条形码技术的基础是，根据定义将字符转换为此类模式的规则（称为符号规范），识别以定义尺寸的暗色和浅色元素编码的模式。 作为机器可读数据载体的条形码符号，如果要实现其基本目标，必须以在使用点可靠解码的方式进行生产。为了在符号生产过程中和之后进行过程控制和质量保证，已经制定了标准方法来测量和评估符号的质量。 条形码设备的制造商、条形码符号的生产商和条形码技术的用户要求使用该方法的测量设备具有公开可用的标准一致性规范，以确保该设备性能的准确性和一致性。 ISO/IEC 15426-1:2006定义了使用ISO/IEC 15416线性条形码符号方法的验证器的测试方法和最低精度标准，并规定了应根据其进行测试的参考校准标准。 ISO/IEC 15426-1:2006规定了设备代表性样品的测试。

The technology of bar coding is based on the recognition of patterns encoded in dark and light elements of defined dimensions according to rules defining the translation of characters into such patterns, known as the symbology specification. The bar code symbol, as a machine-readable data carrier, must be produced in such a way as to be reliably decoded at the point of use, if it is to fulfil its basic objective. Standard methodologies have been developed for measuring and assessing the quality of symbols for process control and quality assurance purposes during symbol production as well as afterwards. Manufacturers of bar code equipment, the producers of bar code symbols and the users of bar code technology require publicly available standard conformance specifications for measuring equipment applying this methodology, to ensure the accuracy and consistency of performance of this equipment. ISO/IEC 15426-1:2006 defines test methods and minimum accuracy criteria for verifiers using the methodology of ISO/IEC 15416 for linear bar code symbols, and specifies reference calibration standards against which these should be tested. ISO/IEC 15426-1:2006 provides for testing of representative samples of the equipment.