JP2748672B2 - Barcode reader - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a barcode reader, and more particularly, to a barcode reader that divides a barcode into a plurality of areas.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a bar code reader of this type has been disclosed in
An apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 26502 is proposed. In an apparatus prior to the proposal of this apparatus, for example, when reading a bar code of a bar code label L printed on a cylindrical surface shown in FIG. 9, both ends of the bar code are focused on the focal point of the imaging lens of the bar code reader. As a result of being curved more than the depth and blurring the image on the image sensor or forming an image narrower than the actual width, there is a possibility that erroneous reading may occur. Further, a barcode wider than the visual field range of the barcode reader could not be read.

On the other hand, the barcode reading device described in the above publication is capable of reading a curved barcode or a wide barcode by dividing and reading a barcode using a specific configuration of the barcode into a plurality of regions. Made it possible. Tenth
The figure shows an example of the unique configuration of the barcode. Bar code B
A start bar Ba is formed at the left end of the. The left data Bb and the right data Bd are separated by a center bar Bc.
Further right is the check character Be for parity check.
An end bar Bf is formed at the end of the end bar Bf.

In the barcode reading apparatus, for example, the barcode B is read twice on the left and right sides, and the left data Ba is read separately for each operation based on the start bar Ba, the center bar Bc, the check character Be, and the end bar Bf. And the right data Bd are extracted, and the two data are combined to complete the reading of the bar code B. If the barcode B is divided into a plurality of regions and read as described above, the degree of curvature becomes apparently small even if the barcode B is curved, so that the barcode B can be accurately read. Further, even if the barcode B has a width wider than the visual field area, the barcode B can be read by dividing the read data into a plurality of areas and finally combining them into one piece of data.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, the above-described conventional barcode reading apparatus is excellent in reading a curved barcode or a wide barcode, but during the reading operation, There is a problem that it may not be possible to determine which area should be read in the subsequent operations. For this reason, for example, an operation error occurs in reading the same area redundantly.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the operability by making it possible to notify the position of an unread area.

Configuration of the Invention [Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in FIG. 1, a bar code reading apparatus of the present invention divides a bar code into a plurality of areas and combines the read data to form a bar code. In a bar code reader for reading, a reading completion area position detecting means for detecting a position occupied by the reading completion area divided and read on the bar code; and a reading completion area detected by the reading completion area position detecting means based on the position of the reading completion area. And an unread area notifying unit for notifying the position of the unread area to be read from now on.

[Operation] In the barcode reading device of the present invention having the above configuration,
When the barcode is divided into a plurality of areas and read, the reading completion position detecting means detects the position where the divided reading area occupies on the barcode, and reads the barcode based on the detected position of the reading completion area. The unread area notifying unit notifies the position of the unread area. According to the notified position of the unread area, an operation error for reading the same area redundantly does not occur.

Example An example of the present invention will be described below.

In the bar code reader of the embodiment, a hand-held part 3 is formed on a main body case 1 as shown in FIG. The barcode is read by holding the handheld unit 3 and bringing the reading port 5 at the tip of the main body case 1 close to the barcode label L. The upper surface of the main body case 1 near the reading opening 5 is provided with a left light-emitting window 7L and a right light-emitting window 7R for notifying the reading completion area.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the bar code reader. The barcode reader is an electronic control unit 9
, Lens 11, image sensor 13, reset circuit 15
, An interface circuit 17, and a light emitting diode 19 for lighting.
, LED drive circuit 21, buzzer 23, buzzer drive circuit 25
And two light emitting diodes 27R and 27L, and a right LED drive circuit 29
R and a left LED drive circuit 29L.

The electronic control unit 9 includes a microcomputer including a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output circuit, and the like, and is divided into a central processing unit 9a and an input / output unit 9b according to its functions. A program corresponding to a flowchart described later is stored in the ROM in advance.

The lens 11 forms an image of the bar code B on an element of the image sensor 13.

The image sensor 13 performs scanning at a timing specified by the electronic control device 9 and outputs an electric signal corresponding to an image formed on the element to the electronic control device 9. The image sensor 13 of the embodiment includes an amplifier for amplifying the output signal of the element and a comparator for binarizing the amplified signal. The electronic control unit 9 outputs a binary signal from a comparator. The image sensor 13 is connected to a reference level setting circuit 31 for setting a reference level (threshold) for binarization of the comparator.

