JP6019636B2 - Print reading system, ticket gate system, and deterioration state determination method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technology for determining a deterioration state of a printing unit that prints a barcode on a medium and an image reading unit that optically reads the barcode printed on the medium .

  Conventionally, in a ticket gate system used at a ticket gate of a station, a ticket vending machine issues a ticket to a user who enters the station or a user who enters from the station, and the ticket ticket is issued by the ticket gate. Is going. As a ticket, a magnetic ticket in which ticket information (medium data) is recorded on a magnetic sheet affixed on one side (back surface), or a non-contact IC ticket having a wireless communication function in which the ticket information is recorded in a built-in memory ( Hereinafter, it is referred to as an IC ticket).

  In recent years, a ticket (hereinafter referred to as a QR ticket) in which ticket information is printed as a two-dimensional barcode (for example, a QR code (registered trademark)) has been proposed (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). . The QR ticket has an advantage that the unit price of the medium itself is lower than that of a magnetic ticket or an IC ticket. In addition, the ticket gate system using the QR ticket does not require a magnetic ticket transport mechanism or a non-contact communication unit with the IC ticket at the ticket gate terminal. Compared with the conventional ticket gate system using the magnetic ticket or the IC ticket, There is an advantage that the unit price of the system itself can be lowered.

JP 2006-59249 A JP 2011-175550 A

  In a ticket gate system using a QR ticket, it is necessary to accurately print the two-dimensional barcode of the QR ticket with a ticket vending machine. However, if the printing unit that prints the two-dimensional barcode has progressed or deteriorated over time, the printing of the two-dimensional barcode may be poor, and the two-dimensional barcode cannot be read by the ticket gate. In addition, even if there is an aged deterioration or failure of the image reading unit that reads the two-dimensional barcode in the ticket gate, the two-dimensional barcode may not be read.

  For these reasons, if the ticket gate cannot read the two-dimensional barcode, the user cannot pass the ticket gate, so the attendant needs to exchange the QR ticket or the like. In addition, the attendant must infer from the visual inspection of the QR ticket the deterioration and malfunction of the printing unit of the ticket vending machine and the image reading unit of the ticket gate, and it is necessary to stop and maintain the ticket vending machine and the ticket gate even during operation. .

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for determining with high accuracy whether or not a printing unit that prints a barcode on a medium has deteriorated before the barcode can be read. .

The print reading system of the present invention has a plurality of printing units, a plurality of image reading units, and a management unit.
Each printing unit includes a printing unit that prints on a medium a barcode that is a pattern of a first code string that includes first identification information for identifying the unit itself and medium data.
The image reading unit includes an image reading unit, a decoding unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The image reading unit optically reads the barcode image from the medium on which the barcode is printed by the printing unit. The decoding unit decodes the second code string from the barcode image read by the image reading unit, corrects the second code string by error correction, and obtains the first code string. The determination unit determines whether the barcode image read by the image reading unit is a defective image depending on the degree of error correction in the decoding unit. The notifying unit includes second identification information for identifying the own unit ( image reading unit) and a printing unit (the decoding unit includes the first code string this time) included in the first code string acquired by the decoding unit. The management unit is notified of determination information including first identification information for identifying the acquired barcode and the determination result of the determination unit.
The management unit further includes a determination information storage unit and a first deterioration state determination unit. In the determination information storage unit, the determination information notified from the image reading unit is stored cumulatively. The first deterioration state determination unit uses the determination information stored in the determination information storage unit, and for each printing unit, the determination unit of the image reading unit performs a defective image for the barcode printed by the printing unit of the printing unit. The occurrence frequency of the barcode determined to be is calculated, and it is determined based on the occurrence frequency calculated here whether the printing unit of the printing unit is in a deteriorated state.
With this configuration, it is possible to determine whether or not the printing unit of the printing unit is in a deteriorated state.

Further, the management unit, using the determination information-determination-information storage unit stores the image for each reading unit, to calculate the occurrence frequency of the bar code judging unit of the image reading unit is determined as defective of the image, wherein A second deterioration state determination unit that determines whether the image reading unit of the image reading unit is in a deteriorated state based on the calculated occurrence frequency may be provided.

With this configuration, it can be determined whether or not the image reading unit of the image reading unit is in a degraded state.

Further, the first deterioration state determination unit of the management unit is determination information stored in the determination information storage unit, and is defective by the determination unit of the image reading unit determined to be deteriorated by the second deterioration state determination unit. For each printing unit, using the determination information that has not been determined to be a converted image, for the barcode printed by the printing unit of the printing unit, the barcode that the determination unit of the image reading unit has determined to be a defective image The occurrence frequency may be calculated, and it may be determined whether or not the printing unit of the printing unit is in a degraded state based on the occurrence frequency calculated here.

If comprised in this way, it can be determined still more accurately whether the printing part of a printing unit is in the state which has deteriorated.

Further, in the first information indicating the image reading unit determined by the first deterioration state determination unit, the image reading unit is in a deteriorated state, or the second deterioration state determination unit, You may make it the structure provided with the output part which outputs at least one of the 2nd information which shows the printing unit determined that the printing part is in the degraded state.

According to this configuration, maintenance of the image reading unit determined to be in a deteriorated state of the image reading unit or the printing unit determined to be in a state in which the printing unit is deteriorated is performed to a staff member or the like. Can be urged.
It corresponds to a fixed part and a second deterioration state determining part. Moreover, the alerting | reporting part 23 is corresponded to the output part said by this invention. Furthermore, QR ticket information database DB1 of the memory | storage part 22 is corresponded to the determination information storage part said by this invention.

The print reading system may also be used in a ticket gate system that performs a ticket gate process on a user who enters the station or a user who enters from the station.

  According to the present invention, even when data can be read from a barcode image, it is possible to automatically detect with high accuracy that the printing unit or the image reading unit has deteriorated. Therefore, maintenance of the printing unit and the image reading unit can be performed before reading of data from the barcode image becomes impossible.

It is a figure explaining the ticket gate system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the principal part structure of the ticket issuing terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the principal part structure of the ticket gate terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the principal part structure and database structure of the management terminal which concern on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which illustrates operation | movement of the ticket gate terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which illustrates operation | movement of the management terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which illustrates operation | movement of the management terminal which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the principal part structure of the ticket issuing terminal which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which illustrates operation | movement of the ticket issuing terminal which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

<< First Embodiment >>
Hereinafter, a ticket reading system will be described as an example of a print reading system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of the ticket gate system according to the first embodiment.

  The ticket gate system 1 includes a management terminal 2, ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N, and ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N. The management terminal 2, the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N, and the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N are arranged at the same station of the railway network. The ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N and the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N are connected to the management terminal 2 via a LAN or the like provided at the arrangement station.

  The ticketing terminals 4A to 4N are installed around the ticket gates of the arrangement stations, and perform ticketing processing for selling QR tickets, magnetic tickets, and IC tickets to users. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating the printing of a QR ticket. The QR ticket is printed with the same ticket information as that of a conventional magnetic ticket and a two-dimensional barcode including the ticket information. Each time the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N perform the ticket issuing process for such a QR ticket, a magnetic ticket, and an IC ticket, the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N notify the management terminal 2 of the own station of the ticket information related to the ticket issuing process.

  The ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N are installed at the ticket gates of the station where the ticket gates are used for QR tickets, magnetic tickets, and IC tickets owned by users who enter the station or users who enter the station. Process. Each time these ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N perform the ticket gate processing, they notify the management terminal 2 of the own station of information related to the ticket gate processing (hereinafter referred to as ticket gate information).

  The management terminal 2 stores information (ticket gate information, ticket information, etc.) notified from station equipment such as the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N and the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N, or the ticket gate terminal installed at the station. Necessary information is notified to station equipment such as 3A to 3N and ticketing terminals 4A to 4N.

≪Ticketing terminal≫
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the main part of the ticket issuing terminal 4A. The configuration of the ticketing terminals 4B to 4N is the same as that of the ticketing terminal 4A.

The ticket issuing terminal 4A includes a control unit 41, an IC ticket reading / writing unit 42, a ticket surface printing unit 43, a magnetic ticket reading / writing unit 44, a money processing unit 46, a display unit 47, an operation unit 48, and a communication unit 49. It has.
The control unit 41 generates ticket information corresponding to the input from the user, controls the operation of each part of the ticket gate terminal 3A, and issues a ticket on which the ticket information is recorded. The IC ticket reading / writing unit 42 performs short-range wireless communication with the IC ticket and writes the ticket information as electronic data in the memory of the IC ticket. The ticket surface printing unit 43 prints (prints) the ticket information on the surface of a magnetic ticket, QR ticket, or IC ticket. The magnetic ticket reading / writing unit 44 writes the ticket information as magnetic data on the magnetic sheet attached to one side of the magnetic ticket. The money processing unit 46 processes coins and banknotes inserted by the user. The display unit 47 displays information related to user operations. The operation unit 48 receives user operations. The communication unit 49 transmits and receives various types of information including ticket information with the management terminal 2.

