WO2010038329A1

WO2010038329A1 - Reader device

Info

Publication number: WO2010038329A1
Application number: PCT/JP2009/001082
Authority: WO
Inventors: 澤田達男; 武川達也
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2008-10-03
Filing date: 2009-03-11
Publication date: 2010-04-08
Also published as: JP2011259003A

Abstract

A reader device (1) is provided with an imaging element (11) which reads a recording medium, i.e., a ledger (21) or a card (20), by light; a reading surface (2) for placing the recording medium; a positioning member (4) arranged on the adjacent two sides of the reading surface (2) for determining the position of the recording medium; a light blocking section (5) arranged on a positioning member (4); and an ejection tunnel (8) arranged at the vicinity of a corner (24), i.e., an intersection of the two adjacent sides of the reading surface (2). The ejection tunnel (8) is covered with the light blocking section (5) for blocking external light, and is arranged on a surface continuous to the reading surface (2). Thus, foreign materials on the reading surface can be easily removed, and the reading medium such as a passport and a card can be prevented from being damaged by the foreign materials.

Description

Reader

The present invention relates to a reading device that reads a form, a form, a card, a passport, an airline ticket, and the like, and more particularly, reduces the possibility of entry of foreign matter onto a transparent reading surface, and the operator is particularly conscious of dust. The present invention relates to a reading apparatus capable of removing foreign matters by a normal operation without performing removal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a reading apparatus that reduces the possibility that important forms such as passports, airline tickets, and cards are damaged by foreign substances existing on a reading surface.

Conventionally, a form reading device (scanner device) that optically reads a form to obtain image data is widely known. For example, such a form reading device captures characters written on an important printed matter recording medium such as a passport or a card, communicates with a database of the center computer, and is incorporated into the form. It is used to determine the authenticity by comparing the IC chip information with the print information.

Such a form reading device images a form or card placed on the reading surface by hand, or picks up an image of a form or card that is sent to the reading surface by the form automatic feeding device and places the image on the image. Analyze the image.

In particular, reading devices that read passports, airline tickets, etc. are used at entry / exit counters, airline counters, etc. and require processing speed, so they are installed in OCR devices, copy devices, etc., which are general document readers. It does not have a lid for the reading surface that is to be read, and the form is imaged by holding the reading target by hand.

Regarding such a form reading apparatus, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-20088 discloses a recognition method for electrically removing dust from an image signal. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-341480 discloses a stand-type optical reading device that removes distortion of an image by sucking a curled document with a charging unit. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-12467 discloses a stand-type reading device that reads a form by positioning two sides of an original with an L-shaped member.

However, in a conventional stand-type reading device, reading failure may occur due to ambient light. In addition, when a form (form page) floats, if the form is held down by a hand, the hand may interfere with imaging, which may cause reading failure.

In addition, in a reading device that reads a document placed face down on the reading surface from the inside of the device through a transparent reading surface, the passport or card itself may be damaged by a staple (registered trademark) needle remaining on the reading surface. There is. Also, staples (registered trademark) needles and blank paper pieces, which are the cutting allowances for documents, remain on the scanning surface as foreign objects, obstructing the shooting of characters, figures, or photographs to be read. Defects may occur.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-20088 discloses that a signal read by a reading device is processed to increase a recognition rate. However, there is no disclosure about preventing a passport, which is an important document, from being damaged by a staple (registered trademark) needle or the like during a reading operation even if reading accuracy is improved. If the card or the like is damaged, there is a risk that the use of the card or the like will be hindered thereafter.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-341480 and 2005-12467 disclose positioning of a form by pressing two adjacent sides of the form against an L-shaped positioning member. . In this case, since the positioning is performed by abutting the two sides of the form, the positioning speed is improved and the operability is good, but the normal positioning operation in which the form is slid from the near side and the form is abutted against the positioning member. , Foreign matters such as staples (registered trademark) needles are swept up to the corners of the L-shaped positioning member. If a large amount of such foreign matter accumulates, it not only causes damage to the form, but also causes staples that protrude from the reading surface to appear during image acquisition, resulting in erroneous recognition.

In particular, in the reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-341480, since the document is fixed by static electricity, foreign matter may also adhere due to the static electricity, and a reading failure may occur due to the adhesion of the foreign matter. Is expensive.

