JPH05197832A - Striped code and method and device for reading striped code - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily identify the duplication of striped codes and to make the duplication of the codes difficult for improvement of the safety of the codes by detecting the patterns of different sloping angles with a line sensor and detecting the sloping angle of each pattern. CONSTITUTION:A striped pattern 13 includes plural linear line parts 10 and linear blank parts 11 which are set alternately and in parallel to each other. Then the pattern 13 is set crossing a line sensor 1 containing the photodetecting elements 2 which are linearly arranged at a prescribed angle theta. The measuring pitch of the sloped pattern 13 is measured with the signal of the sensor 1. Meanwhile the setting pitch of the pattern 13 is previously stored in response to an optional angle of the pattern 13 set to the sensor 1. Then the measuring pitch is compared with the setting pitch for detection of the angle of the pattern 13 at the setting pitch equal to the measuring pitch. That is, a duplicated card can be easily detected since the sloping angle of the pattern 13 of the duplicated card is different from the prescribed angle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a striped code reading method and apparatus and a striped code used for an optically read identification code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, predetermined information is magnetically input to a card such as a prepaid card, and this information is optically read. In addition, different information is often input to each card for the purpose of prohibiting duplication or distinguishing it from other cards.

[0003]

In the above conventional card, there is a problem that the cost of each card becomes high because it is configured to read the information input by magnetism. Therefore, it is conceivable that a design peculiar to the card is provided and this design is read by a reading device, but in this case, there is a drawback that a sophisticated design is required and the reading device is complicated and expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems. For example, prepaid cards and the like whose copying is prohibited can be easily and inexpensively identified. , Difficult to duplicate,
An object of the present invention is to provide a highly safe striped code reading method and apparatus, and a striped code.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has been made as a striped code reading method and an apparatus therefor. The characteristic of the striped code reading method is that the light receiving element 2 is used. With respect to the line sensor 1 having a linear shape, a striped pattern 13 in which a plurality of linear line portions 10 and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel is formed so as to intersect at a predetermined angle θ. The measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13 in the inclined state is measured by the signal of the line sensor 1, and a plurality of arbitrary angles θ1 of the pattern 13 with respect to the line sensor 1 are set.
A plurality of set pitches p1 of the pattern 13 corresponding to an arbitrary angle θ1 of 13 are stored in advance, and these measured pitches p2
Is compared with the set pitch p1 to detect the angle θ1 of the pattern 13 at the set pitch p1 equal to the measured pitch p2.

The characteristic of the striped code reader is that it has a plurality of straight line portions inclined by a predetermined angle θ.
A line sensor 1 having linearly a plurality of light receiving elements 2 for detecting a striped pattern 13 in which 10 and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel, and an arbitrary pattern 13 for the line sensor 1 A plurality of angles .theta.1 are set, and a storage means 15 for preliminarily storing a plurality of set pitches p1 of the patterns 13 corresponding to arbitrary angles .theta.1 of each pattern 13 is stored.
And a measuring means 18 for measuring the measuring pitch p2 of the pattern 13 in the inclined state by the signal from the line sensor 1.
And the measured pitch p2 measured by the measuring means 18 and the set pitch p1 stored in the storage means 15 are compared,
It is provided with an angle detection device 20 of a pattern capable of detecting the angle of the pattern 13 at a set pitch p1 equal to the measurement pitch p2.

The striped code is characterized in that a striped pattern 13 in which a plurality of straight line portions 10 and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel has the light receiving element 2 in a straight line. The inclination of the pattern 13 is measured by measuring the measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13 which is arranged in an intersecting manner with the line sensor 1 at a predetermined angle θ and measured in the inclined state by the signal of the line sensor 1. The angle is configured to be detectable.

[0008]

In the striped code reader of the present invention,
The line sensor 1 detects the pattern 13, and the measuring means 18 measures the measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13 based on the signal. Further, the angle detection device 20 compares the measured pitch p2 measured by the measuring means 18 with the set pitch p1 stored in the storage means 15 in advance, and the measured pitch p2 is compared.
A set pitch p1 that coincides with the set pitch p1 is selected, and the inclination angle θ of the pattern 13 corresponding to the set pitch p1 is detected.

