JPH0916701A - Bar code extracting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To automatically extract a rectangular bar code area from inputted image data. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with an image memory 21A, black/white pattern extracting part 25 for successively scanning all the areas of image data in the image memory 21A and extracting the area, where black/white patterns alternately appear in an extraction area, as a temporary bar code area, bar code discriminating part 26 for discriminating whether a left guard bar, center bar and right guard bar exist in the temporary bar code area or not and extracting the true bar code area, rectangular bar code range search part 27 for searching the rectangular range of the true bar code area, deciding the position of the rectangular area surrounding a bar code and extracting it as the rectangular bar code area, and bar code area comparator part 31 for comparing the extracted rectangular bar code area with an already extracted rectangular bar code area and registering the rectangular bar code area only when both the areas are not overlapped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code extracting device for automatically extracting a bar code area from image data.

In recent years, POS terminal devices have been introduced in small and medium supermarkets and convenience stores,
The mainstream method is payment by bar code and product management.
Therefore, by printing a bar code (JAN code) on a transfer sheet for public charges such as telephone charges, electricity charges, and gas charges, the public charges that could only be paid by banks or post offices are now available. You can now pay at small and medium supermarkets and convenience stores.

However, when a user brings in a utility bill transfer paper on which a bar code is printed, the bank has no means for automatically processing by reading the bar code on the transfer paper. At present, it is necessary to collect the amount of money in the work, and the burden on the bank staff is increasing.

In particular, corporate companies often bring in a large amount of transfer paper (for example, 100 sheets / customer) at a time, and the time of carrying-in is often concentrated (for example, the 25th day of every month peaks). Therefore, there is a demand for the development of an automatic processing device for public utility charges in a bank (for example, a certain bank processes 400,000 public money per month).

Therefore, paying attention to the fact that most of the bills for public utility bills are printed with a bar code, for example, a batch-reading type O which can process a large amount of reading of documents at one time.
It is also considered to recognize this barcode using a CR device. However, since it is unknown where the barcode is located in the form image data, it is necessary to extract the area where the barcode exists before the barcode is recognized, but this technology has not yet been developed. The current situation.

Therefore, unless a technique for extracting the area in which the barcode exists is developed, a definition body for instructing the OCR device to read the barcode and the like is created for each form and input to the OCR device. It is necessary and requires extremely laborious and time-consuming work. Therefore, the O
The CR device cannot be used as it is, and improvement of this point has been demanded.

[0007]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example will be described below with reference to FIGS. §1: Description of Conventional Example 1 ... See FIG. 10 FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a barcode recognition process by a conventional POS terminal device, FIG. A is an explanatory diagram of the POS terminal device, and FIG.
The figure is an illustration of a method for reading a barcode. Note that B
In the figure, and indicate the scanning direction by the laser beam.

Conventional example 1 is an example in which a POS terminal device performs a barcode recognition process. Conventionally, a POS terminal device has been known as a device for recognizing and processing a barcode. The POS terminal device 1 is equipped with a bar code reader 2, and the bar code reader 2 reads the bar code 4 of the bar code label attached to the product 3.

In this case, laser light from the bar code reader 2 is applied to a bar code label attached to the product 3 for scanning, the reflected light is received and converted into an electric signal, and then bar code recognition processing is performed. Was being done. When the bar code is read as described above, the bar code is read by scanning the bar code label from various angles as shown by and in FIG.

When the bar code reader 2 is a hand scan type bar code reader, the bar code is read by holding the hand scan type bar code reader in the hand and tracing over the bar code label, and thereafter, The barcode was being recognized.

§2: Description of Conventional Example 2 ... See FIG. 11 FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a bar code recognition process by a conventional OCR device. Conventional example 2 is an example of performing a barcode recognition process using an OCR device.

Conventionally, it has been known to perform bar code recognition processing using an OCR device. The OCR device is a device that reads information from a form or the like with an image scanner, captures the image data, and performs character recognition processing and the like. Like the OCR device, in the world of image data processing, characters and the like are recognized by software, and barcodes are recognized similarly.

However, in the conventional technique, the area in which the bar code is present is instructed from the host system by the definition body in advance in order to improve the recognition processing speed. For example, as shown in the figure, in the case where the barcode recognition process on the form 9 is performed in a state where the host system 8 is connected to the OCR device 7, the following is performed.

First, various information of the form 9 (the form to be read is form A) is specified by the definition body 10, and this definition body 10 is input to the host system 8 and then the host system 8
The contents of the definition body 10 are downloaded to the OCR device 7 from. Then, in the OCR device 7, the definition body 10
According to the information of 1., the barcode is read from the form and the barcode recognition processing is performed. In addition, the definition is
It is used to specify the type of bar code on the form, position information (coordinates), etc., and is created for each form.

[0015]

The above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. (1): In the case of the prior art example 1, the barcode is read by scanning the barcode label with a laser beam, so there is no need to extract the barcode from the image data.

However, in such a bar code recognition process, it is necessary to manually scan the bar code label attached to each product etc. by the bar code reader, which takes time and effort.

