JPS60160480A - Optical reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate investigation of causes at the time of reading troubles by providing a means to switch the connection of a data automatic generating means to generate the prescribed data and to transit them, a reading part and demodulating part of the data automatic generating means. CONSTITUTION:When read-out data are not demodulated and not displayed on a display 13 of an electronic register 12, a switching part 16 is operated. Then connection to an optical unit 2 is interrupted, a P/S converting part 20 is connected. Data in correspondence with an address signal are transmitted from a test data generating part 19 to the P/S converting part. The serial-converted data are transmitted to a demodulating part 4, which demodulates the data, and also transmitted to a comparating part 21. The data are transmitted to the comparating part 21 from a data memory part 17a. The data are compared in the comparating part 21, and when they are coincident, the optical unit 2 has the causes of troubles. This shows that the demodulating part 4 has abnormalities.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a1 Technical Field of the Invention)
Regarding optical reading devices such as barcode reading devices for electronic registers in systems (hereinafter referred to as PO8),
In particular, the present invention relates to an optical reader equipped with an automatic data generation function that makes it easy to investigate the cause of a reading failure.

(Background of BL technology) Recently, with the spread of computer network systems, POS systems have been adopted in department stores, supermarkets, etc., and barcode reading devices and electronic registers are widely used as terminals.

These terminals are installed at payment counters, operated by operators such as store clerks, and read barcodes printed on product labels and the like using reading devices.

The barcode contains the product number, product name, and product price. When the barcode is read, the prices are sequentially displayed on the display of the electronic register, and finally the total amount is displayed by pressing a button.

The printer then issues a receipt for each sales transaction and records a journal at the same time.

In addition to this register function, it also sends sales information by product online one by one to a computer center, and plays a part in the information management system that comprehensively performs product management such as sales aggregation, inventory management, and purchasing management. .

Therefore, the reading device is required to have particularly high reliability, and in the event that a reading failure occurs, it is necessary to be able to quickly investigate the cause.

(C1 Prior Art and Problems Hereinafter, a stationary reader used in a POS system will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows a barcode reader to which the present invention is applied. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating a scanning laser beam of the optical unit of the reading device of FIG. 1. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reading device 1 includes a control section 3 having an optical unit 2 and a demodulation section 4 therein. The reading device 1 is also coupled to an electronic register 12 .

As shown in FIG. 2, in the optical unit 2, when a rotating hologram disk 10 is irradiated with a laser beam a from a laser tube 11 via a mirror 10a, a scanning laser beam b is emitted to the reflection side. . When the hologram disk 1o rotates and moves in the direction of arrow B in the figure, the scanning laser beam b changes to 1 in the figure corresponding to the moved position.
As shown by the dotted chain line, the light is deflected in the same direction and the angle θ gradually increases. The bar code is scanned and read by this scanning laser beam b. That is, the device has a function of scanning a bar code of an object outside the device with a laser beam b from a radiation window 5 provided at an angle in the upper part, and reading the reflected light.

The control section 3 controls each section and has a demodulation section 4 that demodulates the signal read by the sensor Sl.

The demodulator 4 has the function of removing signals from characters and figures other than barcodes from a series of pulse trains sent from the optical unit 2, detecting the barcode scanning direction, and demodulating and sending out the signals in a predetermined order. have.

A reading window 6 covered with a window glass 6a is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus, and light emitted from the radiation window 5 is emitted from the reading window 6 toward the upper side of the apparatus as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

In the front and rear view of the reading device 1, a front stand 7 and a rear stand 8 are arranged on the right and left sides, a basket containing a product 9 is placed on the front stand 7, and an empty basket is placed on the rear stand 8. ing.

The electronic register 12 includes a display 13 and a control unit 1
The control section 14 has a function of checking the manual data sent from the reading device 1.

With such a configuration and function, the operator takes out the products 9 one by one from the basket on the front stand 7, faces the barcode of the product 9 downward, and scans the predetermined space of the reading window 6 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Once passed, the laser beam emanating from the reading window 6 scans and reads the barcode and displays the barcode data on the display 13 of the electronic register 12 connected to the reading device 1 . And product 9 is rear stand 8
It is placed in the upper basket.

In this way, the barcodes of the products 9 are read and displayed one after another, and finally, when a total button (not shown) is operated, the total amount is displayed.

During this time, if there is a failure that prevents the read data from being demodulated, the data will not be sent to the electronic register 12.
No data is displayed on the display 13.

If such a failure occurs in which data cannot be demodulated, the cause of the failure is investigated, assuming that an abnormality has occurred in the reading device 1, but the data read by the reading device 1 is transferred from the optical unit 2 to the demodulating section 4. electronic register 1
2, it is difficult to determine whether the cause of the failure is in the optical unit 2 or the demodulator 4.
The disadvantage is that fault investigation takes time.

(d1 Purpose of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and to provide an optical reading device in which the cause can be easily investigated in the event of a reading failure.

le1 Structure of the Invention The present invention is characterized by comprising automatic data generation means for generating predetermined data and sending it to the demodulation section, and switching means for switching the connection of the reading section and the automatic data generation means to the demodulation section. This is an optical reading device equipped with an automatic data generation function, thereby achieving its purpose.

