JP2001126022A - Bar code reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To read an industrial bar code wider than the width of the opening part (reading port) of a bar code reader and to avoid the misreading of the bar code. SOLUTION: A bar code wider than the width of an opening part (reading port) is read twice by dividing it to a left half and a right half, and respective reading results are composed. It is read twice by dividing it to the left half and the right half and the number of digits in the bar code which can be read by composing the reading results is limited. The number of character digits at the time of reading the left half and the right half is limited to be not less than half of the number of whole character digits of the bar code. A check character is installed in the bar code and the check character is checked after synthesis.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of electrically scanning a bar code using an
DABAR), Code39, ITF (Interle
aved 2of5), STF (Standard 2
of 5), a bar code reader for reading an industrial bar code in which the number of data digits such as Code 93 and Code 128 can be arbitrarily selected, and a wlra width for taking in bar code information of the bar code reader. The present invention relates to a bar code reader for reading a wide industrial bar code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 is an external view of an example of a bar code reading apparatus.
1 and decodes the barcode information of the barcode 12 in the barcode reading device 10 and transmits the decoding result to a host device such as a personal computer. Reference numeral 13 denotes a barcode reading confirmation LED.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a bar code reading device. The bar code information of a bar code 12 is taken in from an opening 11 and the bar code information is transferred to an image sensor 2.
3, the bar code information of the bar code 12 received is converted into a binary signal, the bar code information of the bar code 12 converted into the binary signal is decoded by a decoding unit 24, and the decoding result is obtained. Is transmitted from the transmission unit 25 to the host device.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an industrial bar code (hereinafter referred to as a bar code). The name / standard name of each bar code is as follows.
(A) is CODABAR (hereinafter referred to as NW7), (b)
Is Code39, (c) is Interleaved 2
of5, and (d) is Standard 2of5. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a general barcode configuration of these barcodes, and any of the barcodes in FIG. 3 is the horizontal structure shown in FIG. In the figure, 7A is a left (left) white margin, 7B is a start character (or start bar), 7D is a stop character (or stop bar), and 7E is a right (right) white margin.

A general character 7C sandwiched between a start character 7B and a stop character 7D is basically transmitted to a host device such as a personal computer.

Further, depending on the bar code reading device,
NW7, Code39, and the like have specifications for transmitting a start character 7B and a stop character 7D together with a general character.

The general character 7C has no limitation on the number of character digits, and can select the number of character digits arbitrarily. The bar code reader can recognize the exact number of character digits regardless of the number of character digits. . However, a bar code that can be read by a bar code reading device has an opening (hereinafter referred to as a reading port) for taking in the bar code information.
Is limited to barcodes that are narrower than the width of

The reason is as follows. Since the number of character digits is not limited, it is necessary to recognize both ends of a barcode serving as a base point in recognizing the number of character digits of the barcode. By recognizing both ends, the number of character digits sandwiched between both ends can be inevitably analyzed. The base points at both ends correspond to a left white margin 7A, a start character 7B, a stop character 7D, and a right white margin 7E. First, a left white margin 7A and a start character 7B are detected based on the fetched barcode information. Then, detection of each character of the general character 7C is sequentially performed from the start character 7B to the right, and the detection is continued until the stop character 7D and the right white margin 7E are detected.

For the above reasons, in order to recognize a barcode, the width of the barcode from the left white margin 7A to the right white margin 7E needs to be shorter than the reading opening width 11. If the width of the barcode is wider than the reading opening width 11, the information of the left white margin 7A and the start character 7B or the stop character 7D as the base point and the right white margin 7E cannot be obtained. The bar code cannot be read because the number of character digits of the general character 7C cannot be recognized.

[0010]

From the above description, the bar code 12 that can be read by the bar code reader 10 has a smaller bar code width than the reading opening (opening) width 11 of the bar code reader 10. In the case of a barcode label that is wider than the width of the reading port 11, the general character 7C cannot be detected because the left white margin 7A, the start character 7B, the stop character 7D, and the right white margin 7E, which are the base points, cannot be detected. The bar code cannot be read because the number of character digits cannot be recognized.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bar code reading apparatus which can read a bar code wider than the reading opening width of the opening 11 of the bar code reading apparatus 10 as described above.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for reading bar codes, an opening for taking in bar code information, a means for binarizing the bar code information taken in from the opening, Decoding means for decoding bar code information taken in by means, when the bar code information is larger than the width of the opening, when the bar code information is taken in twice, the first taken bar code is analyzed. The total number of digits of the number of character digits, which is the result of the analysis, and the number of character digits, which is the result of analyzing the bar code captured the second time,
It is characterized by having duplicate character information deletion means for detecting character information that is taken in duplicate in the first and second times from the number of character digits actually present in the barcode information and deleting one of them. It is assumed that.

