JPH09116441A - Method and system for bar code encoding and decoding - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decode the bar code of an ID number with a high precision. SOLUTION: Information symbols of plural sequences including the same ID number are subjected to error correction encoding, and parity symbols P1 to P4 of plural sequences obtained by this error correction encoding and information symbols ID1 and ID2 are converted into a bar code and are printed on a printing object, and parity symbols corresponding to information symbols of plural sequences obtained by reading this bar code and parity symbols corresponding to other information symbols are used to decode the bar code, and plural ID number candidates are generated. If the candidate judged to be most probable out of these ID number candidates is an element of a set of numbers used as number information, the pertinent information symbol is outputted as the decoded result of the ID number.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is suitable for a bar code encoding / decoding system applied to an encoding / decoding system of a postal machine code used, for example, to improve the efficiency of the business of sorting and delivering mail. Method and system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a review of the conventionally used zip code system is under consideration. Specifically, a new postal code (destination place name information, etc.) and an address display number (destination place number information) whose sender is different from the current one are written on a postcard, a sealed letter, etc. instead of the current postal code. At the central office, the new postal code and address display number are read by OCR and printed as a bar code according to the dedicated bar code system on the address display surface such as postcards and envelopes. Read to automate sorting of mail items by destination. By doing so, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the work.

On the other hand, if the postal code and address display number entered by the sender cannot be read by the OCR, or if the OCR is erroneously read, the ID number indicating the processing date, the number of the bar code printer, the serial number of the processing, etc. is displayed on the bar. A method of printing as a code on postal matter and processing it is also under consideration.

[0004]

In this case, the bar code representing the postal code and the address display number or the bar code representing the ID number is printed at a predetermined position on the destination display surface. On the other hand, the position of characters such as the address written by the sender of the mail is irregular. Therefore, there is a possibility that the printed barcode overlaps with the characters such as the destination, so that the barcode cannot be read or is erroneously read, and cannot be corrected even by error correction during decoding. In the former case, re-reading work is required by the operator, which hinders the efficiency of work and raises the cost of the work. In the latter case, there is a problem of delayed delivery of mail due to misdelivery. Occur.

Since the ID number bar code requires a smaller space than the bar code representing the postal code and the address display number, the probability that the bar code overlaps the characters such as the addressee is low. Therefore, the possibility that the barcode cannot be read or is mistakenly read due to the overlap with the characters such as the address is essentially reduced, but there is essentially the same problem as in the case of the barcode showing the postal code and the address display number. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a bar code encoding / decoding method and system which can decode a bar code of number information such as an ID number with high reliability.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a bar code encoding method according to the present invention is such that an ID number is error-correction-encoded, then converted into a bar code and printed on a print object. At the time of barcode coding, error correction coding is performed on each of a plurality of sequences of information symbols containing the same number information, and a plurality of sequences of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by this error correction coding are converted into a barcode. It is characterized by printing on an object to be printed.

Further, a bar code encoding system which realizes this bar code encoding method performs error correction coding on each of a plurality of series of information symbols including the same number information to obtain a plurality of series of parity symbols and information symbols. An error correction coding means for generating and a means for converting a plurality of series of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by the error correction coding means into a bar code and printing the bar code on a printing object. .

As a coding method in the error correction coding means, for example, (a) the first parity symbol and the first information are subjected to error correction coding on a plurality of first information symbols of the same number information. A method of generating a second information symbol of a plurality of sequences of symbols and performing error correction coding on the second information symbol to generate a second parity symbol and a second information symbol, (b) same number information Error-correction-encoding a plurality of series of first information symbols including the first parity symbol and the first information symbol, and error-correcting encoding the first parity symbol to generate a second parity symbol. Method, and (c) error-correction-encoding a plurality of sequences of first information symbols including the same number information by a first encoding method to generate a first parity symbol and a first parity symbol. Generates information symbols, the first information symbol can be used a method of generating a second parity symbols with error correction coding by the second coding method. Further, the error correction coding method performed for a plurality of sequences of information symbols including the same number information may be the same or different.

A bar code decoding method according to the present invention reads a bar code printed on an object to be printed as described above, and decodes number information from a plurality of obtained information symbols and parity symbols. At the time of code decoding, for each of a plurality of sequences of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode, decoding is performed using the corresponding parity symbol and the parity symbol corresponding to another information symbol to obtain a plurality of number information candidates. If the candidate that is generated and is determined to be the most probable among these number information candidates is an element of a set of numbers used as number information, output the information symbol as a decoding result of the number information. Is characterized by.

