JP2718240B2 - Reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] A reading device that validates combined data when a position interval at which each block of a barcode is read is equal to or less than a predetermined value. A scanning unit that scans a barcode written on a moving article by a scanning beam, and reads each barcode of the barcode. Distance measuring means for measuring the distance between the set positions, and knitting means for knitting a series of barcode data from the data for each block read by the reading means, wherein the distance measured by the distance measuring means is a predetermined value. When the distance is exceeded, knitting of the data read by block by knitting means is prohibited, and when the distance is within a predetermined distance Only, a series of barcode data is knitted by knitting means.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a reading apparatus that divides a barcode into a plurality of blocks and reads and combines each data. Particularly, when the position interval at which each block of the barcode is read is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the combined data is valid. It relates to a reading device.

In recent years, with the spread of computer network systems, point-of-sale (POS) systems have been widely adopted in department stores and supermarkets, and electronic registers and reading devices have been used as terminals of POS systems. I have.

These terminals are installed in a payment counter, operated by an operator such as a clerk, and a barcode printed on a label of a product is read by a scanner of a reading device. The bar code contains the product number, product name, price, etc., and the read bar code is sent to an electronic register, registered, and processed for transaction. The electronic register and the reading device transmit the classification and sales information of the transaction data by product to the computer center one by one in addition to the transaction processing. It is a data input device.

In such a reading device, accurate reading is required in order not to lower service to a customer due to a reading error or the like and to hinder the efficiency of the POS system.

A barcode generally used in the distribution industry is divided into a plurality of blocks, and a method of separately reading and synthesizing the data into a series of barcode data is used. Therefore, it is necessary to verify that the separately read block is a part of a series of barcode data.

[Conventional technology]

The perspective view and side view of FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a stationary reading device (hereinafter, referred to as a scanner) used in the POS system. As shown in FIG. The optical unit 3 includes an optical unit 3 and a recognition unit 4. The optical unit 3 includes a light source 30 configured by a laser diode, for example.
The light emitted from the emission unit 32 including the lens 31 for beam shaping is reflected by the plane mirrors 33a and 33b, emits a scanning beam by the rotating polygon mirror 34, and is reflected by the scanning pattern forming mirrors 35a to 35f. A beam scanning function for scanning the bar code 10a of the product 1a from the reading window 36 with the scanning beams in different angular directions, and condensing the reflected light obtained by scanning the bar code 10a of the product 1a with the condensing lens 37 through the polygon mirror 34. Then, it has a light receiving conversion function of reading by the light receiving sensor 38 and converting it into an electric signal.

The polygon mirror 34 has six reflecting surfaces, for example, and performs six scans in one rotation, and each surface is provided with a different angle with respect to the vertical direction, and emits a scanning beam. The polygon mirror 34 is rotated by a motor M1, the motor M1 and the light source 30 are connected to the control unit 5, and the light receiving sensor 38 is connected to the control unit 5 via the recognition unit 4.

The recognizing unit 4 converts the electric signal read and converted by the light receiving sensor 38 into an analog / digital (A /
D) Recognize as a bar code signal via a converter and demodulator. The optical unit 3, the recognition unit 4, and the control unit 5 are housed in a housing 6.

The control unit 5 is connected to an electronic register (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 6, the bar code 10a is composed of a combination of a thick line and a thin line, and the size of the interval between them. Etc. are printed. The barcode 10a generally used in the distribution industry is divided into a plurality of blocks, for example, two blocks a and b before and after. The separately read data is organized into a series of data and read as the barcode 10a read data. I have. This is because the bar code 10a can be read even when the angle at which the bar code 10a is scanned becomes oblique, and the reading rate is increased.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the scanner 2a emits a scanning beam from the reading window 36 under the control of each unit by the control unit 5, and the product 1a passes through the reading space in the direction of the reading window 36. The bar code 10a is scanned, and the bar code 10a is read by the reflected light to recognize the data.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a knitting process of read data for each block in the control unit 5, and FIG.
6 is a main control unit, 7 is a timer, 70 is a time setting unit, 8a and 8b are buffers, and 9a is a data organization unit.

Therefore, the main control unit 6 includes blocks before and after the barcode 10a.
The read data items a and b are organized into a series of read data items. That is, the timer 7 counts and sets the time from when the data of one block a is recognized by the recognition unit 4 to the buffer 8a and when the data of the other block b is recognized and stored in the buffer 8b. If the time is within the time, the data is organized by the data organization unit 9a as block data of the same product 1a.

