JPH0462694A - Bar code - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the sure reading of information to a bar code reading device by providing a fixed width code symbol at the outside of a margin part for reading start and a margin part for reading end. CONSTITUTION:Black symbols for detecting marging part 22 and 23 which consist of fixed width respectively are provided at the outside of a margin part for reading start 7 and a margin part for reading end 12. Since a bar code output signal Sout3 can be raised on scan-starting the margin part for reading start 7 or the margin part for reading end 12 when a light beam for reading scans in a direction indicated by an arrow (a) or in an opposite direction of the arrow (a) and the bar code output signal Sout3 can be fallen inevitably after scanning the margin part for reading end 12 or the margin part for reading start 7, the margin part for reading end 12 or the margin part for reading start 7 is detected and the reading end of bar code information can be detected surely.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to barcodes, and is particularly suitable for application when providing barcodes on products with various surface colors.

B. Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a code symbol having a predetermined width on the outside of a blank space for starting code reading and a blank space for finishing code reading in a barcode, thereby allowing the barcode to be printed in various surface colors. Even when the barcode is provided on the surface of a product, the information can be reliably read by a barcode reading device.

C. Prior Art Conventionally, in this type of barcode, as shown in FIG. 3, code symbols 2 of various thicknesses in black are arranged in a predetermined order on the surface of a white mount 3 using a method such as printing. By doing so, individual information on products and the like (hereinafter referred to as barcode information) is recorded on the mount 3 as the barcode 1.

This barcode 1 consists of the surface color (white) of the mount 3, a reading start margin section 7 expressed using a predetermined interval, a reading start code section 8 expressed using a code symbol 2, and an individual information code section. 9. An error detection code section 10, a reading end code section 11, and a reading end margin section 12 represented by using the surface color (white) of the mount 3 at predetermined intervals are sequentially arranged from the left.

Therefore, by scanning the barcode 1 from the left side of the barcode 1 in the direction indicated by arrow a with the lead pen 15 having a light beam irradiation part and a light receiving part at the tip 15A, reading light is emitted from the tip 15A. The beam scans the barcode 1, and the reflected light whose level changes depending on the presence or absence of the code symbol 2 is received by the tip 15A of the reed pen 15, and is then transmitted to the light receiving circuit 17 of the barcode reader 16 to be converted into a binary signal. input into the conversion circuit 18.

The binarization circuit 18 divides the reflected light level into two according to a predetermined threshold value.
After converting it into a value, it is sent to the subsequent data processing circuit 19 as a barcode output signal SQL+□, and the barcode output signal S is generated. Barcode information is read based on UT+.

Therefore, by attaching the mount 3 on which the barcode 1 is recorded to the surface of the product corresponding to the barcode information, individual information can be added to each product.

Incidentally, the scanning direction of the reading light beam is not limited to the direction of arrow a;
Even when scanning is performed from the reading end margin section 12 side, the data processing circuit 19 can correctly read the barcode information.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention When the surface color of the product to which the mount 3 on which the barcode 1 is recorded is affixed is black, the reed pen 15 is moved in the direction of arrow a to direct the light beam from the surface of the product. When scanning is started and scanned in the order of reading start margin 7 to reading end margin 12, a barcode output signal 5ouTl as shown in FIG. 2(B) is obtained.

In this case, the data processing circuit 1 of the barcode reading device 16
9, the scanning position of the reading light beam moves from the surface (black) of the product to the reading start margin 7, and a barcode output signal S is generated. When LITI rises at time t2 (FIG. 2), the data processing circuit 19 detects the rising portion TU, controls the barcode reading device 16 to the reading start state, and sets the subsequent reading start margin portion 8 for reading. A barcode output signal S is generated by scanning the light beam. UT+
When the barcode output signal S remains at the "H" level for a predetermined period of time, the barcode output signal S is inputted subsequently. Changes in the signal level of UT+ are read as barcode information based on code symbol 2.

Also, after this, the reading light beam scans the reading end code section 11 and further scans the reading end margin section 12, and when the scanning position moves from the top of the mount 3 to the surface of the product (black), a barcode output signal is generated. 5oUTI is for a predetermined period rH,
After maintaining the level, the falling part T
, form.

Therefore, the barcode reading device 16 receives the barcode output signal S. By detecting the falling edge TD of I7□, the bar code output signal S is generated before the falling edge. The time during which LITI maintains the "H" level is detected, and as a result, the reading light beam reaches the reading end margin part 1.
It is determined that 2 has been scanned and the barcode reading operation is terminated.

