FR2776408A1 - Optical reader for cards used as animal identification documents - Google Patents

Abstract

The card reader has a compartment (3) to receive the cards, which are extracted by rollers (60) then carried on a moving belt (63) under an optical reader head (51). The direct current motor driving the rollers and conveyor operates at low force levels, so as to not crumple the cards. Cards that cannot be read are ejected into a separate collector (4)

Description

CARD READER DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR
IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS OF ANIMALS
The present invention relates to a card reader device, in particular for animal identification documents. In the context of the invention, the term card "must be understood in its broadest acceptance. It relates to documents of all kinds, generally in the form of a rectangular sheet, based on light material such as cardboard or relatively rigid paper, which constitutes a support receiving inscriptions, some of which can be read and translated by means of automatic optical reading.

 The preferred application of the invention, although not exclusive, relates to the tracking of animals intended for sale or slaughter and their identification. This monitoring begins with the breeder and ends when it is delivered to the slaughterhouse. In what follows, to fix the ideas, we will place ourselves within the framework of this preferred application of the invention, unless otherwise stated. We will also consider the particular case of cattle, without this being limiting in any way of the scope of the invention.

 The standards currently in force require that each animal be associated with an administrative document, also standardized, called in this case DAB (Cattle Accompaniment Document) or in the European context, a document which will be called "European passport", which constitutes an identity card for the animal Figure 1, attached to this description, illustrates such a document.

 The DAB document 1 is in the form of a rectangular support 10, based on cardstock, remaining flexible. On the support 10 there is a title 11 and a zone 12 comprising various information printed or entered manually, directly readable by a user. Below this area, there is an area with coded marks, typically in the form of bar codes. Such bar codes consist of a sequence of twenty-four characters. The coding mode chosen is of the well-known type "two among five". The lower part of document 1 includes a free zone intended to receive a loose-leaf 14, more specifically a health certificate in the application described, this sheet consisting of a rectangle of light paper 140, glued to the main support 10 by two side bands, 143 and 144, comprising pre-cut in dotted lines, 145 and 146 respectively, so that the attestation sheet 14 can be detached from its support 10. The attestation sheet 14 also has areas printing data 142, directly readable by a user, but it can also include a barcode area 144, readable by the machine and coded as previously indicated (coding of the "two of five" type for example).

 The monitoring of animals using document 1 which has just been described is accompanied by many easements and constraints, especially during the final phase of arrival at the slaughterhouse, or also at the entrance to a cattle market.

 Indeed, the animals are generally transported by trucks and they arrive in batches which must be treated very quickly. To fix ideas, lots usually include 20 to 80 animals. As indicated, each animal is accompanied by the aforementioned ATM, that is to say a document 14 conforming to that shown in Figure 1. The transporter or the attendant of the batch of animals has an interval of limited time, typically less than or at most equal to 50 seconds to register his load at a toll station. He therefore presents the complete package of documents 1 for the batch for identification and registration.

 In the known art, the devices used for reading documents consist of simple bar code readers moved by hand. The process is inevitably slow, because it is necessary to present the documents manually one after the other, even if one can consider that the optical reading of each of the documents is fast. A manual device is in any case ill-suited to batch reading, in the sense that, whatever the speed of reading, it cannot process a whole packet, the documents having to be presented individually, hence the risk of dissociation and / or loss.

 On top of this requirement for speed associated with certain stages in the life of the document, there is another requirement, which appears to be the most important requirement for this type of application. It is a question of preserving the integrity of the document 1 throughout its life, physical integrity in spite of the fragility of the support 10, but especially information integrity (the document must remain readable, including the data being in the form of codes bars). The standards in force impose that the DAB document remains absolutely associated with a given animal, barely for it not being able to be sold for its meat, but having to undergo rendering, which implies a significant financial loss for the breeder.

 In addition to the fragility of the support 10 which has just been recalled, there are other circumstances liable to cause the deterioration or even the destruction of this support and / or to make it illegible. It is first of all the length of the conservation process (from the breeding phase to the marketing for slaughter). The conditions of conservation are precarious: risks of various stains due to the environment in which the users evolve (mud, humidity, etc.), risks of creases or wrinkling by conservation in the pocket of a garment, premature tearing of the certificate sanitary, unexpected pen stroke on the optical reading areas, etc.

