Information reading terminal

Abstract

Assuming an information reading terminal that optically reads predetermined information, this provides a configuration that allows control of transitioning to and deactivating power-saving mode without interfering with the user's work. [Solution] In response to a press operation on the trigger key 26a, a reading process is performed in which the information code is optically read by receiving reflected light from the information code via the reading port 12. In the power saving control process performed by the control unit 21, when the press operation is performed, the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is switched to power saving mode, and the power saving mode is canceled at a predetermined release timing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information reading terminal that optically reads predetermined information such as an information code.

Background Art

[0002] When an information reading terminal that optically reads an information code or the like is adopted as an office terminal or the like, it is desired to be able to be used throughout the day without charging. Therefore, there is a need for a device to improve the battery life of the office terminal. One of the factors related to the battery life of an office terminal having a display unit is the brightness of the backlight (display screen). The office terminal has a power saving mode in which the brightness of the backlight is maintained during operation, the backlight becomes dim when there is no operation for a certain period of time, and eventually the screen turns off. This power saving mode can suppress the consumption of the battery by the backlight during non-operation, and thus is an effective function for the battery life of the office terminal.

[0003] Currently, in order to shift to the above-described power saving mode when a predetermined transition grace period has elapsed since the operation stopped, it is not possible to shift to the power saving mode until the above transition grace period has elapsed. Therefore, depending on the operation situation and the set value of the above transition grace period, etc., the battery life may deteriorate because a state with a high current consumption continues unnecessarily. Therefore, when the terminal is not operated, it is required to be able to immediately shift to the power saving mode. Also, in a state where a plurality of types of processes are operating simultaneously, etc., the higher the peak current consumption, the worse the battery life. Therefore, in a situation where the peak current consumption is high, quickly shifting to the power saving mode enhances the effect of the battery life more. On the other hand, if the above transition grace period is made too short, the power saving mode may shift at a timing unintended by the user. In such a case, since the user needs to perform an operation to cancel the power saving mode each time, depending on the frequency of the cancellation operation, etc., it may interfere with the work. Therefore, there is a need for a device that enables a quick shift to the power saving mode without impairing the convenience of the user.

[0004] To address such problems, for example, a mobile terminal disclosed in Patent Document 1 below is known. This mobile terminal memorizes the orientation of the terminal when the user is operating it. If the current orientation is the same as the memorized orientation, it is considered that the terminal is being operated and the transition to power-saving mode is prohibited or suppressed. If the two orientations are different, it is considered that the terminal is not being operated and the transition to power-saving mode is immediately initiated. This reduces unnecessary power consumption without requiring the user to perform any transition operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-179477 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, business terminals are often used by multiple people, and since each user has a different posture when operating the terminal, if the aforementioned portable terminals are adopted as business terminals, the terminal posture that needs to be remembered will differ for each user. In particular, for business terminals used for multiple types of tasks, the posture of the terminal during operation differs depending on the type of task, which creates a problem in that the process for determining when to switch to power-saving mode becomes complicated.

[0007] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a configuration that allows control of transitioning to and deactivating a power-saving mode without interfering with the user's work, based on an information reading terminal that optically reads predetermined information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the present invention is: An information reading terminal (10) that optically reads predetermined information (C), Display unit (25) and A reading unit (21, 23) performs a reading process that optically reads the predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through the reading opening (12), An operating unit (26, 25b) on which a predetermined operation is performed when the aforementioned reading process is started, A power saving control unit (21) that controls the power saving of the information reading terminal, Equipped with, The power saving control unit is characterized in that, upon performing the predetermined operation, it switches the display unit to a power saving mode and cancels the power saving mode at a predetermined cancellation timing.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present invention is, An information reading terminal (10) that optically reads predetermined information (C), Display unit (25) and A reading unit (21, 23) continuously performs a reading process in which it optically reads the predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through the reading opening (12), A power saving control unit (21) that controls the power saving of the information reading terminal, Equipped with, The power saving control unit is characterized in that, when the reading process is initiated by the reading unit, the display unit switches to a power saving mode, and the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing. The symbols within the parentheses above indicate the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described later. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In this invention, a reading unit performs a reading process in which it optically reads predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through a reading opening in response to a predetermined operation performed on the operating unit. The power saving control unit switches the display unit to a power saving mode when the above predetermined operation is performed, and cancels the power saving mode at a predetermined cancellation timing.

[0011] When performing a reading operation, the user needs to point the reading slot at the specified information, and therefore, during the reading operation, they look at the specified information to be read rather than the display screen of the display unit. In other words, when it is assumed that the user is performing a reading operation, the user does not look at the display screen of the display unit, so even if the display unit switches to power-saving mode, the user's work will not be interrupted. For this reason, assuming an information reading terminal that optically reads specified information, by performing the above-mentioned predetermined operation to indicate that a reading operation is in progress and the display unit switches to power-saving mode, and then deactivating the power-saving mode at a predetermined deactivation timing, it is possible to realize an information reading terminal that can control the transition to and deactivation of power-saving mode without interrupting the user's work.

[0012] The display unit is configured as a touch panel, and the above-mentioned predetermined operation is a tap operation on an operation icon displayed on the screen via the touch panel. The power saving control unit may switch the display unit to power saving mode after a certain period of time has elapsed since the tap operation on the operation icon was detected.

[0013] Since the operation icons are displayed on the touch panel screen, if the system switches to power-saving mode immediately after detecting a tap, the operation icons become difficult to see, making it difficult to operate them again. Therefore, by not switching to power-saving mode until a certain amount of time has passed after detecting a tap on an operation icon, it is possible to easily ensure that the user has time to visually confirm the location of the operation icons before the system switches to power-saving mode.

[0014] The display unit is configured as a touch panel, and the above-mentioned predetermined operation is a tap operation on an operation icon displayed on the screen via the touch panel. The power saving control unit may exclude the display area of ​​the operation icon from power saving control when in power saving mode.

[0015] This allows users to easily see the location of the operation icons even in power-saving mode, thus suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode.

