Chapter 2 lesson 2

Direct data entry and

associated devices
 Objective

 Define magnetic stripe reader

 Define chip readers and PIN pads
 Define RFID (radio frequency identification) readers
 Define bar code reader
 Define QR (quick response) scanner
 Define optical mark reader (OMR)
 Define optical character reader (OCR)
 Magnetic Stripe reader
A magnetic stripe card is a type of card
capable of storing data by modifying the
magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic
particles on a band of magnetic material on
the card.
The magnetic stripe is read by physical
contact and swiping past a reading head.
Magnetic stripe cards are commonly used in
credit cards, identity cards, and
transportation tickets.
 Magnetic Stripe reader

Examples of cards adhering to these standards

include ATM cards, bank cards (credit and debit
cards including VISA and MasterCard), gift
cards, loyalty cards, driver's licenses, telephone
calling cards, membership cards, and nearly any
application in which value or secure information
is not stored on the card itself.
 Magnetic Stripe reader

The information which can be found on the magnetic

stripe on the back of the card are:
➢ credit card/account number
➢ verification/security number
➢ sort code
➢ issue number
➢ expiry date
➢ start date
 Magnetic Stripe reader

Application use:

At POS terminals, ATMs and in security.

Applications where a person needs a

card with their picture to enter a secure
building.
 Magnetic Stripe reader

Advantages Disadvantages
Faster input of data. They can be forged.
Easy to use. Data can be deleted by strong magnet.
Can be used as an alternative method to
Easily stolen.
chip and PIN for credit / debit cards.
Avoid typing errors (introduced by keying
Store only small amount of data.
in).
It can be duplicated or cloning this leads
Stripes are not affected by water
to card fraud.
Cards can’t be read at a distance.
 Chip readers and PIN pads
Chip readers PIN pads
Are devices into which you Is the small numeric keypad
place a credit / debit card where the personal
to read the data which identification number (PIN)
encrypted in the chip on is entered.
the card.

Uses
Accept credit and debit card payments.
 Chip readers and PIN pads

Advantages Disadvantages
❖ Reduce fraud as the true ❖ People might forget their PIN.
cardholder has to input their ❖ Risk of others seeing the
PIN. card’s PIN.
❖ Not all countries can use chip
compared to magnetic stripe: and PIN readers.
❖ Chips are harder to copy. ❖ Requires PIN input.
❖ Higher storage capacity for
data.
❖ Less likely to damage.
 RFID readers

Radio frequency identification tags obtains data stored on a tag (a

small chip) using radio signals
(reading data from a distance => wireless system).

The reader is used to transmit a radio signal and then uses the data it
receives to identify the object.
 RFID readers

Applications of RFID tags:

➢In passports / border control gates.

➢Used to track products for stock control in

factories.
➢Used in libraries as a replacement for bar codes.
 RFID readers

Advantages Disadvantages
Unlike barcode readers, they can cope
They are more expensive than other
with objects between the tag and the
methods of input.
reader.
When used to hold personal data,
They are more difficult to copy than a
people's movements can be tracked
barcode .
easily, leading to lack of privacy.
As tags can be read from distance, some
people are worried that the personal
They can be read from and written to.
information contained in the tag can be
hacked.
Can store more data on the tags
compared to barcodes.
 Barcode scanners (readers)

A barcode is a series of dark and light parallel lines of varying

thickness.
The numbers 0 to 9 are each represented by a unique series
of lines.

Different codes for digits appearing on the left and for digits appearing on the right of
the barcode.
 Barcode scanners (readers)

Each digit in the barcode is

represented by bars of 1 to 4 blocks
thick as shown.

Note there are different patterns for

digits on the left-hand side and for
digits on the right-hand side.
 Barcode scanners (readers)
Each digit is made up of dark lines
and light lines.
The width representing each digit is
the same.
The left side has an odd number of
dark elements and always begin with
a light bar; the digits on the right
have an even number of dark
elements and always begin with a
dark bar.
This arrangement allows a barcode
to be scanned in any direction.
 Barcode scanners (readers)
So what happens when a barcode is scanned?

