JPH09114911A - Transparent substrate, bar code reading method for the same and bar code reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To directly record a bar code on a transparent substrate and to read this bar code. SOLUTION: On the transparent substrate 1, a area diffusedly reflecting light is formed as a bar code 2 by mechanical machining. Then, the section of the bar code 2 is irradiated with light from a bar code reader 3. Thus, since the light made incident on the transparent substrate 1 is transmitted as it is but a part of light is reflected at the section of the bar code and received on the side of the bar code reader 3, the bar code 2 on the transparent substrate 1 can be read.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transparent substrate on which a barcode is formed, a reading method for reading the barcode on the substrate, and a barcode reader.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, bar codes have been used not only in the distribution and sales processes of goods but also in various wide applications. When attaching a barcode to an article, a label or the like having a barcode printed on white paper is used. It is also practiced to print the bar code itself directly on the article cover.

[0003]

However, since the conventional bar code label is made of white paper or the like, it is impossible to print the bar code directly on the transparent substrate in place of the bar code label. In order to provide a barcode on a transparent substrate such as a glass plate, it is necessary to stick a barcode label on the glass substrate. Transparent substrates are often used in clean rooms etc. when manufacturing ICs. However, sticking a barcode label on such a transparent substrate not only increases the number of steps for attaching the label but also increases the price.
There is a drawback that the cleanliness of the clean room is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and forms a bar code without sticking a bar code label on a transparent substrate, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a reading method and a barcode reader that can read the barcode.

[0005]

The invention of claim 1 of the present application is characterized in that a diffuse reflection area for diffusing and reflecting light is formed as a bar code on a transparent substrate.

The invention of claim 2 of the present application is characterized in that a diffraction area is formed as a bar code in the area of the transparent substrate where the reflective film is formed.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is a bar code reading method for reading a bar code formed of a light reflecting film formed on a transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is arranged on an object on which light is diffusely reflected. However, a bar code reader is arranged in a direction to scan all the bars of the bar code.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bar code reading method for reading a bar code formed of a light absorbing film formed on a transparent substrate, wherein the substrate having the bar code diffuses and reflects light. It is characterized in that the bar code reader is arranged above and a bar code reader is arranged in a direction to scan all the bars of the bar code.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is a one-dimensional CCD.
And a CCD of the bar code reader body emits light having a wavelength having a light receiving sensitivity, passes through the bar code area of the transparent substrate, and is incident on the bar code reader body. And a light source.

According to the invention of claim 1 having the above characteristics, a bar code is formed on the transparent substrate as an area for diffusing and reflecting light, and in the invention of claim 2, the diffraction area is formed as a bar code. doing. Therefore, when the light is emitted, the light enters from the diffraction area or the diffuse reflection area to the barcode reader side, and the barcode can be recognized. In the third and fourth aspects of the invention, the substrate having the bar code formed of the light reflection film or the light absorption film is arranged on the object that diffusely reflects the light. In this way, when the light is scanned, the light is diffusely reflected in the transparent part, and the light is specularly reflected or absorbed in the bar code part so that it is not received by the bar code reader side, so the bar code is read based on the diffused reflection area. Will be done. According to the invention of claim 5, the barcode can be read by receiving the light from the auxiliary light source through the barcode through the area of the barcode of the transparent substrate.