In this way, the reading operation of the operator is performed for one product.
After reading the block a of the bar code 10a of the first product 1a, the bar code 10a is read with the next product 1a in a short time, so that a reading error is prevented. The time required to read the block b of the bar code 10a of 1a and the operator
In this case, it is determined that there is no error, and the knitting data is valid.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

According to the above-described conventional method, when two barcodes are present in a reading space and are read within a predetermined time, both blocks may be erroneously combined. For example, when the operator holds a product in each of the right and left hands and enters the reading space back and forth, the scanning beam is scanned in a plurality of directions, so that the preceding bar code block a is read, and the bar code block a is read. If a subsequent bar code within a predetermined time is considerably separated before the b is read, if it comes within the scanning area of the scanning beam and is read, it is organized as a series of bar codes and becomes effective, and There is a problem that a code reading error occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a reading apparatus capable of preventing a reading error in which block data of a barcode of a subsequent article is taken.

[Means for solving the problem]

 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is an article, 10 is a bar code, 2 is a reading means for reading a bar code 10 written on a moving article 1 into a plurality of blocks by scanning a scanning beam, and 11 is a reading means for reading each block of the bar code 10. And 9 is a knitting means for knitting a series of barcode data from data for each block of the barcode 10 read by the reading means 2.

Therefore, when the distance measured by the distance measuring means 11 exceeds a predetermined distance, the knitting of the data read for each block by the knitting means 9 is prohibited. It is configured to organize barcode data.

[Action]

When a plurality of blocks of the barcode 10a of the article 1 to be transferred are read by the reading means 2 and the knitting means 9 forms a series of barcode data, the distance between the positions at which each block is read is measured by the distance measuring means 11. When the distance exceeds a predetermined distance, it is determined that a block between different barcodes 10 has been read, and the knitting of barcode data by the knitting means 9 for data read for each block is prohibited. If the distance is within the predetermined distance, it is determined that each block of the same barcode 10 has been read, and the knitting means 9 knits a series of barcode data.

In this way, there is a marked difference in the distance to the block data of the barcode 10 of the subsequent article 1 compared to the moving distance during which each block of the same barcode is read. In addition, block data between different barcodes 10 is not erroneously organized into barcode data, and reading errors can be prevented.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the drawings.

The product 1a, the scanner 2b and the data organization unit 9a in FIG.
The sensor 1, the timer 7a, the distance calculation unit 11a, the rotation speed setting unit 12, and the average distance setting unit 13 in FIG. 2 correspond to the article 1, the reading unit 2, and the knitting unit in FIG. It corresponds to the distance measuring means 11.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the reader described in the conventional example.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 2 (a), a sensor S for detecting the start of scanning of a scanning beam scanned by the rotation of the polygon mirror 34 is provided inside the reading window 36 of the scanner 2b.

In the control block diagram of FIG. 2 (b), 5a is a control unit, 7a is a timer, 11a is a distance calculation unit, 12 is a rotation speed setting unit, 13 is an average distance setting unit, 14 is a judgment unit, and 15 is distance setting. Department, 16
Indicates a sensor amplifier, and 17 indicates a motor driver.

The timer 7a starts time counting when the sensor S detects the start of scanning of the scanning beam. As shown in FIG. 3, the data of, for example, the block a of the bar code 10a is received and recognized by the light receiving sensor 38. When the data is stored in the buffer 8a, the counted time T1 is sent to the control unit 5a, and the time counting is further continued. When the next received data, for example, the data of the block b is recognized and stored in the buffer 8b, the time is counted. The time T2 counted up to is sent to the control unit 5a. The count is cleared after transmitting the time T2.

The distance calculation unit 11a includes the times T1 and T
2, the rotation speed v of the polygon mirror 34 set in the rotation speed setting unit 12, and the average distance l from the borgon mirror 34 set in the average distance setting unit 13 to the position where the barcode 10a of the product 1a passes. Then, the distance L1 between the positions where the blocks a and b are read is calculated.

