JP5167833B2 - Optical information reader - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical information reader.

An optical information reader such as a barcode reader illuminates a detection target with an information code and receives reflected light from the detection target by a sensor to acquire image information of the information code. This method is widely used. An example of the optical information reader is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.
JP2007-509442A

  Since the optical information reader as described above is generally configured to detect a change in diffuse reflection caused by a dark color pattern and a light color pattern, it is specularly reflected on the surface of an article to which an information code is attached. When this occurs, there has been a problem that reading becomes defective. Such specular reflection is a problem in various cases, such as when reading directly marked information codes (for example, QR codes directly marked on glossy metal materials, etc.). In this field, a configuration that can cope with such specular reflection is desired.

  As a technique for solving the problem of specular reflection as described above, for example, Patent Document 1 is provided. However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, since a large optical conduit is provided at the tip of the reading port, an increase in size near the reading port is inevitable, and there is a concern that the apparatus configuration is increased in size and the operability is lowered. . In addition, since a plurality of light sources are provided at the tip of the optical conduit and the information code is irradiated by these light sources, and the reflected light from the information code is further guided to the inside of the optical conduit, the reading field of view is reduced. There is also a problem that it is difficult to secure large.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and realizes a configuration in which specular reflection hardly occurs during reading and the reading visual field is not limited without increasing the size of the apparatus. With the goal.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an optical information reader for reading an information code, wherein the information code is illuminated with illumination means, and the illumination light from the illumination means is reflected by the information code. A light receiving means for receiving the reflected light, a reading means for reading the information code based on the reflected light received by the light receiving means, and at least receiving the light receiving means and introducing the reflected light A case provided with a reading port; and a grip unit configured integrally with the case and gripped by a user, wherein the illumination means is provided on the grip unit side away from the reading port, and The illumination light is irradiated from the outside of the case toward the reading port side.

And it is provided with the cover member which covers the outer side of the user's hand holding the grip part, and the illumination means irradiates the illumination light so that the outside of the cover member serves as an irradiation area. .

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the illumination means is arranged on the cover member.

The invention according to claim 3, wherein the casing is comprised of one housing part which is arranged on the side of the gripping area of the the reading opening is formed and the grip portion with the light receiving unit is accommodated, the other of said gripping area The illumination means is attached to the side.

The invention of claim 4, wherein the grip portion, and forms a structure extending from the housing portion, characterized in that the illuminating means to the distal end side of the gripping area is mounted.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the grip portion , the gripping region extends in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the housing portion, and a tip end portion is bent from the gripping region to the reading port side. The illumination means is attached to the tip portion.

The invention of claim 6 is characterized by comprising a direction adjusting mechanism for adjusting the irradiation direction of the illumination light by the illumination means.

The invention of claim 7 is characterized by comprising distance detecting means for detecting a distance to the information code, and control means for controlling the direction adjusting mechanism in accordance with a detection result by the distance detecting means. .

The invention of claim 8 is characterized by comprising a light amount adjusting means for adjusting an emitted light amount of the illumination light in accordance with the irradiation direction adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism.

The invention according to claim 9 includes a condition changing unit that changes the illumination condition of the illumination light when the reading process by the reading unit fails, and the reading unit has the irradiation condition changed by the condition changing unit. The reading process is executed again based on the light reception result of the light receiving means.

The invention of claim 10 is characterized in that a reading port side illumination unit different from the illumination unit is provided on the reading port side away from the illumination unit.

The invention according to claim 11 performs the reading process in a first state where the illumination unit is turned on or off and the reading port side illumination unit is turned on or off, and when the reading process fails, The reading process is performed again in a second state in which either the on / off state of the illumination unit or the on / off state of the reading port illumination unit is switched.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the illumination means is provided on the grip part side away from the reading port, and the illumination light is irradiated from the outside of the case toward the reading port side. In this way, when the information code and the reading port are arranged to face each other, the incident angle of the illumination light (the angle between the surface of the article with the information code and the illumination light) becomes small, and the mirror reflection is effective. Can be suppressed. Further, since it is not necessary to have a special configuration near the reading port, the field of view of reading is not easily limited, and the apparatus configuration does not have to be increased in size.

In addition, a cover member that covers the outside of the user's hand holding the grip portion is provided, and the illumination unit is configured to irradiate illumination light so that the outside of the cover member is an irradiation area. If it does in this way, it will become difficult to arrange | position a user's hand in the illumination area side in the case of reading operation, and it can prevent that illumination light is interrupted by a user's hand.

In the invention of claim 2 , since the illumination means is arranged on the cover member, the illumination means can be brought closer to the information code side while keeping the incident angle of the illumination light small. Moreover, it becomes a suitable example in which the user's hand holding the grip portion does not hinder irradiation.

In the invention of claim 3, a receiving portion that is provided with a reading port and is configured to receive the light receiving means is disposed on one side of the gripping area, and the illumination means is attached to the other side of the gripping area. . When the gripping region is interposed between the housing portion and the illumination unit in this manner and the illumination unit is arranged at a position away from the reading port, the incident angle of the illumination light can be easily reduced, and the illumination unit can grip the illumination unit. It becomes difficult to get in the way.

In the invention of claim 4 , the grip portion extends from the housing portion, and the illumination means is attached to the tip side of the grip region. In this way, it is possible to suitably arrange the illumination means at a position that does not interfere with gripping while realizing a so-called gun-type configuration in which the user can easily perform a reading operation.

