CCD stands for Charge-coupled Device. Within a CCD camera, light-sensitive elements (CCD sensors) are mounted in the focal point of a lens system. The fast, parallel-serial scanning of the individual points (pixels) resolves a bar code to a point grid. A minimum pixel number must result in the projection of a narrow stroke to resolve.

The code recorded by the CCD sensor is reproduced as an electric (binary) pulse sequence. Here, too, the reading distance can be extended to several meters with appropriate lens optics.

CCD camera systems usually require an additional light source to illuminate the object to be read.

For more information about CCD camera systems, see The Evolution of CCD Cameras.

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