GB2326498A

GB2326498A - Label printing system

Info

Publication number: GB2326498A
Application number: GB9713134A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bert M J Bulteel
Original assignee: Esselte NV
Current assignee: Esselte NV
Priority date: 1997-06-20
Filing date: 1997-06-20
Publication date: 1998-12-23
Also published as: EP0885733A2; GB9713134D0; EP0885733B1; DE59813338D1; EP0885733A3

Abstract

A label printing system, comprises a computer (18) having data input means for inputting data defining an image to be printed onto a label, a tape printer (1), and a sheet printer (13), and is operable to receive data from the data input means which select whether the image data are sent to the tape printer (1) or to the sheet printer (13). This allows to print essentially the same image, although optionally different in size, onto tape (54) and onto a sheet.

Description

- 1 Label Printing System 2326498 This invention relates to a label

printing system which allows a user to define a label design and to print it out optionally on a sheet printer and a tape printer.

Tape printers of the type with which the present invention is concerned are known. They operate with a supply of tape adapted to receive a printed image, and means for transf erring the image to the tape. In one embodiment, a tape holding case or a cassette contains a supply of the tape to be printed upon and a supply of an image transfer ribbon. The tape to be printed upon and the image transfer ribbon (ink ribbon) are passed in overlap through a printing zone of the tape printing device. A tape printing device operating with a holding case of this type is described, for example, in EP-A0267890 (Varitronics, Inc.). In these printing devices, the construction of the tape to be printed upon is substantially the same; that is, it comprises an upper layer for receiving a printed image which is secured to a releasable backing layer by means of a layer of adhesive. once an image or a message has been printed on the tape it is desired to cut off that printed portion of the tape to enable it to be used as a label (tag). For this purpose, it is necessary to remove the releasable backing layer from the image receiving layer to enable the image receiving layer to be adhered to a surface by means of the adhesive layer.

In another, type of tape printing device as described, for example, in EPA-0322919 (Brother), a tape holding case contains a supply of tape to be printed upon, a supply of an - 2 image transfer ribbon and a supply of self-adhesive backing tape. The backing tape has an adhesive layer to be brought into contact with the image receiving layer, a substrate layer and a second adhesive layer covered by a releasable backing layer. The characters are printed onto the transparent image receiving layer as a mirror image.

Besides stand-alone tape printing devices described in the above mentioned prior art references, tape printers are known which can be connected to a personal computer, such that the user has a large screen to view the inputted label design. Such systems are for example described in EP-A-644 506 (Brother) and EP-A-680 010 or EP-A-580 321 (Esselte NV). A computer software (sold under the label Dymo Label Software") is known, which allows the user to compose a label and to print it out by means of a tape printer connected to the personal computer. The software further enables the user to design a label which can be printed out making use of a normal sheet printer, eg. a laser or ink jet printer. This software consequently allows to design a label which is printed by means of the tape printer, or the laser printer. It is however first of all necessary that the user decides on which type of substrate he wants to print, ie. onto tape or onto a sheet. A design made for a sheet cannot be printed onto tape, and a design made for a tape cannot be printed onto a sheet. When the user has wrongly selected the type of substrate, the only way to correct the error is to input the whole label data a second time. This is however time consuming, ineffective and annoying, especially when it is intended to print the same design onto tape and onto a sheet.

- 3 The aim of the present invention is consequently to provide a label printing system which makes it possible to print an inputted design onto a tape, and onto a sheet, without having to input the design twice, and without involving complicated operations.

According to the invention, there is provided a label printing system, comprising: a computer having data input means for inputting data defining an image to be printed onto a label, a processor and storage means; a tape printer connected to the computer, which is capable of receiving image data from the computer to print the defined image onto an image receiving tape; a sheet printer connected to the computer, which is capable of receiving image data from the computer to print the defined image onto an sheet with at least one label; wherein the processor is connected to the storage means, the data input means, the tape printer, and the sheet printer, the processor being operable to store image data defining the image in the storage means, the processor further being operable to send the image data selectively to the tape printer and to the sheet printer, and being operable to receive data from the data input means which select whether the image data are sent to the tape printer or to the sheet printer.