Further, a bar code decoding system for realizing this bar code decoding method decodes each of a plurality of series of information symbols obtained by reading the bar code by using a corresponding parity symbol. A first decoding means for generating a plurality of number information candidates and a plurality of series of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode are decoded by using the parity symbols corresponding to the other information symbols, respectively. Second decoding means for generating number information candidates, and the number of candidates determined to be the most probable among the plurality of number information candidates generated by the first and second decoding means is used as number information. And a means for outputting the information symbol as a decoding result of the number information when it is an element of the set of That.

As described above, according to the present invention, when number information such as an ID number is error-correction-encoded and then converted into a bar code to be printed on a print target, a plurality of series of information including the same number information. By performing error correction coding on each symbol and converting the generated multiple series of parity symbols and information symbols into a bar code and printing the bar code, a highly reliable decoding result of the number information can be obtained at the time of decoding.

That is, at the time of decoding the bar code printed in this way, a corresponding parity symbol is used for each of a plurality of series of information symbols including the same number information obtained by reading the bar code. Not only is decoding performed, but for each of a plurality of sequences of information symbols, decoding is performed using parity symbols corresponding to other information symbols other than itself.

In this case, since the plural series of information symbols described above include the same number information, if the information symbols are correctly decoded even if the bar code cannot be correctly read, the information symbols are obtained by the above decoding. Since all or many candidates of multiple number information candidates match,
Among these number information candidates, the candidate with the largest number of candidates with the same decoding result is the one closest to the true number information. Therefore, regarding the number information candidates that are determined to be close to the true number information, it is further checked whether or not it is an element of the set of numbers used as the number information, and if the elements match, the candidate Is regarded as the number information and is used as the decoding result of the number information.

Therefore, by performing such barcode encoding / decoding, highly reliable number information can be obtained even if the barcode cannot be read or is read by mistake.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a bar code encoding / decoding system according to an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a postal service system used in a central office, for example.
(A) is a bar code encoding system, (b) is a bar code decoding system.

In the bar code encoding system shown in FIG. 1 (a), the image reading section 1 has a postal code and an address display number entered in a postal code entry field of a postal matter (print object) such as a postcard or a letter of seal. Alternatively, the address entered in the address display field is read by a scanner and output as an image signal. This image signal is input to the character recognition unit 2 and extracted as character information (character code) by a known handwritten character recognition process.

The character information output from the character recognition unit 2 is
The data is input to the barcode encoding unit 3, error-correction-encoded, converted into a barcode pattern, and then input to the print output unit 4. In the print output unit 4, the barcode is printed in a predetermined position on the address display surface of the mail read by the image reading unit 1 according to the input barcode pattern, for example, with fluorescent ink.

Further, the character recognition unit 2 outputs the ID number when the image reading unit 1 cannot correctly read the postal code on the postal matter, the address display number and the address written in the address display field. This ID number represents the processing date, the number of the barcode printer, the serial number of the processing, etc. This ID number is also input to the barcode encoding unit 3 in the same manner as the character information, and error correction is performed as described later. After being encoded and converted into a bar code pattern, it is input to the print output unit 4.

On the other hand, in the bar code decoding system shown in FIG. 1 (b), the bar code reading section 5 reads the bar code printed on the postal matter with a scanner with the configuration of FIG. 1 (a) and outputs it. The barcode information read is
The original character information (including the ID number) is input to the barcode decoding unit 6 and decoded by error correction decoding.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the bar code encoder 3. The bar code encoder 3 includes a character / symbol converter 11, a Reed-Solomon encoder 12, a symbol / bar code converter 13, and a start / stop code adder 14.

The character / symbol conversion unit 11 expresses and outputs the character information input from the character recognition unit 2 in FIG. 1 by combining a plurality of information symbols according to a predetermined rule for each character. The information symbol output from the character / symbol conversion unit 11 is input to the Reed-Solomon encoding unit 12, where Reed-Solomon encoding, which is a kind of error correction encoding, is performed, and the information symbol is converted into a parity symbol. Is output as a symbol sequence to which is added. For details on encoding / decoding Reed-Solomon codes, see "Code Theory" edited by the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, and Hideki Imai.

Reed-Solomon encoded symbols are
It is input to the symbol / bar code conversion unit 13 and converted into a bar code pattern to be printed on a mail according to a predetermined rule. This bar code pattern is start /
After being input to the stop code adding unit 14, the start bar and stop bar information of a specific pattern indicating the start and end of the bar code is added to form the final bar code pattern for printing, and then the print output of FIG. It is sent to the section 4.

FIG. 3 shows an example of bar code allocation used in this embodiment. This bar code represents 16 states with a maximum of 4 bars. That is,
Since two states can be represented by the presence or absence of each bar, the entire bar code is 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 16.
Individual states can be represented.