1. The barcode is first read by a red laser or red LED

(light emitting diode)
2. Light is reflected back off the barcode; the dark
areas reflect little or no light, which allows the bars
to be read.
3. The reflected light is read by sensors (photoelectric
cells).
4. As the laser or LED light is scanned across the
barcode, a pattern is generated, which is
converted into digital data - this allows the
computer to understand the barcode.
 Barcode scanners (readers)

Barcodes are most commonly found at the checkout in supermarkets.

There are several other input and output devices at the checkout:
Input / output device How is it used
to key in the number of same items bought; to key in a weight, to key in the
keypad
number under the barcode if it cannot be read by the barcode reader/scanner
screen/monitor to show the cost of an item and other information
to make a beeping sound every time a barcode is read correctly;
speaker
but also to make another sound if there is an error when reading the barcode
printer to print out a receipt/itemised list
card reader/chip and
to read the customer's credit/debit card (either using PIN or contactless)
PIN
touchscreen to select items by touching an icon
 Barcode scanners (readers)

Advantage Disadvantage
Very fast and accurate
Expensive to install.
method of data capture.
If the barcode is misread or
Barcodes can be read in any
damaged, it will need to be re-
direction.
scanned or manually entered.
Easy to use for checkout The data can only be read by
attendants. machine.
 QR(quick response) scanner
Another type of barcode is the quick response (QR)
code.

This is made up of a matrix of filled-in dark squares on

a light background.

QR codes hold more information than barcodes.

Three large squares at the corners are used to align

the QR code when it is being scanned by camera.
 QR(quick response) scanner

QR USES
➢ Advertise products.
➢ Give automatic access to website.
➢ Store boarding passes electronically at airports.
 QR(quick response) scanner
QR reading steps
➢ Point the phone or tablet camera at the QR code.

➢ The app will now process the image taken by the

camera, converting the squares into readable data.

➢ The browser software on the mobile phone or tablet

automatically reads the data generated by the app.

➢ The user will then be sent to a website automatically.

➢ If the QR code contained a boarding pass, this will be

automatically sent to the phone/tablet.
 QR(quick response) scanner
Advantage Disadvantage
They can hold much more information. More than one QR format is available.

There are a large number of free apps available to a

user for generating QR
There will be fewer errors Codes.
It is relatively easy to write malicious
code and embed this within the QR code.
When the code is scanned, it is
QR codes are easier to read; they don’t need
possible the creator of the malicious code could gain
expensive laser or LED (light
access to everything on
emitting diode) scanners like barcodes – they can be
the user’s phone (for example, photographs, address
read by the cameras on
book, stored passwords,
smartphones or tablets
and so on).
It is easy to transmit QR codes either as text messages QR codes can be used to transmit malicious codes –
or images known as attagging.
The user could also be sent to a fake website or it is
It is also possible to encrypt QR even possible
for a virus to be downloaded.
 QR(quick response) scanner

frame QR codes

❖ Used to increased ability to add advertising logos.

❖ Frame QR codes come with a ‘canvas area’ where it is
possible to include graphics or images inside the code itself.
❖ Unlike normal QR codes, software to do this isn’t usually free.
 Optical mark recognition/reader (OMR)

OMR is a device which can read marks written in pen or pencil on a form.

The places where the pen or pencil marks can be made are clearly shown on
the form, for example:

1 2 3

In this example a pencil mark has been made between the dots on option 1.

The position of the mark is stored in the computer’s memory after being read
by the OMR device.
 Optical mark recognition/reader (OMR)

Uses of OMR devices

❖Used to read questionnaires.

❖Multiple-choice examination papers.

❖Voting papers.

❖Types of form where responses are registered

in the form of lines or shaded areas.
 Optical mark recognition/reader (OMR)

Advantage Disadvantage
The forms need to be carefully designed to
The documents are fed make sure the marks/shading are
in automatically and there is no user input. correctly positioned to gather accurate
information.
There can be problems if they have not
been filled in correctly; sometimes
They are more accurate than keying in the
they have to be manually checked before
data.
being read, which is both time
consuming and expensive.
They are more accurate than OCR
methods.
Optical character recognition/reader (OCR)

OCR converts the text on hard copy

documents into an electronic form that
can then be used in application
packages, such as word processors or
presentation software.
 Optical character recognition/reader (OCR)

Uses of OCR devices

❑ Processing of passports and identity cards.

