Patent ID: 7051930

Claim:
A bar code symbol having encoded thereon an expandable data structure representative of a single numerical value, the expandable data structure comprising: a start character including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, each bar being one module element wide; at least one data character configured to encode said single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, wherein N is an integer value, the termination data character and each continuation character each including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, wherein the predetermined pattern includes the same total number of bar symbols and space symbols irrespective of the single numerical value encoded thereupon in which each said bar symbol is defined by a single bar and each space symbol is defined by one or more adjacent spaces and in which each zero (0) to N continuation character immediately precedes the termination data character and represents a predetermined numerical value to be added to the single numerical value of said termination data character in order to selectively expand the single numerical value of said data character; and a one module element stop character.