JPH0533436B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a bar code that displays data using a large number of bars attached to a sheet of paper and readably records various information.

(Prior art) Conventionally, it has been attached to various products, cards, etc.
Various barcodes are known that display coded data such as price and identification code using a large number of bars (for example, the
49911), such barcodes are read by optical reading means and read by a computer or the like.

By the way, in such barcodes, the thickness of the bars (black bars) and the blanks (white bars) between each bar changes depending on the data to be displayed, but the changes in thickness and arrangement are very complicated. When the information becomes larger, it becomes difficult to read and misreading becomes more likely to occur. In addition, in conventional barcodes of this type, there was a risk that a portion of the barcode could be easily tampered with, for example, by writing a bar in a blank portion of the barcode.

Barcodes can be used in various ways, such as in card systems in various fields where cards are used instead of cash, and as a means of recording information on the card to identify the authenticity, validity, etc. of the card. It is also conceivable to record information using barcodes instead of conventionally known magnetic recording. Particularly in such a case, if the barcode is easily tampered with as described above, there is a problem that a counterfeit card due to this tampering may be used fraudulently.

(Objective of the Invention) In view of the above circumstances, the present invention avoids the thickness and arrangement of bars and blanks in a barcode from becoming excessively complicated, making it easier to read, and preventing misreading. The present invention provides a barcode that can be prevented from being easily tampered with.

(Structure of the Invention) The present invention is a barcode that displays encoded data using a large number of colored bars attached to a sheet of paper and blanks between each bar.
A plurality of sections with a constant width are set so that data is displayed one bit per section, and the coloring and blank that form the bar are reversed at each boundary of each section, and each bit is displayed as "1" or "1". In a section that displays one of the two types of data "0", the above-mentioned coloring and blanking are reversed at a position that divides the section into two at a certain ratio, and the reversed position is set from the reversed position within the section. The width of the front part and the rear part is different from each other, and the width of the wide part is 4/3 or more of the width of the narrow part and 3/4 or less of the width of the compartment. It is something.

According to this configuration, when reading a barcode, the code can be read easily and reliably by checking the reversal at each boundary of each section and identifying the presence or absence of the reversal within each section. , its contents are readable. In this case, the reversal position of coloring and blanking within a section is shifted from the center of the section and bisects the section at a certain ratio, so that the reversal within the section and the reversal at each boundary of the section are different. The distinction becomes clear and misinterpretation is prevented. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to change the data in one section, the number of inversions will change and this will affect the display of all subsequent sections, making it difficult to tamper with the data.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a card with a barcode as an example of application of the present invention, and FIG. 2 further shows a system for issuing and using the card. Second
The system illustrated in the figure allows pachinko balls and other play media to be rented out (ball rental) using a card in order to facilitate cash management in a play area such as a pachinko parlor. Ball lending machines 2 and payment machines 3 are each provided at multiple locations within the store. The ticket issuing machine 1 issues a ball lending card 10 as shown in FIG. 1 when prescribed coins are inserted, and the ball lending machine 2 issues a regular ball lending card 10.
A predetermined number of play media are ejected when the media is inserted. In addition, the payment machine 3 is a regular ball rental card 1.
When a 0 is inserted, the balance used is settled. The ticket issuing machine 1, ball lending machine 2 and adjustment machine 3 are operated by a tallying machine 4 having a computer.
It is controlled via a transfer device 5.

The ball rental card 10 shown in FIG. 1 used in such a system is made of thermal paper, and at the ticket issuing stage, a barcode 11 indicating coded data regarding specific information and other characters, numbers, etc. are printed. A notation (not shown) is formed by thermal printing. The specific information contained in the above barcode 11 includes, for example, the ticket issuing machine number, the month and month of issue of the ball rental card.
Day, hour, minute, second, check digit, etc. Such specific information is stored in barcode 1 as described above.
In addition to being recorded as 1 on the ball lending card 10, it is also stored as registered data in the tally machine 4 at the ticket issuing stage. When the ball lending card 10 is used in the ball lending machine 2 or the payment machine 3, the contents of the barcode 11 and the registered data stored in the tallying machine 4 are checked to determine whether the card is valid. can now be investigated.

FIG. 3a shows an enlarged view of the barcode 11, and in this figure, 12 is a large number of bar-shaped black colored bars attached by thermal printing to a predetermined area of the ball rental card 10, and 13 is a space between each bar 12. is blank. FIG. 3b shows the arrangement of the colored (black) and the blank (white) forming the bar 12 in association with the data to be converted into a barcode.

The barcode 11 shown in these figures has the following configuration. In other words, for binary data regarding the information to be barcoded,
A section 14 of a constant width (for example, 1.5 mm width) is assigned to each bit. Then, a display corresponding to the data "1" or "0" is displayed in each section 14.
There is always a black bar 12 and a white blank 13 at the border of
In addition, in the section 14 representing one of the two types of data "1" and "0", for example, the data 1, the section is shifted from the center position within the section and divided into two at a constant ratio. The black and white are reversed at the position shown. In other words, the widths a and b of the portion in front of the inversion position and the portion behind the inversion position are different from each other. The widths a and b of these two parts shall be different to such an extent that the widths of both parts will not be confused even if there is an error in the reading width due to fluctuations in the card transport speed or detection errors of the reading means. Regarding the relationship between the width a of the portion and the width c of the section, these widths a and c are made to differ to the extent that they are not confused due to an error in the reading width. Taking into consideration the speed unevenness of the general card transport means and the accuracy of the reading means, the width a of the wide part is more than 4/3 of the width b of the narrow part and less than 3/4 of the width c of the section ( In other words, it may be within the range of 4/3b≦a≦3/4c).