(2): In the case of the conventional example 2, it is necessary to create a definition structure for each form to be read, the created definition structure is input to the host system, and the definition system is downloaded from the host system to the OCR device. There was a need. That is, every time the type of form changes, the operator or the like needs to create a definition structure suitable for the form and download it from the host system to the OCR device.

Therefore, it takes time and labor and the work efficiency of the barcode recognition processing is low. In particular, when there are many types of forms and a large amount of forms are to be handled, the time and effort required to create the definition program and download it to the OCR device become enormous, which is not a practical method.

The present invention solves the conventional problems as described above, and from the input image data, without the need to create a conventional definition or the like and without the need for manual work.
The purpose is to be able to automatically extract a rectangular area of a barcode.

[0020]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention. The present invention is configured as follows to achieve the above object.

(1): As shown in FIG. 1, an image memory 21 for storing image data in the bar code extracting device.
A, a barcode extraction unit 22 that extracts a barcode from the image data stored in the image memory 21A, and a pattern dictionary storage unit 2 that stores a barcode pattern dictionary in advance.
3 and the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24 that stores (registers) the position coordinates of the newly extracted barcode rectangular area.
Was provided.

Then, the bar code extracting section 22 has
Black / white pattern extraction unit 25 and barcode determination unit 26
A barcode rectangular range searching unit 27, a left guard bar comparing unit 28, a center bar comparing unit 29, a right guard bar comparing unit 30, and a barcode area comparing unit 31 are provided.

The bar code extracting device is constructed as follows. (2): The barcode extraction device sequentially scans the image memory 21A for storing the image data and the entire area of the image data stored in the image memory 21A to preset the black pattern and the white pattern in the extraction window. Areas that appear alternately at intervals within the specified threshold are extracted as temporary barcode areas,
The barcode extraction unit 22 is provided for determining whether or not information unique to the barcode exists in the extracted temporary barcode area and extracting only the true barcode area.

(3): In the bar code extracting device,
The bar code extraction unit 22 determines whether or not each of the left guard bar, center bar, and right guard bar information exists as bar code-specific information in the extracted temporary bar code area, and when the information of each bar exists. Only, the temporary barcode area is extracted as a true barcode area.

(4): In the bar code extracting device,
The barcode extraction unit 22 searches the rectangular range of the extracted true barcode area and determines the position of the rectangular area surrounding the barcode, so that the true barcode area is extracted as the barcode rectangular area. Configured.

(5): In the bar code extracting device,
In order not to register the same barcode twice, the barcode extraction unit 22 compares the newly extracted barcode rectangular area with the already extracted barcode rectangular area, and only when the two do not overlap. The newly extracted barcode rectangular area is registered as a new barcode rectangular area.

(6): The bar code extracting device sequentially scans the image memory 21A for storing the image data and the entire area of the image data stored in the image memory 21A to obtain a black pattern and a white pattern in the extraction window. And the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 that extracts a region in which the characters alternately appear as a temporary barcode region, and a left guard bar, a center bar, and a right guard bar unique to the barcode in the temporary barcode region extracted by the black / white pattern extraction unit 25. A bar code determination unit 26 that determines whether or not each bar exists and extracts the area as a true bar code area only when each bar exists.
A bar for extracting the true barcode area as a barcode rectangular area by searching the rectangular area of the true barcode area extracted by the barcode determining unit 26 and determining the position of the rectangular area surrounding the barcode. The code rectangle range searching unit 27 and the barcode rectangle region newly extracted by the barcode rectangle range searching unit 27 are compared with the already extracted barcode rectangle regions, and a new barcode rectangle region is newly added only when they do not overlap each other. The barcode area comparison unit 31 that registers the extracted barcode rectangular area as a new barcode rectangular area
It has.

(7): In the bar code extracting device,
The image memory 21A is configured as a memory for storing binary image data obtained by converting image data of a form into binary data.

[0029]

The operation of the present invention based on the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the input image data is stored in the image memory 21A. In this state, the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 scans (scans) the image data (binary image data) stored in the image memory 21A in the main scanning direction, and the black and white patterns are extracted in the extraction window. Areas that appear alternately at intervals within a preset threshold are extracted as temporary barcode areas.

Next, the bar code determining section 26 determines whether the extracted temporary bar code area is really a bar code, in order to determine whether the temporary bar code area is a bar code-specific left guard bar, center bar, or right guard bar. Is present.

In this case, the bar code judging section 26 instructs the left guard bar comparing section 28, the center bar comparing section 29, and the right guard bar comparing section 30 to extract the information on the temporary bar code area and the pattern dictionary storing section 23. Request comparison processing with the information in the pattern dictionary stored in.

Then, the bar code judging section 26, based on the information of the comparison result from the left guard bar comparing section 28, the center bar comparing section 29, and the right guard bar comparing section 30, sets the bar code in the extracted temporary bar code area. It is determined whether or not the code-specific left guard bar, center bar, and right guard bar are present.

