Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Denso Corporation

Denso Wave Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho

Tadao Nojiri

Akio Sugiura

Koji Konosu

Kunihiko Ito

Hisashi Shigekusa

Masahiro Nomura

Hideyuki Tanaka

Masanori Okada

Yoji Ito

Atutoshi Okamoto

Masahiro Iida

Masahiro Matsuyama

Takayoshi Nishikawa

Takeshi Watanabe

Masahiro Hara

Masami Tanaka

Kenzo Obata

Hiroshige Asada

Nobuyuki Teraura

Kenichi Yoshida

Kenji Kanemaru

Motoaki Watabe

Hiroaki Mizukoshi

Yoshimi Kitazumi

Toshiharu Ishibashi

Hirotoshi Nakamura

Yoshimitsu Shibata

Kunihiro Motizuki

Yosimitu Sibata

Kouji Teramae

Yosimi Kitazumi

Kensaku Harada

Kenji Kanamaru

Yukiko Uno

Yuji Uchiyama

Takayuki Nagaya

In a laser radar apparatus, a laser beam generator that generates a laser beam and an optical detector that detects reflected light that has been reflected by an object in a field to be observed. A deflection performing means, provided with one or more deflection means each rotatable on a given central axis thereof, for enabling the deflection means to deflect the laser beam to the field and to deflect the reflected light toward the optical detector. A drive means driven to rotate the deflection means. A direction changing means changes a direction of the laser beam from the deflection means is changed in a direction of the central axis. A control means controls an operation of the direction changing means.

Laser radar apparatus for three-dimensional detection of objects

A laser radar including laser beam generating means, photo detecting means, a mirror, light deflecting means, and rotation driving means. The laser beam generating means emits a laser beam having an axis thereof. The photo detecting means detects a reflected laser beam that is reflected back by an object. The mirror includes a through-hole that passes the laser beam and a reflecting surface that reflects a reflected laser beam reflected back by the object toward the photo detecting means. The light deflecting means deflects the laser beam toward a measuring region and reflects the reflected laser beam from the object toward the mirror. The rotation driving means rotates the light deflecting means so as to direct the laser beam toward the measuring region.

Laser radar apparatus that measures direction and distance of an object

An apparatus has a photodetector with a plurality of pixels arranged in at least one dimension. The apparatus is designed to optically pick up an image of an information code by the pixels of the photodetector. In the apparatus, an establishing unit establishes a preliminary correcting region on part of the image data. A preliminary correcting unit provides a correcting variable that estimates a shift amount of the image data; and preliminarily corrects the part of the image data within the preliminary correcting region based on a value of the correcting variable. A determining unit determines whether the preliminary correction of the preliminary correcting unit is proper based on the corrected result. When the determining unit determines that the preliminary correction of the preliminary correcting unit is proper, a correcting unit corrects the image data based on the value of the correcting variable.

Method and apparatus for optically picking up an image of an information code

In a two-dimensional code, a plurality of unit cells are arranged in two-dimension. Each of the unit cells indicates one of at least three colors, such as, 'white', 'black', &#x201c;red&#x201d;, &#x201c;blue&#x201d;, and &#x201c;green&#x201d;. Each color of each of the unit cells is optically readable and represents a data value set to each of the unit cells. In the two-dimensional code, a specifying pattern portion is provided. The specifying pattern portion includes a plurality of color reference cells and is configured to specify positions of the unit cells. The color reference cells indicates all of the at least three colors.

Two-dimensional code, methods and apparatuses for generating, displaying and reading the same

An information code reading apparatus comprises a case, an illuminating light source, and a light receiver. The case has an end portion at which a reading opening is formed. The illuminating light source is disposed within the case and configured to radiate illumination light through the reading opening toward an information code recorded on an object to be read. The light receiver is disposed within the case and configured to receive light reflected from the object through the reading opening. The reflected light returns along a reading light axis residing in a field of view of the light receiver. The reading light axis is oblique to a perpendicular axis to the reading opening, whereby the entire reading opening is illuminated by the light source. The illuminating light source is composed of an area light source disposed outside the field of view in a substantially parallel attitude along the field of view.

Apparatus for reading information code

An image region of an image data memory is dissected into a plurality of search sections. Brightness change points in each of the search sections are counted based on image data of each search section. A candidate region having a likelihood of involving an information code is detected based on the count value of the brightness change points. And, the candidate region is identified as the existing area of the information code.

Method for detecting a two-dimensional code existing area, method reading two-dimensional code, and a recording medium storing related programs

An image of a region is taken which includes a two-dimensional code. A two-dimensional code area is determined in the image. The two-dimensional code area corresponds to the two-dimensional code. Inspection lines are set which connect opposite sides in two pairs among four sides indicating boundaries of the two-dimensional code area in cases where the two-dimensional code is of a cell matrix type. Inspection lines are set which connect opposite sides in one pair among four sides indicating boundaries of the two-dimensional code area in cases where the two-dimensional code is of a bar-code stack type. Information is read from the two-dimensional code area on the basis of the inspection lines. Division points are set on the opposite sides in response to a ratio in length between sides adjacent to the opposite sides and a number of arrangements of cells in the two-dimensional code in cases where the two-dimensional code is of the cell matrix type. Division points are set on the opposite sides in response to a ratio in length between sides adjacent to the opposite sides and a number of stacked bar codes in the two-dimensional code in cases where the two-dimensional code is of the bar-code stack type. The inspection lines are set which connect corresponding ones of the division points.

