JP2017045284A - Bar code reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To read a one-dimensional bar code printed on the end side of the paper by a cut paper printer by a plurality paper units without breaking a mountain of papers printed by the cut paper printer.SOLUTION: A bar code reading system 1 is constituted of: at least a camera 2 for photographing a multistage one-dimensional bar code 50 appearing on the side surface of a mountain 5 of inclined papers by a predetermined field size, and an image processing device 3 for processing an image photographed by the camera 2. Bar code reading means 33 of the image processing device 3 executes processing for reading the entire zero-dimensional bar codes 40 included in image data by scanning each hierarchy in a horizontal direction after executing processing for dividing the image data transferred from the camera 2 into predetermined hierarchies.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for reading a one-dimensional barcode printed on the edge of a sheet.

  When printing personal information such as customer data with a cut paper printer that prints on cut paper cut to standard dimensions, the paper printed by the cut paper printer is placed between the paper stacked in the discharge section of the cut paper printer. The order of the sheets printed by the cut sheet printer may be disturbed by being inserted.

  Disorders in the order of paper printed by a cut paper printer can be detected by an order inspection performed when the paper is sealed in an envelope. Therefore, even in a printing site where paper is printed by a cut paper printer, the paper printed by the cut paper printer is managed in units of paper.

  Conventionally, at a printing site where paper is printed, as a paper management of paper printed by a cut paper printer, a one-dimensional barcode encoded with a different management number (for example, a serial number) for each paper is applied to the paper by a cut paper printer. Printing and reading a one-dimensional barcode for each sheet using a barcode reader. As an invention related to a paper management technique using a bar code reader, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228867 discloses an invention of paper management using a one-dimensional bar code printed on paper in advance. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an invention for managing paper using a color printed on paper instead of a one-dimensional barcode.

  The work of reading the one-dimensional barcode printed on the paper for each paper can be done by an apparatus equipped with a path for transporting the paper or by manual work, but in any case, it was printed by a cut paper printer. The piles of paper had to be crushed and one-dimensional barcodes had to be read for each paper.

JP 200631236 A JP 2004-203588 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to read a one-dimensional bar code printed on the edge of a sheet by a cut sheet printer in units of a plurality of sheets without destroying a pile of sheets printed by the cut sheet printer. And

  The present invention that solves the above-described problem is a multi-stage one-dimensional barcode that appears on the side surface of the paper pile when the paper pile on which the one-dimensional barcode is printed is inclined. After dividing the image data transferred from the camera for photographing with a predetermined field of view size into a predetermined number of hierarchies, for each of the hierarchies, the hierarchies are scanned horizontally in the hierarchies to A barcode reading system comprising: an image processing apparatus including a barcode reading unit that performs a process of reading a dimensional barcode.

  According to the above-described invention, the image data transferred from the camera to the image processing apparatus includes a multistage one-dimensional barcode image. A multi-stage one-dimensional barcode is a state in which a plurality of linear one-dimensional barcodes are stacked in layers, so that the image processing apparatus divides the image data transferred from the camera into a predetermined number of hierarchies. A plurality of one-dimensional barcodes constituting a multi-stage one-dimensional barcode photographed by the camera are obtained by scanning the inside of the hierarchy in the horizontal direction and reading the one-dimensional barcode in the hierarchy every time. Can be read in a lump without breaking the mountain.

The figure explaining the structure of a barcode reading system. The figure explaining the pile of paper. The block diagram of a barcode reading system. The figure explaining the image data which a camera transfers. The figure explaining operation | movement of the barcode reading means with which an image processing apparatus is provided. The figure explaining the content which an image processing apparatus processes image data. The figure explaining an example of the method of slanting the peak of a paper.

  From here, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. The following description is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but is provided to aid understanding.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a barcode reading system 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the barcode reading system 1 according to the present embodiment is a camera for photographing the side surface of a paper pile 5 on which paper 4 on which a one-dimensional barcode 40 is printed is stacked. 2 and an image processing apparatus 3 that performs processing for reading all of the one-dimensional barcode 40 included in the image captured by the camera 2.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a stack 5 of paper. A one-dimensional bar code 40 encoded with data used for paper management is printed on the paper edge of the paper 4 after printing that is accumulated on the paper pile 5. Since the one-dimensional barcode 40 printed on the paper edge is used only for paper management, it is desirable that the size of the one-dimensional barcode 40 be a size that fits outside the finish line 41 printed on the paper 4. .

  As can be seen by referring to the dictionary index, the presence or absence of the one-dimensional barcode 40 printed on the edge of the paper is visible from the side surface of the paper pile 5 on which the paper 4 is accumulated. In order to optically recognize the one-dimensional barcode 40 printed on the edge, the paper peak 5 is inclined so that the side surface of the paper peak 5 corresponding to the paper edge on which the one-dimensional barcode 40 is printed is inclined. . When the mountain 5 of the paper is tilted, the edge of the paper on which the one-dimensional barcode 40 is printed is exposed in a substantially staircase shape, so that 1 printed on the edge of the paper as shown in FIGS. A part of the three-dimensional barcode 40 is exposed in a line shape, and a multi-stage one-dimensional barcode 50 appears on the side surface of the mountain 5 of the paper.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the barcode reading system 1. As described above, the barcode reading system 1 according to the present embodiment includes the camera 2 that captures the multi-stage one-dimensional barcode 50 appearing on the side surface of the inclined paper peak 5 with a predetermined field size. , And at least an image processing device 3 that performs a process of reading a one-dimensional barcode 40 included in an image captured by the camera 2.