[0016] The display unit may be stopped or restricted from performing screen change processing during the power-saving mode. During the power-saving mode, it is assumed that the user is looking at predetermined information to be read rather than the screen. Therefore, even if the screen change processing is stopped or restricted during the power-saving mode, it will not affect the user's work, and thus the power-saving effect of the display unit during the power-saving mode can be further enhanced.

[0017] The predetermined timing for解除 the power-saving mode may be the timing when a reading result is obtained by the reading unit.

[0018] When a reading result is obtained by successful reading processing, there is a possibility that the user may view the display screen and perform operations on the reading result, etc. Therefore, the power-saving mode is解除 at the timing when a reading result is obtained by the reading unit. This enables the automatic解除 of the power-saving mode without the user performing a解除 operation, thereby suppressing a decrease in work efficiency caused by the power-saving mode.

[0019] The predetermined timing for解除 the power-saving mode may also be the timing when the解除 of the above-mentioned predetermined operation on the operation unit or the elapse of a predetermined timeout period from the detection of the above-mentioned predetermined operation occurs.

[0020] At the timing of the解除 of the above-mentioned predetermined operation on the operation unit or the elapse of a predetermined timeout period from the detection of the above-mentioned predetermined operation (so-called reading timeout), there is a high possibility that the reading operation is stopped and the display screen of the display unit is viewed. Therefore, the power-saving mode is解除 at the above-mentioned timing. This enables the automatic解除 of the power-saving mode without the user performing a解除 operation, thereby suppressing a decrease in work efficiency caused by the power-saving mode.

[0021] The predetermined timing for解除 the power-saving mode may also be the timing when an operation different from the above-mentioned predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit.

[0022] It should be noted that the term "解除" is used here as it seems to be a specific term in the original text, and a more accurate English equivalent might be needed depending on the context. If it means "解除 (release / disable etc.)" in the proper sense related to the power-saving mode, it should be adjusted accordingly.The power saving control unit may maintain the power saving mode if the elapsed time from the detection of the above-mentioned predetermined operation to the detection of the next predetermined operation is within a predetermined time, and may release the power saving mode as a predetermined release timing if the next predetermined operation is not detected even after the above-mentioned predetermined time has elapsed since the detection of the above-mentioned predetermined operation.

[0023] If the time elapsed between the detection of one predetermined operation and the detection of the next predetermined operation is within a predetermined time, it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading operation. In such cases, power saving can be achieved without interfering with the user's work by maintaining the power saving mode. On the other hand, if the next predetermined operation is not detected even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection of one predetermined operation, it is assumed that the user has finished the reading operation. In such cases, the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode can be suppressed by disabling the power saving mode.

[0024] Assuming that the display area of ​​the display unit is provided with multiple reading information display fields for individually displaying the reading information sequentially read by the reading process, the power saving control unit may maintain the power saving mode if there are reading information display fields in which no reading information is displayed when in power saving mode, and may release the power saving mode at a predetermined release timing if there are no reading information display fields in which no reading information is displayed.

[0025] If there are still reading information display fields where the reading results are not displayed after the reading results have been obtained, it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading process. In such cases, power saving can be achieved without interrupting the user's work by maintaining power saving mode. On the other hand, if there are no reading information display fields where the reading information is not displayed (i.e., all reading information display fields are filled in), it is assumed that the user has finished the reading process. In such cases, disabling power saving mode can suppress the decrease in workability caused by power saving mode.

[0026] The power saving control unit may exclude the display area of ​​the read information display field from power saving control when in power saving mode. This allows the user to easily view the contents of the read information display field even in power saving mode.

[0027] The power saving control unit may maintain the power saving mode if it is estimated from the detection result of the detection unit that the information reading terminal is being carried, assuming that it is not the predetermined release timing.

[0028] While it is assumed that users are stationary when viewing the display screen, it is also assumed that they will not view the display screen while moving. Therefore, if the detection results from the detection unit in power-saving mode indicate that the information reading terminal is being carried, it is assumed that the user is unlikely to view the display screen because they are moving. By maintaining power-saving mode, power can be saved without interfering with the user's work.

[0029] The power saving control unit may maintain the power saving mode if the number of reads obtained by the reading process during power saving mode is less than the specified number of reads obtained by the specified number of reads acquisition unit, and may release the power saving mode at a predetermined release timing when the number of reads obtained by the reading process reaches the specified number of reads obtained by the specified number of reads acquisition unit.

[0030] Some users have a fixed reading pattern, often repeating a cycle of reading a certain number of times, then looking at the display screen and performing an operation. In such cases, by pre-registering the number of readings the user should perform as a specified number, the power-saving mode can be deactivated according to that reading pattern, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by the power-saving mode.

[0031] Assuming that the power saving control unit includes a user information acquisition unit that acquires user information for users performing reading operations using the information reading terminal, a storage unit that stores the number of reads performed by the reading process from the transition to power saving mode to the release of power saving mode in association with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit, and an estimation unit that estimates the number of reads for reading processes that are likely to be performed from the transition to power saving mode to the release of power saving mode for each user as an estimated number of reads based on the information stored in the storage unit, the power saving control unit may maintain the power saving mode if the number of reads performed by the reading process in power saving mode is less than the estimated number of reads estimated by the estimation unit, and release the power saving mode at a predetermined release timing when the number of reads performed by the reading process reaches the estimated number of reads estimated by the estimation unit.

[0032] Since reading patterns may vary from user to user, the number of readings likely to occur from the transition to power-saving mode to the deactivation of power-saving mode (estimated number of readings) is estimated based on the number of past readings recorded for each user. By controlling the deactivation of power-saving mode according to this estimated number of readings, the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode can be suppressed.

[0033] In this invention, the reading unit continuously performs a reading process in which it optically reads predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through the reading opening. The power saving control unit switches the display unit to a power saving mode when the reading process is started by the reading unit, and cancels the power saving mode at a predetermined cancellation timing.

[0034] Even in an information reading terminal that continuously performs reading without requiring a reading operation each time, if it is assumed that the user is in the middle of reading, the user does not look at the display screen of the display unit, so the user's work will not be interrupted even if the display unit switches to power-saving mode. For this reason, based on the premise of an information reading terminal that continuously performs reading, by switching the display unit to power-saving mode when reading processing is started by the reading unit, and then releasing the power-saving mode at a predetermined release timing, it is possible to realize an information reading terminal that can control the transition to and release of power-saving mode without interrupting the user's work.

