DE4007015C2 - - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for Reading and printing of carrier information in order to optical way to read information on a Print carrier of a passbook or the like is recorded.

For this purpose, record information details of a passbook Carrier bar code information details used to Distinguish between pages and types of passbook, and Details of information arranged to create a new print line to capture. The bar code information details are - in short - in divided or classified into two types, namely vertical and hori zonal bar codes. These details of information as well as the pressure point Sitions of its components vary between different companies and Societies. Furthermore, the printing positions of the elements on the Print lines, especially in the horizontal and vertical directions, do not have necessarily been standardized. This inevitably leads to one Disadvantage that arrangements of optical sensors and optical reading or Recognition process also in connection with the local relationship the bar codes vary.

A device of this type with a scanner for the bar codes is e.g. in JP-A-56-1 53 479 been.

In the technology of the prior art, the bar code reading ops ration and completion of printing line detection achieved in many cases a variety of independent optical sensors, image sensors or the like. In any case, however, the optical sensors are connected or in Assignment to a recording position of the bar codes on a carrier  fixed. Such a device is namely only available for a specific record carrier. A change in There were no recording positions at an intermediate point in the operation Pay attention, the layouts of passbooks are for respective banks uniquely designed, etc.

From DE-OS 37 15 005 is an optical reading device known in its entirety including housing set and lighting device for detachable fastening in a printer is formed.

It is an object of the present invention a method and an apparatus for reading and Printing information such as a bar code and to create print information on a carrier, with which in a simple way different on the Carrier-arranged bar codes and print positions can be detected.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method solved according to claim 1 and a device according to claim 5.

According to the present invention Optical sensors installed on a printhead carriage arranges that the optical sensors - similar to the printing operation, where an ordinary printhead is used - towards an arbitrary one Move the print character position.

In the case of an optical sensor which is oriented transversely to a support moves a certain position in the transverse direction of the carrier, it is possible for the wearer to position in the longitudinal direction of the Carrier by a corresponding Transport operation of the carrier to determine such an arbitrary position to select on the carrier that out with the above transverse direction is aimed.

For the vertical bar codes, the search or recognition operation is in transversal direction, whereas the horizontal bar codes be searched or recognized in the longitudinal direction in which the carrier is conveyed, thereby performing the read operation for both bar codes is achieved. In addition, if a print completion line is detected, a position specified in the transverse direction of the beam, first determined and then the search operation in the longitudinal direction executed in which the carrier is conveyed, creating a string is read, which is previously printed on the carrier.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present Invention result from the following description in connection with the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a carrier information reading and printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 2A is a diagram schematically showing a conventional prior art method for reading bar codes and detecting a printing completion line;

Fig. 2B is a diagram schematically showing a method of reading bar codes and detecting a print completion line in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an optical sensor unit is installed on a print head carriage;

Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram useful for explaining a state of a search operation performed when an optical sensor reads horizontal bar codes and then detects a print line completion;

Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation in which the optical sensor reads horizontal bar codes and then detects a print completion line;

Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a state of a search operation performed when an optical sensor reads vertical bar codes and then detects a print completion line; and

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation in which the optical sensor reads vertical bar codes and then detects a print completion line.

A reading and printing device for carrier information according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.

In this configuration, a passbook 1 is inserted (hereinafter referred to as a carrier to inscribedable) in a lower insertion device 2 to be moved around by means of a transport roller means 3 in the apparatus. 4 When the position of a magnetic stripe 5 recorded on the carrier 1 matches the position of a magnetic head 6 , the carrier 1 is stopped to read the information recorded on the stripe 5 , thereby obtaining objective information details.

