JPH04192089A - Method and device for setting and changing read condition of bar code reader and bar code label - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely perform the processing only in an intended case without troublesome operation at the time of setting or changing the communication condition of a bar code reader and various read conditions of designation or the like of a read code by reading a combinational bar code, which is impossible on general bar code labels, to regard it as the bar code indicating the start of condition setting or changing processing. CONSTITUTION:Optical code patterns indicating contents other than data such as the start code and the stop code used in a kind of bar code are combined to constitute the bar code indicating the start of read condition setting or chang ing processing. That is, a bar code label has a constitution which is impossible in general bar code labels used for commodity discrimination or the like in the market. Thus, the trouble-some operation is prevented and the processing is surely performed only in an intended case when the read ocndition setting or changing bar code is read to set or change the communication condition of the bar code reader and various read conditions of designation or the like of the read code.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention (reading condition setting/setting of various reading conditions such as communication conditions and reading code specification of a front barcode reader)
The present invention relates to a method for setting and changing reading conditions of a barcode reader, which is set and changed by reading a changing barcode, and a barcode label and a device for setting and changing reading conditions therefor.

[Prior Art] In recent years, when setting and changing various reading condition items such as communication conditions, data transfer format, and reading code designation in barcode readers, barcode label sheets (hereinafter referred to as , a barcode menu) is read and stored in an electrically writable/erasable memory element (hereinafter referred to as an EEPROM) disposed within the barcode reader.

By the way, these settings/change processes (such as the above) are programmed as a processing routine that is different from the normal barcode reading processing in barcode readers. [Problem to be solved by the invention] In the former method using a mechanical switch, The procedure for setting and changing settings was complicated, as it was necessary to open the lid of the main unit and change the switch each time.

In the latter case, the data indicating the start of processing is used for products on the market (different characters are mixed to distinguish it from normal barcode labels, but
Nevertheless, it cannot be said that labels with the same structure will never exist on the market. For this reason, during a normal reading operation to read the barcode label attached to a product, etc., a barcode menu with the same data structure as the barcode menu for starting this process is accidentally read, and the barcode menu that is used to start this process is accidentally read. [Objective of the Invention] The present invention (objective of the invention) is intended to prevent various reading conditions such as barcode reader communication conditions and reading code specification. , Setting and changing reading conditions for barcode readers to ensure that the process is performed only when intended, without any troublesome operations when setting and changing settings by reading barcodes. The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for changing barcode labels and a device for setting and changing reading conditions.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, allows various reading conditions such as communication conditions of a barcode reader and specification of a reading code to be read by reading a barcode for setting and changing reading conditions. In the method for setting and changing reading conditions of a barcode reader, which sets and changes the reading conditions by It consists of a combination of optical code patterns representing content other than data, such as start codes and stop codes used in seed barcodes, and a combination of code patterns unique to the barcode for setting and changing reading conditions has been read. This method has been perfected as a barcode reader reading condition setting/changing method that starts the barcode reader reading condition setting/changing process only when the barcode reader is in use. It can also be used as a barcode label for instructing the start of the process of setting and changing reading conditions of a barcode reader, which is composed of a combination of optical code patterns representing content other than data, such as a stop code.

Judgment means for judging whether or not a special barcode constituted by a combination of optical code patterns representing content other than data, such as a start code and a stop code used in certain barcodes, has been read; and the judgment means. a reading condition setting/changing means that is activated only when it is determined that the special barcode has been read by the above, and executes processing for setting/changing various reading conditions such as communication conditions of the barcode reader and designation of a reading code; It has also been completed as a device for setting and changing reading conditions for barcode readers.

[Function] The barcode label according to claim 2 of the present invention has a configuration that is completely impossible as a general barcode label used for product identification in the market. Therefore, there is no confusion with barcode labels on the market. In addition, the optical code pattern attached to this barcode label (it is not meaningless, but is a start code, stop code, etc. used in some types of barcodes, so the barcode reader itself was originally This can be done with the ability to read the type of barcode that it has.

In addition, if the composition is simply meaningless, for example, a 30rrgn wide black band (which cannot be used as a barcode) can be considered. In other words, even if a barcode reader has a built-in program that accepts and processes these completely meaningless codes, it is certain that barcodes on the market are Although it is clearly distinguished from
This still leaves the possibility that the process will be executed incorrectly. In this way (-, simply using a meaningless code) (Table) Although there is still a possibility of confusion, as stated in claim 2, the start code and It can be said that there is almost no possibility that a combination of optical code patterns representing a stop code exists even in the pattern of product wrapping paper.

