JP2000222520A - Information terminal equipment with scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the input of data and commands to a portable information terminal equipment. SOLUTION: A scanner 2 is integrally set to an information terminal equipment main body 1. A scanner driver with a decoding function which has a drive function to make the scanner 2 function and a decoding function which discriminates that a picture read by the scanner is a previously registered specific two-dimensional code to decode this two-dimensional code is incorporated in the information terminal equipment main body 1. When the two-dimensional code is decoded by this scanner driver, an internal OS(operating system) executes prescribed processing based on a decoded command or message.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information terminal with a scanner in which a scanner is integrated into an information processing terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of mobile phones and PHSs, so-called mobile information terminals using portable mobile terminals have been widely used. In this type of portable information terminal device, a small built-in or external keyboard, pen input panel, small pointing device, or the like is often used as data or command input means.

[0003]

However, since the portable information terminal device of this type must have a small size and a light weight, a keyboard used for inputting data and commands has a large number of keys. Due to dimensional limitations, there is a problem that the size must be reduced and the usability is poor. Also, for example, the BIOS (Basic In
Input operation of various setting items such as input of setting information of a put output system is extremely difficult for a user who does not have specialized knowledge, and a problem occurs that a wrong operation causes the terminal device to not operate normally.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an information terminal device with a scanner that facilitates input of data and commands to a portable information terminal device.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information terminal device main body, and a scanner mounted on the information terminal device main body, wherein the information terminal device main body has a drive function for making the scanner function. A scanner driver having a decoding function having a decoding function of identifying that an image read by the scanner is a specific code registered in advance and decoding the code, and the specific code is decoded by the scanner driver. And information processing means for executing a predetermined process based on the decoded information when the information is decoded.

According to the present invention, a scanner is mounted on the information terminal device main body, and the information terminal device main body has a drive function for causing the scanner to function and a specific code, for example, 1
A scanner driver having a decoding function for identifying and decoding a two-dimensional or two-dimensional code is provided, and when a specific code is decoded by the scanner driver, the information processing means outputs the decoded information. The predetermined processing is executed based on the. For this reason, it is possible to immediately input these specific commands and data to the main body of the information terminal device by scanning a card or document in which specific commands and data are displayed in the form of specific codes with a scanner. become. As a result, conventionally, it is possible to easily input data or commands that require specialized knowledge or difficult input operations to the information terminal device.

[0007]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a portable information terminal device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This information terminal device includes an information terminal device main body 1 and a scanner 2 mounted on the information terminal device main body 1. The information terminal device body 1 includes an LCD display unit 11, operation buttons 12, a microphone 13, a speaker 14,
A CCD camera 15, a scanner input button 16, various input / output terminals 17, 18, 19, an antenna 20, and the like are provided.

