Method, apparatus and character set for encoding and decoding data characters in data carriers, such as RFID tags

摘要

A method, apparatus and computer-readable character set encodes a string of n-bit character codes corresponding to the data characters from an n-bit set of data characters in a data carrier as a string of m-bit character codes, where m is less than n. A method, apparatus and character set, decodes a string of m-bit character codes corresponding to the data characters from an m-bit set of data characters from a data carrier as a string of n-bit character codes, where m is less than n. The n-bit character set contains character codes corresponding to operations and operating modes such as compression modes to efficiently encode and decode data. The n-bit character set further includes character codes that indicate the presence or absence of companion data carries, and that standing alone or in combination with a modifier character code can indicate an operation to be performed on data in the companion data carrier.