EP0819543A1 - Label printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The printer has an input device for selecting the print characters to be printed on the ticket. It controls a printer cooperating with a ticket web to print the selected characters indicated via a display, together with the selected character attributes. A decision device decides whether the character can be effectively displayed depending on the displayed character size and the selected attributes. It allows selected attributes to be removed when the character cannot be displayed effectively.

Description

The present invention relates to label printing devices and in particular the creation of a dot pattern to control the display device, if small characters with added attributes.

EP-A-0 656 594 (Brother KK) discloses a label printing device in which it is intended to use typed characters like this display as they do in printed form on a label tape appear. The size of the characters is variable, so it may be necessary to be relatively small Play characters on the display device. Furthermore it is possible to use the characters attributes like add shaded, bold, italic, etc. If the little ones Characters are provided with attributes, it can be under Circumstances because of the limited resolution of the display device not be able to display them the way they do to be printed. To solve this problem, means for Distinguish whether an effective display of small characters is possible or not, suggested. In the second Fall they are without attributes or in any other form (e.g. with overlaid strikethrough or flashing). The manufacture of the sent to the display device Dot pattern, the so-called display bitmap, is in several Steps taken. In a first step it will Characters read from a font memory and stored in a working memory in dot pattern form. Subsequently a decision is made as to whether an addition of the attribute is possible (ie can be effectively displayed) and accordingly, a routine for adding the attribute activated. In cases where an effective display of the Character is not possible, the routine is added the attribute simply omitted or alternatively a difference point pattern is created (e.g. for the overlay strikethrough). Furthermore, it is disclosed a display dot pattern for all characters below Inclusion of attributes, and not effective then delete displayable characters.

There is a major disadvantage of the prior art in that the routine for making the display dot pattern is ineffective since the characters initially have no attributes are produced, and in a second step the Attributes are added, which is unnecessarily time consuming, since the second step is usually a deletion of the first Step generated dot pattern includes. Still is it is possible for a character to have more than one attribute is added. If such characters are not effective is viewable, all attributes are removed, although it is possible would be to remove only part of the attributes - instead all - to get a displayable character.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a to provide improved label printing device which in the Is capable of high-character characters with attributes Speed and with the highest possible information content, ie. with as many attributes as possible.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a label printing device proposed according to the teaching of claim 1.

The basic idea is the display dot pattern generating means - The display means with the one to be displayed Apply dot pattern - to apply character data, which are the final attributes ie. the finally also appear to already include. Thus, the display dot pattern in just one step and thus generated faster than in the prior art. The means of decision decide whether the character with the added Attribute can be displayed; and if not the case is the corresponding attribute from the means of transmission to transfer the character data to the display dot pattern generating means simply not sent, but removed. The display dot pattern will then made accordingly.

An advantage of the first aspect of the invention is that that the generation of the display dot pattern much faster than is done in the prior art.

Alternatively or in addition to the teaching of claim 1, a Label printing device proposed according to claim 3.

It is usually possible to write more than one character add an attribute. To avoid being unnecessary all attributes will be removed (ie not shown) if this character is to be displayed relatively small, it is proposed that the transmission means (especially based on a preference table) decide which of the attributes of the Character data that the display dot pattern generating means be sent, be removed. In cases where it is sufficient to remove an attribute (e.g. shaded) it may be possible to use a second added attribute, such as bold to indicate. This allows a higher information content of the advertisement and avoids the unnecessary suppression of information at the stand of the technique.

It is obvious that the label printing device according to the second aspect of the invention incorporating features of the first aspect can and vice versa.

It is very beneficial to have scalable fonts, such as Bezier fonts, to be used for printing and display purposes. In In these cases, however, it may make sense for the smallest characters to be used to use dot pattern data, which are saved in bitmap form, because those with the scalable Character sets disadvantageously produced characters can work. It is therefore suggested first To provide storage means in which font data on which the display dot pattern generating means are stored a scaling factor to produce a display dot pattern can apply; second storage means for storage display dot pattern data in bitmap form; and sizing agents to decide if the size with which each of the characters entered must be displayed larger than is a predetermined size; the display dot pattern generating means the dot pattern for the display dot pattern memory according to the decision of the size decision means each by retrieving data from the first Generate storage means or the second storage means.