However, if the color of the product to which the mount 3 on which the barcode 1 is recorded is white (that is, the same color as the surface color of the mount 3), the scanning position of the reading light beam will start reading from the surface (white) of the product. Since the level of the reflected light does not change even when moving to the blank space 7 (white), the barcode output signal S at this time is as shown in FIG. 2(C). UT□ maintains the "H" level at time t2.

Therefore, the barcode output signal S. Since the rising portions T and J are not formed in the LITI, there is a problem in that the barcode reading device 16 is not controlled to the reading start state, making it difficult to read the barcode information.

In addition, even when the reading light beam finishes scanning the mount 3 and the scanning position moves from the mount 3 to the surface (white) of the product, the level of the reflected light does not change, so at the time shown in Fig. 2 (C). t, the barcode output signal S. u7□ does not fall and maintains the rH level.

Therefore, the barcode output signal S. Since the falling part T is not formed in oyz, the barcode reading device 16 can detect the reading end margin part 12 where the "H" level continues for a predetermined period before time t, and immediately continue the reading operation. This caused the problem that barcode information could not be read correctly.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a barcode that can reliably read barcode information even when provided on products with various surface colors.

E Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the problems, the present invention provides a barcode 20 that forms predetermined information by arranging code symbols 2 having various widths along a predetermined arrangement direction a.
In , the arrangement part 8.9.10.1 of code symbol 2
Code symbols 22 and 23 each having a predetermined width are formed on the outside of a code reading start margin 7 and a code reading end margin 12 which are formed outside the code reading 1 and have a predetermined width. .

F action By forming code symbols 22 and 23 with a predetermined width on the outside of the code reading start margin 7 and the code reading end margin 12 with a predetermined width,
Even when the barcode 20 is provided on a product having the same color as the margins 7 and 12, the margins 7 and 12 can be reliably detected when reading the barcode 20.

Therefore, the arrangement part 8.9.10 of code symbol 2
and 11 can be reliably detected, thereby making it possible to reliably read the information formed by the barcode 20.

G example An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, in which parts corresponding to those in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, the barcode 20 has black margins each having a predetermined width outside the reading start margin 7 and the reading end margin 12. Detection symbols 22 and 23 are provided.

The margin detection symbol 22 is provided on the left end of the mount 3 using a method such as printing, and when the reading light beam scans the mount 3 from the left in the direction indicated by arrow a,
After scanning the symbol 22 for detecting a blank area, the blank area 7 for starting reading is scanned.

Further, the margin detection symbol 23 is provided on the right end of the mount 3 using a method such as printing, and when the reading light beam scans the mount 3 from the left in the direction indicated by arrow a, After scanning the reading end margin 12, the margin detection symbol 23 is scanned.

Therefore, when the reading light beam scans in the direction indicated by arrow a, the barcode output signal S. The uT3 once shows the "J" level by scanning the margin detection symbol 22 with the reading light beam, and then reaches the "H" level by scanning the reading start margin 7 with the reading light beam. At the same time, the reading light beam scans the margin area 12 for reading completion and maintains the "H" level for a predetermined period, and then changes to the "L" level by scanning the margin detection symbol 23. It is made to stand down.

On the other hand, when the reading light beam scans the mount 3 from right to left, the reading light beam first scans the margin detection symbol 23 and then scans the reading end margin 12. In addition, after scanning the blank area 7 for starting reading, the blank area detection symbol 22 is scanned.

Therefore, in the same way, the barcode output signal at this time once indicates the "L" level by scanning the margin detection symbol 23 with the reading light beam, and then the reading light beam indicates the "L" level for the end of reading. By scanning the margin area 12, the reading light beam rises to the "J" level by scanning the margin area 12, and after the reading light beam scans the reading start margin area 7 and maintains the "H" level for a predetermined period, the gold white area By scanning the detection symbol 22, it falls to the "L" level.

In the above configuration, when the mount 3 on which the barcode 20 is provided is attached to a product whose surface color is white, the reading light beam is directed from the surface of the product to the mount 3 in the arrangement direction (a) of the code symbols 2. When scanning towards the product, the reading light beam first scans the surface (white) of the product, and then scans the margin detection symbol 22 provided on the mount 3.

At this time, the barcode output signal S. 1IT3 is shown in Figure 2 (A
), the reading light beam scans the surface of the product to indicate the rH level, and then the reading light beam scans the margin detection symbol 22 to indicate the time t. , the signal once falls to the "L" level.

Further, the reading light beam scans the reading start margin 7, thereby generating a barcode output signal S. UT3 is at time t2
It rises to the rH level again.

