JP2001176010A - Device and method for recognizing magnetic pattern, and information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a magnetic pattern confirming device, its method and an information recording medium. SOLUTION: Relating to the device, a storage part stores a plurality of characters or signs and the values of magnetic fluxes at the positions of a plurality of feature points, which are respectively made to correspond to the respective characters or signs, a measuring part detects the magnetic fluxes of the magnetic pattern printed by magnetic ink and a recognition output part compares the detected magnetic fluxes with the stored values of the fluxes at the positions of the plurality of feature points and outputs the characters or signs made to correspond to the magnetic fluxes at the positions of the plurality of feature points which satisfy a specified condition as recognition result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a magnetic pattern recognizing device, a recognizing method, and a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing the magnetic pattern is recorded.

[0002] In particular, MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recog) using magnetic ink having various magnetic properties.
nition) characters and MICR symbols (hereinafter collectively referred to as “MI
CR character ". The present invention relates to a magnetic pattern recognizing device and a recognizing method suitable for recognizing a magnetic pattern, and a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing these is recorded.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a magnetic recognition device that prints MICR characters on a personal check or the like and recognizes the characters has been used. FIG. 1 shows a print example of a personal check in which MICR characters are printed. “Symbol 012345678 Symbol printed at the bottom of the figure
Blank 9012 Symbol 3456789 Symbol Blank 0
The column of "123 blank symbol 4567890123 symbol" is a portion printed with MICR characters.

[0004] For MICR characters, see ANSI X9.27-1.
995, ISO 1004 Information processing-Magnetic in
k character recognition-Print Specifications, JI
SX9002-1980 Standards are defined by magnetic ink character reading fonts and printing specifications (E13B). MICR character shapes and their magnetic properties, especially M
The shape of the magnetic waveform when an ICR character is read by a magnetic head is determined by the CMC7 standard or the E13B standard.

On the other hand, toners containing magnetic ink for MICR characters have been provided for laser printers. Further, similar inks are provided in ink jet printers and thermal transfer printers. By using such toner and ink, a user can print MICR characters on a paper such as a personal check using an inexpensive consumer printer.

In the past, MICR characters were printed by a dedicated offset printing device conforming to a predetermined standard, but today, MICR characters are printed by inexpensive consumer printers of various DPI (dot per inch). It is becoming.

According to a predetermined standard, each character is characterized by the strength of the residual magnetic flux of the MICR character (so-called magnet system), while each character is read by a mutual induction change when a predetermined magnetic field is applied (so-called bias). System) devices are also widespread.

[0008] As described above, the technology of printing and recognizing MICR characters has been widely spread in the future, and the related technology has become more and more important.

[0009]

However, as the printing of MICR characters has been performed by consumer printers of various DPIs, the following problems have arisen.

[0010] That is, as various magnetic inks are used for consumer use, the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic ink vary.

In particular, as the magnetic material characteristics of the magnetic ink become various, there arises a problem that a mutual induction change becomes various particularly in reading a magnetic pattern by a bias method, and as a result, there is a possibility that a difference occurs in an output. I was

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the magnetic properties of the magnetic material of the ink in which such a problem occurs. The graph shown in FIG. 2 shows hysteresis curves of two types of magnetic inks, “old ink” (a magnetic ink that has been used conventionally) and “laser printing” (a magnetic ink that has recently been used).

In the magnet system, in order to detect residual magnetic flux,
Although the difference between the two types of magnetic ink is small, the difference between the two values is large in the bias method because the mutual induction change when a predetermined magnetic field is applied is detected.

In the magnetic reading, the electric signal of the magnetic pattern read by the magnetic head is amplified by an amplifier circuit. However, when the amplification factor is adjusted for “old ink”, the magnetic ink of “laser printing” is used. Even if an attempt is made to read a magnetic pattern, the value of the mutual induction change becomes too large and the dynamic range is saturated.

There has been a growing demand for appropriately cutting out sections constituting MICR characters in accordance with the adjustment of the amplification factor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic pattern recognizing device, a recognizing method, and a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing the same is recorded. With the goal.

