JP4577101B2 - Information code, information code reader, and data update system for information code reader - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information code suitable for reading a plurality of information codes indicating a plurality of divided data obtained by dividing predetermined data, an information code reading device, and a data update system for the information code reading device.

  For example, since a mobile terminal for article management requires high-level processing, an application is installed on the operating system, and a program such as an operating system or an application can be installed as necessary as with a computer. Downloading and upgrading is done.

As a method for downloading a program in this way, in the method of Patent Document 1, an application is converted into a barcode and is executed by reading it. In this embodiment, the application is divided into a plurality of barcodes, It is described that these divided codes are sequentially read and executed by a bar code reader. In dividing the code, a QR code is defined as ISO (ISO / IEC18004) or JIS (JIS-X = 0510) as a two-dimensional code having a large amount of information.
JP 2004-110148 A

  However, when reading multiple division codes with a mobile device, the same division code may be read inadvertently multiple times or the next division code to be read may be skipped. Even if the divided code is read over the file, there is a problem that the efficiency is poor because the file is inconsistent and the process is redone.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an information code and an information code reader that can be read efficiently when a plurality of information codes indicating a plurality of divided data obtained by dividing predetermined data are read a plurality of times. And providing a data update system for an information code reader.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of information codes obtained by converting the divided data obtained by dividing predetermined data into a plurality of correlations indicate correlation between one of two information codes connected to each other and the other information code. Since the data is generated to be included, an information code that can determine the consistency between the two information codes when the two information codes are read can be generated.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the consistency of the information code can be determined at an early stage when the information code is read, it is possible to quickly cope with an information code reading error.

According to the invention of claim 3 , when the correlation of the divided data to be linked is not established, the warning means warns the user, so that the divided data can be reread immediately.
According to the invention of claim 4 , when the continuity of the read divided data is not established, the discontinuous divided data and the correlation data are temporarily stored, and the consistency with the subsequently read divided data is established. Since the data is regular division data, it is possible to cope with the case where the next division data is skipped and read .

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a portable terminal for code reading will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 1 is installed with an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) or a development tool 2 for application development installed in a portable terminal for code reading. The OS or application is developed using the editor function and the debug function of the development tool 2.

  Further, the source code compilation tool 3 is installed in the PC 1. This source code compilation tool 3 is a portable terminal (imaging means, restoration means, storage means, first to third storage means, warning means, storage means) that is developed by a developer using a development tool. 4 is converted into an assembly code (denoted in binary number) that can be decoded, converted into a QR code (registered trademark) that is a two-dimensional code, and output to the printer 5. In this case, since the capacity of the OS for mobile terminals is relatively large, when converting to a QR code, as will be described later, divided data obtained by dividing the OS into predetermined data sizes or predetermined code dimensions is divided into a plurality of QR codes. Printing is performed on the paper 6 by the printer 5.

  On the other hand, the mobile terminal 4 has a function of reading and decoding, for example, a barcode as a one-dimensional code or a QR code as a two-dimensional code printed on a label, and transmitting the decoded data to a host wirelessly. In addition to such basic functions, the portable terminal 4 of the present embodiment has a function of reading a QR code output from the PC 1 and upgrading the OS or application read from the QR code, as will be described later. ing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the mobile terminal 4. In FIG. 2, the portable terminal 4 includes a CPU 7, a reading unit 8 mainly composed of a CCD, a memory 9, a key switch 10, and a liquid crystal display unit 11, and the CPU 7 stores an OS stored in the memory 9. To manage applications.

  FIG. 5A shows a storage area of the memory 9 of the mobile terminal 4. In the memory 9, an OS area and a user area are set. An OS is stored in the OS area, and when the power is turned on, the OS is activated and manages applications installed in the user area. In this case, in this embodiment, the OS is equipped with update software for automatically updating the OS installed in the memory 9 as will be described later, and when the OS is updated, the OS is transferred to the update software. By doing so, the new OS is overwritten on the old OS. Note that update software may be installed in the update data.

  Now, when the developer improves the OS of the portable terminal 4 using the development tool 2 installed in the PC 1, it is necessary to compile the source code of the OS, so the source code compilation tool 3 is started. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the source code compilation tool 3 of the PC 1. In FIG. 3, the source code compilation tool 3 reads the OS source code (S101) and compiles it (S102). As shown in FIG. An OS file called sys is created (S103). This OS file is a file described in program code.

  Here, when the developer specifies the data size or code dimension (cell size, length of one side of QR code) as one unit of the divided code, the source code compilation tool 3 specifies the size of the divided code. By the way (S104: YES), header information is created (S105).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of header information created by the source code compilation tool 3. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the OS file is divided into, for example, 20 pieces of data 1 to 20, and the header information corresponds to the data 1 to 20, the update flag, serial number, file name, version information, The creation date and time and the next SUM value are set. The update flag indicates that the data is a divided program code. The next SUM value indicates the SUM value of the next QR code to be connected next in a continuous divided program code as will be described later.

