JP2001301236A - Tape printing device, tape cartridge, and label producing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape printing device for storing optional setting information in an optional tape cartridge detectably, and producing a label with a printing subject image printed, based on the stored optional setting information, a tape cartridge, and a label producing method. SOLUTION: This device comprises a first tape cartridge mounting means for mounting a first tape cartridge storing a first tape, an optional setting information inputting means for inputting optional setting information, and a means for printing an image to be detected showing the optional setting information, on the first tape such that the optional setting information can be detected by the detecting means for producing a detection label with an image detectable by a predetermined detecting means printed, to be attached on an optional tape cartridge.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer, a tape cartridge, and a label producing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various tape cartridges accommodating various tapes are mounted, the type of the tape cartridge (for example, tape width or material) is determined, and an arbitrary character is set so as to conform to the type. A character string image (character string image) in which one or more characters, symbols, numbers, figures, and the like (hereinafter, typically referred to as "characters" or collectively, "characters") are printed on a tape, and the predetermined or arbitrary 2. Description of the Related Art A tape printer capable of cutting a length to create a label is known.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional tape printing apparatus, information (for example, the maximum number of lines that can be input, the energy required for printing, Etc.), but information such as various fonts such as Gothic font and Mincho font, italic font, various decorations such as white outline (white outline), emphasis, etc., that is, the user can arbitrarily set it. Information (arbitrary setting information) cannot be obtained. Conversely,
The arbitrary setting information cannot be held in an arbitrary tape cartridge in a detectable manner. By writing some marks or the like on the surface, any tape cartridge can be stored separately from other tape cartridges, for example, as a Gothic / Italic printing tape cartridge, but only by attaching it, It is not possible to print a print target image such as a Gothic / Italic character string image based on the held information without setting information such as fonts and decorations again.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a tape printing apparatus which enables an arbitrary tape cartridge to detectably retain arbitrary setting information, a tape cartridge which retains the arbitrary setting information, and an optional tape cartridge. An object of the present invention is to provide a label creation method capable of creating a label on which a print target image is printed based on setting information.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus comprising: a first tape cartridge mounting means for mounting a first tape cartridge accommodating a first tape;
Optional setting information input means for inputting optional setting information, and a detected label indicating the optional setting information for creating a detection label on which an image detectable by a predetermined detecting means is printed and affixed to an optional tape cartridge. A detected image printing means for printing an image on the first tape so that the image can be detected by the detecting means.

In this tape printer, a first tape cartridge accommodating a first tape is mounted, arbitrary setting information is input, and an image detectable by a predetermined detecting means is printed and affixed to an arbitrary tape cartridge. In order to create a detection label, the detected image indicating the optional setting information is printed on the first tape so that the detection unit can detect the detected image. Thereby, by cutting a portion including the detected image of the first tape after printing, a detection label is created, and the detection label is attached to an arbitrary tape cartridge.
The optional setting information can be stored in the optional tape cartridge in a detectable manner. In this case, as the detection means, for example, an optical detection means (light detection means) capable of optically reading (detecting) an image to be detected can be considered. Further, when the first tape is made of, for example, a material having thermoplasticity and a concavo-convex image can be formed by printing by applying heat, a detecting means for detecting the concavity and convexity may be used. As the former, for example, if a detected image constituted by a pattern such as a bar code is a target, light detection can be performed by a photocoupler or the like, or light detecting means capable of detecting the image itself like a scanner or the like may be used. The latter includes a mechanical detecting means for detecting irregularities by turning on / off a push-type detection switch.

In the tape printer according to the first aspect, it is preferable that the optional setting information includes information for specifying at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing.

In this tape printing apparatus, since the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a typeface, decoration, and color used for printing, the first setting is performed so that an image to be detected indicating those can be detected. It is possible to print on a tape, cut a portion including the detected image, create a detection label, and affix the detection label to an arbitrary tape cartridge, so that those optional setting information can be held in a detectable manner. .

Further, in the tape printer according to claim 1 or 2, it is preferable that the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning the arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format.

In this tape printing apparatus, the detected image is
This is a pattern image obtained by patterning the optional setting information in a predetermined format. Since the pattern image is printed on the first tape so as to be detectable, a detection label is created by cutting a portion including the pattern image, and the detection label is created. Can be stored as arbitrary setting information that can be detected by the pattern of the pattern image.

Further, in the tape printing apparatus according to the third aspect, it is preferable that the pattern is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the optional setting information.

In this tape printing apparatus, the pattern of the pattern image is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding arbitrary setting information, and the pattern image is printed on the first tape in a detectable manner. By attaching the detected label to an arbitrary tape cartridge, it can be held as arbitrary setting information that can be detected as a code indicated by the pattern of the pattern image.

Further, in the tape printer according to the fourth aspect, it is preferable that the code is a binary code.

In this tape printing apparatus, the code indicated by the pattern of the pattern image is a binary code, and the pattern image is printed on the first tape. ,
It can be stored as arbitrary setting information that can be detected as a binary code.

Preferably, the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image expressing the code in a single color.

In this tape printing apparatus, since the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image in which a code is represented by a single color, monochrome printing can be performed, thereby reducing the cost of holding the tape cartridge with arbitrary setting information. In addition, the monochrome pattern in this case may be a multi-value pattern such as a bar code expressed by a bar length or width, in addition to a binary code based on the presence or absence of a single color.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape cartridge formed by cutting a portion including an image to be detected of a first tape printed by the tape printer according to any one of the first to sixth aspects. Characterized in that the detection label is attached and the second tape is accommodated.