  The camera 2 constituting the barcode reading system 1 is a type capable of photographing a rectangular area, and includes an image sensor 21 that converts light into an electric signal, a lens 20 that collects light on the image sensor 21, and an image sensor 21. Is provided with at least an external interface 23 for transferring the image data converted by the signal processing circuit 22 to an external device (here, the image processing device 3). As the image sensor 21 of the camera 2, a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor is generally used, and as the external interface 23, a USB interface is generally used.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the image data 24 transferred by the camera 2. The camera 2 is used to photograph a multistage one-dimensional barcode 50 appearing on the side surface of the paper pile 5 with a predetermined field of view size, so that the image data 24 shown in FIG. 4 includes CODE 39, PDF 417, and the like. Thus, an image in a state where a plurality of linear one-dimensional barcodes 40 are stacked is included. The visual field size of the camera 2 is determined so that the thin bar and the thin space constituting the one-dimensional barcode 40 can be recognized on the image processing apparatus 3 side.

  The image processing apparatus 3 constituting the barcode reading system 1 is specifically a personal computer or a computer specialized for image processing functions, and includes an external interface 31 for receiving image data transferred from the camera 2, a camera 2 includes a processor 30 that performs image processing on the image data transferred by the processor 2 and a memory 32 (such as a RAM or a data storage device) that is used by the processor when performing image processing. Further, the image processing apparatus 3 constituting the barcode reading system 1 performs image processing on the image data transferred from the camera 2 as a means realized by the above-described computer program using the hardware resources, so that the camera 2 Are provided with barcode reading means 33 for executing processing for reading each of the one-dimensional barcodes 40 included in the multistage one-dimensional barcode 50 photographed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the barcode reading means 33 provided in the image processing apparatus 3. When the image data is transferred from the camera 2 via the external interface 31 of the image processing apparatus 3 (S1), the barcode reading means 33 of the image processing apparatus 3 receives the image data transferred by the camera 2 from the image processing apparatus 3. The processing stored in the memory 32 is executed (S2). Next, the barcode reading means 33 of the image processing device 3 executes processing for processing (binarization processing, rotation processing, etc.) the image data stored in the memory 32 so that the barcode can be easily decoded (binary processing, rotation processing, etc.). S3). Next, the bar code reading means 33 of the image processing apparatus 3 executes a process of dividing the image data stored in the memory 32 into a predetermined number of hierarchies (S4), and then scans each hierarchies in the horizontal direction. A process of reading all the one-dimensional barcodes 40 included in the image data is executed (S5), and this procedure is terminated.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the contents of the image processing apparatus 3 processing the image data. If the procedure described with reference to FIG. 5 is followed, the barcode reading means 33 of the image processing apparatus 3 divides the image data 24 into a predetermined number of hierarchies 25 when processing the image data 24 shown in FIG. All the one-dimensional barcodes 40 included in the image data 24 are read by scanning the center of each layer 25 in the horizontal direction. For example, when the visual field size of the camera 2 is 20 mm and the number of pixels of the camera 2 is 5 million pixels, if the image data 24 transferred from the camera 2 is divided into 100 layers, one dimension included in the layer 25 Each bar code 40 can be identified.

  As described above, in the barcode reading system 1 according to the present embodiment, the paper pile 5 is inclined so that the side surface corresponding to the edge of the paper on which the one-dimensional barcode 40 is printed is inclined, so that the multi-stage In order to implement the barcode reading system 1 according to the present embodiment, it is necessary to incline the paper peak 5 obliquely so that the one-dimensional barcode 50 can be seen from the side surface of the paper peak 5. Become.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for tilting the peak 5 of the sheet. In FIG. 7, the paper pile 5 is tilted using the base 6 having the backrest portion 60 with an angle for tilting the paper pile 5. When the paper pile 5 is tilted, the paper pile 5 is loaded on the table 6 in a state where the table 6 is not tilted, and then the table on which the paper pile 5 is loaded using a jack or the like. By tilting the paper pile 5 loaded on the table 6 against the backrest portion 60, the paper pile 5 is inclined along the angle of the backrest portion 60.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bar code reading system 2 Camera 3 Image processing apparatus 33 Bar code reading means 4 Paper 40 1-dimensional barcode 5 Paper pile 50 Multi-stage 1-dimensional barcode

Claims (1)

Camera for photographing a multi-level one-dimensional barcode appearing on the side surface of the paper pile with a predetermined visual field size when the paper pile on which the paper printed with the one-dimensional barcode is accumulated is inclined. When,
Bar code reading means for performing processing of dividing the image data transferred from the camera into a predetermined number of hierarchies and then scanning the hierarchies in the horizontal direction for reading the one-dimensional bar codes in the hierarchies. An image processing apparatus comprising:
A bar code reading system comprising:

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