As a result, if a left guard bar, a center bar and a right guard bar are present in the extracted temporary bar code area, it is determined that the area is a true bar code area and the area is extracted. However, in the extracted temporary barcode area, the left guard bar, the center bar,
If the light guard bar does not exist, it is determined that the area is not a barcode and is discarded.

Next, the barcode rectangular range searching unit 27 searches the range of the extracted true barcode area, determines the position (coordinates) of the rectangular area (barcode rectangular area) surrounding the barcode, and Extract the barcode rectangular area.

After that, since the image data on the entire surface of the form is scanned in detail, the same bar code may be extracted many times. To prevent this, the barcode area comparison unit 31 compares the newly extracted barcode rectangular area with the position information (coordinate information) of the registered barcode rectangular area of the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24. As a result, it is determined whether the newly extracted barcode rectangular area overlaps with the already extracted barcode.

As a result, if it is not overlapped and is newly extracted, the barcode area comparison unit 31
Newly registers the position information (coordinate information) of the newly extracted barcode rectangular area in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24. However, if it overlaps the already-extracted barcode rectangular area, the already-extracted barcode area is left and the newly-extracted barcode area is discarded.

As described above, the search line is advanced in the sub-scanning direction until the entire surface of the form is searched, and the above-described processing is repeated. Then, when the entire surface of the form is searched, the processing ends.

As described above, it is possible to automatically extract a barcode rectangular area from input image data without creating a conventional definition body and the like and requiring no manual work. It will be possible.

[0039]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is an example in which the bar code extracting device of the present invention is realized by a batch reading type OCR device. 2 to 9, the same parts as those in FIGS. 10 and 11 are designated by the same reference numerals.

§1: Description of the configuration of the embodiment apparatus ... FIG. 2
Reference FIG. 2 is a device configuration diagram of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the OCR device 7 is provided with an image reading unit 20, an image memory 21, a barcode extraction unit 22, a pattern dictionary storage unit 23, a barcode position coordinate storage unit 24, a RAM 32, and the like.

The bar code extracting section 22 includes a black / white pattern extracting section 25, a bar code determining section 26, a bar code rectangular range searching section 27, and a left guard bar comparing section 2.
8, a center bar comparison unit 29, a light guard bar comparison unit 30, a bar code area comparison unit 31 and the like are provided. The functions and the like of the respective units are as follows.

(1): The image reading section 20 is equipped with an image scanner or the like, and inputs image data (multi-valued image data) by loading a form into the apparatus and reading the information. . The image reading unit 20 also performs processing of converting input image data (multivalued image data) into binary image data (binary image data) and storing the image data in the image memory 21.

(2): The image memory 21 stores the image data (binary image data) input by the image reading section 20. (3): The barcode extraction unit 22 extracts barcode information (barcode rectangular area) from the image data stored in the image memory 21.

(4): The pattern dictionary storage unit 23 is a memory (memory) that stores a pattern dictionary in which various patterns of barcodes are registered in advance. In this pattern dictionary, for example, the pattern of the left guard bar (start bar), the pattern of the center bar, the pattern information of the right guard bar, and the like which form the barcode are registered for each type of barcode.

(5): The bar code position coordinate storage unit 24 is
This is a memory (memory) for storing the position coordinates and the like of the barcode rectangular area extracted by the barcode extraction unit 22. (6): The RAM 32 is a memory accessed by each unit in the barcode extraction unit 22, and is used for work when performing the barcode extraction processing.

(7): The black / white pattern extraction unit 25 scans the image data (binary image data) in the image memory 21 to alternate between the black pattern and the white pattern in the extraction window. The area that appears in is extracted.

(8): The bar code judging section 26 judges whether or not the area where the black pattern and the white pattern alternately appearing by the black / white pattern extracting section 25 are the bar code areas. .

In this case, the bar code determining section 26 instructs the left guard bar comparing section 28, the center bar comparing section 29, and the right guard bar comparing section 30 to place the left guard bar and the center in the areas where the black pattern and the white pattern alternate. Request a pattern comparison (comparison between the extracted pattern and the pattern registered in the dictionary) to confirm whether or not there is a bar or light guard bar, and check whether the bar code is a true bar code or not based on the comparison result. The judgment is made.

(9): The barcode rectangular range searching unit 27
The barcode determination unit 26 searches a range determined to be a true barcode area and extracts a rectangular area surrounding the barcode.

(10): The left guard bar comparison unit 28 is registered in the pattern dictionary of the pattern dictionary storage unit 23 and the pattern of the area in which the black pattern and the white pattern alternately appear at the request of the bar code determination unit 26. It is to compare with the pattern of the left guard bar.

(11): The center bar comparison unit 29 is requested by the bar code determination unit 26 to register the pattern of the area where the black pattern and the white pattern appear alternately and the pattern dictionary of the pattern dictionary storage unit 23. It is to compare with the pattern of the center bar.

