JP2014010536A - Ticket printer and code reading program in ticket printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ticket printer and a code reading program in the ticket printer, capable of successfully detecting ticket ID and the like.SOLUTION: A ticket printer comprises: a mark scan unit scanning marks printed in black and white in a conveying direction of a rolled sheet for which tickets are rolled as a continuous form sheet, in the conveying direction; a threshold set unit setting a predetermined threshold, which obtains a binary signal by comparing signal waveforms obtained through scanning by the mark scan unit, to be closer to a white level than to a black level; a signal binarization unit scanning the marks with a threshold set by the threshold set unit to obtain a binary signal; and an ID conversion unit converting a signal binarized by the signal binarization unit into ticket ID.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a ticket printer and a code reading program in the ticket printer.

  Tickets for events and the like are often sold at stores in the city. In a store that sells tickets, when a ticket is requested to be sold, the center server is usually inquired about whether there is a vacant seat for a desired event in the center server. If there is an event vacancy in response to the inquiry, the printer issues a ticket on which the vacancy is printed. Tickets to be issued are usually rolled as continuous paper, and one of them is cut out at the time of ticketing. In order to confirm whether the ticket is correct, a unique ticket ID is printed in advance on these tickets.

  The ticket ID is printed with a black and white binary code, and the ticket ID is recognized by reading the ticket ID. Also, when issuing a ticket, the roll paper is cut according to the mark printed on the roll paper.

  However, this type of ticket printer naturally requires a printing mechanism, cannot be provided with an expensive and highly accurate recognition mechanism, and there are many cases where dust or the like adheres to the roll paper to be stored. There is a problem that the reading accuracy is low.

JP 9-73512 A

  In consideration of such a problem, the present invention provides a ticket printer and a code reading program in the ticket printer that can detect a ticket ID and the like satisfactorily.

  In one form of ticket printer, a mark scanning unit that scans a mark provided as black and white in the transport direction of a roll paper in which a ticket is wound as continuous paper, and the mark scan unit scans the mark in the transport direction. A threshold value setting unit that sets a predetermined threshold value for obtaining a binary signal by comparing the obtained signal waveforms closer to the white level than the black level, and the threshold value setting unit A signal binarization unit that scans the mark with a threshold value to obtain a binary signal, and an ID conversion unit that converts the signal binarized by the binarization unit into a ticket ID.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the ticket printer which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a mechanism simplification figure of one embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the mark detection part and ticket ID recognition part in one Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the ticket roll paper used for one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the unit code block printed beforehand on ticket roll paper. It is a figure which shows the example of a code | cord | chord arrangement | sequence. It is a figure which shows the example of the analog signal waveform obtained by scanning a mark.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. An example of a configuration centering on a ticket printer according to an embodiment is shown in FIG.

  The ticket printer 10 is connected to a POS terminal 11 that performs merchandise sales processing such as delivery of merchandise and receipt of cash, etc. at a store. The POS terminal 11 is a central sales management server 11S that manages merchandise sales information. It is connected to the.

  The ticket printer 10 includes, for example, a roll paper transport driving unit 12 that transports and drives a ticket roll paper TR on which a mark is printed, a mark detection unit 13 that detects a code on the back surface of the ticket roll paper TR, and a mark detection unit 13. The ticket ID recognizing unit 14 for recognizing the ticket ID from the code detected in the mark, the ticket issuing information storing unit 15 for storing the ticket issuing information sent from the POS terminal 11, and the surface of the ticket roll paper TR And a roll paper cutting unit 17 for cutting the roll paper based on the control mark detected by the mark detection unit 13.

  The mark information detected by the mark detection unit 13 is also sent to the roll paper conveyance drive unit 12, and the roll paper conveyance drive unit 12 drives the motor M to rotate and convey the ticket roll paper TR.

  A simplified structural diagram of the ticket printer 10 is shown in FIG. In the ticket printer 10, an upper cover 22 b is attached to a lower cover 22 a so as to be able to open and close by rotating upward about a support shaft 23. The ticket roll paper TR is rotatably wound around the winding shaft 24 in a state where the back surface is inside. The wound ticket roll paper TR has a pair of downstream feed rollers 25a and 25b and idler rollers 26a and 26b disposed opposite to the feed rollers 25a and 25b with the paper transport path 26 interposed therebetween. And is conveyed to the left side (downstream) of the drawing.