[0035] The power saving control unit may switch to power saving mode for the display unit once the first reading result is obtained after the reading process has started by the reading unit.

[0036] If the device switches to power-saving mode immediately after the reading process begins, users may be confused by the sudden dimming of the display screen before they can point the reader at the designated information to be read, potentially impacting work efficiency. Therefore, by switching to power-saving mode after the reading process is successful and the first reading result is obtained, users can switch to power-saving mode while viewing the designated information to be read without having to look at the display screen, thus suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode.

[0037] The predetermined timing for disabling power saving mode may be the timing at which the reading process by the reading unit is completed. Since the user may perform screen operations on these reading results once the reading process is completed after a predetermined number of reading results have been obtained, power saving mode is disabled at the timing at which the reading process by the reading unit is completed. This allows power saving mode to be automatically disabled without the user having to perform any disabling operation, thereby suppressing the decrease in workability caused by power saving mode.

[0038] The system may include a notification unit that can change the notification state according to the number of readings performed during the reading process. When reading multiple pieces of information continuously, if the display screen is dimmed in power-saving mode, it is not possible to see the number of readings completed or the number of readings remaining. Therefore, by changing the notification state provided by the notification unit according to the number of readings, users who receive notifications from the notification unit can easily grasp the number of readings completed and the number of readings remaining, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0039] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the information reading terminal according to the first embodiment, as seen from the front side. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the information reading terminal from the back. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the information reading terminal shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the state in which the reading port is pointed towards the information code so that the reading light shines on the information code. [Figure 5] This flowchart illustrates the flow of power-saving control signal processing performed in the control unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6(A) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the screen state before switching to power-saving mode, and Figure 6(B) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the screen state after switching to power-saving mode. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the display state of the operation icons, which are essential parts of the information reading terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the display state of the operation icons in power-saving mode, which is a key part of the information reading terminal according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 9]This is an explanatory diagram illustrating one of the main parts of the information reading terminal according to the third embodiment. Figure 9(A) shows the state in which each reading information display field is displayed on the screen when the device has not switched to power saving mode. Figure 9(B) shows the display state in which there are no empty input fields. Figure 9(C) shows a third modified example of the third embodiment, in which the display area of ​​the reading information display field is excluded from power saving control during power saving mode. [Figure 10] This flowchart illustrates the flow of power-saving control signal processing performed in the control unit in the third embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the subroutine for determining whether an extension is necessary. [Figure 12] This flowchart illustrates the flow of the subroutine for determining whether an extension is necessary in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] In the fifth embodiment, Figure 13(A) shows the estimated number of reads set for each operation screen, and Figure 13(B) shows the estimated number of reads set for user α. [Figure 14] This flowchart illustrates the flow of the subroutine for determining whether an extension is necessary in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] This flowchart illustrates the flow of the subroutine for determining whether an extension is necessary in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] This flowchart illustrates the flow of power-saving control signal processing performed in the control unit in the seventh embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0040] [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the information reading terminal according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment is configured as a touch panel type portable terminal that optically reads information codes such as barcodes and QR codes (registered trademarks) as predetermined information.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 11 that constitutes the outer casing of the information reading terminal 10 is formed in a substantially thin plate shape, and a display screen 25a of a touch panel 25, which has been enlarged to have a narrow bezel, is arranged on its surface 11a. In addition, a reading opening 12 is provided on one longitudinal side of the back surface 11b of the housing 11 to take in reflected light from the information code illuminated by illumination light into the housing 11. Furthermore, a trigger key 26a is arranged on one side surface 11c of the housing 11 as a hard key (physical key) that is pressed when the reading process is started.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the information reading terminal 10 includes a control unit 21 that oversees overall control, a storage unit 22 consisting of semiconductor memory, etc., an imaging unit 23 configured as a camera that captures images of the outside through a reading port 12, a reading light illumination unit 24 that emits reading light (marker light) indicating the field of view captured by the imaging unit 23, a touch panel 25 having a display screen 25a whose display content is controlled by the control unit 21, an operation unit 26 that outputs signals to the control unit 21 in response to tap operations on the display screen 25a and key operations such as trigger keys 26a, a motion sensor 27 capable of detecting the movement state of the information reading terminal 10 (housing 11), including its posture and movement, a notification unit 28 having light-emitting parts such as LEDs, a speaker, a buzzer, a vibrator, etc., a communication unit 29 for communicating with higher-level devices, etc., and a power supply unit and battery, etc. (not shown). The touch panel 25 may correspond to an example of a "display unit".

[0043] In the information reading terminal 10 configured in this way, when the control unit 21 enables the start of the reading process for reading the information code (hereinafter also referred to as the read permission state), a cross-shaped reading light Lr is emitted from the reading light illumination unit 24 onto the imaging field of view of the imaging unit 23. As illustrated in Figure 4, when the reading port 12 is pointed towards the information code (exemplified by a barcode in Figure 4) C so that the reading light Lr in the read permission state is emitted onto the information code C, the reflected light from the information code C is received through the reading port 12, making the information code C ready to be imaged by the imaging unit 23. In this state, by pressing the trigger key 26a to start the reading process, the imaging unit 23 starts a reading process (decoding process) to decode and read the information recorded in the information code C from the captured image of the information code C. In particular, in this embodiment, as long as the trigger key 26a is continuously pressed, the imaging of information code C and the decoding of the captured image are repeated until reading is successful, and the reading process ends when the trigger key 26a is released. The imaging unit 23 that images the information code and the control unit 21 that performs the decoding process may correspond to an example of a "reading unit" that performs a reading process by receiving reflected light from predetermined information via the reading port 12 and optically reading said predetermined information. Furthermore, the reading light Lr is not limited to being irradiated in a cross shape, but may also be irradiated in a dot shape, for example, to indicate the imaging center of the imaging unit 23.

[0044] Furthermore, the information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment is equipped with a power saving mode to conserve power by reducing or turning off the brightness of the display screen 25a (backlight, etc.) of the touch panel 25. Power saving control processing performed by the control unit 21 causes the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 to switch to power saving mode when it is assumed that the user is performing a reading operation. In power saving mode, the display screen 25a may become completely dark and nothing may be visible, or it may become so dim that the content displayed on the display screen 25a is faintly visible. The control unit 21 that performs the above power saving control processing may correspond to an example of a "power saving control unit".