Actually, the position at which the barcode 10a passes through the reading space differs depending on the height difference of the operator and the size of the product 1a. However, since the distance from the polygon mirror 34 to the reading space of the barcode 10a is long, the vertical Is less affected, and the distance of the block between different barcodes 10a for comparison with the distance ≒ 0 when reading the blocks a and b of the same barcode 10a is obtained. There is almost no error in the judgment even if is used. When the reading operation is performed by sliding the product 1a on the glass surface of the reading window 38, an accurate distance can be set.

The determination unit 14 compares the predetermined distance L set in the distance setting unit 15 with the distance L1 calculated by the distance calculation unit 11a, and when L ≧ L1, determines that the block data is of the same barcode 10a. , L <L1, it is determined that the data is block data between different bar codes 10a, and a pass / fail signal is sent to the control unit 5a.

The control unit 5a controls the above units to perform reading by the scanner 2b, but receives pass / fail signals c and d of the determination unit 14, and when the signal is c, the data organization unit 9a sends the block data a and
The composition of b is ordered, and when the signal is d, the composition is prohibited, that is,
The block data a and b are removed from the buffers 8a and 8b,
Notify abnormal reading without sending to

Having such a configuration and function, the operation will be described next with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the scanner 2b is activated and the sensor S detects the start of the scanning beam, the timer 7a starts time counting.

The block a of the barcode 10a is scanned and read by the reading operation of the operator, and the recognized data is stored in the buffer 8a.

The timer 7a controls the time T1 counted so far by the control unit.
Send to 5a.

Next, the block b of the barcode 10a is scanned and read, recognized, and stored in the buffer 8b.

The timer 7a controls the time T2 counted so far
Send to 5a and clear the count. (And the timer 7a starts counting in preparation for reading the next barcode 10a.) The control unit 5a sends the times T1 and T2 to the distance calculation unit 11a, and the distance calculation unit 11a calculates the difference between the times T1 and T2. , The rotation speed v, and the average distance l, calculate the distance L1 between the positions where the blocks a and b are read, and send the distance L1 to the control unit 5a.

The distance L1 is sent to the determination unit 14 and compares the predetermined distance L with the distance L1.

When L ≧ L1, it is determined that the block data is the same barcode 10a, and the signal c is transmitted to the control unit 5a.

The control unit 5a sends the block data stored in the buffers 8a and 8b to the data organization unit 9a, and the data organization unit 9a organizes the data into a series of barcode data, which is transmitted from the control unit 5a to an electronic register (not shown).

If L <L1, a different bar code 10
The signal d is determined to be the block data between
Send to a.

The control unit 5a prohibits the organization of each block data stored in the buffers 8a and 8b, and notifies an abnormal reading by sounding a buzzer (not shown).

The operator performs the reading operation of the corresponding product 1a again.
The following flow is repeated.

In this way, the distance to the block data of the barcode 10a of the subsequent product 1a is significantly different from the moving distance during which each block of the same barcode is read, so that the discrimination can be surely performed.

In other words, the fact that the moving distance is larger than the predetermined distance indicates that the moving speed is abnormally high compared to the speed at which the product can be operated by humans (up to 2.5 m / sec), and the block between the different barcodes 10a. It can be seen that was read.

Therefore, the block data between different barcodes 10 is not erroneously organized into barcode data, and reading errors can be prevented.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when a barcode written on an article is read for each block, the distance between the positions where each block is read is obtained, and when the distance exceeds a predetermined distance, each read barcode is obtained. Since the organization of the block data is prohibited and the organization of each block data can be made effective only within a predetermined distance, the block data between different barcodes is not erroneously organized, so that the reading error is reduced. There is an effect that it can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the embodiment, FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a bar code, and FIG. 7 is a control block diagram of a main part of a conventional example. In the figure, 1 is an article, 1a is a product, 2 is a reading means, 2a and 2b are scanners, 9 is a knitting means, 9a is a data knitting section, 10, 10a is a barcode, 11 is a distance measuring means, and 11a is a distance calculation. , 12 denotes a rotation speed setting unit, 13 denotes an average distance setting unit, and S denotes a sensor.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reading means (2) for reading a bar code (10) written on a moving article (1) into a plurality of blocks by scanning a scanning beam, and each block of the bar code (10) is read. Distance measuring means (11) for measuring the distance between the positions, and knitting means (9) for knitting a series of barcode data from the data for each block read by the reading means (2). When the distance measured by the distance measuring means (11) exceeds a predetermined distance, knitting of the data read for each block by the knitting means (9) is prohibited. A reading device for knitting a series of barcode data by knitting means (9).