  Downstream of the feed roller 25a, a first sensor 27a, a second sensor 27b, and a third sensor 27c for recognizing a mark printed on the back surface of the ticket roll paper TR are close to the paper transport path 26, and the ticket roll paper They are provided side by side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction. The first sensor 27b, the second sensor 27b, and the third sensor 27c constitute a part of the mark detection unit 13 shown in FIG. 1, and detect, for example, reflected light of light emitted from the light source to the ticket roll paper TR. By doing so, the mark printed on the back surface of the ticket roll paper TR is detected. The first sensor 27b, the second sensor 27b, and the third sensor 27c constitute a sensor unit 27.

  Further downstream of these sensors, for example, a thermal print head 28a is provided so that printing can be performed on the surface of the ticket roll paper TR, and a platen roller 28b is provided in close proximity to the back surface. The thermal printing head 28a and the platen roller 28b constitute the printing unit 16 shown in FIG.

  A cutter 29 including a fixed blade 29a and a movable blade 29b is provided further downstream of the thermal print head 28a and the platen roller 28b in the paper conveyance path 26. The fixed blade 29a is brought into contact with the back surface of the ticket roll paper TR, and the movable blade 29b slides downward from above, whereby the ticket roll paper TR is cut and taken out as a ticket from the discharge port OUT. The cutter may be a rotary cutter having a mechanism for cutting the ticket roll paper by rotating the movable blade with respect to the fixed blade.

  On the upper surface of the upper cover 22b, for example, a display unit DSP configured by a liquid crystal display is provided so as to display information at the time of ticket issuance, or to display an error display such as a jammed or out of roll paper. Can be.

  Here, an example of the ticket roll paper TR will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5A shows the front surface of the ticket roll paper TR, and FIG. 5B shows the back surface. A straight line 50 indicates the cut position of the ticket roll paper TR. A perforation 51 is provided at a predetermined position in the transport direction of the ticket roll paper TR to separate the ticket to be delivered to the customer when the ticket is issued and the copy thereof. On the back surface of the ticket roll paper TR, three rows of black marks are provided on a white background with respect to the transport direction. A black mark 52a, 52b having a relatively wide width is provided in the left column A as viewed from the rear side with respect to the transport direction of the ticket roll paper TR, which indicates a position for cutting the ticket roll paper TR when the ticket is issued. Yes. Although only two black marks are shown here, in actuality, the ticket roll paper is longer, and thus has more black marks in the transport direction.

  In addition, on the right side when viewed from the back surface with respect to the transport direction of the ticket roll paper TR, marks having a relatively narrow width are provided as two adjacent B rows and C rows. Character information is entered in these two columns, and specifically, a ticket ID is provided as a code. A start mark 53s and an end mark 53e are provided before and after the character information indicating each ticket ID. A cut mark 54 is provided in front of the start mark 53s. Character information is printed between the start mark 53s and the end mark 53e.

  Marks and codes used here, and printing and printing will be described. For example, the mark is drawn in black on a white background, and the code is a mark when the meaning of character information or the like is given by a combination of the black mark and the white mark. Therefore, the mark includes a code. In an example of a code described later, a character is represented by a black and white code of 2 columns × 3 (rows), and a combination of these codes is called a code block. For example, a check code for parity check is added to the end of the code representing a series of characters.

  The printing described here refers to printing by pressing (marking) a mold. In addition to the above-mentioned printing, printing can be used to visualize characters without using a mold, such as inkjet recording, thermal recording, and electrostatic recording. Including the case of Therefore, here, printing is a broad concept including printing.

  Printing has the feature that it can be printed accurately on the ticket roll paper TR with respect to the position. However, since printing is performed by a mold, the shape to be printed is limited. On the other hand, printing other than printing is not as accurate as printing with respect to the printing position. However, since printing is usually performed in dot units, the printing shape is free, and graphics and the like can be printed easily.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 5B, the black marks 52a and 52b and the cut mark 54 are provided with black marks on the ticket roll paper TR by the above printing. On the other hand, the start mark, end mark, and code between them are made by printing other than printing.

  The cut mark 54 is a mark detected when the ticket roll paper TR is cut. It is preferable that the cut mark 54 is formed at an accurate position. However, since there is usually no need to change the shape of the mark, printing is used. The black mark is a mark that is first detected in the ticket, and it is preferable that the mark is printed because it is also desirable that the mark be accurate.

  On the other hand, since the combination of codes between the start mark and the end mark needs to be changed according to the character information, it is preferable to use printing other than printing. Since the start mark and the end mark need not be changed in shape, they may be printed. However, since they are usually printed together with a code between them, printing other than printing is used.

