JP2006285539A - Portable information reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To cope with such a case that the high speed processing of reading is necessary while normally suppressing power consumption. <P>SOLUTION: This portable information reader is provided with a function of optically reading information, and configured so as to be driven by a battery. This portable information reading device is provided with a first battery 7, an attachable/detachable second battery 9, a load power predicting means 21 for predicting a load power to be supplied to each part and a supply power control means 21 for controlling a power to be supplied to each part. When it is detected that it is necessary to supply power which exceeds power which can be supplied by the first battery 7, the connection of the first battery 7 and the second battery 9 is switched so that not only power supply from the first battery 7 but also power supply from a second battery 9 can be attained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information reader having a function of optically reading information (for example, a bar code or a two-dimensional code) and configured to be driven by a battery.

As an example of this type of portable information reader, an optical information reader described in Patent Document 1 is known. This reading apparatus is configured to make the battery driving time as long as possible by saving power consumption.
JP 2001-92918 A

  In the case of the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the main purpose is to save power consumption, and the processing speed for reading the information code is set at a normal speed. For this reason, even if a situation requiring high-speed processing occurs, since processing is performed at a normal speed, the processing time (working time) becomes long, and there is a possibility that the battery is consumed more. In addition, as a case where high-speed processing is required, for example, when a large number of two-dimensional codes need to be read in a short time, or when a code having a large code size (a two-dimensional code having a large amount of recorded data) is read There is.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable information reading device that can normally supply power under the required voltage and current conditions when high-speed reading processing or the like is required while suppressing power consumption. To provide the equipment.

  The portable information reader of the present invention has a function of optically reading information, and is configured to be driven by a battery. The first information battery, the second battery, and the respective parts are supplied to the portable information reader. Load power prediction means for predicting load power and supply power control means for controlling power supplied to each unit, and the load power prediction means needs to supply power exceeding the power that can be supplied by the first battery. If it is detected that the power supply control means supplies the power from the second battery in addition to the power supply from the first battery, the first battery and the first battery It is comprised so that connection of 2 batteries may be switched.

  According to the above configuration, when it is detected that the power supply exceeding the power that can be supplied by the first battery is necessary, the supply power control means causes the first battery to supply the first battery. Since the connection between the first battery and the second battery is switched so that power is supplied from the second battery, it is possible to cope with a case where high-speed reading processing or the like is required. Processing and the like can be executed. Moreover, in normal cases, it is possible to suppress power consumption.

  In the case of the above configuration, the load power prediction unit includes a determination unit that determines whether the current exceeds the voltage when the detected power supply exceeds the power that can be supplied by the first battery. When the determination means determines that the current exceeds the supply power control means, the first battery and the second battery are switched to be connected in parallel, and the determination means determines that the voltage exceeds When determined, it is preferable to switch the first battery and the second battery so as to be connected in series.

  Further, when the main body of the portable information reading device is composed of an information code reading section, a display section, a data storage section, a main body section that houses the first battery and the like, and a grip section that houses the second battery. Since a large battery and a heavy battery are accommodated in the lower grip, it is easy to hold in a weight balanced manner.

  Furthermore, a reflected light level detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from the reading target surface, an illumination light source for irradiating the reading target surface with illumination light, and an illumination power control means for controlling the power supplied to the illumination light source The supply power control means includes the illumination power control means to increase the power supplied to the illumination light source when the reflected light level detection means determines that the intensity of the reflected light is insufficient. It is good to control.

  Furthermore, it comprises a marker light source and marker power control means for controlling the power supplied to the marker light source, and the supply power control means determines that the reflected light level detecting means is insufficient in intensity of the reflected light. In this case, the marker power control means may be controlled so as to increase the power supplied to the marker light source.

  On the other hand, a readability evaluation unit that evaluates the difficulty of reading from image data to be read is provided, and the supply power control unit increases the drive voltage of the reading unit when the readability evaluation unit evaluates that reading is difficult. It is also preferable to control so that it does.

  It is preferable that a normal mode in which the operation speed of the reading process is a normal mode and a high speed mode in which the operation speed of the reading process is high are provided, and the normal mode and the high speed mode can be switched.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a barcode reader will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 3 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the barcode reader of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the bar code reader of this embodiment is a so-called gun type gun. A main body 1 of the bar code reader is composed of a main body portion 2 and a grip portion 3 projecting downward from a lower surface portion of the main body portion 2.

