Optical information reading device

Abstract

To easily adjust an installation angle of an optical information reading apparatus.SOLUTION: An optical information reading apparatus body includes an inclination sensor which can output a value indicating an inclination of the optical information reading apparatus body to the horizontal direction or gravity direction. A display unit 101 displays a code image acquired by a camera in association with angular information of the optical information reading apparatus body calculated on the basis of the value output from the inclination sensor when the code image is acquired.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a stationary optical information reading device that reads a code given to a workpiece.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, an optical information reading device is configured to photograph a code such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code given to a workpiece with a camera, cut out the code included in the obtained image by image processing, binarize it, and perform a decoding process to read information.

[0003] Further, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inspection device using image processing. In this inspection device, an inclination sensor is provided in a camera that photographs a workpiece, and a diagram or value indicating the degree of inclination of the camera obtained based on a value indicating the inclination output from this inclination sensor is displayed on a display.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, an optical information reading device may be installed, for example, on a factory line or the like and used in a fixed state, but angle adjustment of the optical information reading device is required at the time of installation. Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of displaying a diagram or value indicating the degree of inclination of a camera on a display, but this technique is merely to convey the degree of inclination of the camera to the user, and is not information that can be used to determine whether the adjusted angle is an appropriate angle.

[0006] The present disclosure is made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to enable easy adjustment of the installation angle of an optical information reading device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, in one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical information reading device main body having a camera for photographing a workpiece to which a code is assigned and decoding means for decoding a code image acquired by the camera, and a display for displaying the code image acquired by the camera are provided. It can be premised on a fixed optical information reading device. The optical information reading device main body has an inclination sensor capable of outputting a value indicating the inclination of the optical information reading device main body with respect to the horizontal direction or the gravitational direction. On the display, the code image acquired by the camera and the angle information of the optical information reading device main body calculated based on the value output from the inclination sensor when the code image was acquired are displayed in association with each other.

[0008] According to this configuration, when the optical information reading device main body is installed, for example, on a factory line or the like, it is fixed at a certain angle. The angle information of the optical information reading device main body in the fixed state is displayed on the display in association with the acquired code image, so that the user can grasp the angle information of the optical information reading device main body and the code image. Based on this, it becomes easier to estimate in which direction and to what extent the angle of the optical information reading device main body should be changed, and fine adjustment of the angle becomes easy.

[0009] In another aspect, the optical information reading device main body may have a distance sensor capable of outputting a value indicating the distance between the optical information reading device main body and the workpiece. In this case, the display can display the code image acquired by the camera and the distance between the optical information reading device main body and the workpiece in association with each other. Thereby, it becomes easier to estimate whether the distance of the optical information reading device main body should be increased or decreased during adjustment, and fine adjustment of the distance becomes easy.

[0010] In another aspect, a main body display unit may be provided on the optical information reading apparatus main body to display the angular information of the optical information reading apparatus main body and the distance between the optical information reading apparatus main body and the workpiece. As a display form, for example, a display form using a reference line and a schematic diagram simulating the optical information reading apparatus main body can be adopted. In this case, by displaying the angular information as the relative positional relationship of the schematic diagram with respect to the reference line, it becomes easier for the user to intuitively understand.

[0011] The main body display unit may display the angular information only during setting. That is, since the angular information is important only during setting, it can be set to be displayed only during setting and not to be displayed during operation when the necessity of display is low.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] As described above, since the code image acquired by the camera and the angular information of the optical information reading apparatus main body are associated and displayed on the display, the adjustment of the installation angle of the optical information reading apparatus can be easily performed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of an optical information reading system S according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical information reading system S includes an optical information reading device 1A and a PLC 130, but the PLC 130 is not essential. The optical information reading device 1A includes a first optical information reading device main body 1000A and a setting device 100. The optical information reading system S may include, for example, a second optical information reading device main body 1000B, a third optical information reading device main body 1000C, etc. The number of optical information reading device main bodies is not particularly limited and may be one or any plurality. In the example shown in FIG. 1, three optical information reading device main bodies, namely, a first optical information reading device main body 1000A, a second optical information reading device main body 1000B, and a third optical information reading device main body 1000C, are provided.

[0016] The setting device 100 can use a general-purpose or dedicated electronic computer, a portable terminal, etc., and includes a display 101 composed of a liquid crystal display, etc., a keyboard 102, a mouse 103, a communication unit 104, a control unit 105, and a storage unit 106. The keyboard 102 and the mouse 103 are operating devices for the user to operate the setting device 100. By operating the keyboard 102 and the mouse 103, it is possible to input arbitrary numbers, etc., and various settings can be performed. The communication unit 104 is connected to the network N and is configured to be able to communicate with the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C. In the storage unit 106, the operation program of the optical information reading system S, shooting conditions, reading conditions, code images, reading results, etc. are stored. Not limited to this configuration, various information can also be stored in the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C and browsed by the setting device 100.

[0017] In the example shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of workpieces W are placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt conveyor B and are being conveyed in the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1. The workpiece W is an article such as a package, a product, various parts, an electrical product, an electronic device, etc. In the most upstream in the feeding direction of the belt conveyor B, the first process is performed on the workpiece W, in the middle part, the second process is performed on the same workpiece W, and in the most downstream, the third process is performed on the same workpiece W. In each process, for example, printing, pasting, attachment work of parts, etc., various processing, painting, adjustment, etc. are performed.

[0018] At a position above the workpiece W placed on the belt conveyor B in the first step, the first optical information reading device main body 1000A is installed. The first optical information reading device main body 1000A is configured to be able to photograph the code applied to the workpiece W and decode the code included in the code image obtained by the photographing to read various information (character string data). Also, at a position above the workpiece W placed on the belt conveyor B in the second step, the second optical information reading device main body 1000B is installed, and further, at a position above the workpiece W placed on the belt conveyor B in the third step, the third optical information reading device main body 1000C is installed. The first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are the same.

[0019] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are of the stationary (fixed) type. When operating the stationary first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C, they are fixed to brackets or the like (not shown) so that the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C do not move and are used. Incidentally, the stationary first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C may be used while being gripped by a robot (not shown). Also, the code of the workpiece W in a stationary state may be read by the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C. The operation time of the stationary first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C is when performing an operation of sequentially reading the codes of the workpieces W conveyed by the conveyor belt conveyor B.