 By way of nonlimiting examples, FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate two cases of documents comprising deteriorations liable to cause loss of information during their optical reading.

 FIG. 2a represents a card 1 ′ which has been folded by a user, so that it can be more easily put in a pocket, for example. It now has two parts, 10 'and 10 ", separated by a fold 100, which in fact constitutes a weakening zone which can prevent the reading of certain elements of bar codes.

 FIG. 2b illustrates a card 1 "for which the removable sheet 14 has been torn off prematurely, on one of its sides, the side 144 and the precut 146 in the example described. It follows that this removable sheet 14 n is no longer held contiguous against the main support 10, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

 The two aforementioned requirements appear, if not incompatible, at least difficult to reconcile.

 There are also other requirements to be met.

 It is first of all necessary to ensure that the cards have been correctly read or, at the very least, to ensure the verisimilitude of the data read, or else to reject the cards which would not be readable for one reason or another. : physical reasons mentioned above (deterioration of the support, stains preventing reading, etc.), logical errors when reading, etc.

 Finally, the cards must be able to be read in both directions (along a longitudinal axis parallel to the length of the barcode zone 13 and possibly that of another zone 141 if the latter is present).

 The invention aims to respond simultaneously to the needs which are felt and which have been recalled. To achieve this, it offers a card reader device, in particular animal tracking and identification documents, which makes it possible, in particular and at the same time, to read a packet of cards sequentially, each card being associated with the one of said animals which it identifies, quickly so as to process a batch of animals in a predetermined time interval, and without risk of damaging the cards. In addition, the device according to the invention is preferably designed to make it possible to detect badly read or illegible cards and to orient the corresponding cards of those which have been read correctly.

 To this end, the device according to the invention comprises an input supply tray, intended to receive a pack of cards, a system for extracting and driving the cards, an automatic optical barcode reading station, and an output station with two receiving bins, advantageously comprising electromechanically controlled switching means, so as to direct the correctly read cards to a first destination and the incorrectly read or illegible cards to a second destination for further processing. .

 The cards are advantageously driven using rotating cylindrical pads and an endless belt conveyor or belts. A direct current electric motor, advantageously associated with means limiting the torque which it exerts, drives these members. The maximum value of the torque is determined to avoid complete or partial deterioration of said cards, according to their foreseeable physical characteristics of tear resistance, and taking into account a predetermined number of manipulations which they are likely to endure and which weaken them. These data can be estimated by calculation or emerge from previous experiments.

 The drive motor and the various moving parts of the device (switch, feeder, etc.) can be under the control of electronic circuits located on a card placed inside the device's housing. Advantageously, this card includes interface circuits, standard or specialized, which make it possible to connect it to a microcomputer or to any other digital data processing system with recorded program, directly or via a data transmission link. if this unit is located remotely.

 In a preferred embodiment, the intensity of a direct current supplying the electric motor, representative of the amplitude of the torque, is measured so as to cut off the electric power supply to the motor when the intensity exceeds a predetermined threshold. This overshoot is significant of a malfunction of poor presentation of the cards on the conveyor, jamming, stuck hand of a user, etc. This arrangement therefore also avoids the risks of tearing the cards and, moreover, it contributes to operational safety by preventing bodily accidents due to improper handling.

 In accordance with the invention, the characteristics which have just been defined can be applied in any technically effective combination. It is the same for those which will appear below.

 In a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, the card extraction and drive system extracts the cards from the input feed tray with a speed lower than the scrolling speed that they acquire later , during their translational movement under an optical read head until they are ejected towards the output station. It follows, because of this speed differential, that an extracted card moves away from the next card being extracted, during its transport to the exit station, which significantly reduces the risks of overlap between two successive cards, therefore the risks of jamming and tearing.

 In a preferred embodiment also, the extraction and drive system comprises two series of rotating cylindrical shoes, namely a first series of shoes, at the entrance to the conveyor, which are responsible for extracting the cards, and a second series of pads, located at the outlet of the conveyor. The purpose of these latter pads is to guide the cards driven by the conveyor. They operate in freewheeling. The bearings which support them are susceptible to translational movements along the vertical. This latter arrangement makes it possible to absorb fluctuations in height during the passage of the cards, including the beginnings of jamming. It also helps to avoid any risk of tearing or deterioration of the cards in motion on the conveyor.