In the invention of claim 5 , the grip region of the grip portion extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the housing portion, and the tip end portion is bent from the grip region to the reading port side. In this way, in a so-called gun-type configuration in which the user can easily perform a reading operation, the illumination means can be brought closer to the information code side while suppressing the incident angle of the illumination light.

In the invention of claim 6 , since the direction adjustment mechanism for adjusting the irradiation direction of the illumination light by the illuminating means is provided, the irradiation direction can be adjusted as necessary, and more appropriate irradiation is possible. Become.

In the invention of claim 7 , since the distance detecting means for detecting the distance to the information code and the control means for controlling the direction adjusting mechanism according to the detection result by the distance detecting means are provided, the irradiation direction of the illumination light Can be set in an appropriate direction according to the distance to the information code, and as a result, reading can be performed more satisfactorily.

In the invention of claim 8 , since the light amount adjusting means for adjusting the emitted light amount of the illumination light according to the irradiation direction of the illumination light adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism is provided, the emitted light amount of the illumination light is changed in the irradiation direction. Therefore, the information code can be read more satisfactorily.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided condition changing means for changing the irradiation condition of the illumination light when the reading process fails, and reading is performed based on the light reception result of the light receiving means after the irradiation condition change by the condition changing means. The process is configured to execute again. In this way, even if the reading process fails under a certain irradiation condition, the reading process can be executed again under other irradiation conditions, so that the occurrence of reading defects can be effectively suppressed.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, a reading port side illumination unit different from the illumination unit is provided on the reading port side away from the illumination unit. If the light source is arranged also on the reading port side in this way, it is possible to perform appropriate irradiation when it is desirable to irradiate from the reading port side.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, when the reading process is performed in the first state in which the illumination unit is turned on or off and the reading port side illumination unit is turned on or off, and the reading process fails, the illumination unit is turned on / off. The reading process is performed again in the second state in which either the on / off state of the reading port illumination means is switched. In this way, when the reading process fails, the irradiation condition can be changed appropriately and quickly, which is a preferable example that can appropriately cope with reading failure.

[First embodiment]
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment in which an optical information reading device of the invention is embodied will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an optical information reading device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical configuration of the optical information reading device 1 of FIG. It is a block diagram.

First, an overview of the overall configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
The optical information reader 1 shown in FIG. 1 is configured as a code reader that reads an information code C composed of a bar code, a QR code, and the like, and is configured as a so-called gun type having a grip portion 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical system such as the first light source 21, the second light source 60, the light receiving sensor 23, the filter 25, and the imaging lens 27, the memory 35, the control circuit 40, the operation switch 42, and the liquid crystal display are mainly used. A microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as “microcomputer”) system such as the device 46 and a power system such as a power switch 41 and a battery 49 are configured. Note that these are mounted on a printed wiring board (not shown) or housed in a case 2 shown in FIG.

  The optical system includes a first light source 21, a second light source 60, a light receiving sensor 23, a filter 25, an imaging lens 27, and the like. The first light source 21 functions as a light source capable of emitting the illumination light Lf1, and includes, for example, a red LED and a diffusing lens, a condensing lens, and the like provided on the emission side of the LED. In the present embodiment, the first light source 21 is provided on both sides of the light receiving sensor 23, and the illumination light Lf1 is directed toward the reading object R through the reading port 5 formed in the case 2 shown in FIG. It is configured to be able to irradiate. The first light source 21 corresponds to an example of “a reading port side illumination unit”.

The second light source 60 is arranged at a position away from the reading port 5 and is configured to emit the illumination light Lf2. For example, a red LED and a diffusion lens, a condensing lens, and the like provided on the emission side of the LED. It consists of and. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the second light source 60 is provided at the distal end portion 3 a of the grip portion 3, and the illumination light Lf <b> 2 can be irradiated from the outside of the case 2 toward the reading object R. Has been. The reading object R corresponds to a display medium such as a packaging container, packaging paper, or a label, for example, and a two-dimensional code is printed on the surface as the information code C, for example.
In the present embodiment, the second light source 60 corresponds to an example of “illuminating means”, and the second light source 60 will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the light receiving sensor 23 is configured to receive the reflected light Lr irradiated and reflected on the reading object R and the information code C. For example, the light receiving sensor 23 is a solid-state imaging device such as a C-MOS or CCD. This corresponds to an area sensor in which the light receiving elements are two-dimensionally arranged. The light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23 is positioned so as to be externally visible through the reading port from the outside of the housing. The light receiving sensor 23 can receive incident light incident through the imaging lens 27 on the light receiving surface 23a. It is mounted on a printed wiring board (not shown). In the present embodiment, the light receiving sensor 23 corresponds to an example of “light receiving means”.

  The filter 25 is an optical low-pass filter that allows passage of light that is less than or equal to the wavelength of the reflected light Lr, and that can block passage of light that exceeds the wavelength, and is provided between the reading port of the housing and the imaging lens 27. Is provided. Thereby, unnecessary light exceeding the wavelength equivalent of the reflected light Lr is prevented from entering the light receiving sensor 23.

  The imaging lens 27 functions as an imaging optical system capable of condensing incident light incident from the outside via a reading port and forming an image on the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23. And a plurality of condensing lenses housed in the lens barrel. In the present embodiment, the illumination light Lf1 emitted from the first light source 21 or the illumination light Lf2 emitted from the second light source 60 is reflected by the information code C to collect the reflected light Lr incident on the reading port 5. Thus, a code image of the information code C can be formed on the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23.

