Bar code reading apparatus

Claim 2

A bar code reading apparatus comprising reading means (11) for optically reading a bar code and generating an output data corresponding to said bar code, memory means (22), and data processing means (20, 21, 23, 24, 37) for storing the output data from said reading means (11) into said memory means (22) and making a bar code data in accordance with the content of said memory means (22), characterized in that said bar code reading apparatus further comprises mode selecting means (PSF, 40, 41) for selectively setting either one of first and second modes, and that said data processing means (20, 21, 23, 24, 37) stores the output data from said reading means (11) as it is into said memory means (22) when the first mode is set by said mode selecting means (PSF, 40, 41) and stores the inverted data of said output data from the reading means (11) into the memory means (22) when the second mode is set by the mode selecting means (PSF, 40, 41).

Claim 3

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said data processing means includes a first memory (23) and a data processing unit (20) for decoding the content of said memory means (22) into bar code data and storing the decoded data "imto said first memory (23).

Claim 4

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said bar code includes right and left guard bars and a center bar, said mode selecting means is a flag memory (PSF), and said data processing unit (20) writes data indicative of the second mode into said flag memory (PSF) when it is detected that neither the center bar nor one of the right and left guard bars is included in the bar code data stored in said first register (23).

Claim 5

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said data processing means has inverting means (37) for inverting the output data from said reading means (11), and said data processing unit (20) selectively stores either one of the output data from said reading means (11) and inverting means (37) into said memory means (22) in accordance with the mode designated by said mode selecting means (PSF).

Claim 6

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said data processing means further has inverting means (37) for inverting the output data from said reading means (11), and said mode selecting means is switching means (40) for selectively supplying either one of the output data from said reading means (11) and inverting means (37) to said data processing unit (20).

Claim 7

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said mode selecting means is switching means (41) which is selectively set into either one of the first and second mode positions, and said data processing means (20, 21, 23, 24) stores the output data from said reading means (11) as it is or as an inverted state into said memory means (22) in accordance with the mode position of said switching means (41).

Claim 8

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by further comprising informing means (28 to 32) for informing the result of bar code readout operation, and characterized in that said bar code includes right and left guard bars and a center bar, and said data processing unit (20) supplies an energization signal to said informing means (28 to 32) when it is detected that the center bar and at least one of the right and left guard bars are stored in said first memory (23).

Claim 9

A bar code reading apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said informing means has first and second drive means (28 to 31) and a buzzer (32), said data processing means further has a second memory (24), and said data processing unit (20) transfers the content of the first memory (23) into said second memory (24) when it is detected that the center bar and one of the right and left guard bars are stored in the first memory (23) in a first readout operation and also supplies a drive signal to said first drive means (28, 30) to allow the buzzer (33) to ring, while in a second readout operation, said data processing unit (20) transfers one of the right and left guard bars in said second memory (24) and data between the center bar and one of the right and left guard bars into the first memory (23) when it is detected that the center bar and one of the right and left guard bars are stored in the first memory (23), and in the first or second readout operation, said data processing unit (20) supplies a drive signal to said second driving means (29, 31) to allow the buzzer (33) to ring after confirming that the bar code data in the first memory (23) is suitable when it is detected that all of the right and left guard bars and center bar are stored in the first memory (23).