JPH03103995A - Stationary type bar-code scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inform an operator whether a bar-code read operation is correct or not and to quicken a fact that the operator gets skilled in a scanner operation by informing the number of times of decoding correctly a bar-code in a single read operation. CONSTITUTION:This bar-code scanner is provided with a decoding frequency memory 16 for storing the number of times of decoding correctly a bar-code in a single read operation, and a means for informing the contents of the memory 16 after the read operation is ended. Accordingly, how many times the bar-code is decoded correctly by a single read operation can be known, and when the number of times of correct decoding is small, it can be decided that the read operation is not executed correctly. In such a way, it can be quickened that an operator gets skilled in a scanner operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a stationary barcode scanner that scans a light beam in multiple directions to read, decode, and transfer barcodes.

[Prior Art] The reading scanning line (light beam) of a stationary barcode scanner generally employs a dynamic cross pattern as shown in FIG. That is, the central horizontal scanning line a, the side horizontal scanning lines b, and the vertical scanning lines C have the relationship shown in the drawing with respect to the horizontal reading surface 1 shown by a solid line in the drawing and the vertical reading surface 2 shown by a dotted line in the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 7, this dynamic cross pattern has an elevation angle β of the barcode surface 3 and a rotation angle α of the barcode surface 3.
, the moving direction d of the article 4, and other barcode reading parameters are optimized so that each reading scanning line a, b, and c can share the reading area and perform reading.

In other words, the evaluation map for reading with a dynamic cross pattern is shown in Figure 8 based on the relationship between the elevation angle β and the rotation angle α, and it is difficult to read or cannot be read in the portion where the elevation angle β is small and the rotation angle α is large, which is indicated by diagonal lines in the figure. There are areas where it is impossible. If this is divided into each scanning line a, b, and c and an evaluation map is shown, the center horizontal scanning line a will be as shown in FIG. 9(a), and the side horizontal scanning line b will be as shown in FIG. The image becomes as shown in FIG. 9(b), and the vertical scanning line C becomes as shown in FIG. 9(c). Note that in FIG. 9 as well, the shaded areas are areas that are difficult or impossible to read.

From this, it can be seen that it is the side horizontal scanning line b and the vertical scanning line C that read the vicinity of the difficult or unreadable area in FIG.

Conventional stationary barcode scanners determine whether or not barcode reading has been successful, and if successful, the operator is notified by sound, for example.

[Problem 8 to be solved by the invention] However, with systems such as this that simply notify the user of a successful reading with a sound, even if the operator knows that the reading was successful, it is difficult to ascertain whether or not the operator's reading operation was correct. It was difficult. In other words, it was not possible to determine whether the barcode was being operated at an appropriate angle with respect to the reading surface. Therefore, there is a problem in that it takes time for the operator to become proficient in operating the scanner.

Therefore, the present invention can inform the operator whether or not the operator's barcode reading operation is appropriate.
As a result, the present invention aims to provide a stationary barcode scanner that allows operators to quickly learn how to operate the scanner.

[Means for Solving the Problem] The invention according to claim (1) is a stationary barcode scanner that scans a light beam in a plurality of directions to read, decode, and transfer barcodes in one reading operation. A decoding count memory is provided to store the number of times a barcode has been correctly decoded, and a notification means is provided to notify the contents of the memory after the reading operation is completed.

The invention corresponding to claim (2) further includes a scanning direction detection means for detecting whether decoding is performed while the light beam is scanning in the direction of and a scanning direction memory for storing the detection result of this detection means. and determining means for determining whether reading is being performed near the unreadable area based on the contents of the decoding count memory and the scanning direction memory, and the determining means determines whether reading is being performed near the unreadable area. This system is equipped with a warning means that warns you when it determines that there is a problem.

[Operations] In the present invention having such a configuration, it is possible to know how many times a barcode has been correctly decoded by one reading operation. Therefore, if the number of correct decodings is small, it can be determined that the reading operation is not being performed properly.

