JPH03233785A - Bar-code reader - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a barcode reader that reads barcode information.

[Prior Art] A barcode reader that reads information on barcodes attached to various products generally includes a light projector that emits light onto the barcode, and a light projector that emits light reflected from the barcode. It is composed of a light receiving section that receives light, and a decoding circuit section that processes the output of the light receiving section and reads (deciphers) barcode information.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional barcode reader.

In FIG. 3, 30 is a light emitting unit LED (light emitting diode), 31 is a light receiving unit COD (solid-state image sensor) image sensor, 32 is a decoding circuit unit, 33 is a bar code, 34
is a mirror for bending the light receiving path; and 35 is a lens for forming an image on the image sensor 31.

The operation of the conventional barcode reader having such a configuration will be described below.

Light is emitted from the light projector 30 and irradiated onto the barcode 33. Then, the reflected light on the barcode of the light emitting part is reflected by
4. The light is received by the light receiving section 31 through the lens 35, and the decoding circuit section processes the output of the light receiving section and reads (deciphers) the barcode information.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, the light source of the light projecting section 30 remains lit at all times. Therefore, problems arise in that the life of the light source is shortened and the current consumption of the barcode reader is increased.

In addition, in order to solve this problem, a method is used in which a switch is installed in the handheld reader section and the switch is turned on during a reading operation to light up a translucent light source. This poses problems such as the complexity of having to turn on a switch each time a switch is performed, and a decrease in reliability due to the addition of a switch.

In addition, in the configuration example shown in FIG. 3, an example is shown in which an LED is used in the light projecting part and an image sensor is used in the light receiving part, but a bar code using a semiconductor laser diode in the light projecting part and a photodiode in the light receiving part Similar challenges arise for leaders.

In order to solve the problems of the conventional technology described above, the present invention turns off the light source of the projector when the barcode reader is not in use, thereby reducing current consumption and significantly extending the life of the light source of the projector. The purpose of this invention is to provide an invention that

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, the barcode reader of the present invention includes a light projector that irradiates light onto the barcode, a light receiving element that receives reflected light of the irradiated light on the barcode, and a light receiving element that converts the output of the light receiving element into an electrical signal. a hand-held reader unit equipped with a decoding circuit unit for decoding the barcode information; and a reader unit holder having a barcode written with specific information written in a readable position of the reader unit when the reader unit is installed. and a stand, and further comprising means for stopping irradiation of the light projecting unit and waiting for a reading operation for a predetermined time when the reader unit is installed on the stand.

[Function] According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, when the reader section is installed on the stand, the reading standby state is entered for a predetermined time and the light source of the light projecting section is turned off, so that the current consumption is reduced and the light emitting section is turned off. The life of the light source is greatly improved.

[Example] The present invention will be explained in detail below using one example.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the processing of a barcode reader of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration example of the present invention, where 20 is a reader section;
1 is a stand, 22 is a barcode that describes specific information (
specific label). Similarly to the conventional example shown in FIG.
A D image sensor was used. Further, FIG. 2(a) shows a state in which the reader unit is not set on the stand (reading state), and similarly, FIG. 2(b) shows a state in which the reader unit is installed in the stand (reading standby state). ing.

The barcode reading operation of the present invention will be explained below according to the flow shown in FIG. Figure A is the process performed after the reader power is turned on, which includes lighting up the LED, setting the type of barcode to be read, setting communication conditions for external equipment, and initializing the microprocessor of the decoding circuit section. After completing processing A, the reader section constantly performs barcode reading processing (
If reading is possible, the process moves to the upper processing stage, and if reading is not possible, processing A is repeated until it becomes possible (processing 2). If reading is possible, it is determined whether the reading result is the specific label 22 in FIG. 2 (for processing purposes). If the determination result is not a specific label, the reader unit 20 is in the reading state shown in FIG.
An alarm is displayed to notify the operator that the barcode has been sent (Processing Power), and processing to prevent duplicate reading of the same barcode (Processing) begins. In the process to prevent duplicate reading of the same barcode,
Reading of the same barcode as the one transmitted in processing mode is prohibited until the barcode is out of the field of view of the reader section 20 for a predetermined time. After the reader unit 20 completes the process of repeatedly reading the same barcode (process K), the reader unit 20 repeats process A again.

If the reading result is a specific label shown at 22 in FIG. 22, the reader unit 20 determines that the label is placed on the stand 21 as shown in FIG. 2(b), and turns off the LED. processing), and enters a reading standby state for a predetermined period of time (processing).

In this example, the standby time was set to about 2 seconds.

After the standby time is completed, the reader section 20 turns on the LED again (1) and performs the barcode reading process (2). Therefore,
If the reader section 20 remains installed on the stand 21,
The reader section 20 repeats processing steps a, t, t, t, t, t, and t.

In this embodiment, when the reader unit 20 is in the reading standby state (processing), the LED is turned off and the CCD image sensor driving pulse of the decoding circuit unit shown in FIG. 32 is stopped, thereby reducing the current consumption of the circuit. planned.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the reader section 20
The current consumption when installed on the stand 21 can be reduced, and the life of the LED can be greatly improved by reducing the lighting time of the LED.

In this example, a barcode reader using an LED in the light emitting part and a CCD image sensor in the light receiving part was explained. A similar effect can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the barcode reader of the present invention,
When the reader unit is placed on a stand, it enters a reading standby state for a predetermined period of time and the emitter light source turns off, reducing current consumption and greatly extending the life of the emitter light source. effect can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the processing of an embodiment of a barcode reader according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same, and FIG.
The figure is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a conventional barcode reader. 20... Reader section, 21... Stand, 22... Specific label, 30... Light projecting section, 31... Light receiving section, 32
...Decoding circuit, 33...Barcode, 34...
・Mirror 35...Lens. Figure 1 Figure 2 20: Reader section 21: Stand 22: Specific label

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A light projecting unit that irradiates light onto the barcode, a light receiving element that receives the reflected light of the irradiated light on the barcode, and a light receiving element that converts the output of the light receiving element into an electrical signal to provide information on the barcode. The reader comprises at least a hand-held reader unit equipped with a decoding circuit unit for decoding the information, and a reader unit stand on which a barcode with specific information written is placed in a readable position of the reader unit when the reader unit is installed. . A barcode reader, comprising means for stopping irradiation of a light projecting section and waiting for a reading operation for a predetermined time when the reader section is installed on the stand.