OPTICAL INFORMATION READING APPARATUS

Abstract: Apparatus for reading optical information such as a bar code (2) capable of reflecting ambient light and including a hand-held reader containing an image sensor. The hand-held reader is constructed so that ambient light illuminates the optical information, whereby an image of the optical information is imaged by ambient light reflected from the optical information on the image sensor (8) so that the image is converted into an electric signal. The hand-held reader further includes a light detector (9) for detecting intensity of the ambient light and the image sensor (8) is controlled so that the exposure time thereof is changed in accordance with intensity of the ambient light detected by the light detector (9).

Description: The present invention relates to optical information reading apparatus for reading optical information such as a bar code or characters printed on a record medium such as a label or the like. As a conventional apparatus of this type, there is a Japanese patent application having a laid-open patent number 60-171581. This patent application discloses optical information reading apparatus comprising a red LED to illuminate a label on which an optical information such as a bar code or characters is printed so that an image of the optical information by light reflected therefrom is imaged on an image sensor thereby to convert the image into an electric signal by an electronic scanning operation. A similar bar code reading apparatus is described in EP-A2-0 085 495. This optical reading apparatus comprises an optical image sensor, a diaphragm and a condensor lens being disposed in front of the image sensor, as well as a reflecting mirror and an artificial light source, all of these devices being arranged within a hand-holded casing. Furthermore, a driver circuit is positioned within the casing controlling the scanning of the image sensor. In addition to the aforementioned devices being positioned in the casing, a control unit is provided controlling the scanning operation of the image sensor together with the driving circuit. The object this prior art document is dealing with is to meet the problem that the output signal level from the image sensor decreases as the reading speed increases or, in other words, as the moving speed of the bar code reader over the bar code decreases. To solve this problem, it is suggested in this prior art approach to divide the linear array of the optical imaging elements forming the image sensor in at least two groups which are respectively driven by different clock signals so that signal charges from respective groups are derived at different timings. In the described preferred embodiment, the optical imaging elements are divided in EVEN- and ODD-groups, each of which is read out in a separate transfer gate and a separate shift register. It should be noted that the charging time for each of the groups corresponds to a predetermined value whereas the readout operation of the first group of elements (e.g. the ODD-number elements) is advanced by a predetermined time period with respect to the readout operation of the second group. From the above it is understood that for a given common charging time for each group of optical elements different readout cycles can be chosen for each of the groups, respectively. This means that if the reading cycle is set constant, the charging or storing time can be e.g. doubled when compared with the case in which the stored signal charges of all optical elements are derived at once. This double storing time results in an increased sensitivity in double. However, all of the afore-mentioned prior art approaches utilize artificial light sources for the illumination of the bar code. In the case of a red LED, these artificial light sources consume about 80 % of the electric current required for the whole apparatus. This represents a significant load for a battery when used to drive a red LED-type reading apparatus. A further prior art bar code reading apparatus is disclosed in JP-A2-59 53 974. From this prior art document a bar code reader is known which no longer requires artificial light sources, and which, therefore, has a low power consumption. The described device uses ambient light collected by a condensor lens and directs it via a wavelength converting layer onto the bar code to be read. The converting layer converts the visible ambient light into infrared light. The infrared light reflected by the bar code is thereafter projected to a locus within the bar code reader casing where an image sensor is positioned. This prior art approach is comparably complicated since the provision of a wavelength converting layer is necessary. As general background art, reference may be made to U.S. 4,408,120, 4,488,678, 4,516,017, 4,528,444 and 4,538,060 and the U.S. Patent Application of Hara et al., Serial Nos. 517,745 filed July 27, 1983 and Serial No. 693,825 filed January 23, 1985 and now abandoned. