JPH03257691A - Scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable reading while irradiating the wide range of an object to be read with a scanning beam by executing exclusive control so that only one of scanning beams can be emitted when the object to be read is irradiated with the scanning beam emitted from the plural scanner parts. CONSTITUTION:An object 3 to be read is arranged so as to be irradiated with the scanning beam emitted from scanner parts 1 in respectively various directions, and a scanning beam control part 2 executes control so that any one of scanning beams can be exclusively emitted to the object 3 to be read. Then, a bar code or the like attached to the object 3 to be read is read. Thus, reading can be executed while irradiating the wide range of the object to be read with the scanning beam, and reading ability can be prevented from being lowered by mixing the scanning beam into the other scanner part 1.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a scanner device that emits and reads scanning beams of different patterns onto an object to be read, when irradiating the object to be read with scanning beams emitted from a plurality of scanner units, one of the Exclusive control is performed so that only one scanning beam is emitted, and the scanning beam is irradiated over a wide range of the object to be read, making it possible to read the object. A plurality of scanner units are arranged to emit scanning beams to the object to be read from different directions, and any one of the scanning beams emitted from these scanner units to the object to be read is used for the purpose of preventing deterioration.
and a scanning beam control section that exclusively controls one scanning beam to emit only one scanning beam from the plurality of scanner sections toward the object to be read. It is configured to read barcodes etc. attached to objects to be read.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a scanner device that emits scanning beams of different patterns onto an object to be read. POS systems (point-of-sale systems) have been introduced at department stores, supermarkets, etc. for the purpose of streamlining product management and checkout operations. On this occasion,
It is desirable to be able to efficiently read products and products with barcodes attached, no matter where they are placed.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] Conventionally, a straight scanner used in supermarkets and the like has a scanning beam of light emitted in one direction, as shown in Figure 4 (a). It is limited to directly above and diagonally upward from one surface. For this reason, there was a problem in that the operator had to perform the troublesome operation of confirming the position (face) of the barcode attached to the product 13, orienting it in the reading direction, and performing the reading operation. Also, when automatically reading barcodes attached to products on the production line,
It is necessary to align the orientation of the product 13 in advance to the position (side) on which the barcode is pasted, which results in larger equipment and makes it difficult to align products of different sizes on the same line. There was a problem. In order to solve these problems, as shown in Figure 4, multiple scanners A and B are provided and multiple scanning beams from these are emitted onto the product 13 to increase the reading range. However, there is a problem in that the emitted scanning beam enters the other scanners A and B as shown by dotted lines, reducing the reading performance.

The present invention performs exclusive control so that only one scanning beam is emitted when scanning beams emitted from a plurality of scanner units are irradiated onto an object to be read, and spreads over a wide range of the object to be read. The purpose is to enable reading by irradiating a scanning beam, and to prevent deterioration in reading performance due to the scanning beam being mixed into other scanner parts.

[Means to solve problems]

Means for solving the problem will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, a scanner unit 1 emits scanning beams to an object to be read 3 from different directions.

The scanning beam control section 2 performs exclusive control so that only one of the scanning beams emitted from the plurality of scanner sections 1 to the object to be read 3 is emitted.

[Effect]

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, a scanning beam from a scanner section 1 is arranged so as to be emitted to an object to be read 3 from different directions, and a scanning beam control section 2 controls the object to be read.
The scanning beam is controlled so that any one of the scanning beams is exclusively emitted toward the object 3 to read a bar code attached to the object 3 to be read.

Therefore, when the scanning beams emitted from the plurality of scanner units 1 are irradiated onto the object to be read 3, by exclusively controlling so that only one of the scanning beams is emitted,
It becomes possible to perform reading by irradiating the scanning beam over a wide range of the object 3 to be read, and it also becomes possible to prevent the scanning beam from being mixed into other scanner sections 1 and deteriorating the reading performance.

〔Example〕

Next, the configuration and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail using FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1 (a), the scanner section 1 emits a scanning beam to the object to be read 3 from different directions,
Here, a total of three scanning beams are arranged on both sides and on the upper side with respect to the conveying direction of the object 3 to be read, and emit the scanning beam.