At this time, the barcode reading device 16 outputs the barcode output signal S. By detecting the rising edge Tu of the UT 3, the barcode information reading start state is controlled, and the reading light beam scans the subsequent reading start margin 7 to generate the barcode output signal S. U? 3 maintains the rH level for a predetermined period of time, the barcode output signal S is subsequently input. U.T.
3 signal level changes are read as barcode information based on the arrangement of code symbols 2.

Further, when the reading light beam scans the reading completion margin 12 and then scans the subsequent margin detection symbol 23, a barcode output signal S is generated. uts temporarily falls to the "L" level at time t.

Therefore, the barcode reading device 16 reads the falling portion TD.
By detecting the "H" level period before the fall, it is determined that the reading light beam has scanned the reading end margin section 12.

The barcode reading device 16 thus completes the reading operation of the barcode 20 and reads barcode information based on the barcode 20.

On the other hand, when the reading light beam scans from the right side of the mount 3 to the left in FIG. 1, the reading light beam scans the surface (white) of the product and is then formed on the mount 3. The margin detection symbol 23 is scanned, and the reading end margin 12 is further scanned.

Therefore, the barcode output signal is the same as in the above case,
After indicating the rH level according to the surface color (white) of the product, it once falls to the rlJ level according to the blank area detection symbol 23, and then rH according to the blank area 12 for finishing reading.
Stand up to H level.

Therefore, in this case as well, the barcode reading device 16 detects the rising edge T of the barcode output signal.

By being able to detect this, it is possible to read the reading end code part 11 to the reading start code part 8 that are input following the reading end margin part 12 as barcode information consisting of an array of code symbols 2, and also to read the reading end code part 11 to the reading start code part 8 that are input after the reading end margin part 12. By scanning the gold white area detection symbol 22 after scanning the blank space 7, the barcode reading operation can be reliably completed in the same way as in the case described above.

In this way, even when the mount 3 on which the barcode 20 is formed is attached to a product having a white surface color (that is, the same color as the surface color of the mount 3), the barcode information can be reliably read.

According to the above configuration, the black margin detection symbols 22 and 23 having a predetermined width are provided outside the reading start margin 7 and the reading end margin 12, respectively, so that the reading light beam is When scanning in the direction indicated by a (or in the opposite direction to arrow a), the reading start margin 7 (
Or, the barcode output signal S is always sent when starting scanning the reading end margin section 12). The UT 3 can be started up, and the barcode output signal S is always generated after scanning the reading end margin section 12 (or the reading start margin section 7). UT3 can be brought down.

Therefore, the barcode reading device 16 receives the barcode output signal S. By detecting the rising edge TU of UT3, subsequent barcode information can be reliably read and the barcode output signal S. By obtaining the falling part TI of Ua, the reading end margin part 12 (
Alternatively, it is possible to reliably detect the end of reading the barcode information by detecting the reading start margin part 7).

(The mount 3 on which the barcode 20 is formed)
Even when the barcode is attached to products with various surface colors such as white, the barcode information can be reliably read.

Note that in the above embodiment, the margin detection symbol 2
2 and 23 are formed to have width dimensions as shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be formed to have various other width dimensions.

Further, in the above embodiment, the barcode 20 is placed on the mount 3.
Although the case has been described in which the mount 3 is attached to a predetermined product after being printed thereon, the present invention is not limited to this, and the barcode may be printed directly on the surface of the product.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the surface color of the mount 3 is white and the color of the code symbol 2 is black, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the code symbol on the mount can be detected. As long as it is a color, various other colors can be applied.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a case was described in which the mount 3 on which the barcode 20 was formed was attached to a product with a white surface color, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to products with various other surface colors. The present invention can also be applied to cases where the barcode is provided on a product.

H Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a code symbol having a predetermined width outside the reading start margin and the reading end margin, the code symbol can be reliably read by a barcode reader. It is possible to create barcodes that can read information.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a route map showing an embodiment of the barcode according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a signal waveform diagram showing the barcode output signal waveform, and FIG. 3 is a route map showing a conventional barcode. 1.20... Barcode, 2... Code symbol, 3... Mount, 7... Margin for starting reading, 8...・Reading start code part, 9・
...Individual information code section, 10...Error detection code section, 11...Reading end code section, 1
2... Margin area for reading end, 16... Barcode reader, 22.23... Symbol for detecting blank area. Example Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a barcode that forms predetermined information by arranging code symbols of various widths along a predetermined arrangement direction, a predetermined width formed outside the code symbol arrangement area; A barcode characterized in that code symbols each having a predetermined width are formed outside a blank space for starting code reading and a blank space for finishing code reading.