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for reading optical information which does not exhibit the afore-mentioned drawbacks. This object is solved by an apparatus for reading optical information in accordance with claim 1. In more detail, according to the present invention, ambient light instead of internally generated light is used to illuminate the optical information to be read. The optical reader is of the hand-held type having a head with a reading opening which is placed adjacently to the optical information to be read and the head is so constructed that ambient light reaches the optical information during the reading thereof. Therefore, according to the present invention no artificial light source is needed to illuminate the optical information and hence the consumption of electric current becomes low. Further, as an another aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described characteristics, regulating means provided for changing the exposure time of the image sensor inversely relative to the intensity of the ambient light. Therefore, the reading operation of the image sensor can be assured irrespective of the change of intensity of the ambient light. These and other advantages of this invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which: FIGURE 1 is a partial sectional view showing a first embodiment of an optical information reading apparatus according to the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a circuit diagram showing the whole circuit for the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2; FIGURE 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of a microcomputer of FIGURE 3; FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram detailing the scanning synchronous circuit of FIGURE 3; FIGURES 6(a) through 6(i) are timing charts useful for understanding the operation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 through FIGURE 5; FIGURE 7 is a side sectional view showing a second embodiment according to the present invention; FIGURE 8 is a schematic view showing a third embodiment according to the present invention; and FIGURE 9 is a schematic view showing a fourth embodiment according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described hereinunder with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof. FIGURES 1 and 2 refer to a hand-held reader which forms part of an optical information reading apparatus. In FIGURES 1 and 2, a bar code label 1 contains a bar code 2 having black bars and white bars which are all parallel to each other and which will reflect ambient light. A hand-held reader has a casing 3 with in opening 3a it (see-FIGURE 2) the reading end thereof. The opening passes ambient light our of and into casing 3 and is long and narrow relative to the parallel bars of bar code 2. Casing 3 also includes a rectangular elongated body portion made of non-transparent material extending to the head 3b of casing 3. Head 3b has an end portion made of transparent material for passing ambient light therethrough to illuminate bar code 2 via opening 3a. Some ambient light also reaches the bar code 2 directly since the head has short legs 4a and 4b on the front side which decrease to zero light on the rear side. Reflecting mirror 5 reflects light reflected from bar code 2 in a predetermined direction, i.e., toward image sensor 8. The light reflected from mirror 5 is transmitted through lens 6 and diaphragm member 7 which has an elongated slit arranged so that its longitudinal direction is vertical in the drawing. From diaphragm member 7 the light goes on to image sensor 8 where an image of bar code 2 to be scanned is imaged thereon. Image sensor 8 uses a one-dimensional image sensor which converts the image on the scanning line into an electric signal by electronic scanning operation. On the outside of case 3 is a light detector 9 for detecting the intensity of ambient light outside of case 3. Image sensor 8 is controlled to change its exposure time in accordance with the intensity detected by light detector 9 as described in detail below. Signal cable 10 electrically connects between electric circuits in electronic control circuit 11 disposed in case 3 and a data processing unit (FIGURE 3) disposed outside of case 3. Battery 12 disposed in cane 3 supplies electric power to electric circuits in case 3. Operation of the above-described embodiment is described next. Casing 3 is positioned to read bar code label 1 as shown in FIGURE 1 so that the opening 3a of casing 3 faces bar code 2. Ambient light on bar code 2 is reflected thereby through opening 3a illuminated by ambient light received externally and that which passes through transparent end portion 4. Since bar code 2 is printed in white and black bars which are contrasting colors in light reflectivity, the reflected light therefrom has corresponding light densities. The reflected light, passing via reflecting mirror 5, lens 6 and diaphragm member 7, is received by image sensor 8 on a scanning line thereof, whereby an image of bar code 2 is imaged on the scanning line where photoelements of image sensor 8 are in line. Image sensor 8 which is activated by electronic control circuit 11 converts the image into an electric signal by the electric scanning operation thereof. As indicated above, a change of intensity of the ambient light on bar code 2 causes a problem to the scanning operation of image sensor 8. For example, when the hand-held reader is used in an ordinary office, the degree of light is about 1000 lumens, while near a window it is about 10-100 times as much as that in the ordinary office, but only about 200 lumens where light is not needed or available so much such as in a warehouse or the like. Therefore, image sensor 8 needs to be controllled so that the scanning operation thereof is properly performed even if the intensity of the ambient light changes. To do so, light detector 9 detects the intensity of the ambient light, and image sensor 8 is controlled in a manner explained below so that the exposure time thereof is changed in accordance with the intensity of the ambient light detected by light detector 9, whereby the electric charge of image sensor 8 is regulated. The whole electric circuit diagram is shown in FIGURE 3 in which amplifiers 21 and 22 amplify the electric signal obtained from image sensor 8 by scanning in a conventional manner. The waveform of the output signal from amplifier 22 is shaped by waveform shaping circuit 23 which includes a sample-and-hold circuit for sample-holding a peak value of the output signal from amplifier 22 and converting the output signal into a continuous signal. Signal