Apparatus and method for symbol information reading

An apparatus for reading symbol information comprising:

• an imaging element structured to capture an image of a medium on which symbol information is recorded;
• an image memory structured to store image data of the medium captured by the imaging element;
• and
• a position detecting processor structured to fetch the image data and structured to detect a position of the symbol information recorded on the medium;
• wherein the position detecting processor comprises:
• a temporary area judgment unit structured to segment a whole image space into a lattice arrangement of small blocks and calculate a variation of brightness along a scanning direction of scanning lines of the symbol information in each of the small blocks of the image data, and structured to judge a temporary area having a possibility of corresponding to the symbol information;
• a correlation map creating unit that structured to calculate correlation between areas neighboring in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the scanning lines in the temporary area, and structured to create a map showing an area provided with a case where both of two neighboring correlation values in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction are larger than a prescribed threshold;
• a labeling unit that structured to check presence of a basic barcode on the correlation map, and structured to label an area judged as having the basic barcode;
• and
• a position determining unit that structured to detect a position of the symbol information recorded on the medium according to the labeled area.