 A card reader device according to the invention, useful in particular for the processing of livestock animal identification documents, said documents comprising a support provided on one side with at least one zone of optically readable coded marks, is therefore characterized in that it comprises an input compartment intended to receive said cards, means for extracting cards from said input compartment, a conveyor for driving said cards under an automatic optical reading station of said coded marks, and means for motorizing said conveyor and said extraction means, comprising a torque motor limited to a maximum predetermined value, so as to exert stress forces on the cards which remain below a predetermined value capable of causing deterioration of said supports.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, which will reveal other characteristics and advantages thereof and which is set out with reference to the appended figures, among which
- Figure 1 schematically illustrates a bovine identification document
- Figures 2a and 2b illustrate this same document when it includes damage;
- Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of a device according to the invention, in perspective
- Figure 4 is a figure showing a detail of the device of Figure 3
- Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the device of Figure 3
- Figures 6a to 6c illustrate the main phases of the scrolling of cards in the device of the invention
- And Figure 7 is a block diagram of the control circuits present in the device according to the invention, which shows the interactions of this device with a digital data processing system with recorded program.

 With the support of FIGS. 2 to 7, an embodiment of a card reader device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described.

 The device 2 comprises a housing 20 dividing into two main wings or lateral casings, 21 and 22, in a longitudinal direction materialized in the figures by an axis A. This direction is that of scrolling of the cards 1. The wings 21 and 22 contain motorization organs and electronic circuits which will be described in detail below. The device 2 also comprises a removable input tray 3, for supplying cards 1, or an enclosure capable of receiving such a supply tray.

 As shown in the detail figure 4, the feed tank 3 is constituted by a box open upwards and, in part, backwards (in the variant shown in the figures). Indeed, the rear has only a retaining stop 33. Between the vertical sides, 300 and 301, there is provided an inclinable base 31, movable in rotation along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the axis A, axis of symmetry of the rotation shaft 310 mechanically coupled to the bottom wall 302 of the container 3. Between this wall 302 and the tilting base 31, there are one or more helical springs 35 or any other elastic member. A lever or a manual control button with two positions 32 acts on a cam 34 in rotation about a horizontal axis, also disposed between the tilting base 31 and the bottom wall 302.

 Before reading, which is carried out in the manner which will be described below, a pack of cards 1 is placed, that is to say the pack of DAB documents associated with a batch of animals delivered, in the bin d input power 3.

 An action on the control button 32 makes it possible to raise the tilting base 31, via the cam 34, and to present the cards 1 at the input of an extraction and drive system 6. This maneuver also acts on an electrical switch 36. This will allow the power supply to the drive motor M and initiate the process of extracting and reading the cards 1.

 The tilting base 31 includes a light 310 in a central area. There is under the base 31, facing the light 310, an opto-electronic member 9, light emitter-receiver. The emitting part can be constituted, for example, by a light-emitting diode and the receiving part by a photodiode. Such organs are in common use and commercially available.

 When cards 1 are actually present in the tray 3, the light beam emitted by the optoelectronic member 9 is reflected by the lower surface of the card 1, and the reflected light is captured and converted into an electrical signal. The latter is transmitted to electronic signal processing and control circuits which will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

When the opto-electronic device 9 detects the "empty tank" state, a predetermined variation of the output signal signals this state to the control circuits and an appropriate action is initiated, in this case stopping the motor M, after a time delay which allows the last card to be read.

 The system 6 for extracting and driving the cards 1 is disposed between the two lateral casings, 21 and 22. It comprises a conveyor 63 comprising two parallel endless belts, arbitrarily marked 63d and 63g, and an extraction member properly said, constituted by cylindrical pads 60 (a pair in the example described), arranged at the inlet of the conveyor 63. These pads 60 are mounted on a rotary shaft 600 perpendicular to the axis A. At the outlet of the conveyor 63, a second pair of cylindrical shoes were placed, which are themselves in free rotation around a shaft 620, also perpendicular to the axis A.

