JPH06176212A - Identification code paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always exatly detect 2N pieces (N>3) of binary signal marks, which are recorded in a display area on the identification code paper, regardless of the read direction of a sensor to the identification code paper. CONSTITUTION:A display area (b) and an auxiliary display area (d) are surrounded by an X axis base line 1, extended X axis base line 11, Y axis base line 2, extended Y axis base line 12 and auxiliary area mark 5A. Therefore, a read error rate can be reduced and data processing can be accelerated. The front edge and rear edge positions of the display area and the up, down, right and left directions can be judged, and the relative positions of the code paper and the sensor can be arbitrarily set.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an identification code sheet in which a product code or character string indicating numbers, symbols, alphabets, Chinese characters, etc., and also sentences etc. are displayed in binary code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an identification code sheet displayed with a binary code of this type, there are JP-A-57-14263 "Base fabric for article identification display" and JP-A-53-73026 "Facsimile information input method". It is known. The above-mentioned JP-A-57
In the known technology of No. -14263, 2 ^N entry frames (unit data area) in a matrix arrangement are formed by forming a rectangular code display frame (display area) with a grid line of a grid arrangement.
It is disclosed that a colored mark (binary signal mark) is recorded in each entry frame (unit data area) and a binary signal code of 2 ^N or more binary signal marks is recorded in the entire display area. The known technique of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-73026 is similar to that of the above-mentioned known technique, and the ^2N matrix arrangement is used.
It discloses that the binary signal code is recorded by selectively coloring (recording a binary signal mark) each cell (unit data area) and detecting the range of the display area where the binary signal mark is recorded. It is disclosed that a position mark for doing so is provided in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the paper. That is, a means for detecting the range of the display area is disclosed by clearly indicating the range of the display area in the longitudinal direction by displaying the position marks before and after the display area.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In the former known technique of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-14263, a rectangular code display frame (display area) is used for optically reading a signal code recorded on a base fabric for article identification display. There is no technical idea to read the position and range. The latter known technology of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-73026 discloses means for detecting the range of the display area by displaying position marks before and after the display area to clearly indicate the range of the display area in the longitudinal direction. Does not disclose any technical means for detecting the vertical range of the display area. When reading the information recorded on the identification code paper as alphanumeric and Chinese characters, etc., use a line sensor, C
A binary signal code recorded on an identification code sheet is detected by a CD camera, and the binary signal code is converted into a JIS code by image processing and data processing by a computer and output and displayed as an alphanumeric kanji symbol or the like. In image processing and data processing by this computer,
The read data of the binary signal mark is always processed in the memory of the computer, and the data displayed on the paper, the surface of the article or the like is not directly recorded in the memory. Therefore, there are the following problems. The data processing memory naturally has a memory capacity, and the data area cannot be limited from the code itself from an unspecified wide range like the human eye. For example, on a coordinate orthogonal to a line, data (for example,
Even if the binary signal mark is printed, the difference in reading direction and the difference in reading speed (when the moving direction of the line sensor is different from the coordinate X-axis direction), the DDC camera is set to the front facing position of the identification code paper. If there is misalignment in the vertical and horizontal directions, the surface of the product with the identification code paper is a curved surface, the relative movement speed between the product with the identification code paper and the line sensor changes, etc.) In reality, it does not always match the data to be processed. Therefore, it is possible to identify the area to be image-processed in the memory and to reliably determine the position of each data area to be image-processed in the memory (not on the printed paper). This is the most important issue for improving the reading error rate and putting this type of identification code paper into commercial use.

[0004]

The present invention is based on the X-axis baseline 1
And a Y-axis base line 2 continuous to one end of the X-axis base line 1, and a range defined by a quadrangle having the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2 as two sides is provided. By extending the X-axis baseline 1 and the Y-axis baseline 2 outside the area and providing the extended X-axis baseline 11 and the extended Y-axis baseline 12 in succession to the X-axis baseline 1 and the Y-axis baseline 2, the X-axis baseline 1, An auxiliary display area whose position and range are restricted by the Y-axis base line 2, the extended X-axis base line 11 and the extended Y-axis base line 12 is formed, and an auxiliary display area is provided adjacent to the display area. Position, intersection 0 of X-axis baseline 1 and Y-axis baseline 2
The auxiliary area mark 5A recorded in a diagonal position with respect to the display area b and the auxiliary display area d, the X axis base line 1, the extended X axis base line 11, the Y axis base line 2, and the extended Y axis base line 12.
And it is surrounded by the auxiliary area mark 5A.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. The code surface B of the present invention is printed and displayed at an appropriate position on the identification code paper A, but the printing direction and the number thereof are arbitrary. Further, the shape and area of the display area b of the code surface B of the present invention is determined by the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2. FIG. 2 shows various display areas b, and the object of the present invention can be achieved if at least 16 unit data areas (subsections) 3 can be formed. (A) The figure is 16 steps
The display areas are arranged in a horizontal direction, the figure (b) has two rows and eight pieces are arranged in each row in the horizontal direction, and the figure (c) has four rows and four pieces are arranged in each row in the horizontal direction to form a square display area. FIGS. 7 (d) and 7 (e) are obtained by turning the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 (b) and 7 (a) by 90 degrees, and the display area is a vertically long rectangle.

