JPH0120793B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Field of Application of the Invention The present invention relates to barcode data input when barcodes printed on products, books, records, etc. are read by a barcode scanner and processed by a computer such as a personal computer. The present invention relates to devices, and particularly to a barcode data input device that eliminates the need for a program or interface board for reading barcode data.

Prior Art and Problems As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic computer such as a personal computer has a main body 1 having a central processing unit (CPU), a keyboard 2, a floppy disk device 3, and a CRT display device 4. The system configuration is a combination of various input/output devices. Conventionally, in order to read barcodes printed on products, books, records, etc. and input the data into such a personal computer, the barcode scanner 5 is connected to the main body 1 in the same way as other input/output devices. was directly connected to. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, an interface board (not shown) having a decoder function is inserted into an interface 8 interposed between a bus 7 connected to the central processing unit 6 and the barcode scanner 5. It was connected. Note that reference numeral 9 is an interface for other input/output devices. and,
The barcode scanner 5 optically reads the barcode, the output barcode data _D1 is decoded by the interface board, and the output data _D2 is sent to the central processing unit 6 via the bus 7. It was being processed.

However, in this case, since the location and connector for mounting the above-mentioned interface board differ depending on each personal computer, the interface board is individually made according to the specifications of each personal computer to which the barcode scanner 5 is connected. Therefore, the cost of adding the barcode reader function would be high. Also,
A special program was required to read the data _D2 between the interface 8 and the central processing unit 6. Furthermore, in order to use the keyboard 2 and the barcode scanner 5 together, a separate program was required to determine which data should be prioritized.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a barcode data input device that does not require a program or an interface board for reading barcode data. With the goal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a barcode data input device according to the present invention includes a barcode scanner that optically reads barcodes and converts barcode data output from the barcode scanner into keyboard data. A decoding circuit converts the data and sends out a gate control signal by inputting the barcode data, inputs the output data from this decoding circuit, inputs keyboard data flowing from the keyboard to the computer body, and inputs the keyboard data sent from the decoding circuit. The device is comprised of a gate circuit that switches between data from the keyboard and data from the barcode scanner and sends the data to the computer main body in response to a gate control signal.

Embodiments of the Invention Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing a state in which the barcode data input device 10 according to the present invention is connected to the main body 1 of an electronic computer such as a personal computer. This barcode data input device 10 consists of a barcode scanner 5 and a connection control section 11.
The connection control section 11 is connected between the keyboard 2 and the main body 1. The above-mentioned barcode scanner 5 uses an optical sensor to read barcodes printed on products, books, records, etc. by encoding alphanumeric characters, special symbols, etc. with a combination of lines of different thickness. is shaped like a pen and has a light emitting part and a light receiving part at its tip, and the data is read photoelectrically using the light reflected from the bar code.

A connection control section 11 is connected to the output side of the barcode scanner 5. This connection control section 11
This decodes the barcode data from the barcode scanner 5 and sends it to the main body 1 in the form of keyboard data, and consists of a decode circuit 12 and a gate circuit 13, as shown in FIG. The decoding circuit 12 receives and decodes the barcode data _D1 read by the barcode scanner 5.
The data _D3 converted into keyboard data is sent to the gate circuit 13, and the gate control signal is generated by inputting the barcode data _D1 .
This is to send S _g to the gate circuit 13. The gate circuit 13 receives output data D ₃ from the decoding circuit 12 at one input terminal, and inputs keyboard data D ₄ flowing from the keyboard 2 to the main body 1 of the computer at the other input terminal. The data D ₃ and D ₄ are switched by the gate control signal S _g from the decoding circuit 12, and the data D is sent from the output terminal to the main body 1.