The scanning beam control unit 2 exclusively controls the scanning beams to be emitted from the plurality of scanner units l to the object to be read 3, and for example, controls the laser light source of each scanner unit l. This is to exclusively control lighting by turning on/off (described later with reference to FIG. 2).

The object to be read 3 is an object to be read, such as a product or a product to which a bar code or the like is attached.

FIG. 1(b) shows a top view seen from above the perspective view of FIG. Here, the fan-shaped part is scanned by the scanning beam emitted from the scanner section 1, and is the range in which barcodes and the like can be read.

FIG. 1(C) shows a front view of the perspective view of FIG. It is within the possible range.

Next, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be explained in detail. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 shows an example in which three scanner units 1 are respectively arranged on both sides and above the object to be read 3 in the conveying direction (from right to left in the figure).

(1) Each scanner unit l reflects a beam emitted from an internal laser light source in a scanning manner using a polygon mirror to produce a scanning beam, which is reflected by a pattern mirror to pass through a window to the object to be read ( Product) Set so that it can emit light to 3.

(2) The scanning beam control unit 2 sequentially transmits a laser lighting permission signal to these three scanner units l in a circular manner, for example, every predetermined time T to turn on the laser light source,
One scanning beam is emitted to the device 3 to be read. This is repeated, and one scanning beam is emitted from one of the three scanner sections 1 to the object to be read 3.

Through the above processing, a scanning beam is emitted from any one window of the three scanner units 1 to the object to be read 3,
By receiving the reflected light and converting it into an electrical signal to read a bar code, etc., the three scanner units 1 irradiate a scanning beam over a wide range of the object 3 to read the object. At the same time, it is possible to prevent the reading performance from deteriorating due to the scanning beam being mixed into other scanner parts l.

FIG. 2 shows an explanatory diagram of the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2(a) shows a configuration diagram of the main parts.

In Figure 2 (A), there are three scanner sections (A) and (B).
) and (C) are the three scanner sections arranged in FIG. 2 (a).

The scanning beam control section 2 controls these three scanner sections (A).
, (B), and (C) are subjected to exclusive control by setting them to 0N10FF.

Figure 2 (opening) shows the 0N10FF explanatory flash of the laser light source, where time T is the laser light source (A) of the scanner section (A), the laser light source (B) of the scanner section (B), the scanner section This is the time to exclusively turn on any one of the laser light sources (C) (point 1).

In Figure 2 (b), laser light sources (A), (B),
(C) is a laser light source built into each of the scanner sections (A), (B), and (C). Any one of these laser light sources (A), (B), (C),
As shown in the figure, in response to the laser lighting permission signal "ON" which is notified in a manner that cycles every time T, the scanning beam is emitted from the window to the object 3 to be read.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

In Figure 3 (a), product 3-1 is always 1
This shows the configuration of another embodiment in which two scanning beams are emitted.
and are almost at right angles, and one scanning beam is always emitted from these windows A and B towards the product 3-1 to read the bar code etc. attached to the product 3-1. It is.

Figure 3 (b) shows four plane windows Tll, (2), (3
), (4) shows the configuration of another embodiment in which one scanning beam is always emitted to the product 3-1. ),
One scanning beam is always emitted to the product 3-1 from windows (1), (2), (3), and (4) in (3) and (4).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, when the object to be read 3 is irradiated with scanning beams emitted from a plurality of scanner units 1, exclusive WW is performed so that only one of the scanning beams is emitted. This configuration allows reading by irradiating the scanning beam over a wide range of the object 3 to be read, and prevents deterioration in reading performance due to the scanning beam contaminating other scanner parts. It can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a structural diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a structural diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art. . In the figure, 1 represents a scanner section, 2 represents a scanning beam control section, 3 represents an object to be read, and 3-1 represents a product.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A scanner device that emits and reads scanning beams of different patterns onto an object to be read, comprising a plurality of scanner units (1) arranged so as to emit scanning beams to the object (3) from different directions. ), and a scanning beam control unit (2) that performs exclusive control to emit only one of the scanning beams emitted from the scanner unit (1) to the object to be read (3). The unit (2) exclusively emits one of the scanning beams from the plurality of scanner units (1) toward the object to be read (3), and scans a bar code or the like attached to the object to be read (3). A scanner device configured to read.