converting circuit 24 converts the waveform shaped signal from waveform shaping circuit 23 into a binary signal having high and low levels respectively corresponding to the black and white bars. The binary signal is applied to microcomputer 25. On the other hand, a signal representing ambient light detected by light detector 9 is amplified by amplifier 26, converted by A/D converter 27 into a digital signal L which increases when the ambient light decreases and vice-versa. Signal L is then applied to microcomputer 25. Microcomputer 25 performs operations in accordance with the flowchart of FIGURE 4. Firstly at step 100, the ambient light signal L from A/D converter 27 is input. At step 101, exposure time TSN is calculated with the following equation, wherein K is a constant. TSN = K x L At the next step 102, an instruction signal to change the scanning cycle of image sensor 8 in an continuous inverse relationship according to the exposure time TSN is produced and delivered to a scanning synchronous circuit 29. In step 103, a signal corresponding to the image of bar code 2 is input from signal converting circuit 24. The input signal is decoded in step 104 to read the content of bar code 2. According to this reading operation, a signal indicating the content of bar code 2 is produced to output apparatus 40 such as a data display apparatus. The scanning synchronous circuit 29 of FIGURE 3 is responsive to the instruction signals from microcomputer 25 produce both scanning clock pulses and scanning synchronous signals for sensor driving circuit 30 and thence image sensor 8. The scanning synchronous signal determines the scanning cycle of image sensor 8. As a result, sensor driving circuit 30 responsive to the scanning clock pulses and the scanning synchronous signals from scanning synchronous circuit 29 controls image sensor 8 so that the scanning cycle of image sensor 8 becomes shorter when the ambient light is stronger, while the scanning cycle becomes longer when the ambient light is weaker, whereby the exposure time of image sensor 8 is regulated. Sensor 8 and driving circuit 30 may be constructed in accordance with USP 4,516,017, especially the left half of Figure 9 thereof, starting with the inputs to J.K. flip-flops. Alternatively, and more preferably, the sensor 8 and driving circuit 30 are as described in "How to Select and Use Image Sensors" published January 25, 1985 by the Daily Industrial Newspaper Co. of Japan; in particular, see pages 42-45 and 145 thereof. A detailed electric circuit diagram of scanning synchronous circuit 29 is shown in FIGURE 5. Scanning synchronous circuit 29 includes a 4 bit counter 29a for counting the clock pulses shown in FIGURE 6(a) received from clock generator 28, inverter 29b for inverting an output signal shown in FIGURE 6(c) from the Q B terminal of counter 29a, decoder 29c for decoding an output signal from inverter 29b and an output signal as shown in FIGURE 6(b) from the Q A terminal of counter 29a. Decoder 29c produces from its Yo terminal timing pulses as shown in FIGURE 6(e) each time both input signals become "0" and inverters 29d and 29h invert the timing signals from the Yo terminal, D flip-flop circuits 29e and 29f input the instruction signal of FIGURE 6(g) from microcomputer 25, NAND gate 29g inputs output signals from the Q terminal and the Q terminal of D flip-flop circuits 29e and 29f, respectively, and NAND gate 29i inputs output signals from inverter 29h and the Q B terminal of counter 29a. If the above mentioned circuit of USP 4,516,017 is used, then it is preferable to use inverter 29; as the lowermost input to circuit 9 of Figure 9 in that patent. According to the above-described structure, before microcomputer 25 produces an instruction signal, since the output signal from the Q terminal of flip-flop circuit 29e is low level and the output signal from the Q terminal of flip-flop circuit 29f is high level, NAND gate 29g produces a high level signal. Then, when microcomputer 25 produces an instruction signal and counter 29a produces a pulse signal shown in FIGURE 6(d) from the Q D terminal thereof, the output signal from the Q terminal of flip-flop circuit 29e becomes high level, whereby NAND gate 29g produces a low level signal. Thereafter, when counter 29a produces the second pulse signal from the Q D terminal thereof, the output signal from the Q terminal of flip-flop circuit 29f becomes low level, whereby NAND gate 29g produces a high level signal. That is, when an instruction signal is produced by microcomputer 25, NAND gate 29g produces a scanning synchronous signal as shown in FIGURE 6(h) (in which the second line is a contracted time version of the first line) having a low level at a timing that counter 29a counting clock pulses from clock generator 28 has produced two pulse signals as shown in FIGURE 6(d) from the Q D terminal of counter 29a. On the other hand, NAND gate 29i produces the scanning clock pulses shown in FIGURE 6(f) with the same cycle as output signals from the Yo terminal of decoder 29c. Sensor driving circuit 30 drives image sensor 8 by the scanning clock pulses at each cycle of the scanning synchronous signal. On the other hand, timing pulses having the same cycle as the scanning clock pulses are applied from inverter 29d to waveform shaping circuit 23 for performing its operations synchronously with the synchronous clock pulses. The output of NAND gate 29g is also applied to A/D converter 27 as a timing pulse with its positive going edge causing the converter to output to microcomputer 25HV digital signal representing the current ambient light value. When the ambient light is strong, the scanning cycle of image sensor 8 becomes shorter as shown in FIGURE 6(h) for the first scanning cycle t(SN-1) and the electric signal from image sensor 8 is