JPS63293081A - Recording medium with multirecording bar codes - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the amount of data represented, by a factor of at least two, without changing a bar code notation, by multirecording bar codes in colors not interferring with each other at the time of reading, on the same recording surface of a recording material. CONSTITUTION:A bar code A is recorded in a blue ink A having a spectral reflection curve A, and a bar code B different from the bar code A in contents of record is superimposingly recorded thereon in a red ink B having a spectral reflection curve B, whereby a superimposed image of a blue bar code a and a red bar code B can be obtained. When the image is irradiated with white light and is scanned separatedly by two light-receiving elements fitted respectively with a red filter and a blue filter to decode the recorded data by a decoder, the multirecording can be decoded because the two colors do not interfere with each other. The non-interferring colors constituting the bar codes may be at least two colors which have different spectral absorption characteristics in a visible to near infrared region ranging from 400 nm to 1500 nm so that the difference therebetween can be detected in a wavelength band selected by a reader, for example, a set of red and bluish green, a set of yellow and bluish purple, or a set of red, yellowish green and bluish purple.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to recording media. More specifically, the present invention relates to a recording medium having a multi-recorded barcode in which a plurality of barcode information is added to a certain recording surface.

BACKGROUND ART Barcode symbol recording methods, which include barcodes composed of several parallel bars arranged within a fixed rectangular plane, are widely used in the fields of production management and logistics because of their ease of reading and high reliability. It's being used.

However, the amount of information that can be recorded with one set of barcode symbols is limited, so if you want to record an amount of information that exceeds this limit on a record carrier using barcodes, use two or more sets of barcode symbols. shall be given to the record carrier.

However, if two or more sets of barcode symbols have to be provided on the record carrier as described above,
The barcode symbol occupies a fairly large area on the record carrier, and depending on the record carrier, it may not be possible to secure such an area, and if it is a product, the design may not be considered. This is a serious obstacle.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention There is a need for a recording medium with a barcode that can record more information on as small a surface as possible without changing the conventional notation method.

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventor has conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result has arrived at the present invention. That is, the present invention provides a recording medium having parcodes recorded multiple times on the same recording surface of a record carrier in colors that do not interfere with each other during reading.

Barcode symbols are, for example, JAN, MW-7°N
A number of notation systems such as W-7HBX and GODI39 have been established, and the type and amount of information that can be recorded differs.

Furthermore, the area occupied and dimensions on the record carrier required for recording also differ. However, if one type of barcode system is adopted, the dimensions of the rectangular surface occupied by one barcode symbol within that system are constant. In conventional barcode systems, the amount of information that can be recorded on the barcode recording surface is also constant.

The information recorded in a barcode is obtained by a light-receiving element in a barcode reading device sensing the optical contrast between the dark-colored (usually black) and light-colored (usually white) parallel pars that make up the barcode. .

Through photoelectric conversion, it is converted into a digital electrical signal and read.

Therefore, if two or more barcodes with different information content are recorded on the same barcode recording surface, the images corresponding to each information content will overlap and the reading device will not be able to decipher even a single piece of information. It loses its color.

By the way, now, barcode A is recorded on one barcode recording surface of the record carrier using blue ink A having a spectral reflection curve as shown in FIG. If barcode B, which has a different recording content than barcode A, is recorded using red ink B, which has a spectral reflection curve as shown in B, the result will be an overlapping image of blue barcode A and red barcode B. can get.

When such an image is irradiated with white light, and this image is scanned separately by two light receiving elements with red and blue filters applied and decoded by a decoder, the reading device with the red filter will detect the red color. Since it cannot sense the contrast of barcodes, it senses and decodes only barcode A (blue) records, and a reading device with a blue filter senses and decodes only barcode B (red) records.