[0020] The first to third processes may be performed on the same belt conveyor B, or some of the processes may be performed on another belt conveyor (not shown), or all of the processes may be performed on different belt conveyors. The work W may be conveyed by a conveying device (not shown) other than the belt conveyor B. The first to third processes may be performed within the same factory or within different factories. The number of processes is not limited to three, and only one process may be sufficient. Further, the above process may be a conveying process for simply conveying the work W.

[0021] A code is provided at a position on a part of the outer surface of each work W where imaging can be performed from above. The code includes both a bar code and a two-dimensional code. Examples of two-dimensional codes include QR Code (registered trademark), Micro QR Code, Data Matrix, Veri Code, Aztec Code, PDF417, Maxi Code, etc. Two-dimensional codes are of the stack type and the matrix type, but the present embodiment can be applied to any two-dimensional code. The code may be provided by directly printing or engraving on the work W, or by printing on a label and then attaching it to the work W, and the means and method are not limited.

[0022] (Reading start trigger signal) The first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are wired-connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) 130 by a signal line 130a, but not limited thereto. The first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C, and the PLC 130 may incorporate a communication module and be wirelessly connected to each other. The PLC 130 is a control device for sequence control of the conveyor belt conveyor B and the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C, and a general-purpose PLC can be used.

[0023] During operation, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C each receive a reading start trigger signal that defines the start timing of code reading from the PLC 130 via the signal line 130a. Then, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C perform code image acquisition and decoding processing based on this reading start trigger signal. After that, the reading result is transmitted to the PLC 130 via the signal line 130a. In this way, during the operation of the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C, the input of the reading start trigger signal and the output of the decoding result are repeatedly performed between the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C and an external control device such as the PLC 130 via the signal line 130a. Note that, as described above, the input of the reading start trigger signal and the output of the reading result may be performed via the signal line 130a between the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C and the PLC 130, or may be performed via other signal lines not shown in the figure. For example, a sensor for detecting the arrival of the workpiece W may be directly connected to the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C, and the reading start trigger signal may be input from the sensor to the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C.

[0024] (Configuration of the Optical Information Reading Device) Hereinafter, the configuration of the optical information reading device 1A will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the optical information reading device 1A. FIGS. 3 to 6 are views showing the appearance of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A. The first optical information reading device main body 1000A includes a housing 2, an illumination unit 4 and a camera 5, and a processor 20. The illumination unit 4 is a part that illuminates the workpiece W, and the camera 5 is a part that captures the workpiece W with a code attached thereto in a state illuminated by the illumination unit 4 and acquires a code image including the code. The decoding unit 22 of the processor 20 is an example of decoding means for decoding the code image acquired by the camera 5.

[0025] In the description of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the up and down, left and right, front and back of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A are defined respectively, but this is only for the convenience of explanation and does not limit the orientation of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A during use. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, it can be installed and used with the front (front face) of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A facing down and the rear (back face) facing up, installed and used with the front of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A facing up, or installed and used with the front of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A in an inclined state, etc. Also, the left and right directions of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A can also be called the width direction.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the housing 2 has a substantially rectangular box shape that is long in the vertical direction and has at least a front surface 2a, a rear surface 2b, a left side surface 2c, a right side surface 2d, an upper surface 2e, and a lower surface 2f.

[0027] The camera 5 is provided inside the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 5 includes an image sensor 5a that captures an image of a cord illuminated by the illumination unit 4, an optical system 5b having a lens and the like, and an AF module (auto focus module) 5c. Light reflected from the portion of the work W where the cord is provided is incident on the optical system 5b. The image sensor 5a is an image sensor composed of a light receiving element such as a CCD (charge - coupled device) or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) that converts the image of the cord obtained through the optical system 5b into an electrical signal. The image sensor 5a is connected to the processor 20, and the electrical signal converted by the image sensor 5a is input to the processor 20. Also, the AF module 5c is a mechanism that performs focusing by changing the position and refractive index of the focusing lens among the lenses constituting the optical system 5b. The AF module 5c is also connected to the processor 20 and is controlled by the processor 20.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the lighting unit 4 includes a first light-emitting element 4a, a second light-emitting element 4b, and a third light-emitting element 4c. Each of the light-emitting elements 4a, 4b, and 4c is composed of, for example, a light-emitting diode or the like.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, on the front surface 2a of the housing 2, a light-transmitting plate 52 disposed in front of the first light-emitting element 4a, a diffusion plate 51 disposed in front of the second light-emitting element 4b, and a polarizing plate 50 disposed in front of the third light-emitting element 4c are provided. The light-transmitting plate 52 is, for example, colorless and transparent, and is a plate having no polarization effect and no diffusion effect. The diffusion plate 51 is a light-transmitting plate having fine unevenness formed on its surface or the like, and diffuses the incident light and emits it. The polarizing plate 50 is a plate having a polarization effect.

[0030] The first optical information reading device main body 1000A includes an aimer 10 composed of a light-emitting body such as a light-emitting diode. This aimer 10 is for indicating the field of view of the camera 5 and the position of the optical axis of the lighting unit 4 by irradiating light toward the front of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A. The user can also install the first optical information reading device main body 1000A with reference to the light (aimer light) irradiated from the aimer 10.

[0031] In this embodiment, an example in which the polarizing plate 50, the diffusion plate 51, and the light-transmitting plate 52 are fixed to the front surface 2a of the housing 2 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least one of the polarizing plate 50, the diffusion plate 51, and the light-transmitting plate 52 may be detachably attached to the housing 2. Although not shown, for example, an attachment in which at least one of the polarizing plate 50, the diffusion plate 51, and the light-transmitting plate 52 is integrated with a frame body, and the frame body is attached to the front surface 2a of the housing 2 using, for example, a claw fitting structure or a fastening and fixing structure using screws or the like. In this case, at least one of the polarizing plate 50, the diffusion plate 51, and the light-transmitting plate 52 can be attached or removed as needed. The attachment may have only the diffusion plate 51, may have only the polarizing plate 50, or may have both the diffusion plate 51 and the polarizing plate 50.

