JPH0331982A - Printing code pattern - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a misread by composing the pattern of an information code pattern printed with an infrared absorbing ink and a start pattern and a stop pattern printed with an infrared transmitting colored ink. CONSTITUTION:An information code pattern 11 is printed with the ink to absorb the infrared light, and a start pattern 12 and a stop pattern 13 are printed with the ink to transmit the infrared light. A scanner 16 is equipped with a light-emitting diode 18 to emit the infrared light, the black bar of the information code pattern 11 absorbs the infrared light, the white bar reflects the infrared light, the reflected light from the white bar is made incident on a phototransistor 22, and a signal according to the reflected light is generated. Consequently, the reflected lights from the start pattern 12 and stop pattern 13 are not mixed in a code signal from the information code pattern 11. Thus, the misread can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to printed code patterns such as bar codes.

BACKGROUND ART As shown in FIG.
The barcode of the ``5) method consists of an information code pattern 1 which is a collection of unit codes consisting of even-numbered decimal digits, a start pattern 2 and a stop pattern printed near the start and end points of information code pattern 1, respectively. It is composed of pattern 3.

Although it is well known and will not be described in detail, in order to read such a barcode, the barcode is scanned by the scanner 4 while emitting a light beam, and the information code pattern 1 is scanned.
It performs photoelectric conversion of the reflected light from the

In the barcode configured as described above, there is a risk that the start pattern 2 and stop pattern 3 placed close to the information code pattern 1 may affect the reading of the information code pattern 1 by the scanner 4, resulting in misreading. there were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a printed code pattern that prevents misreading.

The printed code pattern according to the present invention consists of an information code pattern printed with infrared-absorbing ink, and a start pattern and a stop pattern printed with infrared-transparent colored ink near the start and end points of the information code pattern, respectively. , by scanning and reading this with a scanner that emits an infrared light beam, it is possible to prevent reflected light from the start pattern and stop pattern from being mixed into the code signal as an erroneous signal.

Embodiments Hereinafter, bar codes and scanners for reading the bar codes as embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the barcode consists of an information code pattern 11 that is a collection of unit codes made up of even-numbered decimal digits and contains the required information, and a starting point and a starting point of the information code pattern 11. It consists of a start pattern 12 and a stop pattern 13, each printed near the end point. The barcode is printed on a substrate that reflects at least infrared light so that it is visually visible as a whole, for example, as black, and the information code pattern 11 is printed with ink that absorbs infrared light, such as a pigment containing carbon black. Further, the start pattern 12 and the stop pattern 13 are printed with ink that transmits infrared light, for example, a pigment that does not contain carbon black.

As is clear from the figure, the start pattern 12 is
It is shaped like an arrow so that a scanner operator (described later) can determine the direction in which the information code pattern 11 should be scanned. Further, the stop pattern 13 is formed in a rectangular shape. Note that the width of the start pattern 12 and the stop pattern 13, that is, the dimension in the scanning direction, is considerably wider than the width of each bar forming the information code pattern 1. Even if an attempt is made to scan and read the bar code using a scanner using visible light, the wide start pattern 12 and stop pattern 13 are read as error signals, making it impossible to read the bar code. This prevents duplication by a copy device or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, a scanner 16 for reading the barcode includes a case 7 that can be held in the hand of an operator, a light-emitting diode 18 that emits infrared light, and a scanner 16 that can be held in the hand by an operator, a light-emitting diode 18 that emits infrared light, and A collimator lens 19 that converts the light into parallel light, an objective lens 20 that focuses the infrared light that has passed through the collimator lens 19 onto the barcode as a spot light, and a glass fiber 21 that focuses the reflected light from the barcode.
It has a phototransistor 22 that receives data through the phototransistor 22.

In the above configuration, the operator uses start pattern 1.
The information code pattern 11 is scanned in the direction of the arrow F by the scanner 16 while confirming the start and end points of the information code pattern 11 using the information code pattern 2 and the stop pattern 13.

Then, the black bars of the information code pattern 11 absorb infrared light, the white bars reflect the infrared light, and the reflected light from the white bars enters the phototransistor 22, where the phototransistor responds to the reflected light. A signal is formed, and a code signal corresponding to the information code pattern 1 is obtained. Note that since the start pattern 12 and stop pattern 13 are printed with infrared-transmissive colored ink, anti-I.1 light from the start pattern 12 and stop pattern 13 is included in the code signal based on the reflected light from the information code pattern 11. will not be mixed in as a false signal.

The output of the phototransistor 22 is supplied to a control g/J section (not shown) via a lead wire 23, and the control section uses this output to recognize and record the width of each bar of the information code pattern 11. decipher the information contained in it.

Incidentally, in the above embodiment, the start pattern 12
A case is shown in which a human visually confirms the start and end points of the scan of the information code pattern 11 by the scanner 16 by visually observing the stop patterns 13 and 13.

The structure is not limited to this, but the scanner 16 may be provided with a reading means that uses visible light that is absorbed or reflected by the infrared-transmissive colored ink that forms the start pattern 12 and the stop pattern 13. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the start and stop of the operation of the infrared reading means for the information code pattern 11 is controlled based on a signal emitted from the reading means in accordance with the information code pattern 11.

Effects of the Invention As detailed above, in the printed code pattern according to the present invention, the information code pattern is printed with infrared absorbing ink, and the information code pattern is printed with infrared-transparent colored ink near the start and end points of the information code pattern. The pattern consists of a start pattern and a stop pattern.

Because of this configuration, by scanning and reading the printed code pattern with a scanner that emits an infrared light beam, reflected light from the start pattern and stop pattern is erroneously included in the code signal based on the reflected light from the information code pattern. This prevents the information from being mixed in as a signal, allowing only the information code pattern to be read accurately and not to be read incorrectly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view including a partial cross section of a barcode as an embodiment of the present invention and a scanner for reading the barcode, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the barcode shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a conventional one. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a barcode and a scanner for reading the barcode. Explanation of codes of main parts 11...Information code pattern 12...Start pattern 13...Stop pattern 16...Scanner

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) It is characterized by consisting of an information code pattern printed with infrared-absorbing ink, and a start pattern and a stop pattern printed with infrared-transparent colored ink near the start and end points of the information code pattern, respectively. print code pattern. (2) The printed code pattern according to claim 1, wherein the infrared absorbing ink is made of a pigment containing carbon black. (3) The printed code pattern according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the infrared-transparent colored ink is made of a pigment that does not contain carbon black.