MaxiCode is a
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no Exclusive exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly Waiver, waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds ...
, machine-readable symbol system developed by
United Parcel Service (UPS) in 1992. Designed for tracking and managing package shipments, it resembles an
Aztec Code or
QR code but uses dots in a
hexagonal grid instead of
square grid. It is standardized under
ISO/IEC 16023.
A MaxiCode symbol—also called "Bird's Eye", "Target", "dense code", or "UPS code"—is a 1-inch square with a central
bullseye surrounded by hexagonal dots. It stores about 93 characters, and up to 8 symbols can be linked to carry more data. The symmetrical bullseye aids in fast, accurate scanning, even on moving packages.
Structured Carrier Message
MaxiCode symbols using modes 2 and 3 include a ''Structured Carrier Message'' containing key information about a package. This information is protected with a strong
Reed–Solomon error correction code, allowing it to be read even if a portion of the symbol is damaged. These fields include:
# A 4-bit indication of the mode in use, currently either mode 2 or mode 3.
# A national or international
postal code
A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or numerical digit, digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, inclu ...
. MaxiCode supports both numeric postal codes (e.g. a
ZIP Code), and alphanumeric postal codes.
# A 3-digit
country code
A country code is a short alphanumeric identification code for countries and dependent areas. Its primary use is in data processing and communications. Several identification systems have been developed.
The term ''country code'' frequently re ...
encoded per
ISO 3166
# A 3-digit class of service code assigned by the carrier
The structured portion of the message is stored in the inner area of the symbol, near the bull's-eye pattern. (In modes that do not include a structured portion, the inner area simply stores the beginning of the message.)
Application-specific information
Irrespective of mode, a variable amount of application-specific information can be encoded in a MaxiCode symbol. This format of this additional data is not strictly defined, and amongst other information may include:
*
Purchase order
A purchase order, often abbreviated to PO, is a commercial document issued by a buyer to a seller, indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services required. It is used to control the purchasing of products and services ...
number
*
Customer reference
* Invoice number
*
Tracking number
* Indicator of the originating carrier
Modes
* Mode 0 – Obsolete; replaced by Modes 2 and 3. Older printers with outdated firmware may still produce it. Identifiable by two white horizontal hexagons in the upper right corner (black in all other modes).
* Mode 1 – Obsolete; replaced by Mode 4.
* Mode 2 – Structured Carrier Message with numeric postal code (mainly for U.S. domestic use).
* Mode 3 – Structured Carrier Message with alphanumeric postal code (mainly for international use).
* Mode 4 – Unformatted data with Standard Error Correction.
* Mode 5 – Unformatted data with Enhanced Error Correction.
* Mode 6 – Used for programming hardware devices.
UPS labels use Mode 2 or 3 MaxiCodes.
References
External links
Source for official MaxiCode technical specification
* Information about MaxiCode is available in US Patents , , and
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maxicode
Barcodes
United Parcel Service
Public domain
ISO/IEC standards