  Moreover, the ticket surface printing part 43 prints a two-dimensional barcode on the ticket surface of a QR ticket, when issuing a QR ticket as a boarding ticket. The two-dimensional barcode printed here includes an image recognition pattern for recognizing the image of the two-dimensional barcode and a data pattern for recording data. The data pattern is a code string (first code string) including a data code string including ticket information and identification information of the ticketing terminal 4A, and an error correction code string assigned to perform error correction of the data code string. ). The data code string is divided into several blocks having appropriate lengths, and an error correction code string is assigned to each block, and the first code string is configured.

In the present embodiment, ticket surface printing section 43 corresponds to the printing unit referred to in the present invention.

≪Ticket terminal≫
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the main part of the ticket gate terminal 3A. The structure of the ticket gate terminals 3B to 3N is the same as that of the ticket gate terminal 3A.

The ticket gate terminal 3A includes a control unit 31, an IC ticket reading / writing unit 32, a magnetic ticket reading / writing unit 33, a QR ticket reading unit 34, a user detection unit 35, a display unit 36, a door opening / closing unit 37, and A communication unit 38 is provided.
The control unit 31 acquires ticket information from the ticket, controls the operation of each unit of the ticket gate terminal 3A, and performs a ticket gate process for the user. The user detection unit 35 detects a user entering the ticket gate. The door opening / closing unit 37 is controlled by the control unit 31 to prevent the user from passing by closing the gate of the ticket gate, and allows the user to pass by opening the door of the ticket gate. The communication unit 38 transmits and receives various types of information including information related to ticket gate processing (hereinafter referred to as ticket gate information) to and from the management terminal 2. The display unit 36 displays ticket gate information.
The IC ticket reading / writing unit 32 performs near field communication with the IC ticket by a user entering the ticket gate holding the IC ticket over a wireless communication area located on the entrance side of the ticket gate. The ticket information recorded as electronic data in the memory is read, and ticket gate information is written as electronic data in the IC ticket memory.
The magnetic ticket reading / writing unit 33 is affixed to one side of the magnetic ticket when a user entering the ticket gate inserts the magnetic ticket into the magnetic ticket inserting unit located on the entrance side of the ticket gate. The ticket information recorded as magnetic data on the magnetic sheet is read. Then, the ticket information is written as magnetic data on the magnetic sheet of the magnetic ticket, and the magnetic ticket is discharged from the magnetic ticket discharge portion located on the exit side of the ticket gate.

The QR ticket reading unit 34 captures an image of the QR ticket by a user entering the ticket gate holding the QR ticket face over an imaging area located on the entrance side of the ticket gate. Then, a barcode image and a data pattern are extracted from the two-dimensional barcode printed on the QR ticket by image processing using the image processing pattern. Then, the code string (second code string) is decoded from the data pattern.
The second code string decoded from the two-dimensional barcode may be different from the first code string embedded when the two-dimensional barcode is created. For example, the code that forms the second code string differs from the code that forms the first code string due to dirt on the QR ticket, defective printing of the QR ticket, poor reading of the QR ticket, and the like.
Therefore, error correction processing is performed on the second code string decoded from the two-dimensional barcode. As described above, the data pattern of the two-dimensional barcode is divided into several blocks, and each block includes a data code string and an error correction code string. The QR ticket reading unit 34 reads the data code string and the error correction code string for each block from the decoded second code string, and performs a predetermined operation on the data code string and the error correction code string. The data code string is corrected to the original data code string, that is, the data code string included in the first code string. By this error correction processing, for example, even if about 30% of the two-dimensional barcode pattern is dirty and cannot be read, the original data code string can be corrected and acquired.

  In this way, the QR ticket reading unit 34 acquires data including the ticket information and the identification information of the ticket issuing terminal. Also, the number of blocks to be corrected by error correction processing is counted.