According to the bar code reading device of the first aspect, in order to realize reading of a bar code wider than the width of the bar code reading port, a wide bar code label is formed twice on the left half and the right half. , And the left half and the right half of the reading result are combined as one barcode label to enable reading of a barcode label wider than the width of the reading opening (opening) of the barcode reading device. . In this case, the information taken in duplicate can be deleted, and erroneous reading can be avoided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bar code reading apparatus, wherein an opening for taking in bar code information, means for binarizing the bar code information taken in from the opening, and a bar code taken in by this means. Decoding means for decoding the information, wherein when the barcode information is larger than the width of the opening, when the barcode information is divided into two parts, the character digit which is the result of analyzing the first-taken barcode The total number of characters, which is the result of analyzing the number of barcodes and the number of character digits that have been acquired for the second time, is compared with the number of character digits actually present in the barcode information, and the number of character digits that are read in duplicate is calculated And a character information comparing means for identifying overlapping character information from the calculated number of overlapping digits and comparing the overlapping character information. A.

According to the bar code reader of the second aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for reading bar code, an opening for taking in bar code information, means for binarizing the bar code information taken in from the opening, and a bar code taken in by this means. Decoding means for decoding the information, wherein when the barcode information is larger than the width of the opening, the barcode information is taken in twice.
When the barcode information actually exists, the total number of character digits, which is the result of analyzing the first captured barcode, and the number of character digits, which is the result of analyzing the second captured barcode. A number-of-digits calculating means for comparing the number of character digits and calculating the number of character digits read redundantly, and identifying duplicated character information from the calculated number of duplicated digits and comparing the duplicated character information Character information comparing means, and duplicate character information deleting means for deleting overlapping character information.

According to the bar code reader of the third aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The appearance of the bar code reader of this embodiment is the same as that of FIG.
Similarly, the opening 11 for taking in the barcode information
And the bar code information taken in from the opening 11
The image sensor 23 includes an image sensor 23 serving as a value converting unit, and a decoding unit 24 serving as a decoding unit that decodes barcode information captured by the image sensor 23. further,
In this embodiment, when the bar code information is larger than the width of the opening 11 and the bar code information is divided into two parts, the number of character digits, which is the result of analyzing the first part of the bar code, is two. Based on the total number of digits, which is the result of analyzing the barcode captured the first time, and the number of characters actually present in the barcode information, the characters captured in the first and second times It has a duplicated character information deleting means for detecting information and deleting one of them. At this time, the duplicate character information is detected by comparing the total number of digits with the actual number of character digits and calculating the number of duplicately read character digits. And character information comparing means for identifying overlapping character information and comparing the overlapping character information.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a procedure for reading a bar code wider than the reading opening width 11 twice in the left half and the right half, and synthesizing the results. Reference numeral 80 denotes the wide bar. It is an example of a code. 81 is the left half of the wide barcode 80 and 82 is the right half. The barcode 80 also corresponds to the result of combining the left half 81 and the right half 82. 8A is a left white margin, 8B is a start character, a character string "ABCDEFGHIJKL" is a general character, 8D is a stop character, and 8E is a stop character. Here, the character string of the general character is "AB
CDEFGHIJKL "will be described using a 12-digit bar code.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show examples of erroneous synthesis results that can occur in the process of reading and synthesizing the data in the left half and the right half separately. The present invention can also avoid such erroneous synthesis.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a series of procedures for reading a barcode wider than the reading opening width of the opening 11 by dividing the barcode into right and left parts and synthesizing the results.

Opening 11 of bar code reader 10
As a means for reading a barcode wider than the width of the reading opening, the left half and the right half of the barcode are respectively read, and barcode information for each of the right and left is synthesized.

