JP2010146462A - Bar code symbol and printer therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bar code symbol and a bar code symbol printer, having little or no risk that secret information is leaked. <P>SOLUTION: This bar code symbol printed on a print object such as a label L includes key information, and actual data 2 such as personal information or commodity information including nondisclosure data encrypted and performed with bar code conversion by the key information, and the key information is printed with a print liquid allowing visual recognition only under ultraviolet rays. The printer 10 for the bar code symbol 1 includes: a printer control part 12 creating the key information of the actual data 2 input from the outside, sequentially performing the encryption and the bar code conversion of the actual data 2 by the key information, and converting the key information into numerical information; an actual data printing means 14 printing the actual data 2 output from the printer control part 12 on the label L; and a key information printing means 15 printing the key information output from the printer control part 12 onto the label L with the print liquid allowing the visual recognition only under the ultraviolet rays. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a barcode symbol such as a one-dimensional barcode symbol or a two-dimensional barcode symbol used to display information such as a manufacturer or a product name, and a barcode symbol used to print the barcode symbol. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus.

Conventionally, barcode symbols containing information such as the manufacturer and product name described above include a one-dimensional barcode symbol and a two-dimensional barcode symbol, and these barcode symbols are usually affixed to a product or the like. Printed on the label.
In the case of such a bar code symbol, since it can be read relatively easily, confidential information cannot be entered.

In recent years, two-dimensional barcode symbols that include both public information and non-public information have appeared, and in this two-dimensional barcode symbol, decryption processing is performed based on key information that is included with public information. By doing so, non-public information can be read (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2008-299422 A

  However, in the above-described two-dimensional bar code symbol with private information, the key information for reading the private information is displayed together with the public information, so that there is no possibility that the key information is decrypted. In addition, since the two-dimensional barcode symbol can be easily created or copied, there is a possibility that non-public information may easily leak out. It has been a conventional problem to solve the problem.

  The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-described conventional problems, and this confidentiality can be obtained unless dedicated decryption means is used even though highly confidential information can be easily incorporated together with public information. Bars that cannot read information and that are difficult to print on a normal printing machine or copy on a copying machine, and as a result, there is almost no risk of confidential information leaking. An object of the present invention is to provide a code symbol and bar code symbol printing apparatus.

  The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a barcode symbol printed on a printing object such as a label, and includes key information and non-public data encrypted by the key information and barcode-converted. Printed with printing liquid that consists of this data such as product information and personal information, and whose key information is not visible under visible light and visible only under special light such as ultraviolet rays (preferably ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of about 365 nm). The barcode symbol configuration is used as a means for solving the above-described conventional problems.

  On the other hand, the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is a barcode symbol printing apparatus which prints the present data such as merchandise information and private information including non-public data as a barcode on a printing object such as a label. A controller that creates key information of the main data input from the outside, sequentially performs encryption and bar code conversion of the main data using the key information, and converts the key information into numerical information And a main data printing unit for printing the barcode-converted main data output from the control unit on the print target, and numerically converted key information output from the control unit for the print target. And key information printing means for printing with a printing liquid that is invisible under visible light and visible only under special light such as ultraviolet rays (preferably ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of about 365 nm). A and are characterized in that the, is a means for solving the conventional problems described above the configuration of the printing apparatus of the bar code symbol.

In the barcode symbol according to claim 3 of the present invention, the control unit is configured to perform encryption with a fixed key for data identification at a stage prior to numerical conversion of the key information.
In the barcode symbol according to the present invention, the key information may be printed over the main data, or may be printed around the main data.
Further, in the barcode symbol printing apparatus according to the present invention, the key information printing by the key information printing unit for the printing object such as a label may be performed before the printing of the data by the data printing unit, The printing may be performed after the printing of the data. In some cases, the key information may be imprinted on the printing object in advance before printing the data on the printing object such as a label.

  In the barcode symbol and the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the key information for reading the data is printed with a printing liquid that is invisible under visible light and visible only under a special light beam such as ultraviolet rays. Therefore, there is almost no possibility that this key information will be deciphered, and it becomes extremely difficult to create or copy a bar code symbol having this key information. It can be wiped off.

  Since the barcode symbol and the printing apparatus thereof according to the present invention have the above-described configuration, it is possible to easily incorporate highly confidential information together with public information. It is almost impossible to read confidential information, and in addition, it is difficult to print or copy, and as a result, it is possible to almost eliminate the possibility of confidential information being leaked. Is brought about.

  Also, by encrypting the key information with the fixed key for data identification, reading of the confidential information becomes even more difficult, and it is possible to realize a very excellent effect that it becomes possible to improve the safety. It is.