In particular, a magnetic pattern recognizing device, a recognizing method and a magnetic pattern recognizing method suitable for reading MICR characters by using magnetic inks having various magnetic characteristics are provided.
An object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing these is recorded.

[0018]

In order to achieve the above object, the following invention is disclosed in accordance with the principle of the present invention.

The magnetic pattern recognition device of the present invention includes a measurement unit, an amplification unit, a selection unit, and a recognition unit.

The measuring section measures the magnetic flux of the magnetic pattern printed by the magnetic ink, and outputs a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux.

The amplification section amplifies the signal output from the measurement section at a predetermined amplification factor.

The selector selects a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified by the amplifier is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification factor.

The recognition unit sets a boundary in each section selected by the selection unit, and recognizes the MICR character or the MICR symbol from each of the signals in the section sandwiched by the boundary.

In the magnetic pattern recognition device of the present invention, the threshold value may be associated with the amplification factor in proportion to the amplification factor.

In the magnetic pattern recognition apparatus of the present invention, the predetermined amplification factor is one of a first amplification factor and a second amplification factor smaller than the first amplification factor. And the second threshold value are associated with each other.

When the intensity of the signal amplified by the first amplification factor is saturated with respect to the dynamic range, the amplifying unit of the magnetic pattern recognition device of the present invention,
The signal may be configured to amplify the signal by the second amplification factor.

The method for recognizing a magnetic pattern according to the present invention includes a measuring step, an amplifying step, a selecting step, and a recognizing step.

In the measuring step, the magnetic flux of the magnetic pattern printed by the magnetic ink is measured, and a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux is output.

In the amplification step, the signal output in the measurement step is amplified at a predetermined amplification factor.

In the selection step, a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified in the amplification step is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification factor is selected.

In the recognition step, a boundary is set in each section selected in the selection step, and the MICR character or MICR character is extracted from each of the signals in the section sandwiched by the boundary.
Recognize symbols.

In the magnetic pattern recognition method of the present invention, the threshold value may be associated with the amplification factor in proportion to the amplification factor.

In the magnetic pattern recognition method according to the present invention, the predetermined amplification factor is one of a first amplification factor and a second amplification factor smaller than the first amplification factor. And the second threshold value are associated with each other.

In the method of recognizing a magnetic pattern according to the present invention, when the intensity of the signal amplified by the first amplification factor in the amplification step is saturated with respect to the dynamic range, the second amplification is performed in the amplification step. It can be configured to amplify the signal by a factor.

The program for realizing the magnetic pattern recognition device and the recognition method of the present invention is recorded on an information recording medium such as a compact disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital video disk, a magnetic tape, and a semiconductor memory. be able to.

The program recorded on the information recording medium of the present invention is loaded into a CPU (Cent
By executing the control by a control device such as a ral processing unit (central processing unit), the above-described magnetic pattern recognition device and recognition method can be realized.

Further, independently of these devices, an information recording medium on which the program of the present invention is recorded can be distributed and sold.

[0038]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The embodiments described below are for explanation, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which each of these elements or all elements are replaced with equivalents, but these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of a magnetic pattern recognition apparatus according to the present invention. Hereinafter, the schematic configuration of the first embodiment of the magnetic pattern recognition device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The magnetic pattern recognition apparatus 101 of the present invention
Is a measuring unit 102, an amplifying unit 103, and a selecting unit 104
And a recognition unit 105.

The measuring section 102 measures the magnetic flux of the magnetic pattern printed by the magnetic ink, and outputs a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux.

The amplifying section 103 amplifies the signal output from the measuring section 102 at a predetermined gain. The amplifier 103 can amplify a signal with at least two types of amplification factors.

The selection section 104 selects a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified by the amplification section 103 is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification factor. This gives M
A section that is assumed to include a delimiter between the ICR character and the MICR character is selected.

The recognition unit 105 sets a boundary in each section selected by the selection unit 103, and performs MICR characters or MICR characters from signals in the section sandwiched by the boundary.
Recognize symbols.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration in a case where a magnetic pattern recognition device having the schematic configuration shown in FIG. 3 is realized by actual hardware.