The reset circuit 15 is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9, and outputs a reset signal to the electronic control unit 9 when power is turned on. The interface circuit 17 is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9, and communicably connects an external host computer or the like and the electronic control unit 9 via a connector 33. The power of the bar code reader is taken from the connector 33.

The illumination light emitting diode 19 is disposed near the reading port 5 and illuminates the bar code B. The LED drive circuit 21 is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9 and drives the lighting light-emitting diode 19 according to an instruction from the electronic control unit 9.

The buzzer 23 notifies the completion of reading by the sound. The buzzer drive circuit 25 is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9 and drives the buzzer 23.

The light emitting diode 27R and the light emitting diode 27L are arranged inside the right light emitting window 7R and inside the left light emitting window 7L of the main body case 1, respectively. The right LED drive circuit 19R is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9, and the light emitting diode 27 of the right light emission window 7R.
Turn on R. In the embodiment, the completion of the reading operation of the right half of the bar code B is notified by the light emission of the right light emission window 7R. The left LED drive circuit 29L is connected to the input / output unit 9b of the electronic control unit 9 and turns on the light emitting diode 27L of the left light emitting window 7L. By the light emission of the left light emission window 7L, the completion of the reading operation of the left half of the bar code B is notified.

Next, a barcode reading process executed by the CPU of the electronic control unit 9 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The barcode reading process is started after the power is turned on.

When the barcode reading process is started, first, as an initialization process, the right flag and the left flag are turned off (reset), and the light emitting diode 27R of the right light emitting window 7R and the light emitting diode 27L of the left light emitting window 7L are turned off (step 1).
00). The right flag indicates the completion of reading the right half of the barcode B in the ON (set) state, and the left flag indicates the completion of reading the left half of the barcode B in the ON (set) state.

Next, the output of the image sensor 13 is read (step 10
5), the presence or absence of the barcode label L is determined (step 1)
Ten). These processes are repeatedly executed until it is determined that the barcode label L exists. In the determination of step 110,
Based on the output of the image sensor 13, it is determined whether the reading port 5 of the main body case 1 is approaching the barcode label L and the barcode B is detected.

If it is determined that there is a barcode label L (step 110), then it is determined whether the data of the barcode B read in step 105 is the data on the left side of the barcode B (step 120). If the start bar Ba (see FIG. 10) and the validity are confirmed from the read data, it is determined that the data is on the left side.

If it is determined in step 120 that the data is not on the left side, it is determined whether the data is on the right side of the bar code B (step 130). End bar Bf from data
(See FIG. 10) and if the validity is confirmed, the data is determined to be the right data.

The case where the data is determined to be on the left side in step 120 is, for example, a case where the reading operation on the left side (the lower side in the drawing) of the barcode B is performed as shown in FIG. In this case, it is next determined whether or not the left flag is on (step 140). If the left flag is on, the left side data Bb has been read, but the left side has been read again and the process has proceeded to step 140.Therefore, it is determined that an operation error has occurred, and the process of reading the output of the image sensor 13 in step 105 has been performed. Return.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 140 that the left flag is off, then it is determined whether the right flag is on (step 150). If the right flag is on and the reading of the right data Bd of the barcode B has already been completed, it is determined that the reading of the right and left of the barcode B has been completed, and the process proceeds to step 240 and later described later.

If it is determined in step 150 that the right flag is off, it is determined that the reading of the right side of the barcode B is not completed, and a process of lighting the light emitting diode 27L of the left light emitting window 7L (step 160) is performed, and the left flag is turned on. (Step 1
70). By the light emission of the left light emission window 7L, the operator is informed that the reading of the right side of the bar code B is not completed. Subsequently, from the data read in the previous step 105, the left data Bb sandwiched between the start bar Ba and the center bar Bc is extracted. Then, a process of storing the left side data Bd in a predetermined area of the RAM incorporated in the electronic control unit 9 (step 180). Perform Thereafter, the process returns to step 105 for reading the output of the image sensor 13.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 130 that the data read in the previous step 105 is on the right side of the barcode B, the processing in and after step 190 is executed. The processing after step 190 is the processing executed when the data is determined to be on the left side of the bar code B in step 120 (step
The processing is equivalent to 140 to 180). For example,
First, read the left side of the bar code B as shown in FIG.
When the light emission of the left light emission window 7L is confirmed, and the bar code reading device is moved to the right next time, the processing after step 190 is executed.

