JPH10261058A - Two-dimensional data code - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a high-speed printing and stable reading without fail, by constituting code data by combining printing circle parts. SOLUTION: A basic code 1 is composed of four rectangular frames (cells) 11-14 of 2×2 arrangement in the longitudinal and lateral directions surrounded by broken lines as virtual frame lines and a circle part 2 for data print shown by the round frame of one virtual broken line in the respective cells 11-14. Then, while defining the cell 11 of one row and one column as the digit of binary '1', the cell 12 of one row and two columns as the digit of binary '10', the cell 13 of two rows and one column as the digit of binary '100' and the cell 14 of two rows and two columns as the digit of binary '1000', the cell kept white without painting out the circle parts 2 of these cells 11-14 is defined as '0' and the cell turned black by painting them out is defined as '1' so that codes can be described for showing correspondence of the white and black combination patterns of circle parts 2 with 16-adic numerals from 0 to 9 and A to F. In this case, a point mark for distinguishing a print reading direction is arranged at a position not overlapped with the circle part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a two-dimensional data code, and more particularly to a non-contact type ink-jet marking device capable of printing on an article or a package, and a non-contact type ink-jet marking device. The present invention relates to a two-dimensional data code that integrates information and articles by interlocking with a device and enables rationalization of factory automation (FA).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, with the spread of POS systems, information collection through a barcode has been frequently used for quickness and accuracy. Further, barcodes are currently being applied in various fields. The current barcode is one-dimensional information for reading the thickness of a line or the like in a horizontal direction, and there is a limit to the amount of information and downsizing of the device. Under such circumstances, the need for a code that exceeds the current barcode specification is increasing.

That is, it is necessary to handle a large amount of information in a code, and to store information in a local area or a minimum area. Under these circumstances, for example, U.S.A. D. There are two-dimensional data codes from Matrix (IDM) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,939,354, 5,053,609, 5,124,536, and 5,126,542).

As shown in FIG. 4A, this two-dimensional data code writes two-dimensional vertical and horizontal digital information on a symbol obtained by combining black and white squares (cells) in a base pattern.
As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the data area is surrounded by an L-shaped portion called a guide cell and a black and white cell facing the L-shaped portion, which alternates between black and white. It has a structure. In the data area, 0 is expressed as a white cell and 1 is expressed as a black cell. In this case, it is the same as the computer language,
A maximum of 2000 bytes of information can be stored, and in this sense it has the feature of being able to integrate objects and information. Further, the backup information is recorded in another place in the frame so that a part of the code may be lost, thereby improving the reading stability. Due to the digital information, it has the advantage of being easy to perform computer processing.

In the case of a bar code, only the product code is written, and specific information is read from a host computer. On the other hand, specific information is written in the two-dimensional data code, and there is no need to communicate with the host computer, so that information processing is quick and low in cost.

[0006]

A two-dimensional data code as described above requires a large amount of information,
The requirement to store information in a local area or an extremely small part is satisfied by the combination of the high print quality and the read level.

The conventional IDM two-dimensional data code can be read and read from both vertically and horizontally.
When the angle is in the direction of 60 °, it takes a long time to read, which is disadvantageous. In addition, erroneous reading may occur due to foreign matter contamination or scattering ink during printing. Further, in printing and writing, since a thermal printer is the main means, the resolution of the thermal head is high, and usually 200 dp.
i, and the size of the distinguishable code cell is restricted,
Each side is as large as about 1 mm.

As described above, although it is an extremely rare example, misreading occurs in a conventional two-dimensional data code, which leads to a credit problem in commercial transactions. Therefore,
Even in a very rare case, the printing form and printing means that cause such misreading are serious problems.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and has as its object to satisfy a demand for handling a large amount of various kinds of information and for storing information in local and minimal parts. Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-dimensional data code that can be printed at a high speed by using a non-contact type ink jet marking device and that can be stably read without erroneous reading.

[0010]

The two-dimensional data code of the present invention that achieves the above object is composed of a total of four virtual rectangular frames, two adjacent vertical and two horizontal lines, and is selectively provided in each rectangular frame. The printed circles are arranged, and further, a predetermined number of basic codes are arranged vertically and horizontally in which point marks for distinguishing the print reading direction are arranged at positions not overlapping with the printed circles. It is a feature.

In this case, it is desirable that a predetermined number of basic codes are arranged vertically and horizontally at intervals.

The point mark may be composed of three point marks, for example, a front guide mark, a side guide mark, and a center guide mark, which are circle marks smaller than the diameter of the print circle.

The two-dimensional data code of the present invention is desirably printed by an ink-jet marking device.