[0045] The reason why the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power-saving mode when it is assumed that the user is performing a reading operation is explained below. When a user performs an optical reading operation of information codes, etc., they need to point the reading port 12 at the information codes, etc., and therefore, during the reading operation, they look at the information codes, etc. to be read rather than the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25. In other words, when it is assumed that the user is performing a reading operation, the user does not look at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, so even if the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power saving mode, the user's work will not be interrupted.

[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment in which information codes and the like are optically read by the information reading terminal 10, when the trigger key 26a is pressed, the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is switched to power-saving mode as it indicates that a reading operation is in progress, and then the power-saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing. The operation of pressing the trigger key 26a may be an example of a "predetermined operation" performed when starting the reading process.

[0047] The power-saving control process performed by the control unit 21 to transition to and de-mode during reading operations will be explained below with reference to the flowchart illustrated in Figure 5. When the power saving control process is started in the control unit 21, the system first enters the read permission state described above, and a cross-shaped reading light Lr is emitted from the reading light illumination unit 24 onto the imaging field of view captured by the imaging unit 23 (S101 in Figure 5). In this state, the system has not yet entered power saving mode, so as illustrated in Figure 6(A), the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 maintains a brightness that is easy to see.

[0048] Subsequently, when the user presses the trigger key 26a with the reading port 12 pointed towards the information code C so that the reading light Lr illuminates the information code C, it is determined that the reading start operation has been performed (Yes in S102). In such cases, as illustrated in Figure 6(B), the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power-saving mode (S103), and the reading process begins in which the information code captured by the imaging unit 23 is decoded and read (S104).

[0049] If the reading process fails and no reading result is obtained (No in S105), the trigger key 26a is not released (No in S106), a predetermined timeout period has not elapsed since the detection of the trigger key 26a being pressed (so-called reading timeout) (No in S107), and no tap operation on the touch panel 25 or any other key operation on the operation unit 26 other than the trigger key 26a (an operation different from the trigger key 26a being pressed, and in this embodiment, also referred to as a release operation) has been performed (No in S108), then the reading process (S104) continues.

[0050] Subsequently, if the reading process is successful and a reading result is obtained (Yes in S105), the system enters a reading stop state where the irradiation of reading light Lr from the reading light irradiation unit 24 and imaging by the imaging unit 23 are stopped (S109). In this reading stop state, the user may look at the display screen 25a and perform operations regarding the reading result, etc., so the power saving mode is deactivated (S110) at a predetermined deactivation timing, and this power saving control process ends. In this way, by adopting the timing when the reading result is obtained as the predetermined deactivation timing for deactivating the power saving mode, the power saving mode can be automatically deactivated without the user having to perform a deactivation operation, thereby suppressing the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode.

[0051] Furthermore, even if the reading process has failed (No in S105), the system enters the above-mentioned reading stop state when the trigger key 26a is released (Yes in S106) (S109). Also, even if the reading process has failed (No in S105) and the trigger key 26a has not been released (No in S106), the system enters the above-mentioned reading stop state when the above-mentioned reading timeout occurs (Yes in S107) (S109). In such a reading stop state, there is a high probability that the reading operation will be stopped and the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 will be viewed, so the power saving mode is canceled (S110) as a predetermined release timing, and this power saving control process ends. In this way, by adopting the timing of releasing the trigger key 26a (the timing of releasing a predetermined operation) or the reading timeout (the timing after a predetermined timeout period has elapsed since the detection of the above-mentioned predetermined operation) as the predetermined release timing for canceling the power saving mode, the power saving mode can be automatically canceled without the user performing a release operation, thereby suppressing the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode.

[0052] Furthermore, if the above-mentioned release operation by the user is detected (Yes in S108), the reading stop state is entered (S109). In this reading stop state, there is a high probability that the reading operation will be stopped and the user will look at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, so the predetermined release timing is considered to have occurred, the power saving mode is released (S110), and this power saving control process ends.

[0053] As described above, in the information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment, in response to a press operation (predetermined operation) made on the trigger key 26a, a reading process is performed in which the reflected light from the information code via the reading port 12 is received and the information code is read optically. In the power saving control process performed by the control unit 21, when the above press operation is made, the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is switched to power saving mode, and the power saving mode is canceled at a predetermined release timing.

[0054] As described above, when it is assumed that the user is in the process of reading, the user does not look at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, so even if the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power-saving mode, the user's work will not be interrupted. For this reason, assuming an information reading terminal 10 that optically reads predetermined information such as an information code, by pressing the trigger key 26a (a predetermined operation) to indicate that a reading operation is in progress and the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power-saving mode, and then canceling the power-saving mode at a predetermined release timing, it is possible to realize an information reading terminal 10 that can control the transition to and cancellation of power-saving mode without interrupting the user's work.

[0055] As a variation of this embodiment, the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 may be stopped or restricted in power-saving mode from screen change processing, including screen updates and the display of predetermined notifications. In power-saving mode, it is assumed that the user is looking at predetermined information, such as information codes to be read, rather than the display screen 25a. Therefore, stopping or restricting screen change processing in power-saving mode will not affect the user's work, thus further enhancing the power-saving effect of the touch panel 25 in power-saving mode. Furthermore, in power-saving mode, power saving may also be achieved for other functions of the touch panel 25 that are different from the display screen 25a and are not used during the reading operation.

[0056] [Second Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this second embodiment, the reading process is initiated by a tap operation on an operation icon (software trigger) displayed on the touch panel 25, which is the main difference from the first embodiment described above. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0057] In the information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment, instead of pressing the trigger key 26a as in the first embodiment, a tap operation on an operation icon 25b displayed on the touch panel 25 as a software trigger is used as the operation to start the reading process, as illustrated in Figure 7. The operation icon 25b functions as a software trigger that outputs a pre-set operation signal to the control unit 21 as an instruction to start the reading process when a tap operation is performed. In this embodiment, the display position on the display screen 25a can be changed according to the user's swipe operation, etc.

