ISO/IEC INTERNATIONAL STANDARD 18050 First edition 2006-02-15 Information technology Office equipment Print quality attributes for machine readable Digital Postage Marks Technologiesde I'information-Equipementdebureau-Attributs d'impressionqualitepourlestimbrespostauxnumeriqueslisiblespar machine Reference number ISO/IEC 18050:2006(E) TEC @ISO/IEC2006 ISO/IEC18050:2006(E) PDF disclaimer This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat accepts no liability in this area. Adobe isatrademarkofAdobeSystems Incorporated. Details of the software products used to create this PDF file can be found in the General Info relative to the file; the PDF-creation the unlikely event that a problem relating to it is found, please inform the Central Secretariat at the address given below. @ISO/IEC2006 All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, Iso's member body in the country of the requester. ISO copyright office Case postale 56:CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 E-mail [email protected] Web www.iso.org Published in Switzerland ISO/IEC 2006-All rights reserved ISO/IEC18050:2006(E) Contents Page Foreword Introduction 1 Scope.. 2 Normative references.. 3 Terms and definitions 4 Symbols and abbreviations.. 5 Requirements. 6 Basic measurement methodology.. 7 Verification requirements for Digital Postage Marks.. 7.1 Verification equipment.... 7.2 Optical geometry... 7.3 Light source ...... 7.4 Measuring aperture. 7.4.1 Measuring aperturefortwo-dimensional multi-rowsymbologies 7.4.2 Measuring aperturefortwo-dimensional matrix symbologies.. 7.5 Mail format.. 8 Grading implications for individual symbolattributes.. 9 Additional grading parameters -quiet zone . 10 QualificationofprintingsystemsforDigital PostageMarks.. Annex A (normative) Test procedure for printing systems for Digital Postage Marks... A.1 Environmentalconditionsfortest... A.2 Test materials..... A.3 Test procedure.. 12 AnnexB(informative)Lightsources and spectral response characteristicsforverificationof Digital Postage Marks. 13 B.1 Narrow-band illumination. B.2 Broad-band illumination (white light).. 13 B.2.1 Halogen lamps ... B.2.2 Light emitting diode. 14 B.2.3 Gas discharge lamp. 4 B.2.4 Fluorescent lamps... AnnexC(informative)SymbolparametersmeasuredinaccordancewithIso/lEc15415 c.1 Parameters fortwo-dimensional multi-row symbols... C.2 Parametersfortwo-dimensional matrixsymbologies.... Annex D(informative)Characteristics of Digital Postage Mark printingand reading environments thataffect printquality. .18 D.1 Printing of Digital Postage Marks.. D.1.1 Ink-jet printing .. .18 D.1.2 Laserprinting. 18 D.1.3 Thermal transfer printing .. .19 D.1.4 Direct thermal printing ... D.1.5 MatchingX dimensiontoprinter resolution 19 D.2 Reading environment. 20 ISO/IEC 18050:2006(E) Annex E (informative)Possiblecauses of lowparameter grades intheDigital Postage Mark environment... E.1 Multi-row symbologies.. .21 E.1.1 Symbol Contrast...... .21 E.1.2 Minimum reflectance.. .21 E.1.3 Minimumedgecontrast.... 21 E.1.4 Modulation...... Decode E.1.5 E.1.6 Defects. .22 E.1.7 Decodability... E.1.8 Codeword yield. 22 E.1.9 Unused errorcorrection (UEC) E.1.10 Quietzone .22 E.1.11 Print growth... .22 E.1.12 Codeword quality .... E.2 Matrix symbologies .23 E.2.1 Symbol Contrast.... E.2.2 Fixed pattern damage. .23 E.2.3 Modulation.... 23 E.2.4 Axial non-uniformity. E.2.5 Grid non-uniformity .24 E.2.6 Unused error correction 24 E.2.7 Quietzone 24 E.2.8 Print growth. 24 Bibliography .25 ISO/IEC18050:2006(E) Foreword Commission) form the specialized