The character data in the first storage means is preferably Bezier data, the Bezier points for lines and Define curves of the character.

The attributes can be a choice of bold, narrow, italic, shaded, underlined, or outlined.

Figur 1: Eine Ansicht der Oberseite eines Banddruckgerätes;

Figur 2: Eine Ansicht des Banddruckgerätes aus Figur 1 von unten;

Figur 3: Ein vereinfachtes Blockdiagramm der Steuerschaltung des Banddruckgerätes aus Figur 1;

Figur 4: Eine schematische Darstellung des Puffers des Banddruckgeräts mit darin gespeicherten Textdaten und Formatinformationen;

Figur 5: Ein Flußdiagramm, in dem grundlegende Schritte der Anzeigedatenerzeugsroutine einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform wiedergegeben sind.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it can be implemented, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1: A view of the top of a tape printing device;

Figure 2: A view of the tape printing device of Figure 1 from below;

Figure 3: A simplified block diagram of the control circuit of the tape printing device of Figure 1;

Figure 4: A schematic representation of the buffer of the tape printing device with text data and format information stored therein;

Figure 5: A flow chart depicting basic steps of the display data generation routine of a preferred embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a simplified view of a tape printing device 1. The tape printing device 1 comprises a keyboard 4. The keyboard 4 has a variety of data entry keys and includes especially a variety of with numbers, letters and Punctuation mark provided keys 3 for entering data, which are to be output as a label, as well as function keys 4 to change the entered data. These function keys 4 serve e.g. to change the size or font of the entered data. The function keys also enable 4 u.a. Underline and framing a label. The keyboard 2 further includes a push button 5, the is pressed to print a label. The keyboard 2 also has an 'off' button 6 for the tape printing device 1 on and off. A cursor can be shown on the display 8 can be moved by cursor keys 11. An input (return) Key is identified by reference number 13. Associated Enter keys 3,4 of keyboard 2 can be added of attributes can be used. Alternatively, an attribute entry key 7 may be provided to users of the tape printing device 1 the production of labels with characters with attributes to enable. The attribute input key 7 activates a menu with which the user enters the entered Characters can assign the desired attributes.

The tape printing device 1 also has a liquid crystal display (LCD) 8, which displays the entered data. the display 8 allows the user to print all or part of the printout Look at labels before printing what that changing of the label before printing. In addition the display can show 8 messages to the user, e.g. Error messages or an indication that pushbutton 5 is pressed has been. The display 8 is operated by a display driver 28 controlled, which is shown in Figure 3.

On the underside of the tape printing device 1, which is shown in Figure 2 is a cassette storage room. He includes a thermal print head 42 and a platen roller 46, that work together and define a pressure zone P. Of the Printhead 42 is pivotally mounted about a pivot point 48, so that it can be brought into contact with the pressure roller 46 and can be moved away from it to take out a cassette 10 and to be able to replace. One in the cassette recording room 2 inserted cassette is with the reference number 10 Mistake. The cassette 10 contains a supply roll 12 Image receiving tape 14 comprising an image receiving layer which by means of an adhesive layer on a removable backing layer is attached. The image receiving tape 14 is through a guide mechanism, not shown, through the cassette 10 out and leaves them shortly after the pressure zone P. through an outlet O and then reaches a cutting point C. The same cartridge 10 also contains a ribbon supply roll 16 and a ribbon take-up reel 18. The ribbon 20 is from the ribbon supply roll 16 through the printing zone P performed and wound on the ribbon take-up reel 18. The ribbon 14 to be printed runs together with the ink ribbon 20 the printing zone P, with its image receiving layer in There is contact with the ribbon 20.