Consequently, the new label printing system is capable of transmitting the image data defining essentially the same label, although optionally different in size, to a tape printer, and a sheet printer.

The original idea of the present invention lies in the fact that once a certain label type (eg. a label for a 19 mm wide tape) has been chosen, and the user has started the design of the label,.it now becomes less awkward to convert the selected label format to another one (eg. 32 mm wide tape or a label of 20 x 30 mm on an A4 label sheet). The conversion will preserve the designing effort. The invention will become very comfortable when for instance the first label type and size was wrongly chosen and when this is detected by the user only after a while, eg. when the design of the label is nearly finished. Consequently, by having this kind of conversion it becomes less important in what size and for what printer the label design was made. The user will always have the possibility to convert the current design to the correct label size and printer type, no matter which label size and printer type was selected the moment the design was started.

Additional advantageous features of the invention are described in the subclaims.

It should be noted that bar codes can not be scaled arbitrarily, since they can only be scanned when a certain size or density is achieved. The system according to the present invention consequently scales bar codes contained in images such that the obtained density is closest to the density which would be achieved when the scaling factor for the (rest of the) image is applied.

With regard to characters, the same rule applies. Consequently, characters are not scaled arbitrarily, but to the closest integer font size value supported by the font. The technical background of this is that normally software codes for manipulation of text and the font characteristics do only support integer font size values. Further, there is a minimum readable size, as well. Due to this fact, scaling is performed such that this mimimum readable size is achieved, even when the characters would otherwise (ie. when the scaling factor determined by the size of the original and the final label is considered) be scaled to a smaller size.

The size of a second image origining from a first image is determined by a scaling factor, when the size of the label onto which the image is to be printed is altered. This scaling factor can be determined such that the format of the second image depends on the format of the first image (ie. the size of the label substrate onto which the label is to be printed) and on the size of the label substrate onto which the second image is to be printed. The computer determines the scaling factor accordingly, and can ask the user whether he wants to shrink or enlargen his inputted image accordingly.

Alternatively, it would be possible not to use the size of the label substrate of the first label for determining the scaling factor, but the size of the first image. This means that the space required for the first image, and the available space on the label onto which the second image is to be printed are considered for sizing. When the first image is smaller than the first label, but would fit onto the second label, re-sizing is theoretically unnecessary. This embodiment of the present invention consequently ensures 6 efficient utilization of the space available on the second label.

The layout of a label file, ie. the structure with which data definining a label are stored in a storage memory, as a hard disk or a floppy disk, can consist of four major parts:

Version Information Label Definition Label Data Object Data Version Information contains an information on the software version, the application minor and major version, and the application revision. Thus, the software is capable of investigating whether it is capable of reading a stored label file, or not.

The Label Definition comprises the following information:

Orientation (True, when label view = 900, False when normal label view); Label Colour (Background colour with which the label is shown on the screen); Label Height Label Horizontal Repeat (for sheet labels, distance between left edges of adjacent labels) Number of Columns (for sheet labels) Label Type (tape label, or sheet label, additionally distinguishing between ink jet label and laser label) Label Horizontal Margin (for sheet label) Label Size (distinguishing between A4 and letter format) Label Vertical Margin (for sheet label) Number of Rows (for sheet labels) Units (mm or inches) Label ID (label identity) Label Vertical Repeat (for sheet labels) label Width Autowidth (True, when the length of the tape label is automatically defined, and Wrong when the length is fixed, ie. input by the user) Round Label (True, when the sheet label is round, and Wrong when it is rectangular) With regard to orientation, reference is made to copending British patent application 9701429.4, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The orientation gives an information whether the label should be displayed horizontally or rotated, in order to make vertical text better visible to the user.

The label data can contain the following information:

Date of Creation of Label Date of Last Modification of Label Number of Colour Breaks on Label The following part is repeated N times where N is the number of colour breaks on the label: Colour of Colour Break Position of Colour Break.

The concept of colour breaks is disclosed in British patent application 9701306.4, the contents of which are incorporated 8 herein by reference. Such colour breaks allow to divide the image to be printed into different sections to which different print colours are assigned. The colour breaks extend vertically and separate these sections.

