JP2006071886A - Concealed information reading apparatus and concealed information reading method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a concealed information reading apparatus and concealed information reading method for reading concealed information. <P>SOLUTION: The concealed information reading apparatus 1 is equipped with a heating roller and a heating apparatus 5 for heating a temperature indicating layer 23 which is laminated on recording information 19 recorded on a recording surface 17 of a card 2 and has a characteristic to change from a non-translucent state to a translucent state to a temperature at which the temperature indicating layer 23 turns to the translucent state, and a scanner 7 and a computer apparatus 9 for reading the recording information 19 recorded on the recording surface 7 of the card 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a concealment information reading apparatus and concealment information reading method for reading concealment information.

  For example, when a new service or product guide is sent to a customer from a trader such as a financial business, retail business, or mail order business, it is usual to enclose an application form for receiving an application from the customer. At that time, since application information is recorded and recorded with customer's personal information and personal identification number, etc., it is required to prevent such information from being seen by third parties. .

Therefore, the non-translucent concealment seal is affixed and concealed by the customer so as not to touch the third party's eyes (for example, see Non-patent Document 1 below). Such a trader manually peels off the concealment seal and visually checks the record information (concealment information) concealed by the concealment seal.
JP-A-7-195874 JP 2003-136863 A

  However, as described above, the work of manually removing the concealment seal is very complicated, and particularly when a large amount of the concealment seal is peeled off, the work is very troublesome. Further, an operator who performs the above-described work may read the concealment information and make a mistake, and the concealment information is read by human eyes, so that the recorded information is highly likely to leak.

  Although it is conceivable to use a peeling machine that automatically peels off the seal, the peeling machine is very expensive and is difficult to introduce. Also, the maintenance and running costs of the peeling machine are necessary, and there is a problem that the cost performance is poor.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a concealment information reading device and a concealment information reading method capable of reading concealment information.

  In order to achieve the above object, the concealed information reading apparatus of the present invention is a temperature indicating layer that is laminated on the recording information recorded on the recording surface of a predetermined information recording medium and has a property of changing from a non-translucent state to a translucent state. Recording on the recording surface of the information recording medium through a heating means for heating the temperature indicating layer to a temperature at which the temperature indicating layer becomes translucent with respect to the layer, and the temperature indicating layer that has become translucent by heating by the heating means And a reading means for reading the recorded information.

  In order to achieve the above object, the concealed information reading method of the present invention has a property of being laminated on the recording information recorded on the recording surface of a predetermined information recording medium and changing from a non-translucent state to a translucent state. The temperature indicating layer is heated to a temperature at which the temperature indicating layer becomes translucent by a predetermined heating unit, and the temperature of the information recording medium passes through the temperature indicating layer that has become translucent by heating by the heating unit. The gist is to read the recorded information recorded on the recording surface with a predetermined reading means.

  That is, according to the concealed information reading apparatus of the present invention, the reading means records the recorded information recorded on the recording surface of the information recording medium through the temperature indicating layer that has become translucent due to the heating of the heating means. Read.

  Therefore, the recorded information can be automatically read without peeling off the temperature indicating layer from the recording surface of the information recording medium. Thereby, the user can confirm the above-mentioned recorded information without taking time and effort to peel off the temperature indicating layer manually, and can prevent erroneous reading of the recorded information. Further, since the recorded information is automatically read, the leakage of the recorded information can be prevented. Further, for example, it can be suitably used when reading the recorded information from a large amount of information recording medium. Further, since it is not necessary to peel off the temperature indicating layer, it is not necessary to prepare a peeling machine for peeling the temperature indicating layer, and a simple structure can be realized and the cost performance is very excellent.

  In the present invention, a conversion means for converting image data into text data is provided, the reading means reads the recorded information as image data, and the conversion means converts the image data read by the reading means into text data. In this case, the user can save the trouble of inputting the image data as text data. In addition, the user does not need to manually convert the text data into text data by looking at the image data, thereby eliminating manual conversion errors.

  In the present invention, the information recording medium is recorded with fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence in the visible range in response to electromagnetic waves having a predetermined wavelength, and the recorded information is irradiated with the electromagnetic waves having the predetermined wavelength. When the recording information is fluoresced by irradiation of the irradiation means, the reading means adopts, for example, ultraviolet rays as electromagnetic waves of a predetermined wavelength when reading the recording information. If the fluorescent ink is difficult to see under natural light or illumination and emits fluorescence in the visible range when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the recorded information is prevented from leaking due to the recorded information being seen through the temperature indicating layer. Is done. In this way, it is possible to automatically read the recorded information that prevents leakage of recorded information and has improved security.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a concealment information reading device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  The concealment information reading device 1 of the present invention uses a concealment seal 21 (FIG. 3) having a temperature indicating layer 23 described later having a property of changing from a non-translucent state to a translucent state. In this embodiment, the concealment seal 21 is stuck so as to be laminated on the recording information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 as an information recording medium (FIG. 2). The card 2 of this embodiment is a card for receiving an application for membership registration from a customer.

  The concealment information reading device 1 includes a heating roller 3 and a heating device 5 that are heating means for heating the temperature indicating layer 23 to a temperature at which the temperature indicating layer 23 is in a translucent state, and translucency by the heating. The scanner 7 and the computer device 9 that read the recorded information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 through the temperature indicating layer 23 in the state and the feed roller 11 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the card 2 has recorded information (concealment information) 19 such as an address, name, telephone number, and password recorded on the recording surface 17. As shown in FIG. 2B, a concealment seal 21 is affixed and concealed to the recorded information 19 so as not to be seen by a third party.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the concealment seal 21 has a protective film 22 formed of polyester (particularly PET) and a property that changes from a non-translucent state laminated to the protective film 22 to a translucent state. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 25 is laminated on the surface of the laminated body of the temperature indicating layer 23, the protective film 22, and the temperature indicating layer 23 on the temperature indicating layer 23 side. The concealment seal 21 is attached to the recording information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 by the adhesive layer 25. Since the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal 21 is in a non-translucent state at room temperature, the recorded information 19 such as personal information written and recorded on the card 2 cannot be seen.

  The temperature indicating layer 23 has a property of changing from a non-translucent state to a translucent state at a temperature of approximately 60 ° C. or higher. Thereby, it does not change from a non-translucent state to a translucent state by a human body temperature and temperature. Further, the temperature indicating layer 23 employs a reversible layer that returns to the original color (that is, returns from the non-translucent state to the translucent state) once the color is changed. Accordingly, when the temperature indicating layer 23 reaches a temperature of approximately 60 ° C. or less, the temperature indicating layer 23 gradually returns from the translucent state to the non-translucent state as the temperature decreases.

  Further, since the transparent protective film 22 is laminated on the temperature indicating layer 23, the temperature indicating layer 23 is prevented from being peeled off or soiled, and the entire concealing seal 21 is not easily wrinkled or damaged. Excellent durability. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the reading by the scanner 7 or the like from becoming difficult.

  Referring again to FIG. 1, the heating roller 3 has a heater 3a as a heating source inside, and the surface is heated to 60 to 70 degrees by the internal heater 3a. The heating roller 3 is disposed above the heating device 5 by the thickness of the card 2. Therefore, a space is formed between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 through which the card 2 rubs against the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5. The heating roller 3 has a certain amount of frictional force on its surface and rotates so as to wind the card 2 inserted between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5. In this embodiment, the card 2 is inserted between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 with the concealing seal surface on which the concealing seal is attached facing the heating device 5 as indicated by the arrows in the figure. Therefore, the heating roller 3 heats the temperature indicating layer 23 from the back surface of the card 2.

  The heating device 5 has a heating unit 5a as a heating source at the top thereof. The heating unit 5a is heated to 60 to 70 degrees. Thereby, the heating device 5 heats the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal laminated on the card 2 passing between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 through the protective film 22.

  The concealment information reading device 1 is provided with two pairs of the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5. Here, the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 on the left side of the drawing are referred to as “first heating unit”, and the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 on the right side thereof are referred to as “second heating unit”. In the concealment information reading device 1, the card 2 is conveyed in the order of the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the scanner 7, and the feed roller 11.