[0011]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are a front view and a sectional view showing a transparent substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, a barcode 2 having a constant length and a plurality of types of widths is directly formed on a transparent substrate 1 such as a glass plate with a space therebetween. The barcode 2 is processed so that light is diffused on the transparent substrate itself as shown in FIG. The diffusion-processed barcode 2 may be formed by scribing with a needle or the like, or may be corroded by a chemical treatment. In this way, when light is scanned from the bar code reader 3 toward the area of the bar code 2, the light is transmitted in the transparent part, but the light is diffusely reflected in the bar code part. Therefore, a part of the diffusely reflected light is incident on the barcode reader 3, so that the barcode can be read by detecting the change in the space and the width of the barcode.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a bar code reader according to this embodiment. In the figure, the bar code reader 3 has a laser diode 4, a light projecting lens 5, and a scanning device 6 comprising a polygon mirror for scanning the light projecting direction within a certain range. By rotating the scanning device 6, it is possible to scan the barcode with the projection beam within a certain range. Diffuse reflected light obtained by scanning the bar code portion is read by the light receiving element 8 via the light receiving lens 7. At this time, part of the projected beam is the transparent substrate 1.
Since it is specularly reflected by the surface of the transparent substrate 1, it is preferable to dispose the transparent substrate 1 at an angle of, for example, 15 ° with respect to the projected light beam as shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a bar coded transparent substrate 11 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This transparent substrate 1
The entire surface of 1 is vapor-deposited with aluminum or the like and mirror-finished. Then, the portion that becomes the barcode 12 is made transparent by partially removing the reflection film by a chemical etching process. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of a region diffracting the light with the barcode 12. In this area, for example, 10
Square minute electrodes are formed in a grid pattern at a pitch of ˜20 μm. In this way, when the bar code reader is used to scan the bar code part, the light is reflected as it is on the mirror surface part, but since the transparent part has square electrodes in a grid pattern, the light is diffracted in this area. . FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the reflected light of this light. In addition to the 0th-order reflected light (regularly reflected light), ± 1st-order, ± 2nd-order ... Therefore, if a part of the diffracted light can be received by a light receiving system having a relatively wide light receiving range, the diffracted light can be detected. The diffracted light is generated at a plurality of angles in a specific direction with respect to the incident light. Therefore, it is preferable that the lattice pitch is random within the range of about 10 to 20 mm. If the beam diameter scanned by the light beam is set to a diameter of, for example, about 100 μm, the angle of the diffracted light becomes random, and a part of the diffracted light can enter the barcode reader side. Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the grooves may be formed in a lattice pattern, or as shown in FIG. 5B, the mirror surface is removed in a certain shape while leaving the electrode portions in the lattice pattern. Good. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 (c) and 5 (d), a circular pattern may be removed instead of the lattice pattern, or the circular pattern may be used to form the mirror surface. Further, here, the grooves are formed so that the square reflecting surface portions remain in a lattice shape, but as shown in FIGS. 5E and 5F, the pitch may be random including not only the square but also the rectangle. It may be circular and the radius and pitch may be random.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 6A, a transparent substrate 31 such as a glass plate is mirror-finished on a region to be the barcode 32. The barcode 31 is formed by vapor-depositing an aluminum electrode on the transparent substrate 31, for example. And this barcode 3
When reading 2, the bar code reader 34 shown in FIG.
As shown in the front view of the transparent substrate and the transparent glass plate, the transparent substrate 31
An object that diffuses and reflects light, such as white paper 34, is placed on the lower surface of the. Then, the barcode reader 33 scans the light so as to be substantially perpendicular to the barcode 11, and receives the reflected light. Then, the light is diffusely reflected in the area other than the barcode 32, and specularly reflected in the area of the barcode 32, and the reflected light is not received. Therefore, the bar code reader 33
The barcode can be read by scanning the barcode area with. In this case, it is preferable to provide a cover that covers the barcode reader 33, for example, a black cover 35 so that light does not enter the light receiving portion from the outside.