The tape cartridge accommodates a second tape, and has a detection label for an image to be detected portion of the first tape printed by the tape printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6. I have. Therefore, this tape cartridge is a tape cartridge containing the second tape and a tape cartridge holding arbitrary setting information by the detection label.

The tape cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the first tape according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is accommodated as the second tape, and the first tape cartridge is accommodated as the first tape cartridge. It is preferable that the device can be mounted on the tape printer described in (1) or (2).

This tape cartridge accommodates the first tape of any one of claims 1 to 6 as a second tape and can be mounted on the tape printing apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6 as a first tape cartridge. At the same time as the tape cartridge holding the optional setting information by the attached detection label, the tape cartridge is mounted on the first tape printing apparatus, and the detected image is newly printed on the accommodated second tape (first tape). Then, by cutting the tape cartridge, a tape cartridge capable of creating a new detection label for holding the arbitrary setting information in another arbitrary tape cartridge is obtained.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus comprising: a second tape cartridge mounting means for mounting the tape cartridge according to the seventh or eighth aspect as a second tape cartridge; Detecting means for detecting a detected image printed on the detected detection label, and printing target image printing means for printing a print target image on a second tape contained in the second tape cartridge based on the detected image. And characterized in that:

In this tape printing apparatus, the tape cartridge according to claim 7 or 8 is mounted as a second tape cartridge, a detected image printed on a detection label attached to the second tape cartridge is detected, and the detected tape image is detected. The print target image is printed on the second tape contained in the second tape cartridge based on the detected image. That is, the second
By simply mounting the tape cartridge, the print target image can be printed on the second tape based on the detected image of the attached detection label without setting any optional setting information again. For this reason, the tape printer may not have a function of setting arbitrary setting information.

The tape printing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising character string input means for inputting data of a character string in which one or more characters are arranged, wherein the optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes It is preferable that the print target image is a character image printed based on the character string data in accordance with the optional setting information.

In this tape printing apparatus, character string data can be input, and the optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes information relating to printing of the character string image. This is a character image printed based on character string data. Thus, the character string image can be printed in accordance with the arbitrary setting information indicated by the detected image only by inputting the character string data without setting the information on printing the character string image again.

In the tape printing apparatus according to the ninth aspect, it is preferable that the image to be printed is the same image as the image to be detected.

In this tape printing apparatus, since the image to be printed is the same image as the image to be detected, it is possible to set the optional setting information again or not by simply installing the second tape cartridge. Based on the detected image, the same detected image can be printed on the second tape, and by cutting the same, the arbitrary setting information can be stored in any tape cartridge other than the tape cartridge mounted as the second tape cartridge. A new detection label can be created. For this reason, by using the second tape printing apparatus, it is possible to successively create detection labels on which images to be detected indicating the same optional setting information are printed, and to affix the labels one after another to an arbitrary tape cartridge, thereby making those tapes one after another. Arbitrary setting information can be held in the cartridge one after another. In this case, a type in which the detected image is detected and printed as it is may be used, or arbitrary setting information indicated by the detected image may be temporarily decoded,
According to the arbitrary setting information, a type in which a detected image is newly created and printed may be used.

A label producing method according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is directed to a first tape cartridge mounting step of mounting a first tape cartridge containing a first tape in a first tape printer, and the first tape printer. Setting information inputting step of inputting the optional setting information into the first tape printing device so that a detected image indicating the optional setting information can be detected by a predetermined detecting means on the first tape. An image printing step, a detection label creation step of creating a detection label by cutting a portion of the first tape including the detected image, and a detection step of attaching the detection label to a second tape cartridge containing a second tape. A label attaching step and a second tape cartridge attaching step of attaching the second tape cartridge to a second tape printer having the detecting means. , The detected image printed on the detection label affixed to the second tape cartridge and the second
A detection step of detecting by a tape printing device, and a print target image printing step of printing a print target image on a second tape housed in the second tape cartridge based on the detected image, A print target image label creating step of cutting a portion including the print target image to create a print target image label.

In this label producing method, first, the first tape cartridge containing the first tape is mounted on the first tape printer, and the optional setting information is input to the first tape printer, and the optional setting information is indicated. The detected image is printed on the first tape by the first tape printer so that the detected image can be detected by the predetermined detecting means, and a portion including the detected image of the first tape is cut to create a detection label. As a result, it is possible to allow the optional setting information to be held in the optional tape cartridge simply by attaching the detection label to the optional tape cartridge. Then, in this label producing method, the second tape containing the second tape is
Attach the detection label to the tape cartridge. This allows the second tape cartridge to hold the optional setting information in a detectable manner. Then, in the label producing method, the second tape cartridge is mounted on a second tape printer having a detecting unit, and a detected image printed on a detection label attached to the second tape cartridge is detected. Based on the detected image, the print target image is printed on the second tape accommodated in the second tape cartridge, and the portion of the second tape containing the print target image is cut to create a print target image label. That is, in the second tape printing apparatus, the image to be printed can be printed on the second tape based on the detected image of the detection label only by mounting the second tape cartridge and without setting the optional setting information again. By cutting it, a print target image label can be created.