Therefore, by detecting the patterns 13 having different inclination angles with the line sensor 1, the angle θ1 of each pattern 13 can be detected, and the code can be coded.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a contact type CCD image line sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements 2 such as photodiodes are linearly arranged, and the line sensor 1 is printed, for example, at an appropriate portion of a prepaid card 5. The striped code 6 is read and the signal is read by the amplifier 7
It is adapted to be transmitted to the control device 9 via.

The striped code 6 of the prepaid card 5
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, is composed of a striped pattern 13 in which a plurality of linear line portions 10 and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel with each other. Ten
The widths d1 and d2 of the blank portion 11 and the blank portion 11 are set to be the same, and the lengths of the widths d1 and d2 are set to 0.12 mm. The striped cord 6 is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the line sensor 1 by a predetermined angle θ.

The control device 9 sets a plurality of arbitrary angles θ1 of the pattern 13 with respect to the line sensor 1, and stores the set pitch p1 of the pattern 13 corresponding to the arbitrary angle θ1 of each pattern 13 in advance. The storage means 15 is provided. That is, for example, the set pitch p1 of the pattern 13 corresponding to an arbitrary angle θ1 of each pattern 13 is obtained in advance as shown in Table 1 below, and each value is input to the storage device 15.

[0013]

In Table 1, PIX represents the number of light receiving elements 2, and as shown in FIG. 1B, tan θ1 = L2 / L1 and θ1 = tan ^-1 L2 / L1 (L2 is a tilted state). Is equal to the set pitch p1 of the pattern 13 and there is a relationship of L1≈widths d1 and d2 (2 × 0.125 mm) between the line portion 10 and the blank portion 11.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a measuring means, which is built in the control device 9. The measuring means 18 converts the signal from the line sensor 1 into a voltage value as shown in FIG. 1C, and each light receiving element 2 having a peak value 21 to a peak value 21 of the voltage value.
For detecting the number p of the patterns 13 and measuring the measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13.

Reference numeral 20 denotes an angle detection device built in the control device 9. The angle detection device 20 stores the number of light receiving elements 2 corresponding to the measurement pitch p2 measured by the measuring means 18, and the memory. The number of light receiving elements 2 corresponding to the set pitch p1 stored in the means 15 is compared, and the measured pitch p2
The angle .theta.1 of the pattern 13 in the number of the light receiving elements 2 having the set pitch p1 which is equal to the number of the light receiving elements 2 in FIG.

Reference numeral 23 denotes an output device connected to the control device 9 and operated by an output signal from the control device 9.

The embodiment of the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, and an example of its use will be described below. First, a pattern 13 having a predetermined angle θ is printed on the prepaid card 5, the prepaid card 5 is positioned below the line sensor 1, and the prepaid card 5 is moved relative to the line sensor 1. Let

When the prepaid card 5 is moved, the line sensor 1 reads the pattern 13, and the signal is transmitted to the control device 9 through the amplifier 7. In the measuring means 19 of the control device 9, the signal of each light receiving element 2 of the line sensor 1 is converted into a voltage value (see FIG. 1C). The larger the area corresponding to the blank portion 11 of the light receiving element 2, the larger the voltage value tends to be.

Further, the measuring means 18 determines the peak value of the voltage signal.
21 is detected, and the number of light receiving elements 2 between both peak values 21 is measured. Then, for example, when the number of the light receiving elements 2 is 10, the measured value (the number of the light receiving elements 2) is compared with the set value (the number of the light receiving elements 2) stored in the storage means 15 in advance and set. The inclination angle of the pattern 13 in the case of 10 values is 5.7105931 ° as shown in Table 1, so the inclination angle of the pattern 13 of the prepaid card 5 is detected as 5.7105931 °.

Then, based on this detected value, the controller 9
Is not a copy of the prepaid card 5,
In addition, the output device 23 that can be distinguished from others and is appropriately connected
Can be operated appropriately.

