JPH05189593A - Barcode reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the disapperance of memory contents by controlling the luminous body of a bar code reader in the processing interlocked with a luminous body lighting switch by a host computer. CONSTITUTION:When a user depresses the luminous body lighting switch in the luminous body lighting switch standing-by state, the bar code reader transmits a luminous body lighting request command 140 to the host computer. The host computer checks the residual capacity of an incorporated battery; and if it is in such level that the bar code reader can be used with the luminous body on, a luminous body lighting request command 141 is transmitted to the bar code reader. If it is judged that the residual capacity of the battery is reduced to such level that the luminous body of the bar code reader cannot be kept lighting at the time of detecting the residual capacity of the battery, the host computer transmits a luminous body extinction command 142 to the bar code reader. When receiving this command 142, the bar code reader immediately extinguishes the luminous body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to bar code readers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional bar code reader, when a user presses a light emitting body lighting switch, the light emitting body is turned on to enter a bar code reading standby state, and the read bar code is transmitted to a host computer. Further, the light emitter of the bar code reader continued to be turned on until the bar code input process was completed or the user released the light emitter light switch.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a bar code reader is connected to a system using a battery-powered terminal as a host computer,
When the bar code reader is powered by the battery built into the host computer and used, if the bar code reader's light emitter continues to light up when the host computer's battery power becomes low, the operating voltage limit of the host computer will be reached. The host computer powers down because it exceeds the limit. As a result, the power supply to the bar code reader is stopped and the bar code reader is also powered down. There is a drawback that the memory contents of both the barcode reader and the host computer are erased by the power down.

Further, in the above system, when the battery remaining in the host computer is checked and it is determined that the power supply to the bar code reader is impossible, the power supply to the bar code reader is stopped. The memory contents of the host computer can be retained, but the memory contents of the barcode reader disappear. After that, charging the battery of the host computer was started, and when the battery level of the host computer was restored to a level at which it was possible to operate by turning on the light emitter of the barcode reader, the power supply to the barcode reader was started again. In that case, there is also a drawback that the initialization command must be retransmitted to the barcode reader.

The present invention has been made to solve such a drawback, and by transmitting a light emitter lighting request command to a host computer when a light emitter lighting switch of a bar code reader is pressed, The purpose is to allow the host computer to judge the remaining battery capacity of the built-in battery and control the light emitter of the bar code reader by a command.

[0006]

A bar code reader of the present invention includes a communication means for transmitting and receiving a command or data to and from a host computer, a light emitter, a light emitter control means in response to a command from the host computer, and a main body for a user. Has a light-emitting body lighting switch that can be operated by, and command control from the host computer by a process in which the light-emitting body of the barcode reader is linked to the light-emitting body lighting switch via the communication means between the barcode reader and the host computer. Is characterized by.

[0007]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, the host computer can recognize that the lighting switch of the light emitting body of the bar code body has been turned on, and the host computer can take appropriate measures against sudden battery down or the like. And

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The bar code reader waits for a command from the host computer, waits for the light emitter lighting switch state to be ON, and waits for the user to read the bar code. When the user finishes reading the barcode, the barcode reader sends the read barcode to the host computer. When the command from the host computer is received, the received command is determined. When the received command is a light emitter lighting command, a light emitter lighting process is executed, and when the command is a light emitter extinction command, a light emitter extinction process is executed. When the user presses the light emitter lighting switch, a light emitter lighting request command is transmitted to the host computer.

On the other hand, the host computer constantly detects the remaining amount of the battery and waits for the bar code or command from the bar code reader. When the barcode is received from the barcode reader, the barcode processing is executed. When the light source lighting request command is received from the bar code reader, the battery remaining amount confirmation processing is executed. If the battery remaining amount is at a level sufficient for the operation of the bar code reader, the host computer emits light to the bar code reader. It sends a body lighting command and displays a normal message to the user.

Further, when it is determined that the remaining battery power is low and it is necessary to reduce the power supply to the bar code reader, the host computer sends a light emitter turn-off command to the bar code reader and sends an abnormal message to the user. Execute the display. When the battery is insufficient, the light emitter lighting request command from the barcode reader is ignored.
After that, when the remaining battery level is restored to a level sufficient for the operation of the barcode reader by means such as battery charging, the host computer executes the processing of the light emitter lighting request command from the barcode reader.