 As shown more particularly in FIG. 5, the endless belts 63d and 63g are mounted on two end rollers, 66 and 69, themselves mounted on shafts 660 and 690, perpendicular to the axis A and coupled in rotation free at the two lateral casings 21 and 22. The belt conveyor 63 is set in motion by a motor M arranged in one of the lateral casings, for example the casing 20. The mechanical coupling between the shaft 660 and the motor M can be carried out, in a manner known per se, using two pulleys 661 and 68, preferably notched to avoid slippage, which cooperate with a flexible belt 67, then also notched, which ensures the transmission of the rotary movement between the two pulleys. The pulley 661 is integral with the axis 660 and the pulley 68 is disposed on the axis 680 of the motor M.

 The motor M drives the belts of the conveyor 63, via the belt system and pulleys (in particular the pulley 66) belt which has just been described. This movement in turn drives the pulley 69 around its axis, which sets the shaft 690 in rotational movement. At the end of this axis 690, a gear 65 is placed which is mechanically coupled to a gear 64, itself coupled to the rotation shaft 600. When the bands 63d and 63g are set in motion, it follows that the shoe 60 is also set in rotational movement around its axis. In FIG. 5, it has been assumed that the upper surface of the bands 63d and 63g is given a translational movement from right to left, which is caused by a rotational movement of the pulleys, 68, 66 and 69, in the counterclockwise. Due to the gear coupling, the pulley 60 rotates clockwise.

 When the joystick or control button 32 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is actuated in the manner previously described1 the cards 1 of the pack are presented at the entrance to the extraction and drive system 6, and at the base of the pads d 'extraction 60. These therefore drive the cards 1, one by one, to the bands 63d and 63g, driven in a translational movement. The cards thus extracted pass between the bottom of the cylindrical pads 60 and the upper surface of these strips 63d and 63g.

 In Figure 5, there is shown the upper card of the package, referenced la, during extraction. The front of the card has already passed through the extraction member 60 and it begins to be driven by the conveyor 63. The rear of the card still rests on the top of the pack of cards 1. The previously extracted card, referenced lb, rests entirely on the belts 63d and 63g of the conveyor 63. The front part of this card lb engages under the front guide pads 62. Unlike the pads 60, the pads 62 are in free rotation around a shaft of rotation 620.

They are driven only by the friction forces on the surface of the strips 63d and 63g, or on the surface of the cards, for example the card lb.

 As indicated above, the shafts 600 and 690 are mechanically coupled by gears 64 and 65.

The purpose of these gears is not only to drive the extraction pads 60 in a rotational movement. According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the ratio between the gears is chosen so that the speed of the pads 60 is such that the speed of extraction of the cards is less than the speed of movement of the strips 63d and 63g. Figures 6a to 6c illustrate this particular mode of operation.

 FIG. 6a illustrates the start-up phase of the card reading process or phase I. No card is present on the conveyor 63. The linear speed of the conveyor 63 is symbolized by a double arrow. The upper card of the card packet, referenced la, is still in tray 3.

 Figure 6b illustrates the next phase or phase II.

The top card la of the package is extracted from the tray 3 and driven by the conveyor 63; it acquires its own scrolling speed (double arrow). The back of the card la has just left tray 3. The next card, referenced lb, is still in tray 3.

 Figure 6c illustrates the next phase of the process, or phase III. The card continues its journey on the conveyor, retaining the scrolling speed acquired. On the other hand, the card 1b is extracted from the feed tray 3, with a speed lower (single arrow) than the scrolling speed. The card 1a, which was previously edge to edge with the card 1b (FIG. 6b), moves further and further away from the latter, leaving an increasing interval e.

 This arrangement is interesting because it avoids overlapping between successive cards, and therefore it also reduces the possibilities of jamming.

 The device 2 comprises an optical reading station 5 (FIG. 3), comprising a reading head 51 supported by a vertical column 50, itself secured to one of the wings, the wing 21 in the example described. The read head 51 comprises in particular a scanning laser la.

It is arranged above the conveyor 6, that is to say the track for scrolling the cards 1.

 The device 2 is finally provided with a switching member 7, comprising a deflector 70 with electromechanical control, disposed at the outlet of the conveyor 6, and an outlet station 4, removable, with two superimposed compartments, namely a compartment lower 4i (Figure 5) and an upper compartment 4s.