Further, if the prepaid card 5 is duplicated by a copying machine or the like, an error occurs in the widths d1 and d2 of the line portion 10 and the blank portion 11, and the inclination angle of the pattern 13 is predetermined. Since the angle is different from the angle θ, the measurement pitch p2 detected by the signal of the line sensor 1 and the set pitch p1 do not match. Therefore, the control device 9
Judges that the prepaid card 5 is a duplicate, and transmits the signal to the output device 23.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but the contact sensor is used as the line sensor 1 in the above-mentioned embodiment. However, the line sensor 1 is a prepaid card 5 like a camera. It may be separated from each other. Further, in the above embodiment, the line sensor 1 is fixed and the prepaid card 5 is moved. However, conversely, the line sensor 1 side may be moved, or both may be moved. is there.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, the width d1 of the line portion 10 and the width d2 of the blank portion 11 are set to be equal to the pitch of the light receiving element 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and both widths d1 and d2 are the light receiving element 2. The pitch can be set to an integer multiple or the like.
In addition, the width d1 between each line portion 10 and the blank portion 11 of the pattern 13
, D2 need not be set the same, and can be set arbitrarily.

As is clear from Table 1, the pattern 13 having a small inclination angle can be used to improve its accuracy. The object to be read on which the pattern 13 is provided is not limited to the prepaid card 5 and may be another card or the like.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the pattern having a predetermined angle with respect to the line sensor is detected by the line sensor, and the pattern 13 obtained by the line sensor is detected.
Since the pitch angle of the pattern is detected by comparing the pitch of No. 1 and the preset pitch, the code can be coded by providing it on a card such as a prepaid card that requires distinctiveness. It will be possible. Therefore, the coding can be performed easily and inexpensively as compared with the conventional configuration in which the identification is performed by magnetism.

Further, if a card provided with a pattern is copied by a copying machine or the like, the inclination angle of the pattern is different from a predetermined angle, so that it can be easily detected whether or not it is a duplicated one. Highly secure coding is possible, and its practical value is enormous.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view of a main part in a state where a pattern is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a line sensor, and FIG. Partial plan view, (C) is a diagram showing the voltage value based on the signal of the line sensor.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a schematic explanatory view showing the whole, and (b) is a plan view showing a main part of a prepaid card.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Line sensor, 2 ... Light receiving element, 10 ... Line part, 11
... Blank part, 13 ... Pattern, 15 ... Storage means, 18 ... Measuring means, 20 ... Angle detecting device, p1 ... Set pitch, p2 ... Measuring pitch, .theta .... Predetermined angle, .theta.1 ... Arbitrary angle.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of linear line portions 10 and blank portions 11 for a line sensor 1 having a light receiving element 2 in a linear shape.
A striped pattern 13 in which and are provided alternately and in parallel,
They are arranged in an intersecting manner so as to have a predetermined angle θ, and the measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13 in the inclined state is measured by the signal of the line sensor 1 and a plurality of arbitrary angles θ1 of the pattern 13 with respect to the line sensor 1 are set. Then, a plurality of set pitches p1 of the pattern 13 corresponding to an arbitrary angle θ1 of each pattern 13 are stored in advance, and these measured pitches p1 are stored.
A method for reading a striped code, characterized in that the angle θ1 of the pattern 13 at the set pitch p1 equal to the measured pitch p2 is detected by comparing 2 with the set pitch p1. 2. A plurality of light receiving elements 2 for detecting a striped pattern 13 in which a plurality of linear line portions 10 inclined by a predetermined angle θ and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel with each other. -Shaped line sensor 1 and the line sensor 1
Multiple arbitrary angles θ1 of pattern 13 with respect to
A storage means 15 for pre-storing a plurality of set pitches p1 of the pattern 13 corresponding to an arbitrary angle θ1 of each pattern 13 and a measurement pitch p2 of the pattern 13 in an inclined state by a signal from the line sensor 1 Measuring means to measure
18 is compared with the measurement pitch p2 measured by the measuring means 18 and the set pitch p1 stored in the storage means 15, and the angle of the pattern 13 at the set pitch p1 equal to the measurement pitch p2 is detected. Angle detector 20
And a striped code reading device. 3. A striped pattern 13 in which a plurality of linear line portions 10 and blank portions 11 are provided alternately and in parallel to a line sensor 1 having a light receiving element 2 in a linear shape,
Patterns arranged in an intersecting manner with a predetermined angle θ and measured in a tilted state by the signal of the line sensor 1.
By measuring 13 measurement pitches p2, the pattern
A striped code characterized by being configured so that 13 tilt angles can be detected.