Finally, the object data define the objects, ie. the parts of an image to be printed onto the label. Thus, the following data are stored:

Number of Objects on the label Different type of objects that the software supports This means, when three objects are defined on a label, a 3 (ie. an integer representing the value 3) is followed by three objects. Such objects could be image objects, line objects, text objects, barcode objects, etc., wherein various other objects are possible, as well.

An image object can be defined as follows Style (indicating an image object) Image File Name Height Left Coordinate Image Name Image Path Name Top Coordinate Width Angle of Rotation (0, 90, 180, 2700) A line object is defined as follows:

Style (indicating a line object) Height Left Coordinate Line Colour Line Style (solid, dash dot, etc.) Line Width Line Type Top Coordinate Width Angle (0, 90, 180, 2700) A text object can be defined as follows:

Style (indicating a text object) Top Coordinate Left Coordinate Width Height Justification (left, center, right) Vertical Text (normal, or vertical text, the latter involving 900 rotated characters) Angle (0, 90, 180, 2700) Number of Characters (N); the following lines are repeated N times: Character Character Font Character Colour The concept of vertical text is described more detailled in British patent application 9701429.4 and European patent - 10 application 96111569.8, the contents of which both is incorporated herein by reference.

These object data consequently contain an information where an image object is stored, together with its relative position on the label and its size. The processor reads this information and can produce display and print data accordingly. Like already mentioned, various other objects are possible, as well, as Serial and Date objects (involving consecutive numbering or date and time representing objects), Shape objects (filled frames), Database objects (objects read out of databases), and Barcode objects.

For a better understanding of the present invention and as to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompagnying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a label printing system incorporating a computer, a tape printer, and a sheet printer; Figure 2 is a view showing two cassettes inserted in the tape printing apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a simplified block diagram of control circuitry for controlling the tape printing apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the menu displayed on the screen of the monitor of the computer when the label setup menu is activated; Figure 5 shows the input screen when a tape is selected for printing upon; Figure 6 shows the input screen when a label on a sheet is selected for printing upon; 11 Figure 7 shows the menu displayed on the screen of the monitor of the computer when the size of a label is altered to a smaller size; Figure 8 shows the menu displayed on the screen of the monitor of the computer when the size of a label is altered to a larger size; Figure 9 shows a simplified flow diagram showing how labels are input and their format is altered; Figure 10 shows the essential parameters defining the size and position of an object on a sheet; Figure 11 shows the esssential parameters defining the size and position of an object on a tape with a fixed length; Figure 12 shows the esssential parameters defining the size and position of objects on a tape with an undefined length; Figure 13 illustrates the scaling process.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a label printing system according to the present invention. The label printing system comprises a computer 18 to which a keyboard 5 having a plurality of keys, and a mouse 3 is connected. The computer 18 is further connected to a monitor 7 having a CRT screen 9. For printing user defined labels, a sheet printer 13 is connected by means of a connecting line 15. The sheet printer 13 is a laser printer; it could however be an ink jet printer, or a needle printer or a thermal printer. The computer 18 is finally connected to a tape printer 1 by means of a connecting line 11. The tape printer is a thermal printer and capable of printing on an image receiving tape 54 which emerges from a tape outlet in the housing 40 of the tape printer. The computer 18 and the sheet printer 13 as such are well known in the art, such that a more detailled description of their design is not necessary.

12 The processor of the computer 18 is - when operative capable of running a label production software. This software allows to compose a label, and to print it out optionally onto the image receiving tape 54, or onto a label sheet in the sheet printer 13. The label sheet can comprise only one single label, or plural labels of different size. The functionality of the computer software will be described in more detail later on.