  The control unit 31 receives the output of the QR ticket reading unit 34, and acquires the boarding ticket information, the identification information of the ticket issuing terminal, and the number of blocks corrected by error correction. Then, a ticket gate process is performed based on the ticket information, and a defective image determination countermeasure process is performed based on the corrected number of blocks. Although details of the defective image determination countermeasure process will be described later, the defective image determination countermeasure process determines whether or not the barcode image obtained by reading the two-dimensional barcode of the QR ticket is a defective image. It is processing. A defective image is a barcode image in which the number of blocks for error correction exceeds a threshold value due to barcode contamination, printing deterioration, image reading deterioration, or the like. For each QR ticket, the control unit 31 uses, as QR ticket information, ticket information, identification information of the ticketing terminal, identification information of the own terminal (ticket gate terminal 3A), and information regarding whether or not the image is a defective image. And transmitted to the management terminal 2 via the communication unit 38.

In this embodiment, Q R ticket reader 34, an image reading unit referred to in the present invention corresponds to a decrypt unit. Further, control section 31 corresponds to the determining unit referred to in the present invention. Further, the communication unit 38 corresponds to a notification unit referred to in the present invention.

≪Management terminal≫
FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the main part of the management terminal 2, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating the QR ticket information database structure provided in the management terminal 2.

The management terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a notification unit 23, and a communication unit 24.
The control unit 21 controls the operation of the management terminal 2. The storage unit 22 stores a QR ticket information database DB1, a ticket information database DB2, and a ticket gate information database DB3. The notification unit 23 notifies an attendant of the necessity of maintenance through screen display or the like. The communication unit 38 transmits / receives various information to / from station terminals (ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N, ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N, etc.).

  QR ticket information database DB1 memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 22 memorize | stores QR ticket information which the ticket gate terminals 3A-3N transmit. The ticket information database DB2 stores ticket information transmitted by the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N. The ticket gate information database DB3 stores ticket gate information transmitted from the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N.

  The database structure of the QR ticket information database DB1 is as shown in FIG. The QR ticket information database DB1 is a database for registering the frequency at which the barcode image of the QR ticket is determined to be a defective image. Here, the identification information of the ticketing terminal that issued the QR ticket and the ticket gate that has opened the QR ticket The terminal identification information and information on whether or not the QR ticket is determined to be a defective image are registered for each QR ticket.

  The control unit 21 of the management terminal 2 performs a deterioration determination countermeasure process based on information registered in the QR ticket information database DB1. Although details of the deterioration determination countermeasure process will be described later, the deterioration determination countermeasure process is based on the frequency at which the barcode image of the QR ticket is determined to be a defective image, This is a process of estimating the occurrence of reading failure and urging maintenance for printing failure and reading failure.

In the present embodiment, control section 21, a first deterioration state determining unit referred to in the present invention corresponds to the second deterioration state determination unit. Also, broadcast knowledge section 23 corresponds to the output section according to this invention. Furthermore, QR ticket information database DB1 of the memory | storage part 22 is corresponded to the determination information storage part said by this invention.

  Note that the ticketing process and the ticket gate process in the present embodiment are the same as conventional general processes. Therefore, the detailed description of the database structure of the ticket information database DB2 and the ticket gate information database DB3 is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the deterioration determination countermeasure process is performed by the management terminal 2, but the deterioration determination countermeasure process may be performed by the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N and the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N.

≪Defective image determination countermeasure process≫
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a flowchart of the defective image determination countermeasure process executed in the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N.

  In the defective image determination countermeasure process, first, the control unit 31 acquires the number of correction blocks in the barcode image of the QR ticket from the output of the QR ticket reading unit 34 (S11 → S12). Next, the corrected block usage rate is calculated by dividing the number of corrected blocks by the total number of blocks in the barcode image of the QR ticket (S13).

  Next, the control unit 31 compares the correction block usage rate with a threshold value, determines that the barcode image whose correction block usage rate exceeds the threshold value is a defective image, and executes predetermined countermeasure processing (S14 → S15). . Note that a predetermined value may be used as the threshold value, or a value obtained by multiplying a reference value (such as an initial value) of the correction block usage rate by a predetermined ratio may be used.

  The countermeasure process may be performed by the management terminal 2 instead of the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N, but here, as the countermeasure process, a predetermined message is displayed on the display unit 36 of the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N. As the predetermined message, a message that prompts confirmation of whether the QR ticket surface is clean, a message that prompts the exchange of the QR ticket, or the like may be employed. Further, other countermeasure processing for display on the display unit 36 may be performed.