❑ Converting hard copy documents into electronic form which can be

stored on a computer.

❑ Used in automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems in car

parks.

❑ Digitising historic newspapers and rare books so they can be archived

and used by researchers, preventing damage to the originals.
 Optical character recognition/reader (OCR)

Uses of OCR devices

Advantage Disadvantage
It is a much faster data entry system than The system still has difficulty reading some
manually keying in data. handwriting.

The number of errors is reduced. Not accurate technique.

 Comparison of OMR and OCR features

OCR OMR
Because this method reads handwriting, it is Because this involves shading to answer set
possible for questions, the information obtained is
customers to extend their answers to limited to the choices
questions. offered in each question.
This method requires complex (and
This method can read handwriting – but if
expensive) forms to be
the handwriting is
completed; but the recognition system is
poor it may cause reading errors
simpler than OCR
OCR is used for converting printed OMR simply reads the position of marks so it
documents to an editable is ideal for
electronic format multiple-choice exam papers
 Comparison of OMR and OCR features

OCR OMR
OMR is essentially a more accurate method
OCR requires a complex recognition system for reading
data than OCR
While OCR is more accurate than data
entered into a computer It is easier and faster for customers to
by keyboard, there are still problems complete OMR forms than to complete
recognising all types of OCR forms
handwriting leading to inaccuracies
Questions
 Question 1
A barcode showing 3 digits is shown below:

Give the binary value for each digit:

A.

B.

C.
 Question 1
A barcode showing 3 digits is shown below:

Give the binary value for each digit:

A. 0111101

B. 0101111

C. 0110001
 Question 2
A supermarket uses barcodes on all its items. When a customer goes to
check out, a number of input and output devices may be used.
Name two input devices and two output devices.
Give a different use for each named device.
Input device 1:
Use:
Input device 2:
Use:
Output device 1:
Use:
Output device 2:
Use:
 Question 2
A supermarket uses barcodes on all its items. When a customer goes to
check out, a number of input and output devices may be used.
Name two input devices and two output devices.
Give a different use for each named device.
Input device 1:keypad
Use: - to input number of items bought
- key in weights
- key in barcode number if barcode failed to scan correctly

Input device 2:magnetic stripe reader

Use: to read customer’s credit/debit card

Input device 3: weighing machine

Use: to weigh fresh goods
 Question 2
A supermarket uses barcodes on all its items. When a customer goes to
check out, a number of input and output devices may be used.
Name two input devices and two output devices.
Give a different use for each named device.
Input device 4: touchscreen
Use: to select items such as fruit/ make other selections
Input device 5: barcode reader/scanner
Use: to input/read barcode on an item

Input device 6: contactless screen

Use: to allow payment by contactless debit cards
 Question 2
A supermarket uses barcodes on all its items. When a customer goes to
check out, a number of input and output devices may be used.
Name two input devices and two output devices.
Give a different use for each named device.
Output device 1: screen/monitor
Use: - to show cost of item bought
- final bill
- item description
Output device 2: speaker/beeper
Use: makes beeping sound if barcode scans OK or if barcode fails to scan.

Output device 3: printer

Use: to output itemised bill
 Question 3

a. Describe one advantage of using QR codes rather than traditional

barcodes.

b. Describe the purpose of the three large squares at the corners of

the QR code.

c. Describe one disadvantage of using QR codes.

 Question 3
a. Describe one advantage of using QR codes rather than traditional
barcodes.
QR codes are easier to read; they don’t need expensive laser or LED
(light emitting diode) scanners like barcodes – they can be read by
the cameras on smartphones or tablets.

b. Describe the purpose of the three large squares at the corners of

the QR code.
Three large squares at the corners are used to align the QR code
when it is being scanned by camera.

c. Describe one disadvantage of using QR codes.

QR codes can be used to transmit malicious codes – known as
attagging.
Question 4
Question 4
 Question 5

a)

b)
 Question 5

a)

b)