The pressure roller 46 is driven by a motor 31 (see FIG. 3), e.g. a DC motor or a stepper motor, driven, so that it rotates and the image receiving tape 14 in one running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the image receiving tape 14 Spends direction through the pressure zone P. To this Art is an image printed on the image receiving tape 14 and the image receiving belt 14 becomes from the printing zone P to the cutting zone C led. The cutting zone C is on the wall of the cassette 10 provided near the pressure zone P. The part of the wall the cassette 10 defining the cutting zone C is through the reference numeral 22 marked. A slot 24 is in included this section 22 of the wall. The image reception band 14 is moved from the printing zone P to the cutting zone C, where it from opposite wall sections on either side of the Slot 24 is supported.

The tape printing device 1 comprises a cutting mechanism 26 which a cutter support 28 which carries a blade 30. The blade 30 cuts the image receiving tape 14 and kicks then in the slot 24.

In the embodiments in which the motor 31 is a DC motor is, the image receiving tape 14 becomes continuous transported through the printing zone P during the printing process. Alternatively, the backing roller 46 rotates in embodiments in which a stepper motor is used step by step to the image receiving tape 14 in individual steps successively through the printing zone P during the printing process to move.

Printhead 42 is a thermal printhead that has a variety comprises printing elements arranged in a row. The printhead 42 is preferably only one pressure element wide and Row extends in an orthognal to the longitudinal direction of the Image receiving belt 14 extending direction. The high of Row of printing elements is preferably equal to the width of the image receiving tape 14 used in the tape printing device 1 shall be. If image receiving bands 14 different Width to be processed is the height of the row of printing elements of printhead 42 is generally one of the largest Width of the image receiving belt 14 have a corresponding height. An image is placed on the image receiving belt 14 row by row printed by the print head 42. It should be mentioned that an image on the image receiving tape 14 over the ribbon 20 can be printed. Alternatively, a picture can be taken directly applied by thermal print head 42 to image receiving belt 14 without using a ribbon 20 if that Image receiving belt 14 from a suitable, thermally sensitive Material exists.

As an alternative to the single-cassette system shown in FIG. 2 can the cassette receiving space 10 designed in this way be that a separate image receiving tape cassette and a separate ribbon cassette can be inserted, which are carried out in this way are that the ink ribbon and the image receiving tape 14 one above the other be led through the pressure zone. This special cassette arrangement is e.g. in our older European patent application No. 578372, the content of which is described by reference is incorporated therein. Another suitable arrangement to provide a stock of image reception tape 14 may of course be used in embodiments of the present Invention find use.

Figure 3 shows the basic control circuit for control of the tape printing device 1 from Figures 1 and 2. It is a microprocessor chip 40 present, which has a read-only memory (ROM) 41, a microprocessor 44 and freely accessible storage capacity, which is reproduced by a RAM 41. The microprocessor 44 is executed by programs stored in the ROM 41 controlled. The microprocessor chip 40 is with the keyboard 2 connected to receive label data inputs. The microprocessor chip 40 provides data for driving the display 8 from the display driver chip 38 to print one Label (or part thereof) and / or a message or Display instruction to the user. In addition, the microprocessor chip 40 still data to drive the printhead 42, which prints an image on the image receiving tape 14, to make a label. The microprocessor chip 40 can also control the cutting mechanism 26 to cut lengths of the Image receiving tape 14 cut after an image on it was printed on.

The tape printing device 1 enables using the various Keys to enter labels and on the display 8 display. The ROM 41 stores information, relating to alphanumeric characters and the like, related to the corresponding keys 3, and functions associated with the function keys 4. At the Pressing a key 4 will have data corresponding to the corresponding one Characters or the like correspond, taken from the ROM 41 and then stored in RAM 43. The contained in RAM 43 Data can be in the form of an identifier identifying the character Codes. The microprocessor 44 generates accordingly The data stored in the RAM 43 are pixel data which are arranged in rows Shape on printhead 42 and (in another, described below Form) are transferred to the display 8.