In addition, in the reading devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2000-341480 and 2005-12467, a form or the like is read in a state where the light is exposed to external light. When it hits the acquisition surface, it is difficult to perform reading normally due to the difference in illuminance on the reading surface.

Furthermore, if the form is lifted from the imaging surface during imaging, the read image may be distorted (the content printed on the form may be deformed and read), which may cause reading failure. . In order to suppress this “floating”, it is conceivable to provide the positioning member with a portion having an inverted L cross-sectional shape for pressing the form. However, in this case, it is difficult to remove the foreign matter (the time for removing the foreign matter is long). The overall operability is reduced.

The present invention has been made under the above background. An object of the present invention is to provide a reading apparatus that can easily remove foreign matters on a reading surface and can prevent a recording medium such as a passport or a card from being damaged by foreign matters.

One embodiment of the present invention is a reading device, which includes an imaging unit that reads a recording medium that is a form or a card with light, a reading surface on which the recording medium is placed, and two adjacent sides of the reading surface. A positioning member that determines the position of the recording medium, a light shielding portion provided on the positioning member, and a light shielding portion that is provided in the vicinity of the intersection of two adjacent sides of the reading surface and shields external light. And a foreign matter removal / discharge port provided on a surface continuous with the reading surface.

As described below, there are other aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to provide some aspects of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of an operation of a reading device (reading operation of a form or a card) FIG. 3 is a view showing a discharge tunnel provided in the reading device (a perspective view in which a part of the device is broken). FIG. 4 is a side view showing a discharge tunnel provided in the reader. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a guard portion provided in the upper case of the reading device. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the reading apparatus. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the positioning member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Form reader 2 Reading surface 3 Indicator 4 Positioning member 5 Shading part 6 Interface part 8 Discharge tunnel 10 Antenna board 11 Image sensor 12 Illumination board 13 Mirror 14 Control board 15 Lower case 16 Upper case 17 Contact surface 19 Guard part 20 Card 21 Form 23 Reading position 24 Corner

The detailed description of the present invention will be described below. However, the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings do not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

The reading device of the present invention is provided on an imaging unit that reads a recording medium that is a form or a card with light, a reading surface on which the recording medium is placed, and two adjacent sides of the reading surface, and positioning that determines the position of the recording medium Foreign matter provided on the surface that is connected to the reading surface and is covered with a light shielding portion that is provided in the vicinity of the intersection of two adjacent sides of the reading surface and the light shielding portion provided on the member, the positioning member, and shields external light And a removal outlet.

With this configuration, when a recording medium such as a form or a card is read, when a normal operation of placing the recording medium on the reading surface is performed, the foreign matter on the reading surface is caused by the recording medium itself to have two sides adjacent to the reading surface. Is pushed to the vicinity. Therefore, the foreign matter is removed or discharged from the foreign matter removal outlet without the operator being particularly conscious of dust removal. In this case, when the recording medium is read, the foreign matter removal / exhaust port is always covered by the light shielding portion, so that it is possible to prevent the imaging portion from malfunctioning due to external light.

Further, in the reading device of the present invention, the foreign substance removal / discharge port may have a configuration provided at a position avoiding the electrical connection portion of the reading device.

Further, in the reading apparatus of the present invention, the positioning member may have a protruding portion that protrudes toward the reading surface, and the protruding portion may have a configuration that reaches the reading surface.

Further, the reading apparatus of the present invention may have a configuration in which a convex portion higher than the height of the reading surface is provided at a position facing the two adjacent sides across the reading surface.

With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility of entry of foreign matter onto the reading surface by the convex portions provided at positions facing two adjacent sides of the reading surface. Further, when a recording medium such as a form or a card is picked up from the reading surface, if the recording medium is placed on the convex portion, a gap is formed between the recording medium and the reading surface, and the recording medium can be easily taken out from the reading surface. As a result, the recording medium is not dragged on the reading surface, and the possibility that important forms, cards, etc. are damaged by foreign matter on the reading surface can be reduced.

According to the present invention, by providing a foreign matter removal / discharge port near the intersection of two adjacent sides of the reading surface, foreign matter on the reading surface can be easily removed, and a recording medium such as a passport or a card is a foreign matter. Can prevent it from being damaged.