For 16 unit data areas 3,
Referring to FIG. 3, addresses are designated in an appropriate order (P ₁ P ₂
... _{P 16),} the further embodiment is divided into four at a time four groups _{(P 1 ~P 4, P 5} ~P 8, P 9 ~P 12, P
_{13 to} P ₁₆ ), four medium data areas 4 are formed, and binary signal marks (binary signals) are recorded and displayed in each unit data area 3 to obtain 2 ¹⁶ (OOOO to FF).
FF) binary code can be recorded and displayed. The method of dividing the 16 unit data areas 3 into 4 groups and the arrangement order in the middle data area 4 are arbitrary, and can be changed appropriately under the control of the microcomputer printer. For example, (P ₁ , P ₆ , P ₁₁ , P ₁₆ ; P ₅ , P ₁₀ ,
P ₁₅ , P ₄ , P ₉ , P ₁₄ , P ₃ , P ₈ ; P ₂ ,
P ₇ , P ₁₂ , P ₁₃ ) (P ₁ , P ₅ , P ₉ ,
P ₁₃ ; P ₁₄ , P ₁₅ , P ₁₆ , P ₁₂ , P ₈ ,
P ₄ , P ₃ , P ₂ ; P ₆ , P ₁₀ , P ₁₁ , P ₇ ) (P
_{1, P 2, P 6,} P 5; P 3, P 4, P 8, P 7; P
₁₁ , P ₁₂ , P ₁₆ , P ₁₅ ; P ₉ , P ₁₀ ,
Other various combinations such as P ₁₄ and P ₁₃ ) are possible. As the binary signal mark k for recording and displaying a binary signal in each unit data area 3, it is not necessary to completely fill the unit data area 3 as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), (c), and (d), a blank portion is left in a part of the unit data area 3 and other marks (for example, a circle indicates a circle,
The object of the present invention can also be achieved by using a star as an asterisk and a triangle as a triangle. Further, the above-mentioned marking method is not limited as a signal display method of the binary signal of the unit data area, and a perforation method or a magnetic writing method can be considered as a method capable of obtaining the same effect.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, an extended X-axis base line 11 and an extended Y-axis base line 12 are added to set an auxiliary display area d. In the auxiliary display area d, the X-axis base line and the Y-axis base line are set. The auxiliary mark 5 is recorded and displayed at a diagonal position (shown by a solid line in FIG. 5) with respect to the 0 point. Note that the auxiliary mark 5 is not limited to a square shape, but can be ○, ☆,
+, −, And others may be used as long as their existence can be identified. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the horizontal division line 6 and the vertical division line 7 are printed and displayed in addition to the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2, they are not printed by the microcomputer printer, and an appropriate writing instrument is used. It is convenient to fill each unit data area 3 or to display a circle or the like as a mark so that the signal code can be determined at the site where the identification code paper is applied.

When printing the identification code paper A code surface B, it can be printed by a general printing means, but it is possible to use a 16, 24 dot personal computer printer or a handy computer printer currently commercially available. It can also be printed out. In this case, character strings (product name, department name, address name, phone number, etc.) and sentences (messages, advertisements, etc.) are converted into binary signals by personal computer processing according to JIS code, and each character is converted into 2
One display area b of ¹⁶ signal codes can be made to correspond, and when the letter L corresponding to the adjacent area (for example, the lower side) of the display area b displayed by the binary code is displayed, the product name and the person in charge It is convenient that you can display the kanji at the same time as coding. (See Fig. 8)

Further, the position designation of each address P ₁ , P ₂ ... P ₁₆ of the ₁₆ unit data areas 3 and the unit selected for each group Q ₁ , Q ₂ , Q ₃ , Q ₄ of the middle data area 4 If the selection of the data area 3 can be freely changed by microcomputer control (letter L in FIG. 8 is deleted), the cost can be added to the product code, and the passwords of various cards can be encrypted and used for encryption numbering. It is convenient and convenient. Also,
In reading the identification code paper of the present invention, the line sensor is moved in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction to send a read signal to the personal computer, and the personal computer causes the X-axis base line 1 and Y to be read.
Axis baseline 2 is calculated to determine display area b and display area b
By performing image processing on the position of each unit data area 3 and each middle data area 4 in the inside, and the presence or absence of the binary signal mark at each position, the identification code attached to the product etc. can be read. It is also possible to print out a predetermined kanji character based on the JIS code. By reading the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2 of the identification code paper, the display area b is recognized in the memory of the computer at the position / range that matches the display area b of the identification code paper,
The binary signal mark displayed on the display area b can be detected in association with a predetermined unit data area of the identification code sheet.