[0058] In particular, in the power saving control process in this embodiment, the power saving mode for the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is activated not immediately after the detection of a tap operation on the operation icon 25b, but after the tap operation on the operation icon 25b is detected (Yes in S102), and after a certain period of time (for example, 0.5 seconds) has elapsed since the detection (S103).

[0059] Since the operation icon 25b is displayed on the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, if the device switches to power-saving mode immediately after detecting a tap operation, the operation icon 25b becomes difficult to see, making it difficult to operate the operation icon 25b again.

[0060] Therefore, in this embodiment, by not switching to power-saving mode until a certain period of time has elapsed after a tap operation on the operation icon 25b is detected, it is possible to easily ensure that the user has time to visually confirm the position of the operation icon 25b on the display screen 25a before switching to power-saving mode.

[0061] As a variation of this embodiment, even if a tap operation on the operation icon 25b is used as the operation to start the reading process, when a tap operation on the operation icon 25b is detected (Yes in S102), the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 may be switched to power-saving mode immediately after the detection (S103).

[0062] In this case, as illustrated in Figure 8, the power saving control process can exclude the display area of ​​the operation icon 25b from power saving control during power saving mode. This allows the user to easily see the position of the operation icon 25b on the display screen 25a even during power saving mode, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power saving mode.

[0063] [Third Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. This third embodiment differs from the first embodiment and others in that it maintains the power-saving mode by delaying a predetermined release timing for releasing the power-saving mode depending on the reading operation status, etc. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0064] In the power saving control process of this embodiment, the power saving mode is maintained (the power saving mode period is extended) by delaying a predetermined timing for releasing the power saving mode, depending on the reading operation status, such as whether the user is continuing the reading operation.

[0065] Specifically, if the elapsed time from the detection of the press operation of trigger key 26a to the detection of the press operation of the next trigger key 26a is within a predetermined time (for example, 20 seconds) (i.e., continuous operation state is maintained), the power saving mode is maintained. If the predetermined time has elapsed since the detection of the press operation of trigger key 26a and the press operation of the next trigger key 26a is not detected, the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 9(A), there are situations in which the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is provided with multiple read information display fields 25c for individually displaying the read information sequentially read by the reading process. In the power saving control process, if there is at least one read information display field 25c that is not displayed because no read information has been input in power saving mode (a state with empty fields: for example, if read information is displayed in only one of the three), the power saving mode is maintained. As illustrated in Figure 9(B), if there are no read information display fields 25c that do not display read information (if read information is displayed in all fields), the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, assuming that the motion sensor 27 functions as a detection unit capable of detecting the movement state of the information reading terminal 10, if the information reading terminal 10 is estimated to be being carried based on the detection result of the motion sensor 27 during power saving mode, the power saving mode is maintained as it is not the predetermined release timing. This is because it is assumed that the user is stationary when viewing the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, but not when moving.

[0068] Therefore, in the power saving control process in this embodiment, as shown in the flowchart in Figure 10, the necessity of extending the power saving mode period is determined based on whether the reading process is successful and a reading result is obtained (Yes in S105), whether the trigger key 26a is released (Yes in S106), or whether a reading timeout occurs (Yes in S107). In this process, the extension necessity determination process shown in step S111 is performed while the device is in power saving mode.

[0069] In this subroutine for determining whether an extension is necessary, as illustrated in the flowchart in Figure 11, first, in the determination process in step S201, it is determined whether or not the above-mentioned continuous operation state is in effect. Here, if the elapsed time from the detection of the press operation of trigger key 26a to the detection of the press operation of the next trigger key 26a (more specifically, the elapsed time from the detection of the press operation of the previous trigger key 26a to the detection of the press operation of the latest trigger key 26a) is within the predetermined time, and it is determined that the continuous operation state is in effect (Yes in S201), it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading operation, and therefore it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is necessary (S204).

[0070] In this case, the determination process in step S112 of Figure 10 is determined to be Yes, and the process from the reading process (S104) described above is carried out. In this way, if the elapsed time from the detection of the press operation of the trigger key 26a to the detection of the press operation of the next trigger key 26a is within a predetermined time, it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading operation, and power saving mode is maintained, thereby saving power without interfering with the user's work.

[0071] On the other hand, if it is not determined that the operation is continuing (No in S201), the determination process in step S202 determines whether or not there are empty input fields. Here, since there is a read information display field 25c that is not displayed because no read information has been entered in power saving mode, if it is determined that there are empty input fields (Yes in S202), it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading operation, and therefore it is determined that the power saving mode period needs to be extended (S204).

[0072] In this case as well, the determination process in step S112 of Figure 10 is determined to be Yes, and the process from the above reading process (S104) is carried out. In this way, when there is a reading information display field 25c that is not displayed because no reading information has been entered in power saving mode, it is assumed that the user is continuing the reading operation, and power saving can be achieved without interfering with the user's work by maintaining power saving mode.

[0073] On the other hand, if it is not determined that there are empty input fields (No in S202), the determination process in step S203 determines whether or not the information reading terminal 10 is in a state where it is presumed to be being carried. Here, if the information reading terminal 10 is in a state where it is being carried based on the detection result of the motion sensor 27 during power saving mode (Yes in S203), it is determined that the power saving mode period needs to be extended because the user is moving and therefore unlikely to view the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25.

[0074] In this case as well, the determination process in step S112 of Figure 10 is determined to be Yes, and the processing from the above reading process (S104) is carried out. In this way, when the carrying status of the information reading terminal 10 is estimated in power saving mode, it is assumed that the user is on the move and therefore unlikely to look at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, and power saving can be achieved without interfering with the user's work by maintaining power saving mode.

[0075] If it is not determined that the device is in a continuous operation state (No in S201), and it is not determined that there are empty input fields (No in S202), and the carrying state of the information reading terminal 10 cannot be estimated (No in S203), then it is determined that extending the power saving mode period is unnecessary (S205). In this case, the determination process in step S112 of Figure 10 is determined to be No, and the device enters a reading stop state (S109).