That is, first, it is confirmed that the right flag is off (step 190). If the right flag is on, the right side data Bd has already been read, but the right side has been read again and the process has proceeded to step 190, so it is determined that an operation error has occurred and the output of the image sensor 13 in step 105 is read. Return to processing.

On the other hand, if the right flag is off in step 190, it is next determined whether or not the left flag is on (step 200). The left flag is on and bar code B
If the reading of the left data Bb has been completed, it is determined that the reading of the left and right of the barcode B has been completed.
Move on to 240 migration process. In the example of FIG. 5, since the reading of the left side of the barcode B has already been completed, the processing up to this point is executed, and then the processing shifts to the processing after step 240.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 200 that the left flag is off, it is determined that the reading of the left side of the bar code B is not completed, and a process of lighting the light emitting diode 27R of the right light emitting window 7R (step 210) is performed. Is turned on (step 220). By the light emission of the right light emission window 7R, the operator is informed that the reading of the left side of the bar code B is not completed. Next, from the data read in the previous step 105, the left data Bb sandwiched between the center Bc and the end bar Bf
In addition, a process of extracting the check characters Be and storing them in a predetermined area of the RAM built in the electronic control unit 9 is performed (step 230). Then, the process returns to step 105 for reading the output of the image sensor 13.

As described above, when the barcode B is read by being divided into left and right and the right flag is determined to be on in step 150, or when the left flag is determined to be on in step 200, first, the buzzer is sounded. A signal is output to the drive circuit 25 to perform a sounding process for sounding the buzzer 23 (step 240) to notify the operator that the reading operation has been completed.

Next, the right flag and the left flag are turned off to prevent the next reading process and operation error from being performed.
7R light emitting diode 27R and left light emitting window 7L light emitting diode 2
A process (step 250) for turning off 7L is executed. Then, the left data Bb and the right data Bd are combined (step 260). Finally, the synthesized data is output to a host computer or the like. (Step 270).

According to the barcode reading device of the embodiment described above,
When reading the barcode B by dividing it into right and left, the one of the left and right light emitting windows 7L and 7R that has been read out emits light, so that the incompletely read area can be instantaneously identified, improving operability. It has the effect that it can be achieved. Therefore, the reading time can be reduced. In addition, an operation error in reading the same area repeatedly is less likely to occur.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments at all, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, three light emitting windows 35L, 35C and 35R may be provided, and the unread area may be notified by the light emitting patterns. In this case, the barcode B having a considerably large width can be read by being divided into three regions.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the configuration in which the same number of notification means as the number of divided areas of the barcode are provided as in the second embodiment. For example, a configuration may be used in which the color tone is changed according to the position of the unread area using a light emitting diode or the like that can change the emission color. Also,
As shown in the third embodiment of FIG. 7, the frequency of the sound of the buzzer may be changed in accordance with the position of the read completion area to notify the unread area. When the buzzer is used in this manner, various alerts are realized because the degree of freedom in changing the tone color and the sound change pattern is high. Further, as shown in the fourth embodiment of FIG. 8, a plurality of bar code illuminating means are arranged corresponding to the divided areas of the bar code, and the illuminating means corresponding to the position of the read completion area is turned off. The lighting unit corresponding to the position of the unread area may be turned on.

Effects of the Invention As described in detail above, according to the barcode reading device of the present invention, when reading a barcode divided into a plurality of areas,
Since the position of the unread area is detected and the position of the unread area to be read is notified, the position of the unread area can be instantaneously determined without any error, and the operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a barcode reader according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a barcode reader as one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a barcode reading process executed in the electronic control unit, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a reading operation, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the second embodiment, FIG. Is an explanatory view showing the third embodiment, FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing the fourth embodiment, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of printing a barcode label, and FIG. 10 is a front view showing the configuration of the barcode. It is. 5 Reading port 7R Right light-emitting window 7L Left light-emitting window 9 Electronic control unit 23 Buzzer 27R, 27L Light-emitting diode

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code by dividing a bar code into a plurality of areas and synthesizing the read data to detect a position occupied by the divided and read completion area on the bar code. A read completion area position detecting means; and an unread area notifying means for notifying a position of an unread area to be read based on the position of the read completion area detected by the read completion area position detecting means. Barcode reader.