[0032] (Illumination control unit) As shown in FIG. 2, the first light-emitting element 4a, the second light-emitting element 4b, and the third light-emitting element 4c are connected to the processor 20 and are controlled by an illumination control unit 21 constituted by the processor 20. When the light-emitting element of the second light-emitting element 4b is lit, the illumination control unit 21 controls the illumination unit 4 so as not to light the light-emitting elements of the other illumination light-emitting elements 4a and 4c. When the light-emitting element of the first light-emitting element 4a is lit, the illumination control unit 21 controls the illumination unit 4 so as not to light the light-emitting elements of the other illumination light-emitting elements 4b and 4c. When the light-emitting element of the third light-emitting element 4c is lit, the illumination control unit 21 can control the illumination unit 4 so as not to light the light-emitting elements of the other illumination light-emitting elements 4a and 4b. That is, the illumination control unit 21 is configured to be able to switch direct light (light transmitted through the light-transmitting plate 52), diffused light, and polarized light and irradiate the code therewith. Further, in the case of a work W that does not require diffused light, by switching to direct light, the code can be irradiated with a large amount of light to obtain a high-contrast code image. Further, a high-contrast code image can also be obtained by switching to polarized light as necessary. Further, a large amount of light can be obtained by lighting all the light-emitting elements of the first light-emitting element 4a, the second light-emitting element 4b, and the third light-emitting element 4c. Therefore, the range of the work W that can be read is expanded.

[0033] (Decoding process) The processor 20 constitutes a decoding unit 22. The decoding unit 22 is a part that decodes a code image obtained by irradiating a code with light from the first light-emitting element 4a through the light-transmitting plate 52 and acquired by the camera 5, a code image obtained by irradiating a code with light from the second light-emitting element 4b through the diffusion plate 51 and acquired by the camera 5, a code image obtained by irradiating a code with light from the third light-emitting element 4c through the polarizing plate 50 and acquired by the camera 5, and a code image obtained by irradiating light from the first light-emitting element 4a, the second light-emitting element 4b, and the third light-emitting element 4c. The code image is stored in the image data storage unit 30a of the storage unit 30 shown in FIG. 2.

[0034] The decoding unit 22 performs image processing such as various image processing filters before decoding the above-mentioned code image. Thereafter, a conventionally well-known table can be used at the time of decoding. Further, the decoding unit 22 checks whether the decoded result is correct according to a predetermined check method. When an error is found in the data, the correct data is calculated using an error correction function. The error correction function varies depending on the type of code. The decoding unit 22 stores the decoding result obtained by decoding the code in the decoding result storage unit 30b of the storage unit 30.

[0035] (Main body display unit) As shown in FIG. 5, a main body display unit 6 is provided on the upper surface 2e of the housing 2. The main body display unit 6 is composed of, for example, an organic EL display, a liquid crystal display, or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the main body display unit 6 is connected to the processor 20. The main body display unit 6 can display, for example, a code image captured by the camera 5, a character string that is the result of decoding the code image, a reading success rate, a matching level, the angle information of the optical information reading device main body 1000A, and the like.

[0036] The reading success rate is the average reading success rate when multiple reading processes are executed. The matching level is a reading margin indicating the ease of reading of a code for which decoding has been successful. This can be obtained from the number of error corrections generated during decoding and can be represented by a numerical value, for example. The fewer the error corrections, the higher the matching level (reading margin), while the more the error corrections, the lower the matching level. Also, the angle information of the optical information reading device main body 1000A will be described later.

[0037] (Operation button) On the upper surface 2e of the housing 2, there are provided a select button 11 and an enter button 12 used when setting the first optical information reading device main body 1000A or the like. The select button 11 and the enter button 12 are connected to the processor 20, and the processor 20 can detect the operation states of the select button 11 and the enter button 12. The select button 11 is a button operated when selecting one from a plurality of options displayed on the main body display unit 6. The enter button 12 is a button operated when confirming the result selected by the select button 11.

[0038] (Indicator) On the upper surface 2e of the housing 2, an indicator 9 is also provided. The indicator 9 is connected to the processor 20 and can be composed of a light-emitting body such as a light-emitting diode. The operating state of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A can be notified to the outside by the lighting state of the indicator 9. For example, when the first optical information reading device main body 1000A successfully reads a code image, the indicator 9 lights up green, while when the first optical information reading device main body 1000A fails to read a code image, the indicator 9 lights up red, etc., and it is controllable.

[0039] (Connector) At the lower part of the housing 2, a rotary connector 60 is provided. The rotary connector 60 is rotatably attached around the center line L3 shown in FIG. 5 with respect to the main body portion of the housing 2. The rotary connector 60 is provided with a power connector 7 to which a power wiring for supplying power to the optical information reading device 1A is connected, and an Ethernet connector 8 connected to the setting device 100 and the PLC 130. Note that the Ethernet standard is an example, and signal lines of standards other than the Ethernet standard can also be used.

[0040] By rotating the rotary connector 60, it is possible to switch between a posture in which the power connector 7 and the Ethernet connector 8 protrude downward from the housing 2 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and a posture in which the power connector 7 and the Ethernet connector 8 protrude rearward from the housing 2 as shown in FIG. 6. Depending on the installation location of the optical information reading device 1A, the rotary connector 60 can be rotated to protrude the power connector 7 and the Ethernet connector 8 in a desired direction.

[0041] (Model without the connector rotation mechanism) In the above embodiment, the rotary connector 60 is mounted, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the present invention can also be applied when the rotary connector 60 is not mounted. In the examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the power connector 7 and the Ethernet connector 8 protrude downward from the lower surface 2f of the housing 2, and the protruding direction is fixed.

[0042] (Configuration of the communication unit 32) The first optical information reading device main body 1000A has a communication unit 32. The communication unit 32 is a part that communicates with the setting device 100 and the PLC 130. The communication unit 32 may have a Web server function, or may have an I / O unit connected to the setting device 100 and the PLC 130, a serial communication unit such as RS232C, or a network communication unit such as a wireless LAN or a wired LAN.

[0043] (Tilt sensor) The first optical information reading device main body 1000A has an inclination sensor 40 capable of outputting a value indicating the inclination of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A with respect to the horizontal direction or the gravitational direction. The value output from the inclination sensor 40 is input to the processor 20. The inclination sensor 40 of this embodiment is, for example, an acceleration sensor, and is configured to output a value indicating the inclination of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A with respect to the gravitational direction. The inclination sensor 40 can correct the offset and gain by calibration. For example, the gain and offset can be corrected by calibrating in both directions of -1g and +1g for each of the gravitational acceleration directions of x, y, and z.