(12): The light guard bar comparison unit 30 is registered in the pattern dictionary of the pattern dictionary storage unit 23 and the pattern of the area in which the black pattern and the white pattern alternately appear at the request of the bar code determination unit 26. This is to compare with the pattern of the light guard bar that is present.

(13): The barcode area comparison unit 31 compares the barcode rectangular area extracted by the barcode rectangular area search unit 27 with the position information in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24 to obtain a barcode rectangular area. This is to determine whether the barcode rectangular area extracted by the range searching unit 27 has already been extracted or has been newly extracted.

If the barcode area comparison unit 31 determines that the barcode rectangular area has already been extracted, the barcode rectangular area search unit 27 discards the barcode rectangular area, When it is determined that the barcode rectangular area is newly extracted, a process of registering as a new barcode rectangular area is performed.

§2: Description of Process Outline--See FIG. 3 FIG. 3 is a process outline flowchart of the embodiment. Less than,
The processing outline of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Note that S
1 to S8 indicate processing steps.

First, it is assumed that the form image data (binary image data) read by the image reading unit 20 is stored in the image memory 21. In this state, the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 sets the image memory 21
Scans the form image data stored in the main scanning direction (horizontal direction), and the black pattern (for example, 1 information) and the white pattern (for example, 0 information) in the extraction window are spaced within a preset threshold value. It is assumed that a range that appears alternately at (1) is a barcode area (as a temporary barcode area) and is extracted and stored in RAM 32 (S1).

Next, in order to determine whether the extracted temporary bar code area in the RAM 32 is really a bar code, the bar code determining section 26 adds a bar code-specific left guard bar and center bar to the temporary bar code area. , It is determined whether a light guard bar exists (S
2).

In this case, the bar code judging section 26 instructs the left guard bar comparing section 28, the center bar comparing section 29 and the right guard bar comparing section 30 to extract the pattern information of the temporary bar code area and the pattern dictionary storing section. The comparison request with the pattern information in the pattern dictionary stored in 23 is requested.

Then, the bar code judging section 26, based on the information of the comparison result from the left guard bar comparing section 28, the center bar comparing section 29, and the right guard bar comparing section 30, sets the bar code in the extracted temporary bar code area. It is determined whether or not the code-specific left guard bar, center bar, and right guard bar are present.

As a result, if a left guard bar, a center bar and a right guard bar exist in the extracted temporary bar code area, it is determined that the area is a true bar code area and the area is extracted. However, in the extracted temporary barcode area, the left guard bar, the center bar,
If the light guard bar does not exist, it is determined that the area is not a barcode and the area is discarded.

Next, in the processing of S2, when it is determined that the temporary barcode area is the true barcode area, the barcode rectangular range searching unit 27 searches the range of the barcode and encloses the barcode. Rectangular area (bar code rectangular area)
Position (coordinates) is determined, the barcode rectangular area is extracted and stored in the RAM 32 (S3).

In this case, if it is a true barcode area,
Since the black bar extends in the sub-scanning direction (longitudinal direction), the center of the area determined to be the bar code is vertically scanned (searched) and the position where the vertical bar of the bar code is interrupted is defined as the range in the sub-scanning direction. Determine the barcode rectangular area (coordinates of the rectangular position).

After that, since the image data on the entire surface of the form is scanned in detail, the same bar code may be extracted many times. In order to prevent this, the bar code area comparison unit 31 uses the bar code rectangular area position information in the RAM 32 and the bar code position coordinate storage unit 2.
By comparing the position information (coordinate information) within 4, it is determined whether the newly extracted barcode rectangular area overlaps the already extracted barcode (S4).

As a result, if they are not overlapped and are newly extracted, the barcode area comparison unit 31
Newly registers the position information (coordinate information) of the newly extracted barcode rectangular area in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24 (S5). However, if it overlaps with the already-extracted barcode rectangular area, the already-extracted barcode area is left and the newly-extracted barcode area is discarded (S6).

As described above, the search line is advanced in the sub-scanning direction (S8) until the entire surface of the form is searched (S7), and the process from S1 is repeated. Then, when the entire surface of the form is searched, the processing ends. As described above, the barcode rectangular area can be automatically extracted from the image data of the form.

The barcode rectangular area extracted as described above is then subjected to recognition processing (recognition of barcode information) by an existing barcode recognition device. §3: Description of bar code extraction processing by specific example ... See FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a form, and FIG. 5 is a process explanatory diagram (part 1) of the embodiment, FIG. [FIG. 6] is a process explanatory diagram (2) of the embodiment. The processing of the embodiment according to the concrete example will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As an example of the form read by the image reading section 20, there is a form example as shown in FIG. This form example is a form used for payment of electric charges out of public charges, and bar codes 34 are provided at a plurality of places.

Such a form is read by the image reading unit 20, the image data input at that time is converted into binary image data (binary image data) and stored in the image memory 21, and then the image memory 21. Scan the image data in and extract the barcode.

