JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Annexe 2:

ISBT 128 check character calculation

ISBT 128 donation numbers utilise check characters based on the ISO 7064 modulus 37,2 algorithm. This Annex shows how to calculate the check character for a given number. The calculation is based on the donation number string excluding the leading ‘=‘ symbol and the flag characters.

The steps in the process are as follows:

1. For each character in the string determine its check value as required by ISO 7064 (see Table A2.1).

2. For each character determine its weighted check value by multiplying the check value from (1) by the nth power of 2 where n is the position of the character from the right-hand end of the string.

3. Sum the weighted check values from (2).

4. Find the modulus 37 value of the sum from (3).

5. Subtract the value obtained in (4) from 38.

6. Find the modulus 37 value of the result of (5). This is the 37,2 checksum.

The calculated checksum is used to generate both the barcode check characters used in the flag positions of the ISBT 128 barcode and the eye-readable check character. The barcode check characters are determined by adding 60 to the checksum. The eye-readable check character is determined by cross-referencing the checksum to Table A2.1.


Table A2.1 Mapping from characters to ISO 7064 check values

Char

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

A

B

C

D

Value

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

 

Char

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

Value

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

 

Char

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

*

 

 

 

 

 

Value

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table A2.2 Example of displayed numbers

Donation number G123 498 654 321
Position from right (n) 2n Character ISO7064 value (step 1) Weighted value (step 2)

13

8192

G

16

131072

12

4096

1

1

4096

11

2048

2

2

4096

10

1024

3

3

3072

9

512

4

4

2048

8

256

9

9

2304

7

128

8

8

1024

6

64

6

6

384

5

32

5

5

160

4

16

4

4

64

3

8

3

3

24

2

4

2

2

8

1

2

1

1

2

Step 3

Sum of weighted values

148354

Step 4

Sum mod 37

21

Step 5

Subtract from 38

17

Step 6

Mod 37

17

ISO 37,2 checksum =

17

ISBT128 barcode check characters

77

ISBT128 eye-readable check =

H

 

Last updated 13/03/2024