JP2669087B2 - Optical reader - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical reader, and more particularly, to an optical reader that reads a desired code from a plurality of codes attached to a target surface and outputs the read code to the outside.

[Prior Art] As an optical reading device, a device that reads a barcode attached to a product is often used in stores such as supermarkets. Among them, there is a type which uses a small hand scanner provided with a photo sensor and a data processing circuit therein and provided with a bar code reading window. The reading window of the scanner is brought close to the bar code portion to read it.

An example of the operation of such a conventional reader will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Initialization of data is performed in step 301, the presence or absence of a bar code label is confirmed in step 302, and if there is a label, reading is started. (Step 303). If the reading is successful (step 304), it is checked whether the data is the same as the data stored in the data buffer (step 30).
5) After confirming that they are not the same, the read data is set in the data buffer (step 306). The data is output to a host device such as a cash register connected to the scanner (step 307), and the completion of reading is notified (step 308).

If there is no bar code label in step 302, the timer is started (step 309), and when the time is up, the data buffer is cleared (step 31).
0, 311). During this time, if the scanner detects a barcode label, the timer is reset. (Steps 312, 31
3). By the above steps 309 and thereafter, the data in the data buffer is retained even if the scanner is briefly out of the barcode label when reading the barcode.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in recent years, in an automatic ordering system or the like, a barcode label sheet on which a number of barcode labels representing product types and the like are arranged in close proximity to each other is used. Among them, an order list of necessary commodities is sent to a host machine by reading the desired one by bringing the scanner close thereto.

In this case, in the above-mentioned conventional optical reading apparatus, if the scanner is not surely put on the target bar code label from the beginning, there is a possibility that another different label is read before the target label. However, it is difficult to immediately position the scanner on a large number of barcode labels attached closely. After the scanner is applied to the approximate position of the label sheet, the scanner is slid to the target barcode label. It will be used like this.

Therefore, it is conceivable that a trigger switch is provided in the scanner so that the reading operation is performed only when the switch is pressed. There is a problem that the burden is heavy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical reader that can easily and reliably read a desired barcode code or the like without providing a trigger switch or the like.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A reading device that optically reads a code by bringing a reading window close to a target surface to which a code is attached is provided. Sign presence / absence detection means for detecting the presence / absence of a sign, input means for optically inputting the sign through a reading window, storage means for storing the inputted sign, and starting operation when there is no sign It is provided with a timer means that is reset when a code is present, and an output means that outputs the code stored in the storage means to the outside when the timer means times out.

[Operation] In the apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the reading window of the apparatus is brought close to the target surface with a code, the presence of the code is detected, and the code is input and stored in the storage unit. In this state, when the reading window is moved to another code on the target surface, the reading window is moved to the other code, and the reading operation is started. Will be reset.

While the reading window moves on the target code, the operation of the timer means is repeatedly started and reset, and the newly read codes are sequentially stored in the storage means in place of the old codes. Finally, when the reading window is separated from the target surface on the target code, there is no code, and when a predetermined time elapses, the timer means times out. Thereby, the data output means outputs the latest code stored in the storage means, that is, the target code to the outside.

In this way, since only the last read code when the device is moved away from the target surface is output, only the desired code can be reliably obtained.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a barcode scanner 1 as an apparatus according to the present invention. The scanner 1 has a reading window 12 at the tip end of a case 11 held by hand. A light source 13 is provided in the case 11 toward the reading window 12, and light emitted from the light source 13 irradiates a bar code on a bar code label sheet S as a target surface close to the reading window 12. The reflected light from the barcode passes through the reading window 12 and the case 11
The light is reflected by the internal reflecting mirror 14 and formed on the linear photosensor 16 behind by the imaging lens 15. The formed barcode image information is converted into an electric signal by each light receiving element of the photosensor 16 and input to the signal processing circuit 17 at the subsequent stage.

The signal processing circuit 17 is a multiplexer, an A / D converter,
After converting the electric signal of each light receiving element into digital data, the electric signal is processed by a procedure described in detail below, and output to a host device (not shown) via a lead wire 19. On the upper surface of the case 11, a lamp 18 for notifying the completion of reading is provided.

FIG. 4 shows a processing procedure of the signal processing circuit 17. In the figure, data is initialized in step 101, and the presence or absence of a barcode label is detected (step 102).

The presence or absence of a barcode label is determined by the procedure shown in FIG. In step 201, digital data is read from the A / D converter, and based on this, the number of "1" and "0" barcodes is detected (step 202). Judge (Step 20
3) If there is no more than the predetermined number, it is determined that there is no label (step 204).

If it is determined in step 102 that there is a label, the barcode is decoded and reading is started (step 10).
3) If reading is successful, set data in the data buffer. (Steps 104, 105).

Next, check the presence or absence of the label (Step 10
6) If there is no label, confirm that the data is set in the data buffer and start the timer (steps 107 and 108). When the timer expires (step 109), the data set in the data buffer is output to the host machine (step 110), and the lamp 18 is turned on to notify the completion of reading (step 111). .

If the scanner detects a bar code label while the timer is running, the timer is reset (step 11).
2, 113).

This operation is performed by using the scanner 1 with the barcode label sheet S.
When it is brought close to, the presence of a label is detected, the barcode is reproduced from the read digital data, and after decoding, it is set in the data buffer. When the scanner 1 is moved to another bar code label on the label sheet S in this state, no label is present during this movement and the timer starts operating. This timer is reset when the scanner 1 reaches another bar code label and becomes labeled.

While the scanner 1 moves on the target bar code label, the start and reset of the timer are repeated each time the bar code label passes through another bar code label, and the newly decoded data is stored in the data buffer in place of the old data. Are sequentially set.

Then, when the scanner 1 is finally released from the label sheet S on the target barcode label, no label is present, and the timer expires when a predetermined time elapses. As a result, the latest data set in the data buffer, that is, the data obtained by decoding the target barcode is output to the external host machine, and the lamp 18 notifies the completion of reading.

In this manner, since only the last data when the scanner 1 is moved away from the barcode label sheet S is sent to the host machine, the decoded data corresponding to the desired barcode can be easily and reliably output from a large number of barcodes. Can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the presence or absence of a barcode label is detected by a method of detecting the proportion of the barcode data in the data obtained from the A / D converter, or by providing a proximity sensor in the scanner 1 and reading the barcode label sheet S. For example, a method of detecting the separation from the object can be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the optical reading apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to simply and reliably read only a desired code from a large number of codes provided on a target surface without providing a trigger switch or the like. You can

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a scanner,
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view, FIGS. 4 and 5 are operation flowcharts of the signal processing circuit, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the conventional device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Scanner (optical reader) 12 ... Reading window 13 ... Light source 15 ... Condenser lens 16 ... Linear photo sensor 17 ... Signal processing circuit 18 ... Read complete lamp S ... Barcode label sheet

Front page continued (72) Inventor Tadao Oshima 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture, Nippon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Yasuhiro Kamijo 1-1-1-1, Showa town, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72 Inventor Toshifumi Ito 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Japan Inside Denso Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reading device for reading a code optically by bringing a reading window close to a target surface to which a code is attached and a code presence / absence detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a code on the target surface, and a reading window. Input means for optically inputting the code, storage means for storing the input code, timer means for starting operation when there is no code and resetting due to the presence of the code, and time-up of the timer means An output unit for outputting the code stored in the storage unit to the outside.