  Next, a configuration outline of the microcomputer system will be described. The microcomputer system includes an amplification circuit 31, an A / D conversion circuit 33, a memory 35, an address generation circuit 36, a synchronization signal generation circuit 38, a control circuit 40, an operation switch 42, an LED 43, a buzzer 44, a liquid crystal display device 46, and a communication interface 48. Etc. As the name suggests, this microcomputer system is composed mainly of a control circuit 40 and a memory 35 that can function as a microcomputer (information processing device). The microcomputer system captures an image signal of an information code C imaged by the optical system described above. It can perform signal processing in terms of hardware and software. The control circuit 40 also performs control related to the entire system of the optical information reading apparatus 1.

  An image signal (analog signal) output from the light receiving sensor 23 of the optical system is input to the amplification circuit 31 and amplified by a predetermined gain, and then input to the A / D conversion circuit 33. Converted into a digital signal. When the digitized image signal, that is, image data (image information) is input to the memory 35, it is stored in the image data storage area. The synchronization signal generation circuit 38 is configured to generate a synchronization signal for the light receiving sensor 23 and the address generation circuit 36. The address generation circuit 36 is based on the synchronization signal supplied from the synchronization signal generation circuit 38. Thus, the storage address of the image data stored in the memory 35 can be generated.

  The memory 35 is a semiconductor memory device, and corresponds to, for example, a RAM (DRAM, SRAM, etc.) or a ROM (EPROM, EEPROM, etc.). In addition to the above-described image data storage area, the RAM of the memory 35 is configured to be able to secure a work area and a reading condition table that are used by the control circuit 40 in each processing such as arithmetic operation and logical operation. . In addition, the ROM stores in advance a predetermined program that can execute a reading process, an evaluation process, and the like that will be described later, and a system program that can control each hardware such as the first light source 21, the second light source 60, and the light receiving sensor 23. Stored.

  The control circuit 40 is a microcomputer that can control the entire optical information reading apparatus 1 and includes a CPU, a system bus, an input / output interface, and the like. The control circuit 40 can constitute an information processing apparatus together with the memory 35 and has an information processing function. . The control circuit 40 is configured to be connectable to various input / output devices (peripheral devices) via a built-in input / output interface. In the present embodiment, the power switch 41, the operation switch 42, the LED 43, A buzzer 44, a liquid crystal display device 46, a communication interface 48, and the like are connected.

  Thereby, for example, monitoring and management of the power switch 41 and the operation switch 42, turning on / off the LED 43 functioning as an indicator, turning on / off the buzzer 44 capable of generating a beep sound and an alarm sound, and further reading the information code The screen control of the liquid crystal display device 46 capable of displaying the code content by C, the communication control of the communication interface 48 enabling serial communication with an external device, and the like are enabled. The external devices connected to the communication interface 48 include a host computer HST corresponding to the host system of the optical information reading device 1 and the like.

  The power supply system includes a power switch 41, a battery 49, and the like. When the power switch 41 managed by the control circuit 40 is turned on and off, the conduction of the drive voltage supplied from the battery 49 to each device and each circuit described above is established. Or shut off is controlled. The battery 49 is a secondary battery that can generate a predetermined DC voltage, and corresponds to, for example, a lithium ion battery. Further, the battery 49 may be configured to receive power supply from an external device such as the host computer HST connected via the communication interface 48 without using the battery 49. In this case, the battery 49 is unnecessary.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the marker light irradiation part 50 is provided. The marker light irradiation unit 50 includes a laser diode that emits laser light as marker light, a lens that collects laser light from the laser diode, and a drive circuit that drives the laser diode. Yes. The drive circuit is connected to the control circuit 40 and drives the laser diode in accordance with a signal from the control circuit 40. A known laser diode drive circuit can be used as the drive circuit that drives the laser diode in response to a command from the control circuit 40. The lens functions to collect marker light (laser light) emitted from the laser diode and display a pattern serving as a mark of the reading position on the surface of the article R.

Next, the characteristic configuration of the optical information reader 1 will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the information code reading process. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the process flow of S8 in the information code reading process of FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept of direction detection. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining direction adjustment by the direction adjustment mechanism. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the distance from the information code to the light receiving sensor, the angle of the second light source, and the strength of the second light source. FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams for explaining how the illumination light from the second light source is incident on the directly marked information code. FIG. 8A is a view from the side of the code, and FIG. It shows a state seen from the side. FIG. 9A illustrates a part of the image data obtained when the second light source is used, and FIG. 9B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for specifying the center of the black cell.

  In the optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the case 2 provided with the reading port 5 and the grip portion 3 held by the user are integrally configured as described above. The case 2 includes a housing 10 that houses at least the light receiving sensor 23, and a reading port 5 that introduces the reflected light Lr is formed at one longitudinal end of the housing 10. The grip portion 3 is configured to extend from the housing portion 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction of the housing portion and the extending direction (longitudinal direction) of the grip portion are substantially orthogonal to each other. . In addition, the accommodating part 10 and the grip part 3 may be integrated so that attachment or detachment is impossible, and when the accommodating part 10 and the grip part 3 are comprised so that attachment or detachment is possible, and the grip part 3 is mounted | worn with respect to the accommodating part 10, The housing portion 10 and the grip portion 3 may be integrated with each other.