  The scanner 7 optically converts the recording information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 through the transparent protective film 22 and the temperature indicating layer 23 that has become translucent by heating of the heating unit. Read as. The scanner 7 is connected to the computer device 9 so as to transmit the image data to the computer device 9.

  The computer device 9 is installed with OCR (Optical Character Reader) software, and identifies text (including characters and symbols) from the image data transmitted from the scanner 7 and converts it into text data. Thus, in this embodiment, the computer device 9 functions as a conversion means for converting image data into text data using OCR software. The computer device 9 manages the converted text data by creating a database.

  The feed roller 11 has a certain amount of frictional force on the surface thereof, and is rotated so as to feed the card 2 conveyed on the reading surface of the scanner 7 to the outside of the scanner 7. Accordingly, the scanner 7 can sequentially read the recorded information 19.

  Next, the operation of the concealment information reading device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.

  When the card 2 with the concealment seal shown in FIG. 4A is inserted into the space between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 of the first heating unit, the concealment information reading device 1 is heated. While heating the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal 21 with the heating device 5, the card 2 is wound and sent out in the direction of the second heating unit by the rotation of the heating roller 3.

  Next, the card 2 sent out by the heating roller 3 of the first heating unit is inserted into the space between the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 of the second heating unit, and the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealing seal is heated with the heating roller 3. While further heating is performed by the apparatus 5, the card 2 is wound in the direction of the scanner 7 and sent out by the rotation of the heating roller 3.

  When heated by the first heating unit and further heated by the second heating unit as described above, the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal affixed to the card 2 is in a translucent state as shown in FIG. Become. As described above, by heating in a plurality of stages, heat can be sufficiently transmitted to the temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal, and the temperature indicating layer 23 can be completely translucent. In the present embodiment, the temperature indicating layer 23 is in a light-transmitting state for about 2 seconds by preheating.

  Next, the concealment information reading device 1 transmits the record information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 through the temperature indicating layer 23 that has become translucent by the heating of the first and second heating units. Read by the scanner 7. At this time, the scanner 7 reads the recording information 19 as image data and transmits the image data to the computer device 9.

  Next, the card 2 read by the scanner 7 is sent out to the outside of the scanner 7 by the feed roller 11.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (3), the temperature indicating layer 23 that has been heated and is in a light-transmitting state gradually becomes non-light-transmitting when cooled by the surrounding air. As shown in FIG. Thus, since the temperature indicating layer 23 automatically becomes a non-translucent state, there is no trouble of concealing the recorded information 19 and the confidentiality of the recorded information 19 can be maintained.

  Next, the concealment information reading device 1 identifies text from the image data received from the scanner 7 by the computer device 9 and converts it into text data, and stores the text data.

  Since the computer device 9 converts the image data read by the scanner 7 into text data, the user can save the trouble of inputting the image data as text data. In addition, the user does not need to manually convert the text data into text data by looking at the image data, thereby eliminating manual conversion errors.

  As described above, in the concealment information reading device, the temperature indicating layer 23 that has become translucent due to heating of the heating unit such as the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 is transmitted through the temperature indicating layer 23 by the scanner 7 or the computer device 9 serving as reading means. Then, the recorded information 19 recorded on the recording surface 17 of the card 2 is read. That is, the recorded information 19 can be automatically read without peeling off the temperature indicating layer 23 from the recording surface 17 of the card 2. Thus, the user can check the recorded information 19 without taking the labor and labor of manually removing the temperature indicating layer 23, and can prevent misreading of the recorded information 19 and the like. Further, since the recorded information 19 is automatically read, the recorded information 19 can be prevented from leaking. For example, it can be suitably used when the recorded information 19 is read from a large amount of cards 2. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to peel off the temperature indicating layer 23, it is not necessary to prepare a peeling machine for peeling the temperature indicating layer 23, a simple structure can be realized, and cost performance is very excellent.