Two-dimensional-code related method, apparatus, and recording medium

A two-dimensional code and a predetermined figure pattern are printed on a medium. An error in the two-dimensional code is correctable during decoding of the two-dimensional code. A cell position corresponding to a position of the error is detectable. The predetermined figure pattern is made of special ink. The two-dimensional code and the predetermined figure pattern overlap each other at a specified place in the medium. The two-dimensional code is optically read from the medium. The two-dimensional code which has been optically read is decoded. In cases where error correction is executed during the decoding of the two-dimensional code, detection is given of an error correction position corresponding to a cell position having a related error. A determination is made as to whether or not the detected error correction position is in the specified place. Judging whether or not the medium is counterfeit is executed in response to a result of the determination.

Method and apparatus for detecting forgery

An optical information reader which can promptly eliminate mirror reflection regions with high accuracy without the need for a plurality of expensive CCDS. When it is discriminated that mirror reflection regions exist in an image of a two-dimensional code obtained by a CCD under illumination condition , the condition is changed to illumination condition and an image is obtained. If there is a mirror reflection region also in the new image, the previously obtained image and the new image are synthesized by calculating the OR. When no mirror reflection regions exist in the synthesized image, a decoding is executed. Since it is sufficient to use only one CCD in the optical information reader, system cost is minimized. As images are obtained by the same CCD, even if images are synthesized, a positional deviation does not occur, the mirror reflection regions can be promptly eliminated with high accuracy, and an obtained image is accordingly very accurate.

Optical information reader and recording medium

A 2-dimensional code reader includes a camera for scanning a surface which carries a 2-dimensional code thereon, an amplifier for amplifying electric signals fed from the camera, a device for identifying a code-region out of the scanned surface and a device for detecting information contained in the 2-dimensional code. The amplifying rate or gain is controlled according to a signal level representing a brightness of the identified code-region, not depending on a brightness of a whole scanned surface. The amplifier may includes an automatic gain controller which controls the amplifying rate according to the brightness of the whole scanned surface. In this case, the amplifying rate is adjusted based on an areal ratio of the code-region to the whole scanned surface area to obtain a clear image of the code, irrespective of the brightness of the scanned surface. Some symbol marks may be included in the 2-dimensional code in order to effectively identify the code-region on the scanned surface.

2-dimensional code reader

A two-dimensional code 1 consists of three positioning symbols 2, a data region 3, timing cells 4 and an apex detecting cell 5. The shape of the whole code 1 is a square having the same number of vertical and lateral cells. A scanning line passing through the center of each positioning symbols 2 always gives a constant frequency component ratio--dark:light:dark:light:dark=1:1:3:1:1, irrespective of the scanning direction. For this reason, even if a rotational angle of the two-dimensional code is not certain, the specific frequency component ratio of each positioning symbol 2 can be easily detected by executing only one scanning operation in a predetermined direction. Hence, the coordinates of the center of each positioning symbols 2 can be easily found. Thus, the position of the two-dimensional code 1 is quickly identified.

Optically readable two-dimensional code and method and apparatus using

A portable radio station 1a transmits a communication-quality-confirmation pattern data 'f' to a stationary radio station 2a, wherein a first communication quality information '1' is produced by measuring erroneous bits of the received signal. The first communication quality information '1' is transmitted from the stationary radio station 2a to the portable radio station 1a, together with a communication-quality confirmation pattern data 'n'. The portable radio station 1a receives both the first communication quality information '1' and the communication-quality confirmation pattern data 'n', and produces a second communication quality information by measuring erroneous bits of the received signal. Then, the first and second communication quality information are independently displayed on a display section 18 of the portable radio station 1a.

Radio data communication system comprising a common base radio station

To accurately read optical information more than an opening diameter of a read opening without the read opening contacted with a reading object, in a reader for reading a bar code by irradiating light from a light source to a bar-code label, converging the reflected light through a mirror and a stop by a lens and focusing the converged light on a line image sensor with a shutter, a wavelength detector for detecting a wavelength of the reflected light and a light guide for irradiating light spots indicative of a readable range to the label are provided. Whether a reading state is in a contact reading state in which a read opening contacts the label or in a noncontact reading state in which the read opening separates from the label is determined based on a wavelength of the reflected light detected by the wavelength detector. A light emission quantity and a shutter speed are controlled so as to keep an incident light quantity to the image sensor at an optimum value on a basis of the decided result and reflected light intensity obtained by integrating a line sensor output.

Optical information reader

A power supply apparatus suitable for a hand-held terminal or the like. In response to a power supply switch turning on, a voltage of a battery is supplied to a boosting voltage circuit and maintained through a diode at a charge capacitor and then applied to a memory, thereby allowing the hand-held terminal to operate normally. While the power supply switch is turned off, the supply voltage stored in the capacitor and applied to the memory is compared with a reference voltage in a comparator. When the supply voltage is lower than the reference voltage, the comparator outputs a signal to a control circuit couple the battery to the boosting circuit for a predetermined time so as to re-charge the capacitor and therefore guarantee back-up of the memory. This arrangement allows the use of the hand-held terminal for a longer time than is normally achieved concurrently with a normal operation of the hand-held device.

Power supply apparatus for efficient power conservation of a battery

A print compressor connected to a printer for printing output data from a computer or the like so as to selectively change the printer from one mode of printing to another. The output data is stored temporarily and then read in accordance with selected print compression ratio and printing direction thereby converting the data to a corresponding compressed character font. In accordance with the character font, the printer prints characters in compressed form in the selected printing direction.

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Oobu, Japan

Tadao Nojiri