[0076] As a first modification of this embodiment, if it is not determined that the device is in a continuous operation state (No in S201), it may be determined that extending the power saving mode period is unnecessary without considering the results of other determination processes (S202, S203) (S205). In other words, if it is not determined that the device is in a continuous operation state, it is assumed that the user has finished the reading operation, and by canceling the power saving mode without considering the results of other determination processes, the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode can be suppressed.

[0077] Furthermore, as a second modification of this embodiment, if it is not determined that there are empty input fields (No in S202), it may be determined that extending the power saving mode period is unnecessary without considering the results of other determination processes (S201, S203) (S205). In other words, if it is not determined that there are empty input fields, it is assumed that the user has finished the reading operation, and by releasing the power saving mode without considering the results of other determination processes, the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode can be suppressed.

[0078] Furthermore, as a third modification of this embodiment, in the power saving control process, when in power saving mode, the display area of ​​the read information display field 25c may be excluded from the control related to power saving, as illustrated in Figure 9(C). This allows the user to easily view the contents of the read information display field 25c even in power saving mode.

[0079] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this fourth embodiment, the main difference from the third embodiment and the like is that the need to extend the power saving mode period is determined according to the number of specified readings specified by the user. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0080] In this embodiment, the specified number of reads Nd for determining whether or not to extend the power saving mode period is specified according to the user's input operations on the display screen 25a for inputting the specified number of reads Nd, for determining whether or not to deactivate the power saving mode. The control unit 21 that performs processing to acquire the specified number of reads Nd according to the user's input operations may correspond to an example of a "specified number of reads acquisition unit".

[0081] In this embodiment, the power saving control process maintains the power saving mode (extends the power saving mode period) when the number of reads N obtained by the reading process during power saving mode is less than the specified number of reads Nd. When the number of reads N reaches the specified number of reads Nd, the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing. This is because some users have a fixed reading pattern, and often repeat a cycle of reading a certain number of times and then looking at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 and operating it.

[0082] Therefore, in the power saving control process in this embodiment, as shown in the flowchart in Figure 10, the extension necessity determination process shown in step S111 is performed according to the subroutine shown in Figure 12, depending on whether the reading process is successful and a reading result is obtained (Yes in S105), whether the trigger key 26a is released (Yes in S106), or whether a reading timeout occurs (Yes in S107).

[0083] Specifically, if the number of reads N obtained by the reading process during power saving mode is less than the specified number of reads Nd (Yes in S206), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is necessary (S204). On the other hand, if the number of reads N becomes the specified number of reads Nd due to the reading process (No in S206), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is unnecessary (S205). For example, if the specified number of reads Nd is set to "5" in response to user input, and the number of reads N since entering power saving mode is "4", the power saving mode is maintained. If a reading result is obtained during the maintained power saving mode, and the number of reads N becomes "5", then an extension of the power saving mode period is deemed unnecessary, and the power saving mode is deactivated.

[0084] Thus, in this embodiment, by pre-specifying the number of readings to be performed by the user as the specified number of readings Nd, the power saving mode can be deactivated according to the reading work pattern, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by the power saving mode.

[0085] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this fifth embodiment, the main difference from the fourth embodiment and others is that the need to extend the power saving mode period is determined based on the number of past reads recorded for each user. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the fourth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0086] In this embodiment, in order to determine whether or not to extend the power saving mode period according to the user, the control unit 21, which functions as a user information acquisition unit, acquires user information to identify the user performing the reading operation by optically reading the worker code displayed on the user's employee ID card, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user's reading patterns are learned based on the premise that the number of reads performed by the reading process from the transition to power-saving mode to the deactivation of power-saving mode is associated with the user information and sequentially stored in the storage unit 22. That is, based on the information stored in the storage unit 22, the number of reads for the reading process that is likely to be performed from the transition to power-saving mode to the deactivation of power-saving mode is estimated for each user as the estimated number of reads Ns. The control unit 21 that performs such estimation processing may correspond to an example of an "estimation unit".

[0088] In particular, in this embodiment, the estimated number of reads setting process performed by the control unit 21 sets the estimated number of reads Ns for each operation screen that the user transitions to during the read operation.

[0089] Specifically, as illustrated in Figure 13(A), if, for user α, the number of reads from the 1st to the 6th attempts is stored in the memory unit 22 as "1", "3", "2", "3", "3", and "1" on screen A, then "3", which has the highest occurrence rate, is set as the estimated number of reads Ns for user α on screen A. Similarly, if, for user α, the number of reads from the 1st to the 6th attempts is stored in the memory unit 22 as "5", "5", "4", "4", "2", and "3" on screen B, then since there are multiple counts with the highest occurrence rate, "4", which is the smallest value among them, is set as the estimated number of reads Ns for user α on screen B. Furthermore, if, for user α, the number of reads from the 1st to the 6th attempts is stored in the memory unit 22 as "2", "1", "3", "6", "5", and "4" on screen C, then since there are multiple counts with the highest occurrence rate, "1", which is the smallest value among them, is set as the estimated number of reads Ns for user α on screen C.

[0090] Furthermore, for user β, as illustrated in Figure 13(B), if the number of reads for each of screens A, B, and C is accumulated, the estimated number of reads Ns for screen A will be set to "5", the estimated number of reads Ns for screen B will be set to "1", and the estimated number of reads Ns for screen C will be set to "3".

[0091] In the power saving control process of this embodiment, if the number of reads N obtained by the reading process in power saving mode is less than the estimated number of reads Ns estimated for the acquired user information, the power saving mode is maintained. When the number of reads N obtained by the reading process reaches the estimated number of reads Ns, the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing.

[0092] Therefore, in the power saving control process in this embodiment, the extension necessity determination process shown in step S111 is performed according to the subroutine shown in Figure 14. First, in the estimated number of reads setting process in step S207, the estimated number of reads Ns for the operation screen to be displayed is set as described above. Then, for that operation screen, if the number of reads N obtained by the read process during power saving mode is less than the estimated number of reads Ns (Yes in S208), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is necessary (S204). On the other hand, if the number of reads N obtained by the read process becomes the estimated number of reads Ns (No in S208), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is unnecessary (S205).

[0093] Thus, in this embodiment, since the reading operation pattern may vary from user to user, the number of readings that are likely to be performed from the transition to power-saving mode to the deactivation of power-saving mode (estimated number of readings Ns) is estimated based on the number of past readings recorded for each user, and the deactivation of power-saving mode is controlled according to this estimated number of readings Ns, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode.