A specific example will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the connection of each device in the present invention. Host computer 100 with built-in battery
A bar code reader 110 that operates by power supply from the host computer 100 is connected to the host computer 100 and the bar code reader 110.
In a system capable of inter-data communication between the host computer 100 and the host computer 100, when the host computer 100 receives a lighter lighting request command transmitted from the bar code reader 110 by a user turning on the lighter lighting switch. The built-in battery remaining amount is checked, and if the remaining battery amount is at a level at which the bar code reader operation is possible, a light emitter lighting command is transmitted to the bar code reader 110. After that, when the remaining battery power of the host computer 100 decreases and it becomes impossible to supply power to the bar code reader 110, the host computer 100 issues a light emitter turn-off command to the bar code reader 110. Send and display abnormal message on CRT.

Next, the control circuit of the host computer 100 and the control circuit of the bar code reader 110 will be described with reference to the hardware configuration diagram of FIG.

The host computer 100 can be operated by the built-in battery 101. 103 is a well-known microcomputer, basically a CPU 104 and a ROM
105 and RAM 106. ROM10
A program for controlling the CPU 104 is written in the CPU 5, and the CPU 104 executes data processing from the battery remaining amount detection port 102 according to the program and CRT1.
Message display processing for 07, barcode reader 11
Processing of send commands to 0, said bar code reader 1
It processes the bar code or command received from 10, and controls the data communication port 108.

On the other hand, the power source 111 of the bar code reader 110 is supplied from the battery 101 built in the host computer 100. Reference numeral 113 is a well-known microcomputer, which is basically a CPU 114 and a ROM 11
5, RAM 116. A program for controlling the CPU 114 is written in the ROM 115, and the CPU 114 controls the data communication port 112 according to the program, and the host computer 10
Processing of a reception command from 0, processing of a light emitter lighting switch detection port 117, processing of a transmission command to the host computer 100, control processing of a barcode reading unit 118, transmission processing of a barcode to the host computer 100, The control process of the light emitter 119 is performed.

FIG. 4 shows the battery charge status 130, the host computer built-in battery remaining capacity 131, the bar code reader power supply 133, the light emitter lighting switch status 135, the command transmission status 136 from the bar code reader, and the bar code in the embodiment of the present invention. Reader command reception status 137, bar code reader light emitter status 138
FIG. The host computer transmits an initial setting command 139 to the bar code reader when the power supply to the bar code reader is started. After processing the initialization command 139, the barcode reader starts the standby process for turning on the light emitter lighting switch. When the user presses the light emitter lighting switch in the light emitter lighting switch standby state, the bar code reader transmits the light emitter lighting request command 140 to the host computer. When the host computer receives the light-emitting body lighting request command 140, it checks the built-in battery level, and if the level is such that the barcode reader can be used in the light-emitting body lighting state, the bar-code reader lights up the light-emitting body. The command 141 is transmitted. After that, the host computer constantly detects the remaining battery level. When it is determined that the remaining battery level has dropped to a level at which it is impossible to keep the light emitter of the bar code reader lit when the remaining battery amount is detected, the host computer sends a light emitter off command 142 to the bar code reader. The bar code reader turns off the light emitter as soon as it receives the light emitter off command 142. This allows the host computer to continue operating without exceeding the operation limit voltage 132. Further, the bar code reader also reduces the power supply from the host computer as the remaining battery power of the host computer decreases, but it is possible to reduce the power consumption by turning off the light emitter, and the operating limit voltage 134 is not exceeded. The operation can be continued. on the other hand,
The host computer informs the user that the battery is insufficient to operate the barcode reader by displaying an error message as shown in FIG.
It is possible to inform that the battery needs to be charged. As a result, it is possible to prevent sudden power down in a situation that the user does not know.

When the light source lighting request command 140 is sent from the bar code reader and the remaining battery power in the host computer is at a level at which the bar code reader cannot operate in the light source lighting state, the host computer determines By ignoring the light-emitting body lighting request command 140, even if the user pushes the light-emitting body lighting switch, if the battery is insufficient, the bar code reader light-emitting body does not light up, so the operating limit voltage of the host computer 13
2. It is possible to operate in the state of holding the memory contents without exceeding the operation limit voltage 134 of the barcode reader.

