JP2823022B2 - Barcode scanner for POS - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a bar code scanner for POS that reads a bar code attached to a product in a supermarket or the like.

[Conventional technology]

POS barcode scanners installed in supermarkets and the like are mainly stationary type, so that the operator holds the product in hand and reads the barcode attached to the product by moving it toward the scanner. Has become. In recent years, due to the downsizing of the scanner system, a scanner which has been placed horizontally (horizontal type) on a checkout counter until now is being replaced by a vertical type (vertical type).

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By changing the scanner from the horizontal type to the vertical type, it became possible to read without having to turn the barcode attached to the product downward. However, the emission direction of the scanning beam of the conventional vertical scanner is forward as shown in FIG. 3, that is, the reading area 11 by the scanning beam 4 emitted from the reading window 15 of the scanner 13 is the It is located above and in front of the scanner 13, and therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bar code surface (the surface with the bar code B) 5 of the product is turned in the product moving direction (arrow). (Fig. 5) or the scanner 13 cannot be read unless it is turned to the reading window 15 side (Fig. 5). In particular, for example, in the case of a packed dish such as sashimi, a barcode is often attached to the upper surface, and in such a case, the barcode cannot be read unless the dish is tilted or turned sideways. . However, there is a problem in that when the product placed on such a plate is tilted or turned sideways, the product (such as sashimi) is unloaded, or the seasoning liquid such as soup or soy sauce is spilled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to enable easy and reliable reading of a barcode of a product, in particular, a product having a barcode attached to its upper surface without tilting or laying down.

[Means for solving the problem]

The above problem is basically solved by emitting the scanning laser light downward.

According to the present invention, in a barcode scanner including a reading window that emits a scanning pattern in which a barcode is scanned, the reading window is provided in a state where the barcode scanner is installed so that the reading window is substantially vertical. , The first scanning beam of the predetermined scanning pattern is emitted forward, and the second scanning beam of the predetermined scanning pattern is emitted downward.

Preferably, the scanning beam forming the scanning pattern is diffracted by a hologram and emitted from the reading window.

According to another aspect, in a barcode scanner including a reading window that emits a scanning pattern in which a barcode is scanned, in a state where the barcode scanner is installed so that the reading window is vertical, the reading window is , A plurality of first scanning beams are emitted forward, and one second scanning beam is emitted downward.

According to still another aspect, in a barcode scanner including a reading window that emits a scanning pattern in which a barcode is scanned, the reading is performed in a state where the barcode scanner is installed so that the reading window is vertical. A plurality of first scan beams are emitted forward from the window, and one second scan beam is emitted downward, respectively, and the reading depth of the first scan beam and the second scan beam It is different from the reading depth.

(Operation)

Since there is a scanning beam emitted downward in addition to the existing scanning beam emitted forward, even if the provisional command and the barcode are facing upward, the product can be reliably read without tilting.

Since the scanning beam emitting means can be easily realized by a hologram, a scanning beam in an arbitrary direction can be obtained only by forming the down beam hologram of the present invention on the existing forward beam hologram.

If the reading area of the existing scanning beam emitted forward is different from the reading area of the scanning beam emitted downward, the product read by the existing forward beam hologram can be used as the downward beam. The inconvenience of overlapping reading with the hologram for use (weighted calculation of the product price by double reading) is eliminated.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a scanner 23 has a reading window 25 formed at a higher position than the conventional one. Specifically, when the scanner 23 is placed on a support base or a support 26, Good. When the operator moves the scanner 23 in front of the scanner 23 while holding the product G, the height of the column 26 is adjusted so that the operator can work easily, or the basket 50 for storing the product (second basket).
It is determined in consideration of the height of the figure).

A predetermined number of holograms 51, 52, 5 corresponding to the number of beams 4 (scanning lines) emitted in a substantially horizontal direction are provided in the reading window 25.
.. Are formed, and in addition to these existing holograms, downward scanning line holograms 54 are formed. The number of downward scanning line holograms 54 is not limited to one, but may be an appropriate number. A POS scanner system (hologram scanner) using a plurality of holograms (multiple holograms) is publicly known, and therefore, description of its principle, configuration, and the like is omitted.

The angle, arrangement, and the like of each scanning line can be freely determined by the design of the hologram. It is an advantage of holograms that the direction of the scanning lines can be designed simply and freely.

Thus, even when the bar code B is attached to the upper surface of the product G, the product can be reliably read by the scanning line 28 using the downward beam 22 without tilting or turning the product.

Fig. 2 shows a checkout counter 10 with goods placed in a basket 50.
It shows a state of being placed on top, and the operator
, And the scanner 23 reads the barcodes of the products one by one, and moves them into the basket 50 in front.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, if the reading depth (reading area) of the scanning line 28 by the downward beam 22 is large enough to reach the product G in the basket 50, for example, the reading area 11 by the existing forward scanning beam 4 is used. (FIG. 3), there is a possibility that the bar code of the product already read by the scanning line by the forward scanning beam 4 may be read again. This means that the once counted product prices (barcodes) are re-recorded, so we would like to eliminate any such possibility. For this purpose, preferably, the reading area of the downward scanning line 22 does not coincide with the existing reading area 11 of the forward scanning beam 4. This can be achieved by making the reading depth of the scanning line 22 of the downward beam 22 smaller or larger than the reading depth of the forward scanning beam 4. Second
In the embodiment shown in the figure, the reading depth L of the scanning line 28 is smaller (shorter) than the reading depth of the forward scanning beam 4. Alternatively, the reading depth of the scanning line 28 may be larger (longer) than the reading depth of the front scanning beam 4. In this case, contrary to FIG. 2, the reading area of the downward scanning line 28 is located below the basket 50. The reading depth can be easily controlled by controlling the image forming position (focal length of the beam) of the hologram. Alternatively, the control of the reading depth can be easily realized by a function of condensing the signal light from the bar code B, that is, by increasing the condensing area (hologram area).

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, by emitting a downward scanning beam in addition to the existing forward scanning beam from the reading window of the scanner, even a product having a barcode on the upper surface can be tilted or turned sideways. Barcodes can be read reliably without the need.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic configuration of a POS barcode scanner according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a use state of the POS barcode scanner shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing a bar code scanner for POS, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are illustrations for explaining problems of the conventional bar code scanner for POS. 23: scanner, 22: downward scanning beam, 25: reading window, G: product, B: bar code.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Fumio Yamagishi 1015 Uedanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Ikeda 1015 Kamikodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fujitsu Limited ( 56) References JP-A-2-85983 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06K 7/10

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bar code scanner having a reading window for emitting a scanning pattern for scanning a bar code, wherein the bar code scanner is installed so that the reading window is substantially vertical, and A barcode scanner which emits a first scanning beam of a predetermined scanning pattern forward and a second scanning beam of the predetermined scanning pattern downward. 2. The barcode scanner according to claim 1, wherein the scanning beam forming the scanning pattern is diffracted by a hologram and emitted from the reading window. 3. A bar code scanner having a reading window for emitting a scanning pattern for scanning a bar code, wherein the bar code scanner is installed so that the reading window is vertical, and a plurality of reading windows are provided from the reading window. A bar code scanner for emitting a first scanning beam of a book forward and a second scanning beam of a book downward. 4. A bar code scanner having a reading window for emitting a scanning pattern for scanning a bar code, wherein a plurality of reading windows are provided from the reading window in a state where the bar code scanner is installed so that the reading window is vertical. The first scanning beam of the book is forward, and one second scanning beam is emitted downward, respectively, and the reading depth of the first scanning beam and the reading depth of the second scanning beam. A barcode scanner, characterized by being different.