[0044] In this embodiment, since the first optical information reading device main body 1000A has a vertically long shape, the long axis direction of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A becomes the vertical direction (longitudinal direction), and the short axis direction becomes the horizontal direction (lateral direction). On this premise, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, three of pitch, skew, and tilt are defined for the inclination direction of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A. Pitch is the rotation around the long axis of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A, skew is the rotation around the short axis of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A, and tilt is the rotation around the axis extending in the front-rear direction of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A.

[0045] The first optical information reading device main body 1000A is often used in the vertical orientation (the orientation in which the long axis extends in the vertical direction). Therefore, it is mainly sufficient to detect the skew angle and present it to the user. However, in order to obtain a more accurate installation direction, two of the skew angle and the pitch angle may be detected and presented to the user. Also, three of the skew angle, the pitch angle, and the tilt angle may be detected and presented to the user.

[0046] Since the inclination sensor 40 is an acceleration sensor, it detects the angle (absolute angle) formed with the direction of gravity. However, during operation or setting, for example, the relative angle between the workpiece W and the first optical information reading device main body 1000A may be required. As a method for calculating this relative angle, for example, by utilizing the fact that the code is formed in a quadrilateral shape, based on the code image acquired by the camera 5, a method of calculating the geometric deformation of the quadrilateral and detecting the relative angle by image processing is available, and the relative angle obtained by such a method may be presented to the user.

[0047] However, since the method of calculating the geometric deformation has a high computational load, it may take time for processing. In the present embodiment, as another method, without calculating the relative angle between the code and the first optical information reading device main body 1000A, it is possible to present to the user in a comparable manner the installation states of other optical information reading device main bodies 1000B and 1000C with respect to the target first optical information reading device main body 1000A. Thereby, while reducing the computational load, the user can easily grasp the differences in the installation parameters between the target first optical information reading device main body 1000A and the other optical information reading device main bodies 1000B and 1000C.

[0048] The inclination sensor 40 is, for example, of a detection method using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), but is not limited thereto, and any sensor capable of sampling acceleration at a predetermined time interval may be used. In the case of the detection method using MEMS, since an element sensitive to vibration is used, vibration countermeasures are taken in the present embodiment.

[0049] That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the inclination sensor 40 is mounted on a resin substrate 43. On this substrate 43, first to fifth screw holes 43a to 43e through which screws for fastening and fixing to the housing 2 are inserted are formed at intervals from each other. The number of screw holes is not particularly limited. Although the substrate 43 may be more likely to vibrate compared to the metal housing 2, the vicinity of the first to fifth screw holes 43a to 43e is a portion fixed to the housing 2 by screws, so it is a portion that is relatively difficult to vibrate. The mounting position of the inclination sensor 40 on the substrate 43 is a portion that is difficult to vibrate on the substrate 43, and specifically, it is a position close to the first screw hole 43a and the fifth screw hole 43e. In particular, by mounting the inclination sensor 40 between the first screw hole 43a and the fifth screw hole 43e, the inclination sensor 40 becomes even more difficult to receive vibration.

[0050] The inclination sensor 40 may be composed of a sensor other than the acceleration sensor described above, for example, an inclination sensor that calculates the inclination angle from the horizontal value. Further, as the inclination sensor 40, for example, a sensor configured to calculate the geometric deformation of the square of the code based on the code image acquired by the camera 5 and detect the relative angle with respect to the code by image processing may be used, or a sensor configured to calculate the geometric deformation of the aiming light based on the image including the aiming light acquired by the camera 5 and detect the relative angle with respect to the surface of the workpiece W by image processing may be used.

[0051] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing physical quantities and phenomena that can be detected by the inclination sensor 40. As shown in this figure, the inclination sensor 40 can detect gravity, vibration / movement, and impact. Based on gravity, longitudinal and lateral detection and inclination detection of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A can be performed. Based on vibration / movement, vibration detection, movement detection, and free fall detection of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A can be performed. Further, based on impact, impact detection acting on the first optical information reading device main body 1000A can be performed.

[0052] The location where the first optical information reading device main body 1000A is installed is the location where the workpiece W is conveyed, and vibrations always occur. The tilt sensor 40 is configured to be able to perform sampling to minimize the influence of vibrations on the premise that it is placed in an environment where vibrations occur.

[0053] Specifically, the values continuously output from the tilt sensor 40 are sampled once, for example, every 0.05 to 0.02 seconds. After converting the sampled values into angles, they are output through a low-pass filter. The angle output from the low-pass filter becomes the angle information of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A. Considering the frequency of vibrations occurring at the location where the first optical information reading device main body 1000A is installed, by setting the time constant of the low-pass filter to about 0.5 to 1 second, a sufficient filter effect can be obtained to minimize the influence of vibrations.

[0054] In addition, when it is assumed that the first optical information reading device main body 1000A is used in a fixed state, the angle of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A during operation is almost always constant. When the angle changes, for example, when an object hits the first optical information reading device main body 1000A or when the screws fixing the first optical information reading device main body 1000A become loose. Since it is sufficient to be able to detect this, the time constant of the low-pass filter may be set longer.

[0055] Also, in this embodiment, the time constant of the low-pass filter is fixed, but it is not limited to this. It may also be configured such that the time constant of the low-pass filter can be changed according to the operation mode of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A. Also, when setting, there may be cases where it is installed while observing the angle, and in such cases, since a certain degree of fast responsiveness is required, the time constant of the low-pass filter can also be set to about 0.5 to 1 second.

[0056] The positions of the origins (0°) of the pitch angle, skew angle, and tilt angle obtained based on the values output from the tilt sensor 40 vary between 0° and 359° when the first optical information reading device main body 1000A makes one full rotation, which may ultimately make it difficult for the user to use. In contrast, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the origins of the pitch angle, skew angle, and tilt angle are set in directions that are not frequently used.

[0057] The following will be specifically described. The origin of the pitch angle is set as the angle when the rear surface 2b of the housing 2 is directly below, that is, when the front surface 2a of the housing 2 is directly above. The pitch angle when the front surface 2a of the housing 2 is directly below is 180°. Also, the origin of the skew angle is set as the angle when the rear surface 2b of the housing 2 is directly below, that is, when the front surface 2a of the housing 2 is directly above. The skew angle when the front surface 2a of the housing 2 is directly below is 180°. Further, the origin of the tilt angle is set as the angle when the upper surface 2e of the housing 2 is directly below, that is, when the lower surface 2f of the housing 2 is directly above. The tilt angle when the upper surface 2e of the housing 2 is directly above is 180°.

