JPH02293178A - Bar code printing density display printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately determine the replacing time of an ink ribbon by controlling respective circuits and memories by the MPU connected to them and displaying the density value calculated in a density value calculation part on a display part. CONSTITUTION:The black and white levels of the bar code printed by a printing part 1 are read by a reading part 2 and subsequently converted to digital signals by a sensor circuit 3 to be temporarily stored in an RAM 4. An MPU 11 extracts the black and white levels from the data related to the output waveform of the bar code in the RAM 4 according to the analytical program in a control ROM 5 and the black and white levels are determined by a black and white level determination part 6. Further, the MPU 11 calculates the density difference of the bar code from the black and white levels in its PCS calculation part 7 according to the analytical program in the ROM 5. The density difference of the bar code thus calculated is displayed on the display part 9 of a bar code printer as ribbon density.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a barcode print density display printer device that can display the print density of a barcode on a display unit, an operator can determine when to replace an ink ribbon by looking at the display unit of the printer device. For the purpose of making it easy to judge, there is a printing part that prints the barcode, a reading part that reads the barcode printed on the printing part, and the black level and white of the barcode read by the reading part. A black and white level determination section that determines the black level and white level from the average density with respect to the black and white level determination section, and a density value calculation section that calculates the density difference between the black level and the white level determined by the black and white level determination section. and a display section that displays the density value calculated by the density value calculation section.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a barcode print density display printer device that can display the print density of a barcode on a display unit.

A barcode 40 printed by a printer and an output waveform 41 when the barcode 40 is read by a reader are shown. Barcode output waveform 41
corresponds to code 44, output level 45, code 46
Corresponding to the code 48, the output level becomes 47, and the code 48 corresponds to the output level 49. The wider the code, such as the code 48, the closer to the black level 43, and the output of the white background becomes the white level 42.

Then, a density value (hereinafter referred to as
[Prior art] In recent years, barcode printers that convert product prices or data that you do not want to print as numerical values into barcodes and print them have come into widespread use. It has become.

That is, in FIG. 4, it is represented by the above-mentioned bar code Buri, and according to the JIS standard, the above-mentioned PCS value is required to be 75% or more.

The operator used the barcode printer to print a predetermined barcode on a desired product or the like at a density higher than the specified value.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in order to ensure that barcodes are always printed at a certain density or higher, an operator must constantly monitor the density of the printed barcodes. If the operator does not notice a barcode printed with a density below the above-mentioned standard, there is a problem in that the barcode reading device cannot accurately read the barcode.

Therefore, operators must always visually monitor the density of barcodes printed by barcode printer devices.
Replace the ink ribbon before the density drops below the specified level. Therefore, there is a problem in that the timing of replacing the ink ribbon varies depending on individual operators.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a barcode printing density display printer that can accurately determine when to replace the ink ribbon in the barcode printer.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration diagram of the present invention. In the figure, a printing unit 1 prints a desired barcode.

The reading section 2 reads the printed barcode as an analog signal, and the sensor circuit 3 converts it into a digital signal. The RAM 4 is a memory that can store barcode print data and barcode read data read by the reading section 2. The ROM 5 includes a control program for controlling the carrier motor 10 and the printing section l;
An analysis program for analyzing the concentration of barcodes is stored. Black level and white level determination R6 determines the black level and white level from the output waveform of the barcode read by the reading section 2. The PCS value calculation unit 7 calculates the PCS value of the barcode. The driver circuit 8 controls the printing unit 1 by driving the carrier motor 10 so as to produce a desired barcode. The display section 9 displays the PCS value calculated by the PCS value calculation section 7. MPU
'1 includes a black and white level determination section 6 and a PCS value calculation section 7, as well as a sensor circuit 3, RAM 4, RO
It is connected to M5, driver circuit 8, and display unit 9 via a data path, and controls these.

The calculated barcode density difference is displayed as ribbon density on the display section 9 of the barcode printer device.

[For production]

In the present invention having the above configuration, a level difference occurs between the black part and the white part of the barcode in the output waveform reflected from the barcode printed by the printing section l.

