JPS5836391B2 - optical character reader - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical character reading device that optically reads information such as characters, symbols, etc. by holding and moving a sheet of paper on which characters, symbols, etc. are written. .

As a simple means of automatically reading the characters on a price tag or inputting the characters written on a slip, etc. into a computer, hold the scanner in your hand and move it horizontally over the paper with the characters and symbols written on it. Hand scanners are used to identify symbols.

A hand scanner has a light source that illuminates a sheet of paper with characters and symbols written on it, an optical sensor that is arranged in one or two dimensions, and a lens system that forms an image of the light reflected from the sheet of paper onto the optical sensor. A binarization circuit converts output signals from a scanner and an optical sensor into binarized signals corresponding to character areas and background areas, and processes the binarized signals output from the binarization circuit to convert characters into characters. It consists of an identification unit that performs identification, and the scanner is held in hand and moved horizontally over a sheet of paper with characters or symbols written on it, and the output signal from the optical sensor is added to a binarization circuit to convert the characters into characters. A binary signal corresponding to an area and a background area is generated, and this binary signal is processed in an identification section to identify characters.

However, if the scanner extends beyond the edge of the paper and scans, there is a risk that the read information pattern will be used as the read information, so to prevent this, a wide blank area is created between the edges of the paper and the characters. It was necessary to scan with care so that the scanner did not protrude from the paper.

Therefore, the size of paper for price tags, etc. must be large, which is uneconomical, and the scanner must be used with great care, resulting in poor operability.

The present invention has been made to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical character reading device that does not output an erroneous identification signal and has excellent operability.

Examples will be described in detail below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a scanner, 2 is paper with characters written on it, 3 and 3' are light sources, 4 is a lens system,
5 is an optical sensor arranged in one or two dimensions, 6 is 2
digitization circuit, 7 is an identification section, 8 is a format check section,
9 is a power supply section.

Hold the scanner 1 in your hand, move it horizontally over the paper 2 on which characters are written, illuminate the paper 2 with the light sources 3 and 3', and transfer the information pattern onto the optical sensor 5 via the lens system 4. The image is formed, and the output signal from the optical sensor 5 is converted into a binary signal corresponding to the character area and the background area by the binarization circuit 6, and the signal is applied to the identification section 7.

The identification unit 7 processes the binary signal applied from the binarization circuit 6 to identify characters, and applies the identification signal to the format check unit 8, and scans the paper 2 with the scanner 1 extending beyond the edge thereof. In this case, the signal indicating the incorrectly read information pattern is determined to be unidentifiable and is output as an unidentifiable signal, which is sent to the format check section 8.

In addition, the identification unit 7 identifies one character and counts the time until the next character is identified, and when this time exceeds a certain time, it is assumed that one line has been read and the line is read. A signal indicating that the process has been completed is applied to the format check section 8.

, the format check section 8 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer and a memory for storing identification results, and its operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

When character reading starts, the format check section 8
First, the start address of the memory for storing the signal from the identification section 7 is set, and then a microcomputer program determines whether the signal from the identification section 7 is an identification signal or an unidentifiable signal.

Then, while the judgment result is an unidentifiable signal, the signal is not stored in the memory, and the identification unit 7
All signals from are stored in memory.

In other words, when an identification signal is obtained for the first time, the signal is stored in the first address of the memory set in advance, and each time a signal is obtained thereafter, the address of the memory is incremented by 1, and the signals from the identification unit 7 are sequentially stored in that address. It is something to do.

When a signal indicating that reading of one line has been completed is applied from the identification section 7, the signal is stopped being set in the memory, the memory address is returned by one, and the contents set in the memory are checked.

If the check result is an unidentifiable signal, move back one address and repeat the same operation. If the check result becomes an identification signal, the check result is first identified as an identification signal from the first address of the memory. Outputs the contents up to the new address.

For example, if scanner 1 continuously scans the first and second lines of paper 2, the unidentifiable signal is represented by "?", and the signal indicating that reading of one line has been completed is represented by rLFJ. The signal output from section 7 is r? T? ,ly2-3
T? ，? +LF,? ,3+2,l,? ，? ” and is added to the format check section 8.

The format check unit 8 removes unidentifiable signals indicated by "?" at both ends of one line and converts them into "1, 2, 3" and l'-
3.2, an identification signal indicating IJ is output.

If the number "2" on the first line is unclear and cannot be identified, the signal output from the identification section 7 will be "?,?,
1,? ,3,? ，? ,LF,? ，? ,3,2,1,?
，? ” and is added to the format check section 8.

The format check unit 8 operates according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
．． 2, outputs an identification signal indicating IJ.

As explained above, the present invention has an identification unit that identifies characters and outputs an identification signal, which outputs a signal indicating an information pattern that is erroneously read when the scanner is scanned beyond the edge of the paper. The structure is such that an unidentifiable signal is output as unidentifiable and added to the format check section, and the unidentifiable signal is removed in the format check section. There is no risk of processing the information pattern and outputting an incorrect character identification signal.

There is no risk of outputting an erroneous identification signal even if the paper is scanned beyond the edge of the paper, which improves operability, and the margin between the edge of the paper and the characters can be reduced, making it possible to efficiently write characters on the paper. It is also economical.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the format check section. 1 is a scanner, 2 is paper, 3, 3' is a light source, 4 is a lens system, 5 is an optical sensor, 6 is a binarization circuit, 7 is an identification unit, 8
9 is a format check section, and 9 is a power supply section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an optical character reading device that manually scans a scanner equipped with a light source that illuminates a sheet of paper and a photoelectric conversion element that inputs reflected light from the sheet and converts it into an electrical signal, the output signal of the photoelectric conversion element is a binarization circuit that binarizes the information, and an identification unit that identifies characters, symbols, etc. written on the paper based on the binary signal from the binarization circuit, and outputs an identification signal or an unidentifiable signal. , storage means for storing the identification signals or unidentifiable signals from the identification section in the order in which they are output from the identification section, and both ends of a series of character strings among the identification signals or unidentifiable signals stored in the storage means. 1. An optical character reading device comprising: a format check section that removes and outputs one or more consecutive unidentifiable signals.