  The grip portion 3 has a configuration in which a grip region (portion gripped by the user) AR extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the housing portion 10 and the tip portion 3a is bent from the grip region AR to the reading port 5 side. . The optical information reading apparatus 1 is provided with a cover member 62 along the grip portion 3. The cover member 62 is configured to cover the outside of the user's hand that grips the grip portion 3, and the user inserts a fingertip into a gap formed between the grip portion 3 and the cover member 62. The grip portion 3 is gripped so as to be gripped. An operation switch 42 is provided between the grip portion 3 and the cover member 62 so that a user who holds the grip portion 3 can easily operate.

  In the optical information reader 1 configured as described above, the above-described second light source 60 is provided on the grip 3 side away from the reading port 5 and illuminates from the outside of the case 2 toward the reading port 5 side. The light Lf2 is irradiated. The accommodating portion 10 is disposed on one side (base end side) of the grip area AR of the grip section 3, and the second light source 60 is attached to the other side of the grip area AR (front end side relative to the grip area AR). . More specifically, the second light source 60 is attached to the distal end side of the distal end portion 3 a formed in a bent shape in the grip portion 3, and the illumination light Lf 2 is emitted so that the outside of the cover member 62 is an irradiation area. It is configured to irradiate.

  As described above, in the optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the first light source 21 (reading port side illumination) different from the second light source 60 on the reading port 5 side away from the second light source 60 (illuminating means). And the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf2 emitted from the second light source 60 is different from the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf1 emitted from the first light source 21. That is, the article R arranged facing the reading port 5 receives the illumination lights Lf1 and Lf2 from different directions.

Next, the flow of reading the information code will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the information code reading process in the optical information reading apparatus 1. The information code reading process shown in FIG. 3 is started, for example, by a predetermined operation by the user (such as pressing of the trigger switch 42 by the user). First, a mode determination process is performed with the start of the process (S1). ). In the present embodiment, the mode in which only the first light source 21 is turned on is the first mode, and the mode in which only the second light source 60 is turned on is the second mode. The mode in which both the first light source 21 and the second light source 60 are turned on is the third mode. In S1, it is determined whether or not the current mode is the first mode. If the first mode is set, the process proceeds to Yes in S1. On the other hand, if the current mode is the second mode or the third mode, the process proceeds to No in S1.

  The optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is set to the first mode in the default state, and is configured to return to the default state when the power is turned off or a predetermined reset operation is performed, for example. be able to. Note that setting information indicating which mode is the current mode is stored in, for example, the memory 35, and the current mode is determined with reference to this setting information in the processing of S1.

  If the current setting mode is the first mode, the process proceeds to Yes in S1, and only the first light source 21 is turned on in S2. Then, the reading process is performed with only the first light source 21 turned on and the second light source 60 turned off (S3). The reading process in S3 is a known reading process used in a barcode reader or the like, and is performed as follows, for example.

  First, the control circuit 40 outputs a light emission signal to the first light source 21 based on the synchronization signal, and the first light source 21 that has received the light emission signal emits an LED and emits the illumination light Lf1. Then, the illumination light Lf1 irradiated to the information code C is reflected, and the reflected light Lr enters the imaging lens 27 through the reading port 5 and the filter 25, so that the image is formed on the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23. An image of the information code C, that is, a code image is formed by the lens 27. Thereby, each light receiving element which comprises the light-receiving surface 23a is exposed, and the signal according to the light reception amount is output from each light receiving element, respectively. The signal output from each light receiving element constitutes the image data of the information code C. The image data is binarized and then encoded as the information code C by performing a predetermined decoding process. Character data etc. will be deciphered. The decrypted content can be displayed on the liquid crystal display 46 or output to the host computer HST via the communication interface 48. In the present embodiment, the control circuit 40 corresponds to an example of a “reading unit” and has a function of reading the information code C based on the reflected light received by the light receiving sensor 23.

  After the reading process of S3, a process of determining whether or not decoding has failed in the reading process is performed (S4). If decoding fails in the reading process of S3, the process proceeds to Yes in S4, and the mode is set to the second mode (a mode in which only the second light source 60 is lit) (S5). In the process of S5, the setting information stored in the memory 35 is rewritten as information indicating that the current mode is the second mode. If it is determined in S4 that the decoding is not unsuccessful (that is, if the decoding is successful in the reading process of S3), the process proceeds to No in S4, and the information code reading process ends. In this case, since the information code reading process ends in the first mode, the setting information stored in the memory 35 remains maintained in the first mode. When the next information code reading process is performed, any mode change process is performed. The process is started in the state set to the first mode as long as the operation is not performed.

  After the process of S5 is completed or when the process proceeds to No in S1, a process for determining whether or not the current mode is the second mode is performed (S6). In S6, the setting information stored in the memory 35 is referred to. If the current mode is the second mode, the process proceeds to Yes, and only the second light source 60 is turned on (S7). On the other hand, if the current mode is not the second mode, the process proceeds to No in S6.

  If it is determined in S6 that the current mead is in the second mode, the second light source 60 is turned on (S7) and the reading process is performed with the first light source 21 turned off (S8). As described above, in the optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the irradiation condition can be changed to three irradiation conditions (that is, the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode). If the reading process fails in one mode, the illumination light irradiation condition is changed (that is, the first mode is changed to the second mode), and the reading process is performed based on the light reception result of the light receiving sensor 23 after the irradiation condition change. Is configured to run again. That is, in the first mode, when the reading process (S3) is performed in the first state where the second light source 60 is turned off and the first light source 21 is turned on, and the reading process fails in the first state, The reading process (s8) is performed again in the second state where the on / off state of the first light source 21 and the on / off state of the second light source 60 are switched. The control circuit 40 corresponds to an example of “condition changing means”.