[0058] In addition, to prevent the pitch angle, skew angle, and tilt angle obtained based on the values output from the tilt sensor 40 from becoming unstable between 0° and 359°, a hysteresis as shown in FIG. 13 is provided to enable stable output. The hysteresis can be, for example, plus or minus 5°.

[0059] (Distance sensor) As shown in FIG. 2, the first optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A includes a distance sensor 41 that can output a value indicating the distance between the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A and the workpiece W. The value output from the distance sensor 41 is input to the processor 20. The distance sensor 41 acquires the number of steps of the motor included in the AF module 5c, and calculates a value indicating the distance between the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A and the workpiece W based on the number of steps. Since the AF module 5c drives the optical system 5b so that the surface with the code of the workpiece W is in focus, by previously obtaining the relationship between the number of steps of the motor of the AF module 5c and the distance between the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A and the workpiece W, the above distance can be calculated from the number of steps at the time of focusing.

[0060] Further, the distance sensor 41 may be, for example, a so-called TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor that irradiates the measurement object with measurement light, receives the light reflected from the measurement object, and measures the distance to the measurement object. Further, the distance sensor 41 may measure the above distance by image-processing an image including the aimer light. In this case, the above distance can be calculated using the principle of triangulation using the camera 5 and the aimer light. Further, the distance sensor 41 can also be configured by a measuring instrument capable of triangulation. Further, when the optical system 5b has a liquid lens, the distance sensor 41 can also acquire the voltage value of the liquid lens and calculate a value indicating the above distance based on the acquired voltage value. This utilizes the fact that the curvature of the liquid lens changes in proportion to the voltage, and the above distance can be calculated from the voltage value applied to the lens when the workpiece W is in focus. Further, when the size of the code applied to the workpiece W is known, the distance sensor 41 may calculate the above distance based on the size of the code image acquired by the camera 5.

[0061] (Tuning) The tuning execution unit 23 is configured by the processor 20 shown in FIG. 2. After the AF module 5c is activated to perform focusing, the tuning execution unit 23 changes the shooting conditions of the camera 5 and the decoding conditions of the decoding process, etc., repeats the shooting and decoding process of the code, and based on the matching level indicating the ease of reading the code (the margin of decoding) calculated under each shooting condition and decoding condition, executes a tuning process to determine the optimal shooting conditions and decoding conditions. For example, when setting the optical information reading device 1A, the tuning execution unit 23 is a part that changes shooting conditions such as the gain of the camera 5, the light amount of the illumination unit 4, illumination switching (switching between direct light, diffused light, and polarized light), exposure time, etc., and image processing conditions, and sets various conditions (tuning parameters) to be suitable for decoding. The image processing conditions are the coefficients of the image processing filter (the strength of the filter) for the code image before decoding, the switching of the image processing filter when there are multiple image processing filters, the combination of different types of image processing filters, etc. Appropriate shooting conditions and image processing conditions vary depending on the influence of external light on the work W during conveyance, the color and material of the surface to which the code is attached, etc. Therefore, the tuning execution unit 23 explores more appropriate shooting conditions and image processing conditions and sets the above conditions. The shooting conditions are an example of the shooting information when the code image is acquired.

[0062] Specifically, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14, in step SB1 after starting, the tuning execution unit 23 controls the illumination unit 4 and the camera 5 to generate a code image in the camera 5, and the tuning execution unit 23 acquires the code image. At this time, the decoding process parameters regarding the presence or absence and type of the image processing filter executed before the decoding process, the illumination conditions, the shooting conditions, etc. are set to arbitrary parameters. Then, it proceeds to step SB2, and the tuning execution unit 23 causes the decoding unit 22 to execute the decoding process on the acquired code image.

[0063] After the decoding process, the process proceeds to step SB3, and the tuning execution unit 23 determines whether the decoding process in step SB2 was successful. If it is determined as NO in step SB3 and the decoding process in step SB2 fails, that is, if the code cannot be read, the process proceeds to step SB4. After changing the decoding process parameters to another parameter, the decoding process is executed again in step SB2. If the decoding process fails with all decoding process parameters, this flow ends and the user is notified.

[0064] On the other hand, if it is determined as YES in step SB3 and the decoding process in step SB2 is successful, the process proceeds to step SB5, and the tuning execution unit 23 evaluates the reading margin based on the above decoding process result and temporarily stores it.

[0065] In step SB6, it is determined whether the execution of the decoding process has been completed with all decoding process parameters. If it is determined as NO in step SB6 and the execution of the decoding process has not been completed with all decoding process parameters, the process proceeds to step SB7, and the decoding process parameters are changed to another parameter and the decoding process is performed.

[0066] On the other hand, if it is determined as YES in step SB7 and the execution of the decoding process is completed with all decoding process parameters, the process proceeds to step SB8. In step SB8, the tuning execution unit 23 selects the decoding process parameter with the highest reading margin from all the decoding process parameters and determines it as the parameter to be applied during operation.

[0067] In the tuning process, the lighting conditions are also set to appropriate conditions. That is, when the optical information reading device 1A is in operation, it is possible to set which of the first to third light emitting elements 4a, 4b, and 4c of the lighting unit 4 to use. Regarding which light emitting element to use, it may be set by the above-described tuning, or may be set to be the light emitting element selected by the user. For example, a user interface that enables selection of the first to third light emitting elements 4a, 4b, and 4c is generated and displayed on the display 101, and if the user operates the keyboard 102 or the mouse 103 to select a desired light emitting element, the selection result can be reflected during operation.

[0068] As a result of the tuning executed by the tuning execution unit 23, a parameter set in which parameters constituting various set conditions and various conditions set by the user are set is a parameter set. This parameter set is also the reading condition applied when decoding the code image. The parameter set can also be called a bank, and in this embodiment, a plurality of parameter sets can be stored. The reading condition applied when decoding the code image and the read data are stored in the parameter set storage unit 30c in association with each other.

[0069] In this optical information reading device 1A, it is configured to be able to switch from one parameter set to another among the plurality of parameter sets stored in the parameter set storage unit 30c. The switching of the parameter set can be performed by the user or can be configured to be performed by a switching signal from an external control device such as the PLC 130. When the user performs the switching of the parameter set, the setting device 100 or the operation buttons 11 and 12 may be operated. The selected parameter set is used when the optical information reading device 1A is in operation, and the unselected parameter set is not used when the optical information reading device 1A is in operation. That is, it is possible to switch from one parameter set to another.