Specifically, first, the left half 8 of the bar code
1 or the right half 82 is read (step 10). At this time, it is possible to determine which of the left and right is read by a human operation, but the barcode reading device 20 determines left or right based on barcode information taken in from the reading opening of the opening 11. There is no other way. As a method, the left white margin 8A is obtained from the barcode information.
If the bar code information, that is, the left white margin 8A and the start character 8B can be detected on the left side of the reading opening of the opening 11, the left half 81 is recognized based on the start character 8B and the stop character 8D and the right white margin 8E. If the stop character 8D and the right white margin 8E can be detected on the right side of the reading port, it is determined that the right half 82 has been recognized (step 31).

However, as a condition 1, the bar code which can be read by dividing the reading into two parts, that is, the left half and the right half, and reading the combined result is limited in the number of character digits. This corresponds to the number of digits actually present in the barcode. For example, if the number of character digits is 1
The number is limited to two digits, and it is determined in, for example, step 70. If the result of the combination is 12 digits, the reading is established and transmitted to the host device (step 80). The reading is not established and is not transmitted to the host device (step 90). The purpose of this condition is to avoid an erroneous combination as shown in FIG. 6, and taking the character string "ABCDEFGHIJKL" of 12 digits (90) in FIG. 6 as an example, the bar code is read when the left half is read. The right end of the reading port of the device 10 is located on the left side of the center of the barcode 90, and as a result, the character string “ABCDE” 5 digits (94) is recognized. Subsequently, when the right half of the barcode 90 is read, the left end of the reading port is located on the right side of the center of the barcode 90. As a result, the character string “HIJK” is read.
L "5 digits (95) are recognized. When this is combined, the character string" ABCDEHIJKL "becomes 10 digits (96), and the character" FG "is insufficient, but the combination result is limited to 12 digits. Does not satisfy the condition,
There is no transmission to a host device such as a personal computer. The above is the case where the number of digits of the barcode is shorter than the actual number,
Conversely, it is possible to avoid the case of being enlarged. For example, the bar code reader 10 reads the left half of the bar code 90, and as a result, the character string “ABCDEFG” 7 digits (91)
Recognize. Subsequently, the right half of the barcode 90 is read, and as a result, the character string “FGHIJKL” is 7 digits (92).
Recognize. When this is combined, the character string “ABCDEF
GFGHIJKL "becomes 14 digits (93), and the character" F
G "is duplicated. However, since the number of digits is limited to 12 digits, the 14 digits of the synthesized result do not satisfy the condition, and therefore, the data is not transmitted to a higher-level device such as a personal computer. It is possible to avoid erroneous reading when the number of character digits is greater than the actual number of bar code characters.

As condition 2, a lower limit is set for the number of character digits when reading the left half or the right half. It is set to be equal to or greater than the number of character digits obtained by adding one digit to half of the number of digits determined in condition 1 (steps 22 and 32). For example, when the number of character digits is limited to 12 digits, each result to be obtained by reading the left half and the right half is 7 digits or more obtained by adding 1 digit to 6 digits of the half of 12 digits. . Taking as an example the 12 digits (80) of the character string "ABCDEFGHIJKL" in FIG. 5, the result required when reading the left half is "ABCDEFG ~" (81) of 7 digits or more. The result required when the right half is read is assumed to be “〜FGHIJKL” (82) of 7 digits or more. Then, since one digit is added to half of the prescribed number of digits, an overlapping point occurs when the left half result and the right half result are combined. For example, if the synthesis result is limited to 12 digits, each of the left half reading result and the right half reading result is 12 digits.
It is necessary to read 7 digits or more, which is obtained by adding one digit to half of the digits. When the reading results of the left half and the right half each have 7 digits, simply combining them results in 7 digits + 7 digits, which is 14 digits.
By subtracting 12 digits of the synthesized result to be obtained from the 14 digits, 2 digits are calculated, and the 2 digits are the number of digits of the overlapping point between the left half reading result and the right half reading result. Reading result of left half “ABCDEFG” (81)
The overlapping point assumed from the above is the rightmost two-digit "FG", and the overlapping point assumed from the right half reading result "FGHIJKL" (82) is the leftmost two-digit "FG". If the contents of the overlapping points are the same, the reading is established (step 50), and if the results are different, the reading is not established. Then, when the contents of the overlapping points have the same result, one of the overlapping character information is deleted. The overlapping digit number calculating means, the character information comparing means of the overlapping character information, and the overlapping character information deleting means are realized as described above.