 When the cards 1 are extracted from the input feed tray 3, they scroll under the read head 51, as shown in FIG. 5 (card 1b). In a known manner, the laser emits a lamellar beam fl which scans the surface of the card lb on either side of a vertical axis AV- The maximum scanning angle a is calculated so that the entire length of the barcode area 13 (FIG. 1) can be read, as well as the area 141, if the latter exists. Likewise, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (axis A), the instantaneous width of the beam f1 must be sufficient to "see" the width of the card 1b, at least one useful width capable of comprising barcode zones.

 In a mode, which can be described as normal, which corresponds to a supposedly correct reading of the card extracted and transported, for example the card lb (FIG. 5), the deflector of the switching member is in the low position. (deflector referenced 70). The card 1b goes under the pads 62 and it is ejected in the upper compartment 4s of the output station 4.

 Otherwise, or error mode as will be shown below, the deflector, referenced 70 ′, is actuated by an electromagnet EA or a similar member, so that it pivots about a horizontal axis 700, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. It is then in the high position. The cards ejected in this way by the conveyor 6 slide under the deflector 70 'and they are stored in the compartment 4i.

 We will now describe in more detail the operation of the card reader device 2 and describe in particular, how it ensures the preservation of the integrity of the cards, simultaneously with a high processing speed.

 First of all, according to one of the important characteristics of the invention, the drive motor M of the belts 63d and 63g of the conveyor 6, as well as of the extraction pads 60, is a DC motor, of the type with limited torque. The torque of the motor M is determined so that the forces exerted on the cards 1 are less than a determined value, making it possible to avoid any risk of total or partial tearing which would lead to the deterioration of the cards, or even render them unusable. This torque value can be determined by calculation or experimentally.

 According to another advantageous characteristic, as shown more particularly in FIG. 5, the outlet guide shoes 62 not only rotate in free wheel, as has been indicated, but they are also capable of translational movements, also free, according to a vertical direction. To do this, the rotation shaft 620 is inserted, at its two ends, into oblong holes made on the internal walls of the lateral casings 21 and 22. Only one of these oblong holes is visible in FIG. 5 at 220.

 FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the control circuits in the form of a block diagram. It should be understood that, for the most part, the components of the control circuits, or module 8, in particular the small electronic components, are installed, in a conventional manner per se, on a printed circuit board (not shown).

Firstly, the module 8 comprises sources of voltage and / or electric current for its own needs and for supplying the other organs of the device 2: motor
M, laser la, etc. To do this, it is supplied with primary electrical energy, for example by connection to the Vac sector.

 With regard to the motor M, it is useful to have a continuous supply voltage, arbitrarily referenced + V =. The supply circuit comprises in series, in addition to the source (not shown), a first switch K, closed in the normal state, the start switch 36, with two positions, the motor M and a low resistance R, whose role will be clarified. When an operator closes the switch 36, the motor M is supplied by the DC voltage + V =, and the card reading cycle 1 starts.

 When the motor M is supplied, it is traversed by a direct current of instantaneous intensity i. This intensity i is representative of the torque developed by the motor M. The measurement of the intensity i therefore makes it possible to measure the value of the torque at all times. According to an additional characteristic of the invention, in a preferred embodiment, the torque of the motor M is compared with a predetermined maximum value forming a reference. If the measured torque exceeds this reference value, the power supply to the motor M is cut.

 To do this, in the example described, the current i passes through a resistor R. The voltage developed across the resistor R, VR = Ri is transmitted to the input of an amplifier A. The voltage present at the output, Vs , is compared to a reference voltage Vref using a comparator circuit Comp. The output signal VC of the comparator Comp is transmitted to a bistable circuit constituted by an electronic flip-flop B. When the torque of the motor M exceeds the predetermined maximum value, the variation of the corresponding output signal VC is detected by the electronic flip-flop B, which changes state and supplies an electromagnetic relay Rl, directly or via an amplifier not shown. This has the effect of positioning the switch K in an open position and cutting the power to the motor M.

 This situation can be created, for example

 It is also clear that the measurement of the current i can be carried out by other types of sensors: magnetic sensor, field effect transistor, etc. Amplifier A and comparator Comp, in particular, can be integrated into a single element, for example by using a differential amplifier receiving on a first input the measured signal and on a second input the reference signal. Finally, the electromagnetic relay R1 and the switch K can advantageously be replaced by an electronic switch.