In figure 2, the tape printer 1 is shown with two tape cassettes 50, 51 inserted into a cassette receiving bay within the housing 40 of the tape printer 1. The cassette receiving bay has a lid 41 which is normally closed. Figure 2 shows the interior of the cassette receiving bay with the lid 41 removed. The cassette receiving bay includes a thermal print head 42 and a platen 44 which is mounted for rotation within a cage moulding 49. The print head is pivotable about a pivot point 48 so that it can be brought into contact with the platen 44 to enable the cassettes 50,51 to be removed and replaced. The first cassette inserted into the cassette bay is denoted generally by reference numeral 50. This cassette 50 holds a supply spool 52 of image receiving tape 54. The image receiving tape 54 comprises an upper layer for receiving a printed image on one of its surfaces and has its other surface coated with an adhesive layer to which is secured a releasable backing layer. The image receiving tape 54 is guided through the cassette 50, out of the cassette 50 through an outlet 0, past the print zone 46 to a cutting location C. The platen 44 is accomodated in a recess 47 of the first cassette 50. The second cassette 51 has a supply of ink ribbon 60 on an ink ribbon supply spool 56 and an ink 13 ribbon take up spool 58. The second cassette 51 has a supply of ink ribbon 60 on an ink ribbon supply spool 56 and a recess 45 for receiving the print head 42. The image receiving tape 54 and the ink ribbon 60 are arranged to pass in overlap between the print head 42 and the platen 44. In particular, the image receiving layer of the image receiving tape 54 is in contact with the ink ribbon 60. The ink ribbon 60 is a thermal transfer ribbon which when in contact with the activated or heated elements of the thermal print head 42 defines an image on the image receiving tape 54.

The platen 44 is driven by a motor 30 (see figure 3), for example a DC motor or a stepper motor so that it rotates to drive the image receiving tape 54 in a direction which is parallel to the lengthwise extent of the image receiving tape 54 through the print zone 46. In this way, an image is printed on the pertion of the image receiving tape 54 at the print zone 46 and the image receiving tape 54 is fed from the print zone 46 to the cutting location C. The rotation of the platen 44 also causes the ink ribbon 60 to be driven from the ink ribbon supply spool, past the print head 42, and to the ink ribbon take up spool 58. A cutting arrangement 66 is provided which includes a cutter support member 68 which carries a blade 70. The blade 70 acts against an anvil 71.

The print head 42 is a thermal print head comprising a plurality of printing elements. It should be appreciated that an image can be printed on the image receiving tape 54 via the ink ribbon 60. Alternatively if the image receiving tape 54 is of a suitable thermally sensitive material, an image can be applied directly by the print head 42 to the image receiving tape. No ink ribbon would be required with a 14 thermally sensitive image receiving tape 54. It should be noted that a single cassette can be provided incorporating ink ribbon and image receiving tape in one housing.

Figure 3 shows the basic control circuitry for controlling the tape printing apparatus 1 of figures 1 and 2. There is microprocessor chip 20 having a read only memory (ROM) 22, a microprocessor 24 and random access memory capacity indicated diagrammatically by RAM 26. The microprocessor 24 is controlled by programming stored in the ROM and when so controlled acts as a controller. The microprocessor chip 20 outputs data to drive the print head 42 which prints an image onto the image receiving tape 54 to form a label. Finally, the microprocessor chip 20 also controls the motor 30 for driving the image receiving tape 54 through the tape printing apparatus 1. The microprocessor chip 20 may also control the cutting mechanism 66 to allow lengths of image receiving tape 54 to be cut off after an image has been printed thereon.

The microcomputer chip 20 is connected to receive label image data input to it from the computer 18 via the connecting line 11 and an interface 28. The connecting line 11 can be connected to the serial interface of the computer, and the interface can be incorporated on an intelligent separate cartridge to be connected to the tape printer 1. Such an intelligent cartridge is described in our patent application EP 580 321 A, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The data can be transmitted from the computer 18 to the microprocessor 24 making use of a communication protocol, as described in our patent application EP 680 010 A, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The communication protocol may make use of - is compressed data, allowing to increase the data transfer speed, and therewith the printing speed. Generally, bitmapped image data are transferred from the computer 18 to the tape printer 1.

