JPH07104901B2 - Bar code reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Overview] The present invention relates to a bar code reading device, and in order to easily cope with a change in the flag length of a recognition flag given to a bar code, the bar code is read and code conversion is performed. A bar code reading device for identifying a multi-stage bar code by collating predetermined data in the converted code with set recognition flag data, and storing variable length recognition flag data set and input from the outside. And a demodulation unit for identifying the flag length by referring to the recognition flag data, extracting data for the flag length from the reference position of the code, and collating the data with the recognition flag data. The set and input variable length recognition flag data is referred to for each collation, and the multi-stage bar code with the recognition flag is identified.

[Industrial application field]

 The present invention relates to improvements in bar code readers.

For example, point-of-sale information management system (hereinafter POS system)
The bar code used for is usually 13 digits and has a limited amount of information.

Therefore, there is a demand for product management using two or more barcodes, and a multi-stage barcode method has been proposed.

In this multi-stage bar code system, a recognition flag is provided for each bar code of each stage, and the bar code reading device and its upper device identify the multi-stage bar code by this recognition flag.

However, by allocating this recognition flag within 13 digits, there is a problem that the amount of information of a normal one-stage bar code decreases, and it is considered that the allocation of information amount is changed by changing the length of the recognition flag. However, there is a demand for a bar code reader that can easily deal with this change in flag length.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a normal one-stage barcode, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-stage barcode.

As is well known, the barcode symbol used in the POS system (hereinafter referred to as the barcode) is JAN (Japanes).
e Article Number) code.

As shown in FIG. 4, this bar code expresses a 13-digit numerical code, and is made up of the country of manufacture (2 digits), the manufacturer name (5 digits),
It consists of a product name (5 digits) and a check digit (1 digit).

Manufacturers who provide merchandise print bar codes on merchandise based on this JAN standard, and stores read them with an optical bar code reader to input merchandise data to POS terminals.

In the case of fresh food or the like, a bar code label is issued in the store, but in this case, it is determined that the first digit is “2” as a code indicating in-store.

Since these normally used one-stage bar codes are all 13 digits, there is a limit to the amount of information. For example, a multi-stage bar code has been proposed so that color designation, size designation and the like can be input by the bar code.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a two-stage bar code. A recognition flag 12 is assigned to each of the first two digits. For in-store, for example, "20" is one of the two-stage bar code.
Indicates the second bar code 40a, "29" is the second bar code 40
represents b.

In this way, the multi-level bar code is assigned with the two-digit recognition flag 12 of "20" to "29" so as to be within the reading range of the bar code reader.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a stationary bar code reader, which is configured to read a normal one-stage bar code and a multi-stage bar code, respectively.

In the figure, the laser light emitted from the light source 2 is repeatedly scanned in a plurality of directions by an optical system. When a product is placed on this scanning surface, the laser light that irradiates and reflects the barcode surface is focused on the same optical system, and converted by the conversion circuit 3 by an electric signal to be binarized.

From this binarized signal, the demodulation unit 5 causes the left guard bar LGB,
The center bar CB and the light guard bar RGB are identified and the code is converted, and the normalization of the data is verified with a check digit.

Since the product is scanned multiple times with laser light, a plurality of codes can be obtained from the binarized signal, but the normality of the data is recognized as normal when the contents of all the codes match, and two sets of codes If is obtained, the contents of the first two digits are compared with the flag information 14 (“20” and “29”), and either one matches “20” and the other matches “29”. In the case, it is recognized as a two-stage bar code and two sets of codes are output to the POS terminal 8.

The POS terminal 8 identifies the product code or the like from the received code and refers to the price reference table to perform registration processing.
When two sets of codes are received, the recognition flag 12 causes the first-stage code 30a corresponding to the first-stage barcode 40a and the second-stage code corresponding to the second-stage barcode 40b.
30b is identified, each data is analyzed, and predetermined processing is performed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

A recognition flag 12 is assigned to the first two digits of 13 digits in each of the conventional multi-stage barcodes, and in order to distinguish it from the multi-stage barcode, a code whose first two digits match the recognition flag 12 is a normal one. It cannot be used as a bar code.

For example, if the recognition flag 12 has a two-digit "20", it cannot be used with a single-stage bar code from 2000000000000 to 2099999999999. However, if the recognition flag 12 is set to, for example, four digits "2000", the unusable range is reduced to 2000000000000 to 20000999999999, and the information amount of the multi-stage bar code is reduced accordingly.

As described above, when the flag length is changed, the allocation of the information amount of the one-stage bar code and the multi-stage bar code is changed, so that it is possible to meet the demands of each user.

However, in the conventional collating process of the bar code reading device, since the number of digits is fixed, there is a problem that it is not easy to deal with the change in the flag length.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a barcode reading device that can easily deal with a change in the recognition flag length.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In the principle diagram of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a setting memory, which stores recognition flag data 12a of variable length which is externally set and input.

A demodulation unit 5a refers to the setting memory 4 for each collation to identify the flag length of the recognition flag 12, extracts data for the flag length from the reference digit of the converted code and collates with the recognition flag data 12a. .

[Work]

Recognition flag data 12 of variable length from the outside, for example, a host device
A is set and input, and the bar code reading device stores this data in the setting memory 4.

The demodulation unit 5a identifies the flag length by referring to the setting memory 4 for each collation, extracts the data for the flag length from the reference digit (leading digit) of the converted code, and identifies the identification flag data 12a.
Compare with. When they match, the multi-stage barcode 40 is recognized.