  The main body 2 contains an information code reading unit 4 (see FIG. 2), a display unit 5 (see FIG. 2), a memory (data storage unit) 6 (see FIG. 2), a first battery 7 and the like. ing. The said 1st battery 7 consists of secondary batteries, for example, and is accommodated in the inside of the main-body part 2 so that attachment or detachment is possible. A rectangular reading port made of a transparent member is provided on the left end surface of the main body 2 in FIG.

  The grip portion 3 is a portion that is held by a user (operator) with a hand, and a trigger switch 8 is disposed on the left end portion in FIG. The trigger switch 8 is a switch for starting the reading operation of the bar code reader, and is configured to continue the reading operation while the user performs an ON operation (push-in operation). A second battery 9 made of, for example, a secondary battery is detachably housed in the grip portion 3 (attachable / detachable).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the barcode reader of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the bar code reader includes an optical unit 10, a data processing unit 11, a data output unit 12, a display unit 5, an operation unit 14, a power supply circuit 15, and the like.

  The optical unit 10 includes an imaging lens 16, a CCD sensor 17, an illumination LED 18, and a marker laser diode 19. In this case, the light emitted from the illumination LED 18 passes through the reading port and is applied to the barcode (information code) 20 printed on paper or an article to illuminate the barcode. The reflected light from the barcode 20 passes through the reading port and passes through the imaging lens 16 to form an image on the CCD sensor 17. The CCD sensor 17 has a function of photographing the barcode 20 and outputting the photographed signal. The reading range is displayed by the marker laser beam emitted from the marker laser diode 19 so that it can be recognized by the user.

  The CCD sensor 17 is configured to be driven via the drive circuit 22 by the CPU 21 of the data processing unit 10. Further, the illumination LED 18 and the marker laser diode 19 are configured to be driven by the CPU 21 via drive circuits 23 and 24, respectively.

  The data processing unit 11 includes a CPU 21, a memory 5, and an amplifier circuit 25. The CPU 21 has a function of controlling the overall operation of the barcode reader. The CPU 21 takes in a signal (image data) obtained by amplifying the output signal from the CCD sensor 17 through the amplifier circuit 25 and takes it in. The data is stored in the memory 6 and the bar code 20 included in the data is analyzed and decoded. In this case, the information code reading unit 4 includes the optical unit 10 and the data processing unit 11.

  The CPU 21 is configured to output the decoding result to an external device (for example, a register or a host computer) via the data output unit 12. The decoding result may be stored in the memory 6 and accumulated. The data output unit 12 is constituted by a wireless communication device, for example.

  In addition, the CPU 21 is configured to input a switch signal from the operation unit 14 having the trigger switch 8 and various operation switches, to control the display unit 5, and to control the power supply circuit 15.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply circuit 15 includes a first battery 7, a second battery 9, a switching circuit 26, and a voltage generation circuit 27. The switching circuit 26 is configured to supply a voltage (power) from only the first battery 7 to the voltage generation circuit 27 in response to a command from the CPU 21, and the first battery 7 and the second battery. The second connection mode for supplying the voltage (electric power) from the serial connection of 9 to the voltage generation circuit 27 and the voltage (electric power) from the parallel connection of the first battery 7 and the second battery 9 The third connection mode supplied to the voltage generation circuit 27 can be switched.

  The voltage generation circuit 27 receives the voltage (electric power) from the switching circuit 26, generates various necessary DC constant voltages (for example, 3.3V, 5V, 8V, etc.) and supplies them to each unit. Has been. In particular, the voltage generation circuit 27 is configured to be able to increase the voltage supplied to each unit (for example, from 3.3 V to 5 V, from 5 V to 8 V) in response to a command from the CPU 21. .

  Next, the operation of the barcode reader having the above configuration will be described. When reading a barcode at a normal reading speed, the reading process is executed in a normal mode (that is, the same speed as that of a known barcode reader). In this normal mode, the CPU 21 gives a command for setting the first connection mode to the switching circuit 26 and is supplied to the voltage (power) voltage generation circuit 27 from only the first battery 7.

  When it is better to execute the reading process at a high speed, for example, when the reading process is continuously executed, the operation mode is changed from the normal mode to the high speed mode (for example, the mode in which the calculation speed of the CPU 21 is doubled). Switch. This switching is configured to be executed when a user operates a predetermined function key (for example, M1) in the operation unit 14. As an example of switching from the normal mode to the high speed mode, the clock speed of the CPU 21 is switched from 200 MHz to 400 MHz.