In the present invention, since the code data is composed of a combination of print circles, non-contact printing can be performed using an ink jet marking device. Further, since the point mark for distinguishing the print reading direction can be printed at the same time, it is possible to print at high speed, and it is also possible to print at a local portion or a minimum portion. Moreover, by reading the point mark, stable reading can be performed without erroneous reading.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a two-dimensional data code according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic code 1 constituting a two-dimensional data code of the present embodiment.
Are four rectangular frames (cells) 11 to 14 arranged in a 2 × 2 array in the vertical and horizontal directions, surrounded by dashed lines (not actually present) which are virtual frame lines.
And a round portion 2 for data printing indicated by one dashed circle (not actually present) in each of the cells 11 to 14. Then, this cell 11 in one row and one column is
The first digit of the binary system, the cell 12 in the first row and the second column are converted to the tenth digit of the binary system,
The cells 13 in two rows and one column are assumed to be hundreds of digits in binary system, and the cells 14 in two rows and two columns are assumed to be in thousands in binary system.
In FIG. 2, black and white combination patterns of hexagonal system numbers 0 to 9, A to
Code notation indicating the correspondence with F is performed.

Regarding the directionality of the print data of the basic code 1, a circle mark slightly smaller than the diameter of the round portion 2 is used as a center guide 21 for determining the number and position of the basic codes in the four cells 11 to 14. Of the cell 11 indicating the first digit of the binary system as a front guide 22 indicating a writing start point or a reading point at a position deviated from the round portion 2 at a position deviated from the round portion 2 A similar circle mark is used as a side guide 23 for determining a writing start point or a reading point in cooperation with the front guide 22 in the same manner as the cell 12 indicating the first digit of the binary system and the tens digit of the binary system. A similar circle mark is provided at a position deviating from the round portion 2 on the upper side portion between the base cord 1 and the three guides 21 to 23, the basic cord 1 is rotated by 90 °, and is The direction of the print data can be recognized, for example, as a mirror image. Therefore, at the time of reading, by performing image processing and discriminating these three guides 21 to 23, sensing and reading discrimination at all 360 ° angles can be performed.

The large circle print representing the data code printed on the round portion 2 and the small circle print on the guides 21 to 23 can be printed by heat, electrostatic recording, or electrophotography. The recording is preferably performed using an ink jet marking device characterized by non-contact. In order to distinguish between printing that is outside the printing area of the circle or small foreign matter and data code printing and printing of the guides 21 to 23, if ink larger than a cell can be distinguished from circle printing of an adjacent cell, Further, a small foreign matter may be recognized by setting the threshold value of the read mark to a fraction of the round print in consideration of the minimum size of the ink dot.

In order to form a two-dimensional data code representing a large amount of information using the basic code 1 as described above, the basic code 1 is vertically and horizontally spaced by a predetermined number (FIG. 3) as shown in FIG. Then, 4 × 4) may be arranged. In the case of FIG.
Hexadecimal number: 123456789ABCDEF0 is code-recorded.

The two-dimensional data code of the present invention may be rectangular or elliptical, instead of the printing circle 2. The coding can be a mirror image or black and white reversal. Furthermore, the two-dimensional data code of the present invention may be marked not only on a flat surface but also on a curved surface or a spherical surface. It is also possible to read a moving object by marking it. Furthermore, the format of the two-dimensional data code of the present invention can handle all kinds of characters such as alphanumeric characters, symbols, and kanji.

[0021]

As is clear from the above description, according to the two-dimensional data code of the present invention, since the code data is composed of a combination of print circles, it is possible to perform non-contact printing using an ink jet marking device. is there. further,
Since the point mark for distinguishing the print reading direction can be printed at the same time, printing can be performed at high speed, and printing can be performed on local and minimal parts. Moreover, by reading the point mark, stable reading can be performed without erroneous reading.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing basic codes constituting a two-dimensional data code according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a correspondence between a combination pattern of black and white of a round portion of a basic code and a hexadecimal number.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional data code according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional two-dimensional data code.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Basic code 2 ... Round part for printing 3 ... Interval 11-14 ... Square frame (cell) 21 ... Center guide 22 ... Front guide 23 ... Side guide

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A total of four imaginary rectangular frames, two adjacent vertically and two horizontally, and a printing circle portion is selectively arranged in each square frame, and further, a printing reading direction is distinguished. 2. A two-dimensional data code comprising a predetermined number of basic codes arranged vertically and horizontally in which point marks are arranged at positions not overlapping the print circle. 2. A two-dimensional data code, wherein a predetermined number of the basic codes are arranged vertically and horizontally at an interval. 3. The front guide mark, wherein the point mark is a circle mark smaller than the diameter of the print circle.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising three point marks, a side guide mark and a center guide mark.
Described two-dimensional data code. 4. The two-dimensional data code according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional data code is printed by an ink-jet marking device.