In this case, the point P, which is the first position (storage start address) of the image data storage area in the image memory 21, is set to the origin (X, Y = 0, 0) of the XY coordinates. Then, scanning is performed with the X-axis direction (horizontal direction) of the XY coordinates as the main scanning direction and the Y-axis direction (vertical direction) as the sub-scanning direction.

In the case of performing the scan, the scan in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) is started from the illustrated Y ₁ line, and then the scan is performed sequentially while advancing the scanning line in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction). After that, it moves through the Y _e line and further to the Y _h line, and finally scans the Y _n line and finishes all the scans. The scan start point in the main scanning direction is X ₀ , and the scan end point is X _m .

Specific processing will be described below. First, in the OCR device 7, the image reading unit 20 reads the form, inputs the form image data and converts it to binary image data, and then the image data (2
(Value image data) is expanded in the image memory 21.

Next, the black / white pattern extraction section 25 is operated as shown in FIG.
An extraction window WD (for example, vertical 1 × horizontal 24 pixels) as shown in FIG. 4 is set, and the extraction window WD is scanned in the main scanning direction (X axis direction) of the Y ₁ line in FIG. A pattern (complex pattern area) in which black (1 information) and white (0 information) appear alternately is searched.

In the example of the above-mentioned form, since the above-mentioned pattern does not exist in the Y ₁ line, the extraction window WD is set at the beginning of the next line and scanning is similarly performed.
In this way, for example, the case where the Y _e line is scanned will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the point where the black / white pattern appears alternately is the bar code start point SP, and the point where the black / white pattern disappears in the extraction window WD is the bar code end point EP. Each X coordinate is extracted as a barcode area candidate (temporary barcode area).

Here, in order to confirm whether or not the extracted temporary bar code area (area in which black / white patterns alternately appear) is really a bar code area, the bar code determination unit 26 uses the extracted temporary bar code. A left guard bar peculiar to a bar code (bar code start information = 101 as in FIG. 6), a right guard bar (bar code end information = 101 as in FIG. 6), and a center bar (FIG. 6) are unique in the code area.
It is determined whether or not there is the central information of the bar code = 01010).

By the way, the left guard bar, the center bar, and the right guard bar are constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the left guard bar (or the start bar) is provided on the side of the bar code start point SP (on the left side) and is composed of a pattern in which black bars and white bars are alternately arranged, and the bar code start information is "101". It is a pattern in which information of is set.

The center bar is provided at the center position of the bar code, and is composed of a pattern in which black bars and white bars are alternately arranged.
This is a pattern in which information "0" is set. The light guard bar (or end bar) is a bar code end point EP.
The pattern is provided on the side (right side), and is configured by a pattern in which black bars and white bars are alternately arranged, and "101" is set as the end position information of the barcode.

As described above, the left guard bar (information of 101), the right guard bar (information of 101), and the center bar (01010) are included in the extracted temporary bar code area.
If it does not exist, it is judged that the extracted temporary barcode area is not the barcode area.

In this case, the extraction window WD is further advanced in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) to extract an area where the next black pattern and white pattern appear alternately. When the main scanning direction is the end point of the X coordinate by performing the processing as described above, the extraction window WD is set at the beginning in the next sub scanning direction (Y axis direction) and the search is performed in the same manner.

Similarly, when the Y _h line is scanned, it becomes as follows. As shown in FIG. 6, the point at which black / white patterns start to appear alternately is the bar code start point SP, and the point at which the black / white pattern disappears in the extraction window WD is the bar code end point EP. Each X coordinate is extracted as a code area (bar code area candidate).

As described above, the bar code determining section 26 determines whether the extracted temporary bar code area is really bar code information. As a result, if it can be determined that it is the barcode area, even if there is dust information before this left guard bar and dust information after this right guard bar, the start point SP of the barcode will be the coordinates of the left guard bar. Then, the dust information can be removed by setting the bar code end point EP to the coordinates of the light guard bar.

Next, the extraction window WD is set at the midpoint between the bar code start point SP and the bar code end point EP, and the extraction window WD is moved in the upper sub-scanning direction UD, and the vertical bar of the bar code is cut off. The UE is the upper end of the barcode rectangular area. Next, the extraction window WD is moved in the lower sub-scanning direction LD, and similarly, the position LE at which the vertical bar of the barcode is interrupted is set as the lower end of the barcode rectangular area.

By the above processing, the position information in which the first bar code exists can be extracted as the rectangular area of the start point, the end point of the X coordinate, the start point of the Y coordinate, and the end point. The code rectangle position information (bar code rectangle area) is temporarily stored in the RAM 32.

Subsequently, the extraction window WD is further advanced in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) from the position extracted in the above processing, and the next bar code information is similarly extracted. Here, since the scanning is sequentially performed in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction), it is conceivable that the same bar code information is extracted twice.

In order to prevent this, newly extracted RA
The barcode rectangular area (position information) in M32 is compared with the information in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24. By this process, if the newly extracted barcode rectangular area overlaps with the already extracted barcode rectangular area, the newly extracted barcode rectangular area is discarded. The barcode rectangular area (barcode position information) is newly registered in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24.