  Then, when switching to the high speed mode, the CPU 21 predicts load power to be supplied to each unit, and determines (detects) whether or not power supply exceeding the power that can be supplied by the first battery 7 is necessary. In this case, the CPU 21 has a function as load power prediction means. Further, when the CPU 21 detects that power supply exceeding the power that can be supplied by the first battery 7 is necessary, the CPU 21 supplies power from the second battery 9 in addition to the power supply from the first battery 7. The connection between the first battery 7 and the second battery 9 is switched so as to be supplied. In this case, the CPU 21 has a function as supply power control means. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the power consumption is suppressed as much as possible, and when a large amount of power is required, a large amount of power necessary is supplied to perform high-speed processing or high-reliability processing. As a result, it is possible to realize an easy-to-use portable barcode reader (information reading apparatus) that saves power and does not sacrifice processing speed and reading performance.

  Here, switching of connection between the first battery 7 and the second battery 9 will be specifically described. When the detected power supply exceeds the power that can be supplied by the first battery 7, the CPU 21 determines whether the current or voltage exceeds (function as a determination unit), and determines that the current exceeds. When switching, the first battery 7 and the second battery 9 are switched so as to be connected in parallel (that is, a command for setting the second connection mode is given to the switching circuit 26). It switches so that the 1st battery 7 and the 2nd battery 9 may be connected in series (namely, the command which makes a 3rd connection mode is given to the switching circuit 26).

  For example, when a request for high-speed mode processing occurs when the capacity of the first battery 7 is almost lost while the first battery 7 is being used, the first battery 7 alone can operate in the high-speed mode. It is determined that it cannot be performed, and the high-speed mode process is executed using the second battery 9 that is not yet used. In addition, if it can be determined that the normal mode processing request can be made with only the first battery 7 after the high-speed mode processing is executed, the original state is restored and the first battery 7 is used up.

  In the present embodiment, when a bad barcode label is read, the voltage supplied to each unit is switched so as to increase. This switching is automatically executed by the CPU 21.

Specifically, the CPU 21 detects the intensity of the reflected light from the barcode label (read target surface) based on the signal from the CCD sensor 16. In this case, the CPU 21 and the CCD sensor 16 constitute a function as reflected light level detection means. And the CPU 21
When it is determined that the intensity of the reflected light is insufficient, control is performed to increase the power supplied to the illumination LED (illumination light source) 15, for example, the current. In this case, the CPU 21 has a function as illumination power control means.

  Further, the CPU 21 is configured to increase the power supplied to the marker laser diode (marker light source) 16, for example, current, when it is determined that the intensity of the reflected light is insufficient simultaneously with the control of the illumination LED 15. ing. In this case, the CPU 21 has a function as marker power control means. Note that only one of the control for the illumination LED 15 and the control for the marker laser diode 16 may be executed.

  Further, the CPU 21 has a function of evaluating the difficulty of reading the barcode based on the image data of the barcode (reading target) photographed by the CCD sensor 16. In this case, the CPU 21 has a function as a readability evaluation unit. When the CPU 21 evaluates that reading is difficult, the CPU 21 increases the driving voltage of the reading unit (for example, the voltage supplied to the CCD sensor 16 is increased from 3.3 V to 5 V, or the voltage supplied to the amplifier circuit 22 is increased. Or from 3V to 5V). Thereby, the sensitivity of the CCD sensor 16 can be increased and the S / N ratio can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a barcode reader, but may be applied to a two-dimensional code reader. In particular, in the case of a two-dimensional code reader, for example, when reading a QR code as a two-dimensional code, if the version of the QR code is large, data processing increases. In such a case, if reading is performed in the normal mode, the reading process takes time. Therefore, it is preferable to perform the reading by switching to the high-speed mode described above. The switching to the high-speed mode may be executed manually by the user or automatically when a two-dimensional code having a large amount of recorded data is detected.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, when reading is performed in the normal mode, it is preferable to execute a measure for saving power consumption similar to Patent Document 1. Thereby, normally, power consumption can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, the mode in which the second battery 9 is accommodated in the grip portion 3 in the so-called gun-type bar code reader in which the grip portion 3 is disposed in the main body 1 is described. The same contents can be realized when the bar code reader main body 1 does not include a grip portion and two batteries are accommodated.