In addition, data relating to a function key can be selected are removed from the ROM 41 if one or more of the Function keys 4 are pressed. This data can Take the form of a flag. The microprocessor 44 generates pixel data sent to the printhead 42 and the like Display 8 take into account data relating to one or more Obtain functions stored in RAM 43. The buttons 3 and 4 of the keyboard 2 have defined, assigned functions, which require that set, with this function associated data are taken from the ROM 41. Amongst other things the user can use these keys to enter entered To add character attributes such as bold, narrow, italic, underline, shaded, outline print, or a combination any of these attributes. The characters are then printed with the selected attributes, the continue to be shown on the display 8, although very small characters that are so small that they use added attributes cannot be effectively displayed without Attributes (or only with a part of the selected attributes) are displayed. A routine for generating the display dot pattern is shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 4, the input buffer 49 is physically on Part of RAM 43 is shown schematically. It contains the entered characters to which their assigned format information preceded by line or page breaks are separated from each other. The format information defines that Format (i.e. size, font, attributes, etc.), with which the characters are printed. The line breaks determine the position at which a new one is to be printed Line begins. A page break defines a new block, that have a different number of lines than the previous block can. In the example shown in Figure 4 there are two sides entered. The first page consists of two lines, whereby the first line is 'XYQAWG' and the second line is 'Zabq'. The second page contains the characters 'ef'.

Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of a routine to generate the dot pattern of the entered characters on the display 8. The display 8 consists of a high Number of points arranged in two dimensions. The displayed images are controlled by an appropriate control which creates dots.

After the routine starts in step 50, step 51 determined which font attribute for the one to be displayed Character was selected. That means that examined whether the user is the character to be printed an attribute like bold, narrow, italic, underlined, shaded, outline print, or a combination of them added Has. The determination of the selected attribute will by reading the assigned format information in the input buffer 49 performed.

The next step 52 involves determining the size, with which the characters are to be printed. It is necessary, since the display 8 is a real WYSIWYG display device which is essentially a representation of the characters provides the same look with which it is printed will. Therefore, the sizes of the displayed and the printed characters are related to each other. The size of the characters can be defined by the user be, or automatically based on the number of lines and the Width of the tape (which is entered by the user or automatically by examining the tape Cassette or the tape as such can be determined) be determined. In the second case, the character size can continue to depend on the length of the label if the length of the label was specified by the user and that Printing device the length of the printed images by scaling adapts to the size of the characters. The finding the size of the characters is determined by means of the input buffer 49 stored format information performed, some additional calculations may be necessary to determine the character size. The size is then in a later step with the smallest readable Size compared and can be needed in units Points are calculated.

The following step 53 is a determination of the smallest recognizable size of the character with the selected attribute. As already described it is - because of the limited Display 8 resolution - not possible, very small Characters with added attributes effectively on the Display 8 because such characters are not appealing appearance. For this reason, step 53 is carried out to get the minimum readable size. The finding The minimum readable size can be determined using a table done or character attribute data added be. The latter means that a Information is stored which is the minimum size for one includes special attribute.

Fett

2

Schattiert

3

Umriß

3

Kursiv

2

Unterstrichen

1

The attribute table shown below gives an example of the number of points that are additionally required for effectively displaying characters with added attributes:

fat

2nd

Shaded

3rd

Outline

3rd

Italic

2nd

Underline

1

This table is a typical example and can be used to determine the minimum number of points that a character is required with the added Represent attributes in an acceptable manner. A normal character needs 9 points alone, on which the above Scores are added. For example, a bold Characters 9 + 2 = require 11 points. A fat one shaded, italic characters require 16 (= 9 + 2 + 3 +2) points. A smaller character with the added ones Attributes would not be acceptable, but something look disfigured.

The following step 54 relates to a comparison of whether the character size determined in step 52 is larger than the minimum size. If not step 55 follows. Since the respective character is not is effectively displayable, an attribute is removed in step 55, to get a displayable character. Because it it is possible for a character to have more than one attribute a preference table is used to first remove the least important attribute. The Preferred table in a preferred embodiment has the Invention the same order as that shown above Table with the number of acceptable to display Characters with added attributes additionally required Points. The attributes are in the in this table reproduced order dropped, started with bold and consecutively until underlined. After the removal of the first attribute, the procedure goes to step 53 further, in which the minimum legible size was determined again becomes. It should be noted that of course only the attributes can be removed, also selected by the user and that in previous explanations of step 55 removed attributes cannot be removed again. The distance the attributes are only for the purposes of display, but not for printing.