After reading this black level and white level with the reading section 2,
The sensor circuit 3 converts it into a digital signal and temporarily stores it in the RAM 4. Then, the MPU 11 extracts the black level and white level from the data regarding the output waveform of the barcode in the RAM 4 according to the analysis program in the ROMS, and the black level and white level are determined by the black and white level determining section 6. decide. Furthermore, the MPU 11 performs the above (1) in the PCS value calculation unit 7 according to the analysis program in the ROM 5.
Using a formula, the density difference is calculated from the black level and white level.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the data processing flow of the barcode printing density display printer device in one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a RAM 4, a ROM 5, a driver circuit 8, a display section 9, and an MPU 11 correspond to those shown in FIG. 1, and are connected to each other via a data path. The barcode printed by the head of the printing section 1 (FIG. 1) is read by the reading sensor 20 of the reading section 2 (FIG. 1). The output waveform of the barcode read by the reading sensor 20 is amplified by the amplifier 21 and then sent to the A/D
The converter 22 converts the data into, for example, an 8-bit digital signal, and stores this data in the RAM 4. R
The barcode read data stored in AM4 is R
Obtain the density of the black level and white level of the barcode according to the analysis routine of OM5. The MPU 11 calculates the density of the black level and the white level according to the above-mentioned equation (1) according to the analysis routine of the ROM 5. The density value (PCS value) of the barcode obtained in this manner is displayed on, for example, a liquid crystal panel of the display section 9 as follows.

XX is a PCS value Next, an embodiment of the barcode printing density display printer device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

A desired barcode is printed by the printing unit 1 of the barcode printer device (processing step ①).

The reading sensor 2 of the reading unit 2 is used to read the barcode printed by the print 8Bl of the barcode printer device.
0 starts the reading operation, and carrier motor 1
Activation is applied to 0 (processing step ■).

The barcode is read by the reading sensor 20 of the reading unit 2 (Fig. 1).
2) (processing step ■).

Reading of the barcode continues, and when the reading of the barcode is completed, the activation of the carrier motor 10 is stopped (processing step (2)).

For example, the minimum three pieces of data are extracted from the barcode read data, and the average of them is taken as the black level (processing step ①).

For example, the maximum three pieces of data are extracted from the barcode read data, and the average thereof is set as the white level (processing step (2)).

Based on the white level and black level obtained in processing steps ■ and ■, the PCS value calculation unit 7 of the MPU 11 (FIG. 1) calculates the density value of the barcode, that is, P
A CS value is calculated (processing step ■).

The PCS value obtained in processing step (2) is displayed on the liquid crystal display device of the display section 9 (processing step (2)).

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the operator can monitor the print density of the barcode on the display section of the barcode printer while printing the barcode, it is easy to know when to replace the ink ribbon.

Therefore, since there is no variation in the printing density of the barcode, the barcode reader can not only read the barcode accurately, but also replace the ink ribbon economically.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram of the principle configuration of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a data processing flow in an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is an explanation of barcodes and output waveforms. It is a diagram. 1...Printing section 2...Reading section 3...Sensor circuit 4...RAM 5...ROM 6...Black and white level determining section 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, PCS value Calculation section Driver circuit display section Carrier motor MPLJ Patent applicant PUF Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Driven by carrier motor 10, bar code 40
A printing section 1 that prints the barcode 40 printed by the printing section 1, a reading section 2 that reads the barcode 40 printed by the printing section 1, and a sensor circuit 3 that converts the analog signal of the barcode 40 read by the reading section 2 into a digital signal. , a RAM 4 in which print data and read data of the barcode 40 are stored; a ROM 5 in which a control program for controlling the carrier motor 10 and the printing unit 1 and an analysis program for analyzing the density difference of the barcode are stored; A black and white level determining unit 6 determines the black level and white level from the average density of the black level and white level of the barcode 40 read by the reading unit 2; a density value calculation unit 7 that calculates the density difference between the black level and the white level, and an MPU 11 that is connected to each of the units, circuits, and memory to control them; 1. A barcode printing density display printer device, comprising: a display section 9 for displaying a density value;