Barcode Reading

AmbirScan Web Connect can detect and decode barcodes from scanned images.

note

Barcode decoding is a premium feature that requires additional licensing. Without a license, barcode results will not be returned. Contact Ambir for pricing.

Enabling Barcode Detection

Pass barcodeReadingEnabled: true in your scan parameters:

const images = await scanner.scan({
    resolution: 300,
    colorMode: 'Color',
    barcodeReadingEnabled: true,
    barcodeFilterLevel: 'Normal'
});

Reading Barcode Results

Each scanned image includes a barcodes array:

images.forEach(image => {
    if (image.barcodes && image.barcodes.length > 0) {
        image.barcodes.forEach(barcode => {
            console.log(`Type: ${barcode.barcodeType}`);
            console.log(`Text: ${barcode.text}`);
            console.log(`Confidence: ${(barcode.confidence * 100).toFixed(0)}%`);

            // AAMVA driver's license data (if applicable)
            if (barcode.isAamva && barcode.parsedData) {
                console.log(`Driver License Data: ${barcode.parsedData}`);
            }
        });
    }
});

Supported Barcode Formats

The following barcode formats are detected:

1D Barcodes

Format	Description
CODE_128	High-density linear barcode
CODE_39	Alphanumeric barcode
CODE_93	Compact alphanumeric barcode
EAN_13	European Article Number (13-digit)
EAN_8	European Article Number (8-digit)
UPC_A	Universal Product Code (12-digit)
UPC_E	Compressed UPC
ITF	Interleaved 2 of 5
CODABAR	Numeric barcode used in libraries and blood banks
RSS_14	GS1 DataBar (formerly RSS-14)
RSS_EXPANDED	GS1 DataBar Expanded

2D Barcodes

Format	Description
PDF_417	High-capacity 2D barcode (used on driver's licenses, shipping labels)
QR_CODE	Quick Response code
DATA_MATRIX	Compact 2D barcode
AZTEC	Used on boarding passes and transit tickets
MAXICODE	Fixed-size 2D barcode (used by UPS for package tracking)

AAMVA Driver's License Decoding

AmbirScan Web Connect includes built-in AAMVA (American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators) decoding for North American driver's licenses and identification cards. When a PDF_417 barcode from a driver's license is detected, the barcode result includes parsed AAMVA data.

How It Works

The PDF_417 barcode on the back of North American driver's licenses encodes personal and license data in the AAMVA standard format. AmbirScan Web Connect automatically detects AAMVA-encoded barcodes and parses the structured data.

Barcode Result Fields

When an AAMVA barcode is detected, the barcode object includes additional fields:

Field	Type	Description
isAamva	boolean	true if the barcode contains AAMVA-encoded data
parsedData	string	Parsed AAMVA data from the driver's license

Example

const images = await scanner.scan({
    resolution: 300,
    colorMode: 'Color',
    barcodeReadingEnabled: true,
    barcodeFilterLevel: 'Normal'
});

images.forEach(image => {
    image.barcodes?.forEach(barcode => {
        if (barcode.isAamva && barcode.parsedData) {
            console.log('Driver License Data:', barcode.parsedData);
        }
    });
});

tip

For best results scanning driver's licenses, use 300 DPI and Color mode. The PDF_417 barcode on the back of the license is typically small and dense.

Filter Levels

The barcodeFilterLevel parameter controls how aggressively false positives are filtered:

Level	Description	Use Case
Low	Minimal validation, may include false positives	When you need to catch every possible barcode
Normal	Balanced validation (recommended)	General use
High	Strict validation, fewer false positives	When accuracy is more important than recall
VeryHigh	Most strict, only high-confidence results	When you need maximum certainty

Best Practices

• Resolution: Use 300 DPI for best barcode detection. Lower resolutions may miss small barcodes.
• Color mode: Grayscale or Color both work well. Black & White may lose detail on damaged barcodes.
• Multiple barcodes: The scanner detects all barcodes on a page in a single scan — no need to scan multiple times.
• Performance: Barcode detection adds processing time (typically 2-5 seconds). Only enable it when needed.