  Next, FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the mark detection unit 13 and the ticket ID recognition unit 14 in FIG. In FIG. 3, the mark detection unit 13 includes a sensor unit 27 that detects, for example, reflected light, the mark shown in FIG. 5B, a memory unit 30 that stores analog signal waveforms obtained from three sensors, and a sensor unit 27. And an analog waveform acquisition unit 31 that acquires the waveform of the analog signal of the reflected light detected by. In addition, the ticket ID recognition unit 14 temporally samples the waveform of the analog signal of each column obtained by the analog waveform acquisition unit 31 in a predetermined period, and stores a maximum and minimum value storage unit 32 that stores each maximum value and minimum value. A threshold calculation setting unit 33 that calculates and sets a threshold value from the values stored in the maximum / minimum value storage unit 32, and an analog signal waveform is obtained as a binary signal based on the threshold value set by the threshold calculation setting unit 33. When the signal binarization unit 34, the signal determination unit 35 that determines whether the binary signal obtained by the signal binarization unit 34 is correct (can be employed), and the binary signal can be employed, An ID conversion unit 36 that receives a binary signal from the signal binarization unit 34 and converts it into a ticket ID.

  The sensor unit 27 includes the first sensor 27a, the second sensor 27b, and the third sensor 27c as described above, and analog signals obtained by these sensors are temporarily stored in the A memory, the B memory, and the C memory of the memory unit 30. Memorized.

  The signal determination unit 35 is a circuit that determines whether or not the binary signal generated by the signal binarization unit 34 may be adopted as a correct binary signal. The determination of whether or not the signal may be adopted in the signal determination unit 35 will be described later. If it is determined that the signal determination unit 35 can adopt a binary signal, the signal output from the signal binarization unit 34 is converted into a ticket ID by the ID conversion unit 36 and sent to the printing unit 16. On the other hand, when the binary signal generated in the signal binarization unit 34 is inappropriate for use, the signal determination unit 35 stores the analog signal stored in each memory in the memory unit 30 of the mark detection unit 13. Send a control signal to read.

  The analog signal read from each memory to the memory unit 30 is used again as an original signal for generating a binary signal in the analog waveform acquisition unit 31 and the signal binarization unit 34.

  Next, the start mark 53s and the end mark 53e and marks printed between these marks will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A character formed by a code block composed of a plurality of marks will be described with reference to FIG. One character is composed of 2 columns × 3 unit code blocks of code 1 to code 6 shown in FIG. A black mark or a white mark is placed on the codes 1 to 6. Character information is indicated by the continuation of the unit code blocks. FIG. 7 shows an example of this continuous code block.

  In the code block 71 of FIG. 7, codes 1 and 4 are black marks, and other codes represent white marks. Similarly, the code block 72 represents a character in which code 2, code 3, and code 5 are black marks and the others are white marks. These code blocks are printed at predetermined intervals in the ticket roll paper transport direction. These black marks and white marks are detected by the second sensor 27b and the third sensor 27c shown in FIG.

  Scanning performed by the first, second, and third sensors 27a, 27b, and 27c along with the transport of the ticket roll paper TR, for example, obtains analog signal waveforms as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C. It is done. The start mark 53s and the end mark 53e are different code blocks composed of 2 rows × 2 codes, and the cut mark 54 is also composed of 2 rows × 2 code blocks.

  FIG. 8A shows a signal waveform obtained by the first sensor 27a, FIG. 8B shows a signal waveform obtained by the second sensor 27b, and FIG. 8C shows a signal obtained by the third sensor. The waveform is acquired as an electric signal by the analog waveform acquisition unit 31 shown in FIG. A waveform 81 is a waveform when a black mark is detected, a waveform 82 indicates a waveform when two black marks continue, and a waveform 83 indicates a waveform example when there is one black mark.

  The smaller value indicates the output value obtained from the white portion of the ticket roll paper TR, and is simply referred to as a white level in the following description. The larger value indicates the output value obtained from the one on which the black mark is printed, and is simply referred to as the black level in the following description. As is apparent from this waveform diagram, both the white level and the black level vary considerably due to fluctuations in the scanning environment and the influence of adhering dust. Actually, since more noise is added to these waveforms, the waveform is more varied, but these noise components are omitted in the figure.

  These analog signal waveforms are sampled in time, and the maximum and minimum values are stored in the maximum / minimum value storage unit 32. The threshold value calculation setting unit 33 calculates a predetermined threshold value from the maximum value and the minimum value, and this threshold value also changes. In FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the alternate long and short dash line is an average value (medium threshold) Sm (Sm1, Sm2, Sm3) between the maximum value and the minimum value, and the solid line is whiter than the average value. The threshold value (white threshold value) Sw (Sw1, Sw2, Sw3) when the level is close is represented, and the dotted line indicates the threshold value (black threshold value) Sb (Sb1, Sb2, Sb3) when the value is closer to the black level than the average value. Represents. Actually, since the threshold value is determined from several maximum values and minimum values immediately before the sampling value of the analog signal waveform, the threshold value does not become a straight line in this way. Represents a level.