Hereinafter, a reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the reading apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are perspective views for explaining the configuration of the reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing of the reading device 1 is formed by an upper case 16 and a lower case 15. The upper case 16 includes a reading surface 2 made of glass with less optical distortion. Positioning members 4 for placing a recording medium (such as a form 21 or a card 20) at a reading position 23 are provided on two adjacent sides of the reading surface 2, and the two sides across the reading surface 2 are provided. A guard portion 19 is provided at an opposing position (a portion where the positioning member 4 does not exist around the reading surface 2) to prevent foreign matter from entering the reading surface 2. The inner portion of the positioning member 4 has an inverted L shape (see FIG. 6), and the recording medium (reading medium) such as the form 21 or the card 20 abuts against the inner wall of the inverted L shape. A surface 17 is provided (see FIG. 7). As described above, when the recording medium such as the form 21 is pressed against the positioning member 4, the positioning member 4 enters the reverse L-shape and stops at the contact surface 17. It is configured not to float from the placement surface even if the hand is released.

The reading device 1 also includes a light shielding portion 5 provided on the positioning member and a discharge tunnel 8 provided in the vicinity of an intersection (corner 24) between two adjacent sides of the reading surface 2 (FIGS. 3 and 3). 4). The light shielding portion 5 is provided above the discharge tunnel 8. Therefore, it can be said that the discharge tunnel 8 is covered with the light shielding portion 5. The discharge tunnel 8 is provided on a surface continuous with the reading surface 2. Further, the discharge tunnel 8 is provided at a position avoiding the electrical connection portion of the reading device 1.

Note that the positioning member 4 is preferably configured to be easily detachable from the upper case 16. This is because when the discharge tunnel 8 is clogged with foreign matter, it can be easily cleaned.

Here, the guard unit 19 provided around the reading surface 2 will be described in more detail. The guard unit 19 has an effect of preventing foreign matter from entering the reading surface 2 and facilitating removal of the form 21 and the card 20 from the reading surface 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the guard portion 19 is configured by a convex portion that protrudes upward (the convex shape), and the height of the convex portion is set to 0.5 mm. Has been. It has been confirmed by experiments that even if the height of the convex portion is about 0.5 mm, it is effective in preventing foreign matter from entering the reading surface 2 and taking out the card 20 and the like. Moreover, when the height of the guard part 19 is 0.5 mm, the convex part of the guard part 19 preferably has a semicircular cross-sectional shape with a radius of 0.5 mm (see FIG. 5). However, the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion is not limited to a semicircular shape, and may be, for example, a mountain-shaped cross-sectional shape with a smooth tip. Further, the height of the convex portion is not limited to 0.5 mm.

Next, the internal structure of the reader 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the reading apparatus. As shown in FIG. 6, an image sensor 11 that reads a recording medium (read target) with light and an illumination board 12 to which an LED that illuminates the read target is attached are provided inside the reading device 1. The illumination board 12 is provided on a side surface directly below the reading surface 2 and deviated from the imaging optical path of the imaging device 11 (for example, CMOS). In the example of FIG. 6, only one illumination board 12 is illustrated, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of illumination boards may be provided. Further, the illumination light is not limited to only white light, and for example, light of a specific color other than white light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, or the like may be used in combination.

A mirror 13 is provided inside the reading device 1. In order to reduce the height of the entire apparatus, the optical path of the image sensor 11 is bent by about 90 degrees by the mirror 13. An antenna substrate 10 is provided inside the reading device 1. The antenna substrate 10 is formed with a loop coil that is an antenna that communicates with an IC chip of a recording medium (form 21 or the like) to be read. The loop coil is arranged so as to surround the reading surface 2. The antenna substrate 10 is also provided with an LED serving as a light source for detecting a recording medium (form 21 or the like), an LED serving as an indicator light source, and the like.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a control board 14 is provided at the bottom of the lower case 15. The control board 14 is provided with a circuit corresponding to a processing unit that processes a signal of the image sensor 11 and a circuit corresponding to a control unit that controls the entire reading device 2. The imaging signal processed by the control unit is sent to the host device via a connector provided in the interface unit.