The scanner 2 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
An insertion port 3 (or a reading port) through which a predetermined card-like object can be inserted is formed between the information terminal apparatus main body 1 and the information terminal apparatus main body 1. In a preferred embodiment, the scanner 2 is mounted on the information terminal device main body 1 so as to be rotatable about a predetermined rotation shaft 21 as shown in, for example, a partial sectional view in FIGS. Yes,
When the internal image sensor 22 is directed inward as shown in FIG. 2A, the image printed on the card-like object 4 inserted from the insertion slot 3 is read, and the image sensor is read as shown in FIG. When facing 22 outward,
The structure is such that the surface of any printed matter 5 can be scanned. In this case, for example, if the scanner 2 has a configuration that can be set at an arbitrary angle with respect to the information terminal device main body 1,
Documents to be scanned are ordinary documents, books, inner surfaces of recesses, etc.
Scanning becomes possible regardless of the shape. Of course, the scan target may be switched between the outside and the inside by switching the optical system path without performing such mechanical angle setting. The scanner 2 is provided with a roller 23 for synchronizing the scanning operation. In order to realize stable scanning, as shown in FIG. 4, it is desirable to provide rollers 23 and 24 at positions corresponding to, for example, four corners on the back surface of the information terminal device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the information terminal device. The system bus 31 has a CP
U32, ROM33, and internal memory 34 are connected. The CPU 32 executes various OSs stored in the ROM 33.
(Operating System) and based on the application program, control the entire system and execute various processes. Image information taken in from the scanner 2 is taken into the internal memory 34 via the scanner interface 35 or processed by the CPU 32. Operation instruction information from the operation button 12 is taken into the CPU 32 via the simple operation interface 36. The display information displayed on the LCD display unit 11 is displayed via the display interface 37 under the instruction of the CPU 32. Other devices 21 such as a microphone, a speaker, and a CCD camera input and output information via respective device interfaces 38. In addition, RS-232C, ID
E, PCI bus, ISA bus, PC card (PCIMI
A), various input / output interfaces 39 such as peripherals, SCSI, etc., are provided.
19, various external devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a VTR, an audio input / output device, a CRT, an FD, a CD-ROM, and an HD can be connected. Also, by providing a communication circuit as the other device 21, LA
Wired or wireless communication via N or the Internet becomes possible.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the main part of the present invention, which are performed by a predetermined program and the CPU 32. In this apparatus, a scanner driver 42 with a decoder for two-dimensional code is provided to drive the scanner 2 on the OS 41 and decode a two-dimensional code read from the scanner 2. As the two-dimensional code, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a smart code (trademark: Fontec) or the like can be used. This type of two-dimensional code can store compressed data of a maximum of 32 KB in one file having the size of two business cards, for example, 16,000 kanji characters and music data (M
In the case of (IDI data), about four minutes of information can be stored as one file. Further, by coloring this smart code, the degree of data compression can be further increased, and the confidentiality can be enhanced by an encryption function using a specific ID. Therefore, in this apparatus, in addition to information such as text and image music using a two-dimensional code, various setting values of the BIOS are rewritten, commands, messages and scripts for the OS and applications are executed, and automatic power on / off is performed. , A trigger function for starting processing, and the like.

Next, the operation of the portable information terminal device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 8, when the power is first turned on (S1), an initialization process is executed (S2), and a monitoring process of various interfaces is started (S3).
Here, if there is a request from any interface (S4), it is determined whether or not it is a request from the scanner interface 35 (S5). If not, the control is immediately passed to the OS. (S
6) Execute predetermined data input / output processing under the control of the OS. On the other hand, if the request is from the scanner interface, data fetching from the scanner 2 is started (S
7).

Here, the captured image data is 2
It is determined whether the pattern is a dimensional code pattern (S
8) If it is not a two-dimensional code, the input data is stored as it is as image data (S9), and waits for input from the next interface. On the other hand, if the captured image data is an image constituting a two-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code decoding process is executed (S1).
0).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a two-dimensional code decoding process. First, the read two-dimensional code is decoded according to a predetermined decoding algorithm (S11). If an error occurs here (S1
2), an error is notified (S13). If decoding is stopped (S16), the process returns to a state of waiting for input from various interfaces. If decoding is not stopped, the two-dimensional code is re-decoded (S11). On the other hand, as a result of decoding,
If no error has occurred (S12), a process of fetching data from the scanner is executed (S17). If the decoding result is recognized as a command (S18), an input simulation process is executed (S1).
9) If the decoding result is recognized as registered data (S20), a storage process of the registered data is executed (S20).
21) If the decoding result is neither a command nor registered data, a data saving process is executed (S2).
2). After executing the input emulation processing and the data saving processing, the control is transferred to the OS (S6).

As described above, according to this apparatus, it is determined whether or not image data read from a scanner constitutes a two-dimensional code. If the image data constitutes a two-dimensional code, it is necessary to decode the two-dimensional code. Since the processing is executed, specific commands and data can be immediately and easily input to the information terminal apparatus main body by the scanner 2.