  One of the features of this embodiment of the present invention is that a value close to the white level, that is, a value indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C is the most important threshold value. The signal binarization unit 34 performs binarization using this threshold Sw. Usually, an analog signal rises from a white level, and the level fluctuation is less at the white level. Therefore, using the level closer to the white level as the threshold in this way has the advantage that the above-described code can be detected reliably even if the black level is small.

  In the unlikely event that a code cannot be detected at the threshold value Sw close to white, binarization is performed using the average value Sm, and the binary value is obtained using the threshold value Sb close to the black level only when an accurate binary signal cannot be obtained by this threshold value. Turn into.

  The signal determination unit 35 determines whether or not to use a signal binarized by various means. For example, this signal is corrected when the width of the binary signal obtained by the signal binarization unit 34 is very small compared to the widths of the black mark and the white mark. Further, error detection is performed by detecting the corrected binary signal using a parity check mark. It is also possible to determine whether or not the binary signal is correct by other methods.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when started, the ticket roll paper TR is transported in step S401, three rows are scanned by the first, second, and third sensors 27a, 27b, and 27c of the sensor unit 27. In the analog waveform acquisition unit 31, Analog signals having waveforms shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are obtained. These waveforms are sampled in step S402, the maximum value and the minimum value are stored in the maximum / minimum value storage unit 32, and the white threshold Sw is calculated by the threshold calculation setting unit 33.

  On the other hand, analog signals obtained by the first, second, and third sensors 27a, 27b, and 27c are stored in the three memories of the memory unit 30 in step S403.

  In next step S404, the threshold calculation setting unit 33 calculates the white threshold Sw (Sw1, Sw2, Sw3), and the analog signal is binarized based on the white threshold. In step S406, the signal determination unit 35 determines whether this binary signal may be adopted based on, for example, its width or parity code.

  If it is evaluated that it is not adopted in step S406 (S407; N), the process proceeds to step S408. In this step, the signal determination unit 35 sends a control signal to the memory unit 30 and sends the analog signals scanned and stored from the three memories to the analog waveform acquisition unit 31.

  Then, the medium threshold Sm (Sm1, Sm2, Sm3) is calculated as a threshold by the maximum / minimum value storage unit 32 and the threshold calculation setting unit 33. Returning again to step S405, three columns of binary signals are obtained using the middle threshold value Sm.

  In step S406, the signal determination unit 35 determines whether the binary signal can be adopted again. If it is determined in step S407 that the binary signal is adopted, the process proceeds to step S410.

  If the binary signal obtained by the middle threshold value Sm cannot be adopted, the process proceeds to step S408 again, the signal obtained by scanning is read out from the memory unit 30, and then in steps S409, S405, and S406, the black threshold value Sb is set to 2. Get the value signal.

  In this way, if an employable binary signal is obtained, the ID conversion unit 36 converts it into a ticket ID in step S410. In step S411, the ticket ID is stored in the printing unit 16 and the ticket issuing information storage shown in FIG. Sent to section 15.

  In the next step S412, the ticket is inquired from the POS terminal 11 to the sales management server 11S, and data is entered from the POS terminal 11 into the ticket issuing information storage unit 15 in response to the result. The contents of the ticket are sent to the printing unit 16, and the ticket ID and the contents of the ticket are printed on the surface of the ticket roll paper TR by the thermal print head 28a (step S413).

  The ticket ID is sent to the ticket issue information storage unit 15 and sent to the POS terminal 11. The POS terminal 11 further sends the ticket number to the sales management server 11S. In the sales management server 11S, the ticket number and the ticket ID stored in advance can be matched to confirm that the sheet of the ticket ID is genuine. Ticket ID matching and confirmation may be performed at the POS terminal 11.

  Thereafter, in step S414, the ticket TC is cut and discharged by the cutter 29 in the roll paper cutting unit 17.

  In the above-described embodiment, the threshold value for obtaining the binary signal is set to the white threshold value close to the white level, and then the binary signal is obtained by the medium threshold value close to the average value, and then the black threshold value close to the black level of the ticket. A binary signal was obtained. Thus, if a binary signal is obtained in three stages, the number of cases where the ticket ID cannot be detected can be greatly reduced.

  However, usually, if a binary signal is obtained using a threshold value close to the white level, an appropriate binary signal can be obtained in many cases. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a binary signal using only the white threshold. It is also possible to obtain a binary signal using a white threshold value and a medium threshold value. In many cases, a ticket ID can be detected practically if a binary signal is obtained with a threshold value at least close to the white level.