In this way, all the barcode rectangular areas (barcode position information) are extracted by sequentially scanning to the last line (Y _n line) of the form image.
As described above, by scanning the input image data (binary information), only the true barcode can be automatically extracted from the image data. Therefore, for example, if you bring a bill for printing utility bills such as electricity bills, telephone bills, etc., on which a barcode has been printed, to a bank, etc. Can be automatically extracted.

Therefore, if the existing bar code recognition device recognizes the bar code based on the information of the rectangular area of the bar code extracted by the bar code extraction device, payment of public utility charges using the bar code is possible. It can be done automatically and easily.

§4: Detailed Explanation of Bar Code Extraction Processing by Flowchart--Refer to FIGS. 7 to 9 FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart (part 1) of the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a processing flowchart (part 2) of the embodiment. 9 is a processing flowchart (part 3) of the embodiment. Below, FIG.
The processing of the embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. Note that S11 to S34 indicate processing steps.

First, in the OCR device 7, the image reading unit 20 reads a form (see FIG. 4) with a scanner (S1).
1) After converting the form image data into binary image data (binary image data), the image memory 2
It is stored in 1 (S12).

Thereafter, the black / white pattern extracting section 25 scans the image data (binary image data) in the image memory 21 to extract the black / white pattern. In this process, an extraction window WD (see FIG. 5) is prepared,
The image memory 21 is scanned in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) to search for an area in which black patterns (1 information) and white patterns (0 information) appear alternately.

First, the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 advances the extraction window (extraction window) WD by one in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) (S13). Then, it is determined whether or not all the scanning has been performed in the main scanning direction (S14), and if all have not been scanned, whether or not there is a black pattern (1 information) and a white pattern (0 information) in the extraction window WD. Is determined (S15).

As a result, if there is no black pattern and white pattern information, the process is repeated from S13. However, if there is information on the black pattern and the white pattern in the processing of S15, the position is temporarily stored in the RAM 32 as the start point of the barcode area (S16).

Then, the extraction window WD is advanced by one in the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) of the image memory 21 (S17), and the black pattern (1 information) and the white pattern information (0 information) in the extraction window WD. It is determined whether or not there is (S18).

As a result, if there is a black pattern (1 information) and white pattern information (0 information), the process is repeated from S17. If there is no black pattern (1 information) and white pattern information (0 information), the position is stored in the RAM 32 as the end point of the barcode area (S1).
9).

On the other hand, in the process of S14, when all scanning is performed in the main scanning direction, the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 advances the line to be searched in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction) to the search position in the main scanning direction. Is returned to the starting point X ₀ (S20). Then, it is determined whether or not the entire surface of the form has been searched (S2
1) After searching the entire surface of the form, the process ends. However, if the entire surface of the form has not been searched, the process is repeated from S13.

As described above, when the form is searched and the black / white pattern extraction unit 25 extracts the temporary barcode area in which the black pattern and the white pattern appear alternately, the temporary barcode area is stored in the RAM 32. Then, the barcode determination unit 26 determines whether the extracted temporary barcode area is a true barcode area.

In this processing, the bar code judging section 26
The left guard bar comparison unit 28 is requested to compare the left guard bars, the center bar comparison unit 29 is requested to compare the center bars, and the right guard bar comparison unit 30 is requested to compare the right guard bars. Then, it is determined whether or not the extracted temporary barcode area is a true barcode area based on the comparison result of each comparison unit.

In this case, the bar code judging section 26 first judges whether or not the extracted temporary bar code area has a left guard bar (S22), and if there is no left guard bar, the temporary bar code area becomes true. Since it is not in the barcode area of No. 3, the information (coordinates) of the start point and the end point of the temporary barcode stored in the RAM 32 is cleared and the process is repeated from S13.

If it is determined in the processing of S22 that there is a left guard bar, there is a possibility of a barcode, so it is determined whether or not there is a center bar in the extracted temporary barcode area (S23). . As a result, if there is no center bar, the temporary bar code area is not a true bar code area. Therefore, the information (coordinates) of the start point and the end point of the temporary bar code area stored in the RAM 32 is cleared and the step S13 is performed. Repeat from processing.

Further, if there is a center bar in the temporary bar code area extracted in the process of S23, there is a possibility of a bar code, so it is determined whether or not there is a light guard bar in the extracted temporary bar code area. (S24). as a result,
If there is no light guard bar in the extracted temporary barcode area, the temporary barcode area is not a true barcode area, so the information (coordinates) of the start and end points of the temporary barcode area stored in the RAM 32 is cleared. The process is repeated from S13.

However, in the processing of S24, if there is a light guard bar, it can be determined that the temporary barcode area is a true barcode area. Therefore, the barcode rectangular area search unit 27 searches the barcode rectangular area. I do.

In this process, the barcode rectangular range searching unit 27 first determines the barcode start point SP and the end point EP of the barcode determined by the barcode determination unit 26 as described above. The extraction window WD is placed in the vicinity of the center of and the search is performed in the upward direction (the upward direction of the barcode in the sub-scanning direction) (S26).