 The module 8 also supplies the supply voltage or voltages necessary for the proper functioning of the optical read head 51. This comprises not only the laser transmitter 1a, advantageously consisting of a semiconductor laser diode, but also photoelectric converters, generally in the form of arrays of photodetectors or photodiodes, sensitive to variations in the light intensity of the light reflected by the barcode areas, for example area 13 on cards 1. The head 51 generally comprises electronic circuits (not shown) for shaping the converted electrical signals and for controlling the scanning for reading.

 The module 8 and the circuits of the head 51 finally comprise interface circuits (not shown) allowing communication between these two elements. A bidirectional transmission bus 510 connects the head 51 to the module 8. It has been assumed that it also conveys the supply voltages of the head 51. Various models of optical read head are commercially available.

The characteristics of the signals exchanged on the bus 510 and of the supply voltages to be supplied are specified by the manufacturers, for a specific type of head. The selection of a specific model is a choice within the reach of the skilled person.

 The module 8 also generates a supply voltage for the optoelectronic member 9. The electrical signals originating from the photoelectric conversion and delivered by the latter are transmitted back to the module 8.

The supply voltage and the detection signals are assumed to be conveyed (in the example described) by a single bidirectional bus 90. The amplitude of the signal delivered is situated in a first predetermined range of values when the tray 3 (FIG. 4) contains at least one card 1, and it is located in a second predetermined range of values when the tray 3 is empty. There is then no longer any reflection of the beam emitted by the optoelectronic member 9.

 The transition from the first range of values to the second is detected by circuits (not shown) present in module 8. These same circuits act on the supply circuit of the motor M to cut the DC voltage + V =. However, the actual cut-off only occurs after a predetermined period of time, so that the card which has just been extracted can be read and ejected towards one of the trays 4i or 4s of the station outlet 4 (Figure 5). To do this, a conventional timing circuit is used, triggered by the above-mentioned detection.

 Finally, the module 8 provides, as necessary, an all-or-nothing control signal actuating the electromagnet EA, in the form of a supply voltage. The latter controls the tilting in the high position 70 ′ (FIG. 5) or in the low position 70 of the deflector of the switch 7.

 When the module 8 receives from the optical read head 51, via the bus 510, signals which it interprets as being erroneous, this means that the process of reading the card scrolling under the read station 5 (FIG. 1), and more particularly under the head 51, took place incorrectly. The causes of this state of affairs can be multiple: unreadable card (defilements, pencil stroke on the bar code track or tracks, folds, as shown in Figure 2a, loose leaf torn off, as shown in Figure 2b, etc. ), codes improperly printed or partially erased, card presented upside down (readable side down), etc.

 Signal processing circuits cannot naturally detect information that was originally poorly coded and therefore does not correspond to reality. However, it is known that the bar code area 13 must include a fixed number of characters, for example twenty-four. If the system reads a number of characters other than twenty-four, an error is detected. It is also possible, under certain circumstances, to carry out likelihood tests on the data read. Finally, redundant codes can be used, including keys or other information allowing error detection on the sequence of characters read.

 Up to now, it has been considered that the processing of the information was carried out in situ. This assumes that the device is completely autonomous. In this case, it may be useful to provide it with a display screen and other peripherals: mass memory, keyboard, printer, etc., and the resulting increase in cost may seem unjustified in certain cases. applications.

 Also, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 2, more precisely the control circuits of the module 8, are provided with an interface 800 making it possible to couple it, via a bidirectional communication bus 80, to a system digital data processing with recorded program, advantageously constituted by a Ric microcomputer. The interface 800 is advantageously of a standard type, for example a serial type interface, the bus 80 being connected to a serial port present on the microcomputer Mic. The latter naturally includes, in addition to a central processing unit (CPU), a display screen, a mass memory (hard disk) and conventional data input devices: keyboard, mouse, etc. It can in turn be coupled to various conventional peripherals, in particular a PRT printer.

 The device 2 must then, in reality, be considered as a peripheral of the microcomputer Mic. Indeed, the latter can not only process the various signals received from the module 8, via the interface 800 and the link 80 (in particular carry out the processing of the signals read and detect the reading errors), but also transmit commands to it, via that same channel. Part of the functions described above can be deported to the level of the microcomputer Mic: the timed stop command of the motor M during the "bactvide" detection, the processing of the control signals of the switch 7, after detection of erroneous reading. of a card being scrolled, the generation of a control signal to cut off the power to the motor M in the event of an incident detection (torque greater than the predetermined value). In general, the management of the circuits of the module 8 can be carried out in a decentralized manner by the microcomputer Mic.