In this case, the first tape printer only needs to have at least a function for setting arbitrary setting information and printing a detected image indicating the information.
The tape printer only needs to have at least a function for detecting the image to be detected and printing the image to be printed, and may not have a function for setting arbitrary setting information. For this reason, the first tape printing device and the second tape printing device can be used as different types and used properly for different purposes. Further, as the detecting means in this case, an optical detecting means (light detecting means) may be used as described above in claim 1 or a first tape printing apparatus which can form a concave and convex image as a detected image. Detection means for detecting unevenness may be used.

In the label producing method according to the twelfth aspect, it is preferable that the first tape printer and the second tape printer are the same tape printer.

In this label producing method, the first tape printer and the second tape printer are the same tape printer. Therefore, using a single tape printer, setting of arbitrary setting information, printing of a detected image, detection of a detected image,
The print target image can be printed.

Further, in the label producing method according to claim 12 or 13, the first tape cartridge and the second
Preferably, the tape cartridge is the same tape cartridge.

In this label producing method, the first tape cartridge and the second tape cartridge are the same tape cartridge. For this reason, by attaching the detection label on which the detected image is printed to the tape cartridge used for printing the detected image as the first tape cartridge, it can be further used for printing the image to be printed.

In the label producing method according to any one of the twelfth to fourteenth aspects, it is preferable that the arbitrary setting information includes information designating at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing.

In this label creation method, since the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing, these are set as optional setting information, and the optional setting information is set. The detected image shown can be printed, a detection label on which the detected image is printed can be created, and by attaching the label, the optional setting information can be held in the second tape cartridge. Further, the detected image can be detected, a print target image based on the detected image can be printed, and a print target image label on which the print target image is printed can be created.

In the label producing method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, it is preferable that the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning the arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format.

In this label producing method, the detected image is
This is a pattern image in which arbitrary setting information is patterned in a predetermined format. Since the pattern image is printed on the first tape, a portion including the pattern image is cut to create a detection label, and the detection label is used as a second tape cartridge. Can be held as arbitrary setting information that can be detected by the pattern of the pattern image. Also, a pattern image that is a detected image is detected,
A print target image based on the pattern image can be printed, and a print target image label on which the print target image is printed can be created.

In the label producing method of the present invention, it is preferable that the pattern is a pattern indicating a code obtained by encoding the optional setting information.

In this label creation method, the pattern of the pattern image is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the optional setting information, and the pattern image is printed on the first tape. 2 by sticking it on a tape cartridge, it can be held as arbitrary setting information that can be detected as a code indicated by the pattern of the pattern image, and a pattern image can be detected and a print target image can be printed based thereon. A print target image label on which the print target image is printed can be created.

In the label producing method of the present invention, it is preferable that the code is a binary code.

In this label producing method, the code indicated by the pattern of the pattern image is a binary code, and the pattern image is printed on the first tape, so that the detection label whose part is cut is attached to the second tape cartridge. This makes it possible to store the arbitrary setting information that can be detected as a binary code, detect an image to be detected as a binary code, print an image to be printed based on the detected image, and create a print image label.

In the label producing method of the present invention, it is preferable that the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image expressing the code in a single color.

In this label producing method, since the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image in which the code is represented by a single color, monochrome printing can be performed, thereby reducing the cost for holding the arbitrary setting information in the tape cartridge. Note that the monochrome pattern in this case is also 2
In addition to the value code, a multi-value pattern may be used.

The label producing method according to any one of claims 12 to 19, further comprising a character string input step of inputting data of a character string in which one or more characters are arranged to the second tape printer. The optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes information regarding printing of a character string image, and the print target image is a character image printed based on the character string data according to the optional setting information. Is preferred.

In this label creation method, character string data is input to the second tape printer, and the optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes information related to printing of the character string image. Are character images that are printed based on character string data in accordance with arbitrary setting information. For this reason, by setting information relating to the printing of the character string image as optional setting information, printing the detected image indicating the information on the first tape, and attaching the detection label obtained by cutting the portion to the second tape cartridge, The information relating to printing of the character string image can be stored in the second tape cartridge as arbitrary setting information. According to the optional setting information indicated by the detected image, without setting the information regarding printing of
A character string image label can be created by printing a character string image and cutting it.

In the label producing method according to any one of claims 12 to 19, it is preferable that the image to be printed is a second detected image which is the same image as the detected image.

In this label creation method, the image to be printed is the second image to be detected, which is the same image as the image to be detected. Therefore, the user simply mounts the second tape cartridge on the second tape printer and re-sets the optional setting information. Without having to set
Alternatively, even if the setting cannot be made, a second detected image, which is the same image as the detected image, can be printed on the second tape, and the second detected image can be cut by cutting the second detected image. A new detection label can be created for causing the optional setting information to be held in the optional tape cartridge. For this reason, by using the second tape printing apparatus, it is possible to successively create detection labels on which detected images indicating the same arbitrary setting information are printed,
By affixing them one after another to arbitrary tape cartridges, the tape cartridges can sequentially hold arbitrary setting information. In this case, the second tape printing apparatus may be of a type that detects an image to be detected and prints the image as it is, or may temporarily decode arbitrary setting information and create a new image according to the arbitrary setting information. Print type.