In the present embodiment, the Reed-Solomon coding unit 12 performs coding using the Galois field on GF (2 ⁴ ). One symbol of the Reed-Solomon code obtained by this encoding is represented by 4 bits. Therefore, one symbol can be represented by two bars. There are 16 4-bit bit patterns from "0000" to "1111", but 1 except for "0000"
Assign barcodes for 5 ways.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the total number of printed bars is 80. In the ID number, only numbers are handled. Therefore, "0" to "9" are treated as information symbols.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a mail item under the new postal code system of the future, which is the object of this embodiment. From Figure 4, the bar code is 1 for the start bar and stop bar.
Since one book is used, if one bar is represented by two bars as described above, the number of printable symbols is (80-2) / 2 = 39 symbols.

Next, the error correction coding method of the ID number in the bar code coding unit 3 in FIG. 1A will be described. FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C show typical three types of code configurations of the error correction code of the ID number in this embodiment. These code configurations basically perform error correction coding (Reed-Solomon coding in this example) on a plurality of series of information symbols including the same ID number to generate a plurality of series of parity symbols. .

In FIG. 5A, first, two series of first information symbols ID1 and ID2 having the same ID number.
(ID1 = ID2) is subjected to Reed-Solomon coding with a code length of 12 and a minimum Hamming distance of 3 to generate two series of first parity symbols P1 and P3 (P1 = P3).
Next, the first parity symbol and the first information symbol group, that is, the P1 and ID1 group and the P2 and ID2 group are respectively used as the second information symbols, and these second information symbols are respectively code lengths 15, Reed-Solomon coding is performed with a minimum Hamming distance of 4 to generate two series of second parity symbols P2 and P4 (P2 = P4).

That is, in the code configuration of FIG.
And a second information symbol composed of a pair of ID1 and P2 and ID2, and second parity symbols P2 and P4 are generated, converted into a barcode pattern, and printed as a barcode on a mail piece. .

In FIG. 5 (b), first, two series of information symbols ID1 and ID2 (ID
1 = ID2) is coded with a code length of 15 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6, respectively, to perform Reed-Solomon coding to generate first parity symbols P1 and P3 (P1 = P3). Next, the first parity symbols P1 and P3 are Reed-Solomon coded with a code length of 5 and a minimum Hamming distance of 4, respectively, to generate second parity symbols P2 and P4 (P2 = P4).

That is, in the code configuration of FIG. 5B, the information symbols ID1 and ID2 and the first parity symbol P are used.
1, P3 and second parity symbols P2, P4 are generated, converted into a bar code pattern and printed as a bar code on the mail piece.

In FIG. 5C, first, two series of information symbols ID1 and ID2 (ID
1 = ID2) is coded with a code length of 15 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6, respectively, to perform Reed-Solomon coding to generate first parity symbols P1 and P3 (P1 = P3). Next, the information symbols ID1 and ID2 have a code length of 14 and a minimum Hamming distance of 5
Reed-Solomon encoding with the second parity symbol P
2, P4 (P2 = P4) is obtained.

That is, in the code structure of FIG. 5C, the information symbols ID1 and ID2 and the first parity symbol P are used.
1, P3 and second parity symbols P2, P4 are generated, converted into a bar code pattern and printed as a bar code on the mail piece.

Next, a method of decoding the error correction code of the ID number in the bar code decoding section 6 in FIG. 1B will be described. This decoding method is basically a parity symbol corresponding to each of a plurality of series of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode printed as described above and a parity symbol corresponding to another information symbol. When a plurality of ID number candidates are generated by decoding using ID, and the candidate that is determined to be the most probable among these ID number candidates is an element of a set of numbers used as ID numbers, , The candidate is output as the decoding result of the ID number.

First, the error correction code of the ID number is shown in FIG.
The decoding procedure in the case of the code configuration shown in (a) will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[1] The information symbol is ID1 + P1,
This is decoded using P2 (step 101). If it can be corrected, for example, f01 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f01 = 1.

[2] Similarly, the information symbol is ID2 + P.
3 and decode this using P4 (step 10
2). If it can be corrected, f04 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f04 = 1.

[3] It is checked whether or not f01 and f04 obtained in steps 101 and 102 are f01 = 0 and f04 = 0 (step 103). F01 = 0 and f0
If 4 = 0, to check if it is an erroneous correction,
It is checked whether or not the symbols of ID1 and ID2 and P1 and P3 respectively match (step 104).
~ 105).

[4] If the symbols match in step 105, it is determined that they have been correctly corrected, and the information symbol ID1 (or ID2) is decoded using the parity P1 (or P3) (step 106).