The 12-digit character string "ABCDEFGH" shown in FIG.
Taking IJKL ”(80) as an example, the number of digits that each of the left half and the right half need to read becomes 7 or more. If the read result of the left half is“ ABCDEFGＧ ”(81), the condition 7 Since the number of digits is more than the number of digits, the read picture is temporarily saved (step 23), and if the read result is "ABCDEF" of 6 digits or less, the read result of the left half is invalidated (step 22). In the same manner as in the left half, the reading result is "~ FGHIJKL" (8
If 2), since the condition of seven digits or more is satisfied, the read result is temporarily saved (step 33), and if the read result is "GHIJKL" of six digits or less, the right half of the read result is invalidated. (Step 32). When reading of both the left half (81) and the right half (82) is established (steps 24 and 34), the left half read result (81) and the right half read result (82) that have been saved are read. Are combined (step 40). At this time, "ABCDEFG" (8
1) and “FGHIJKL” (8
The overlapping point (83) in 2) is collated, and if the contents do not match, the reading results of the left half and the right half are discarded, and reading is not established (step 50). Duplicate point (8
"F" of the read result (81) of the left half corresponding to 3)
G "and" FG "of the right half read result (82) coincide with each other, and this read result is established once. The purpose of providing the overlap point (83) in this manner is as shown in FIG. In order to avoid the problem, for example, the number of digits of a barcode that can be read in two times, that is, the left half and the right half, is 12
With the number of digits limited, a bar code “ABCDEFGHIJKLMN” (100) of 14 digits or more, which is equal to or greater than a specified value, is read by being divided into right and left parts. Since the number of digits of the barcode that can be read by the barcode reader 10 is limited to 12 digits, the reading result of each of the left half and the right half of the barcode requires 7 digits or more. From this, a seven-digit “ABCDEFG” (101) is obtained as a left half reading result, and a seven-digit “HIJK” is obtained as a right half reading result.
LMN "(102) is obtained. The overlapping point (103) is considered to be the right two digits" F "in the read result of the left half.
G ", and the right half read result corresponds to the left two digits" HI ". However, since the contents do not match, the read can be made unsatisfactory.

By doing so, it is possible to avoid transmitting an erroneous reading result to a host device such as a personal computer even when a bar code having more than the limited number of digits is read.

Next, as a condition 3, a check character such as a check digit is provided in a bar code character. For example, a certain calculation formula is provided based on the character string of the barcode (step 60), and the calculation result is compared with the check character (step 70). If they match, the reading is established and transmitted to the host device (step 80). If they do not match, the reading is determined to be unsatisfied and not transmitted to the host device (step 90). Taking the 12-digit character string "ABCDEFGHIJKL" (80) in FIG. 5 as an example, the character "L" is assumed to be a check character. First, the character string “ABC” excluding the check character “L”
DEFGHIJK "is calculated using a fixed calculation formula (step 60). This calculation result is collated with the check character" L "(step 70). If it does not match, the reading is unsuccessful, the reading result is discarded, and the reading result is not transmitted to the host device.In some cases, an erroneous reading result cannot be avoided by only the condition 1 and the condition 2. The purpose of providing a check character is to avoid such a case, and an example of which will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The number of characters of a bar code that can be read twice in the left half and the right half is reduced to 12 digits. In the restricted state, a 14-digit bar code "A"
If "AAAABBBBCCCCC" (110) is erroneously read, the number of characters to be read by the barcode reader 20 is limited to 12 digits, so that a character string "AAAAABB" (111) of 7 digits is obtained in the left half. (Step 22), and the right half is a 7-digit “BBCCCCC”
(112) is obtained (step 32), and the overlap point (113) of the left half and the right half is both "BB".
Both of the conditions 2 are satisfied (step 50), and the character string “AAAAAABBCCCCC” of the incorrect synthesis result (114)
To the host device. By providing a certain calculation formula and a check character and collating, the condition 1
And transmitting an erroneous result that satisfies condition 2 to the host device.

