Two-dimensional code reader setting method, two-dimensional code reader, two dimensional code reader setting program and computer readable recording medium

• US 20040046024A1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Original Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Inventors: Natsukari, Chikara, Nakata, Hisamichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,983,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1092 sensing by means of TV-scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1093 sensing, after transfer of the image of the data-field to an intermediate store, e.g. storage with cathode ray tube
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to easily set a camera attachment distance of an image pick-up optical system, a combination of close-up rings and the like. When a user designates a specification of a desirable two-dimensional code such as a code type, a data type, a data volume, a printable space, or printing precision, a cell size and a symbol size of the two-dimensional code and the like are calculated in accordance therewith. Furthermore, an attachment condition of an image pick-up section such as an attachment distance limitation of the image pick-up section or a shift tolerance of a two-dimensional code label is specified. By inputting and calculating the condition for setting the image pick-up optical system of a two-dimensional code reader, thus, an appropriate camera attachment distance, a type of a close-up ring and a standard of a scale of a focusing ring are calculated automatically.

Claims

1. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including one or more of a code type, a model, an error correcting level, a printing pattern, a data type for encoding the two-dimensional code, a data volume, a printable space or printing precision of the two-dimensional code;

calculating the specification of the two-dimensional code including one or more of a cell size or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code in accordance with the designated condition;

designating an attachment condition of the image pick-up section including one or more of an attachment distance limitation of the image pick-up section, a shift tolerance of a two-dimensional code label, presence or absence of rotation, a cell size of the two-dimensional code or a printing pattern; and

calculating an attachment specification including one or more of the attachment distance of the image pick-up section, a focusing range, a size of a visual field, the number of pixels to be allocated to one cell, a total thickness of close-up rings, a combination of a thickness of each of the necessary close-up rings and the number thereof, or a standard of a scale of a focusing ring in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code and the,attachment condition of the image pick-up section.

13. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying at least any of an attachment distance of the image pick-up section related to calculation, a total thickness of close-up rings or a combination of a thickness of each of necessary close-up rings and the number thereof, a standard of a scale of a focusing ring, a length and width of a symbol of the two-dimensional code, a size of one cell, a length and width of a two-dimensional code label having the two-dimensional code printed thereon, a shift tolerance of the two-dimensional code label, presence or absence of rotation, and a relationship between a visual field and a symbol size, in an image.

14. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 1, wherein a candidate group of the total thickness of the close-up rings or the combination of the thickness of each of the necessary close-up rings and the number thereof is calculated, a focusing range is visually displayed for each of the candidates, any of the candidate groups displayed side by side is selected so that at least any of an attachment distance of the image pick-up section related to the selected candidate, a focusing range, a size of a visual field, the number of pixels to be allocated to one cell, the total thickness of the close-up rings, the combination of the thickness of each of the necessary close-up rings and the number thereof, and a standard of a scale of a focusing ring is displayed.

15. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting an operation of the two-dimensional code reader including any of specification of a code to be read by the two-dimensional code reader, specification of a reading operation, output, predictive maintenance information and communication.

2. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including at least a volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code and a printable space or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code.

3. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 2, wherein cell size of the two-dimensional code is calculated as the specification of the two-dimensional code based on at least the volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code and the printable space or the symbol size of the two-dimensional code and is determined based thereon.

4. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 2, wherein the cell size of the two-dimensional code is calculated as the specification of the two-dimensional code based on a maximum value which can be permitted as at least the cell size and a resolution of a printer of the two-dimensional code and is determined based thereon.

5. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

specifying an attachment condition of the image pick-up section including at least an attachment distance limitation of the image pick-up section; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of the close-up rings based on the specification of the two-dimensional code and the attachment condition of the image pick-up section.

6. The method of setting a two-dimensional code reader according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

specifying an attachment condition of the image pick-up section including any of at least a shift tolerance of a two-dimensional code label, presence or absence of rotation and a printing pattern; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of the close-up rings based on the specification of the two-dimensional code and the attachment condition of the image pick-up section.

7. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including at least a code type of the two-dimensional code, a volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code, a cell size of the two-dimensional code and a printable space or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code.

8. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including at least any of a volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code and a cell size of the two-dimensional code; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code.

9. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including at least any of a cell size of the two-dimensional code and a printable space or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least an attachment distance of the image pick-up section and a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code.

10. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a two-dimensional code reading specification including at least any of a volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code, a printable space or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code, and an attachment distance of the image pick-up section; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the calculated two-dimensional code reading specification.

11. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a two-dimensional code reading specification including at least any of a volume of data to be encoded into the two-dimensional code, a cell size of the two-dimensional code, and an attachment distance of the image pick-up section; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the calculated two-dimensional code reading specification.

12. A method of setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, comprising the steps of:

designating a two-dimensional code reading specification including at least any of a cell size of the two-dimensional code, and a printable space or a symbol size of the two-dimensional code; and

calculating an attachment specification including at least a total thickness of close-up rings in accordance with the calculated two-dimensional code reading specification.

16. A two-dimensional code read setting device for setting a two-dimensional code reading operation for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section and decoding the two-dimensional code by using a two-dimensional code reader, comprising:

a two-dimensional code specification designating section for designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including any of a code type, a model, an error correcting level, a printing pattern, a data type for encoding the two-dimensional code, a data volume, a printable space and printing precision of the two-dimensional code read by the image pick-up section;

a two-dimensional code specification calculating section for calculating the specification of the two-dimensional code including any of a cell size and a symbol size of the two-dimensional code in accordance with the condition designated by the two-dimensional code specification designating section;

an image pick-up section attachment condition designating section for designating an attachment condition of the image pick-up section including any of an attachment distance limitation of the image pick-up section, a shift tolerance of a two-dimensional code label, presence or absence of rotation, a cell size of the two-dimensional code and a printing pattern; and

an image pick-up section attachment specification calculating section for calculating an attachment specification including any of the attachment distance of the image pick-up section, a focusing range, a size of a visual field, the number of pixels to be allocated to one cell, a total thickness of close-up rings, a combination of a thickness of each of the necessary close-up rings and the number thereof, and a standard of a scale of a focusing ring in accordance with the specification of the two-dimensional code which is calculated by the two-dimensional code specification calculating section and the attachment condition of the image pick-up section which is designated by the image pick-up section attachment condition designating section.

17. The two-dimensional code reader setting device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a two-dimensional code reading operation setting section for setting an operation of the two-dimensional code reader including any of specification of a code to be read by the two-dimensional code reader, specification of a reading operation, output, predictive maintenance information and communication.

18. A two-dimensional code reader setting program for setting a two-dimensional code reader for reading a two-dimensional code by using an image pick-up section, which causes a computer to implement functions of:

designating a specification of the two-dimensional code including any of a code type of the two-dimensional code, a model, an error correcting level, a printing pattern, a data type to be encoded into the two-dimensional code, a data volume, a printable space and printing precision;

calculating the specification of the two-dimensional code including any of a cell size and a symbol size of the two-dimensional code in accordance with the designated condition;

designating an attachment condition of the image pick-up section including any of an attachment distance limitation of the image pick-up section, a shift tolerance of a two-dimensional code label, presence or absence of rotation, a cell size of the two-dimensional code and a printing pattern; and

calculating an attachment specification including any of the attachment distance of the image pick-up section, a focusing range, a size of a visual field, the number of pixels to be allocated to one cell, a total thickness of close-up rings, a combination of a thickness of each of the necessary close-up rings and the number thereof, and a standard of a scale of a focusing ring in accordance with the specification of the calculated two-dimensional code and the attachment condition of the image pick-up section.

19. The two-dimensional code reader setting program according to claim 18, which further causes the computer to implement a function of:

saving an image of the two-dimensional code acquired by the image pick-up section.

20. The two-dimensional code reader setting program according to claim 18, which further causes the computer to implement a function of:

printing set contents which are calculated.

21. The two-dimensional code reader setting program according to claim 18, which further causes the computer to implement a function of:

saving the set contents which are calculated in a file.

22. A computer readable recording medium recording the two-dimensional code reader setting program according to claim 18.