The label producing method according to claim 21, wherein a print target image label produced by cutting a portion including the second detected image of the second tape printed by the second tape printer is used as a second label. Third detection label
Attaching a second detection label to a third tape cartridge containing a tape, and attaching a third tape cartridge to a third tape printer having the detection means. A second detection step of detecting, by the third tape printing device, the second detected image printed on a second detection label attached to the third tape cartridge, based on the second detected image. A second print target image printing step of printing a second print target image, which is another image, on a third tape housed in the third tape cartridge, and the second print target image of the third tape; And a second print target image label creating step of creating a second print target image label by cutting the included portion.

In this label producing method, a print target image label produced by cutting a portion including the second detected image of the second tape printed by the second tape printing apparatus is used as the second detected label, and is used as the third detected label. The third tape cartridge is attached to a third tape cartridge containing a tape, the third tape cartridge is mounted on a third tape printer having a detecting means, and the second detection target printed on a second detection label attached to the third tape cartridge is attached. An image is detected, and based on the second detected image, a second image to be printed, which is another image, is changed to a third image.
Printing on the third tape contained in the tape cartridge,
A portion including the second print target image of the third tape is cut to create a second print target image label. That is, in the third tape printing apparatus in this case, similarly to the second tape printing apparatus, the detected image (second detected image) printed on the detection label (second detection label) is detected. Unlike the tape printing apparatus, a print target image (second print target image) different from the detected image is printed on the third tape. Thus, in the third tape printing apparatus, the second print target image can be converted into the second print target image based on the second detected image of the detection label without mounting any optional setting information by simply mounting the third tape cartridge. It can be printed on three tapes, and by cutting it, a second print target image label can be created.

The label producing method according to claim 22, further comprising a character string input step of inputting character string data in which one or more characters are arranged to the third tape printing apparatus, The indicated optional setting information includes information related to printing of a character string image, and the second print target image is a character image printed based on the character string data according to the optional setting information. preferable.

In this label creation method, character string data is input to the third tape printer, and the optional setting information indicated by the second detected image includes information on printing of the character string image. The print target image is a character image that is printed based on character string data in accordance with the optional setting information. For this reason, in the first tape printing apparatus, information relating to the printing of the character string image is set as optional setting information, an image to be detected indicating the information is printed on the first tape, and the detection label obtained by cutting the portion is printed on the second tape. The second detection image, which is the same image as the detected image, is printed on the second tape in the second tape printing device, and the second detection label obtained by cutting the portion is attached to the third tape cartridge. This allows the second tape cartridge and the third tape cartridge to hold information relating to printing of the character string image as arbitrary setting information. Further, the third tape printing apparatus detects the second detected image and inputs data of the character string only, without setting information relating to printing of the character string image again. According to the information, a character string image can be printed, and by cutting it, a character string image label can be created.

In this case, the second tape printer only needs to have at least a function for detecting the detected image and printing the second detected image of the same image as the second image. As a minimum, the tape printer only needs to have a function of detecting a detected image (second detected image) and printing a character string image. For this reason, the second tape printing device and the third tape printing device can be of different types and used properly for different purposes.

In the label producing method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the second tape printer and the third tape printer are the same tape printer.

In this label producing method, the second tape printer and the third tape printer are the same tape printer. Therefore, based on the detection of the detected image, printing of the same image (second detected image) and printing of the second image to be printed, which is another image, can be performed based on the detection of the detected image. .

[0055]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a tape printing apparatus, a tape cartridge and a tape printing apparatus to which a label producing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the entire structure of the tape printing apparatus according to the present embodiment and the appearance when the opening / closing lid is opened, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control system. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this tape printing apparatus 1
An outer shell is formed by the upper and lower two-part device case 2, a keyboard 3 including various input keys is provided on a front upper surface of the device case 2, and an opening / closing lid 21 is attached to a rear upper surface.
The display 4 is arranged so as to face the right window.

As shown in FIG. 3, as a basic configuration, an operation unit 11 having a keyboard 3 and a display 4 to interface with a user, a print head (thermal head) 7, and a tape feed unit 120 are provided. A printing unit 12 for printing on a printing tape (hereinafter simply referred to as “tape”) T of a tape cartridge C mounted in the pocket 6, a cutting unit 13 for cutting the tape T after printing, and various sensors. The tape printer 1 includes a detection unit 14 that performs various types of detection, a driving unit 270 that has various drivers to drive each unit circuit, and a control unit 200 that controls each unit in the tape printing apparatus 1. For this reason, the printing unit 12,
A circuit board (not shown) is housed in addition to the cutting unit 13, the detection unit 14, and the like. This circuit board has a power supply unit,
Each circuit of the drive unit 270 and the control unit 200 is mounted,
It is connected to an AC adapter connection port (not shown) or a battery such as a NiCd battery that can be detached from the outside.