As described above, the barcode label according to claim 2 is completely distinguishable from barcodes that may exist on the market, and is also completely distinguishable from mere patterns.

The method described in Claim 2 of the present invention reads a combination of barcodes that cannot be found on general barcode labels, as described in Claim 2, and starts processing for setting and changing conditions. This is because the reading condition setting/changing process of the barcode reader is started only when a combination of code patterns specific to this barcode for setting/changing reading conditions is read.
When carrying out a general barcode label reading operation, it is possible to prevent this process from being started by mistake. By employing the changing means, the process of setting and changing various reading conditions such as the communication conditions of the barcode reader and the designation of the reading code is executed only when a barcode having the configuration as described in claim 2 is read. death,
This process will not be activated by mistake while reading a general barcode label.

[Example] Next, a preferred example to which the present invention is applied will be described based on the drawings.

In the embodiment, various reading conditions such as communication conditions and reading code specification due to the interface on the host computer 1o side can be set and set in a handheld barcode reader 1 by reading a barcode for setting and changing reading conditions. The present invention relates to a method for setting and changing reading conditions of a barcode reader to be changed, and a barcode label and a device for setting and changing reading conditions therefor.

First, the configuration of the barcode reader will be explained with reference to FIG.

The barcode reader] is a handy type, and includes a control unit 20, an irradiation LED 31,
Condensing lens 32, plane reflecting mirror 33, and imaging lens 34
, an image sensor 35, and a piezoelectric buzzer 36 are built into the main body, and a display LED 37 is attached to the surface of the main body, and data can be exchanged with the host computer. It is something.

The control unit 20 of the barcode reader 1 includes a CPU 21 that plays a central role in various control processes, a ROM 22 that stores control processing programs, etc., a RAM 23 that is used for temporary storage of data in various calculations, and predetermined information. It is equipped with an EEPROM 24 that is writable and erasable but acts as a read-only memory, and a clock 25 that provides time information, and exchanges data and commands with the irradiation LED 31, the host computer 10, etc. via the input/output port 26. It constitutes a logic operation circuit that can perform the following functions.

When this control unit 20 (switch 38) is operated, a command is sent to cause the irradiation LED 31 to emit light. Then, the condensing lens 32 condenses and diffuses this light and irradiates it onto the barcode label BL. The reflected light from the barcode label BL is reflected by the plane reflecting mirror 33 and guided to the imaging lens 34, and the imaging lens 34 forms a barcode image on the image sensor 35 at a predetermined position.Control unit Mountain 201 The electrical signal corresponding to this formed barcode image is taken in from the image sensor 35 and sent to the host computer 1.
Convert to the communication format according to the interface of 0 and transfer. It is well known that various arithmetic processes related to inventory management, order management, and transactions are executed by importing barcodes attached to products and the like into the host computer 10 in this manner.

Here, one feature 1 of the barcode reader 1 of this embodiment is
i EEPROM24.

This EEPROM 24 stores reading conditions corresponding to the type of interface on the host computer 10 side, such as communication conditions and reading code specifications, and can be set or changed as necessary.

The processing for this is stored in the ROM 22 as a reading condition/setting change processing routine. will be launched.

First, the main routine will be explained.

Once the barcode is read, the control unit 20 of the barcode reader 1 executes a process to convert it into data (St, S2).

Here, as a barcode] For example, NW-7°C0D
E39. Various types such as POS, ITF or JAN are available on the market. However, since these do not have overlapping patterns, the type of barcode can be immediately determined from the read pattern. It is well known that the barcode reader 1 is equipped with a function to determine which type of barcode is read and a function to convert it into data according to each type. In the embodiment as well, an arithmetic processing program is stored in the ROM 22 as a means for realizing the function.

It should be noted that the data conversion process in S2 process also refers to the process of converting data into code contents such as r12345J, but when transmitting data as a bar image, the data conversion process up to code conversion is It doesn't have to be done.

A barcode read in this way and converted into data usually has an optical pattern portion as data between an optical pattern called a start code and an optical pattern called a stop code. An optical pattern 1. is used as the start code and stop code. t, is not used as data at all.

Taking NW-7 as an example, the English characters raJ,
There are only four codes: rbJ, rcJ, and rdJ, and the data code is composed of only the numbers "0" to "9" and characters such as "*". The same applies to other types of barcodes.