Hereinafter, a barcode symbol and a printing apparatus thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a barcode symbol according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 4 show an embodiment of a barcode symbol printing apparatus according to the present invention. An example will be described in which the barcode symbol printing apparatus according to the invention is a printing apparatus that prints barcode symbols on labels that are appropriately cut out from roll paper.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the barcode symbol 1 is a two-dimensional barcode symbol printed on a label (printing object) L, and is a book such as product information or private information including non-public data. This data 2 is displayed after being encrypted with the key information and barcode-converted.
The key information is printed with a printing liquid that is invisible under visible light and visible only under ultraviolet light (special light) having a wavelength of about 365 nm. In this embodiment, the key information is shown in FIG. Thus, it is converted into numerical information 3 of “69” and printed in a state of being superimposed on the main data 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the barcode symbol printing apparatus 10 for printing the barcode symbol 1 on the label L includes an operation unit 11 for inputting the main data 2 such as product information and personal information, The key information of the main data 2 inputted from the outside is created by the operation of the operation unit 11, and the key data is sequentially converted into the numerical information 3 while performing the encryption and bar code conversion of the main data 2 by using the key information. Data printing for printing the barcode-converted book data 2 output from the printer control unit 12 on the roll paper supplied from the printer control unit 12 and the roll paper supply unit 13 using a normal printing liquid "69" which is numerically converted key information output from the printer controller 12 for the main data 2 on the roll paper sent through the means 14 and the main data printing means 14. The key information printing means 15 for printing the numerical information 3 in an overlapping manner using a printing liquid that is visible only under an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of about 365 nm, and the roll paper from the roll paper that has passed through the data printing means 14 and the key information printing means 15 in sequence. A cutter unit 16 is provided for cutting out a portion on which the code symbol 1 is printed as a label L.

In this embodiment, the printer controller 12 encrypts the key information using the data identification fixed key before the numerical conversion of the key information.
When the barcode symbol 1 is printed by using the barcode symbol printing apparatus 10, as shown in FIG. 4, first, in step S1, the main data 2 such as product information and personal information is obtained by operating the operation unit 11. In step S2, the printer control unit 12 generates key information of the main data 2 inputted from the outside. In steps S3 and S4, the key information is encrypted and bar code converted sequentially. At the same time, in steps S5 and S6, encryption of key information using a data identification fixed key and numerical conversion of the encrypted key information are sequentially performed.

Next, when the barcode-converted book data 2 is output from the printer control unit 12, printing of the book data 2 by the book data printing unit 14 is performed on the roll paper supplied from the roll paper supply unit 13 in step S7. In contrast, a normal printing liquid is used.
Subsequently, when the numerical information 3 of “69” which is the numerically converted key information is output from the printer control unit 12, the numerical information 3 (key information) is printed by the key information printing unit 15 in step S8. Is superimposed on the main data 2 on the roll paper sent via the main data printing means 14, and at this time, printing using a printing liquid that is visible only under ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of about 365 nm is achieved. Is done.

Then, in step S9, the cutter unit 16 is operated to cut out a portion where the barcode symbol 1 is printed from the roll paper sequentially passing through the data printing unit 14 and the key information printing unit 15 as a label L and issue a ticket.
In the barcode symbol 1 described above, the numerical information 3 of “69” that is key information for reading the data 2 is printed with a printing liquid that is visible only under an ultraviolet ray having a wavelength of about 365 nm. There is almost no concern that the numerical information 3 (key information) will be deciphered. In addition, unless the above-described barcode symbol printing apparatus 10 is used, it is not possible to create or copy the barcode symbol 1 having the key information. It is extremely difficult, and therefore, the concern that confidential information may be leaked can be eliminated.

In the above-described embodiment, since the key information is encrypted with the data identification fixed key in step S5, it becomes even more difficult to read the confidential information, and the safety is improved. It becomes possible.
Note that the encryption of the key information by the printer control unit 12 in step S5 is not necessarily a necessary process, and thus the encryption process of the key information can be omitted.

In the barcode symbol 1 and barcode symbol printing apparatus 10 described above, the numerical information 3 as key information is printed over the main data 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. Numerical information 3 as information may be printed around the data 2.
Further, in the barcode symbol printing apparatus 10 described above, printing of the numerical information 3 as the key information by the key information printing unit 15 on the label L (roll paper) is performed after the printing of the data 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to print the numerical information 3 before printing the main data 2 by the main data printing unit 14, and if necessary, prior to printing the main data 2, It is also possible to imprint numerical information 3 on a printing object such as roll paper in advance.

  The configuration of the barcode symbol and the printing apparatus thereof according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the barcode symbol 1 and the printing apparatus 10 according to the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a view state explanatory diagram under visible light and FIG. 1B is a view state explanatory view under ultraviolet light showing an embodiment of a barcode symbol according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an overall perspective explanatory view schematically showing an embodiment of a barcode symbol printing apparatus according to the present invention used for printing the barcode symbol in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram explaining the structure of the printing apparatus of the barcode symbol in FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the barcode symbol printing apparatus in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

1 Barcode symbol 2 Data 3 Numerical information (key information)
10 Barcode Symbol Printing Device 12 Printer Control Unit (Control Unit)
14 Data printing means 15 Key information printing means L Label (object to be printed)

Claims (3)

A barcode symbol printed on a printing object such as a label,
Key information and
Consists of this data such as product information and personal information including private data that is encrypted with this key information and converted to barcode
The bar code symbol, wherein the key information is printed with a printing liquid that is invisible under visible light and visible only under a special light beam such as ultraviolet rays. A barcode symbol printing apparatus that prints the data such as product information including non-public data and personal data as a barcode on a print target such as a label,
A controller that creates key information of the main data input from the outside, sequentially performs encryption and bar code conversion of the main data using the key information, and converts the key information into numerical information;
Book data printing means for printing the barcode-converted book data output from the control unit on the print object;
Key information printing means for printing the numerically converted key information output from the control unit with a printing liquid that is invisible to visible light under visible light and visible only under a special light beam such as ultraviolet rays. A barcode symbol printing apparatus, comprising: 3. The barcode symbol printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit performs encryption with a fixed key for data identification at a stage prior to numerical conversion of the key information.

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