On the basis of the information details thus read from the strip 5 , a request is made to a central processing unit (not shown) in order to process an account or an invoice for a transaction to be effected or a transaction to be effected, the account balance or balance and the like . to consider. If the requested details are appropriate for the deal, the system runs the deal based on the correct information details. The carrier 1 is further conveyed into the device 4 depending on a result of the business just performed so as to print business information in a printing section containing a plate or cylinder 7 and a print head 8 . When the necessary characters have been completely printed on the carrier, in order to update the information content on the magnetic strip 5 of the carrier 1 with the business result, the medium 1 is moved back in order to make the position of the magnetic strip 5 match that of the magnetic head 6 . After the content is updated, the carrier 1 is ejected from the lower insertion device 2 . Furthermore, an upper introductory device 9 is provided in order to reserve or withhold, or withhold or issue a confirmation of the business result. Namely, if it should be necessary, an confirmation carrier (not shown) is inserted into the upper insertion device to be moved into the device 4 by using the roller device 11 for the confirmation printing operation.

The print head 8 is mounted on a print head carriage, not shown. An optical sensor 12 is installed on the print head carriage. Furthermore, the optical sensor can also be attached to the print head 8 .

In this apparatus 4, when a character recording operation is carried out on the carrier 1 to ensure printing of characters to be printed on a line following the previous business line, the central processing unit assigns the update print line to the base of the information contained in the magnetic stripe 5 of the medium 1 or executes the update print line. Using this instruction, the media 1 is stopped in a desired position to achieve a suitable printing position.

In a shop where the medium 1 is not provided with a magnetic stripe or the record information of the update print line is missing, the operator is prompted to directly specify a print line, or it is necessary to retrieve the print completion line so as to Print characters on an available line captured in this way.

Referring to Fig. 2A, a conventional method of reading bar codes and for detecting a pressure seal line is beschrie ben.

In the prior art, an optical sensor 20 for reading a bar code 15 and an optical sensor 21 for detecting a Druckab conclusion line 14 are arranged independently of each other. These sensors 20 and 21 are arranged in fixed positions. The sensor 21 works in order to optically read a certain character string, for example such defined print information as hyphens or separators, which are used to connect the year, the month and the day in a data field.

The sensor 20 reads optically determined information, for example page information, in order to control the appropriate page which is recorded on the bar code 15 .

As described, according to the prior art, the optical sensors 20 and 21 are arranged independently and permanently. As a result, the device using this configuration cannot process carriers having the different bar code position or the different layout of the print strings.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a method of reading bar code and detecting a print completion line in accordance with the present invention will be described.

According to the invention, an optical sensor (a point sensor 12 ) is installed on the print head carriage so as to move transversely or transversely across the carrier 1 in directions indicated by an arrow mark (for example in the vertical direction with respect to the carrier 1 ). .

As a result, the print head carriage can be controlled so as to stop at a certain character string of a print completion line 14 on the carrier 1 . According to this, it is possible by moving the carrier 1 by means of the roller devices 3 and 3 'to detect the pressure completion line by using the point sensor 12 .

In addition, if the print head carriage is moved in the transverse direction with respect to the carrier (ie the vertical search has taken place), then the vertical bar codes can be read. On the other hand, when the medium 1 is transported and the print head carriage performs a longitudinal search with respect to the carrier 1 , the horizontal bar codes can also be read from the carrier 1 .

According to the invention, carriers with different layouts can therefore be advantageous be processed in a way.

Fig. 3 shows an example of a device for mounting an item sensor, which provides a highly accurate and highly reliable operation and implemented to read printed detail in a limited space of the print head carriage. In the structure of FIG. 3 comprises the 12 installed on the print head carriage point sensor only one optical rule sensor section. A section for converting optical information on the medium into an electrical signal is namely arranged in a section 17 on a printed circuit board 16 of the device 4 . The optical sensor section is connected to the converting section using an optical cable or an optical fiber with high flexibility. With this construction, the dot sensor 12 can be easily mounted on the print head carriage; In addition, a sensor method is implemented with high reliability against external noise that occurs during processing in order to convert the optical information into the electrical signal.

Operations of the present invention will now described.

Referring first to FIGS. 4 and 5, a case will be described in which the system reads a horizontal bar code 41 attached to the carrier 1 and senses and senses a final print line 43 .

In Fig. 4, a broken line 40 indicates a state of searching, which is carried out by the optical sensor 12, which is installed on the print head carriage.

First, the carrier is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 501 ).

The sled is then stopped at a bar code position 41 (step 502 ).

By transporting the carrier 1 , the print head carriage performs a search operation in the longitudinal direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 503 ).