That is, when the identification code sheet is read by the line sensor, if the line sensor moves in the direction of the X-axis base line 1 of the identification code sheet and the longitudinal direction of the identification code sheet coincides with the movement direction of the line sensor, the computer The display area b in the memory has its X-axis baseline aligned with the X-axis baseline 1 of the identification code paper, but the line sensor is displaced in the direction of movement or the product sticking position of the identification code paper is vertically or horizontally displaced. The display area in memory b
Can be dealt with by rotating the X-axis baseline of the display area b in the memory by image processing so that the X-axis baseline coincides with the direction of the X-axis baseline 1 of the identification code paper. Further, the length of the display area b in the memory in the X-axis direction is the standard for the change in the length in the X-axis direction of the display area b in the memory due to the change in the moving speed of the identification code paper or the moving speed of the line sensor. Can be dealt with. The Y-axis baseline direction of the display area b corresponds to the display area b in the memory in the same manner as in the X-axis direction described above. In addition, when the DDC camera reads the identification code sheet, the DDC camera is displaced vertically and horizontally with respect to the front facing position of the identification code sheet, and when the product surface to which the identification code sheet is attached is a curved surface, it is stored in the memory. In order to match the X-axis baseline of the display area b with the direction of the X-axis baseline of the identification code paper, the X-axis baseline of the display area b is rotated by the image processing of the computer.

Furthermore, when there is a difference in the vertical and horizontal directions when attaching the identification code paper to the product, or when the relative movement direction of the product to which the identification code paper is attached to the sensor is different, the X-axis base line and Y This can be dealt with by rotating the display area b with the origin 0 intersecting with the axis base line as a reference to match the X axis base line in the memory with the X axis base line 1 of the identification code paper. When the X-axis base line and the Y-axis base line intersect at a point other than the origin 0, that is, by eliminating the T-shaped intersection as an error, H (black coloring) in the display area b is displayed.
In order to prevent an erroneous recognition error of the range / position of the display area b by erroneously recognizing a vertical line or a horizontal line generated by the continuous binary signal mark of 1) as a Y-axis base line or an X-axis base line, If the X-axis base line and the Y-axis base line intersect at a point other than the origin 0, it is excluded as an error. In the embodiment, the auxiliary X-axis base line 11 and the Y-axis base line 12 are used to detect the auxiliary display area d, as well as how to detect the position and range of the display area b by the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2 described above. it can. Further, in the embodiment in which the auxiliary area mark 5A is displayed at the position opposite to the origin 0 in the auxiliary display area d, the X axis base line 1, the extended X axis base line 11, Y.
Axis baseline 2, extended Y-axis baseline 12 and auxiliary area mark 5
Surrounded by A, display area b and auxiliary display area d
By determining the position / range of the display area b, the position / range of the display area b and the auxiliary display area d by the image processing of the computer can be swift and the memory capacity of the computer can be reduced.

For the above reasons, in the present invention, X
By reading the axis base line 1 and the axis base line 2, the reading direction of the sensor can be determined by a computer by a calculation process, and thus the reading direction of the line sensor may be any of up, down, left and right. Further, the auxiliary display area d is provided and the auxiliary mark 5 is provided, so that the personal computer can easily determine the sensor reading direction. In other words, even if the sensor is read from the wrong direction, accurate reading is possible by computer processing (generally it is said that the barcode cannot be read if the reference reading direction is shifted by 45 ° or more), and it is attached to the object to be read. In the case of attaching and reading, for example, if the object to be read flows on the conveyor, regardless of the direction of attachment or the direction of the object to be read (deviation from the normal attachment direction,
Accurate interpretation is possible (even if the relative position to the sensor is incorrect).

Plain paper can be used as the identification code. That is, in the case of a bar code, it is necessary to use expensive special paper because a reading error may occur due to expansion and contraction of the line, but it is sufficient to detect the presence or absence of a binary signal code in each unit data area of the display area. Therefore, it is sufficient to print on normal paper and print out. Further, even if the size of each code is different, since the binary code is read in the display area within the base line, it can be read without any problem. Furthermore, it is possible to print on plastic films other than paper, product containers, etc. Also, by recording with transparent magnetic ink on the printed paper, film, etc., it is recorded on top of the usual printed display. You can also