  Although the temperature indicating ink is used as the temperature indicating layer 23, the temperature indicating layer 23 is not limited to this. For example, various materials such as a temperature indicating pigment, a temperature indicating paint, and a temperature indicating material can be used. In addition, an irreversible color that does not return to the original color (that is, does not return from the light-transmitting state to the non-light-transmitting state) can be employed once the color is changed. In this case, the rotation speed of the heating roller 3 and the reading speed of the scanner 7 are set so that the scanner 7 can read the recording information 19 until the temperature indicating layer 23 returns to the non-translucent state (that is, immediately after heating). There is no need. Therefore, it can be suitably used regardless of the usage environment of the present apparatus, such as when used in a place where the temperature is low or when used in a place where the temperature is high.

  Further, a cooling means for cooling the temperature indicating layer 23 after the recorded information 19 is read by the scanner 7 may be provided. By doing in this way, it can respond to the case where it is difficult for the temperature indicating layer 23 to return to the non-translucent state due to the influence of the temperature or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 5, as the concealment seal 21, a concealment seal (referred to as “double concealment seal” 35) in which a laminated body of the temperature indicating layer 31 and the protective film 33 is further laminated on the protective film 22. It may be adopted.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the temperature indicating layer 31 may be laminated on the protective film 22 side of the concealment seal 21, and the protective film 33 may be laminated on the temperature indicating layer 31. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the recorded information 19 from being seen through. In this case, it is preferable to set the heating time, the heating temperature, and the like by the heating roller 3 and the heating device 5 so that heat is sufficiently transmitted to the temperature indicating layers 23 and 31.

  6 to 8 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the card 2 is made of fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence in the visible range when the recorded information 19 reacts to electromagnetic waves having a predetermined wavelength (in this embodiment, ultraviolet rays). It is recorded. The concealment information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an ultraviolet irradiation unit 41 that is an irradiation unit that irradiates the recording information 19 with the ultraviolet rays, and the scanner 7 receives the recording information 19 by irradiation of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 41. When the light is emitting fluorescence, the recorded information 19 is read. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the same parts.

  The ultraviolet irradiation unit 41 is provided in the scanner 7 and irradiates the recording information 19 with ultraviolet rays at least during the reading operation of the scanner 7.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the recorded information 19 is copied by using a carbon paper 43 coated with stealth ink as fluorescent ink by a customer or the like and attached to the concealment seal 21.

  The fluorescent ink is adapted to emit fluorescence when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, but is not limited thereto, and may emit fluorescence when irradiated with electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays. Often, fluorescent dyes, fluorescent pigments and the like can be employed.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 8, the operation of the concealment information reading apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

  When the card 2 to which the concealment seal 21 shown in FIG. 8A is affixed is heated by the second heating unit following the first heating unit, the concealment information reader 1 shown in FIG. ), The temperature indicating layer 23 of the concealment seal 21 affixed to the card 2 is completely translucent. Here, since the record information 19 is recorded with the stealth ink, it cannot be read.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8 (3), the concealment information reading device 1 irradiates the recording information 19 with ultraviolet rays through the temperature indicating layer 23 that has been made translucent by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 41. At the same time, the recorded information 19 is read by the scanner 7. That is, the scanner 7 irradiates the recording information 19 with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiation unit 41, and reads the recording information 19 as image data while the recording information 19 emits fluorescence. Then, the image data is transmitted to the computer device 9.

  Next, the concealment information reading device 1 sends out the card 2 read by the scanner 7 to the outside of the scanner 7 by the feed roller 11, and the computer device 9 identifies the text from the image data received from the scanner 7, and the text. Convert to data and store the text data.

  As described above, the scanner 7 reads the recorded information 19 when the recorded information 19 is fluoresced by the irradiation of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 41. If the fluorescent ink is difficult to see under natural light or illumination and emits fluorescence in the visible range when irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the recording information 19 can be seen through the temperature indicating layer 23. Leakage of information 19 is prevented. Thus, in this embodiment, in addition to the operational effects of the first embodiment, it is possible to automatically read the recorded information 19 in which the leakage of the recorded information 19 is prevented and the security is improved.

  FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 9, an OCR (optical character reader) 45 that converts image data into text data may be used instead of the scanner 7. An OCR (optical character reader) 45 has the function of the scanner 7 in each of the above embodiments and the function of the computer 9 in which the OCR software is installed. In this case, the computer device 9 may receive and manage the text data converted by the OCR 45. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the same parts. In this way, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment, it is not necessary to connect to the computer device 9 and the configuration of the present device can be simplified. Further, it is possible to connect to an external device (terminal device) other than the computer device 9 and transmit text data to the external device.

  FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the concealment information reading apparatus 1 may be provided with a storage unit 51 that stores a plurality of cards 2 before reading, and the cards 2 stored in the storage unit 51 may be sequentially read. In this case, the accommodation unit 51 may be provided with a delivery roller 51a that sends out the accommodated card 2 to the first heating unit. As described above, when the storage unit 51 is provided, when a large amount of the recorded information 19 of the cards 2 is read, the plurality of cards 2 are stored in the storage unit 51 at a time so that the recorded information 19 of these cards 2 is stored. Can be read sequentially, so that the labor and labor of reading a large amount of cards 2 can be further reduced. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the same parts. In addition, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In FIG. 10, the computer device 9 is not shown.

  In addition, you may change arbitrarily the structure of the concealment information reader of each Example. For example, a part of the configuration of the concealment information reading device of the first embodiment may be combined with the concealment information reading device of the second embodiment. Further, although a card is employed as the information recording medium, various information recording media such as postcards and documents can be applied.

  The present invention can be applied if recording information that needs to be read is concealed by the temperature indicating layer, and can be used for reading concealment information that is recording information concealed by the temperature indicating layer.

It is a figure which shows the concealment information reading apparatus of 1st Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the record information and concealment seal of a card | curd. It is sectional drawing of the concealment seal affixed on record information. It is a figure which shows the state of a concealment seal. It is a figure which shows a double concealment seal. It is a figure which shows the concealment information reader of a 2nd Example. It is a figure which shows the recording information recorded using the stealth ink. It is a figure which shows the state of a concealment seal. It is a figure which shows the concealment information reader of a 3rd Example. It is a figure which shows the concealment information reader of a 4th Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Concealment information reader 2 Card 3 Heating roller 3a Heater 5 Heating device 5a Heating part 7 Scanner 9 Computer apparatus 11 Feeding roller 17 Recording surface 19 Recorded information 21 Concealment seal 22 Protective film 23 Temperature layer 25 Adhesive layer 31 Temperature layer 33 Protective film 35 Double concealment seal 41 UV irradiation part 43 Carbon paper 45 OCR
51 container 51a feed roller

Claims (4)

With respect to the temperature indicating layer that is laminated on the recording information recorded on the recording surface of a predetermined information recording medium and has a property of changing from a non-light-transmitting state to a light-transmitting state, the temperature of the temperature indicating layer becomes a light-transmitting state. Heating means for heating;
A concealment information reading apparatus comprising: reading means for reading recorded information recorded on a recording surface of the information recording medium through a temperature indicating layer that has become translucent by heating of the heating means. A conversion means for converting image data into text data;
The reading means reads the recording information as image data,
The concealment information reading device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion means converts the image data read by the reading means into text data. In the information recording medium, the recorded information is recorded with fluorescent ink that emits fluorescence in the visible range in response to electromagnetic waves of a predetermined wavelength,
An irradiation means for irradiating the recording information with the electromagnetic wave having the predetermined wavelength;
The concealment information reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit reads the recording information when the recording information emits fluorescence by irradiation of the irradiation unit. With respect to the temperature indicating layer that is laminated on the recording information recorded on the recording surface of a predetermined information recording medium and has a property of changing from a non-light-transmitting state to a light-transmitting state, the temperature of the temperature indicating layer becomes a light-transmitting state. Heat with the prescribed heating means,
A method of reading recorded information recorded on a recording surface of the information recording medium through a temperature indicating layer that has become translucent by heating of the heating means, with a predetermined reading means.

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