In the illustrated embodiment, black and white are reversed at a position 1 mm from the left edge of the section to divide the section 2:1. Specifically, the data to be barcoded is, for example, 1, 0, 1, 0, in order from the left end.
1, 1, 0, 0, 0, the first partition 1
4, "1" is represented by a 1 mm wide black bar 12 and a 0.5 mm wide white blank 13, and in the second section 14, a 1.5 mm wide (full width of the section) black bar 12 is represented.
"0" is represented in , and 1 mm in the third section 14
Width white blank 13 and 0.5mm width black bar 12
"1" is represented by "1", and in the fourth section 14
"0" is represented by a white blank 13 with a width of 1.5 mm (full width of the section).

In addition, when specific information is converted into a bar code at the time of ticket issuance in the above-mentioned ball rental system, the specific information is first converted into a barcode by the tabulating machine 4 etc., and each of its elements (ticket issuing machine number, date, date, hour, minute, seconds, check digits, etc.), each is encoded into binary data of a predetermined bit, and the arrangement of black bars 12 and white blanks 13 is set as described above according to these series of data, and according to this arrangement. Then, a barcode 11 is created by thermal printing or the like. When lending a ball, etc., the barcode 11 is read by an optical reading means, and the content of the barcode 11 is read by converting it into the original binary data.

According to the above barcode 11, bar 1
Since the thickness and arrangement of the bar code 2 and the blank 13 are not too complicated, the bar code 11 can be read and interpreted by the reading means relatively easily and accurately. Moreover, barcode 1
Forgery due to tampering with item 1 can be made difficult. That is, in order to tamper with a part of the barcode 11, a person who intends to fraudulently use a card with a barcode 11 attached thereto may tamper with a part of the white blank section 14, for example, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 3b. Even if you try to change the data of this section from "0" to "1" by painting it black, this alone will not satisfy the setting method of inverting black and white at the boundary between this section 14 and the next section 14, and the bar will change. When the code 11 is read, the forgery will be revealed. Therefore, in order to perform the above falsification and still satisfy the above setting method, the arrangement of black and white must be changed for each section after the section to be tampered with, and such forgery is extremely difficult. It will be difficult.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the barcode 11 attached to the ball lending card 10 in the card-type ball lending system was shown, but barcodes 11 may be attached to various other cards and products to identify their authenticity. The present invention can also be applied to barcodes.

It is applicable.

Further, even if the density of the barcode (the width of the section 14) is changed in various ways, misreading can be reliably prevented. In other words, if we invert the black and white at the center of the block for the data "1", for example, if the barcode is arranged in an array of alternating black and white with a width of 1.5 mm, then The width of the section is 1.5 mm and it represents "0, 0, ...", or the width of the section is 3 mm and it represents "1, 0, ..."
1,...'', which may lead to misinterpretation. On the other hand, according to the barcode 11 of this embodiment, the width of the section 14 is constant in a series of barcodes even if the density may change (the width of the section 14 may change midway through the barcode). ) and
In addition to reversing black and white for each section, "1"
For the data, black and white are reversed at a position that shifts from the center of the section and bisects the section at a certain ratio, so that if the widths of adjacent black and white are the same, "0" will continue. If the widths of adjacent black and white are not the same but have a predetermined ratio, it becomes clear that "1" is represented, and misreading will not occur.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the barcode of the present invention reverses the coloring and the blank that form the bar at each boundary of a section of a constant width, and also reverses the coloring and blanks that form the bar at each boundary of sections of a constant width, and In compartments that display one type of data, the coloring and blanking are reversed at predetermined positions within the compartment, making it easy to convert data and barcodes and to read barcodes by reading means. However, it is possible to make falsification that changes part of the data difficult, and to sufficiently prevent forgery. In addition, the coloring and blanking are reversed at each boundary of each section of a constant width, and the reversal of the coloring and blanking in the section displaying one of the above data is shifted from the center of the section at a position that divides the section into two at a constant ratio. Therefore, it is possible to clearly distinguish between reversal within a section and reversal at the boundary of a section, and misinterpretation can be reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a card to which a barcode of the present invention is attached, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system in which the above card is used, and Fig. 3a is a diagram showing an example of the barcode. The enlarged view, FIG. 3b, is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of bars and blanks. 1...Card, 11...Barcode, 12...
Bar, 13...blank, 14...section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A barcode that displays coded data using a large number of colored bars attached to a sheet of paper and blanks between each bar, and is coded in a constant manner so that each section displays one bit of data. Set multiple sections of width, invert the coloring and blank that form the above bar at each border of each section, and display one of two types of data: "1" or "0" for each bit. In areas where
The above coloring and blank are reversed at a position that divides the section into two at a certain ratio, and the reversed position is
The widths of the front and rear parts of the compartment are different from each other, and the width of the wide part is 4/3 or more of the width of the narrow part, and 3/4 of the width of the compartment. A barcode characterized by having the following position: