JP2002032809A - Time recorder device and time card - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] It is not necessary to print a machine-readable identifier or personal information on a time card in a separate process, and personal identification can be performed by simply using a time card made by ordinary printing as it is. Provided are a time clock device and a time card configured to make information readable by a machine. SOLUTION: An image sensor 5 'picks up an image of a card surface of a predetermined area TX of a time card TC, and stores digital image data obtained by image-processing the imaged data in a memory 6 of each individual as identification information of each employee.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a time clock device and a time card used in the time clock device, and more particularly to a time clock device having a function of identifying an individual employee by a relatively simple method. It concerns devices and time cards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a conventional time recorder disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-31592, a time card on which a machine-readable identifier (a code or the like) is printed is used, and the time card is inserted into the time clock. Therefore, the employee ID and other personal information stored in advance in the memory of the time clock are stored in the memory in association with the above-mentioned identifier, and the name of the card user is printed on the time card. Describes how to create a time card for each person.

In the time recorder described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-44408, personal information stored in a storage device is called by inserting a time card and keying in the employee number of each person. A card creation method for printing this personal information on a time card in a machine readable state and a visible state is described.

[0004]

When the time card created by each of the above methods is inserted into a time recorder, the identifier or personal information printed on the time card is read and the individual is specified. The time and attendance information such as the current time is stored in the memory of the specified individual. However, according to this method, the identifier and the personal information must be printed for each time card. Complicated man-hours are required, and in addition, the print ribbon for printing is consumed, which has become a heavy burden in producing a large number of time cards.

Accordingly, the technical problem of the present invention is that there is no need to print a machine-readable identifier or personal information on a time card in a separate step, and only use a time card made by ordinary printing as it is. Another object of the present invention is to provide a time clock device configured so that personal identification information can be read by a machine.

Another technical object of the present invention is to provide a time card suitable for use in the above-mentioned time clock device.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems (1) In order to solve the above technical problem, according to the present invention, as described in claim 1, the identification information of the employee is read from the inserted time card, A time recorder device configured to store the time and attendance information in the memory of the read employee and print the time and attendance information on the time card, wherein the time card is used as identification information for identifying the employee. Of the card surface, and digital image data of the card surface obtained by digitizing the captured image data.

(2) According to the present invention, as described in claim 2, paper fibers, impurities, shading of printing ink, etc., present in image data obtained by imaging a predetermined area of a card surface of a time card. The edge emphasis processing is performed, the edge length, angle, and coordinates of those edges are extracted, and the digital image data is stored in the memory of the employee as the identification information of the employee.

(3) In the present invention, as described in claim 3, a card surface image pickup means for picking up an image of a predetermined area of a card surface of a time card to be inserted, and image data of the picked up card surface Means for digitizing the digital image data and storing the digital image data in a memory in association with the personal information of each input employee; digital image data in a predetermined area of the card imaged by the card surface imaging means; Comparing with the digital image data already stored in the memory, and when there is a matching image data, a time and attendance information storage means for storing time and attendance information such as the current time in a personal memory of an employee related to the image data; And a printing means for printing the time and attendance information on the time card.

(4) Further, according to the present invention, when taking an image of a predetermined area of the time card, the predetermined area is magnified and imaged. .

(5) In the present invention, the digital image data for identification stored in the memory of each employee is stored in the memory of the employee according to the insertion of the time card. Each time the digital image data is read, it is updated in accordance with the reading of the digital image data.

(6) Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 6, the attendance and departure information of the employee is read from the inserted time card, and the attendance and departure information is stored in the read personal memory of the employee. A time card used in a time clock device configured to print time and attendance information on the time card, wherein a frame indicating an imaging area is provided at a predetermined position on the card surface where the fiber of paper appears on the surface, or A mark of a specific shape is printed, and image data obtained by capturing an image of the inside of the frame or the mark is used as identification information of the employee.

(7) Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 7, the imaging area provided on the card surface is an area for printing or writing an identification symbol, a mark, or the like printed on a specific area of the card. It is constituted so that it may become.

According to the means according to claim 1 described in the above (1), even if a time-reading identifier (for example, a symbol such as a bar code, a punch hole, or the like) is not provided for the time card, the human being can be read. The image data in the specified area on the different card surface is registered for each card in the same way as the fingerprint of each card, and this is used as an identifier for each employee, so the time card creation cost can be greatly reduced To

According to the means according to claim 2 described in the above (2), the fibers and the impurities mixed in the paper of the time card, the surface of the card, the density of the printing ink, etc. are different for each card, and are the same. Since the image data does not exist and the difference between the respective image data can be further clarified by performing the edge emphasis processing, the image data can be used reliably and without any trouble as the identification information of the employee. Make it possible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the time card can be created by associating the digital image data on the card surface with the personal information of each employee. Is inserted into the time clock to identify the employee (individual),
The time and attendance information of the employee can be stored in the memory of each person, and the time and attendance information can be printed out on the inserted time card.