In the tape printer 1, after the user mounts the tape cartridge C in the pocket 6, the user checks the input / edit result on the display 4 while using the keyboard 3.
When printing information of desired characters and the like (characters, numbers, symbols, simple figures, etc.) is input and printing is instructed, the tape T is fed out from the tape cartridge C by the tape feeding unit 120 and Tape T
The desired printing is performed on the tape outlet 22.
Is sent out from time to time. When the desired printing is completed, the tape feed unit 120 feeds the tape T to the position of the tape length including the margin, and then stops the feed.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
Is provided inside the opening / closing lid 21 with a pocket 6 for mounting the tape cartridge C. The tape cartridge C is attached to and detached from the pocket 6 with the opening / closing lid 21 opened. The tape cartridge C has a fixed width (4.5 mm to 4.5 mm) inside the cartridge case 51.
A tape T of about 48 mm) and an ink ribbon R are accommodated, and a through-hole 55 for insertion into a head unit 61 provided in the pocket 6 is formed.
Also, a plurality of small holes are provided on the back surface so that the type of the tape T having a different width or the like can be identified, and a label (detection label) on which a detection pattern described later is printed is attached to the side surface. Is provided with a tape identification sensor 142 including a microswitch for detecting the presence or absence of this hole (detection means for unevenness or holes) and a photocoupler for reading a detection pattern (light detection means). And the optional setting information can be detected.

The tape T has a structure in which an adhesive surface is formed on the back surface and the adhesive surface is covered with a release paper. The tape T and the ink ribbon R run while overlapping each other at the position of the through hole 55, and only the tape T is discharged to the outside, and the ink ribbon R is wound inside.

The head unit 61 has a built-in print head 7 composed of a thermal head. When the tape cartridge C is mounted in the pocket 6, the print head 7 is exposed from the through hole 55 of the tape cartridge C. Of the ink ribbon R.
Then, by driving the print head 7 to generate heat, desired characters and the like are printed on the surface of the tape T. The pocket 6 is provided with an ambient temperature sensor 143 such as a thermistor that detects and reports an environmental (ambient) temperature.
The ambient temperature is detected and reported to the control unit 200. On the left side of the apparatus case 2, there is formed a tape discharge port 22 for communicating the pocket 6 with the outside of the apparatus.
Is a tape cutter 13 for cutting the tape T which has been sent.
Two are at work. In the pocket 6, a drive shaft 62 with which a driven portion of the mounted tape cartridge 4 is engaged,
The tape T and the ink ribbon R in the tape cartridge C are fed by the drive shafts 62 and 63 using the feed motor 121 as a drive source, and the print head is synchronized with these. 7 is driven to perform printing. After printing is completed, the tape T
Feeding is continued and the predetermined cutting position is set to the tape cutter 132.
Is sent to the position.

A head surface temperature sensor 144 such as a thermistor is provided in close contact with the surface of the print head 7, and detects the surface temperature of the print head 7 to control the control unit 200.
Report to A disk having a detection opening (not shown) is fixed to the tip of the feed motor 121, and a rotation speed sensor 14 having a photo sensor or the like faces the detection opening.
1 is provided to detect the rotation speed of the feed motor 121 and report it to the control unit 200.

The cutting section 13 has a tape cutter 132, a cut button 133 for manually cutting the tape cutter 132 for printing of an arbitrary length, and an operation for automatically cutting the tape cutter 132 for printing of a fixed length. And a cutter motor 131 to be driven. Thus, the tape printer 1 can switch between automatic and manual depending on the mode setting. For this reason, in the case of manual cutting, when printing is completed, the user presses the cut button 133 provided in the apparatus case 2 to operate the tape cutter 132 and cut the tape T to a desired length. You. In the case of automatic cutting, the printing is completed, the tape is fed by a margin, and the tape is stopped. At the same time, the cutter motor 131 is driven to cut the tape T.

The detecting section 14 is provided with the above-described rotational speed sensor 14.
1, tape identification sensor 142, ambient temperature sensor 143,
A head surface temperature sensor 144 is provided. It is to be noted that these may be omitted according to the actual situation.

The driving section 270 includes the display driver 2
71, a head driver 272, and a motor driver 27
3 is provided. The display driver 271 drives the display 4 of the operation unit 11 according to an instruction based on a control signal output from the control unit 200. Similarly, the head driver 272 drives the print head 7 of the printing unit 12 according to an instruction from the control unit 200. Also,
The motor driver 273 is connected to the feed motor 12 of the printing unit 12.
1 and a cutting motor 1
And a cutter motor driver 273c that drives the third cutter motor 131, and similarly drives each motor according to an instruction from the control unit 200.

The operation unit 11 has a keyboard 3 and a display 4. The display 4 has a display screen 41 capable of displaying 96 dots × 64 dots of display image data inside a rectangular shape of about 6 cm in the horizontal direction (X direction) × 4 cm in the vertical direction (Y direction). By inputting data, various commands and instructions, etc. from the keyboard 3, print image data such as character string image data (text print data described later) and detected image data (pattern print data described later) are created and edited. It is used when visually checking the result or the like.

The keyboard 3 includes an alphabet key group, a symbol key group, a numeric key group, a kana key group such as hiragana and katakana, and a character key group 31 including an external character key group for calling and selecting an external character. And a function key group 32 for designating various operation modes and the like.

The function key group 32 includes a power key 32 (not shown).
1, a print key 322 for instructing a printing operation, a selection key 323 for confirming data at the time of text input, line feed, and an instruction to select various modes on a selection screen,
A decoration setting key 324 for setting a decoration such as a so-called character decoration such as an underline or an outline or a background pattern (including a ground pattern or an illustration), and a color (shade, saturation, etc.) such as a character color, a background color, and a decoration color. , Color / gloss, transparency, etc.) and a color setting key 325, and upward (“↑”), downward (“↓”), left (“←”), right (“→”) directions, respectively. Cursor keys 330 (3) for moving the cursor to the display area and moving the display range of the display screen 41.
30U, 330D, 330L, and 330R: “cursor“ ↑ ”key 330U” and the like).