[5] ID1 after decryption in step 106
For (or ID2), it is checked whether or not the information symbol is a symbol (“0” to “9”) assigned to an ID number, that is, whether the information symbols collectively match the symbol assigned to an ID number ( Step 10
7). If they match, set ID as flag1 = 0
1 is output (steps 108 to 109). If they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag1 = 1 and rejected (steps 108 to 110).

[6] In step 105, if the symbols of ID1 and ID2 and P1 and P3 do not match, it cannot be determined which is erroneously corrected. Therefore, the decrypted ID1, P1, ID2, and P3 are decrypted (steps 111 and 112).

[7] ID after decryption in step 111
Regarding 1 symbol, it is checked whether or not it is a symbol (“0” to “9”) assigned to an ID number, that is, whether or not the symbols assigned to an ID number collectively match. If so, flag1 = 0, and if they do not match, flag1 = 1 is set (step 11).
3).

[8] Similarly, whether the ID2 symbol decoded in step 112 is a symbol ("0" to "9") assigned to the ID number, that is, ID
It is checked whether the symbols assigned to the numbers match as a set, and if they match, flag2
= 0, and if they do not match, flag2 = 1 is set (step 114).

[9] In Step 115, Step 113,
Check the result of 114, flag1 = 0, and fl
If ag2 = 0, it is not possible to determine which of the erroneous corrections is made, and the image is rejected (step 110). flag1 =
When 0 and flag2 = 1, ID1 is output (step 109). flag1 = 1, and flag2
If = 0, ID2 is output (step 11).
6). If flag1 = flag2 = 1, both are uncorrectable and are rejected (step 11).
0).

[10] Next, f01 and f04 obtained in steps 101 and 102 are f01 = 1 and f04 = 0.
It is checked whether or not (step 117), f01 = 1,
If f04 = 0, ID1 and P1 are decoded using P4 (step 118). If the decryption is successful, f02 =
It is set to 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f02 = 1.

[11] In step 119, the value of f02 is checked. If f02 = 0, the processes [3] to [9] are performed.

[12] If f02 = 1, then the decrypted ID2 is decrypted using P3 (step 1).
12).

[13] ID decrypted in step 112
For No. 2, it is checked whether or not the information symbols are symbols (“0” to “9”) assigned to the ID numbers, that is, whether or not they collectively match the symbols assigned to the ID numbers (step 114). . If they match, flag2 = 0 and ID2 is output (steps 115 to 116). If they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag2 = 1 is set and rejected (steps 115 to 110).

[14] Next, f01 and f04 obtained in steps 101 and 102 are f01 = 0 and f04 = 1.
It is checked whether or not (step 120), f01 = 0,
If f04 = 1, ID2 and P3 are decoded using P2 (step 121). If the decryption is successful, f03 =
It is set to 0, and if it cannot be corrected, it is set to f03 = 1.

[15] In step 122, the value of f03 is checked. If f03 = 0, the processes of [3] to [9] are performed.

[16] If f03 = 1, the decrypted ID1 is decrypted using P1 (step 11).
1).

[17] ID decrypted in step 111
With respect to 1, it is checked whether or not the symbols are assigned to the ID numbers (“0” to “9”), that is, whether or not they coincide with the symbols assigned to the ID numbers as a set (step 113). If they match,
ID1 is output with flag1 = 0 (step 115).
(~ 109), if they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag1 = 1 and rejected (step 115).
To 110).

[18] Next, in step 120, f01 =
When 0 and f04 = 1 are not satisfied, that is, f01 = f04
When = 1, ID1 and P1 are decrypted with P4 (step 123). If it can be decoded, f02 = 0. If it cannot be corrected, f02 = 1.

[19] When f01 = f04 = 1, ID2 and P3 are decoded by P2 in parallel with step 123 (step 124). If the decryption is successful, f03 =
It is set to 0, and if it cannot be corrected, it is set to f03 = 1.

[20] In step 125, f02, f03
If f02 = f03 = 0 (case 0), the symbol match is checked in step 104, and the processes [4] to [9] are performed accordingly.

[21] In step 125, f02 = 0, f
When 03 = 1 (case 1), ID1 is decrypted using P1 (step 111).

The processes [24] and [17] are performed.

[25] In step 125, f02 = 1, f
If 03 = 0, ID2 is decrypted using P3 (step 112), and the process of [13] is performed.

[24] In step 125, f02 = f03
If = 1, reject (step 110).

Next, the error correction code of the ID number is shown in FIG.
The decoding procedure in the case of the code configuration shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[1] Let P1 be the information symbol and P
Decrypt using 2 (step 201). If it can be corrected, for example, f01 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f01
= 1.