The bar code information is obtained by searching in the longitudinal direction (step 504 ).

The carriage is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 505 ).

The carriage is then stopped at a specified string position 42 (step 506 ).

By transporting the carrier 1 , the print head carriage performs a search operation in the longitudinal direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 507 ).

The last print termination line 43 in the character string 42 is sensed via the longitudinal search thus achieved (step 508 ).

A predetermined printing operation is started from the line that follows or is closest to the last printing completion line 43 (step 509 ).

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, a case will be described in which the system reads a vertical bar code 61 attached to the carrier 1 and senses and detects a final print completion line 63 .

In FIG. 6, 60 shows a broken line a state of seeking to which is executed by the optical sensor 12 which is installed on the print head carriage.

First, the carriage is moved in the vertical direction with respect to the carrier 1 to achieve a vertical search operation (step 701 ).

The sled is then stopped at a bar code position 61 (step 702 ).

The printhead carriage performs a search operation in the horizontal direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 703 ).

The bar code information is obtained by searching in the vertical direction (step 704 ).

The carriage is then moved further in the vertical direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 705 ).

The carriage is then stopped at a specified string information 62 (step 706 ).

By transporting the carrier 1 , the print head carriage performs a search operation in the vertical direction with respect to the carrier 1 (step 707 ).

The last print-off line 63 in the character string 62 is sensed via the search thus achieved in the vertical direction (step 708 ).

A predetermined print operation is initiated from the line that follows or is closest to the last print completion line 63 (step 709 ).

The character string positions ( 42 and 62 of Figures 4 and 6) can be specified depending on the bar code information or a command or instruction transmitted by a higher level system (not shown).

Furthermore, the character string positions can alternatively be determined depending on information recorded on the magnetic stripe 5 arranged on the carrier 1 .

A judgment as to whether the system has to read a vertical or a horizontal bar code can be carried out by examining a specification supplied by the central processing unit (not shown) or an information recorded on the magnetic stripe 5 .

Claims (6)

1. A method for reading and printing information such as a bar code and print information on a carrier, characterized by the following steps:
Determining whether the bar code affixed to the carrier ( 1 ) is a horizontal bar code ( 41 ) or a vertical bar code ( 61 );
Transporting ( 503, 504 ) the carrier ( 1 ) to read the specified information recorded on a horizontal bar code ( 41 ) by an optical reader ( 12, 17, 18 );
Moving ( 703, 704 ) a printing device (8 ) on which the optical reading device ( 12 ) is installed in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the carrier ( 1 ) by the specified information recorded on a vertical bar code ( 61 ) read the optical reader ( 12, 17, 18 );
Moving ( 505; 705 ) the printing device ( 8 ) in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the carrier ( 1 ) to stop the printing device ( 8 ) at a specified print information chain ( 42; 62 ); and
Transporting ( 507, 508; 707, 708 ) the carrier ( 1 ) in order to sense a print termination line ( 43; 63 ) of the specified print information chain ( 42; 62 ) through the optical reading device ( 12, 17, 18 ). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the print information chain ( 42; 62 ) is specified by a higher-level system. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the print information chain ( 42; 62 ) is speci zed in dependence on information contained in a magnetic strip, which is attached to the carrier ( 1 ). 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the print information chain ( 42; 62 ) is specified in dependence on the specified information recorded on the read bar code ( 41; 61 ). 5. Device for reading and printing information such as a bar code and a print information on a carrier ( 1 ) with an optical reading device ( 12, 17, 18 ) and a Druckeinrich device ( 8 ), characterized in that
the optical reading device has an optical sensor section ( 12 ) and a separate electrical signal conversion section ( 17 );
the optical sensor section ( 12 ) is installed on the printing device ( 8 ),
the electrical signal conversion section ( 17 ) is arranged on a printed circuit board ( 16 ), and
the optical sensor section ( 12 ) is connected to the electrical signal conversion section ( 17 ) by an optical cable ( 18 ). 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the printing device ( 8 ) prints characters on the carrier ( 1 ) while the carrier ( 1 ) is moved in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the carrier.