  The reading process of S8 is performed in the flow as shown in FIG. 4, for example. First, a distance detection process is performed in S51. This distance detection process is a process for detecting the distance from the optical information reader 1 to the article R to which the information code C is attached. Although various methods are conceivable as specific examples of the distance detection processing, any configuration that can grasp the distance from the predetermined reference position of the optical information reader 1 to the article R to which the information code C is attached may be used. In the present embodiment, the position of the light receiving sensor 23 is set as a reference position. For example, a known distance sensor (distance sensor) such as an infrared distance sensor or an ultrasonic distance sensor is used to reach the article R from the reference position. The distance may be measured. In addition, it is possible to detect the distance based on the amount of reflected marker light received by the light receiving sensor 23 by irradiating the reading light 5 with marker light including laser light or the like. That is, since it is known that the amount of reflected marker light received by the light receiving sensor 23 tends to decrease as the distance to the article R to which the information code C is attached increases, the amount of reflected marker light is associated with the distance value. A table or an arithmetic expression for obtaining a distance value from the reflected marker light amount may be provided, and the distance value may be obtained using the table or the arithmetic expression when the reflective marker light amount is obtained.

  Thereafter, a direction detection process is performed (S52). This direction detection process is a process of detecting the direction in which the illumination light Lf2 is to be emitted from the second light source 60. For example, the irradiation direction is determined based on the idea shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the distance Y between the second light source 60 and the article R (the article with the information code C) in the Y-axis direction and the distance X between the second light source 60 and the article R in the X-axis direction are set. The angle θ indicating the irradiation direction is determined based on these distances X and Y. In the present embodiment, the direction parallel to the direction orthogonal to the light receiving surface of the light receiving sensor 23 (the optical axis direction of the lens 25) is the Y axis direction, and the direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the grip portion 3 is the X axis direction. Yes.

  The distance Y between the article R and the second light source 60 in the Y axis direction depends on the distance Y1 between the light receiving sensor 23 and the article R in the Y axis direction and the distance Y2 between the light receiving sensor 23 and the second light source 60 in the Y axis direction. It is determined. Among these, the distance Y1 is detected by the distance detection process of S51. Further, since the position of the second light source 60 and the position of the light receiving sensor 23 are fixed positions in the apparatus, the distance Y2 between the light receiving sensor 23 and the second light source 60 in the Y-axis direction is predetermined as a fixed value. It will be. Since the position of the second light source 60 and the position of the light receiving sensor 23 are fixed positions in the apparatus as described above, the distance X between the light receiving sensor 23 and the second light source 60 in the X-axis direction is also a fixed value. Will be determined in advance. Based on such X and Y, the target angle θ of the irradiation light from the second light source 60 is obtained by the following equation.

  In the present embodiment, the control circuit 40 corresponds to an example of “distance detection means”, and the distance from the optical information reader 1 to the information code C (specifically, the information code C from the light receiving sensor 23 is added). Function to detect the distance to the article.

Thereafter, a direction adjustment process is performed (S53). As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in the optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the second light source 60 is provided with a direction adjusting mechanism 70. In the direction adjusting process of S53, this direction is set. By controlling the adjustment mechanism 70, the angle formed by the direction of the irradiation light Lf2 from the second light source 60 and the X-axis direction is adjusted to be the above θ. The direction adjusting mechanism 70 includes a polygon mirror 71 that reflects the illumination light Lf2 emitted from the light projecting unit 61 that includes an LED and a lens, a motor 72 that rotationally drives the polygon mirror 71, and a motor (not shown) that drives the motor 72. The motor 72 is driven by the motor drive circuit in accordance with a command from the control circuit 40, and the rotational position of the polygon mirror 71 is controlled. The technique for controlling the rotational position of the polygon mirror by controlling the motor with a microcomputer or the like is a well-known technique and will not be described in detail.
In the present embodiment, the control circuit 40 corresponds to an example of a “control unit”, and functions to control the direction adjustment mechanism 70 according to the distance detection result in S51.

Thereafter, a light amount adjustment process is performed (S54). This light amount adjustment processing is processing for adjusting the light amount of the illumination light Lf2 emitted from the second light source 60 according to the distance from the second light source 60 to the article R. In the present embodiment, the amount of light is adjusted so that the amount of illumination light increases as the distance from the information code C to the light receiving sensor 23 increases. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the angle θ is determined in correspondence with the distance Y1, and therefore the amount of light is determined according to the angle θ. For example, a table for determining a command value to be given to the second light source 60 according to the value of the angle θ may be provided, and an arithmetic expression for determining a command value to be given to the second light source 60 according to the angle θ (for example, an angle It is also possible to use a proportional calculation formula that determines the command value so as to be proportional to θ.
In the present embodiment, the control circuit 40 corresponds to an example of a “light amount adjusting unit” and functions to adjust the emitted light amount of the illumination light according to the irradiation direction adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism 70.

  After the light amount adjustment processing in S54, image data acquisition processing is performed (S55). The image data acquisition process is a process in which reflected light from the information code C is received and the image data of the information code C is generated and stored in a state where the direction and the amount of light are adjusted in S53 and S54. Then, decoding processing is performed on the image data (S56).