  Then, the control unit 31 uses the identification information of the own terminal (ticket gate terminal), the identification information of the ticket issuing terminal that issued the QR ticket, and the determination result of the defective image as QR ticket information, together with the ticket gate information, the communication unit 38. To the management terminal 2 (S16 → S17).

  Here, the correction block usage rate is used for the determination of the defective image. However, when the total number of blocks in each QR ticket is constant, the correction block number itself may be used for the determination.

≪Degradation judgment countermeasure process≫
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of the degradation determination countermeasure process executed by the management terminal 2.

Degradation determination countermeasure process, first, the control unit 2 1 acquires the QR deals from the output of the wicket terminals 3A-3N, registers the QR deals in QR ticket information database DB1 (S21 → S22). These processes are executed each time the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N output QR ticket information.

Next, the control unit 2 1, when the deterioration determination timing, the plurality of QR deals from QR ticket information database DB1 is read (S23 → S24). The deterioration determination timing may be about once a day, such as after the end of station service, or may be received every time QR ticket information is received.

Next, the control unit 2 1, in order to detect the print degradation in ticketing terminal, calculates the defect of the image incidence of each ticketing terminal (S25). Specifically, for each identification information of the ticketing terminal, the number of occurrences of defective images and the total number of QR ticket information are counted, and the number of occurrences of defective images is divided by the total number of QR ticket information to obtain a defective image. Calculate the incidence. Then, for each piece of identification information of the ticketing terminal, the defective image occurrence rate is compared with a predetermined threshold, the ticketing terminal having the defective image occurrence rate exceeding the threshold is determined to be in a deteriorated state, and predetermined countermeasure processing is executed ( S26 → S27). Here, as a countermeasure process, the management terminal 2 notifies the notification unit 23 that the corresponding ticket issuing terminal needs maintenance.

Next, the control unit 2 1, in order to detect the read deterioration in ticket gate terminal, calculates the defect of the image incidence of each ticket gate terminal (S28). Specifically, for each identification information of the ticket gate terminal, the number of defective images and the total number of QR ticket information are counted, and the number of defective images is divided by the total number of QR ticket information to determine the defective image. Calculate the incidence. Then, for each identification information of the ticket gate terminal, the defective image occurrence rate is compared with a predetermined threshold, the ticket gate terminal having the defective image occurrence rate exceeding the threshold is determined to be in a deteriorated state, and predetermined countermeasure processing is executed ( S29 → S30). Here, as a countermeasure process, the management terminal 2 notifies the notification unit 23 that the corresponding ticket gate terminal requires maintenance.

  When the deterioration determination timing is after the end of the station service, the defective image occurrence rate may be calculated for all QR ticket information received during the station service on that day. Further, when the deterioration determination timing is when QR ticket information is received, a defective image occurrence rate may be calculated for a predetermined number of QR ticket information continuously received before that. Alternatively, it may be determined as a deteriorated state when defective images are generated a predetermined number of times.

In addition, a notification to the effect that require maintenance, for example, the corresponding terminal in the sound and display, the display by the monitoring panel of the attendant window, the display of the mobile terminal owned by the attendant, notification to the host server and maintenance Centers, etc., etc. It may be.

  As described above, the ticket gate system of this embodiment is configured. Therefore, even when the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N can read data from the barcode image, the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N and the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N are deteriorated, and the printing at the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N is poor. In addition, it is possible to automatically detect with high accuracy that barcode image reading deterioration has occurred at the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N. Therefore, the maintenance of the ticket issuing terminals 4A to 4N and the ticket gate terminals 3A to 3N can be performed before the data reading from the barcode image becomes impossible.

<< Second Embodiment >>
Next, a ticket gate system according to the second embodiment will be described. In this ticket gate system, the flowchart of the degradation determination countermeasure process executed at the management terminal is different from that of the first embodiment.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of the degradation determination countermeasure process executed by the management terminal according to the second embodiment.

The deterioration determination countermeasure process of the management terminal according to the second embodiment, first, the control unit 2 1 acquires the QR deals from the output of the wicket terminals 3A-3N, QR ticket information database DB1 the QR deals (S31 → S32). Next, at the deterioration determination timing, a plurality of QR ticket information is read from the QR ticket information database DB1 (S33 → S34).