[0070] (Display) The display 101 can display various user interface screens. The various user interface screens can be generated, for example, by the control unit 105 of the setting device 100.

[0071] FIG. 15 shows an example of the user interface screen 300 displayed on the display 101. The user interface screen 300 is a screen for extracting records having the same read data from a plurality of optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C (simplified as readers 1000A, 1000B, 1000C in the figure) and displaying a code image, a reading time, various conditions, etc. In the header section 301 of the user interface screen 300, it is possible to set filter / search conditions, and a filter setting area 301a, a search setting area 301b, a reader selection area 301c, and a period designation area 301d are provided. In the filter setting area 301a, conditions for selecting a target (display target) to be displayed on the user interface screen 300 from a large number of records are set, and for example, conditions such as "display all" and "display only errors" can be set. An error is a record that could not be read or reading failed. In the search setting area 301b, it is possible to set conditions for searching for records having specified read data from among the records of the display target. In the period designation area 301d, it is possible to designate a period for extracting the display target.

[0072] In the reader selection area 301c, the optical information reading device main body to be displayed below the header section 301 is selected from among the plurality of optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C. For example, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C existing on the same network N are searched, and the IP addresses of the searched optical information reading device main bodies are acquired. Then, when the user operates the reader selection area 301c to perform a selection operation on the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C, the control unit 105 detects the selection operation and selects the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, 1000C.

[0073] Below the header section 301 of the user interface screen 300, a reader display area 302 and a record display area 303 for displaying a list of read data are provided. In the reader display area 302, information on the selected optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C is displayed. In this example, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are displayed, but if only one is selected, only one can be displayed. In the reader display area 302, a first area 302a is provided where, as information on the optical information reading device main body, a name for identifying the optical information reading device main body, a model, an illustration, a photograph, etc. showing the appearance of the optical information reading device main body are displayed, and the control unit 105 causes the information on the selected optical information reading device main body to be displayed in the first area 302a. Since it becomes possible to determine the model, etc. from the appearance of the optical information reading device main body, it is easy to know which model of optical information reading device main body is installed in which process.

[0074] In the external view of the optical information reading device main body displayed in the first area 302a, a portion imitating the indicator 9, that is, an indicator portion 9A, is provided. The indicator portion 9A in the external view is a portion for displaying success or failure information indicating whether decoding has been successful. That is, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are each configured to be able to output success or failure information indicating whether decoding has been successful to the setting device 100. When the setting device 100 receives the success or failure information output from the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C, it changes the color of the indicator portion 9A to display which device main body among the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C has successful decoding or which device main body has failed decoding. In FIG. 15, for the first optical information reading device main body 1000A where the color of the indicator portion 9A is black, it indicates that decoding has been successful, and for the second and third optical information reading device main bodies 1000B and 1000C where the color of the indicator portion 9A is white, it indicates that decoding has failed.

[0075] In addition, the reader display area 302 is provided with a second area 302b in which code images respectively captured by the optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are displayed. The first area 302a and the second area 302b are arranged vertically. That is, on the display 101, the success / failure information respectively output from the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C is displayed in association with the code images. Note that the success / failure information may be displayed, for example, by characters, symbols, icons, etc.

[0076] The major axis direction of the optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C corresponds to the Y-axis direction (vertical direction) of the code image displayed in the second area 302b, and the minor axis direction of the optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C corresponds to the X-axis direction (horizontal direction) of the code image.

[0077] The reader display area 302 is also provided with a third area 302c for displaying the matching level (MLV) and the decoding time (time) when decoding with the optical information reading device main body.

[0078] Below the reader display area 302, a reading distance display area 304, an installation angle display area 305, a bank information display area 306, an illumination information display area 307, a filter display area 308 for displaying the applied image processing filter, an HDR display area 309 for displaying the type of applied HDR, etc. are provided. Other shooting conditions and reading conditions may be displayed.

[0079] In the reading distance display area 304, the distances (reading distances) between the optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C and the workpiece W are displayed. The reading distances displayed in the reading distance display area 304 are distances calculated based on the values output from the distance sensor 41. Specifically, they are distances calculated based on the values output from the distance sensor 41 when various conditions are determined during setting. Therefore, the distance does not change unless the setting conditions are changed. Note that the reading distance may be calculated and displayed based on the values output from the distance sensor 41 each time a code image is acquired.

[0080] In the reading distance display area 304 of this embodiment, the distances "300 mm" between the first optical information reading device main body 1000A and the work W, "150 mm" between the second optical information reading device main body 1000B and the work W, and "100 mm" between the third optical information reading device main body 1000C and the work W are displayed. That is, the code image (the image displayed in the second area 302b) acquired by the camera 5 is associated with the distance calculated based on the value output from the distance sensor 41 when the code image was acquired and then displayed. Thereby, it becomes easier to estimate whether the installation distances of the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C should be increased or decreased, and fine adjustment of the distance becomes easier.

[0081] In the installation angle display area 305, the installation angle (skew angle, pitch angle, etc.), which is the angle information of the optical information reading device main body, is displayed. The installation angles displayed in the installation angle display area 305 are angles calculated based on the values output from the tilt sensor 40, specifically, angles calculated based on the values output from the tilt sensor 40 when the camera 5 acquired the code image. Note that the time when the camera 5 acquired the code image and the time when the angle was calculated based on the value output from the tilt sensor 40 do not necessarily exactly match.

[0082] In the installation angle display area 305 of the present embodiment, the skew angle of 182° and the pitch angle of 138° of the first optical information reading device main body 1000A, the skew angle of 184° and the pitch angle of 134° of the second optical information reading device main body 1000B, and the skew angle of 176° and the pitch angle of 125° of the third optical information reading device main body 1000C are displayed. That is, the code image (the image displayed in the second area 302b) acquired by the camera 5 of each of the optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C is associated with the installation angle calculated based on the value output from the tilt sensor 40 when the code image was acquired, and is displayed on one screen in a comparable manner. As a result, it becomes easier to estimate how much and in which direction the installation angles of the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C should be changed, and fine adjustment of the angles becomes easier. The angles can be displayed, for example, in 1° increments, but are not limited to this, and may be displayed, for example, in 5° increments. Also, since the angles are absolute angles with respect to the direction of gravity, they are easy for the user to intuitively understand.