[0094] [Sixth Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this sixth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this sixth embodiment, the main difference from the fourth embodiment and others is that the need to extend the power-saving mode period is determined based on how the user holds the information reading terminal. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the fourth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0095] In this embodiment, the way the user holds the information reading terminal 10 is detected, and if it is determined from this detection result that this is the way the terminal is held during a reading operation, the power saving mode is maintained (the power saving mode period is extended). If it is determined that this is not the way the terminal is held during a reading operation, the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing.

[0096] Therefore, in this embodiment, the thermography measured by the external temperature sensor provided by the information reading terminal 10 is used to detect how the user is holding the information reading terminal 10, based on changes in the external surface area and temperature distribution, etc., assuming that the user is touching an external surface area with a high temperature.

[0097] Specifically, the extension necessity determination process shown in step S111 of the power saving control process in this embodiment is performed according to the subroutine shown in Figure 15. Based on the thermography measured as described above, if it is determined that the device is being held in the manner used during reading (Yes in S209), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is necessary (S204). On the other hand, if it is determined that the device is not being held in the manner used during reading (No in S209), it is determined that an extension of the power saving mode period is unnecessary (S205).

[0098] Thus, in this embodiment, by determining whether or not to extend the power saving mode period based on how the user holds the information reading terminal 10 as detected from the thermographic image being measured, the power saving mode can be deactivated according to the reading work pattern, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by the power saving mode.

[0099] Furthermore, the way the user holds the information reading terminal 10 is not limited to being detected using thermography measured by the external temperature sensor provided by the information reading terminal 10; it may also be detected using measurement results from other sensors, etc.

[0100] [Seventh Embodiment] Next, the information reading terminal according to this seventh embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. This seventh embodiment differs from the first embodiment and others in that the reading process is performed continuously without requiring a reading operation each time. Therefore, components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0101] In the information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment, an application program for continuous reading (hereinafter also referred to as the continuous reading app) is installed. When this continuous reading app is launched, a continuous reading process is performed to sequentially read the captured information codes and acquire multiple reading results in succession, without having to perform reading operations such as pressing the trigger key 26a or tapping the operation icon 25b after obtaining each reading result.

[0102] Therefore, in the power saving control process of this embodiment, the system switches to power saving mode when the continuous reading process starts, and the power saving mode is deactivated at a predetermined deactivation timing when a tap operation on the touch panel 25 or a key operation on the operation unit 26 (hereinafter also referred to as a deactivation operation in this embodiment) is detected, or when a reading completion instruction is received via the continuous reading application.

[0103] In particular, in this embodiment, the system switches to power-saving mode once the first reading result is obtained. If the system switches to power-saving mode immediately after the continuous reading process begins, the user may be confused by the sudden dimming of the display screen 25a before pointing the reading port 12 at the information code to be read, which could affect work efficiency.

[0104] In this embodiment, the power saving control process performed by the control unit 21 to transition to and de-mode during continuous reading operations will be described below with reference to the flowchart illustrated in Figure 16. When the continuous reading application is launched, the control unit 21 starts power saving control processing, which enters the read permission state described above. A cross-shaped reading light Lr is then emitted from the reading light illumination unit 24 onto the imaging field of view captured by the imaging unit 23 (S301). In this illumination state, the reading process begins, which decodes and reads the information code captured by the imaging unit 23 (S302). The reading process continues until the determination process in step S303 is determined to be No, and the system does not switch to power saving mode.

[0105] Subsequently, since the user is pointing the reading port 12 towards the information code C, the captured information code is successfully decoded and the reading result is obtained (Yes in S303), and the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power-saving mode (S304). In this way, by switching to power-saving mode after the reading process is successful and the first reading result is obtained, the user can switch to power-saving mode while viewing the information code to be read without looking at the display screen 25a, thus suppressing the decrease in workability caused by power-saving mode.

[0106] Subsequently, if the above-mentioned deactivation operation has not been performed (No in S305) and no instruction to end reading has been received via the continuous reading application (No in S306), the reading process continues as continuous reading while in power-saving mode (S307). In this continuous reading process, the information codes pointed at the reading port 12 are sequentially imaged and read, thereby acquiring multiple reading results in succession.

[0107] Then, when the user performs the above release operation (Yes in S305), the power saving mode is released (S308) as the predetermined release timing has been reached, and the processing from step S302 is carried out. As a result, the power saving mode is temporarily released, and once the reading result is obtained again (Yes in S303), the system returns to power saving mode (S304).

[0108] On the other hand, when a predetermined number of reading results are obtained and a reading completion instruction is received via the continuous reading application (Yes in S306), the reading stops (S309), and the power saving mode is deactivated (S310) as it is considered a predetermined deactivation timing, thus ending the power saving control process. When the reading process ends after a predetermined number of reading results are obtained, the user may perform screen operations on these reading results, etc., so the power saving mode is deactivated at the timing when the reading completion instruction is received (the timing when the reading process ends). As a result, the power saving mode can be automatically deactivated without the user having to perform any deactivation operation, thus suppressing the decrease in workability caused by the power saving mode.

[0109] As described above, in the information reading terminal 10 according to this embodiment, a reading process is continuously performed in which the information code is optically read by receiving reflected light from the information code through the reading port 12. In the power saving control process performed by the control unit 21, when the reading process starts, the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is switched to a power saving mode, and the power saving mode is canceled at a predetermined release timing.

[0110] Even in an information reading terminal 10 that continuously performs reading processing without requiring a reading operation each time, if it is assumed that the user is in the middle of reading, the user does not look at the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25, so even if the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 switches to power saving mode, the user's work will not be interrupted. For this reason, based on the premise that the information reading terminal 10 continuously performs reading processing, by switching the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 to power saving mode when reading processing begins, assuming that reading is in progress, and then releasing the power saving mode at a predetermined release timing, it is possible to realize an information reading terminal 10 that can control the transition to and release of power saving mode without interrupting the user's work.