  When the reading process is performed using only the second light source 60 as in the second mode, the illumination light Lf2 is irradiated obliquely from the rear side as shown in FIG. 1, so that the illumination light Lf2 is formed as shown in FIGS. An area where the illumination light is difficult to reach is generated in the hole (see symbol H). Therefore, when image data is generated by receiving reflected light from the directly marked information code C, the portion that should be originally identified as a black cell is recognized as a crescent-shaped black region as shown in FIG. Cheap. Therefore, when the reading process is performed using only the second light source 60, the position of each black cell may be specified as described below after image data is acquired, and predetermined image processing may be performed.

  For example, in the obtained image data, attention is paid to a region (black cell estimation region) that seems to be a black cell as exemplified in FIG. 9B, and a position where the outer width is maximum is detected. Various methods can be used to detect the position where the outer width becomes maximum. For example, the position where the outer width is maximum may be detected by scanning the black cell estimation region of interest in multiple directions. . Alternatively, since the orientation of the crescent moon shape is easy to identify in the image data, a width value in a predetermined direction may be obtained for the focused black cell estimation region. That is, in the optical information reading apparatus 1, since the irradiation side of the second light source 60 is determined with respect to the information code C facing the reading port 5, it is closer to the second light source 60 as shown in FIGS. The portion is a region where the illumination light is difficult to reach, and this portion is detected as a black region having a crescent shape. Therefore, since the crescent-shaped orientation of the black cell estimation region can be almost specified in the image data, a position where the outer width is maximum in one direction (direction F) as shown in FIG. 9B may be obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 9B, when the positions P1 and P2 having the maximum outer width are obtained, the center position P3 of the positions P1 and P2 is the center of the focused cell, and the crescent-shaped black cell estimation region Is converted into a predetermined black cell shape having a size corresponding to the distance between the positions P1 and P2, the black cell estimation region can be clarified into a black cell shape that can be easily decoded.

  Note that such a specifying method (a method of specifying a crescent-shaped black region as a black cell) may not be used. For example, the image data obtained in the image data acquisition process of S55 (FIG. 4) may be subjected to image processing such as expansion processing and then decoding processing.

  Returning to FIG. 3, after completion of the reading process in S8, it is determined whether or not decoding has failed in the reading process (S9). If successful, the process proceeds to No in S9, and the information code reading process is ended. To do. If the decoding fails in S8, the process proceeds to Yes in S9, and the mode is set to the third mode (S10). In S10, the setting information described above is rewritten with information indicating the third mode.

  When the process of S10 is completed, or when the process proceeds to No in S6, both the first light source 21 and the second light source 60 are turned on in S11. In S12, the same reading process as in S8 is performed. This reading process is basically performed in the same flow as in FIG. 4, but is different from S8 in that both the first light source 21 and the second light source 60 are turned on. Then, it is determined whether or not decoding has failed in the reading process of S12. If the decoding is successful, the process proceeds to No in S13 and the process ends. If the decoding fails in S12, the process proceeds to Yes in S13, and an error is displayed on the liquid crystal display 46 or the like (S14). Thereafter, the mode is reset from the third mode to the first mode (S15), and the process ends.

  In the optical information reading apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the second light source 60 (illuminating means) is provided on the grip portion 3 side away from the reading port 5 and is directed from the outside of the case 2 toward the reading port 5 side. The illumination light Lf2 is irradiated. In this way, when the information code C and the reading port 5 are arranged to face each other, the incident angle of the illumination light Lf2 (the angle formed between the surface of the article R to which the information code C is attached and the illumination light Lf2) is set. Since the second light source 60 becomes smaller and does not appear on the article R, the specular reflection can be effectively suppressed. In addition, since it is not necessary to have a special configuration around the reading port 5, the field of view of reading is not easily limited, and the apparatus configuration does not need to be increased in size.

  Also, a cover member 62 that covers the outside of the user's hand holding the grip portion 3 is provided, and the second light source 60 (illuminating means) illuminates light so that the outside of the cover member 62 is the irradiation area. It is configured to irradiate Lf2. If it does in this way, it will become difficult to arrange | position a user's hand in the illumination area side in the case of reading operation, and it can prevent that illumination light is interrupted by a user's hand.

  In addition, the accommodating portion 10 that includes the reading port 5 and is configured to accommodate the light receiving sensor 23 (light receiving means) is disposed on one side of the gripping area AR, and the second light source is disposed on the other side of the gripping area AR. 60 (illuminating means) is attached. As described above, when the gripping area AR is interposed between the accommodating portion 10 and the second light source 60 and the second light source 60 is disposed at a position away from the reading port 5, the incident angle of the illumination light Lf2 is reduced. The second light source 60 is less likely to obstruct gripping.

  In addition, the grip portion 3 is configured to extend from the housing portion 10, and the second light source 60 (illuminating means) is attached to the tip side of the grip region AR. In this way, the second light source 60 can be suitably arranged at a position that does not interfere with gripping while realizing a so-called gun-type configuration in which a user can easily perform a reading operation.

  Further, the grip area AR of the grip portion 3 extends in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the accommodating portion 10, and the distal end portion 3a is bent from the grip area AR to the reading port 5 side. In this way, in a so-called gun type configuration in which the user can easily perform a reading operation, the second light source 60 can be brought closer to the information code C side while suppressing the incident angle of the illumination light Lf2.

  Moreover, since the direction adjustment mechanism 70 for adjusting the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf2 by the second light source 60 (illuminating means) is provided, the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf2 can be adjusted as necessary. More appropriate irradiation becomes possible.