[0083] As an example of the display form of the angle information displayed in the installation angle display area 305, the angle information can be a display form using a reference line 400, a first schematic diagram 401a and a second schematic diagram 401b imitating the optical information reading device main body 1000A, and an arrow 402 indicating the tilt direction of each schematic diagram 401a, 401b with respect to the reference line 400. The reference line 400 is a line extending in the left-right direction of the user interface screen 300 and indicates the horizontal plane during operation. The first schematic diagram 401a is a diagram imitating the side shape of the optical information reading device main body 1000A, and the second schematic diagram 401b is a diagram imitating the top shape of the optical information reading device main body 1000A. The first schematic diagram 401a and the second schematic diagram 401b may be color diagrams or black-and-white diagrams, but in this example, they are diagrams that can intuitively grasp the orientation of the optical information reading device main body 1000A compared to the display form of the main body display unit 6 described later.

[0084] The first schematic diagram 401a is used to show the skew angle, and it can easily let the user understand that the angle formed by this first schematic diagram 401a and the reference line 400 is the skew angle. The second schematic diagram 401b is used to show the pitch angle, and it can easily let the user understand that the angle formed by this second schematic diagram 401b and the reference line 400 is the pitch angle. Incidentally, the reference line 400, the schematic diagrams 401a and 401b, and the arrow 402 may be omitted and only "pitch angle" and "skew angle" may be displayed.

[0085] In the bank information display area 306, the number of the bank (the number of the parameter set) to which the code image was applied when the camera 5 acquired the code image and the reading was successful is displayed. For example, the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C are each configured to be able to output imaging information when the code image is acquired to the setting device 100. The setting device 100 receives the imaging information output from the first to third optical information reading device main bodies 1000A, 1000B, and 1000C. Then, in the illumination information display area 307, illumination information (an example of imaging information) indicating whether the illumination unit 4 irradiated direct light, diffused light, or polarized light when the camera 5 acquired the code image is displayed. The illumination information is information included in the parameter set. The illumination information displayed in this illumination information display area 307 is associated with the code image. In this figure, it can be seen that the code image acquired by the first optical information reading device main body 1000A is an image taken with direct light, the code image acquired by the second optical information reading device main body 1000B is an image taken with diffused light, and the code image acquired by the third optical information reading device main body 1000C is an image taken with polarized light. Similarly, the applied filter, the type of HDR, etc. are also displayed in association with the code image.

[0086] (Display form of the main body display unit) FIG. 16 shows an example of the display form of the main body display unit 6 of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A. On the main body display unit 6, the angle information of the optical information reading apparatus main body calculated based on the value output from the tilt sensor 40 when a code image is acquired is displayed. As an example of the display form of the angle information displayed on the main body display unit 6, an example can be given in which the angle information is displayed as the relative positional relationship between the reference line 450 and the schematic diagram 451 simulating the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A with respect to the reference line 450. The reference line 450 is a line extending in the left-right direction of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A and indicates the horizontal plane during operation. The schematic diagram 451 shows the shape of the upper surface of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A. When the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the schematic diagram 451 is displayed so as to be inclined with respect to the reference line 450. The greater the degree of inclination of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A with respect to the horizontal plane (the greater the pitch angle), the greater the inclination of the schematic diagram 451 with respect to the reference line 450. Further, according to the skew angle, the schematic diagram 451 moves in the vertical direction with respect to the reference line 450. The greater the skew angle, the greater the vertical movement of the schematic diagram 451 with respect to the reference line 450.

[0087] The schematic diagram 451 displayed on the main body display unit 6 is a diagram with less information amount compared to the first schematic diagram 401a and the second schematic diagram 401b displayed on the display 101, that is, a diagram with a smaller number of colors used, a rough diagram, a diagram with a simplified shape, and the like.

[0088] On the main body display unit 6, two numerical display areas 6a, 6a for displaying the angle information numerically are provided. The skew angle is displayed in one numerical display area 6a, and the pitch angle is displayed in the other numerical display area 6a. Only one of the skew angle and the pitch angle may be displayed. Further, the tilt angle may be displayed in the numerical display area 6a. That is, in the numerical display area 6a, the inclination angle of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A with respect to the horizontal plane, the rotation angle around the long axis of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A, and the like can be displayed. Further, the reading distance may be displayed on the main body display unit 6.

[0089] The display form of the main body display unit 6 can also be different between the setting time and the operation time. For example, at the time of setting, the above angle information is displayed on the main body display unit 6, while at the time of operation, the above angle information is made non-display on the main body display unit 6. That is, the installation angle of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A is adjusted at the time of setting, and once the operation is started, the installation angle is kept constant, so there is little need to display the angle information on the main body display unit 6.

[0090] (Support function at the time of installation) Since the above angle information can be displayed on the main body display unit 6 of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A, for example, when installing the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A on site, the adjustment of the installation angle can be supported. When the installation angle of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A is preset by the setting device 100, the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A acquires the installation angle as the target installation angle. After acquiring the target installation angle, the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A can notify information regarding the difference between the target installation angle and the current angle of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A. For example, by comparably displaying the target installation angle and the current angle of the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A on the main body display unit 6, information regarding the difference between the target installation angle and the current angle can be notified to the user. Information regarding the difference between the target installation angle and the current angle may be displayed numerically by the angle, or may be displayed using the reference line 450 and the schematic diagram 451. By displaying information regarding the difference between the target installation angle and the current angle, the user only needs to move the optical information reading apparatus main body 1000A so that the current angle approaches the target installation angle, which is easier than the adjustment while looking at the display 101 of the setting device 100.

[0091] As a notification form of information regarding the difference between the target setting angle and the current angle, for example, a form using the color of the indicator 9 may be used. As the current angle approaches the target setting angle, the indicator 9 is brightened, or the color of the indicator 9 is switched from one color to another color. Further, when the indicator 9 is composed of a number of light-emitting elements, a notification form such as increasing the number of lit elements of the indicator 9 as the current angle approaches the target setting angle is possible. Further, as the current angle approaches the target setting angle, a notification form such as increasing or decreasing the blinking period of the aimer light, or a notification form such as increasing or decreasing the blinking period of the illumination unit 4 as the current angle approaches the target setting angle is also possible. Further, when the current angle coincides with the target setting angle, the coincidence may be displayed on the main body display unit 6 using characters, symbols, or the like. Further, until the current angle coincides with the target setting angle, the difference between the current angle and the target setting angle may be displayed on the main body display unit 6 in numerical values, schematic diagrams, or the like.