For this reason, when a converted barcode consists of a combination of only start codes and stop codes instead of data codes, or when, for example, some start codes and stop codes are mixed in the data part (if the barcode is not a data code but a combination of start codes and stop codes), It is determined that this is not the case.

From this point of view, the control unit 20 (step S3 to judge whether the converted barcode is normal data), if it is normal data, the EEPROM 24
The data transfer process is executed according to the settings (S4),
If the data is other than normal data, the process does not proceed to data transfer processing, but proceeds to step 85.

Processing in S5 (Processing to judge whether the read barcode has the data structure for setting and changing reading conditions. Here, if it is determined as ``YESJ''('L Processing in S6). Proceeds to step 2 and starts the reading condition setting/changing process.On the other hand, if it is determined that it is rNOJ,
For example, the process moves to other processing such as error notification (S7).

The reading condition setting/changing processing routine shown in FIG. 3 shows the details of this processing 86.

Here, before explaining the contents of FIG. 3, the barcode labels BLI, BL2. BL3 will be explained.

Barcode label BLI for setting and changing reading conditions,
BL2. To BL3 (t,, as shown in Figure 4 (2, NW-
Barcode BCI, B consisting of 7 code patterns
C2 and BC3 are attached.

Barcode B attached to the upper barcode label BLI
The code pattern consists of "ra a a a aa" using only C11 alphabetical characters, and it is possible to set reading conditions and
This is used to instruct the start of asynchronous setting in the change process. Also, the middle barcode label BL
Barcode B C2F attached to 2 has a code pattern configuration of raabbaaJ with only English characters,
This is used to instruct the start of synchronous setting in the reading condition setting/changing process. In addition, the code pattern is ra a c c a a J based only on the English letters on the bar code BC31 attached to the lower bar code label BL3, and the reading condition setting and
This is used to instruct the start of bar image setting in the change process.

As shown in the figure, they are all composed of optical patterns that are allowed to be used as start codes or stop codes in NW-7, and are completely non-existent in the market as code formats for NW-7. It is.

Also, it does not match with other types of code formats,
On the other hand, since it is a combination of start code and stop code used in a specific code format called NW-7,
It is not meaningless at all, and there is no chance that it exists as a pattern on product wrapping paper.

That is, these barcode labels BLI to BL3 (these barcode labels do not exist at all as barcode labels in the upper market, and also do not exist as patterns on wrapping paper, etc.).

In this example (top) these barcode labels BL1-B
By preventing the reading condition setting/changing processing routine from being started only when L3 is read, the reading condition setting/changing processing routine is started only when the operator truly intends to do so, and this process is not started by mistake. There is no longer anything to do.

When any of these barcode labels BLI to BL3 is read, the reading condition setting/changing processing routine shown in FIG. Turn it on (Sll). Note that the display LED 37 is turned off after a predetermined time.

Next, depending on the read barcode labels BLI to BL3, the process moves to either an asynchronous setting process (S20), a synchronous setting process (S30), or a bar image setting process (S40). S20. S30.
Each processing method in S40 is a routine that executes each process by reading a barcode label displaying a barcode representing various instruction contents, and does not exit from here until the barcode label indicating the end is read. (S29.S39,549).

Here, if the asynchronous (a communication method compatible with an asynchronous interface and a barcode reader) side transmits data at a communication speed of 9,600 baud, for example, the host computer This is a method that reads data in a manner that the barcode reader 10 follows.It is also a communication method that is compatible with synchronous and synchronous type interfaces, and the barcode reader 1
However, data is transmitted in synchronization with a predetermined clock signal, and the host computer 10 side also reads the data in accordance with this clock signal. This method communicates the bar image and the bar code signal as data, and is used when building a system that has the function of converting it into data on the host computer 10 side.

The contents of the setting process in the asynchronous setting process (S20) ([asynchronous parameter specification] such as what the communication speed should be, whether the parity check is even or odd, and how many stop bits), and the type of barcode in the data. The [data transfer format specification] such as adding a `` and aligning the number of digits'' and the code that the barcode reader 1 should read and communicate as data are NW.
-7 and POS, or to be able to read JAN, etc., as well as to specify other necessary settings such as the ringing time and sound pressure of the reading completion buzzer. "Other specifications" is executed. As mentioned above, 1: All of these are executed by reading the barcode label on which the barcode representing the specified contents is printed.The specified contents are temporarily stored in the RAM 23.