The CPU 301 of the recognition device 101 controls each part of the recognition device.

The paper feeder 302 moves a sheet on which MICR characters are printed, for example, a personal check, relative to the magnetic head 303.

The amplification circuit 304 amplifies the signal of the magnetic flux intensity read by the magnetic head 303 at a predetermined amplification factor.

The filter circuit 305 removes unnecessary signals from the amplified signal.

Further, an A / D (Analog / Digital) converter 306 converts this signal into a digital signal and sends it to the CPU 301.

The digital signal of the magnetic flux intensity received by the CPU 301 is stored in the RAM 307.

The value stored in RAM 307 is
The CPU 301 examines the dynamic range and saturates the dynamic range.
04 is controlled to reduce the amplification factor, and the magnetic flux intensity is measured again.

That is, the CPU 301 drives the paper feeder 302, detects the magnetism by the magnetic head 303, and converts the detected magnetic digital signal into a RAM.
307, and re-measure if necessary.

When the signal is no longer saturated, the CPU 30
1 is obtained from the value of the measurement result stored in the RAM 307,
Guess the break between MICR characters.

That is, in the data string of the signal stored in the RAM 307, a threshold value associated with the amplification factor last adopted by the amplification circuit 304 (typically, a threshold value proportional to the amplification factor last adopted) It is presumed that there is a break between MICR characters in a section where the signal strength is smaller than that in ()).

By combining this condition with the condition that the delimiters between MICR characters are present at substantially equal intervals at intervals specified in the standard, the CPU 301 sets a section corresponding to one MICR character in each section. cut.

Further, the CPU 301 has the ROM 30
8 is compared with the data string of the signal of the measurement result of the section corresponding to one cut-out MICR character, and the MICR character is recognized.

The recognized characters and symbols are stored in the RAM 307.
Etc., and are subjected to other processing. For example, the recognized characters and symbols are interpreted as a bank account number and a money amount, and a transaction of a withdrawal process of the money amount is performed. For this processing, a known technique can be used.

The magnetic head 303 functions as a measuring unit, and the amplifying circuit 304 functions as an amplifying unit.
Function as a selection unit and a recognition unit, respectively.

The ROM 308 contains the CPU 30
1 can store a program to be executed, and in this case, the ROM 308 functions as the information recording medium of the present invention.

Further, if the contents of the ROM 308 can be externally updated, an information recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM) in which a program for updating is recorded functions as the information recording medium of the present invention. I do.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a multifunction device incorporating the embodiment of the recognition device according to the present embodiment and a printer.

The printer unit of the multi-function processing unit 401 includes a printer head 402 for printing characters and symbols, a moving shaft 403 for moving the printer head, and a platen 404 for holding paper during printing. It is done for.

On the other hand, the personal check 411 on which the MICR characters are printed is inserted from the insertion slot 412 and is processed by the recognition device 101 arranged inside the multifunction device 401.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the reading process executed in the recognition device of this embodiment.
The reading process is started when a personal check sheet is inserted. An embodiment in which the insertion is detected by an optical sensor or the like, or an embodiment in which the user inputs some instruction to the CPU 301 after the insertion can be adopted.

First, the CPU 301 sets the paper feed mechanism 30
2 and drives the magnetic head 303 to read the magnetic pattern printed on the paper, and sets the signal of the read result to the amplification circuit 30 that sets the signal to a predetermined amplification factor.
4, and further a filter circuit 3
05, noise is removed, A / D converted by the A / D converter 306, and the converted data is stored in the RAM 307 (step S501).

Data can be read, for example, by the following method. The paper feed mechanism 302 includes 1
/ Send paper in steps of 144 inches. The magnetic head 303 measures the magnetic flux 15 times per step. The measured values are averaged every four times, and this data sequence is
M 307.