5 Also, when decoding is performed, the direction of the light beam is detected and memorized, and if the memorized direction and number of decodings indicate that decoding is being performed near an unreadable area, an alert is sent to the operator. Let me know. Therefore, if the operator is not performing proper operations, he or she can be notified by an alarm.

[Example code] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance.A reading window 2 is provided in the center of the top surface of the housing 1, and on the sides of the reading window 2, five LEDs are installed as notification means for notifying the number of decodings. (Light emitting diodes) 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e and an LED 3f as a warning means for warning that reading is being performed near the unreadable area are provided. The LED 3a lights up when the number of decodings is 6 or more, and the LED 3a lights up when the number of decodings is 6 or more.
ED3b lights up when the number of decoding is 5 times, and the LED3
C lights up when the number of decodings is 4, the LED 3d lights up when the number of decodings is 3, and the LED 63e lights up when the number of decodings is 2 times.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main circuit configuration, and the multi-scanning optical system 11 uses a dynamic cross pattern of light beams to read barcodes from articles passing on the reading surface 2 by operation.

The barcode signal read by the optical system 11 is converted into a digital signal by a signal processing circuit 12, and then input to a decoder logic 13, where it is decoded and converted into barcode data.

Bar code data from the decoder logic 13 is assembled for transmission by a microprocessor 14 and transferred via an interface 15 to a host, such as an electronic cash register.

The microprocessor 14 drives and controls the multi-scanning optical system 11 and also controls the display 18 via the memory section 16 and output port 17. The display device 18 is composed of each of the LEDs 3a to 3f.

The memory section 16 is provided with a counter CT as a decoding number memory.

The microprocessor 14 is programmed to perform the control shown in FIG.

That is, when the scanner starts up, it first performs initial settings for reading, then reads barcode data from the decoder logic 13, and when the same data is read twice in succession, the data is transferred to the host via the interface 15. I have to. Also, the number of times of counter CT is set to "2".

Once the transfer to the host is completed, subsequent transfers are prohibited to prevent double transfer.

When the transfer to the host is completed, a timer is started to start reading the barcode data from the decoder logic 13, and when the read barcode data is the same as the barcode data transferred to the host, the counter C
T is incremented by +1.

Continue this process until the timer counts 1 second, and
When seconds have elapsed, the display 18 is controlled based on the number of counts of the counter CT, LEDs 3a to 3e are selectively lit, the counter CT is cleared, and the prohibition of barcode data transfer to the host is canceled. .

In this embodiment with such a configuration, a barcode is read by the multi-scanning optical system 11, and the barcode signal is inputted to the decoder logic 13 via the signal processing circuit 12. Then, the barcode data obtained by decoding by the decoder logic 13 is taken into the microprocessor 4.

When the barcode data taken in from the decoder logic 13 is the same twice in a row, the microprocessor 4 determines that the barcode data is correct, assembles the data for transmission, and transfers it to the host. Then, the count content of the counter CT is set to "2" and data transfer to the host is prohibited.

In this state, the timer is operated to take in barcode data from the decoder 9 logic 13 for one second, and when the same barcode data as the barcode data transferred to the host is taken in, the counter CT is incremented by +1. Therefore, when the same barcode data is taken in, the counter CT first becomes "3" and is incremented every time the same barcode data is taken in thereafter.

After one second has elapsed, the microprocessor 14 turns on the display 1.
8, if the content of the counter CT is "6 or more", the LED 3a is lit, if it is "5", the LED 3b is lit, if it is "4", the LED 3c is lit, and the counter CT is "3".
If it is "2", light up LED3d, if it is "2", turn on LED
Turn on 3e.

Therefore, by checking which LED lights up, the operator can know how many times the decoding has been completed. Therefore, based on the number of times, it can be determined whether or not the barcode surface can be operated at an appropriate angle and direction with respect to the reading window 2.

