Stream : 11 × charcount / 2 ] : Encoded data

3. Byte Encoding Mode (0b0100):

Description: Encodes characters in ISO-8859-1.

Structure:

[0100 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Character Count Indicator : variable ] : Number of bytes encoded

[ Data Bit Stream : 8 × charcount ] : Encoded data

4. Kanji Encoding Mode (0b1000):

Description: Encodes characters in Shift JIS character set.

Structure:

[1000 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Character Count Indicator : variable ] : Number of characters encoded

[ Data Bit Stream : 13 × charcount ] : Encoded data

5. Structured Append Mode (0b0011):

Description: Used to split data across multiple QR symbols.

Structure:

[0011 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Symbol Position : 4 ] : Position of this symbol in the sequence

[ Total Symbols : 4 ] : Total number of symbols in the sequence

[ Parity : 8 ] : Parity byte for error detection

6. ECI Mode (0b0111):

Description: Extended Channel Interpretation for encoding non-default character sets.

Structure:

[0111 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ ECI Assignment number : variable ] : ECI assignment number

8 bits if the bitstream starts with '0'

16 bits if the bitstream starts with '10'

24 bits if the bitstream starts with '110'

7. FNC1 in First Position Mode (0b0101):

Description: Used in applications such as GS1.

Structure:

[0101 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Payload : variable ] : Data in Numeric/Alphanumeric/Byte/Kanji encoding

8. FNC1 in Second Position Mode (0b1001):

Description: Similar to FNC1 in the first position but with an application indicator.

Structure:

[1001 : 4] : Mode Indicator

[ Application Indicator : 8 ] : Indicator for specific application

[ Payload : variable ] : Data in Numeric/Alphanumeric/Byte/Kanji encoding

9. End of Message Mode (0b0000):

Description: Indicates the end of the message.

Structure:

[0000 : 4] : Mode Indicator

Character Count Indicator

The size of the Character Count Indicator depends on the version of the QR code:

Version 1-9: Smaller QR codes with fewer modules.

Numeric: 10 bits

Alphanumeric: 9 bits

Byte: 8 bits

Kanji: 8 bits

Version 10-26: Medium-sized QR codes.

Numeric: 12 bits

Alphanumeric: 11 bits

Byte: 16 bits

Kanji: 16 bits

Version 27-40: Larger QR codes.

Numeric: 14 bits

Alphanumeric: 13 bits

Byte: 16 bits

Kanji: 16 bits

Summary

The QR code structure uses 4-bit mode indicators to specify the encoding mode. Each mode has a specific bit structure for encoding the data, with the character count indicator size varying depending on the QR code version. This allows efficient and versatile encoding of different types of data within the same QR framework.

EasierSoft Barcode Label Design & Bulk Printing Software

---- Use Excel Data to Batch Print Barcodes on Label Sheets or Roll Labels  

---- How to use this barcode software

Download:  Free Barcode Software + Barcode Label Designer Download Free Barcode Software at Softonic      Download at CNET

Once you obtain a GS1/UPC/EAN barcode, or other barcode type and QR code, you can use our free software to batch print barcode labels onto Roll label paper using a professional label printer, or to batch print barcodes onto Avery 5160 label sheets using a regular laser or inkjet printer. Our software has free and paid versions.

The free version fully meets your needs for batch printing GS1/UPC/EAN barcodes. The paid version can import data from Excel and databases to batch print barcode labels with different values.

How to Use & FAQ:

Highlights

Excel integration: Import data directly from Excel to generate and print barcodes in bulk.

Label designer: Create complex labels with multiple barcodes, text, logos, and shapes.

Batch printing: Print thousands of barcodes at once using standard inkjet/laser printers or professional barcode printers.

Flexible editions:

Standard Edition: Simple batch printing with Excel data.

Professional Edition: Adds command-line automation for workflow integration.

Label Designer Edition: Advanced design features for complex labels.

Why Choose Our Barcode Solutions?

Cost-effective: Free online generator and permanent free desktop version available.

Easy to use: No technical expertise required—just input data and print.

Versatile: Supports nearly all 1D and 2D barcode types, including QR codes.

Trusted: Recommended by CNET and widely downloaded by users worldwide.

Suitable Use Cases

Small businesses and startups needing quick barcode labels for products.

Retailers and online sellers managing inventory with batch barcode printing.

Manufacturers requiring sequential or custom barcode labels for packaging.

Educational and testing environments where barcodes are used for tracking.