  In addition, the “distance detection unit” that detects the distance from the predetermined reference position (the position of the light receiving sensor 23 in the present embodiment) to the information code C in the optical information reading device 1 and the detection result by the “distance detection unit” Accordingly, since the “control means” for controlling the direction adjusting mechanism 70 is provided, the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf2 can be set to an appropriate direction according to the distance to the information code C, and thus reading is performed. Can be performed more satisfactorily.

  Furthermore, since the “light quantity adjusting means” for adjusting the emitted light quantity of the illumination light Lf2 according to the irradiation direction of the illumination light Lf2 adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism 70 is provided, the emitted light quantity of the illumination light Lf2 is changed in the irradiation direction. Therefore, the information code C can be read more satisfactorily.

  Further, “condition changing means” for changing the irradiation condition of the illumination light when the reading process fails is provided, and the light reception result of the light receiving sensor 23 (light receiving means) after the irradiation condition change by this “condition changing means”. Based on the above, the reading process is executed again. In this way, even if the reading process fails under a certain irradiation condition, the reading process can be executed again under other irradiation conditions, so that the occurrence of reading defects can be effectively suppressed.

  A first light source 21 (reading port side illumination unit) different from the second light source 60 is provided on the reading port 5 side away from the second light source 60 (illuminating unit). If the light source is also arranged on the reading port 5 side in this way, it is possible to perform appropriate irradiation when it is desirable to irradiate from the reading port 5 side.

  Also, when the reading process fails in the first state in which the second light source 60 (illuminating unit) is turned on or off and the first light source 21 (reading port side lighting unit) is turned on or off. Is configured to perform the reading process again in the second state in which either the on / off state of the second light source 60 or the on / off state of the first light source 21 is switched. In this way, when the reading process fails, the irradiation condition can be changed appropriately and quickly, which is a preferable example that can appropriately cope with reading failure.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an optical information reading device 200 according to the second embodiment. The configuration of FIG. 10 is different from the first embodiment in that the second light source 60 is provided on the cover member 62 side and a plurality of second light sources 60 are provided. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. It is the same. That is, since the accommodating part 10, the grip part 3, etc. have comprised the same structure as 1st Embodiment, the detail is abbreviate | omitted and suppose that it demonstrates mainly about a different part.

  The optical information reading apparatus 200 of FIG. 10 also includes a case 2 that houses the light receiving sensor 23, and a grip portion 3 that is integrated with the case 2. In the present embodiment as well, the second light source 60 (illuminating means) is provided on the grip portion 3 side away from the reading port 5 and illuminates illumination light from the outside of the case 2 toward the reading port 5 side. ing. The electrical configuration of the optical information reading apparatus 200 is the same as that shown in FIG. 2, and the flow of the information code reading process is also the same as that shown in FIGS. Also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the light receiving sensor 23 corresponds to “light receiving means”, and the control circuit 40 “reading means” “distance detection means” “control means” “light quantity adjustment means” “ It corresponds to an example of “condition changing means”.

  The optical information reading apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 10 has a configuration in which a second light source 60 similar to that of the first embodiment is disposed on the cover member 62 and the illumination light is emitted from the cover member 62 toward the information code C. There is no. The configuration of each second light source 60 can be the same as that in FIG. 6, and the irradiation direction of the illumination light can be adjusted in each second light source 60 as in the first embodiment. In this case, if the irradiation direction by each 2nd light source 60 is determined by the method similar to 1st Embodiment based on the distance detection result in S51 (FIG. 4), each may be adjusted by the method similar to 1st Embodiment. Good (S52: FIG. 4).

  In addition, the second light source 60 may not have the same configuration as that of the first embodiment but may have a configuration in which the direction cannot be changed. For example, a light projecting unit similar to the light projecting unit 61 (FIG. 6) of the first embodiment may be disposed at each second light source 60 to irradiate obliquely forward.

  In the example of FIG. 10, a plurality of second light sources 60 are provided, but only one second light source 60 may be provided on the cover member 62. Alternatively, only one light projecting portion 61 whose direction cannot be adjusted may be provided on the cover member 62.

  In the present embodiment, since the second light source 60 (illuminating means) is disposed on the cover member 62, the second light source 60 can be brought closer to the information code C side while keeping the incident angle of the illumination light small. . Moreover, it becomes a suitable example in which the user's hand holding the grip portion 3 does not hinder irradiation.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  Although the grip part 3 shown in FIG. 1 etc. was illustrated as an example of a grip part in the said embodiment, the grip part of a shape different from this may be sufficient. Note that FIG. 11 differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the grip portion 3 and the number of second light sources 60. In FIG. 11, the amount of protrusion at the tip is larger than in the first embodiment, and a plurality of (three in the example of FIG. 11) second light sources 60 are provided in the protrusion 3b that is bent from the gripping area AR. Other configurations and controls (the electrical configuration shown in FIG. 2, the configuration of the second light source 60, or the information code reading process shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Alternatively, the front end portion of the grip portion 3 may be folded back toward the reading port 5 side. For example, in FIG. 12, a bent portion 3 c that is bent from the grip region AR of the grip portion 3 is provided, and the bent portion 3 c is a first bent portion 3 d that is bent at a substantially right angle from the grip region AR, and the first bent portion 3 d. The second bent portion 3e is further bent so that the distal end side approaches the reading port 5, and the grip portion 3 is formed in a U shape as a whole. A plurality of second light sources 60 are provided on the bent portion 3c extending to the reading port 5 side (that is, the second bent portion 3e). Note that FIG. 12 also differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the grip portion 3 and the number of second light sources 60, and the other configuration, control, and the like are the same as in the first embodiment.