 Naturally, the microcomputer Mic performs many other tasks, more specifically management, in relation to the information read from the various statistical cards 1, recording of the read and decoded data, printing of computer reports, invoices, etc. It can also be connected to specific display devices, such as a giant screen in a market, or to audible warning devices.

 All these functions are controlled by specialized programs pre-recorded or loaded into the device when it is put into operation. In the latter case, conventional data input devices are used, alone or in combination: keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, optical disc player, telematic links for downloads, etc.

 In other variant embodiments (not shown), the microcomputer Mic can be replaced by a local area computer system or even be located remotely, the data input-output being performed using telephone links. of the conventional switched network or of high speed telematic links, or even through the Internent network.

 In a practical embodiment, the extraction and guide pads, as well as the conveyor belts, were made of rubber. The width of the strips was 25 mm. The friction surface of the pads was striated so as to improve the grip. The different rotation shafts were made of steel, and the chassis of the device made of painted sheet metal. The gears were made of plastic. The motor consisted of a gearmotor sold by the company BUHLER, of the type 1.13.021./STG61, version 0375, used at 24 V, which has a nominal torque of approximately 2.2 and a nominal current of 0.45 A. The input tray capacity was 80 cards and the scrolling speed reached was adjusted so that the reading time was between 24 and 27 seconds for a pack of eighty cards. This rate therefore makes it possible to process a batch of eighty animals in a time interval much less than the 50 seconds mentioned in the preamble to this description.

 Finally, note that the cards can be read in both directions of scrolling. Indeed, barcode sequences usually include specific codes indicating the start and end of each sequence. The "reversal" of the sequence of successively detected marks constitutes a simple routine operation for specialized electronic circuits for optical reading.

 The foregoing description clearly explains how the invention achieves the objectives it has set for itself. In particular, it allows both high-speed processing of cards (processing time typically less than 30 seconds for 80 cards), batch processing which minimizes the risk of dispersion and loss of cards, and the guarantee of the preservation of the integrity of the cards read, by minimizing any risk of tearing or deterioration thereof. It also offers good security against bodily injury. It also guarantees that the cards read have been read correctly, the others being directed to a separate destination (lower tray of the output station in the example described), for further processing: reading by the operator of the printed data or manually entered, proofreading test, etc.

 Finally, the coupling with a digital data processing system, which detects data linked to the instantaneous operating conditions of the device and transmits control orders to it, which it draws up according to the detected data, enables rapid operation and rich in possibilities. data read, whether for the compilation of statistics, the preparation of invoices or any other management document, or even for a general display on a light panel.

 The invention is however not limited to the specific embodiments precisely described, in particular with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. Likewise, the examples of materials used or the numerical values stated have only been specified to better highlight the characteristics of the invention. These data are essentially dependent on the specific application envisaged and they can vary by a simple technological choice within the reach of a person skilled in the art.

 Finally, although particularly suitable for the application of cattle tracking and identification using accompanying documents in the form of cards or similar objects, the invention cannot be confined to this single application. It applies with profit whenever it is necessary to read a large number of cards, in a reduced time, while guaranteeing the integrity and ensuring a correct optical reading of the information carried thereon.

 On the other hand, it should be clear that although bar codes, coding with the "two of five" type are commonly used, the invention is not limited to the optical recognition of this single type of code. Other types of barcode coding can be used. There are also optical marking codes other than conventional bar codes, or even two-dimensional codes. All these codes can be implemented in the context of the invention.

Claims (11)