[0092] Regarding the reading distance of the optical information reading device main body 1000A as well, adjustment can be supported in the same manner as the installation angle. In the case of the distance, information regarding the difference between the reading distance acquired by the distance sensor 41 and the target distance is notified to the user. As described above, the notification form can be a notification form using the indicator 9, the aimer light, the illumination unit 4, or the like.

[0093] (Vibration notification, impact notification, angle change) As shown in FIG. 11, the inclination sensor 40 is configured to be able to detect the vibration of the optical information reading device main body 1000A. The processor 20 can notify when the inclination sensor 40 detects the vibration of the optical information reading device main body 1000A. That is, the fact that the inclination sensor 40 has detected vibration means that the camera 5 is vibrating, and if shooting is continued as it is, the code image will blur and there is a high possibility of reading failure. In this case, by notifying the user by a notification means such as an alarm at the timing when the vibration is detected, reading failure can be prevented. The notification means may be, for example, the display 101, the indicator 9, or the like.

[0094] In addition, the tilt sensor 40 is configured to be able to detect an impact acting on the optical information reading device main body 1000A. When the tilt sensor 40 detects an impact acting on the optical information reading device main body 1000A, the processor 20 stores the date and time when the impact was detected in the date and time storage unit 30d of the storage unit 30. By storing the date and time when an impact is detected, it can be used as information for identifying the cause of the deviation of the installation angle of the optical information reading device main body 1000A. When detecting an impact with the tilt sensor 40, the sampling period can be made shorter, for example, to about 0.01 seconds, and the time constant of the low-pass filter can also be made shorter.

[0095] In addition, when the installation angle of the optical information reading device main body 1000A changes from the initial installation, it can also be displayed on the display 101 of the setting device 100 or notified using an alarm or the like. By notifying the user at an early stage that there has been a change in the installation angle of the optical information reading device main body 1000A, reading failure can be prevented.

[0096] (Operation and effect of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, since the angle information of the optical information reading device main body 1000A can be displayed on the display 101 in association with the code image, the user can grasp the angle information of the optical information reading device main body 1000A and the code image. Based on this, it becomes easier to estimate in which direction and to what extent the angle of the optical information reading device main body 1000A should be changed, and fine adjustment of the angle becomes easier.

[0097] In addition, since the optical information reading device main body 1000A has a distance sensor 41 that can output a value indicating the distance between the optical information reading device main body 1000A and the workpiece W, the display 101 can display the code image and the reading distance in association with each other. As a result, it becomes easier to estimate whether the distance of the optical information reading device main body 1000A should be increased or decreased during adjustment, and fine adjustment of the distance becomes easier.

[0098] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed in a limiting sense. Further, modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0099] As described above, the optical information reading device according to the present invention can be used, for example, when reading a code such as a two-dimensional code.

Explanation of Signs

[0100] 1A Optical information reading device 1000A First optical information reading device main body 2 Housing 5 Camera 6 Main body display unit 10 Aimer 22 Decoding unit (decoding means) 40 Inclination sensor 41 Distance sensor 101 Display 400 Reference line 401a, 401b Schematic diagrams S Optical information reading system

Claims

1. A stationary optical information reading device comprising an optical information reading device main body having a camera for photographing a workpiece with a code assigned thereto and a decoding means for decoding a code image obtained by the camera, and a display for displaying the code image obtained by the camera. In the device, the optical information reading device main body has an inclination sensor capable of outputting a value indicating an inclination of the optical information reading device main body with respect to a horizontal direction or a gravitational direction, the display is an optical information reading device in which the code image obtained by the camera and the angle information of the optical information reading device main body calculated based on the value output from the inclination sensor when the code image was obtained are associated and displayed.

2. In the optical information reading device according to Claim 1, the optical information reading device main body has a distance sensor capable of outputting a value indicating a distance between the optical information reading device main body and the workpiece, the display is an optical information reading device in which the code image obtained by the camera and the distance calculated based on the value output from the distance sensor when the code image was obtained are associated and displayed.

3. In the optical information reading device according to Claim 1 or 2, the optical information reading device main body is provided with a main body display unit for displaying the angle information.

4. In the optical information reading device according to Claim 3, in the main body display unit, the angle information is displayed as a relative positional relationship of the schematic diagram with respect to the reference line using the reference line and a schematic diagram simulating the optical information reading device main body.

5. In the optical information reading device according to Claim 3 or 4, in the main body display unit, the angle information is displayed numerically.

6. In the optical information reading device according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, in the main body display unit, the angle information is displayed during setting, while the angle information is not displayed during operation.

7. In the optical information reading device according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, in the main body display unit, the inclination angle of the optical information reading device main body with respect to a horizontal plane is displayed.

8. In the optical information reading device according to any one of Claims 3 to 7, in the main body display unit, the rotation angle around the long axis of the optical information reading device main body is displayed.

9. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in the display, the angle information is displayed using a reference line, a schematic diagram simulating the optical information reading device main body, and an arrow indicating the inclination direction of the schematic diagram with respect to the reference line. An optical information reading device.

10. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the optical information reading device main body is configured to be able to output success or failure information indicating whether decoding has been successful, in the display, the success or failure information output from the optical information reading device main body is displayed in association with the code image. An optical information reading device.

11. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the optical information reading device main body is configured to be able to output shooting information when the code image is acquired, in the display, the shooting information output from the optical information reading device main body is displayed in association with the code image. An optical information reading device.

12. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in the display, a plurality of code images acquired from a plurality of the optical information reading device main bodies and the angle information of the optical information reading device main body when each code image is acquired are respectively associated and displayed. An optical information reading device.

13. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the inclination sensor is an acceleration sensor, outputs a value indicating the direction of gravity of the optical information reading device main body, the display displays the inclination angle with respect to the direction of gravity of the optical information reading device main body as the angle information. An optical information reading device.

14. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the optical information reading device main body is an optical information reading device that notifies information regarding the difference between the target installation angle of the optical information reading device main body and the current angle of the optical information reading device main body.

15. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the inclination sensor is configured to be able to detect vibration of the optical information reading device main body, An optical information reading device that notifies when the inclination sensor detects vibration of the optical information reading device main body.

16. In the optical information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the inclination sensor is configured to be able to detect an impact on the optical information reading device main body, The optical information reading device main body is an optical information reading device including a storage unit that stores the date and time when the impact was detected when the inclination sensor detects an impact on the optical information reading device main body.

Images