The function key group 32 further includes a cancel key 326 for canceling various instructions, a shift key 327 used to change the role of each key, and to modify drawing registration image data, a text input screen and a selection screen. Key 328 for switching between a print image data and a display screen (image screen) of print image data, and a ratio change (zoom) for changing the size ratio between the print image data and the display image data displayed on the image screen Key 329, form key 33 for setting various forms including character typefaces
1. A pattern setting key 332 for creating a detection pattern to be described later (setting arbitrary setting information), and a pattern print key 333 for printing the detected detection pattern again.
And so on.

As a matter of course, similarly to a general keyboard, these key inputs may be input by providing individual keys for each key input, or may be performed in combination with a shift key 327 or the like to reduce the number of keys. You may input using a key. Here, it is assumed that there are keys corresponding to the above for easy understanding. As shown in FIG.
Transmits various commands and data as described above to the control unit 20.
Enter 0.

The control unit 200 includes a CPU 210, a ROM 2
20, character generator ROM (CG-ROM)
230, RAM 240, peripheral control circuit (P-CON) 2
50, and are connected to each other by an internal bus 260. The ROM 220 has a control data area 222 for storing control data including a color conversion table and a character modification table, in addition to a control program area 221 for storing a control program processed by the CPU 210. CG-R
The OM 230 stores font data such as characters, symbols, and graphics prepared in the tape printer 1 and outputs corresponding font data when code data specifying characters or the like is given.

The RAM 240 is supplied with power by a backup circuit (not shown) so as to retain stored data even when the power is turned off by operating the power key 321. A text data area 242 for storing text data such as characters input by the user from the keyboard 3, a display image data area 243 for storing display image data of the display screen 41, a print image data area 244 for storing print image data, and drawing registration. In addition to a drawing registration image data area 245 for storing image data, it has an area such as a print history data area 246 and various conversion buffer areas 247 such as other color conversion buffers, and is used as a work area for control processing. .

The P-CON 250 includes a logic circuit for supplementing the function of the CPU 21 and handling an interface signal with a peripheral circuit, such as a gate array or a custom LSI.
It is configured and incorporated. For example, a timer 251 for performing various clocks is also incorporated as a function in the P-CON 250. Therefore, P-CON2
Reference numeral 50 is connected to the various sensors of the detection unit 14 and the keyboard 3, and captures the above-described various detection signals from the detection unit 14 and various commands and input data from the keyboard 3 as they are or processes them, and takes them into the internal bus 260.
In conjunction with the CPU 210, data or control signals output from the CPU 210 or the like to the internal bus 260 are output as they are or processed to the drive unit 270.

Then, with the above configuration, the CPU 210 executes the PC
Various detection signals, various commands, various data, and the like are input via the ON 250, and font data from the CG-ROM 230, various data in the RAM 240, and the like are processed.
By outputting a control signal to the drive unit 270 via the N250, print position control and display control of the display screen 41 are performed, and the print head 7 is controlled to print on the tape T under predetermined printing conditions. , And the entire tape printer 1.

Next, the processing flow of the entire control of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. When the processing is started by turning on the power or the like, first, as shown in the figure, in order to return the tape printer 1 to the state at the time of the previous power-off, initial settings such as restoring the saved control flags are performed. (S1), and the previous display screen is displayed as an initial screen (S2). The subsequent processing in FIG. 4, that is, the determination branch (S3) for determining whether or not a key input is made and various interrupt processing (S4) are processing conceptually shown. Actually, in the tape printer 1, when the initial screen display (S2) ends, the key input interrupt is permitted, and the state is maintained until a key input interrupt occurs (S3: No). When any key input interrupt occurs (S3: Yes), the process shifts to each interrupt process (S4), and when the interrupt process ends, the key input interrupt standby state (S3: No) is set again. .

As described above, in the tape printer 1, since the main processing is performed by the interrupt processing, the user can select various printing keys (in this embodiment, the selection key 323 (FIG. 6 to FIG. Pressing the print key 322 during text printing (see FIGS. 8 to 9) and the pattern print key 333 during pattern printing (see FIGS. 10 to 11) cause various print key interruptions. Then, various printing processes are activated, and the printing target image (character string image, pattern image, etc.) based on the print image data (text print data, pattern print data, etc.) can be printed. That is, the user can arbitrarily select an operation procedure up to printing.

Hereinafter, in order to make the present invention easy to understand and to simplify the description, the tape printing apparatus 1 and the tape cartridge C in the present embodiment are simplified (modeled and imaged), and are shown in FIG. It is assumed to be as shown in FIG. That is, in the following, (the pattern image of the detection pattern P)
Is attached to the tape cartridge C, the tape cartridge C is mounted on the tape printer 1, and the print target image (character based on the text print data) is placed on the tape T accommodated in the tape cartridge C. The printing of a column image, a pattern image based on pattern print data, etc.) is shown as an image as shown in FIG. The illustrated display unit corresponds to the display screen 41 of the display 4 described above, but for the sake of simplicity, is hereinafter shown as a one-line display unit.

