JPS6083184A - Bar code reading method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read the digital information corresponding to the character information through a transparent bar code by printing said bar code by means of a fluorescent coating material which can excite the wavelength of the incident light and give the modulation of light wavelength. CONSTITUTION:For instance, the incident light is set at about 8,000Angstrom , a fluorescent coating material having a so-called light wave exciting and modulating function has reflection with the reflected light at about 9,500Angstrom . A transparent fluorescent bar code 8 printed with said coating material is printed on a printed price 20 of an article, i.e., the contents of the digital information on a bar code. If the light waves of about 8,000Angstrom is set to an LED5, the light of 8,000Angstrom passes through an optical path 2 of an optical fiber, etc. and is reflected by the code 8 to be turned into light waves of about 9,500Angstrom . This light wave of about 9,500Angstrom transmits through an optical filter 7 which transmits the light of about 9,500Angstrom through the path 3. The light wave transmitted through the filter 7 is converted into electric signals by a photodetecting element 6. Then the code 8 is read.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a method for reading barcodes, and in particular, the present invention relates to a method for reading barcodes, and in particular, a method for printing transparent barcodes and reading the barcodes! 1lt
- It was designed to be done.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, barcodes printed on printed materials are usually printed in black unless they are visible. Therefore, when printing barcodes on product packaging,
This required a large printing area.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional barcode and barcode league, and 1 in the figure is a black and white .(-) code.

This barcode 1 is electrically read by a light emitting element 5 (hereinafter referred to as LED) and a light receiving element 6 inside a barcode reader tip case 4.

That is, from the LED 5 through the optical path 2 of, for example, an optical fin, the reflected light of black and white from the barcode 1 is received by the light receiving element 6 via the optical path 3, where it is converted into an electrical signal. System of codes (not shown)
The signal is read by

Currently, the content of barcode 1 indicates the price of the product, 10 (243 yen), and is usually printed at a different position from p1 barcode 1 as shown in the figure. Therefore, as described above, the barcode 1 and the price 10 are printed on separate surfaces.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was developed in consideration of the above points, and the barcode itself is printed in an invisible area using fluorescent paint ink (hereinafter referred to as fluorescent paint) made of metal lead mixed with several impurities, for example, on products. To propose a barcode reading method that enables even if a picture or text is drawn on a package, a barcode can be placed on top of it using the fluorescent paint, and furthermore, the barcode is read.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the barcode reading method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment. In FIG. 2, parts that are the same as those in FIG. I will focus on this.

As is clear from comparing this Figure 2 with Figure 1,
In the figure, an optical filter 7 is newly added between the optical path 3 and the light receiving element 6 within the barcode reader tip case 4.

In addition, if the barcode is a transparent phosphor paint barcode (-code 8), the product price 20 (for example, , 243 yen) is printed.

In other words, if the incident light is, for example, about 8000 Å,
A transparent fluorescent paint barcode 8 printed with a fluorescent paint that has a so-called light wave excitation modulation effect and has the property of reflecting reflected light by approximately 9,500 people is the digital information content of the barcode, for example, the price of the product. It is printed on top of the 20 printed characters.

Here, if we assume that the LED 5t outputs the full light wave of about 8,000 people mentioned above, the light of 8,000λ passes through the optical path 2 such as an optical fiber, is reflected by the transparent phosphor paint barcode 8, and the light wave of about 9,500 people goes through the optical path 2 such as an optical fiber. Next, passing through optical path 3, 9500 Å
The light passes through an optical filter 7t, such as an infrared light filter IR90 type manufactured by Fuji Film Chemical Co., Ltd., and is converted into electricity (I) by the light receiving element 6, which enables the reading of transparent phosphor paint barcodes. Ru.

At this time, the amount of change in the reflected light of the black and white part of the product printed under the transparent barcode, for example, the price of 20, is determined by the LED 5.
Since the light wave is 8000 Å, the light of 8000 people passes through the optical path 3, but cannot pass through the optical filter 7 and does not reach the light receiving element 6.

This applies not only to letters, but also to pictures.

[Effects of the present invention]

As described above, according to the code reading method of the present invention, the code is printed and the bar code By applying light of a specific wavelength to the surface and receiving the modulated reflected light through an optical filter, it is possible to trace the visible text information with a code reader and superimpose it below or above it. It is possible to read the digital information that corresponds to the text information from the printed transparent barcode, and it has great effects, such as being applied to subsequent computer processing, and can be used as if it were character recognition in a document. is obtained.

In addition, we can provide printed matter that can be printed in multiple colors by making the barcode transparent and overlaying it above or below it, such as visible characters,
It is also possible to provide textbooks and barcode reader materials for learning machines, etc., with hint information printed on pictures and answer information printed on transparent barcodes.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional barcode and barcode reader, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the I-code and barcode league of the present invention (applied to an embodiment of the code reading method). 2.3... Optical path, 4... Barcode reader tip case, 5... Light emitting element, 6... Light receiving element, 7... Optical filter, 8... Barcode. Leader, 20...Product price. In addition, the same symbols in the diagram indicate the same or equivalent parts 0 Agent Masuo Oiwa

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first specific light wavelength is emitted onto a transparent barcode printed with a fluorescent paint that can modulate the light wavelength by exciting the light wavelength of incident light, and the modulated reflected light from the barcode is emitted into a second light wavelength. A barcode reading method characterized by extracting only light waves of a specific wavelength using an optical filter, converting the light waves into electrical signals, and then reading the barcode.