The source code compilation tool 3 converts the data including the header information and the divided data into a QR code as shown in FIG. 8 (S106), and then the QR code is converted into one or a plurality of sheets 6 by the printer 5. (S107).
With the above operation, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a sheet 6 on which 20 QR codes including header information and divided data are printed can be output.

  When the developer prints the QR code from the printer 5 by the PC 1 as described above, the developer operates the reading switch with the portable terminal 4 positioned so that the first QR code is read. Then, the portable terminal 4 executes a reading operation.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the reading operation of the portable terminal 4 and shows only the operation related to the present invention. Although FIG. 4 shows the operation when reading QR codes one by one, the portable terminal 4 can also read a plurality of QR codes at a time. In FIG. 4, when a reading operation is performed (S201), the portable terminal 4 reads a QR code (S202), and checks whether the read information includes a header information update flag (S203). . In this case, when the update flag is not set (S203: NO), a normal input operation is executed (S227), and when the update flag is set (S203: YES), the process shifts to the update mode ( S204), an update timer is started (S205). This update timer limits the execution time of the update mode, and is set to a time sufficient to read the divided QR code.

Next, the mobile terminal 4 secures the header information and the program data area arrangement for the number of connections (S206), and then stores the read data in the memory 9 (S207). In this case, since the serial number indicated by the header information indicates that the number of concatenated QR codes is 20, an array with serial numbers 1 to 20 is secured as shown in FIG. .
With the above operation, data 1 is stored in the user area of the memory 9 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the header information is registered in the own number array (S208). That is, in the array of the serial number “1”, as shown in FIG. 9B, the file name is “a.sys”, the version is “1.1”, the creation date is “200409201515”, and the next SUM value is “75h” is registered. The SUM value is a value obtained by summing up the numerical values forming the next data to be concatenated. As for the last data (the 20th data in this embodiment), a value obtained by summing up the numerical values forming the first data is registered.

  Then, when the developer operates the reading switch of the portable terminal 4 with the second QR code being read, the portable terminal 4 performs the next reading operation (S209) or the update timer times out. (S219) is monitored.

  Here, when the developer operates the reading switch of the portable terminal 4 to perform the next reading operation, the portable terminal 4 reads the second QR code when the reading operation is performed (S209: YES). (S210) When the update flag of the header information is confirmed (S211: YES), the header information is compared with the previous header information registered in the array (S212), and whether or not they match. Judgment is made (S213). In other words, it is determined whether the serial number of the header information and the serial number registered in the array are consecutive, or the file name, version, and creation date / time match. Notification is made (S229). Therefore, the developer redoes the reading operation when an error is notified from the portable terminal 4.

When the read header information matches the header information stored in the array (S213: YES), the mobile terminal 4 calculates the SUM value of the block of the read data (S214), and is registered in the array. Compared with the previous next SUM value, that is, the next SUM value of the first QR code, “75h” (S215), it is determined whether they match (S216). At this time, if the SUM values do not match (S216: NO), the fact is notified (S230), and then the process proceeds to step S209 to enter a standby state for the next reading operation.

In step S216, when the SUM values match (S216: YES), the read data is saved (S217), and then the header information is registered in its own array (S218).
As a result of the above operation, the divided data 2 in addition to the divided data 1 are stored in the user area of the memory 9 as shown in FIG. 5C, and as shown in FIG. 9C. In addition to No. 1, header information is registered in the No. 2 array.

Next, when it is confirmed that not all reading has been completed (S220: NO), the portable terminal 4 repeats the above-described operation by moving to step S209.
As a result of repeating such a reading operation, when the 1st to 20th QR codes can be read correctly, data 1 to 20 are stored in the memory 9 as shown in FIG. At the same time, header information of each QR code is registered in the array as shown in FIG.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, before the update timer expires (S219: NO), when reading of all QR codes is completed (S220: YES), the SUM values of the stored data 1 to 20 are changed. The consistency is checked by obtaining (S221) and comparing with the sum of the SUM values of the header information 1 to 20 registered in the array (S222). In this case, the SUM value is stored in the program file itself and is compared with it. If the consistency is OK (S222: YES), the OS shifts to update software independent of the OS (S223), and the new OS is overwritten by overwriting the data stored in the current OS as shown in FIG. (S224: YES), the OS is restored (S225), the data stored in the memory 9 is deleted (S226), the update mode is canceled (S227), and the process ends.
Thereafter, the mobile terminal 4 will manage applications using the new OS.

  On the other hand, if the update timer has timed out without completing the reading of all QR codes (S219: YES), an error is notified (S229). Similarly, when the consistency of the entire SUM value is NG (S222: NO), an error is notified (S229).

  Although not shown in the flowchart, if the n-1st header information for confirming continuity is not registered when the nth QR code is read, the data and header information are registered for the time being. When the next n + 1th QR code is read, the nth header information and continuity are checked there. If no continuity is found, the divided data read from the n + 1th and subsequent QR codes and Discard the header information. In the example shown in FIG. 10, since the result of the comparison between the nth and the (n + 1) th is NG, the n + 1th and subsequent data are deleted. Alternatively, the possibility of continuity before and after may be digitized, and data and header information with small continuity may be discarded. In the example shown in FIG. 11, even if the comparison result with the (n-1) th is OK and the comparison result with the (n + 1) th is NG, the possibility of continuity after the (n + 1) th is high. It is shown that the nth data is deleted.