[2] Similarly, the information symbol is P3,
This is decoded using P4 (step 202). If it can be corrected, set f04 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f0
4 = 1.

[3] It is checked whether or not f01 and f04 obtained in steps 201 and 202 are f01 = 0 and f04 = 0 (step 203). F01 = 0 and f0
If 4 = 0, the information symbol ID1 is decoded using the parity P1 (step 204). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f11 = 0 is set. If it cannot be corrected, f1 is set.
1 = 1. Further, the information symbol ID2 is set to the parity P.
3 is used for decoding (step 205). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f14 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f14 = 1.

[4] f11, f obtained by the processing of [3]
It is checked whether 14 is f11 = 0 and f14 = 0 (step 206). If f11 = 0 and f14 = 0, it is checked whether the symbols of ID1 and ID2 match (steps 207 to 208).

[5] If the symbols of ID1 and ID2 match in step 208, the information symbols for ID1 are assigned to the ID number (“0” to
"9"), that is, whether or not the symbols assigned to the ID numbers collectively match (step 209). If they match, flag1
= 0, and if they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so f
Set lag1 = 1.

[6] ID1 is output when flag1 = 0 (step 211), and rejected when flag1 = 1 (step 218).

[7] If the symbols of ID1 and ID2 do not match in step 208, there is a high possibility of erroneous correction, so decoding is performed as shown in FIG. Where ID1 is P1
In step 212, ID1 is set to P2 and ID2 is set to ID2.
The result decrypted in 2 is designated as ID1 ', and the result decrypted in step 213 by P1 is designated as ID2'.

[8] These four decoding results ID1, ID
At least one of 2, ID1 'and ID2' has a different symbol value, which is checked in step 214. Here, when ID1 = ID1 ′ = ID2 ′ (case 0), ID1 is output as the decoding result,
The process of [5] is performed and the process ends. Also, ID2 = ID
If 1 ′ = ID2 ′ (case 1), ID2 is used as the decoding result, and whether the information symbol is a symbol (“0” to “9”) assigned to the ID number, that is, a symbol assigned to the ID number. It is checked whether or not they match as a set (step 215). If they match, flag2 = 0. If they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag2 = 1. flag2 = 0
If it is, ID2 is output (step 217) and the flag is set.
If 2 = 1, it is rejected (step 218).

[9] ID1 = ID in step 214
1'and ID2 = ID2 ', or ID1 = I
In the case of D2 'and ID2 = ID1', the one with the smaller number of errors obtained during decoding is selected and the information symbol is ID.
It is checked whether or not the symbols are assigned to the numbers (“0” to “9”), that is, whether or not the symbols are assigned to the ID numbers as a set. If not, reject it.

[10] If there is no match among the four decoding results ID1, ID2, ID1 ', and ID2' in step 214, the information symbol with the smallest error number is output, and the information symbol becomes the ID number. It is checked whether or not it is an assigned symbol (“0” to “9”), that is, whether or not it matches as a set with the symbol assigned to the ID number, and if they match, it is output and does not match. Reject. However, if the minimum number of errors is plural (Case 2), it cannot be determined whether it is an erroneous correction, and therefore it is rejected (Step 218).

[11] Next, f01 and f04 obtained in steps 201 and 202 are f01 = 1 and f04 = 0.
It is checked whether or not (step 219), f01 = 1,
If f04 = 0, P1 is decoded by P4 (step 220). If correction is possible during this decoding, f02 =
It is set to 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f02 = 1.

[12] In step 221, the value of f02 is checked. If f02 = 0, the processes of [3] to [10] are performed.

[13] If f02 = 1 in step 221, ID2 is decrypted in P3 (step 222). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f14 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f14 = 1.

[14] In step 223, the value of f14 is checked. If f14 = 0, ID2 is set as the decoding result,
Symbols assigned to ID numbers (“0” to “9”)
It is checked whether or not, that is, whether the symbols assigned to the ID numbers match as a set (step 215), and if they match, flag2 = 0 is set.
If they do not match, it means an erroneous correction, so flag2 =
Let it be 1. In step 216, the value of flag2 is checked. If flag2 = 0, ID2 is output (step 217), and if flag2 = 1, it is rejected (step 218). Also, if f14 = 1, it is rejected (step 218).

[15] Next, f01 and f04 obtained in steps 201 and 202 are f01 = 0 and f04 = 1.
It is checked whether or not (step 224), f01 = 0,
If f04 = 1, P3 is decoded by P2 (step 225). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f03 =
It is set to 0, and if it cannot be corrected, it is set to f03 = 1.

[16] In step 226, the value of f03 is checked. If f03 = 0, the processes [3] to [10] are performed.