  Moreover, you may comprise the grip part 3 cyclically | annularly like FIG. 13 One end of the grip part 3 is connected to the accommodating part 10, and the other end of the grip part 3 is also connected to the accommodating part 10 at a position different from the one end. A grip area AR is provided on one end side of the grip part 3, and a light source arrangement area 3 f is provided on the other end side of the grip part 3 along the grip area AR. The gripping area AR and the light source arrangement area 3f are connected by the connecting portion 3g.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the emitted light amount of the illumination light is adjusted according to the irradiation direction adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism 70 is exemplified. However, a configuration in which such light amount adjustment is not performed may be used.

  In the above embodiment, as an example of changing the irradiation condition by the condition changing unit, when the reading process is failed in the first state where the second light source 60 is turned off and the first light source 21 is turned on, the reading process fails. Shows an example in which the reading process is performed again in the second state in which the on / off state of the second light source 60 and the on / off state of the first light source 21 are both switched, but the irradiation conditions may be changed by other methods. For example, contrary to the above, when the reading process is performed with the second light source 60 turned on and the first light source 21 turned off, and the reading process fails, the second light source 60 is turned on and off. The reading process may be performed again in a state where both the on and off states of the light source 21 are switched. Alternatively, when the reading process is failed when the irradiation light quantity of the first light source 21 is set to a certain first light quantity state and the irradiation light quantity of the second light source 60 is set to a certain second light quantity state. The irradiation light amount of the first light source 21 may be changed to a state different from the first light amount state, the irradiation light amount of the second light source 60 may be changed to a state different from the second light amount state, and the reading process may be performed again. .

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an optical information reading apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the optical information reading apparatus 1 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the information code reading process. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the process flow of S8 in the information code reading process of FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept of direction detection. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining direction adjustment by the direction adjustment mechanism. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the distance from the information code to the light receiving sensor, the angle of the second light source, and the strength of the second light source. FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams for explaining how the illumination light from the second light source is incident on the directly marked information code. FIG. 8A is a view from the side of the code, and FIG. It shows a state seen from the side. FIG. 9A illustrates a part of the image data obtained when the second light source is used, and FIG. 9B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for specifying the center of the black cell. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an optical information reading device 200 according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing Modification 1 of the optical information reading apparatus. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a second modification of the optical information reading device. FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing Modification 3 of the optical information reading apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,200 ... Optical information reader 2 ... Case 3 ... Grip part 3a ... Tip part 5 ... Reading port 10 ... Storage part 21 ... 1st light source (reading port side illumination means)
23. Light receiving sensor (light receiving means)
40. Control circuit (reading means, distance detecting means, control means, light amount adjusting means, condition changing means)
60 ... Second light source (illumination means)
62 ... Cover member 70 ... Direction adjustment mechanism AR ... Holding area C ... Information code

Claims (11)

An optical information reader for reading an information code,
Illuminating means for illuminating the information code with illumination light;
A light receiving means for receiving the reflected light reflected from the information code by the illumination light from the illumination means;
Reading means for reading the information code based on the reflected light received by the light receiving means;
A case including at least the light receiving means and a reading port for introducing the reflected light;
A grip part configured integrally with the case and gripped by a user;
With
The illuminating means is provided on the grip part side away from the reading port, and is configured to irradiate the illumination light from the outside of the case toward the reading port side,
A cover member for covering the outside of a user's hand gripping the grip portion;
The illuminating unit irradiates the illumination light so that the outside of the cover member is an irradiation area.   The optical information reader according to claim 1, wherein the illumination unit is disposed on the cover member. The case includes a receiving portion in which the light receiving means is accommodated and the reading port is formed and disposed on one side of a gripping region of the grip portion,
The optical information reader according to claim 1, wherein the illumination unit is attached to the other side of the gripping region. The grip portion has a configuration extending from the housing portion,
The optical information reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the illuminating unit is attached to a tip side of the gripping region. The grip portion has a configuration in which the grip region extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the housing portion, and a tip end portion is bent from the grip region to the reading port side,
The optical information reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the illumination unit is attached to the tip portion.   The optical information reader according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a direction adjustment mechanism for adjusting an irradiation direction of the illumination light by the illumination unit. Distance detecting means for detecting a distance to the information code;
Control means for controlling the direction adjustment mechanism according to the detection result by the distance detection means;
The optical information reading device according to claim 6 , further comprising: The optical information reader according to claim 6 or 7 , further comprising a light amount adjusting unit that adjusts an emitted light amount of the illumination light according to the irradiation direction adjusted by the direction adjusting mechanism. Comprising a condition changing means for changing the illumination condition of the illumination light when the reading process by the reading means fails,
9. The optical information reading according to claim 7, wherein the reading unit re-executes the reading process based on a light reception result of the light receiving unit after the irradiation condition is changed by the condition changing unit. apparatus. In the reading opening side remote from the illumination means, the optical according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that different reading opening side illumination means is provided with said illuminating means Information reader. The reading means includes
Performing the reading process in a first state in which the illumination unit is turned on or off and the reading port side illumination unit is turned on or off;
Claim the reading process in the case of failure, which is characterized in that the reading process in the second state is switched either on-off state of the on-off state and the reading opening lighting means of the lighting means again optical information reading apparatus according to 10.

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