As described above, in the tape printing apparatus 1, various forms and various decorations can be arbitrarily set. In the following, as shown in FIG. As italic, white (white),
Examples of emphasis are given, and the typical typefaces are "Gothic" and "Mincho", which can be expressed in 1-bit binary. Is applied, and the arbitrary setting information can be expressed by a 4-bit binary code as a whole.
Although various colors can be selected as colors, hereinafter, it is assumed that a single color (monochrome: for example, black and white) is basically printed. Although a monochrome pattern can be used, a multi-value pattern such as a bar code expressed by the length and width of a bar can be used. , Simple 2
Use values.

That is, as shown in the drawing, when setting the Mincho font as a font, it is expressed by “1”, printed in black (in the illustrated example, a pattern of “■”), and the Gothic font is set. Sometimes, it is expressed as “0” and printed in white (“□” pattern in the illustrated example). Other italics,
For outline and emphasis, "1" when applying it
(Black: “■”) and “0” (white:
“□”). For example, since the detection pattern P affixed to the tape cartridge C in FIG. 9A is “□ ■ □□” (“0100” in binary), as shown in FIG. (Without emphasis), the image of the character string “Aoi” is printed by the text data.

In the reference diagrams described below, the tape T when the pattern image of the detection pattern (image based on the pattern print data) is printed as the print target image is referred to as the tape Ta so as to be easy to see and to omit the description.
(Ta1 to Ta2) and a tape T when a character string image (an image based on text print data) is printed are tapes Tb (Tb1 to Tb4). In addition, the setting information such as “Gothic” and “Italic” which is set is illustrated by graying the background (shading).

Further, in order to clarify the functions used in the tape printer 1 when printing them, the tape printer 1 capable of pattern printing (printing the detection pattern) based on the pattern setting is changed to the tape printer 1A, The tape printing device 1B is for printing text (printing a character string image) based on the pattern, the tape printing device 1C is for printing the pattern based on pattern detection, and the pattern printing is possible and pattern based on the pattern setting. The tape printing device 1D is used for printing text based on the detection (+), and the tape printing device 1E is used for text printing based on pattern setting or pattern detection. A tape printing apparatus 1F that can perform pattern printing (+).

Of course, the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment
Since all of the above-mentioned (1A to 1F) are combined, all can be substituted by the tape printer 1. However, conversely, is a tape printer which is dedicated (specialized) to only necessary functions. , And can also be realized by a tape printer that is dedicated to reduce costs. For example, when the parent and child purchase individual tape printers, the tape printer 1 and the tape printer 1B
(Above), the parent uses the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, which has everything, and the child uses the tape printer 1B that uses limited settings (the parent can change the settings). You can use such as.

Hereinafter, a specific example will be described. For example, FIG.
In the tape printing apparatus 1A (or 1D or 1E or 1) shown in FIG. 5A, the same tape cartridge CA (detection pattern P1 = "0100" (hereinafter, as shown in FIG. (To be described as “□ ■ □□”) is attached to the tape cartridge C.
Regardless of the detection pattern P1 of the detection label of A, a detection pattern P2 (a detection label on which is printed) adapted to the set information can be obtained.

In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, a state in which a text display screen is displayed (screen D10; hereinafter, the screen (display section) of the display screen 41 is referred to as screen Dxx, and simply Dx
When the pattern setting key 332 is pressed by the user (illustrated as x and used for description), a pattern setting interrupt process is activated, and a message “pattern setting” indicating that pattern setting processing is to be started is displayed ( D11) After a while (after a time sufficient for the user to confirm the message) after the display, the first item “typeface” of the pattern setting is negatively highlighted and the first candidate (for example, the previously set candidate or the default). For example, “Gothic” indicating a Gothic body of the candidate is displayed (D12). In the figure,
A display example in the case where the display screen 41 of the display 4 described above displays a plurality of rows (four rows in this case) is shown together with dotted lines.

In this state (D12), when the cursor "→" key 330L is pressed by the user, "Mincho" indicating the next candidate, Mincho, is displayed (D13). If OK in this state (D13), that is, if the user
Then, when the cursor "↓" key 330D is directly pressed, the next second item "Italic" is negatively highlighted, and the first candidate (for example, the previously set candidate or the default) is displayed. “No” indicating the “identity” of the candidate (ie, not applying “italic”) is displayed (D14). When the user wants to return to the original state (D12) from the state (D13), the user can restore the original state by pressing the cursor “←” key 330R. If it is desired to return to the selection of "font", it can be restored by pressing the cursor "@" key 330U. same as below.

If OK in this state (D14), that is, if the user wants to set the “identity”, then the cursor “↓” key 330D is pressed as it is,
The next third item “white” is negatively highlighted, and the first candidate (for example, the previously set candidate or the default candidate) “not used” (that is, “white” is not applied) is displayed ( D15). Of course, if the user wants to apply “Italic”, the above state (D14)
By operating the cursor "→" key 330L, "Yes" (that is, "Italic" is applied) may be displayed.
Similarly, here, in order to apply “white”, the user presses the cursor “→” key 330 in this state (D15).
When L is pressed, the next candidate "Yes" (that is, "white outline" is applied) is displayed (D16).

If OK in this state (D16), then
When the cursor “↓” key 330D is pressed as it is, the next fourth item “highlight” is negatively highlighted, and the first candidate (for example, “no”) is displayed.
Here, since it is not applied in the same manner as “Italic”, the “Print” prompting the next print instruction is negatively highlighted by further pressing the cursor “↓” key 330D (D17).