[17] If f03 = 1 in step 226, ID1 is decrypted with P1 (step 227). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f11 = 0 is set, and if it cannot be corrected, f11 = 1 is set.

[18] At step 228, the value of f11 is checked. If f11 = 0, ID1 is set as the decoding result,
It is checked whether the information symbols are symbols assigned to the ID numbers (“0” to “9”), that is, whether the information symbols collectively match the symbols assigned to the ID numbers. If they match, flag1 = 0 is set,
If they do not match, it means an erroneous correction, so flag1 =
Let it be 1. In step 230, the value of flag1 is checked. If flag1 = 0, ID1 is output (step 211), and if flag1 = 1, it is rejected (step 218). Also reject when f11 = 1 (step 218).

[19] Next, in step 224, f01 =
When f04 = 1, P1 is decoded by P4 (step 2
31). If it can be decoded, f02 = 0. If it cannot be corrected, f02 = 1.

[20] Also, in step 224, f01 =
When f04 = 1, P3 is decoded by P2 (step 2
32).

[21] At the time of decoding in step 232, f03 = 0 is set if the correction can be made by, and f is set if the correction cannot be made.
03 = 1.

[22] In step 233, f02, f03
Value is checked, and if f02 = f03 = 0, the matching of symbols is checked, and the processes of [3] to [10] are performed.

[23] In step 233, f02 = 0, f
When 03 = 1, the processes of [13] to [14] are performed.

[24] In step 233, f02 = 1, f
When 03 = 0, the processes of [17] to [18] are performed.

[25] In step 233, f02 = 1, f
If 03 = 1, reject (step 21).
8).

[26] Next, f obtained by the processing of [3]
It is checked whether 11 and f14 are f11 = 1 and f14 = 0 (step 234), and f11 = 1 and f14.
If = 0, ID1 is decrypted by P3 (step 23).
5). If it can be corrected by this decoding, f12 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f12 = 1.

[27] In step 236, the value of f12 is checked. If f12 = 0, the processes of [4] to [10] are performed.

[28] If f12 = 1 at step 236, the process of [14] is performed.

[29] f11 obtained by the processing of [3],
It is checked whether or not f14 is f11 = 0 and f14 = 1 (step 237). If f11 = 0 and f14 = 1, ID2 is decrypted by P1 (step 238). If it is possible to correct by this decoding, f13 = 0, and if it cannot be corrected, f13 = 1.

[27] In step 239, the value of f13 is checked. If f13 = 0, the processes of [4] to [10] are performed.

[28] If f13 = 1 in step 239, the process of [18] is performed.

[30] If f11 = 1 and f14 = 1 in step 237, reject (step 21)
8).

Next, the error correction code of the ID number is shown in FIG.
The decoding procedure in the case of the code configuration shown in (c) is shown below.

[1] ID1 is decrypted using P1. If it is possible to correct by this decryption, f01 = 0 and the decryption result is ID1. For the decoded ID1, the information symbols are assigned symbols (“0” to
"9"), that is, whether or not the symbols assigned to the ID numbers match as a set. If they match, flag1 = 0 is set. If they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag1 = 1. When it cannot be corrected, f01 = 1 is set.

[2] ID1 is decrypted using P2. If it can be corrected by this decoding, f02 = 0 and the decoding result is ID1 '. For the decoded ID1 ', it is checked whether the information symbols are symbols assigned to the ID number ("0" to "9"), that is, whether the information symbols collectively correspond to the symbols assigned to the ID number. . If they match, flag2 = 0. If they do not match, the flag is incorrect and is flagged.
Let 2 = 1. When it cannot be corrected, f02 = 1 is set.

[3] ID2 is decrypted using P3. If it can be corrected by this decryption, f03 = 0 and the decryption result is ID2. For the decoded ID2, the information symbol is a symbol (“0” to
"9"), that is, whether or not the symbols assigned to the ID numbers match as a set. If they match, flag3 = 0 is set. If they do not match, it is an erroneous correction, so flag3 = 1. If the correction cannot be made, set f03 = 1.

[4] ID2 is decrypted using P4. If it can be corrected by this decoding, f04 = 0 and the decoding result is ID2 '. For the decoded ID2 ', it is checked whether the information symbols are symbols assigned to the ID number ("0" to "9"), that is, whether the information symbols collectively match the symbols assigned to the ID number. . If they match, flag4 = 0. If they do not match, the flag is incorrect and is flagged.
4 = 1. When it cannot be corrected, f04 = 1 is set.

[5] f01 = f02 = f03 = f04 =
In the case of 0, the symbol matching is checked for the decoding result in which f0i = 0 (i = 1 to 4).

