Norman Joseph Woodland
Encyclopedia
Norman Joseph Woodland is best known as one of the inventors of the barcode
, for which he received US Patent 2,612,994 in October 1952. He is also known as N. Joseph Woodland and N.J. Woodland.
the elder of two boys. After graduating from Atlantic City High School
, Woodland went on to earn his Bachelor of Science
in Mechanical Engineering
(BSME) from Drexel University
in 1947. During his military service in WWII, Woodland worked as a technical assistant with the Manhattan Project
in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
. From 1948-1949, Woodland worked as a lecturer in mechanical engineering at Drexel.
, a fellow Drexel Institute of Technology
grad student with Woodland, overheard a supermarket executive asking the dean of students to figure out how to capture product information automatically at checkout. The dean turned down the request, but Silver went on to mention the problem to Woodland. After working on some preliminary ideas, Woodland was persuaded that they could create a viable product.
Woodland took some stock market earnings, quit his teaching job and moved to his grandfather's Florida apartment. While at the beach, Woodland again considered the problem, recalling how with Morse code
, dots and dashes are used to send information electronically, then started to draw dots and dashes in the sand similar to the shapes used in Morse code. After pulling them downward with his fingers, producing thin lines resulting from the dots and thick lines from the dashes, he came up with the concept of a two-dimensional Morse code, and after sharing it with Silver and adapting movie soundtrack technology, they applied for a patent on October 20, 1949, receiving U.S. Patent 2,612,994 ("Classifying Apparatus and Method") on October 7, 1952, covering both linear and circular bullseye printing designs.
Woodland was employed by IBM in 1951, and although Woodland and Silver wanted IBM to develop the technology, it wasn't commercially feasible, so they sold the patent to Philco in 1952, who sold it to RCA in 1952. RCA went on to attempt to develop commercial applications through the 1960s until the patent expired in 1969.
After RCA interested the National Association of Food Chains in 1969, and they formed the U.S. Supermarket Ad Hoc Committee on a Uniform Grocery Product Code, rival IBM became involved in 1971, finding out about Woodland's work and transferring him to their North Carolina facilities, where he played a key role in developing the most important version of the technology, the Universal Product Code
(UPC), beating RCA in a competition.
Barcode
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional . Later they evolved into rectangles,...
, for which he received US Patent 2,612,994 in October 1952. He is also known as N. Joseph Woodland and N.J. Woodland.
Personal life
Woodland was born in Atlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
the elder of two boys. After graduating from Atlantic City High School
Atlantic City High School
Atlantic City High School is a four-year public high school located in Atlantic City, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Atlantic City School District. The current school building opened in 1994 and holds approximately 2,500 students...
, Woodland went on to earn his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
(BSME) from Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
in 1947. During his military service in WWII, Woodland worked as a technical assistant with the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
. From 1948-1949, Woodland worked as a lecturer in mechanical engineering at Drexel.
Barcode
In 1948 Bernard SilverBernard Silver
Bernard Silver was an early developer of barcode technology alongside Norman Joseph Woodland.Silver earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Drexel Institute of Technology in 1947...
, a fellow Drexel Institute of Technology
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
grad student with Woodland, overheard a supermarket executive asking the dean of students to figure out how to capture product information automatically at checkout. The dean turned down the request, but Silver went on to mention the problem to Woodland. After working on some preliminary ideas, Woodland was persuaded that they could create a viable product.
Woodland took some stock market earnings, quit his teaching job and moved to his grandfather's Florida apartment. While at the beach, Woodland again considered the problem, recalling how with Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
, dots and dashes are used to send information electronically, then started to draw dots and dashes in the sand similar to the shapes used in Morse code. After pulling them downward with his fingers, producing thin lines resulting from the dots and thick lines from the dashes, he came up with the concept of a two-dimensional Morse code, and after sharing it with Silver and adapting movie soundtrack technology, they applied for a patent on October 20, 1949, receiving U.S. Patent 2,612,994 ("Classifying Apparatus and Method") on October 7, 1952, covering both linear and circular bullseye printing designs.
Woodland was employed by IBM in 1951, and although Woodland and Silver wanted IBM to develop the technology, it wasn't commercially feasible, so they sold the patent to Philco in 1952, who sold it to RCA in 1952. RCA went on to attempt to develop commercial applications through the 1960s until the patent expired in 1969.
After RCA interested the National Association of Food Chains in 1969, and they formed the U.S. Supermarket Ad Hoc Committee on a Uniform Grocery Product Code, rival IBM became involved in 1971, finding out about Woodland's work and transferring him to their North Carolina facilities, where he played a key role in developing the most important version of the technology, the Universal Product Code
Universal Product Code
The Universal Product Code is a barcode symbology , that is widely used in North America, and in countries including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand for tracking trade items in stores. Its most common form, the UPC-A, consists of 12 numerical digits, which are uniquely assigned to each trade item...
(UPC), beating RCA in a competition.
Awards
- In 1973 IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
presented Woodland with their Outstanding Contribution Award. - In 1992 he was awarded the National Medal of TechnologyNational Medal of TechnologyThe National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology...
from President George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
for his contribution to barcode technology. - In 1998 Woodland received an honorary degree from his alma mater, Drexel University.
- In 2011 Woodland was inducted into the National Inventors' Hall of Fame/