Next, in order to detect the printing deterioration at the ticket issuing terminal, excluding the influence of the reading deterioration at the ticket checking terminal, the defective image occurrence rate for each ticket checking terminal is calculated (S35). Then, for each identification information of the ticket gate terminal, the defective image occurrence rate is compared with a predetermined threshold, and the ticket gate terminal having the defective image occurrence rate exceeding the threshold is determined to be in a deteriorated state, and the QR ticket information database DB1 corresponds. It is registered in the QR ticket information whether or not the ticket gate terminal is in a deteriorated state, that is, whether or not there is reading deterioration (S36 → S37). Next, in order to detect printing deterioration at the ticketing terminal, the defective image occurrence rate for each ticketing terminal is calculated except for the QR ticket information that was previously determined to have been read deterioration (S38). Next, for each identification information of the ticketing terminal, the defective image occurrence rate is compared with a predetermined threshold, and the ticketing terminal whose defective image occurrence rate exceeds the threshold is determined to be in a deteriorated state, and predetermined countermeasure processing is executed. (S39 → S40).

  As described above, the ticket gate system of this embodiment is configured. As a result, it is possible to detect printing deterioration at the ticket issuing terminal with a higher degree of accuracy before the reading of data from the bar code image becomes impossible and excluding the influence of reading deterioration at the ticket gate terminal. .

<< Third Embodiment >>
Next, a ticket issuing terminal according to the third embodiment will be described. This ticket issuing terminal is a single ticket issuing terminal that prints and reads a QR ticket, and issues a QR ticket that does not print correctly .

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the main part of the ticket issuing terminal 5A according to the third embodiment.

  The ticket issuing terminal 5A has the same configuration as that of the ticket issuing terminal according to the first embodiment. The control unit 51, the IC ticket reading / writing unit 52, the ticket surface printing unit 53, the magnetic ticket reading / writing unit 54, and the monetary processing. A unit 56, a display unit 57, an operation unit 58, a communication unit 59, and a QR ticket reading unit 55 having a configuration unique to the present embodiment.

Kenmen printing unit 53, magnetic dangerous and QR tickets, printing tickets information Kenmen the IC ticket and (printing), when issuing a QR tickets as ticket is a two-dimensional bar code Kenmen the QR Offers Print.

QR flights reading section 55, after the printing of the two-dimensional bar code by the ticket face printing unit 53, by imaging a Kenmen of QR ticket, decodes the code sequence from the two-dimensional bar code printed on Kenmen of QR ticket, The code string is error-corrected for each block, and the number of blocks requiring correction is counted.

Control unit 51 obtains the number of correction blocks counted as requiring error correction at Q R ticket reader 55 performs failure of image determination countermeasure processing based on the number of correction blocks.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of a flowchart of the defective image determination countermeasure process executed at the ticket issuing terminal 5A.

  In the defective image determination countermeasure process, first, when the control unit 51 receives an input related to the issuance of the QR ticket, the ticket surface printing unit 53 causes the ticket surface printing unit 53 to print the ticket information and the two-dimensional barcode on the surface of the QR ticket ( S51 → S52). Next, the QR ticket is conveyed to the QR ticket reading unit 55, and the number of error correction correction blocks required for reading the two-dimensional barcode printed on the QR ticket surface is acquired (S53 → S54). Next, a correction block usage rate is calculated (S55). Next, the corrected block usage rate is compared with a threshold value, and predetermined countermeasure processing is executed on the QR ticket corresponding to the barcode image whose corrected block usage rate exceeds the threshold value (S56 → S57). Then, the QR ticket corresponding to the barcode image whose corrected block usage rate does not exceed the threshold is issued as it is (S58). Note that countermeasure processing in this case may include canceling the issuance of a QR ticket that has been determined to be a defective image, canceling the use of the ticket gate terminal itself, and notifying a message that prompts maintenance to an attendant.