[0111] In addition, as a modification of this embodiment, the notification unit 28 may be controlled by the control unit 21 to provide notification according to the number of readings in the reading process. Specifically, for example, the notification unit 28 may change the notification sound when a reading is successful depending on whether the number of reads has been relatively large (the number of remaining reads is relatively small) or whether the number of reads has been relatively small (the number of remaining reads is relatively large).

[0112] When reading multiple information codes continuously, if the display screen 25a of the touch panel 25 is dimmed in power-saving mode, it is not possible to see the number of times codes have been read or the number of times remaining. Therefore, by changing the notification state of the notification unit 28 according to the number of times codes have been read, the user who receives the notification from the notification unit 28 can easily grasp the number of times codes have been read or the number of times remaining, thereby suppressing the decrease in work efficiency caused by power-saving mode.

[0113] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be further embodied as follows, for example. (1) The predetermined information to be optically read by the information reading terminal 10 is not limited to information codes such as barcodes and QR codes as described above, but may also be, for example, text information.

[0114] (2) The information reading terminal 10 according to the present invention is not limited to being configured as a portable terminal having a touch panel, but may also be configured as a portable terminal having a liquid crystal display or the like that cannot be operated by touch.

[0115] (3) In addition to the various timings described above, a predetermined timing for disabling the power saving mode may be the timing at which the reading of an information code of a predetermined code type is successful. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0116] 10. Information reading terminal 12 reading slots 21 Control Unit (Reading Unit, Power Saving Control Unit, Specified Reading Count Acquisition Unit, User Information Acquisition Unit, Estimation Unit) 23. Imaging Unit (Reading Unit) 24 Reading light irradiation section 25 Touch panel (display unit) 25a display screen 25b Operation Icons 25c Reading Information Display Area 26 Control section 26a Trigger Key 28 Hochi Department N number of readings Nd Specified number of reads Ns Estimated number of reads

Claims

1. An information reading terminal that optically reads predetermined information, Display unit and A reading unit performs a reading process that optically reads the predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through a reading opening, An operating unit on which a predetermined operation is performed when the aforementioned reading process is started, A power saving control unit that controls the power saving of the information reading terminal, Equipped with, The power saving control unit is characterized in that, when the predetermined operation is performed, the display unit switches to a power saving mode, and the power saving mode is deactivated at a predetermined deactivation timing.

2. The aforementioned display unit is configured as a touch panel, The aforementioned predetermined operation is a tap operation on the operation icon displayed on the touch panel screen. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the power saving control unit switches the display unit to power saving mode after a certain period of time has elapsed since a tap operation on the operation icon was detected.

3. The aforementioned display unit is configured as a touch panel, The aforementioned predetermined operation is a tap operation on the operation icon displayed on the touch panel screen. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the power saving control unit excludes the display area of ​​the operation icon from the control related to power saving when in the power saving mode.

4. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the display unit is stopped or restricted in the power saving mode when screen change processing is performed.

5. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined release timing is the timing at which the reading unit obtains the reading result.

6. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined release timing is the timing of the release of the predetermined operation on the operation unit or the timing after a predetermined timeout period has elapsed since the detection of the predetermined operation.

7. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined release timing is the timing at which an operation different from the predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit.

8. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the power saving control unit maintains the power saving mode when the elapsed time from the detection of the predetermined operation to the detection of the next predetermined operation is within a predetermined time, and when the next predetermined operation is not detected even after the predetermined time has elapsed from the detection of the predetermined operation, it releases the power saving mode as a predetermined release timing.

9. The display area of ​​the display unit is provided with multiple reading information display fields for individually displaying the reading information sequentially read by the reading process. The information reading terminal according to claim 1, wherein the power saving control unit maintains the power saving mode when there is a reading information display field in which the reading information is not displayed during the power saving mode, and releases the power saving mode at a predetermined release timing when there is no reading information display field in which the reading information is not displayed.

10. The information reading terminal according to claim 9, characterized in that the power saving control unit excludes the display area of ​​the read information display field from the control related to power saving when in the power saving mode.

11. The device is equipped with a detection unit capable of detecting the movement status of the information reading terminal, The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the power saving control unit maintains the power saving mode when it is estimated from the detection result of the detection unit that the information reading terminal is being carried, by determining that it is not the predetermined release timing.

12. The system includes a specified read count acquisition unit that acquires a specified number of reads for determining whether to deactivate the power saving mode, The information reading terminal according to claim 1, wherein the power saving control unit maintains the power saving mode when the number of reads obtained by the reading process in the power saving mode is less than the specified number of reads obtained by the specified number of reads acquisition unit, and releases the power saving mode as the predetermined release timing when the number of reads obtained by the reading process becomes the specified number of reads obtained by the specified number of reads acquisition unit.

13. A user information acquisition unit acquires user information for users who perform reading operations using the information reading terminal, A storage unit stores the number of reads performed by the read process from the transition to the power saving mode to the release of the power saving mode, in association with the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit. An estimation unit estimates, for each user, the number of read operations that are likely to be performed from the transition to the power saving mode to the termination of the power saving mode, based on the information stored in the memory unit, as the estimated number of read operations. Equipped with, The information reading terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the power saving control unit maintains the power saving mode when the number of reads performed by the reading process during the power saving mode is less than the estimated number of reads estimated by the estimation unit, based on the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit, and releases the power saving mode as a predetermined release timing when the number of reads performed by the reading process reaches the estimated number of reads estimated by the estimation unit.

14. An information reading terminal that optically reads predetermined information, Display unit and A reading unit that continuously performs a reading process to optically read the predetermined information by receiving reflected light from the predetermined information through a reading opening, A power saving control unit that controls the power saving of the information reading terminal, Equipped with, The power saving control unit is characterized in that, when the reading process is started by the reading unit, the display unit switches to a power saving mode, and the power saving mode is released at a predetermined release timing.

15. The information reading terminal according to claim 14, characterized in that the power saving control unit switches to power saving mode for the display unit when the first reading result is obtained after the reading process is started by the reading unit.

16. The information reading terminal according to claim 14, characterized in that the predetermined release timing is the timing at which the reading unit completes the reading process.

17. The information reading terminal according to claim 14, further comprising a notification unit capable of changing the notification state according to the number of readings in the aforementioned reading process.

Images