Then, it is judged whether or not the black dot of the vertical bar is interrupted (S27), and the extraction window WD near the center of the start point SP and the end point EP of the bar code until it is interrupted.
Is placed and a search is performed in the upward direction (upward direction of the barcode in the sub-scanning direction) (S26). When the black dots on the vertical bar are interrupted as described above, the upper end position of the bar code area is determined (S28).

Next, the barcode rectangular range searching unit 27
An extraction window WD is placed near the center of the bar code start point and end point, and a search is performed downward (downward in the sub-scanning direction) (S29).

Then, it is judged whether or not the black dots on the vertical bar are interrupted (S30), and the extraction window WD is placed near the center of the start point and the end point of the bar code until the black dots are interrupted.
A search is performed in the downward direction (downward in the barcode in the sub-scanning direction) (S29). When the black dots on the vertical bar are interrupted as described above, the lower end position of the barcode area is determined (S3).
1).

Thereafter, the barcode area comparison unit 31 determines whether the extracted barcode rectangular area and the already extracted barcode rectangular area overlap based on the position information of the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24. It is determined whether or not (S32). As a result, if they overlap, the already extracted barcode area remains and the newly extracted barcode area is discarded (S34). And the S1
The process from step 3 is repeated.

However, if it is determined in the process of S32 that the barcode areas are not overlapped, the newly extracted barcode area is newly stored in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 24. Register (S3
3). Then, the process is repeated from S13.

The barcode rectangular area (position coordinate information) extracted in the above processing is stored in the barcode position coordinate storage unit 2.
4, the barcode rectangular area (position coordinate information) is read in the subsequent processing, and the barcode recognition processing is performed.

(Other Embodiments) The embodiments have been described above, but the present invention can be implemented as follows. (1): In the above-described embodiment, the scanning in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction) has been described line by line, but using the characteristic that the vertical bar of the bar code information is long (at least 50 lines), for example, , Every 20 lines may be searched. In this case, the number of times of scanning is reduced, and the barcode can be extracted at higher speed.

(2): In the above embodiment, the scan start line in the sub-scanning direction (Y-axis direction) is searched from the beginning to the end of the form, but the position of the bar code printed on the form is Regularity (not at the top / bottom)
Therefore, the number of times of scanning can be reduced by narrowing the width in the sub-scanning direction for scanning, so that the barcode can be extracted at a higher speed.

(3): In the above embodiment, the vertical pixel of the extracted window is one pixel, but the bar code information has a plurality of vertical pixels of the extracted window by utilizing the feature that the black bar is long in the vertical direction. And A between vertical pixels in the extraction window
It is also possible to extract the barcode by taking the ND. In this case, it is possible to perform processing such that patterns other than the barcode characteristics are not extracted.

(4): The bar code extracting device may be realized by an OCR device, but may be realized by any other similar device. For example, an image scanner is connected to a computer such as a personal computer or a workstation, the form image data in which the form information is read by the image scanner is converted into binary data, and then stored in the image memory. Then, as in the above-described embodiment, the barcode may be extracted from the form image data in the image memory.

Further, as the image data, for example, image data input from a facsimile machine or the like can be similarly implemented.

[0114]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects. (1): Only the true barcode can be automatically extracted from the image data by scanning the input image data (binary information).

Therefore, for example, when a bill for printing utility bills such as electricity bills and telephone bills on which a barcode is printed is brought into a bank or the like, if the bills are read by an image scanner, the above-mentioned bills are read by the barcode extraction device. The barcode of can be automatically extracted.

Therefore, if the existing bar code recognition device recognizes the bar code based on the information of the bar code rectangular area extracted by the bar code extraction device, payment of public utility charges or the like using the bar code can be made. It can be done automatically and easily.

(2): Since the bar code can be automatically extracted from the image data, the bar code can be extracted without the need to create a conventional definition structure or the like and without requiring manual work. This makes it easier for the operator to operate.

(3): Since the true barcode rectangular area is extracted from the image data and the barcode is recognized from the extracted barcode rectangular area, the barcode recognition processing is not performed for the area that is not the barcode. Therefore, high-speed processing becomes possible compared with the case where the barcode is recognized at once from the entire surface of the image data.

In addition to the above effects, the following effects are obtained corresponding to each claim. (4): In claim 1, the entire area of the image data stored in the image memory is sequentially scanned to extract an area in which a black pattern and a white pattern appear alternately as a temporary barcode area, and the extracted temporary bar is extracted. It is provided with a barcode extraction unit that determines whether or not information unique to the barcode exists in the code area and extracts only the true barcode area.

Therefore, the true bar code can be automatically extracted from the image data by scanning the image data (binary information). For this reason, the barcode can be automatically extracted without creating a conventional definition body and requiring manual work, and the operator's operation becomes easy.