As described above, the recognition flag data 12a of variable length from the outside
To identify the recognition flag 12 attached to the multi-stage barcode 40 based on the recognition flag data 12a,
There is no need to change the bar code reader for changing the recognition flag length.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5.

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.

In this embodiment, the external setting is set by the POS terminal device connected to the bar code reader, and the multi-level bar code 40 is set as the two-level bar code 40a, 40b shown in FIG.
An example of reading

Fig. 2 In the POS terminal 8a, 11 is an input unit, which allows recognition flag data of variable length.
12a is input.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a setting control unit, which sets the input variable length recognition flag data 12a in the memory 13 and notifies the barcode reading apparatus 1a of the same.
The content of is sent to the barcode reading device 1a.

Reference numeral 9 is a transaction processing unit for executing a transaction, and when two sets of codes are transferred from the bar code reader 1a, the memory 13 is referred to for data analysis.

Reference numeral 13 is a writable nonvolatile memory.

Further, in the bar code reading apparatus 1a of the present invention, 7 is an interface section for exchanging data with the POS terminal 8a.

A setting unit 6 stores in the setting memory 4 two sets of variable-length recognition flag data 12a notified from the POS terminal 8a.

Reference numeral 4 is a setting memory and reference numeral 5a is a demodulation unit, which performs code conversion and, when two sets of codes are obtained, refers to the setting memory 4 and performs identification processing described later.

In addition, the same reference numeral represents the same object throughout the drawings.

With the above configuration, the setting and identification processing as shown in the following example is performed.

(1) Setting process When the recognition flag 12 of the two-stage bar code 40a, 40b is determined, the clerk sets and inputs two sets of recognition flag data 12a corresponding to the recognition flag 12 from the input unit 11 of the POS terminal 8a. .

In order to represent the variable-length recognition flag data 12a, for example, when the maximum variable amount of the recognition flag 12 is 4 digits, in the case of 2 digits, "20FF""29FF" (hexadecimal notation, the same below) In this case, enter the setting like "200F" and "290F". Since each digit of the barcode is a decimal number, the flag length can be identified from these data.

As a result, the setting control unit 10 stores the setting input data in the memory 13 and notifies the barcode reading device 1a.

In the bar code reader 1a, the setting unit 6 receives this data and stores it in the setting memory 4.

When the setting memory 4 is a RAM, the setting control unit 10 reads the contents of the memory 13 when the power is turned on and sends the contents to the bar code reading device 1a for initial setting.

(2) Identification processing When the barcode is read, the demodulation unit 5a identifies LGB, CB, RGB from the binary signal and performs code conversion.

When the two-stage barcodes 40a and 40b are normally read, the obtained plurality of codes are classified into two sets. Therefore, it is verified whether the codes are those of the two-stage barcodes 40a and 40b.

First, the setting memory 4 is referenced to identify the flag length. For example, if the set recognition flag data 12a is "200F" and "290F", it can be recognized that each has three digits. Then, the first 3 digits (12 bits) of each of the two sets of codes are compared with "200" and "290", and only when either one is "200" and the other is "290",
The two sets of codes are sent to the POS terminal 8a as normal, and in other cases, an error message is output as a read error.

The converted code is one set, and the recognition flag data
If it does not match 12a, it is recognized as a normal one-stage bar code and sent to the POS terminal 8a as it is.

As described above, the variable length recognition flag data 12a is externally supplied.
Is set in the setting memory 4, and by referring to the contents of the setting memory 4, the flag length of the recognition flag 12 and the flag data can be known, and the flag length of the recognition flag 12 added to the barcode can be changed. On the other hand, it is not necessary to change the demodulation unit 5a, that is, the barcode reading device 1a.

In the first embodiment, the setting is input from the POS terminal 8a.
When the terminal 8a is connected to the host device, it may be set by the host device.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention provides a bar code reading device configured to externally set variable-length recognition flag data and read a bar code with a recognition flag while referring to the data. It is not necessary to change the bar code reading device for changing the flag length, and there is an effect that the user's request for allocating the information amount of the single-step bar code and the multi-step bar code can be easily met.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a normal one-stage barcode, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-stage barcode. In the figure, 1 and 1a are bar code readers, 2 is a light source, 3 is a conversion circuit, 4 is a setting memory, 5 and 5a are demodulation units, 6 is a setting unit, and 7 is a setting unit.
Is an interface unit, 8 and 8a are POS terminals, 9 is a transaction processing unit, 10 is a setting control unit, 11 is an input unit, 12 is a recognition flag, 12
a is variable-length recognition flag data, 13 is memory, 14 is flag information, 30a is first-stage code, 30b is second-stage code, 40 is multi-stage barcode, 40a is first-stage barcode, 40b is second-stage The eye bar code.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code, converting the code, and collating predetermined data in the converted code with set recognition flag data to identify a multi-stage bar code. Variable length recognition flag data (12
a) setting memory (4) for storing a) and a demodulation for identifying a flag length by referring to the recognition flag data, extracting data corresponding to the flag length from a reference position of the code, and collating with the recognition flag data Part (5a) and refers to the variable length recognition flag data (12a) set and input from the outside for each collation, and recognizes the recognition flag (1
A bar code reader characterized by identifying a multi-stage bar code (40) provided with (2).