2D Barcode
Linear Barcode
PLANET
PLANET
PLANET code symbology is also know as USPS PLANET barcode and USPS confirm service barcode. USPS uses the PLANET code symbology in confirming service during delivery. The USPS confirming service proivdes the information inlcuding the origin confirm (inconming reply mail send back by customers) and the destination confirm (Out bound mail going to customers). The USPS Planet barcode could be used to identify and track inbound and outbound letter mail. US postal office used the Postnet and Planet barcode symbology in tracking system. Both Postnet and Planet barcode symbology have 62 bars and same size setting. The main difference between the 2 barcodes is the position of the bars. The long and short bar positon in the Planet Code is reversed to the postnet code. The PLANET code symbology constains 11 to 13 digits. Plus the check digit automatically computed by the software, the total length of the PLANET code symbology will be 12 or 14 digits. And now Intelligent Mail will be considered first since it combined the capabilities of the PLANET and Postnet code symbology to sort mails. On May 2011, USPS annouced mailers will not be share discounts when using Postnet barcode and Planet barcode will be retired as a means to track mail. It does not mean Postnet barcode and Planet barcode are rejected by USPS.
Valid Encoding Data of PLANET Code Symbology
Valid Character Setting of PLANET Code Symbology ranges from numeric digit 0 to 9.
Component of PLANET Code Symbology
The PLANET code symbology is consisit of the 4 parts. It starts and ends with a frame bar. Each code digit is expressed by 5 long or short bars. PLANET barcode is located in the address block position.
The first 2 digits is the service type ID. The service type, class and shape of the mail is included. The defined digits of the confirming service including:

For the origin confriming barcode

21 Residual mail
50 Courtesy reply letters
51 Courtesy reply flats
52 Business reply letters
53 Business reply flats
54 Business reply cards
56 QBRM letters
57 QBRM cards
58 Courtesy reply cards

For the destination confirming barcode

22 Residual mail
40 First Class letters
41 First Class flats
42 Standard letters
43 Standard flats
46 First Class cards
47 Standard cards
The following 5 digits is the subscriber ID number which assinged by the Postal Service

The next 4 or 6 digits is used by the mailer of customer identification

The last digit is the checksum digit automatically calculated by the software
How to Encode PLANET Code Symbology
The PLANET Barcode Symbology is expressed as the long bar (0) and short bar (1). The numberic data barcode encoded will be represted as:

Numeric value 1 is encoded in binary code value as 11100
Numeric value 2 is encoded in binary code value as 11010
Numeric value 3 is encoded in binary code value as 11001
Numeric value 4 is encoded in binary code value as 10110
Numeric value 5 is encoded in binary code value as 10101
Numeric value 6 is encoded in binary code value as 10011
Numeric value 7 is encoded in binary code value as 01110
Numeric value 8 is encoded in binary code value as 01101
Numeric value 9 is encoded in binary code value as 01011
Numeric value 0 is encoded in binary code value as 00011
Checksum Calculation of PLANET Barcode Symbology
Check digit is essential for offering detection for scanning the barcode. The PLANET barcode symbology is based on the Mod10 method to compute checksum digit as Postnet barcode symbology. Simply sum up all the digits in the barcode. Result in a total and add one number to let result even divided by 10.

If we want to encode (12345678912) in Postnet barcode symbology, the checksum digit will be calculated as (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+1+2)=48. Thus number 2 is the checksum digit of the postnet barcode symbology.