(5): In claim 2, the bar code extraction unit determines whether or not each information of the left guard bar, the center bar, and the right guard bar exists as information unique to the bar code in the extracted temporary bar code area. Then, only when the information of each bar is present, the temporary barcode area is extracted as the true barcode area. Therefore, only the true barcode area can be surely extracted from the temporary barcode area.

(6): In claim 3, the barcode extraction unit searches the rectangular range of the extracted true barcode area and determines the position of the rectangular area surrounding the barcode to determine the true barcode. The area is extracted as a barcode rectangular area.

Therefore, all the bar code information can be surely extracted by the position of the rectangular area surrounding the bar code, so that the subsequent bar code recognition processing can be surely performed. (7): In claim 4, the barcode extraction unit compares the newly extracted barcode rectangular area with the already extracted barcode rectangular area so that the same barcode is not registered twice, and both Only when they do not overlap, the newly extracted barcode rectangular area is registered as a new barcode rectangular area.

Therefore, double registration of the same bar code can be reliably prevented. Therefore, in the subsequent barcode recognition processing, it is not necessary to perform unnecessary barcode recognition processing, so that processing efficiency is improved.

(8): In claim 5, the image memory and the black / black
A white pattern extraction unit, a barcode determination unit, a barcode rectangular range search unit, and a barcode area comparison unit are provided. Therefore, a true barcode can be automatically extracted from the image data by scanning the image data (binary information). For this reason, the barcode can be automatically extracted without creating a conventional definition body and requiring manual work, and the operator's operation becomes easy.

(9): In claim 6, the image memory is a memory for storing binary image data obtained by converting image data of a form into binary data. Therefore, the true barcode can be automatically extracted from the form image data by scanning the form image data (binary information). For this reason, the barcode can be automatically extracted without creating a conventional definition body and requiring manual work, and the operator's operation becomes easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a device configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a processing outline of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a form in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a process explanatory diagram (1) of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a process explanatory diagram (2) of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart (part 1) of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a processing flowchart (2) of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a processing flowchart (part 3) of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a barcode recognition process by a conventional POS terminal device.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of barcode recognition processing by a conventional OCR device.

[Explanation of Codes] 20 Image Reading Section 21 Image Memory 22 Bar Code Extraction Section 23 Pattern Dictionary Storage Section 24 Bar Code Position Coordinate Storage Section 25 Black / White Pattern Extraction Section 26 Bar Code Judgment Section 27 Bar Code Rectangle Range Search Section 28 Left Guard bar comparison unit 29 Center bar comparison unit 30 Light guard bar comparison unit 31 Bar code area comparison unit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tomohiro Matsuhashi 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Hideyuki Inaoka 1015, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fujitsu Limited ( 72) Inventor Eiichi Watanabe 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Shunji Sakane, 1015, Uedotachu, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor, Satoshi Naoi Kanagawa 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki Prefecture, Japan Within Fujitsu Limited

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image memory for storing image data, and a black pattern and a white pattern alternately appear at intervals within a preset threshold value by sequentially scanning the entire area of the image data stored in the image memory. An area is extracted as a temporary bar code area, a bar code extraction unit is provided for extracting only a true bar code area by determining whether or not information unique to the bar code exists in the extracted temporary bar code area. A bar code extraction device characterized in that 2. The bar code extraction unit determines whether or not each information of a left guard bar, a center bar, and a right guard bar exists as bar code-specific information in the extracted temporary bar code area, The bar code extracting device according to claim 1, wherein the temporary bar code area is extracted as a true bar code area only when information is present. 3. The barcode extraction unit searches the rectangular range of the extracted true barcode area and determines the position of the rectangular area surrounding the barcode to determine the true barcode area as a barcode rectangular area. The bar code extracting device according to claim 1, wherein the bar code extracting device is a bar code extracting device. 4. The bar code extraction unit compares the newly extracted bar code rectangular area with an already extracted bar code rectangular area so that the same bar code is not registered twice, and the two are overlapped. 4. The bar code extracting device according to claim 3, wherein the newly extracted bar code rectangular area is registered as a new bar code rectangular area only when not. 5. An image memory for storing image data, and an entire area of the image data stored in the image memory is sequentially scanned to extract an area where a black pattern and a white pattern appear alternately as a temporary barcode area. A black / white pattern extracting unit, and a left guard bar, a center bar peculiar to the barcode in the temporary barcode area extracted by the black / white pattern extracting unit,
A bar code determination unit that determines whether or not a light guard bar exists, and extracts the area as a true bar code area only when each bar exists, and a true bar extracted by the bar code determination unit. A barcode rectangular range search unit for extracting a true barcode area as a barcode rectangular area by determining the position of the rectangular area surrounding the barcode by searching the rectangular area of the code area, and the barcode rectangular range search Section compares the newly extracted barcode rectangular area with the already extracted barcode rectangular area, and only when the two do not overlap, the newly extracted barcode rectangular area is set as the new barcode rectangular area. A bar code extraction device characterized by comprising a bar code area comparison unit for registration. 6. The bar code extracting device according to claim 1, wherein the image memory is a memory for storing binary image data obtained by converting image data of a form into binary data. .