  As described above, the ticket gate system of this embodiment is configured. Therefore, although the ticket gate terminal itself can read data from the barcode image, it can automatically detect with high accuracy a state in which a certain degree of print deterioration has progressed. Therefore, it is possible to perform maintenance of the ticket issuing terminal before the reading of data from the barcode image becomes impossible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ticket gate system 2 ... Management terminal 3A-3N ... Ticket gate terminal 4A-4N, 5A ... Ticketing terminal 21, 31, 41 ... Control part

Claims (6)

A plurality of printing units, a plurality of image reading units, and a management unit;
The printing unit includes:
A printing unit that prints on a medium a barcode that is a pattern of a first code string that includes first identification information for identifying the unit and medium data;
The image reading unit is
An image reading unit that optically reads a barcode image from a medium on which the barcode is printed by the printing unit;
A decoding unit that decodes a second code string from the barcode image read by the image reading unit, corrects the second code string by error correction, and obtains the first code string;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the barcode image read by the image reading unit is a defective image depending on the degree of error correction in the decoding unit;
Second identification information for identifying the own unit, the first identification information for identifying the printing unit included in the first code string acquired by the decoding unit, and the determination result of the determination unit A notification unit that notifies the management unit of determination information including:
Furthermore, the management unit is
A determination information storage unit for accumulatively storing the determination information notified from the image reading unit;
Using the determination information stored in the determination information storage unit, for each printing unit, for the barcode printed by the printing unit of the printing unit, the determination unit of the image reading unit is a defective image A first occurrence state determination unit that calculates the occurrence frequency of the determined barcode, and determines whether the printing unit of the printing unit is in a deteriorated state based on the occurrence frequency calculated here; Prepare
Print reading system. The management unit is
Using the determination information which the judgment information storage unit stores, for each of the image reading unit, the image the determination unit of the reading unit calculates the occurrence frequency of the bar code determined as defective of the image was calculated here A second deterioration state determination unit that determines whether the image reading unit of the image reading unit is in a deteriorated state according to the frequency of occurrence;
The print reading system according to claim 1. The management unit is
The determination unit of the image reading unit in which the first deterioration state determination unit is the determination information stored in the determination information storage unit, and is determined to be deteriorated by the second deterioration state determination unit The determination unit of the image reading unit uses the determination information that is not determined to be a defective image by the printing unit, and the determination unit of the image reading unit uses the determination information for the barcode printed by the printing unit of the printing unit. The occurrence frequency of the barcode determined to be is calculated, and it is determined whether the printing unit of the printing unit is in a deteriorated state based on the occurrence frequency calculated here.
The print reading system according to claim 2. The management unit is
In the first deterioration state determination unit, in the first information indicating the printing unit determined that the printing unit is in a deteriorated state, or in the second deterioration state determination unit, the image reading unit An output unit that outputs at least one of the second information indicating the image reading unit determined to be in a deteriorated state,
The print reading system according to claim 2 or 3 . A ticket gate system to which the print reading system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is applied,
A plurality of ticket issuing terminals comprising the printing unit;
A plurality of ticket gate terminals including the image reading unit;
A management terminal comprising the management unit;
The ticket issuing terminal prints, on the medium, the barcode obtained by patterning the first code string in which the medium data is boarding ticket information in the printing unit ,
The ticket gate terminal performs a ticket gate process for a user using the ticket information included in the acquired first code string in the decoding unit.
Ticket gate system. A degradation state determination method in a print reading system having a plurality of printing units, a plurality of image reading units, and a management unit,
The printing unit is
In the printing unit, a printing step for printing on the medium a barcode obtained by patterning a first code string including the first identification information for identifying the own unit and the medium data,
The image reading unit is
In the image reading unit, the reading unit optically reads a barcode image from the medium on which the barcode is printed by the printing unit;
A decoding step of decoding the second code string from the barcode image read in the reading step by the image reading unit, correcting the second code string by error correction, and obtaining the first code string;
A determination step of determining whether or not the barcode image read by the image reading unit in the reading step is a defective image depending on the degree of error correction in the decoding step;
Second identification information for identifying the own unit, the first identification information for identifying the printing unit included in the first code string acquired in the decoding step, and the determination result in the determination step And a notification step of notifying the management unit of determination information including:
The management unit is
A storage step of accumulatively storing the determination information notified from the image reading unit in a determination information storage unit;
Using the determination information stored in the determination information storage unit, for each printing unit, the barcode printed by the printing unit of the printing unit is a defective image in the determination step of the image reading unit. A first deterioration state determination step of calculating the determined occurrence frequency of the barcode and determining whether the printing unit of the printing unit is in a deteriorated state based on the calculated occurrence frequency; Run the
Degradation state judgment method.