  In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the white threshold value is determined for each signal obtained by scanning in three rows. However, a threshold value closer to the white level than the average value may be obtained from the signal of the sum, and set as the white threshold value.

  In the above embodiment, the code block is constituted by 2 rows × 3 monochrome marks. However, the number of rows may be 3 or more, and the code block may be constituted by 2 or 4 or more marks in the transport direction.

  In the above embodiment, the sampling is performed to obtain the threshold value, and then the threshold value is calculated by obtaining the maximum value and the minimum value. However, the threshold value may be a value close to the white level by an analog circuit.

  In the above embodiment, the printing on the surface of the ticket roll paper is performed by the thermal head. However, the surface of the roll paper may be printed by other printing methods such as ink jet printing or toner printing.

  In the above embodiment, the recognized ticket ID is printed on the surface. However, the ticket ID does not have to be printed on the surface.

  In the above embodiment, a cut mark for control and a code (mark) serving as a ticket ID are printed on the back surface, and the contents of the ticket are printed on the front surface. However, a cut mark for control or a code serving as a ticket ID may be printed on the front surface, and the ticket content may be printed on the back surface.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the binary signal is obtained using a value closer to white than the average value as a threshold value, so that the ticket ID can be detected well in the ticket printer.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ticket printer 11 ... POS terminal 11S ... Sales management server 12 ... Roll paper conveyance drive part 13 ... Mark detection part 14 ... Ticket ID recognition part 15 ··· Ticketing information storage unit 16 ··· Printing unit 17 ··· Roll paper cutting unit 24 ··· Roll axis 25a, 25b ··· Feed roller 26a, 26b ··· Idler roller 26 ··· Paper transport path 27 ··· Sensor unit 28a · · · Thermal print head 28b · · · Platen roller 29 · · · Cutter 30 · · · Memory unit 31 · · · Analog waveform acquisition Unit 32... Maximum / minimum value storage unit 33... Threshold value calculation setting unit 34... Signal binarization unit 35 ... signal determination unit 36 ... ID conversion unit TR・ Ticket roll paper

Claims (7)

A mark scanning unit that scans in the transport direction with respect to a mark provided as black and white in the transport direction of the roll paper on which the ticket is wound as continuous paper;
A threshold value setting unit for setting a predetermined threshold value for obtaining a binary signal by comparing signal waveforms obtained by scanning by the mark scanning unit, closer to the white level than the black level;
A signal binarization unit that scans the mark with a threshold set by the threshold setting unit to obtain a binary signal;
An ID conversion unit that converts the signal binarized by the binarization unit into a ticket ID;
Having a ticket printer.   The ticket printer according to claim 1, wherein the code is provided in a plurality of rows in parallel in the transport direction, and the mark scanning unit scans the marks in the plurality of rows.   3. The ticket printer according to claim 1, wherein the mark provided on the roll paper is provided in the transport direction as a plurality of code blocks including unit code blocks, and the mark scanning unit scans the code blocks. A mark scanning unit that scans in the transport direction with respect to a code block composed of a plurality of codes provided in a plurality of rows in parallel as black and white in the transport direction of the roll paper on which the ticket is wound as continuous paper;
A predetermined threshold value for obtaining a binary signal by comparing signal waveforms obtained by scanning by the mark scanning unit is set to a first threshold value closer to the white level than the black level, and the black threshold value. A threshold value setting unit for setting a second level that is intermediate between the level of white and the level of white or the black level rather than the level of white;
The code block is scanned with the first binary signal and the second threshold obtained by scanning the code block with the first threshold and the second threshold set by the threshold setting unit. A binary signal storage unit for storing the obtained second binary signal;
A signal binarization unit that adopts the second binary signal when the first binary signal stored by the binary signal storage unit does not satisfy a predetermined condition;
Having a ticket printer. In the transport direction of the roll paper on which the ticket is wound as continuous paper, scanning is performed in the transport direction with respect to the code provided as black and white,
A predetermined threshold value for obtaining a binary signal by comparing the signal waveforms obtained by scanning is set closer to the white level than the black level;
The code is scanned with the set threshold value to obtain a binary signal,
A code reading program in a ticket printer that causes a computer to convert the binary signal into character information.   6. The code reading program for a ticket printer according to claim 5, wherein the codes are provided in a plurality of rows in parallel in the transport direction, and the plurality of rows of codes are scanned.   7. The code reading program for a ticket printer according to claim 5, wherein the code provided on the roll paper is provided with a code block comprising a plurality of unit codes in the transport direction, and the code block is scanned.

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