[6] There are the following combinations (a) to (o) in the case where the symbols match in the decoding result where f0i = 0 (i = 1 to 4).

(A) ID1 = ID1 '= ID2 = ID2' (b) ID1 = ID1 '= ID2 (c) ID1 = ID1' = ID2 '(d) ID1 = ID2 = ID2' (e) ID1 '= ID2 = ID2 '(f) ID1 = ID1', ID2 = ID2 ', ID1 ≠ I
D2 (g) ID1 = ID2, ID1 ′ = ID2 ′, ID1 ≠ I
D1 ′ (h) ID1 = ID2 ′, ID1 ′ = ID2, ID1 ≠ I
D1 '(i) ID1 = ID1', ID1 ≠ ID2 or ID1
= ID1 ', ID1 ≠ ID2' (j) ID1 = ID2, ID2 ≠ ID1 'or ID1
= ID2, ID1 ≠ ID2 ′ (k) ID1 ′ = ID2 ′, ID1 ≠ ID1 ′ or I
D1 '= ID2', ID1 '≠ ID2 (l) ID1' = ID2, ID1 ≠ ID1 'or ID
1 ′ = ID2, ID1 ′ ≠ ID2 ′ (m) ID1 = ID2 ′, ID2 ≠ ID1 ′ or ID
1 = ID2 ′, ID1 ≠ ID2 (n) ID2 = ID2 ′, ID1 ≠ ID2 or ID2
= ID2 ′, ID1 ′ ≠ ID2 (o) Any one of ID1, ID1 ′, ID2 and ID2 ′ is decoded, and the symbols match as a set.

In the case of (a) to (d), for example, ID1
Is the output.

In the case of (e), for example, ID2 is output.

In the cases of (f) to (h), the magnitude relation is checked for the number of errors obtained during decoding. For example, the number of errors of ID1 is err1, the number of errors of ID1 'is err2, I
The error count of D2 is err3, and the error count of ID2 'is er3.
r4. At this time, the decoding result with the smallest number of errors is output. For example, in the case of (f), err1 <err
If 2 <err3 <err4, ID1 is output.

In the case of (i) to (j), ID1 is output.

In the case of (k) and (l), ID1 'is output.

In the case of (m) and (n), ID2 'is output.

In the case of (o), the decoded data is output.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The present embodiment shows an example in which data other than the ID number is added to the ID number and error correction coding is performed. In this embodiment, 39 symbols can be printed as a bar code on a postal matter as in the previous embodiments. Therefore, data other than the ID number can be added up to 8 symbols as other data. In addition, GF
In the Galois field of (2 ⁴ ), the code length is up to 15 (16 if the extension field is used).

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the code structure of the error correction code according to the present embodiment.
Reed-Solomon encoding is performed at the minimum Hamming distance 6, other data (maximum 14 digits) other than the ID number is divided into two, and Reed-Solomon encoding is performed at the code length 12 and the minimum Hamming distance 6. Since the postal code has 7 digits in the new postal processing system, the postal code may be written twice in the other data portion. Since the address display number is 13 digits, the address display number may be divided into two and put in other data.

According to FIG. 10, the decoding result of the postal code and the address display number printed as the in-office code and I
It is possible to compare and output the decoded result of the postal code or the address display number printed on the D bar code.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the present embodiment, a bar for facilitating the recognition of the bar code is inserted every predetermined number. This inserted bar is called a recognition bar. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, apart from the start bar 21 and the stop bar 22, the recognition bar 2 is provided every four bars.
3 shall be inserted. Therefore, assuming that the total number of bars that can be originally printed is 80 and two symbols represent one symbol as in the previous embodiment, the number of bars that can be printed is the start bar 21, the stop bar 22 and the recognition bar. There are 30 symbols excluding the bar 23.

Therefore, in this embodiment, first, a 10-digit ID is used.
Reed-Solomon coding is performed on a number with a code length of 15 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6. Next, Reed-Solomon encoding is performed with a code length of 10 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6 on the five parity symbol sequences P1 generated by the first Reed-Solomon encoding. Next, Reed-Solomon coding is performed on the five parity symbol sequences P2 generated by the second Reed-Solomon coding with a code length of 10 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6. Furthermore, this third
Reed-Solomon coding is performed on the five parity symbol strings P3 generated by the Reed-Solomon coding for the third time with a code length of 10 and a minimum Hamming distance of 6 to obtain a parity symbol string P4. The obtained symbol string finally generated in this way is shown in FIG.

At this time, the bar code CC5 in FIG. 3 in which the upper and lower protruding bars are not printed at all does not appear in the ID data. However, CC5 appears in the parity symbols of P1 to P4. Therefore, by inserting a bar having a vertical protrusion (full bar) as the recognition bar 23 in a predetermined number, for example, every four bars as shown in FIG. 12, even if a bar without a vertical protrusion (no bar) continues,
It is easy to identify the bar pitch.