According to the means of claim 4 described in the above (4), in order to take an image by enlarging the image pickup area of the time card, it is possible to clearly take an image of a fine structure such as fibers on the card surface,
This makes it possible to clearly distinguish the differences between the respective patterns.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, even when the time card becomes dirty due to use, the digital image data is updated and read every time the digital image data is read. This makes it possible to constantly maintain a change in pattern due to dirt or the like, and to eliminate problems such as reading errors or inability to read due to dirt or the like of the time card. .

According to the means of claim 6 described in the above (6), it is not necessary to print an employee's personal identifier as a time card, and it is sufficient to print a frame indicating an imaging area or a mark of a specific shape. Compared to printing individual employee identifiers one by one, the time card creation cost can be greatly reduced and the pattern is recognized as a pattern including a frame or mark printed on the card surface, It is possible to minimize reading errors caused by card feeding accuracy, a gap in a feeding guide, and the like.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the image pickup area provided on the card surface is replaced with an area for printing or writing various identification symbols, marks, etc., which are printed on the time card in advance. Thus, it is not necessary to print a frame, a mark, or the like indicating the area of the imaging area on the time card again, and the existing time card can be used as it is, thereby achieving economical efficiency.

[0021]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a time clock apparatus and a time card according to the present invention. FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, an unused time card for creating a card in which personal information (name, code number, affiliation, etc.) is not written in each print column, and TC 'has such information already written. The currently used time card TR that is inserted is a time clock device according to the present invention, and this time clock device TR includes a new time card TC.
Employee information calling means 4 for calling identification information such as the name and code number of an individual employee according to an input operation of a numeric keypad 4 '(FIG. 2) provided in the time clock device TR when an insertion is received. ing.

Further, the time recorder TR described above includes:
An imaging means 5 for enlarging and imaging a predetermined area (imaging area) of the new time card TC using an image sensor 5 '(FIG. 2) with an enlargement device, and an enlargement of the surface of the time card imaged by the image sensor 5'. Image processing means for processing an image; storage means for storing digital image data processed by the image processing means and the input identification information of the employee in the memory 6 (FIG. 2) in association with each other; The identification information such as the name, code number, affiliation, etc. of each employee is printed on the print column of the new time card
A time card creating means including a card print creating means for printing using (FIG. 2) is mounted.

The image processing means includes a signal conversion function of converting an image signal from an analog signal to a digital signal, a noise removing function of removing noise (noise) of a signal, and a paper removing function in the image area. It has an image enhancement processing function to perform edge enhancement processing such as shading of fibers, impurities, and printing ink, and endpoints and intersections, and a shading processing function to adjust the shading of an image to a constant level. , Angles, and coordinates, and stores the digitized data in the memory 6 together with the personal information of the employee.

Further, in FIG. 1, line L1 explains the flow of the above-mentioned time card creation means. In addition to the above-mentioned time card creation means, the time recorder TR of the present invention uses such a means. A time and attendance information recording unit for recording time and attendance information using the created time card TC 'is provided.

That is, the line indicated by the reference numeral L2 in the figure shows the flow of the time and attendance information recording means, and the time and attendance information recording means includes a time card T which is inserted.
The imaging means 5 for enlarging and imaging a predetermined area C ';
And the image processing means and the time card TC '
When the same pattern exists as a result of comparing both patterns with the digital image data obtained by imaging the predetermined area of the time card and the pattern of the digital image data of the time card TC stored in the memory 6, The time and attendance data storage means for storing time and attendance data such as the current time in the employee's personal memory 6 in which the pattern is stored, and the digital image data of the card surface stored in the memory 6 are newly acquired. An image data updating unit that replaces and updates the digital image data and an attendance data printing unit that prints out the attendance data such as the current time on a print column of the time card TC ′ using the printer 7.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the time clock device TR. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a control section mainly composed of a CPU. A card detector 2 for detecting the inserted time cards TC and TC ', a card transport device 3 which operates according to the card detection of the detector 2, a numeric keypad 4' for inputting personal information and the like, a time card TC and TC ′, An image sensor 5 ′ for capturing an image in a predetermined area, a storage unit storing a system program and a memory 6 having a storage unit for individual employees, and printing information of individual employees and printing of attendance data. A printer 7 and a clock device 8 are connected, and the memory 6 stores various programs for performing the respective units shown in FIG.
These components are controlled and operated according to a program in the memory 6 under the supervision of the control unit 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the image sensor 5 'is enlarging a predetermined area TX (image pickup area) formed on the card surface of the time cards TC and TC' being conveyed. In the figure, 5M indicates an image reading position (imaging position) on the card surface. Also,
FIG. 4 is a front view of the time card TC according to the present invention, partially broken away, in which TN is a printing column, TX is the above-described predetermined area formed on the card surface, and FIG. 5 is this predetermined area TX. 2 shows a captured image MA obtained by enlarging the inside.

The predetermined area TX on the card surface shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is surrounded by a square frame. Instead, the predetermined area TX is surrounded by a frame of another shape such as a triangle or a circle. A mark (including a line) of a specific shape may be provided, and the inside of the mark may be set as a predetermined area TX, and the selection is arbitrary.