The MICR character conforms to MI13 in the E13B standard.
The width of CR characters is classified into four groups from 1.321 mm to 2.311 mm. In this case, about 49 data are equivalent to the width of one MICR character, but the printing interval is 3.175 mm, and about 70 data including the space between characters can be stored as data for one character.

Next, the CPU 301 checks whether or not the read data string of the magnetic flux is saturated with respect to the dynamic range (step S502).

For example, consider the case where one magnetic flux data is stored in one byte. If the value of the magnetic flux is 0, it corresponds to the byte value 128, if the value of the magnetic flux is positive, it corresponds to the byte value 129 to 255, and if the value of the magnetic flux is negative,
The data is stored in correspondence with byte values 0 to 127.

Here, the case of saturation is as follows. -When the byte value 255 appears. -When byte value 0 appears. When not saturated, the value of the magnetic flux stored in the RAM 307 has a byte value from 2 to 254.

If saturated (step S502; Y
es), the amplification factor of the amplification circuit 304 is changed to a small value (step S510), and the process returns to step S501.

As a method of changing the amplification factor, for example, a method of decreasing the amplification factor at a predetermined ratio, such as setting the amplification factor to 4/5 at present, can be used. In the case where the amplification circuit 304 is an amplification circuit in which the amplification factor can be changed stepwise, a method of lowering the amplification factor by one stage can be used.

If not saturated (step S502;
No), and finally, a threshold value corresponding to the amplification factor adopted by the amplification circuit 304 is obtained (step S503).

This threshold value can be obtained by experiment, but is typically a value proportional to the amplification factor. Also,
If the amplification factor of the amplification circuit 304 can be changed stepwise, a threshold value corresponding to each of them is obtained.

Next, the magnitude of the magnetic flux is determined in step S50.
A section smaller than the threshold obtained in step 3 is selected (step S504).

For example, in the above-described embodiment in which the data of the magnetic flux is represented by one byte, the threshold value is 0 ± 3.
In the case of a digit, the section of the data string in which the byte value of the data stored in the RAM 307 is included in the range of 125 to 131 is selected here.

An interval of such a data string is a certain MIC.
It is a candidate for the boundary that separates the R character from another MICR character. Therefore, the selected section is generally plural.

For example, when a predetermined number, for example, five or more, of data having a value included in the range of 125 to 131 is continuous, this continuous section is determined in step S504.
Can be selected as a section to be selected.

In this embodiment, even when the magnetic flux changes abruptly between positive and negative in one MICR character, a zero point in the middle of the change does not become a candidate for a boundary between the MICR characters. Therefore, MI
A section serving as a candidate for a boundary between CR characters can be selected.

Next, the CPU 301 sets the MICR at an interval defined by the standard in one of the selected sections.
The boundaries of the MICR characters are set so that a plurality of boundaries of the characters are included, and a data string corresponding to each MICR character is cut out (step S505). In this cutting, a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-311906 may be employed.

Further, the following steps S507 to S508 are repeated for each of the extracted data strings (step S506).

That is, M stored in the ROM 308
Each of the magnetic patterns of the ICR character is compared with the data string (step S507), and the MICR character associated with the magnetic pattern having the smallest difference is output as a recognition result (step S508).

For recognition of MICR characters, see ROM
The sum of squares of the difference between the magnetic pattern stored in 308 and each data is calculated for each magnetic pattern, the magnetic pattern with the smallest sum of squares is calculated, and the MICR character corresponding to this is recognized as the recognition result. And a known technique similar thereto.

When the processing of steps S506 to S508 has been performed on all of the extracted data strings, this processing ends.

In the above description, the personal check was used.
It goes without saying that the present invention is effective for R-printed objects.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a magnetic pattern recognizing device, a recognizing method, and a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing the magnetic pattern is recorded.