That is, in this way, the recognition bar 23
Since the number of novas sandwiched between is always 3,
For example, even if a character such as a destination overlaps with a bar code, the nover can be surely recognized as a no bar, and it is possible to reduce the possibility that the bar code could not be erroneously read and that the bar code could be erroneously read.

[0119]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, even if the bar code cannot be read or is erroneously read due to the overlap with the characters such as the destination,
A bar code encoding / decoding method and system capable of decoding a bar code of an ID number with high reliability can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a barcode encoding / decoding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a barcode encoding unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing allocation of barcodes in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a print position of a barcode of an ID number in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing three typical code configurations of error correction codes of ID numbers in the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a decoding procedure in a barcode decoding unit when the code configuration of FIG. 5 (a) is used.

FIG. 7 is a partial flowchart showing a decoding procedure in a barcode decoding unit when the code configuration of FIG. 5 (b) is used.

FIG. 8 is a remaining part of the flowchart showing the decoding procedure in the barcode decoding unit when the code configuration of FIG. 5B is used.

9 is a diagram showing a part of the processing in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a code configuration of an error correction code according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a code configuration of an error correction code of an ID number according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration of a barcode according to the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image reading part 2 ... Character recognition part 3 ... Bar code encoding part 4 ... Print output part 5 ... Bar code reading part 6 ... Bar code decoding part 11 ... Character / symbol conversion part 12 ... Reed Solomon coding part 13 … Symbol / barcode converter 14… Start / stop code adder

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A bar code encoding method in which number information is error-correction-encoded, then converted into a bar code and printed on a print target, in which error correction is performed on a plurality of series of information symbols containing the same number information. A barcode encoding method characterized by performing encoding, converting a plurality of sequences of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by this error correction encoding into a barcode, and printing the barcode on a print target. 2. A plurality of sequences of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by performing error correction coding on a plurality of sequences of information symbols containing the same number information are converted into bar codes and printed on a print object. In the barcode decoding method of reading the barcode, decoding the number information from the obtained multiple series of information symbols and parity symbols, for each of the multiple series of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode, respectively. Decoding is performed using the corresponding parity symbol and the parity symbol corresponding to another information symbol to generate a plurality of number information candidates,
Among the number information candidates, when the candidate determined to be the most probable is the element of the set of numbers used as the number information, the information symbol is output as the decoding result of the number information. And the barcode decoding method. 3. A bar code encoding system in which number information is error-correction-encoded, then converted into a bar code and printed on a printing object, and error correction is performed for each of a plurality of series of information symbols containing the same number information. Error correction coding means for performing coding to generate a plurality of series of parity symbols and information symbols, and a plurality of series of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by the error correction coding means are converted into bar codes for printing. And a means for printing on an object. 4. The error correction coding means performs error correction coding on a plurality of sequences of first information symbols having the same number information and performs a plurality of sequences of a plurality of sequences of a first parity symbol and a first information symbol. 4. The bar code encoding system according to claim 3, wherein the second information symbol is generated, and the second information symbol is error correction coded to generate a second parity symbol and a second information symbol. . 5. The error correction coding means performs error correction coding on a plurality of sequences of first information symbols including the same number information to generate a first parity symbol and a first information symbol, and 4. The bar code encoding system according to claim 3, wherein the parity symbol of 1 is error-correction encoded to generate a second parity symbol. 6. The error correction coding means performs error correction coding on a plurality of sequences of first information symbols containing the same number information by a first coding method to perform a first parity symbol and first information. Generate a symbol, the first information symbol to the second
4. The bar code encoding system according to claim 3, wherein the second parity symbol is generated by performing error correction encoding by the encoding method of. 7. A plurality of sequences of parity symbols and information symbols obtained by performing error correction coding on a plurality of sequences of information symbols containing the same number information are converted into bar codes and printed on a print object. In a barcode decoding system that reads a barcode and decodes the number information from the obtained multiple series of information symbols and parity symbols, for each of the multiple series of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode, respectively. First decoding means for performing decoding using corresponding parity symbols to generate a plurality of number information candidates, and for each of a plurality of series of information symbols obtained by reading the barcode, another information symbol is obtained. Second decoding for generating a plurality of number information candidates by using corresponding parity symbols Decoding means and a case in which the most probable candidate among the plurality of number information candidates generated by the first and second decoding means is an element of a set of numbers used as number information And a means for outputting the information symbol as a decoding result of the number information, the bar code decoding system.