produced in the next scanning cycle t(SN) with an amplitude Vp in a scanning period tR as shown in FIGURE 6(i). As the ambient light gradually becomes weak, the scanning cycle gradually becomes longer as shown in FIGURE 6(h) for cycles t(SN) and t(SN+1), whereby the exposure time of image sensor 8 gradually becomes longer so that the amplitude Vp of the electric signal of image sensor 8 remains substantially constant regardless of the weakness of the ambient light. Of course, when the ambient light brightens, the scanning cycle shortens, but Vp remains the same. Thus, the reading operation of image sensor 8 can be assured irrespective of the change of intensity of the ambient light. The second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 7. In this embodiment, instead of a transparent end portion 4 as in the first embodiment, only a lower underneath end portion 3C is employed, the upper part and sides too if desired of the head being one employed, for receiving the ambient light. Therefore, the ambient light directly illuminates bar code 2 through the open part. In the third embodiment shown in FIGURE 8 an elongated lens 4A is disposed at an end portion of casing 3 so that the ambient light is collected and illuminates bar code 2 therealong. Otherwise the head portion may be transparent or not as desired. The fourth embodiment in FIGURE 9 has a round lens 4B provided at an upper side of the end portion of casing 3 so that the ambient light is collected and illuminates bar code 2. Again the head otherwise may be transparent or not as desired. In the above-described embodiments, light detector 9 is used to detect the ambient light. However, as an alternative, the intensity of the ambient light may be determined by amplifying the electric signal of image sensor 8. Further, although the optical information above described is in the form of a bar code 2 the optical information instead may be in the form of symbols or characters. In addition, a two-dimensional image sensor may be used instead of the one-dimensional image sensor 8. Further, instead of the scanning cycle of image sensor 8 being changed to change the exposure time of image sensor 8, an electrically driven optical shutter may be so disposed that its opening time is controlled to regulate the exposure time for sensor 8. Of coure, if the hand-held reader is used where the intensity of ambient light is kept constant, the structure to change the scanning cycle such as detector 9, amplifier 26, A/D converter 27, and scanning synchronous circuit 29 can be omitted. Some exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, but those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the preferred embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims: Apparatus for reading optical information comprising: a casing (3) having a hand- holding portion made of a non- transparent material, and a head portion (3b) for receiving ambient light, said head portion (3b) having an opening (3a) at one end thereof for facing said optical information (2); said head portion (3b) being constructed to allow illumination of said optical information (2) when said opening (3a) faces the optical information for a reading thereof; optical means (5,6,7) disposed in said casing (3), for forming an image of said optical information (2) at a predetermined reading position in said casing (3); image sensor means (8), disposed at said predetermined reading position for converting said image of said optical information into an electric signal; characterized by means (9; 25, 28, 29, 30) for regulating an exposure time of said image sensor (8) in accordance with an intensity of said ambient light to allow said image sensor (8) to operate over a large range of ambient light, and in that said image of said optical information (2) is formed by ambient light being reflected from said optical information (2) when said opening (3a) faces said optical information (2). Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head portion (3b) includes transparent means disposed adjacently to said opening (3a) for passing ambient light into said head portion (3b) and via said opening (3a) onto said optical information (2). Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head portion (3b) includes a lens means (4A; 4B) for passing said ambient light onto said optical information (2). apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said lens means (4A; 4B) comprises a long lens (4A) disposed transversely of said casing (3) adjacently to said opening (3a). Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said lens means (4A; 4B) comprises a round lens (4B) disposed adjacently to said opening (3a). Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head portion (3b) has a partially open part (3c) which includes said opening (3a) for passing ambient light directly onto said optical information (2). Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means (30) for driving said image sensor (8) to perform electronic scanning of said electric signal. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means comprises a light detector (9) for detecting said intensity of said ambient light and for producig an ambient light signal, and means (25, 28, 29, 30) responsive to said ambient light for increasing said exposure time of said image sensor (8) when the intensity of said ambient light decreases. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means comprises means for increasing a scanning cycle t(SN) of said image sensor (8) when the intensity of said ambient light decreases.

Inventors: MATSUSHIMA, TAKESHI, OHSHIMA, TADAO, OKAMOTO, ATSUTOSHI, TAKAI, HIROMITSU, YAMAMOTO, HIROSHI, YAMASHITA, MUTSUSHI
Applicants: NIPPONDENSO CO., LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G06K9
IPC codes: G06K7, G06K9