In the present embodiment, the transparent substrate is formed by using the aluminum electrode, but a laser marker may be provided so as to absorb light, and this may be bar-coded. In this case, light is absorbed at the bar code part and reflected light is not received, and diffuse reflected light is received at other areas,
The barcode can be recognized based on this.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a bar code reader according to the third embodiment of the present application. In the present embodiment, a bar code made of an opaque body is formed on the surface of a transparent body such as a glass substrate. When a barcode is directly formed on such a transparent body, it is difficult to read the barcode directly from the barcode reader. In the present embodiment, the barcode on the transparent body is read by irradiating the barcode reader main body side with light from the auxiliary light source through the transparent body. In FIG. 7, a light absorber that absorbs light is formed as a barcode on the surface of the transparent body 51. It is assumed that the bar code 52 is formed in black by a laser marker or the like. The auxiliary light source 53 irradiates the bar code reader main body 54 with light through the bar code 52 portion of the transparent body. The emitted light from the auxiliary light source 53 has a wavelength characteristic corresponding to the one-dimensional CCD provided in the bar code reader main body 54. The bar code reader main body 54 is configured to focus the incident light on the element surface of the CCD via a light receiving lens, an optical filter, etc., and thereby reads a striped image of the bar code. The auxiliary light source 54 does not need to be arranged to face the barcode reader 53 via the transparent body 51 as shown in FIG. 7, but may be arranged on the transparent body 51 side as shown in FIG. In this case, the reflection sheet 55 is provided via the transparent body. Then, the reflected light enters the transparent body 51 via the reflection sheet 55, enters the main body of the bar code reader 53 via the bar code 52, and the bar code is read. In this case, the bar code reader can read a normal bar code label as long as it has a light source by itself, but if the bar code reader is exclusively used for reading bar codes on a transparent body, a light source such as an LED or the like is provided inside. It is not necessary to provide it, and it may be configured to receive the light of only the auxiliary light source 53.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the auxiliary light source 53. As shown in the figure, a large number of light emitting diodes arranged in one row or a plurality of rows are arranged as a light source. By arranging this light source in the longitudinal direction of the barcode, the barcode can be easily read by the barcode reader main body side.

Although the bar code is formed on the transparent substrate in each of the above-described embodiments, the bar code may be formed on the surface of a semitransparent substrate or a plastic material instead of the transparent substrate.

[0019]

As described above in detail, in the inventions of claims 1 and 2 of the present application, a bar code is recorded on a transparent body,
The transparent substrate on which the barcode is directly recorded can be obtained. According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, a bar code reader is formed by forming an object that diffuses or reflects light on a transparent substrate to form a bar code, and scans all the bars of the bar code. By arranging, it is possible to reliably read the barcode on the transparent substrate. According to the invention of claim 5, by using the auxiliary light source, the barcode formed by the light absorber on the transparent body can be read.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a barcode reading method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a barcode reader according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a substrate having a barcode according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing diffracted light when light is incident.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a barcode on a transparent substrate according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a barcode on a transparent substrate and a method for reading the barcode according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a barcode and a barcode reader according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between a barcode reader, an auxiliary light source, and a transparent plate according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an auxiliary light source according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11, 31 Transparent substrate 2, 12, 32, 52 Bar code 3, 33 Bar code reader 4 Laser diode 5 Light emitting lens 6 Scanning device 7 Light receiving lens 8 Light receiving element 34 Paper 35 Cover 51 Transparent plate 53 Auxiliary light source 54 bar Code reader body

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A transparent substrate, wherein a diffuse reflection area for diffusing and reflecting light is formed as a bar code on the transparent substrate. 2. A transparent substrate, wherein a diffractive region is formed as a bar code in a region of the transparent substrate where a reflective film is formed. 3. A bar code reading method for reading a bar code comprising a light reflecting film formed on a transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is arranged on an object where light is diffusely reflected, and all the bar codes are provided. A barcode reading method characterized in that a barcode reader is arranged in a direction of scanning the bar. 4. A bar code reading method for reading a bar code formed of a light absorbing film formed on a transparent substrate, wherein the substrate having the bar code is arranged on an object that diffuses and reflects light, A method of reading a bar code, wherein a bar code reader is arranged in a direction to scan all the bars of the code. 5. A bar code reader main body having a one-dimensional CCD as a light receiving element, and a CCD of the bar code reader main body emitting light of a wavelength having a light receiving sensitivity and transmitting the light through a bar code region of the transparent substrate. And a light source that is incident on the bar code reader body.