(F1 Embodiment of the Invention Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of main parts of the system.The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the plan.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, 3a is a control section, 15 is a data automatic generation section, 16 is a switching section, 17 is a main control section, and 18 is a switching section.
1 is a counter, 19 is a data generation section, 20 is a parallel/serial conversion section (hereinafter referred to as a P/S conversion section), and 21 is a comparison section.

The control section 3a has the functions of the control section 3 described in the conventional example, and also includes an automatic data generation section 15 and a switching section 16.

The automatic data generation section 15 has a function of generating data at the limit that can be demodulated if the demodulation section 4 is normal.

The switching unit 16 is operated to test the demodulating unit 4 when a failure occurs in which read data is not demodulated. When the connection with the optical unit 2 is switched to the automatic data generating unit 15, the main control unit 17 and P
It has a switch function to connect to the /S converter 20.

The main control section 17 includes a data storage section 17a and a panel 17b.
OK lamps L1 and N are provided on the panel 17b.
A G lamp L2 is provided.

In addition, there is a function that is activated when the switching unit 16 is operated and sends a clock signal C to the counter 18, and a function that sends data from the data storage unit 17a to the comparison unit 21 at the timing when the test data subjected to 11LgA is sent to the comparison unit 21. sending,
It has a function of lighting an OK lamp Ll in response to a coincidence signal from the comparison section 21 and lighting an NG lamp L2 in response to a mismatch signal, and at the same time instructing the switching section 16 to switch to the original connection. The data storage section 17a is composed of, for example, a ROM, and stores data to be compared with demodulated test data.

The counter 18 has a function of counting the clock signal C and sending an address signal to the test data generating section 19 when counting an address corresponding to preset test data.

The test data generation unit 19 is composed of, for example, a ROM,
It has a function of outputting test data based on the address signal sent from the counter 18 and sending it to the P/S conversion section 20.

With such a configuration and function, when the read data is not demodulated and is not displayed on the display 13 of the electronic register 12, when the switching unit 16 is operated, the connection with the optical unit 2 is disconnected and the P/S conversion unit is switched off. 20, the main control section 17 is activated, and a clock signal C is sent from the main control section 17 to the counter 18.

When the count of the counter 18 reaches a predetermined value, an address signal is sent to the test data generating section 19. Then, data corresponding to the address signal is sent from the test data generation section 19 to the P/S conversion section? Sent to 9th.

The serially converted data is sent to the demodulation section 4, demodulated, and sent to the comparison section 21. In addition, the data storage section 17
Data is sent to the comparison section 21 from a.

Then, they are compared in the comparison section 21, and when they match, the main control section 1
7 and the OK lamp L1 lights up. That is,
The demodulator 4 is normal, indicating that the cause of the failure is the optical unit 2.

If there is a mismatch, a mismatch signal is sent to the main control section 17 and the NG lamp L2 is turned on. In other words, this indicates that there is an abnormality in the demodulator 4.

When the OK lamp L1 or the NG lamp L2 is turned on, a signal is sent from the main control section 17 to the switching section 16, and the connection to the optical unit 2 is switched.

In this way, it is possible to easily test whether the cause of data not being demodulated is due to the optical unit 2 or the demodulator 4 by simply switching the optical unit 2 or the demodulator 4. Therefore, troubleshooting can be done quickly.

In the above example, the data from the demodulator 4 and the data storage unit 17
Although we have explained the method of comparing the data from the demodulating section 4 with the data from the comparing section 21 to determine whether the demodulating section 4 is correct or not, the method of sending the data from the demodulating section 4 to the electronic register 12 and displaying it on the display 13 has been explained. Also good. In this case, it goes without saying that it is necessary to know the data resulting from demodulating the test data.

In addition, although the case of a stationary reader was explained as an example,
Other reading devices may be used, such as handheld scanners that touch the product's barcode and scan it electronically, or lead-ven type readers that scan by passing across the product's barcode. The same effect can be obtained.

(g) As described in detail, according to the present invention, if a failure occurs in which data read by an optical reading device is not demodulated, the cause is in the demodulation section or in a location other than the rear section. This has the effect of making it possible to quickly take countermeasures against failures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a side view illustrating a barcode reading device and an electronic register to which the present invention is applied; FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating a scanning laser beam of the optical unit of the reading device shown in FIG. 1; The figure is a block diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing details of the main part of FIG. 3. In the figure, ■ is a reading device, 2 is an optical unit, 3.3
a is a control section, 4 is a demodulation section, 12 is an electronic register, 15 is an automatic data generation section, 16 is a switching operation section, 17 is a main control section, 18 is a counter, 19 is a data generation section, and 20 is a P/P/
21 indicates a comparison section. Figure 1/ Figure 3 Army Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] An optical reading device having a reading section that reads data on a medium using a light beam emitted from a light source, and a demodulation section that demodulates and outputs the read data read by the reading section,
An optical reading device comprising automatic data generation means for generating predetermined data and sending it to the demodulation section, and switching means for switching the connection of the reading section and the automatic data generation means to the demodulation section.