In particular, a magnetic pattern recognizing device, a recognizing method and a magnetic pattern recognizing device suitable for reading MICR characters by using magnetic inks having various magnetic characteristics are provided.
It is possible to provide a computer-readable information recording medium on which a program for realizing these is recorded.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a personal check on which MICR characters are printed.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing magnetic characteristics of various magnetic inks.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of the magnetic pattern recognition device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a magnetic pattern recognition device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a multifunction device incorporating a magnetic pattern recognition device and a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of a recognition process performed by the magnetic pattern recognition apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 Recognition device 102 Measurement unit 103 Amplification unit 104 Output unit 105 Recognition unit 301 CPU 302 Paper feed mechanism 303 Magnetic head 304 Amplification circuit 305 Filter circuit 306 A / D converter 307 RAM 308 ROM 401 Multifunction processing device 402 Printer head 403 Moving axis 404 Platen 405 Roll paper 411 Personal check 412 Insertion slot

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C005 HA02 HB09 JA03 JB11 KA40 LA18 LB18 2C061 AQ05 AQ06 KK24 5B029 AA04 BB07 BB12 CC28 DD01 DD04 5B072 CC27 CC38 DD05 DD15 5D091 AA20 DD30 GG40

Claims (13)

[Claims] A measuring unit that measures a magnetic flux of a magnetic pattern printed by magnetic ink and outputs a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux; and an amplifying unit that amplifies a signal output by the measuring unit at a predetermined amplification factor. A selection unit that selects a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified by the amplification unit is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification rate, and sets a boundary in each of the sections selected by the selection unit; MI from each of the signals in the section sandwiched by the boundary
A magnetic pattern recognition device, comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes a CR character or a MICR symbol. 2. The magnetic pattern recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value is associated with the amplification factor so as to be proportional to the amplification factor. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined amplification factor is a first amplification factor,
2. The magnetic pattern according to claim 1, wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are associated with each of the second amplification factor, which is smaller than the second amplification factor. 3. Recognition device. 4. The amplifying unit amplifies the signal with the second amplification factor when the intensity of the signal amplified by the first amplification factor saturates with respect to a dynamic range. The magnetic pattern recognition device according to claim 3, wherein 5. A measuring step of measuring a magnetic flux of a magnetic pattern printed with magnetic ink and outputting a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux, and an amplification step of amplifying the signal output in the measuring step at a predetermined amplification factor. A step of selecting a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified in the amplification step is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification factor; and a section selected in the selection step. And a recognition step of recognizing a MICR character or a MICR symbol from each of signals in a section sandwiched between the boundaries. 6. The magnetic pattern recognition method according to claim 5, wherein the threshold value is associated so as to be proportional to the amplification factor. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined amplification factor is a first amplification factor.
The magnetic pattern according to claim 5, wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are associated with each of the second amplification factor, which is smaller than the second amplification factor. Recognition method. 8. When the intensity of the signal amplified by the first amplification factor in the amplification step is saturated with respect to a dynamic range, amplifying the signal by the second amplification factor in the amplification step. The method for recognizing a magnetic pattern according to claim 7, wherein: 9. A measurement procedure for measuring a magnetic flux of a magnetic pattern printed with magnetic ink and outputting a signal corresponding to the magnetic flux, and an amplification for amplifying the signal output in the measurement procedure at a predetermined amplification factor. Procedure, a selection procedure for selecting a section in which the intensity of the signal amplified in the amplification procedure is smaller than a threshold value previously associated with the predetermined amplification factor, and a respective section selected in the selection procedure. And a recognition procedure for recognizing a MICR character or a MICR symbol from each of the signals in a section sandwiched between the boundaries. 10. The computer readable information recording medium according to claim 9, wherein said threshold value is associated so as to be proportional to said amplification factor. 11. The predetermined amplification factor is one of a first amplification factor and a second amplification factor smaller than the first amplification factor, and each of them is a first threshold value and a second threshold value. The computer-readable information recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the program is recorded with a computer-readable recording medium. 12. When the intensity of a signal amplified by the first amplification factor in the amplification procedure is saturated with respect to a dynamic range, amplifying the signal by the second amplification factor in the amplification procedure. The computer-readable information recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the program is characterized by being recorded. 13. The information recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the information recording medium is a compact disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital video disk, a magnetic tape, or a semiconductor memory. A computer-readable information recording medium on which the program according to the item is recorded.