According to such an embodiment, the printer 5 prints the QR code obtained by encoding the divided data obtained by dividing the OS program data by the PC 1 and updates the OS by sequentially reading the QR code by the portable terminal 4. When confirming that the read data is a part of the update file based on the header information of the read data and confirming that the read data has continuity, all the read data is finally Since the OS is updated based on the above, unlike the conventional one in which the consistency is checked after the two-dimensional code is read to the end, it is possible to deal with improper reading quickly in the middle of reading the QR code. This can increase the efficiency of the reading operation.
In addition, when the update timer expires, or when the update of the program ends and the update mode ends, the update mode is automatically restored, so that the update mode can be completed automatically. Is excellent.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified or expanded as follows.
In the present embodiment, an example in which the entire OS is updated has been described. However, in the case where a part of the OS can be updated, the present invention may be implemented on a part of data of the OS to be updated. .
It may be applied not only to update the OS of the portable terminal 4 but also to update the application.
A two-dimensional code other than the QR code may be used.
Instead of printing the QR code by the printer 5, the QR code may be displayed on a display or a display terminal and read by the mobile terminal 4.
As a method of determining whether the read data can be connected to other read data, another error detection code, for example, a CRC value may be used instead of the SUM value.

A plurality of QR codes may be read simultaneously by the portable terminal 4.
In the above embodiment, the case where the developer updates the OS of the portable terminal 4 has been described. However, when the user updates the OS of the portable terminal 4, the printed paper is transmitted to the user by FAX, or the user's personal computer. The mobile terminal 4 may read the QR code transmitted to the user and received by the user.
The position indicated by the header information of the read data read as shown in FIG. 12 may be displayed on the display unit of the information terminal 4 as an indicator.

Schematic showing the entire system in one embodiment of the present invention Block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the mobile terminal Flow chart showing the operation of the source code compilation tool Flow chart showing operation of portable terminal The figure which shows the change of the memory contents of the portable terminal Diagram explaining the state of file changes during compilation The figure which shows the header information of QR Code Diagram explaining creation of QR code from data Diagram showing changes in stored contents of array The figure which shows an example of the change of the memory | storage state of a memory Figure 10 equivalent diagram showing different changes The perspective view of the information terminal which shows the modification of this invention

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a personal computer, 3 is a source code compilation tool, 4 is a portable terminal (imaging means, restoration means, storage means, first to third storage means, warning means, storage means), and 5 is a printer. .

Claims (5)

Information code generated by dividing predetermined data into a plurality of divided data, converting the plurality of divided data into a plurality of information codes, respectively, and generating the predetermined data as a plurality of information codes,
The plurality of information codes are generated by a first information code forming the first information code, one or more second information codes forming the intermediate information code, and a third information code forming the last information code. And
The first information code is data obtained by performing a predetermined operation on the first divided data constituting the first divided data and the second divided data connected after the first divided data. , First correlation data indicating the correlation with the second divided data,
The second information code is data obtained by performing a predetermined operation on the second divided data and the third divided data connected after the second divided data or other second divided data. The second divided data indicating the correlation with the third divided data or the other second divided data, and
The third information code is generated including the third divided data. An information code reader for reading the plurality of information codes according to claim 1,
Imaging means for imaging the plurality of information codes divided into a plurality of times;
Restoring means for restoring divided data and correlation data included in the information code imaged by the imaging means;
Storage means for storing the divided data restored by the restoration means;
First restoration means for storing the first divided data in a predetermined storage area of the storage means when the restoration means restores the first divided data;
When the restoration unit restores the second or third divided data, it is determined whether or not the correlation between the divided data and the correlation data restored together with the divided data connected before the divided data is established. And second storage means for storing the second or third divided data in a predetermined storage area of the storage means when established,
An information code reading apparatus characterized in that the predetermined data is formed from the first divided data, the second divided data, and the third divided data stored in the storage means. When the correlation between the first, second, or third divided data restored by the restoring means and the correlation data corresponding to the divided data to which the divided data is linked before or after is not established, the imaging 3. The information code reader according to claim 2, further comprising warning means for warning that the information code picked up by the means is not connected . The first to third information codes are generated including serial numbers starting from the first information code,
Storage means for temporarily storing the discontinuous divided data and correlation data when the continuity in which the serial numbers of the divided data restored by the restoration means and the divided data stored in the storage means are not established When,
When the continuity between the discontinuous divided data stored in the storage means and the divided data stored in the storage means is established, it corresponds to the divided data connected before or after the discontinuous divided data. Determining whether correlation with correlation data is established, and when the correlation is established, third storage means for storing the discontinuous divided data in a predetermined area of the storage means;
The information code reader according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising : The data restored by the information code reader according to any one of claims 2 to 4 is any one of a system program, system setting data, an application program, and application data related to the information code reader,
The data update system for an information code reader, wherein the information code reader updates its own data to the restored data.

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