As shown in FIG. 6, the image pickup device 11 is attached to a horizontal position inside the apparatus because the optical path can be bent by the mirror 13. For ease of use of the apparatus, it is preferable to provide the positioning member 4 on the back side of the apparatus, and to arrange the flat part of the upper case 16 across the reading surface 2 on the front side thereof (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In order to effectively use the space, it is preferable to dispose the image pickup device 11 under the flat portion (FIG. 16). For this reason, leakage of light from the corner 24 of the reading surface 2 (the intersection of two adjacent sides of the reading surface 2, see FIG. 2) becomes leaked light toward the image sensor (see FIG. 6), and the image is captured. A large impact. The light shielding portion 5 provided in the positioning member 4 is effective in preventing such leakage light.

The operation of the reader 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings.

Here, first, the operation at the time of reading the recording medium will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state of an operation (reading operation of a form or a card) of the reading device according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the operator places a recording medium such as a form 21 or a card 20 on the reading surface 2 and presses the recording medium (object to be read) against the corner 24 of the positioning member 4. The reader detects that the object to be read has reached the corner 24, illuminates the recording medium, shoots the image with the imaging device 11, and outputs the image captured by the circuit of the control board 14 to a predetermined signal. Is converted and sent to an external device.

At this time, during shooting, the indicator 3 is turned on to indicate to the operator that shooting is in progress. Thus, the operator can know that the reading object (recording medium such as the card 20) should not be moved when the indicator 3 is lit.

When the shooting is finished, the indicator 3 is turned off, so that the operator performs an operation of taking out the recording medium (such as the card 20). In this case, when the card is taken out from the reading surface 2, the reading surface 2 is made of glass with high flatness. Therefore, the recording medium (such as the card 20) is lightly held down to the guard unit 19 on the reading surface 2. When moved, the recording medium (such as the card 20) rides on the guard part 19 as shown in FIG. 5, and a gap is formed between the card 20 and the upper case 16. By using this gap, the recording medium (such as the card 20) can be easily removed, and as a result, the recording medium (such as the card 20) can be prevented from being damaged.

If the guard part 19 is not provided, the recording medium (such as the card 20) is moved to the end of the upper case 16 and taken out. Unlike the high-hardness reading surface 2 made of glass, foreign matter such as staples (registered trademark) tends to stay on the upper case 16 made of resin or sheet metal. Further, it is not preferable that the resin card 20 and the resin upper case 16 are slid depending on the card recording surface, but the guard portion 19 can reduce these risks. it can.

Also, when a recording medium (form 21 or the like) is placed at the reading position, an operation of sliding the upper surface of the upper case 16 on the corner 24 may be performed. In this case, if foreign matter such as a staple (registered trademark) is present on the upper case 16, the foreign matter such as the staple (registered trademark) is drawn onto the reading surface 2 by the operation of placing the staple. Can be considered. However, in this reading apparatus 1, since the guard unit 19 pushes up the recording medium (form 21 or the like) and a foreign matter such as a staple (registered trademark) needle and a recording medium (form 21 or the like) are formed, a staple ( It is possible to prevent foreign matter such as a registered trademark needle from being dragged to the reading surface 2.

Next, the process of removing the foreign matter that has been placed on the reading surface 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. The reading device 1 reads characters written on a form 21 or a card 20 (passport, airline ticket, immigration card, etc.), or reads an IC chip incorporated in the form 21 or the card 20 as necessary. Convert to signal. In particular, in a passport, it is frequently carried out with a stapler (registered trademark) so as not to lose a visa, an immigration card or the like. When taking these forms for immigration, foreign matter such as staples (registered trademark) can be taken from the passport and scattered on the desk. Some forms have perforations in consideration of being stapled (registered trademark) in advance and have perforations. Such clasp portion of the form is often scattered on the desk as a foreign object. Due to the recent increase in tourists in each country, immigration and departure officers are extremely busy, and under such circumstances it is impossible to prevent foreign matter from entering the reading surface. close.