As described above, even if the bar code 80 is wider than the reading opening width of the opening 11, the bar code 8
0 is read in two parts, left half 81 and right half 82,
The reading can be performed by combining the reading results of the left half 81 and the right half 82. Also, the left half 81
When the bar code is read by dividing it into the right half 82 and the left half, the bar code reading device 10 recognizes that the left half of the bar code has been read by always including the left white margin 8A and the start character 8B. The bar code reader 20 can be read by including the stop character 8D and the right white margin 8E.
Can recognize that the right half of the barcode has been read. Further, the number of character digits of a barcode label that can be read by being divided into a left half and a right half is limited, and the number of character digits when reading each of the left half and the right half is reduced to one half of the limited number of character digits. Since it is necessary to have more than the number of character digits obtained by adding the digits, a repetition point (83) is formed between the left half read result and the right half read result, and the character at the overlapping point (83) is the same at the time of synthesis. And one or more characters obtained from a specific calculation formula such as a check character are provided, the combined character string is calculated by a certain calculation formula, and the calculation result is compared with the check character. Since the three conditions of matching are required, a barcode label having a variable number of character digits is read in two parts, a left half and a right half, and a "combination result is generated when an actual barcode label is generated". It is possible to avoid sending Le of shorter than the number of digits "or false results of" longer "to the host device.

[0030]

According to the bar code reading device of the present invention, in order to realize the reading of a bar code wider than the width of the bar code reading opening, a wide bar code label is attached to the left half and the right half. It is possible to read a barcode label wider than the width of the reading port (opening) of the barcode reader by combining the reading twice and combining the reading results of the left half and the right half as one barcode label. To In this case, the information taken in duplicate can be deleted, and erroneous reading can be avoided.

According to the bar code reader of the second aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to the bar code reader of the third aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a bar code reader, and (a)
Is a front view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a bar code diagram to be read.

FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the barcode reading device.

FIG. 3 shows a bar code, and (a) shows a CODEBAR
(B) is a diagram of an example of Code39, (c) is a diagram of an example of Interleaved 2of5, and (d) is a diagram of an example of Standard 2of5.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a general barcode.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of synthesis when a barcode is divided and read.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an erroneous synthesis example 1 when a barcode is divided and read.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an erroneous synthesis example 2 when a barcode is divided and read;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an incorrect synthesis example 3 when a barcode is divided and read.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a combining procedure when a barcode is divided and read.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Opening 23 Image Sensor for Binarization 24 Decoding Unit 25 Transmitting Unit Left White Margin 7A Margin always added to the left end of barcode Right White Margin 7E Margin always added to the right end of barcode General character 7C Character (1 character = 1 character)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mikio Kinoshita 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5B072 CC24 DD02 FF39 JJ11

Claims (3)

[Claims] An opening for taking in bar code information, means for binarizing bar code information taken in from the opening, and decoding means for decoding bar code information taken in by this means, When the barcode information is larger than the width of the opening, and the barcode information is divided and taken in twice, the number of character digits which is the result of analyzing the barcode taken in the first time and the second time taken. Based on the total number of character digits obtained by analyzing the bar code and the number of character digits actually present in the bar code information, character information that has been duplicated in the first and second times is detected. A bar code reading device having a duplicated character information deleting means for deleting one of them. 2. An opening for taking in bar code information, means for binarizing bar code information taken in from the opening, and decoding means for decoding bar code information taken in by this means, When the barcode information is larger than the width of the opening, and the barcode information is divided and taken in twice, the number of character digits which is the result of analyzing the barcode taken in the first time and the second time taken. Overlapping digit number calculation means for comparing the total number of character digits with the number of character digits obtained as a result of analyzing the barcode and the number of character digits actually present in the barcode information and calculating the number of character digits read in duplicate. And a character information comparing means for identifying overlapping character information from the calculated number of overlapping digits and comparing the overlapping character information. 3. An opening for taking in bar code information, means for binarizing the bar code information taken in from the opening, and decoding means for decoding the bar code information taken in by this means. When the barcode information is larger than the width of the opening, and the barcode information is divided and taken in twice, the number of character digits which is the result of analyzing the barcode taken in the first time and the second time taken. Overlapping digit number calculation means for comparing the total number of character digits with the number of character digits obtained as a result of analyzing the barcode and the number of character digits actually present in the barcode information and calculating the number of character digits read in duplicate. Character information comparing means for identifying overlapping character information from the calculated number of overlapping digits, and comparing the overlapping character information; and deleting overlapping character information for deleting the overlapping character information. An apparatus for reading a barcode, comprising a removing means.