Checkout device
First Claim
1. A checkout device comprising:
- a conveying section for conveying an article in one direction;
an optical scanner for scanning the article conveyed by said conveying section with a scanning light beam to read an article code affixed thereto, said optical scanner having a variable scanning range, which scanning range includes at least a side of the article, to which the scanning light beam is applied; and
a registration processing section for registering the article based on the article code read by said optical scanner;
wherein said registration processing section includes a control section which detects physical features of the article conveyed by said conveying section, said physical features including a code position on the article at which an article code is affixed to the article, and which controls the scanning range of said optical scanner to be optimized for reading the article code affixed to the article based on a conveying position and the detected physical features of the article;
wherein said control section includes;
a video camera for capturing an image within a predetermined area into which the article is conveyed by said conveying section to produce image data representing the captured image;
an image processor which processes the image data produced by said video camera to detect the article and extract the physical features thereof;
a light source that emits light which is applied to the predetermined area in an oblique direction and which spreads to form a bright line extending across the predetermined area; and
wherein said image processor includes a height measuring device which measures a height of the article based on a position difference determined from the image data produced by said video camera and located between a bright line formed by part of the light projected on an upper surface of the article and a bright line formed by part of the light projected on a surface of said conveying section outside the article.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A checkout device including a conveying section for conveying an article in one direction, an optical scanner for scanning the article conveyed by the conveying section with a scanning light beam to read an article code affixed thereto, and a registration processing section for registering the article based on the article code read by the optical scanner. The optical scanner is provided with a variable scanning range to which the scanning light beam is applied, and the registration processing section includes control means for detecting physical features of the article conveyed by the conveying section and for controlling the scanning range of the optical scanner to be optimized for reading the article code affixed to the article based on a conveying position and the detected physical features of the article.
80 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A checkout device comprising:
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a conveying section for conveying an article in one direction; an optical scanner for scanning the article conveyed by said conveying section with a scanning light beam to read an article code affixed thereto, said optical scanner having a variable scanning range, which scanning range includes at least a side of the article, to which the scanning light beam is applied; and a registration processing section for registering the article based on the article code read by said optical scanner; wherein said registration processing section includes a control section which detects physical features of the article conveyed by said conveying section, said physical features including a code position on the article at which an article code is affixed to the article, and which controls the scanning range of said optical scanner to be optimized for reading the article code affixed to the article based on a conveying position and the detected physical features of the article; wherein said control section includes; a video camera for capturing an image within a predetermined area into which the article is conveyed by said conveying section to produce image data representing the captured image; an image processor which processes the image data produced by said video camera to detect the article and extract the physical features thereof; a light source that emits light which is applied to the predetermined area in an oblique direction and which spreads to form a bright line extending across the predetermined area; and wherein said image processor includes a height measuring device which measures a height of the article based on a position difference determined from the image data produced by said video camera and located between a bright line formed by part of the light projected on an upper surface of the article and a bright line formed by part of the light projected on a surface of said conveying section outside the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification