JPH0654506B2 - Bar code label - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code label printed with a bar code encoded so that various kinds of information such as products can be automatically read.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, with the spread of POS systems, information collection using a bar code as a medium has been frequently used in search of speed and accuracy. This bar code is often printed on a label attached to a product and used as a bar code label.
The size of the label paper is reduced by using a bar code symbol whose height is truncated to the basic size of the bar code symbol defined in B9550, that is, a so-called truncated bar code symbol. We are trying to save money.

In checkouts at superstores,
A scanner is connected to the POS terminal to read a barcode, but a stationary scanner (fixed scanner) is often used to improve the efficiency of checkout. And since the height of the barcode label is truncated as described above,
As shown in FIG. 5, the reading by the stationary scanner is separated at the center bar point and read separately, and they are combined to read as complete data. That is,
The barcode 1 has data charactors 3 and 4 arranged on both sides of the center bar 2, and a left guard bar 5 and a right guard bar 6 are provided at both ends.
Then, one side is read by the orthogonal scanning line 7 that crosses the center bar 2 and the left guard bar 5, and the other is read by the orthogonal scanning line 8 that crosses the center bar 2 and the right guard bar 6. Since the stationary scanner is omnidirectional (360 degrees), the scan lines other than the orthogonal scan lines 7 and 8 are invalidated.

Further, the label 9 is generally constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the product name 10 is printed, and the bar code 1 is printed below it. The processing date 11 and the effective date 12 are printed above this bar code 1, and the contents of the barcode 1 are printed below. The subscript number 13 for displaying is printed. Further, the product number 14, unit price 15, weight 16, and price 17 are also printed. In the label 9 having such a configuration, the scanning line 18 shown in FIG. 4 crosses the numeral "2" of the processing date 11 and the numeral "7" of the subscript 13. The correct data for this part is that the price is "300 yen", and the last "7" is the module check digit. That is, numbers “003007” are arranged between the center bar 2 and the light guard bar 6. Here, looking at the coded array, the state shown in FIG. 7 is obtained.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the state of the scanning line 18 in FIG. 4, the coded array becomes as shown in FIG. here,
Looking at the end, the portion showing the arrangement such as "101" and the light guard bar 6 is due to the number "7" as seen in FIG. 6, and the bar 19 and the number "7".
In this case, a module of 0 is connected four times between the two, and the information of the bar 19 is also "10000101". Similarly, at the tip, the number "2" gives "01".
The code shown in FIG. 8 is produced as a whole, and the price is "44,644 yen". And the whole check digit is also "6" and a signal of OK is given.

In this way, barcode 1 is a very rare example.
The numbers printed above and below cause misreading, which leads to credit problems in business transactions. Therefore, such misreading is extremely serious even in the case of layering once or twice a month.

Measures to solve the problem Set the non-printable areas that can be recognized as numbers on the upper and lower sides of the barcode. Alternatively,
Do not print anything in that area.

Even if scanning is performed with the stationary scanner, there is no signal other than the barcode, and thus there is no risk of errors due to the characters or symbols printed around the barcode.

Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, a region 20 having a distance of 5 modules or more is formed on the upper side and the lower side of the barcode 1. These areas 20
Is a non-printing portion on which no printing is performed, and only scans the barcode 1 when the scanning line scans. The subscript numeral 13 is printed at a distance of 5 modules from the lower end of the barcode 1. Therefore, even if the scanning line crosses the subscript number 13, there is an interval of 5 modules with the barcode 1, and this 5 modules is unreadable because 0 is 4 modules. No misreading occurs. Therefore, even if a stationary scanner for omnidirectional scanning is used, there is no risk of misreading as in the conventional case. That is, according to JIS B9550, the maximum number n of consecutive 0s in the character configuration of the barcode 1 charactor is “4”. for that reason,
If this is "5", it is not recognized as a number.

The routine of the bar code printing program will be described with reference to FIG. First, a pattern is created from the bar code data, and the pattern is set, and the pattern of the bar code 1 is set. Then, the bar code is printed while being fed by one line, and when the bar length becomes constant, the feeding for 5 modules is further performed. Then, the number below the bar, that is, the subscript 13 is printed.

In practice, it is safe to print characters or symbols that cannot be recognized as the barcode 1 in the area 20.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the subscript numeral 13 is not printed around the barcode 1, but the subscript numeral 13 is printed in the upper right portion of the label 9.

The reason why the subscript numeral 13 is always displayed without being omitted is that the product code may be manually input when the barcode 1 cannot be read. Therefore, only the part corresponding to the product code need be displayed in this part.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention can set an interval greater than the maximum number n of consecutive 0s in the character configuration of the barcode charactor as described above to the upper side and the lower side of the barcode, and recognize this interval as the barcode. Since the area is not printed, only the barcode can be read even when omnidirectional scanning is performed with the stationary scanner, which may cause misreading due to the characters and symbols printed on the periphery. Without this, stable reading can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a label showing a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a flow chart, FIG. 3 is a plan view of a label showing a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional label, and FIG. 5 is a plan view analyzing a bar code reading state. , FIG. 6 is a partial plan view showing an example that causes misreading, FIG.
The figure shows the code arrangement in the state where the normal reading was performed, No. 8
The figure is an array diagram of the code that has been misread. 1 ... bar code, 20 ... area

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Seiji Suzuki 6-78 Minamimachi, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture Inside the Mishima Plant of Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) Bibliographic references Sho 55-19248 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A label having a predetermined size in which a bar code and visually readable information are printed, and the maximum number of consecutive 0s in the character structure of the character of the bar code on the upper side and the lower side of the bar code. A bar code label characterized in that an interval of modules larger than n is set, and this interval is set as an area in which no print is made that can be recognized as a bar code. 2. The bar code label according to claim 1, wherein the non-printed area that can be recognized as a bar code is a non-printed part in which no characters or symbols are printed. 3. A label having a predetermined size in which a barcode and visually readable information are printed, and the maximum number of consecutive 0s in the module structure of the barcode charactor on the upper side and the lower side of the barcode. An interval of modules larger than n is set, and this interval is set as an area where printing is not recognizable as a bar code, and the numbers corresponding to the data character and the module check character of the bar code are printed at the bar code printing position. A barcode label characterized by being printed at a position away from.