After that, the host computer restores the built-in battery of the bar code reader to a level at which the bar code reader can be operated in a lighted state by the user charging the battery or the like. When the lighting request command 140 is received, the light emitter lighting command 141 is transmitted to the barcode reader. As soon as the bar code reader receives the light emitter lighting command 141, the bar code reader turns on the light emitter to enable the barcode reading process. On the other hand, the host computer can notify the user that the operation of the bar code reader is possible by processing such as returning to the normal bar code input waiting screen display.

The specific processing of the bar code reader by software is shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, initialize the memory, ports, etc. (Step 20
Execute 1). After that, a waiting process for turning on the light emitter lighting switch by the user (step 202), a command waiting process from the host computer (step 204), or a bar code reading completion waiting process (step 20).
Execute 5). At this time, if it is determined that the user has pressed the light emitter lighting switch (step 202), the light emitter lighting request command transmission process (step 203) is executed to the host computer. In addition, command waiting processing from the host computer (when a command is received in step 204, the processing moves to the command processing group 213.
When the command processing group 213 determines that the command is the initial setting command (step 207), the initial setting process (step 208) is executed. If it is determined that the command is a light emitter lighting command (step 209), the light emitter lighting process (step 21).
0) is executed. When it is determined that the command is a light emitter extinction command (step 211), light emitter extinction processing (step 212) is executed. Even when other commands are received, the respective processes are executed. When it is determined that the barcode reading process is completed in the barcode reading standby state (step 205),
The process of transmitting the read bar code to the host computer (step 206) is executed.

The specific processing of the host computer by the software is shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, power supply processing to the barcode reader (step 221)
And an initial setting command transmission process (step 222) to the barcode reader. Next, a bar code waiting process from the bar code reader (step 223), a command waiting process from the bar code reader (step 224), and a remaining amount check process of the built-in battery (step 225) are executed. When the barcode is recognized in the barcode waiting state (step 223), the barcode receiving processing (step 226) and the barcode processing (step 227) are executed. When a command is received in the command waiting state (step 224) from the bar code reader, command processing is started. If it is determined that the command is a light emitter lighting request command (step 228), after the battery remaining amount check processing (step 229) is executed, the operation of lighting the light emitter of the bar code reader can be performed. If it is determined that the light emitting body lighting command is transmitted to the barcode reader (step 230). On the other hand, if it is determined in the battery remaining amount check process (step 229) that the battery is insufficient, an abnormal message screen display process to the user (step 23)
After executing 2), the battery recovery standby process (step 23)
Execute 3). After that, when it is determined that the battery has recovered to a level at which the bar code reader can be used with the light emitting body of the bar code reader being used due to the battery charging process or the like (step 233), the bar code reader is processed to erase the abnormal message on the display screen. (Step 234)
To execute. When it is determined that the battery is insufficient in the battery remaining amount check processing (step 225),
The host computer executes a process of transmitting a light emitter extinguishing command to the bar code reader (step 231) and a process of displaying a battery shortage abnormality message to the user (step 232). After that, when it is determined that the battery has recovered to a level at which the bar code reader can be used with the light emitting body of the bar code reader being used due to the battery charging process or the like (step 233), the bar code reader is processed to erase the abnormal message on the display screen. (Step 2
34) is executed.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the host computer controls by a command in the process of linking the light emitting body of the bar code reader, which consumes a large amount of power, with the light emitting body lighting switch. Even in a system in which a terminal or the like is connected as a host computer and the power of the bar code reader is supplied from the built-in battery of the host computer, it is possible to perform processing that considers the remaining battery capacity, and the memory contents disappear due to a sudden power down. There was no problem of and stable operation became possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system connection diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram showing a power supply, a command flow, and a state of a light emitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the barcode reader processing of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the host computer processing of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 ... Host computer 110 ... Bar code reader 119 ... Light emitter

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bar having a communication means for transmitting and receiving a command or data to and from a host computer, a light emitter, a light emitter control means according to a command from the host computer, and a main body having a lighter lighting switch operable by a user. In the code reader, a bar code reader having means for notifying the host computer via the communication means that the light emitter lighting switch has been pressed.