According to this device, a two-dimensionally coded image is read by the attached scanner 2, and the device main body 1 is immediately set to a specific operation mode or to listen to music.
It can be applied to applications such as viewing photos, reading sentences, and playing games. Therefore, for example, by printing sample image data, music data, a game program, and the like in a magazine or catalog using a two-dimensional code, it is possible to easily experience them. Also, microphone 1
3. By using this terminal device as a mobile phone or PHS with the speaker 14 and the communication function, an image or the like read by a scanner can be transmitted by facsimile, e-mail, or the like. The terminal device can also be used for purposes such as connecting them to a network by appropriately mounting the terminal device in a slot of a vending machine, a game machine, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the case of decoding a two-dimensional code has been described. However, in the case of a simple command or message, an application method such as reading a one-dimensional bar code or the like and executing a predetermined process. Is also conceivable. When a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code registered in the scanner driver in advance is decoded, the code may be temporarily stored in a memory. The apparatus should be able to recognize that it is a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. By performing such processing, it is not necessary to decode image data once and then decode it as in the case of decoding processing using a conventional image scanner, and the decoded data can be decoded immediately. As a result, processing efficiency is improved.

In addition, BIOS settings for setting the operating environment of a personal computer require specialist knowledge and PnP
(Plug and play) connection may cause information collision. For this reason, it is a bottleneck when adding an external device to the personal computer. The BIOS setting information is included in the two-dimensional code so that it can be read from the scanner and set automatically. When collision of information occurs, a plurality of parameters are provided for each device in the two-dimensional code so that information on the colliding devices can be set.

In the data to be automatically decoded, O
S or the command for the application or the type of the OS or application to be started, the initial setting information,
It can also be controlled.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, by scanning a card, paper, or the like on which a specific command or data is displayed in the form of a specific code with a scanner, the specific command or data is scanned. Data and commands can be immediately input to the information terminal device itself.Conventionally, data and commands that require specialized knowledge for input operations or difficult input operations can be easily stored in the information terminal device. This has the effect that it is possible to make the input.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a portable information terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the same device as viewed from another direction.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same device.

FIG. 5 is an internal block diagram of the same device.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a main part of the device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code read by the same device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mobile terminal device main body, 2 ... Scanner, 3 ... Insertion opening, 1
1 LCD display, 12 operation buttons, 13 microphone,
14 speaker, 15 CCD camera, 16 scanner input button, 17, 18, 19 ... various input / output terminals, 20
…antenna.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 1/04 H04N 1/04 Z

Claims (7)

[Claims] An information terminal device main body; and a scanner mounted on the information terminal device main body. The information terminal device main body has a drive function for operating the scanner and an image read by the scanner in advance. A scanner driver with a decoding function having a decoding function of identifying a registered specific code and decoding the code; and information decoded when the specific code is decoded by the scanner driver. An information terminal device with a scanner, comprising: an information processing unit that executes a predetermined process based on the information processing device. 2. The information terminal device with a scanner according to claim 1, wherein the scanner driver has a function of decoding a predetermined one-dimensional or two-dimensional code as a specific code. 3. The information terminal device with a scanner according to claim 1, wherein the information decoded by the scanner driver is a predetermined command or data for the information processing device. 4. An operating means for inputting that an image read by the scanner is a specific code registered in advance or newly registered separately, and the scanner driver is configured to input a specific code by the operating means. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a code input is instructed, an image read by the scanner is immediately decoded as the specified specific code. An information terminal device with a scanner according to the item. 5. An information terminal device main body having a slot or a reading slot into which a predetermined card-like object can be inserted, wherein the scanner is capable of scanning the surface of the predetermined card-like object inserted into the insertion slot. The information terminal device with a scanner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information terminal device is equipped with a scanner. 6. The information terminal device main body according to claim 1, wherein the scanner is attached to the information terminal device main body such that a scanning surface thereof is disposed outward from the information terminal device main body. Information terminal device with scanner. 7. The information terminal device with a scanner according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal device is a portable portable terminal device.