The present invention can also be output by a personal computer printer or the like, and if a handy computer printer is used, it is possible to immediately change the code contents on site, such as when a time-based discount is made at a supermarket or the like. There is an advantage that it can be handled and there is no need to perform data master maintenance of the host computer. In addition, even if the data entry to the computer is extremely troublesome work (for example, a person's name, place name, address, etc.), if the same contents as the data are written in advance on this identification code sheet, it can be easily entered ( If you want to input data such as a part of the contents of a book or printed matter or a relatively long sentence without needing to perform individual master registration or searching for data with the host computer, you can directly input from the printing paper without entering with the keyboard. ). Further, when a sentence is expressed, one character in the sentence becomes one code, so that the number of characters is the same and it is possible to print in parallel. For example, referring to FIG. 8, four display areas b
"4267""3A65""4240""4, which are JIS kanji codes corresponding to" large "" saka "" thick "" ro "
The F4A "is applied with the present invention to record a binary signal code, and" Large "," Saka "," Fa ", and" RO "are displayed in parallel below the signal code.

In the above embodiment, the case where there are 16 unit data areas has been described, but the unit data areas are multiples of 4, such as 20, 24, 28.
The number of unit data areas for each medium data area can be 5, 6, 7 ... (In this case, the number of unit data areas for each medium data area is 4,
(The number of groups can be 5, 6, 7 ...) See Fig. 9. The number of unit data areas may be an integral multiple of 16 and the number of unit data areas for each medium data area may be an integral multiple of 4 (or the number of groups may be an integral multiple of 4). Furthermore, if the number of unit data areas is 2 ⁿ
And n = 5, that is, 2 ⁵ = 32 unit data areas, one identification code is OOOOOO ... VVVV
You can represent characters in combination than V ² 32 = 4.294
The number of characters is increased to 968 × 10 ⁹ . Further n =
The number of character types that can be displayed by one identification code increases by 2 ² exponentially when it increases to 6, 7, ...
See figure). The number of medium data areas is 2 ^m [m = n
-2], and as n increases, the number of m also increases and the number of medium data areas can be exponentially increased. That is, in the embodiment, m = 2 is divided into four groups, but when n = 5, m = 2 (2 ² = 4) and m = 3 (2 ³ = 8).
Therefore, it can be divided into 8 groups in addition to 4 groups. n = 6
In the case of (the number of unit data areas is 64), m = 4 (2 ⁴ = 16) in addition to the above 4 groups and 8 groups.
It can also be divided into 16 groups.

[0016]

According to the invention of the present application, the range and position of the data area of the display area and the auxiliary display area of the identification code sheet are stored in the memory of the computer for computer image processing and data processing by reading the data recorded on the identification code sheet. It can be quickly and accurately stored, which can reduce the memory capacity of the computer and the speed of data processing, and can reduce the read error rate as well as the read error rate. . Further, in the present invention, the front end position, the rear end position and the vertical and horizontal directions of the display area can be determined more accurately, quickly and with simple microcomputer processing for reading the sensor in any direction, and the operation of attaching the code paper There is an effect that it is not necessary to consider the attachment direction. Further, due to the presence of the auxiliary area mark 5A of the auxiliary display area, the data in the memory of the computer can be quickly recognized by the image processing of the computer even if the identification code sheet is in the reverse or sideways orientation. Data can be processed accurately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an identification code sheet.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing various embodiments of the display area.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a unit data area and a medium data area.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a binary signal mark.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an identification code sheet showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the display area.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the number and position of unit data areas in which binary code marks are present and binary codes.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an identification code sheet provided with a character display.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing various embodiments in which the number of groups is four or more.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which the number of unit data areas is exponentially increased.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... X-axis baseline 2 ... Y-axis baseline 3 ...
… Unit data area 4… Medium data area 5… Auxiliary mark 5A…
… Auxiliary area mark b …… Display area d …… Auxiliary display area K …… Binary signal mark

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A square display area has 2 ^N pieces (N>
3) A unit data area is formed, a binary signal mark is recorded in each unit data area, and 2 ^N (N> 3) signal codes are recorded in the entire display area. And a Y-axis base line 2 continuous to one end of the X-axis base line 1, and a range defined by a quadrangle having the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2 as two sides. The X-axis baseline 1 and the Y-axis baseline 2 are extended outside the area to extend the X-axis baseline 11 and the extension Y-axis baseline 12 to the X-axis baselines 1 and Y.
The auxiliary display area whose position and range are restricted by the X-axis base line 1, the Y-axis base line 2, the extended X-axis base line 11 and the extended Y-axis base line 12 is formed by being provided continuously to the axis base line 2. And an auxiliary area mark 5A recorded at a diagonal position with respect to the intersection 0 of the X-axis base line 1 and the Y-axis base line 2 and located at the auxiliary display area. b and auxiliary display area d
Is surrounded by an X axis base line 1, an extended X axis base line 11, a Y axis base line 2, an extended Y axis base line 12 and an auxiliary area mark 5A. 2. The identification code paper according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary mark for reading direction identification is recorded on the auxiliary display area.