Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-24
2001-03-27
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2816)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C235S472010, C235S462490, C235S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206286
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bar code reader, more particularly, to a bar code reader capable of properly preventing a bar code from being read double.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has been generalized that commercial goods are managed by bar codes as typified by a POS system in the sector of distribution industries etc. For example, in the POS system in a shop, pieces of information on classifications and sales prices etc of the goods are coded in a format of the bar code and printed on the goods. The bar code is read at the check-out counter, and a payment is made based on the read information. Then, the number of sold goods is counted in real time, and a result of count serves an inventory management and a stocking management.
Incidentally, the bar code reader is roughly classified into a fixed type bar code reader integrally incorporated into a register device, and a handy type bar code reader operable while being held by a hand and connected via a communication cable to the register device.
On the other hand, the bar code is printed on a label stuck to a commercial goods or a container of the commercial goods in a case where it is difficult to print the bar code on the commercial goods itself (e.g., perishable foods) (i.e., in-store marking), and is printed on a bar code list BL as shown in
FIG. 14
in a case where it is difficult to stick the label thereto (e.g., fast-food and foods sold by weights). This bar code list BL is a sheet on which goods names GN of a multiplicity of goods and corresponding bar codes BC are printed, and prepared in the vicinity of the register device (e.g., on the upper surface of the register device). Then, a casher at the register, when selling the goods with the bar code list BL on which the goods name GN is written, reads the bar code BC corresponding to the goods name GN from this bar code list BL by use of the handy type bar code reader.
The conventional handy type bar code reader, especially, the bar code reader of such a type as to manipulate a laser beam, is not designed in consideration of reading the bar code printed on the above bar code list BL. Accordingly, in the case of reading the bar code printed on the bar code list BL by using the conventional handy type bar code reader, it is impossible to obviate a problem of double-reading which will hereinafter be explained.
To be specific, the conventional handy type bar code reader has hitherto been also mounted with a double-reading preventive mechanism for preventing the double-reading when reading the bar code stuck to the external surface of normal goods. This double-reading preventive mechanism includes a buffer for storing only one piece of demodulated data corresponding to the whole bar code, and a double-reading preventive timer for measuring an elapse time since the demodulated data has been once obtained. Then, this double-reading preventive mechanism, upon obtaining the demodulated data once by reading the bar code, writes this piece of demodulated data to the buffer and starts the double-reading preventive timer. Subsequently, this double-reading preventive mechanism, when the same demodulated data is obtained once again till the double-reading preventive timer makes a time-up after a predetermined time has elapsed, conceives that the same bar code is read twice, and invalidates the demodulated data obtained second time onwards.
On the other hand, when the bar codes BC written on the bar code list BL are read sequentially from above by use of the handy type bar code reader, it might happen that a scan beam accidentally scans the bar code read last time and the bar code read previous time before last on the occasion of raising the handy type bar code reader away from the bar code list BC. In such a case, the double-reading preventive mechanism incorporated into the conventional handy type bar code reader prevents the double-reading of only the bar code read last time (i.e., the buffer is stored with only the demodulated data corresponding to the bar code read last time), and consequently the demodulated data obtained by scanning the bar code once again by accident, which has been read previous time before last or read more previously than that time, might be treated as being valid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bar code reader capable of properly preventing a bar code even in such a case that the bar code is read on a sheet on which a plurality of codes are printed.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bar code reader comprises a detecting unit detecting a bar code pattern of a bar code based on reflected beams from the bar code, a demodulating unit executing a demodulating process based on the bar code pattern detected by said detecting unit to obtain data coded into the bar code as demodulated data, a storage written with demodulated data and storing a predetermined plurality of recently written demodulated data, a timer measuring an elapsed time after actuating thereof and stopping when the elapse time reaches a predetermined time, a demodulated data validating unit for validating the demodulated data obtained by said demodulating unit on condition that the demodulated data is not identical with any piece of demodulated data stored in said storage if said timer is measuring the elapse time at a point when the demodulated data is obtained by said demodulating unit, and immediately validating the demodulated data obtained by said demodulating unit if said timer is not measuring the time at a point when the demodulated data is obtained by said demodulating unit, a demodulated data writing unit, when said demodulated data validating unit validates the demodulated data, for writing the demodulated data into said storage, and a timer actuating unit for actuating said timer when said demodulated data validating unit validates the demodulated data.
With this construction, the detecting unit detects the bar code pattern of this bar code on the basis of the reflected light beams from the bar code. The demodulating unit executes the demodulating process on the basis of the bar code pattern detected by the detecting unit, and acquires the data coded into the bar code as demodulated data.
When the demodulating unit obtains the demodulated data corresponding to all of the bar code, the demodulated data validating unit checks whether or not the timer is measuring the elapse time. Then, if the timer is neither actuated nor yet measuring the elapse time, the demodulated data validating unit validates this piece of demodulated data. At this time, the demodulated writing unit writes the same demodulated data to the storage, and the timer actuating unit actuates the timer. By contrast, if the time is measuring the elapse time, the demodulated data validating unit compares the demodulated data obtained by the demodulating mechanism with all the demodulated data stored in the storage unit. Then, if the demodulated data obtained by the demodulating unit is identical with any one piece of demodulated data stored in the storage, the demodulated data validating unit discards of the demodulated data obtained by the demodulating unit. Whereas if the demodulated data obtained by the demodulating unit is different from any pieces of demodulated data stored in the storage, the demodulated data validating unit validates the demodulated data obtained by the demodulating unit. At this time, the demodulated data writing unit writes this piece of demodulated data to the storage, and the timer actuating unit re-actuates the timer.
Thus, the demodulated data is compared with plural pieces of demodulated data recently written in the storage, and is validated only when not coincident with these pieces of demodulated data. Therefore, even in such a case that the bar codes are consecutively read on the bar code list on which the plurality of bar codes are printed, the double-reading contrary to the intention is prevented.
The detecting unit may be constr
Itoh Motohiko
Iwaguchi Isao
Kawai Hiroaki
Sato Shin'ichi
Watanabe Mitsuo
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Felten Daniel
Frech Karl D.
Fujitsu Limited
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