As already-indicated, the computer 18 is operable to run a label production program which enables a user to compose a label and to print the same label design out optionally by means of the sheet printer 13, or the tape printer 1. It is desired to inform the printing system which amount of space (lentgh and width) is available for designing the image on label, so that the design can be performed such that size of the inputted image, and the available space on the tape or on the label sheet correspond. In order to define (ie. input) the size of the label, use is made of a label setup menu, a screen print of which being shown in Figure 4. This menu appears on the screen 9 when the user opens a new label design, or when he wants to alter the size of the substrate onto which. his inputted image data (ie. his label design) are to be printed. When the label setup menu is active, as shown in figure 4, the user can move a cursor 80 over the screen 9 by means of the mouse 3, and activate different options.

1 First of all, the user can choose whether his label design is to be printed onto a tape 54 (ie. by means of the tape printer 1) or onto a sheet comprising one label or a plurality of labels (ie. by means of the sheet printer 13). In the first case, the user moves the cursor 80 by means of the mouse 3 to the field "tape" 90 at the upper right side of the screen 9. When the option tape is selected, the field 90 (indicated with "tape") is highlighted such that the user can see that his design is now defined for being printed onto a

16 tape 54. Further, it is necessary to define (when tape is selected) the desired or actual width of the image receiving tape 54 provided in the tape printer 1. Therefore, a field 91 is provided for inputting the desired tape width. The tape printer 1 shown in figures 1 and 2 is capable of accomodating image receiving tape cassettes 50 accomodating one of the following tape widths: 6, 12, 19, 24, and 32 mm. The user accordingly moves the cursor 80 to the desired tape width, and activates it eg. by pressing the left mouse button. The selected tape width is indicated with a small dot in the circle shown left of the possible widths. In order to avoid errors when the inputted tape width and the actual tape width misfit (this means that a very small image defined eg. for a 6 mm tape is printed onto a wide tape, or a large image defined for a wide tape is printed onto a narrow tape, such that only a part of the image is printed on the tape, while the rest is undesirably printed onto the platen), the tape printer 1 is provided with means for detecting the actual tape width. Such means can comprise optical sensors detecting the tape as such, which are disclosed in EP 574 165 A, or mechanical switches as described in EP 592 198 A detecting corresponding shapes of the cassette. The tape printer 1 sends the detected information regarding the tape width via the connecting line 11 to the computer 18. When the inputted and the detected tape width do not correspond, an error message is displayed on the screen 9 (eg. when printing is attempted), informing the user to change the tape cassette 50. Alternatively, it would be possible to dispense with the inputted tape width, and to display simply the width of the actually inserted tape, which is transmitted to the computer 18 by means of the connecting line 11, the microprocessor 24,

1 17 - and the described means for detecting the actual tape width. This would however have the disadvantage that the user could only define images for the actually inserted tape cassette 50, and not for different tape widths.

The user can further select the length of the label by means of field 91. There, two options are provided. In an automatic mode, the length of the printed label corresponds to the inputted image, plus an additional leader and trailer length required by the printing and cutting.imechanism of the tape printer 1. Alternatively, the user can input a fixed length for the entire label (or a fixed length just for the printed image, ie. the inputted length does not comprise leader and trailer length). Consequently, the cutting arrangement 66 cuts the printed label off from the supply 52 of image receiving tape 54, when the correct length is achieved. In order to input the label length, the cursor 80 is moved to the square before "mm" in field 92, and the desired length is inputted making use of numeration keys on the keyboard 5.

It is further possible to move the cursor to field 93, in order to define the tape color and the ink ribbon color. This only influences the colors displayed on the screen, but not those in the tape printer. It would be possible to detect the color of the actual tape and ink ribbon, and to use this information for controlling the computer 18, such that the displayed and the actual colors correspond, or to have a tape cassette with a multiple color ink ribbon such that the image can be printed onto the tape with a user inputted color (this would also allow to select a background color, such that the tape color is user-inputted, as well; see eg. EP 764 545 A).

- 18 When the user wishes to define a label for printing onto a label sheet, he can move the cursor 80 to field 94 indicated on the screen 9 as "A4Label", and activate it by pressing the left mouse button. Then, field 94 is highlighted. The size of the labels (provided on the sheets) is inputted by means of field 95; the user moves the cursor 80 to the square fields, and types in the correct size. Additionally or alternatively, it would be possible to offer the user options of the most common available label sizes.