FIG. 6 shows the time cards TC, T
This shows another embodiment of the predetermined area formed on the surface C '. In the drawing, XA, XB, XC are the same as those shown in FIG. 3 of JP-A-8-44916. In the same card closing date code column, any of these code columns XA, XB, XC may be used as the predetermined area TX, and in this manner, the existing code columns XA, XB, X
When the printing or entry area of C or other identification symbols or marks printed in advance on the time cards TC and TC 'is used as the above-mentioned predetermined area TX, the time area for the predetermined area TX is used. It is possible to save the cost of printing a frame, a mark or the like anew by eliminating the need to print it again.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts for explaining the procedure of the above-described operation processing of the present invention. In the card creation processing of steps S1 to S8 shown in FIG. 7, an unused time card is used. The point that a new time card TC is used, the step S1 calls for employee information using the numeric keypad 4 'of the time recorder TR, and the step S3 is that the image sensor 5' is connected to a predetermined area TX of the card.
In the image processing in step S4, an analog signal is converted into a digital signal, noise is removed, image enhancement processing for clarifying an end point, an intersection, and the like is performed. Is performed as described above.

Steps S10 to S1 shown in FIG.
8, the time card TC 'created as the time card in the processing procedure shown in FIG.
Is used, the image processing in step S12 is the same as that in step S4 in FIG. 7, and the result of the pattern matching in step S13 is that if there is a matching pattern, then in step S15 the attendance and departure such as the current time Each time the data is stored in the memory 6 of the employee who has a matching pattern, and every time the attendance data is stored in the memory 6, the image data stored in the memory 6 is newly imaged in step S18. The point of updating the image data by replacing the image data is as described above.

[0032]

As described above, the time clock device and the time card according to the present invention capture an image of a predetermined area of the time card, and detect paper fibers, impurities, printing ink density, etc. in the image data. The edge length, angle, and coordinates of those edges are extracted, and the digitized data is used as identification information for each card, that is, as identification information for individual employees. There is no need to print machine-readable identifiers or personally identifiable information, thus making it very easy to create timecards.
In addition, the digital imaging data in a predetermined area stored in the memory is updated every time the time and attendance data is recorded, so that it is possible to cope with the contamination of the time card and the like. In conjunction with the points, it is completely revolutionary as a time clock device and time card,
And it is useful.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the entirety of a time clock device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a time clock device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an image sensor part which is a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway surface view showing an example of a time card according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a predetermined area on the card surface.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway surface view showing another example of the time card according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when creating a time card.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when recording time and attendance data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 TR Time recorder TC, TC 'Time card TX Predetermined area (imaging area) 1 Control unit 4' Numeric keypad 5 'Image sensor 6 Memory 7 Printer

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A system in which personal identification information of an employee is read from the inserted time card, time and attendance information is stored in a memory of the read individual employee, and time and attendance information is printed on the time card. A time recorder device, wherein as the identification information for identifying the employee, an image of a predetermined area of the card surface of the time card is taken, and digital image data of the card surface obtained by digitizing the taken image data is used. Characteristic time clock device. 2. A paper fiber, an impurity, or the like present in image data obtained by imaging a predetermined area on a card surface of a time card.
Edge emphasis processing is performed on the density of the printing ink, and the edge length, angle, and coordinates of those edges are extracted, and the digital image data is stored in the memory of the employee as the identification information of the employee. The time clock device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A card surface image pickup means for picking up an image of a predetermined area of a card surface of a time card to be inserted, digitizing image data of the picked up card surface, and inputting the digital image data to each employee who has input the digital image data. A time card creating means for storing in the memory in association with personal information, a digital image data in a predetermined area of the card imaged by the card surface imaging means, and a comparison between the digital image data already stored in the memory. When there is matching image data, time and attendance information storage means for storing time and attendance information such as the current time in an employee's personal memory related to the image data, and printing for printing the time and attendance information on the time card 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Or the time clock device according to 2. 4. The time recorder device according to claim 1, wherein, when an image of a predetermined area of the time card is taken, a portion of the predetermined area is taken in an enlarged manner. 5. The digital image data for identification stored in the memory of each employee is updated in accordance with the reading of the digital image data each time the time and attendance information is stored in the memory of the individual according to the insertion of the time card. 5. The time clock device according to claim 1, wherein the time clock device is configured as follows. 6. The time and attendance information of an individual employee is read from the inserted time card, the time and attendance information is stored in the read personal memory of the employee, and the time and attendance information is printed on the time card. A time card used in the configured time clock device, wherein a predetermined portion of the card surface where paper fiber appears on the surface,
A time card, wherein a frame indicating an imaging area or a mark of a specific shape is printed, and image data obtained by imaging the inside of the frame or the mark is used as personal identification information of an employee. 7. The time card according to claim 6, wherein the imaging area provided on the card surface is an area for printing or writing an identification symbol or a mark printed on a specific area of the card.