  Moreover, in the said one Example, the connection aspect of a battery is the 1st connection aspect which supplies electric power only by the 1st battery 7, The 2nd battery 9 is added to the 1st battery 7, and it connects in series. Example of providing a second connection mode in which power is supplied at a high voltage and a third connection mode in which a second battery 9 is added to the first battery 7 and connected in parallel to supply a large current. Although described, the present invention is not limited to this, and an embodiment in which only the second connection mode and the third connection mode are configured and each can be switched may be used. In this case, it is desirable that the third connection mode is a normal connection mode with low power consumption.

  Further, when a high voltage is supplied according to the second connection mode, a circuit as shown in FIG. 4A may be used as the switching circuit 26 to supply a high voltage to the entire circuit. In order to realize the first to third connection modes with this switching circuit, the switches S1 to S5 may be turned ON / OFF as shown in FIG.

  Further, as the switching circuit 26, a circuit as shown in FIG. 4B may be used to supply a high voltage only to a necessary circuit portion, for example, the information code reading unit 4. In order to realize the first to third connection modes with this switching circuit, the switches S1 to S6 may be turned ON / OFF as shown in FIG.

1 is a block diagram of a power supply circuit showing an embodiment of the present invention. Barcode reader block diagram Side view of barcode reader Circuit diagram showing specific example of switching circuit Corresponding diagram showing the relationship between each switch and connection mode in a specific example of the switching circuit

Explanation of symbols

In the drawings, 1 is a main body, 2 is a main body portion, 3 is a grip portion, 4 is an information code reading portion, 6 is a memory (data storage portion), 7 is a first battery, 8 is a trigger switch, and 9 is a second Battery, 10 is an optical unit, 15 is a power supply circuit, 17 is a CCD sensor, 18 is an illumination LED (illumination light source), 19 is a marker laser diode (marker light source), 20 is a barcode, and 21 is a CPU (load power prediction) Means, supply power control means, discrimination means, illumination power control means, marker power control means, readability evaluation means), 22, 23 and 24 are drive circuits, 25 is an amplifier circuit, 26 is a switching circuit, and 27 is a voltage generation circuit. Indicates.

Claims (7)

In a portable information reader having a function of optically reading information and configured to be driven by a battery,
A first battery;
A second battery;
Load power prediction means for predicting the load power supplied to each unit;
Supply power control means for controlling the power supplied to each part,
When the load power prediction means detects that a power supply exceeding the power that can be supplied by the first battery is necessary,
The supply power control means switches the connection between the first battery and the second battery so that power is supplied from the second battery in addition to the power supply from the first battery. A portable information reader characterized by being configured. The load power prediction unit includes a determination unit that determines whether the current exceeds the voltage or the voltage exceeds when the detected power supply exceeds the power that can be supplied by the first battery.
The supply power control means includes
When the determining means determines that the current exceeds, the first battery and the second battery are switched to be connected in parallel,
2. The portable information reader according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that the voltage exceeds, the first battery and the second battery are switched to be connected in series. The body of the portable information reader is
An information code reading unit, a display unit, a data storage unit, a main body unit for housing the first battery, and the like;
The portable information reader according to claim 1, wherein the portable information reader is composed of a grip portion that accommodates the second battery. Reflected light level detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from the surface to be read;
An illumination light source for illuminating the reading target surface with illumination light;
Illumination power control means for controlling the power supplied to the illumination light source,
The supply power control means controls the illumination power control means to increase the power supplied to the illumination light source when the reflected light level detection means determines that the intensity of the reflected light is insufficient. The portable information reader according to claim 1, wherein: A marker light source;
Marker power control means for controlling the power supplied to the marker light source,
The supply power control means controls the marker power control means so as to increase the power supplied to the marker light source when the reflected light level detection means determines that the intensity of the reflected light is insufficient. The portable information reader according to claim 4. Readability evaluation means for evaluating the difficulty of reading from image data to be read,
4. The power supply control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the readability evaluation unit evaluates that reading is difficult, the supply power control unit performs control to increase a drive voltage of the reading unit. 5. Portable information reader. A normal mode in which the operation speed of the reading process is a normal speed;
It has a high-speed mode that increases the operation speed of the reading process,
The portable information reader according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the normal mode and the infarct mode are switchable.

Images