FIG. 3 is a diagram drawn from the viewpoint of the reading device 1 viewed from the operator. As shown in FIG. 3, the reading device 1 is arranged so that the positioning member 4 is positioned on the back side when viewed from the operator. Accordingly, the operator presses the recording medium (form 21 or the like) against the reading surface from before the reading position 23 and slides the reading surface 2 to press the recording medium (form 21 or the like) against the positioning member 4. As shown in FIG. 6, an abutting surface 17 is provided at the back of the positioning member 4 having an inverted L-shaped cross section, and “floating” is performed while the recording medium (form 21 or the like) is pressed against the positioning member 4. Is prevented.

Further, in the process of sliding the top of the form 21 or the card 20 on the reading surface 2, foreign matter on the reading surface 2 at the edge of the paper surface of the form 21 or the corner of the card 20 is removed from the corner of the positioning member 4. The operation of pushing to 24 is performed. For this reason, foreign matters such as staples (registered trademark) are naturally pushed by the corner 24 of the positioning member 4 by the operation of positioning the form 21 and the card 20, and the discharge tunnel 8 provided at the corner 24 at each positioning operation. Are discharged sequentially.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a light shielding portion 5 formed by a part of the positioning member 4 is disposed above the discharge tunnel 8. As described above, since the reading device 1 picks up an image by transmitting the transparent reading surface 2 and illuminating the recording medium (reading target), it is not preferable that external light enters the inside. In this case, since the discharge tunnel 8 is covered by the light shielding portion 5, it is possible to prevent the influence of external light. Further, the inverted L shape at the top of the contact surface 17 of the positioning member 4 also serves as a “eave” that prevents this external light.

If the discharge tunnel 8 is formed as a “groove” having an open top, external light enters the corner 24 of the positioning member 4 where electrical scanning starts when the image sensor 11 is a CMOS or the like. Since the image is taken with a sensitivity different from the sensitivity of the element to be originally set, the entire image may be dark and cannot be read, or it may cause a malfunction such that the document placement check is not erroneously entered into the reading operation. The light shielding portion 5 of the reading apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is configured to cover the upper part of the discharge tunnel 8 and is effective in preventing such malfunction. The corner 24 of the positioning member 4 is a position where the reading target should always exist regardless of the size of the recording medium (the reading target of the form 21 or the card 20). This is the base position to start. Therefore, as described above, if external light enters from the corner 24, it is likely to cause a malfunction during the reading operation.

According to the reading device 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, when a form such as a passbook or a passport or an air ticket is optically read, the form or the like is damaged by a foreign matter such as a staple (registered trademark) needle. Can be prevented and can work safely.

That is, in the reading apparatus of the present embodiment, when reading a recording medium such as a form, a form, a card, a passport, an air ticket, etc., an ordinary reading object is not necessary even if the operator does not remove dust with particular attention. During the placement operation, the reading object itself can push the foreign matter to the corner and remove the foreign matter from the discharge tunnel.

Further, in the reading apparatus of the present embodiment, the guard portion reduces the possibility of entry of foreign matter onto the transparent reading surface, and the card and the glass surface are removed during loading / unloading from the reading surface such as a card. It is possible to make it easier to take out cards etc. by creating a gap between them. Accordingly, the card or the like is not dragged on the reading surface or the upper case, and it is possible to reduce the possibility that an important form or card or the like is damaged by the foreign matter existing on the reading surface.

Although the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications can be made to the present embodiments and are within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that the appended claims include all such variations.

As described above, the reading apparatus according to the present invention can reduce the possibility that foreign matter enters the reading surface, and removes foreign matter by normal operation without specially removing dust by the operator. It is useful as a reader that reads important forms, forms, cards, passports, air tickets, etc.

Claims

An imaging unit that reads a recording medium that is a form or a card with light;
A reading surface on which the recording medium is placed;
A positioning member provided on two adjacent sides of the reading surface and determining the position of the recording medium;
A light shielding portion provided on the positioning member;
A foreign matter removal discharge port provided in the vicinity of an intersection of two adjacent sides of the reading surface, covered with the light-shielding portion that shields external light, and provided on a surface continuous with the reading surface;
A reading apparatus comprising:
2. The reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the foreign substance removal / discharge port is provided at a position avoiding an electrical connection portion of the reading apparatus.
The positioning member has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the reading surface;
The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion reaches the reading surface.
2. The reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion higher than the height of the reading surface is provided at a position facing the two adjacent sides across the reading surface.