Further, it should be noted that it is possible to remove the fields 9193 related to tape from the screen 9, when field 94 is selected, and to show options related to sheet labels. Accordingly, options related to sheet labels can be removed when field 90 is active.

When the tape width (and optionally length) or alternatively, the sheet label size is defined, the user moves the cursor to field 96 in order to confirm his settings, or to field 97, in order to cancel the new settings and to go back to the previous or default settings. Then, a screen is displayed indicating the available space on the label, and allowing the to input the desired image. Since the space on the screen indicating the available printing space, and the actual label size correspond, the user can easily define a label.

The screen 9 shown on the monitor 7, when the user has selected a tape is given in figure 5. The screen shows a central field giving a WYSIWYG representation of the label. The image receiving tape 54 is represented by a field 101 within a larger field 100 shown approximately in the middle of the screen 9. Input characters 102 are shown on the representation 101 of the tape. The vertical and horizontal lines defining the input field 100 (or the lines defining the border 101 of the tape) can be provided with markings (ie. a mm scale). The screen further shows a cursor 80 for defining where inputted characters and other image elements are to be printed, and will further display editing options available for the user, which are here for the reason of clarity and since they are essentially conventional to the skilled person, not shown. It is essential that the displayed image of the tape 101 is a representation of the selected tape, ie. the width and optionally length of the displayed tape correspond to the inputted tape parameters. When the user selects a print function, the inputted image is printed onto the image receiving tape 54 by means of the tape printer 1.

When the user has in the screen shown in figure 4 selected a label on a sheet, the screen of figure 6 appears for composing the image to be printed. The lines defining the border of the field 101 representing the label are corresponding to the inputted size parameters defined with the screen of figure 4. Additionally, scales and options can be shown asdescribed with reference to figure 5. The label defined by the user can be printed by means of the sheet printer 13.

A feature of the present invention is that the software allows to alter the size parameters of an inputted label design, and even to print the same design out on the label printer 1 and on the sheet printer 13, although optionally different in size. This can be performed with a label shown on the screen 9, or a stored label design which is recalled into the memory. When the user wishes to change the tape width, length, or even wants to switch to a label on a sheet, he selects the label setup menu (by moving the cursor to an appropriate option in the screen shown in fig. 5 or 6), such that the menu corresponding to figure 4 is displayed again. Here, the user alters the size parameters (or changes the printer from tape to sheet or vice versa) according to the desired, new size. Regarding the change from tape to sheet, it should be noted that there is a firm distinction between a tape label design and a sheet label design. It is in the described embodiment of the invention in principle not possible to print a tape label design on a sheet printer by changing the printer type before the actual printing takes place. Thus, tape label designs can only be printed on tape printers, and sheet labels are always dedicated and can only be printed on sheet printers. However, in order to print a tape label.by means of a sheet printer, the tape label design can be converted by means of the label setup menu to a sheet label design and vice versa. The final format (after conversion) will define on what type of printer the design can be printed.

When the size of the label has been altered, two options must be available to the user: he can leave the size of the image the same as it was previously, or he can scale it according to the new label size. For this reason, one of two screens appears when the user has altered the label size in the menu shown in figure 4. When the space on the new label is smaller, ie. the length or the height have been reduced, the screen shown in figure 7 appears. A text tells the user that the new label is smaller than the current one, and asks him what to do with the current label design. The screen 9 offers 21 two options: the design can be shrinked proportionally (option 104), or the current size can be retained (option 105). The user selects the desired option by moving the cursor 80 to the circle assigned to the desired option, and clicking the left mouse button. Afterwards, he can confirm his settings by selecting the OK field 96 with the cursor 80, or cancel them by choosing the Cancel field 97. In the latter case, he returns to the menu of figure 4. The two options are illustrated by images 106 indicating shrinking, or retaining the current image size. According to the selected option, the image is scaled down proportionally to the width or length of the previously and currently selected sizes of the label. When the scaling parameters for width and length differ, the smaller one is taken, such that the image will fit onto the new label substrate.