Similarly, in the synchronous setting process (S30), [
"Synchronous parameter specification", "Data transfer format specification", "Reading code specification", and "
"Other specifications" is executed, but the specified contents are temporarily stored in the RAM 23.
stored within.

Similarly, in the bar image setting process (S40), the ``image transfer format specification'', ``reading code specification'', and ``other specification'' are executed.The specified contents are temporarily stored in the RAM 23.

In this way, one of the communication methods is selected. When the various specifications are completed, an intermittent buzzer sounds to notify the end of the specification (551), and the specification contents stored in the RAM 23 are transferred to the EE.
The data is written into the PROM 24 and the process returns to this main routine (S52).

Note that whether or not the process is finished is also determined by reading a barcode label on which a barcode indicating completion is printed.

By the way, in the example (starting this reading condition setting/changing processing routine), special barcode labels BLI to BL3 of a form that cannot exist on the upper market were used, but each specification and termination are not available on the market. We use forms that can exist.

This method - Once this routine is started 1'L
This is because it is more advantageous in the embodiment to use a format that is allowed to be used as data than to use a special format (on the contrary, it allows a rich selection of specified contents, etc.). .

As explained above, according to this embodiment, various reading conditions can be set and changed by reading a barcode label, rather than by mechanical switch operation. There is no possibility that the setting/change process will be started by mistake.

In addition, barcode labels BLI to BL3 display special barcodes, but the code units comply with NW-7, so they can be converted into data using the functions originally provided by barcode reader 1. . In other words, the barcode displayed on the barcode label is not just a meaningless pattern (see 1' above), and in addition to the fact that there is no confusion with the pattern on the product wrapping paper, etc.
A remarkable effect for the barcode reader is that it can reliably prevent processing from being started by mistake without making any changes to its operation method or complicating its internal configuration. It is useful for playing.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments in any way, and it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the type of barcode used to start the process of setting and changing reading conditions is not limited to NW-7, but C0DE39 and P
Any OS etc. may be used.

Also, in NW-7, it may be expressed by the number of start codes or stop codes, such as raaaJ means asynchronous setting, raaaaJ means synchronous setting, and ra aa aa aJ means bar image setting. In JAN;1. ,
Expression using numbers like this is more suitable.

Saral; ra12a456aJ or ra123a
It may be expressed by mixing a start code and a stop code in the data part, such as 56aJ.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, various reading conditions such as the communication conditions of the barcode reader and the designation of the reading code can be set by reading the barcode for setting and changing the reading conditions.・Method for setting and changing reading conditions for barcode readers, and barcode labels and devices for setting and changing reading conditions to ensure that the process is performed only when intended without any troublesome operations. can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the barcode reader in the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the mail processing executed by the barcode reader, Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the reading condition setting/changing processing routine, and Fig. 4 is the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a barcode label for starting the reading condition setting/changing process used in FIG. 1...Barcode reader 10...Host computer 20...Control unit 21...CPU 22...ROM23...
RAM 24...EP ROM25...
...Clock 26...I/O ports BLI, BL
2. BL3...Barcode label for starting reading condition setting/change processing

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Reading condition setting and changing of barcode reader, in which various reading conditions such as barcode reader communication conditions and reading code specification are set and changed by reading a reading condition setting and changing barcode. In the changing method, among the barcodes for setting and changing reading conditions, a barcode that means the start of processing for setting and changing reading conditions is combined with a start code and a stop code used in certain types of barcodes. It consists of a combination of optical code patterns that represent content other than the data read, and only when the combination of code patterns unique to the barcode for setting and changing reading conditions is read, the barcode reader's reading conditions can be set and changed. A method for setting and changing reading conditions of a barcode reader, characterized by starting processing. 2. A barcode label for instructing a barcode reader to start setting and changing reading conditions, which is made up of a combination of optical code patterns representing content other than data, such as start codes and stop codes used in certain types of barcodes. 3. Judgment means for judging whether or not a special barcode composed of a combination of optical code patterns representing contents other than data, such as start codes and stop codes used in certain types of barcodes, has been read; A reading condition setting/changing device that is activated only when it is determined that the special barcode has been read by the means, and executes processing for setting and changing various reading conditions such as barcode reader communication conditions and reading code designation. A device for setting and changing reading conditions for a barcode reader.