Next, the operation of the barcode data input device 10 according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. first,
As shown in FIG. 3, by connecting the connection control section 11 between the keyboard 2 and the main body 1, the barcode data input device 10 is connected to an electronic computer such as a personal computer. Normally, the gate circuit 13 of the connection control section 11 connects the keyboard 2 and the main body 1, so that data _D4 from the keyboard 2 is read into the main body 1. Then, when the operator uses the barcode scanner 5 to read a barcode printed on a product, book, record, etc., the barcode data D ₁ read and output by the barcode scanner 5 is sent to the decoding circuit. Enter into 12. By inputting this barcode data _D1 ,
The decoding circuit 12 sends a gate control signal S _g to the gate circuit 13, and upon input of this signal S _g , the gate circuit 13 converts the keyboard data D ₄ flowing from the keyboard 2 to the computer main body 1.
barcode scanner 5.
The data is automatically switched so that the data flows from the computer body 1 to the computer main body 1. The barcode data _D1 input to the decoding circuit 12 in this state is converted into keyboard data form by the decoding circuit 12, and the output data _D3 is sent to the gate circuit 13.
The data is directly sent as data D to the main body 1 via. That is, the data _D1 from the barcode scanner 5 is also input to the main body 1 as the same type of data _D4 from the keyboard 2, and is processed. When the barcode scanner 5 finishes reading the barcode, the barcode data D ₁ is no longer output, the gate control signal S _g is no longer sent from the decoding circuit 12, and the gate circuit 13 outputs the barcode. The circuit for data D ₃ flowing from the scanner 5 side to the computer main body 1 is cut off, and the circuit for data D ₄ flowing from the keyboard 2 to the computer main body 1 is automatically conducted. As a result, the keyboard 2 and the main body 1 are connected again, and the data from the keyboard 2 is
D ₄ will now be read into main unit 1.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention converts the barcode data D1 outputted from the barcode scanner ₅ into keyboard data form in the decoding circuit 12, and also converts the barcode data D1 outputted from the barcode scanner 5 into keyboard data form from the keyboard 2 via the gate circuit 13. Keyboard data flowing to main unit 1
D ₄ and sent to the main body 1, there is no need to individually create an interface board to match the specifications of each personal computer, as was the case in the past. In addition, the computer main body 1 only needs to have a program to read the data _D4 from the keyboard 2, and there is no need to create a special program to read the data from the barcode scanner 5 as in the past. . Furthermore, data from the keyboard 2 is inputted by the gate circuit 13.
D ₄ and data D ₁ , D ₃ from barcode scanner 5
Since the data is automatically switched between and sent directly to the computer main body 1, there is no need to create a special program for using the keyboard 2 and barcode scanner 5 together. Therefore, by simply connecting the barcode data input device 10 according to the present invention, an electronic computer such as a personal computer can be converted into a barcode reader as it is, and the cost can be significantly reduced. . Further, since the barcode scanner 5 can be operated normally without requiring any other special key operations, the operability can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system diagram showing a state in which conventional barcode data is input into a computer, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a state in which a conventional barcode scanner is connected to a computer main body, and Fig. 3 is a system diagram showing the state in which a conventional barcode scanner is connected to a computer main body. FIG. 4 is a system diagram showing a state in which a barcode data input device according to the present invention is connected to a computer main body, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram thereof. 1... Computer main body, 2... Keyboard, 5
... Barcode scanner, 10 ... Barcode data input device, 11 ... Connection control unit, 12 ... Decode circuit, 13 ... Gate circuit, D ₁ ... Barcode data, D ₃ ... From decode circuit output data, D ₄ ... keyboard data, S _g ... gate control signal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A barcode scanner that optically reads barcodes; a decoding circuit that converts the barcode data output from the barcode scanner into keyboard data and sends out a gate control signal by inputting the barcode data;
The output data from this decoding circuit is input, as well as the keyboard data flowing from the keyboard to the computer main body, and the data from the keyboard and the data from the barcode scanner are input by the gate control signal sent from the decoding circuit. 1. A barcode data input device comprising: a gate circuit for switching between and sending data to a computer main body;