In this case, the colors of ink A and ink B, which have the spectral characteristics shown by A and B in FIG. By not interfering with the process, it became possible to decipher multiple records. In the present invention, what are the colors that do not interfere with each other during reading?

visible light and near-infrared light region i.e. from 400 nm to 1
It refers to two or more colors that have different spectral absorption characteristics within a range of 500 nm, and a reading device senses the difference in the selected wavelength band. Any combination of colors may be used as long as the reading device can distinguish between the combinations. In terms of ease of identification by the reader, it is best to use color combinations with separate optical absorption bands as much as possible, such as red and dorsal edge, yellow and dorsal violet, red, yellow-green, and blue-violet.

etc. are appropriate. In addition, near-infrared absorbing substances such as aluminum naphthalocyanine and chloride (maximum reflection s
ssnm, maximum absorption 780n! 11), 4 or a substance as shown in the following formula (1) (maximum reflection 720 nm
, maximum absorption 820 nm) as a coloring material, and an ink using a coloring material that absorbs in the visible light region and does not absorb in the near-infrared region can also be combined.

A reading device can also identify colors using an appropriate filter as in the example above, but for example, a light source that emits light in a limited wavelength band, such as a light emitting diode or laser, or a filter that emits light in a limited wavelength band can identify colors. The light reflected from the barcode may be read by a reading device with or without a filter using a light source with a limited number of barcodes. In this case, the light source must be such that the wavelength band of the emitted light at least partially overlaps with the absorption wavelength band of the dye of the ink used for printing the barcode and does not interfere with each other.

Considering that characters other than the barcode included in a barcode symbol can be read with the naked eye, it is necessary to
It is preferable to display the information in stages.

The proposed barcode can be applied to the record carrier using conventional printing techniques, such as letterpress, intaglio, lithography, board printing such as screen printing, and typewriter.

In addition to printing using a selective printing mechanism such as a barcode printer, it is also possible to print a label or the like in advance and affix it to the record carrier.

EXAMPLES The recording medium of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of examples.

Example 1 Blue pigment A (CROMOPHTAL BLUE 4G
, C from A-GE (manufactured by E-GY Co., Ltd.) and red pigment B
Thermal transfer inks A and B were prepared by dispersing 5 parts each of CROMOPHTAL 5CARLETR, C from A-GEjY Co., Ltd. in 95 parts of an 8-part 2-part mixture of paraffin wax and polyethylene vinyl acetate.

The spectral reflection characteristics of each ink are shown in FIG.

Next, each of these was coated to a thickness of about 4 μm on a polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 μm. Using these as ink sheets and using a thermal transfer barcode label printer, JAN codes each containing different numerical information were printed at the same position on the barcode label.

A recording medium with a multi-recorded barcode was obtained.

When this multi-recorded barcode is irradiated with white light and read with a barcode reader through a red filter (Ratuten 24), the information recorded with ink A is obtained, and the information recorded with ink A is obtained using a blue filter (Ratuten 439) and an infrared continuous filter (Toshiba Kogyo RQ). 60) with a barcode reader, the information recorded with ink B was obtained.

5 parts, Oyohi Red Pigment D (CROMOPHTAL P
Inks C and D were prepared by dispersing 5 parts of ERMANENTP (manufactured by A-GK GY) in 95 parts of linseed oil.

The spectral reflection characteristics of each ink are shown in FIG.

Ink C had maximum absorption at 780 nm and maximum reflection at 555 nm, and Ink D had maximum absorption at 555 nm, with no substantial absorption observed at wavelengths longer than 700 nIn.

Using inks C and D, MW-7 codes containing different information were overprinted at the same position on art paper using a stencil printing method to obtain a recording medium having multiple recording (-) codes.

This multiplexed barcode is each 750 nm LE
Reflected light detector (1) with D light source, L of 555 nm
When scanned by a reflected light detector (2) having an ED light source and decoded by a decoder, the information printed with ink C is 0 from the decoder connected to the reflected light detector (1).Reflected light detector (2) Information printed in ink D was obtained from a decoder connected to the ink.

Effects of the Invention A recording medium provided with a barcode containing twice or more information within the exclusive range of the conventional barcode without changing the conventional /(- code notation system) was obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 show examples of reflectance curves for example combinations of dyes (dyes, pigments) that can be used to prepare the recording medium of the present invention. In Figure 1 or Figure 2, A: Chromophtal Blue 4GB
: Cromopht, al 5carlet RC
+ Aluminum naphthalocyanine chloride D
: Chromophthal Permanent
The reflectance curve of Pink E is shown.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording medium that has a barcode recorded on the same recording surface of the record carrier in multiple colors that do not interfere with each other during reading.