This allows the operator to see how the number of decodings will increase from 10 to 10 depending on the operation, thereby speeding up the learning of the operation.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

This uses a polygon mirror 21 as the multi-scanning optical system 11, as shown in FIG. A device that generates a dynamic cross pattern is used, and scanning directions are set in the vicinity of each of the fixed mirrors 22 and 23, corresponding to the central horizontal scanning line, side horizontal scanning line, and vertical scanning line, respectively, at the positions through which the laser beam passes. Photodetectors 24, 25, and 26, which constitute part of the detection means, are installed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A counter CTo is used to count the number of decoding times, a counter CTI is used to count the number of decodings at the timing when the photodetector 24 detects the beam, and a counter CT2 is used at the timing when the photodetector 11 to 25 detects the beam. A counter CT3 is used to count the number of times the beam can be decoded at the timing when the photodetector 26 detects the beam.

Note that the microprocessor 14 takes in the output of the photodetector to determine which photodetector was able to decode the beam when it detected it, and increments a counter.

In this way, as in the previous embodiment, the number of correct decodings can be counted by the counter CTo and notified by the LEDs 3a to 3e.

In addition, it is possible to detect in which scanning line the bar code was successfully decoded and how many times the bar code was successfully decoded using the counters CT, -CT3.

Therefore, the microprocessor 14 analyzes the contents of each counter CTo-CT3 to count the number of decodings by, for example, lateral horizontal scanning lines and vertical scanning lines.
, CT3 is 1 or more, and the counter CT. If the count value is 1 2 such as 0, it is determined that reading is being performed near the unreadable area shown by the hatched area in FIG. Furthermore, if the count value of the counter CTo is small, it is determined that an inappropriate operation is being performed, and the LED 3f is lit to warn the operator.

In this way, when the operator is performing an inappropriate operation, it can be notified and the operator can be instructed to correct the operation. Therefore, in this case as well, it is possible to speed up the operator's learning.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to notify the operator whether or not the operator's barcode reading operation is appropriate, thereby speeding up the operator's proficiency in scanner operation. It is possible to provide a stationary barcode scanner that can perform the following tasks.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main circuit configuration, and FIG. 3 is a microp 13 processor Flowcharts showing main processing, Figures 4 and 5
The figures show other embodiments of the present invention, in which Fig. 4 shows the main part structure of the multi-scanning optical system, Fig. 5 shows the main part of the memory section, and Fig. 6 shows the dynamic cross section. Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the pattern, Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining barcode reading parameters, Figure 8 is a dynamic cross pattern reading performance evaluation map, and Figure 9 is a reading performance evaluation map for each scanning line. . 3a to 3e-LED (notification means), 3f...LE
D (Alarm means) 11...Multi-scanning optical system, 13...Decoder logic, 14...Microprocessor, CT, CTo...Counter (decoding number memory), CT
+, CT2, CT3...Counter (scanning direction memory), 24.25.26...Photodetector.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a stationary barcode scanner that scans a light beam in multiple directions to read, decode, and transmit barcodes, there is a decoding count memory that stores the number of times a barcode is correctly decoded in one reading operation, and a reading A stationary barcode scanner, characterized in that a stationary barcode scanner is provided with a notification means for notifying the contents of the memory after the operation is completed. (2) In a stationary barcode scanner that scans a light beam in multiple directions to read, decode, and transmit barcodes, there is a decoding count memory that stores the number of times a barcode is correctly decoded in one reading operation; Notifying means for notifying the contents of the memory after the operation is completed; scanning direction detecting means for detecting in which direction the light beam is scanning when decoding is performed; and scanning for storing the detection results of the detecting means. a direction memory; a determining means for determining whether or not reading is being performed in the vicinity of the unreadable area based on the contents of each memory; and this determining means determines whether reading is being performed in the vicinity of the unreadable area. A stationary barcode scanner characterized by being equipped with a warning means to issue a warning when a barcode scanner is detected.