When the space on the new label is larger, ie. the length or the height have been increased, the screen shown in figure 8 appears. A text tells the user that the new label is larger than the current one, and asks him what to do with the current label design. The screen 9 offers two options: the design can-be enlarged proportionally (option 107), or the current size can be retained (option 108). The user selects the desired option by moving the cursor 80 to the circle assigned to the desired option, and clicking the left mouse button. Afterwards, he can confirm his settings by selecting the OK field 96 with the cursor 80, or cancel them by choosing the Cancel field 97. In the latter case, he returns to the menu of figure 4. The two options are illustrated.by images log indicating enlargening, or retaining the current image size. According to the selected option, the image is enlarged proportionally to the width or length of the

22 previously and currently selected sizes of the label. When the scaling parameters for width and length differ, the smaller one is taken, such that the image will in any case fit onto the new label substrate.

Consequently, the user can easily re-define the size parameters of the desired label, wherein the size of the image can be scaled accordingly. When the user wishes, the size can however remain the same. It should be mentioned that the described procedure can be performed with actually inputted images, or with images which are stored on a storage medium, eg. a disc, and are recalled. For this reason, the size of the label design, and its type (ie. whether it is a label to be printed onto tape 54, or onto a sheet) is stored together with the design of the label.

The functionality of the software is illustrated in figure 9. When a new label is defined (step 110), first of all the size and type (ie. whether it is a label to be printed onto tape, or onto a sheet) is defined by the user in step 111. This means that the label setup screen of figure 4 is shown. Afterwards, it is investigated in step 112, whether the length or width of the label has been reduced. The answer to this question is no, when the label is really new, ie. the parameters have not been changed, but are inputted for the first time. When the length or width not have been reduced, it is investigated in step 113 whether the size has remained the same. When this is true, normal editing is performed in step 114, ie. the screens shown in figure 5 and 6 are displayed, dependent on the type of the label. When step 113 reveals that the label has not maintained the same size, step 115 follows, in which the user can define whether the image is to be enlargened or not, ie. the screen of figure 8 is displayed. Step 116 investigates the selection of the user, and normal editing with the same image size follows when no enlargening was selected. Alternatively, when the user has decided to enlarge, step 117 follows, in which proportional enlargement takes place. This step is followed by step 114 (editing), as well. When step 112 reveals that the length or width of the label have been reduced, step 118 follows, in which the user is asked to define whether the image is to be shrinked down or not. This means that the screen shown in figure 7 is displayed. Step 119 follows, in which it is investigated whether the user has selected shrinking, or not. Accordingly step 114 (editing) follows, when no shrinking is selected, and alternatively, step 120 is executed, in which the image is shrinked down proportionally. This step is followed by step 114, as well. The latter allows to select an option (step 121) in which the size or type of the label is altered; this step means that step 111 is executed again.

In figure 10, the coordinates and sizes of an object (ie. a part of an image) on a sheet can be seen. In order to define the size and type of a label (or to change these parameters), the label setup function needs six parameters for the label conversion:

1. W = the width of the A4 label, 2. H = the height of the A4 label, 3. X = the x-coordinate (horizontal) of an object, 4. y = the y-coordinate (vertical) of an object,. p = the width of an object, 6. q = the height of an object.

24 - The origin o is the top left corner of the label on the sheet. It serves as the origin for the x and y coordinates of the objects (parts of the image) on the label.

Corresponding parameters for a label on a tape are shown in figures 11 and 12. Here, not the entire label is considered, but only a pseudo label defined by the printable region on the label. The coordinates and sizes of an object on the tape 54 can be seen in figure 11. Six parameters are required for a label conversion:

1. W = the width of the printable area = length of the tape - L (leader) T (trailer).

In the case the length is not user defined, but automatically determined, a distinction must be made whether the source of the label setup is considered, or the destination (ie. the original or the final label). When the source label is considered, (see figure 12), the length of the tape reaches to the last object. W is calculated from the beginning of the printable area to the last object, which is the object to which the sum of x and p is maximum. In the example given in figure 12, this will give W = X4 + P4 When on the other hand the destination label is considered, the length of tape is theoretically unlimited, but in practice set to an amount of eg. 1000 mm (the maximal printable length of a certain tape printer). W is then calculated as:

W = length.of tape - L - T.

