JP2791070B2 - Optical character reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Purpose of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an optical character reading device.

(Prior Art) In recent years, optical character readers have been widely used for business processing of various forms.

The optical character reading device scans characters and numbers written on a form with an optical scanner and performs a stepwise recognition process to recognize the content.The recognition rate is improving day by day. I have.

By the way, in general, the components of the optical character reading device include:
It is housed in one housing.

Since the main object to be read is different for each model, when performing a wide variety of processing, one very expensive all-purpose model should be prepared, or a plurality of models suitable for each type should be prepared. It is necessary to prepare.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, when this is done, the price becomes very high,
There was a problem that a large installation space was required.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and even when performing a variety of processing, it is not so expensive,
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical character reading device that does not require a large installation space.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, an optical character reading apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of scanners and whether or not each of the plurality of scanners is in a ready state. Scanner status detecting means for detecting whether a scanner is used, and scanner selecting means for selecting a scanner to be used based on format control data designated by an external control device and a detection result of the scanner state detecting means. .

(Operation) In the optical character reading apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of scanner units are prepared as constituent elements, and various processes are performed only by switching the scanner units by controlling FC (format control) data or power supply. Made it possible.

(Example) Hereinafter, details of an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit which controls processing necessary for character reading in an integrated manner and interfaces with the outside.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a recognition unit that performs character recognition. Reference numeral 3 denotes a scanner recognition unit that decodes scanner specification data specified by FC data. Reference numeral 4 denotes a scanner detection that detects a ready state of the powered-on scanners (1 to n). Reference numeral 5 denotes a scanner interface unit having a port to which a plurality of scanners (1 to n) can be connected, and 6 denotes an external control device which means a host computer.

First, two methods of the switching operation of the scanners (1 to n) will be described.

One is a case where it is designated by FC data. The FC data sent from the external control device 6 is sent to the scanner identification unit 3 via the control unit 1. The scanner identification unit 3 decodes the designated scanner and sends it to the control unit 1.

The control unit 1 performs a connection process through the scanner interface unit 5 while interacting with the designated scanner, scans the form image, and performs the character recognition in the recognition unit 2.

The control unit 1 continues its work until the scanner instruction from the scanner identification unit 3 is changed.

The other is a case where power supply is switched without specifying FC data.

When the scanner is not designated, the scanner detector 4 detects the power-on of the scanner or the ready state of the scanner, and notifies the controller 1 which scanner is ready.

As a result, the control unit 1 starts a dialogue with the scanner and performs character recognition in the same manner as in the previous case.

Thus, the optical character reading apparatus of the present embodiment performs recognition processing while automatically switching the scanner by switching FC data or power supply, so that various processing can be performed.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, the optical character reading device of the present invention
Since the switching of the scanner is automatically performed by switching the FC data or the power supply, a variety of processing can be performed with a small installation space and at a low price.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... control unit, 2 ... recognition unit, 3 ... scanner identification unit,
4... Scanner detector, 5... Scanner interface.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of scanners; scanner state detecting means for detecting whether each of the plurality of scanners is in a ready state; format control data designated by an external control device; and the scanner state detecting means. An optical character reading device comprising: a scanner selecting unit that selects a scanner to be used based on the detection result of the above.