 1. Card reader device (1), in particular for processing animal identification documents, said documents comprising a support (10) provided on one face with at least one zone of legible coded marks (13, 141) optically, characterized in that it comprises an input compartment (3) intended to receive said cards (1), means (60, 600) for extracting cards (1) from said input compartment (3) , a conveyor (63) for driving said cards (1) in scrolling under a station (5, 51) for optical reading of said coded marks (13, 141), and means for motorizing said conveyor (63) and said means for extraction (60) comprising a motor (M) with torque limited to a maximum predetermined value, so as to exert stress forces on the cards (1) which remain below a predetermined value capable of causing deterioration of said supports ( 10).  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises switching means (7) for orienting differently at the output of said optical reading station the cards for which the optical reading of coded marks has been carried out normally and those for which a reading error has occurred.  3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises means for imposing a speed differential between said conveyor and said extraction means so that each card scrolls in said reading station with a speed greater than that of its extraction from said inlet compartment.  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said conveyor (63) comprises two endless belts (63d, 63g) driven by rollers (66, 69) rotating around horizontal shafts (660, 690), in that said means for extracting cards from said input compartment comprises a pair of cylindrical pads (60) rotating about a horizontal axis (600) and mechanically coupled to one of said rollers (69) by the intermediate of gears (64, 65), in that said motor (M) drives one of said rollers (66) by means of a set of pulleys (661, 68) and belts (67), and in that said gears (64, 65) have a determined reduction ratio imparting to said cylindrical extraction pads (60) a speed of rotation driving said cards (1) out of said input compartment (3) with a speed less than the running speed of said endless belts (63d, 63g) of said conveyor (63), so that that a card (la) on the conveyor (63) moves away from the next card (lb) during extraction and thus avoiding an overlap of these two cards (la, lb).  5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that there is provided a pair of additional pads (62), at the outlet of said conveyor (63), which are fixed to a horizontal shaft (620) in free rotation, and in this that the ends of said shaft (620) are inserted into vertical oblong holes (220), so as to allow translational movements in a vertical direction and to absorb fluctuations in the vertical position of the upper face of said cards (1).  6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said inlet compartment (3) comprises a pivoting base (31) around a horizontal axis (310) forming a support for a predetermined maximum number of said cards (1) , in that the inlet compartment (3) is removable and comprises a control member (32) provided with a cam (34) mounted on a horizontal axis of rotation and disposed under said base (31), in that said control member (32) is manually operable to present the cards (1) to the cylindrical pads (60) of said extraction means, and in that the input compartment (3) further comprises a actuated switch (36) by said cam (34) so as to close a supply circuit of said motor (14) and to initiate an extraction and optical reading cycle of the cards (1) when the control member (32) is actuated.  7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said base (31) comprises a light (310) in a central zone, in that said inlet compartment (3) further comprises an optoelectronic member (9) , arranged under said light (310) and comprising a light beam emitter directed towards the light (310), and a photodetector element capturing the light reflected by said cards (1) when they are present on said base and converting it into electrical signals output circuits, and in that electronic circuits are provided which are sensitive to variations in said electrical output signals, so as to trigger timing circuits cutting off the supply of said electric motor (M) after a predetermined time interval, when all the cards (1) have been extracted from the entry compartment and there is no longer any reflection of light.  8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said optical reading station (5) comprises an optical reading head (51) attached by a vertical arm (50) supported by a fixed frame (20 ), in that said optical reading head (51) comprises a semiconductor laser (la) generating a light beam (fl) directed towards said conveyor (63) and scanning all or part of the upper surface of the cards (1 ) driven by this conveyor (63), so as to detect variations in the light intensity of said optical marks (13, 141), and a photodetector member capturing said variations in light intensity and converting them into electrical signals, and what is provided for electronic circuits (8) for processing these signals which develop control orders to be transmitted to said device.  9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises an outlet station (4) comprising two tanks (4s, 4i) and a switch (7) with electromagnetic control (EA) , orienting the cards (1) towards one or the other of these two tanks (4s, 4i), in that electronic processing circuits (8), in particular those of claim 9, upon detection of an error of reading, generate a control signal acting on a def reader of said switch (7) so as to eject the illegible cards or having reading errors towards one of the two trays (4i), the other cards being ejected in the other bin (4s)  10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, the electric current (i) passing through said direct current electric motor (M) being representative of the torque developed by this motor, electronic circuits are provided of measurement (R, A) of said current (i) so as to compare (Comp) said developed torque with a reference value (Vref) representative of a maximum torque and to cut the power supply to the motor (M) when the torque measured is greater than said maximum torque value.  11. Device according to any one of claims to to 10, characterized in that it is connected to a digital data processing system with recorded program (Mic), via a link bus (80), and in that said system (Mic) receives data sensitive in particular to a light intensity according to claim 8, in order to develop control signals as a function of said data, which it transmits to said device, in particular to said motor (M) and / or to said switch ( 7) according to claim 9.