2. H = the height of the printable area.

This depends on the tape width. For every available tape width, a number of print head pixels is used, such that a nice image is obtained. The pixels represent the height of the printable area.

3. x = x-coordinate of an object, which is related to the printable area origin o). This parameter corresponds to X = Xtape - L.

4. y = y-coordinate of an object (again related to the printable area origin o). This parameter corresponds to y = ytape - (top border width of unprintable area) yt,,p,e - (tape width - H) /2 5. p = the width of an object, 6. q = the height of an object.

When step 113 in figure 9 reveals that the current size is to be maintained, the transformation formulas which have to be used on every object (part of the image) are the following:

Pd = Ps % = q, Xd = Xs - 26 Yd Ys The index s means source, and d means destination.

On the other hand, when a proportional resizing is necessary (steps 117 or 120 in figure 9), the transformation formulas which have to be applied to every object are the following:

Pd = k - p qd = k q. xd = k x. Yd = k y.

The objects and their positions must be rescaled with the optimal (ie. maximal possible) factor. This factor must not be too big since then an object might overlap the label. It must not be too small, since then the object will be smaller than necessary. To find the optimal scaling factor, two of them must be consider, ie. one in the horizontal and one in the vertical direction. This means, a calculation takes place:

kH = Hd / H. kw = Wd / Ws The factor k.,, makes W. exactly fit onto the destination label (horizontal scaling) and the factor kH makes H., exactly fit onto the destination label. In order to avoid overlapping of an object over the label, the smaller of these two factors is used. In the direction corresponding to the select k, the object will exactly fit, and in the other direction it will be maximally such large that it fits, as well (it will usually be smaller). When k is smaller than 1, this means shrinking of the label design (see fig. 7), and when it is larger than 1, this involves enlargening (see fig. 8).

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Claims

Patent Claims

1. A label printing system, comprising: a computer (18) having data input means for inputting data defining an image to be printed onto a label, a processor and a storage means; a tape printer (1) connected to the computer (18), which is capable of receiving image data from the computer (18) to print the defined image onto an image receiving tape (54); a sheet printer (13) connected to the computer (18), which is capable of receiving image data from the computer (18) to print the defined image onto a sheet with at least one label; wherein the processor is connected to the storage means, the data input means, the tape printer (1), and the sheet printer (13), the processor being operable to store image data defining the image in the storage means, the processor further being operable to send the image data selectively to the tape printer (1) and to the sheet printer (13), and being operable to receive data from the data input means which select whether the image data are sent to the tape printer (1) or to the sheet printer (13).

2. A label printing system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to send image data which define essentially the same image, although optionally different in size, to the tape printer (1) and to the sheet printer (18).

3. A label.printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processor is operable to store a format assigned to inputted image data in the storage means, wherein the format defines the the length and/or width of the image receiving medium on which the image is to be printed.

4. A label printing system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processor is operable to store a type assigned to inputted image data in the storage means, wherein the type defines whether the image is to be printed on the tape printer (1) or the sheet printer (13).

5. A label printing system according to claim 4, wherein the processor is operable to convert image data having a type defining the image to be printed onto a tape into image data having a type defining the image to be printed onto a sheet.

6. A label printing system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the processor is operable to convert image data having a type defining the image to be printed onto a sheet into image data having a type defining the image to be printed onto a tape.

7. A label printing system according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the processor is operable to convert the format of a first image into a different, second format.

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8. A label printing system according to claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to receive data from the input means which define whether the image is scaled such that it fits onto the second format, or whether it retains its current size.

9. A label printing system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the processor is operable to convert bar codes such that they obtain the bar code density, which comes closest to the image - 30 size which would be obtained considering the format of the first image and the format of the second image.

10. A label printing system according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the processor is operable to convert the size of characters such that a minimum text size is obtained.

11. A label printing system according to one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the processor is operable to convert the format of an image making use of scaling factors.

12. A label printing system according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the size of the second image depends on the format of the first image and on the format of the second image.

13. A label printing system according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the format of the second image depends on the size of the first image and on the format of the second image.