On the other hand, if the comparison in step 54 (ie. Whether the in Step 52 determined size of the character to be displayed larger than the minimum readable size) the result 'true' follows step 56. Here it is examined whether the Character size larger than a specified size of 8 x 8 points, for example. If not If so, step 57 follows, in which for display purposes Dot pattern is created using a bitmap font. This Bitmap font contains no attributes by definition. If, on the other hand, the size of the character to be displayed is larger than the specified size, the dot pattern by using expandable typesetting data, e.g. of a Bezier font. The typesetting data is out taken from the ROM 41 and by means of a scaling factor Control of the display 8 used. This can depend on the type of EP-A-0 574 225, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference is incorporated. That generated in steps 57 and 58, respectively Dot pattern is then sent to the display driver chip 38 Display 8 sent. The reason for the distinction in Step 56 is that by the scaled Bezier font generated dot patterns only then an attractive appearance on the display 8 shows if the size of the dot pattern is exceeds specified size; otherwise it sees something distorted out. It should be noted that the bitmap font is only for Control of the display 8 is used, but not for Control of the print head that has a higher resolution. Farther note that it is possible to step 56 before Step 53, ie. first check whether the bezier font can be used before examining whether attributes are too are remove. This would be a little less time consuming.

After steps 57 and 58, step 59 follows, the one Return to step 50 means where the next Characters for producing a dot pattern for the Display is examined.

Claims (7)

A label printing device (1) for printing and displaying images composed of a plurality of characters, comprising: Input means for selecting characters to put on a label to be printed; Printing means (42) for printing the characters on an image receiving tape (14) for making a label; Attribute selection means for adding an attribute with which the entered characters are to be printed; Display means (8) for displaying the characters selected with the input means; Display dot pattern generating means for generating data for the display means (8), the display dot pattern generating means receiving data representing the input characters and their attributes; Decision means for deciding whether each of the entered characters with added attributes is effectively reproducible on the display means (8), the decision based on the size with which the character is to be displayed and the type of the added attribute; and Transfer means for transferring the data of the selected characters together with the added attributes to the display dot pattern generating means, the transferred attributes of the characters being based on the decision of the decision means, at least some of the attributes being removed if the decision means decides that the characters entered match the added attribute cannot be displayed effectively. The label printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute selection means allow multiple characters Add attributes, and the means of transmission based on a Preferred table decide which attributes of the display dot pattern generating means fed data removed will. A label printing device (1) for printing and displaying images composed of a plurality of characters, comprising: Input means for selecting characters to put on a label to be printed; Printing means (42) for printing the characters on an image receiving tape (14) for making a label; Attribute selection means for adding an attribute with which the entered characters are to be printed out, one character being able to add more than one attribute; Display means (8) for displaying the characters selected with the input means; Display dot pattern generating means for generating data for the display means (8); Decision means for deciding whether each of the entered characters with added attributes is effectively reproducible on the display means (8), the decision based on the size with which the character is to be displayed and the type of the added attribute; and Transfer means for transferring data corresponding to the selected characters and the added attributes to the display dot pattern generating means, the transferred attributes of the characters being based on the decision of the decision means, at least part of the attributes being removed if the decision means decide that the input Characters with the added attribute cannot be effectively displayed, the transmission means deciding which attributes of the data supplied to the display dot pattern generating means are removed and which are not. Label printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission means decide which one based on a preference table the attributes of the data representing the selected characters and match the added attributes and which not. Label printing device according to one of claims 1 to 4, with first storage means in which font data is stored to which the display dot pattern generating means can apply a scaling factor with second storage means for storing display dot pattern data in bitmap form, and with sizing tools to help you decide, whether the size with which each of the entered characters is to be displayed is larger than a predetermined size; in which the display dot pattern generating means the dot pattern for the display dot pattern memory according to the decision the size decision means each by retrieving data from the first storage means or the second storage means produce. Label printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the in the first Font data stored in Bezier data are the Bezier points of lines and curves of the Define the outline of the character. Label printing device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the attributes bold and / or narrow and / or italics and / or underlining and / or shading and / or outline printing.

Images