In this state (D17), when the selection key 323 is pressed by the user, the setting information (arbitrary setting information) by pattern setting is "Mincho", "true (not applicable to italic)", and "white outline". (Applied) "," Normal (unemphasized) "
Is determined and pattern printing is executed, and as shown in FIG. 7A, the pattern image of the detection pattern P2 (■ □ ■ □) is printed on the tape T of the tape cartridge CA (T
a1), return to the text display screen (D18: D1 in FIG.
0).

Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, for example, a detection label is created by cutting the portion of the detection pattern P2 (■ □ ■ □) of the tape Ta1, and the detection label is the same as described above. Affixed to the tape cartridge CA, attached to the tape printer 1B (or 1D or 1F or 1), and by performing text printing by pressing the print key 322, the detection pattern P2 (■ □ ■ □)
For example, a character string image of a character string "Ai" in text data can be printed as shown in the figure in accordance with the optional setting information of "white" (and non-applied italic and non-emphasized) of "Mincho".

In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, when the user presses the print key 322 while the text display screen is displayed, the interrupt processing of the normal print processing (S20: text print processing) is started. Then, first, the detection unit is read (S21). That is, as shown in FIG.
In the tape printing apparatus 1B (1D, 1F or 1), the detection pattern P2 ({□}} of the detection label is obtained by the light detection by the light detection means of the tape identification sensor 142 (see FIG. 3).
□) is detected, and the detection result is read out (S2).
1).

In this case, the detection means may be, for example, an optical detection means (light detection means) capable of optically reading (detecting) the detected image. Further, a tape T (Ta1: first tape in FIG. 7) for creating a detection label (printing a detection pattern) is made of, for example, a material having thermoplasticity, and the tape T is printed by applying heat in the tape printing apparatus 1A. If an image can be formed, a detecting means for detecting the unevenness may be used. As the former, for example, if a detected image constituted by a pattern such as a bar code is a target, light detection can be performed by a photocoupler or the like, or light detecting means capable of detecting the image itself like a scanner or the like may be used. The latter includes a mechanical detecting means for detecting irregularities by turning on / off a push-type detection switch. In the present embodiment, the detected image is a pattern image of the detected pattern, and the former light detection is used.

When the detection section reading is completed (S21), FIG.
Next, as shown in FIG. 3, text data that has already been input (for example, “say”) is read from the text data area 242 (see FIG. 3) of the RAM 240 (S22), and the CG is read.
A print image based on the font data in the ROM 230 (and according to the optional setting information of “white” (and no italic, no emphasis) of “Mincho” indicated by the detection pattern P2 (■ □ ■ □) The image is developed in the data area 244.
That is, text print data is created as print image data representing a character string image (“say”) (S23).

Next, a character string image (“Aoi”) based on the text print data is printed on the tape T of the tape cartridge CA (Tb in FIG. 7B).
1) That is, text printing is performed (S24), the process (S20) is ended (S25), and the display returns to the original text display screen. In the above-described example, the detection label of the detection pattern P2 is affixed to the same tape cartridge CA as when the label is created, but the tape printing apparatus 1B (1D, 1F
Alternatively, any tape cartridge C may be used as long as it can be mounted in 1).

As described above, the tape printer 1A (1
In D, 1E or 1), a tape cartridge CA (first tape cartridge) containing a tape T (first tape) is mounted, and arbitrary setting information is input (see FIGS. 5B and 6). A detection label that is printed with a pattern image (image to be detected) of a detection pattern (for example, the detection pattern P2 in FIG. 7A) detectable by the detection unit (predetermined detection unit) is attached to an arbitrary tape cartridge C. In order to create the pattern, a pattern image (detected image) of a detection pattern printed on the detection label and indicating the optional setting information is printed on the tape T (first tape) so that the light detection means can detect the pattern image. As a result, the printed tape T (first
Pattern image (detected image) of detection pattern of tape)
(For example, the portion of the detection pattern P2 in FIG. 7A) is cut to form a detection label, and the detection label is attached to the tape cartridge CA (arbitrary tape cartridge), whereby the tape cartridge CA Arbitrary setting information can be held in a detectable manner.

As described above, in the tape printer 1, various forms, various decorations, and the like can be arbitrarily set. For example, with the decoration setting key 324, so-called character decoration such as shading, underlining, and enclosing, and decoration such as a background pattern (including a ground pattern and an illustration) can be set. Colors such as decorative colors (including shades, saturation, color gloss, transparency, etc.) can be set. In addition, even in the above-mentioned Mincho style and Gothic style, various Mincho styles and various Gothic styles can be set, and other typefaces such as square style and line style can also be installed. As the various forms, various forms such as a form for a purpose-specific label such as video, FD, CD, and MD can be set. All of these are included in information that can be arbitrarily set by the user, that is, included in the arbitrary setting information. The tape cartridge C can hold various kinds of optional setting information.

In this case, similarly to the present embodiment, it is preferable that the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing.
As a result, the pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern indicating the information (arbitrary setting information) can be printed on the tape T (first tape) so as to be detectable, and the portion including the detected image is cut. By creating a detection label and attaching the detection label to an arbitrary tape cartridge, the arbitrary setting information can be held in a detectable manner.

In the present embodiment, the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format, and is printed on a tape T (first tape) so that the pattern image can be detected. Therefore, a detection label is created by cutting the portion including the label, and the label is attached to an arbitrary tape cartridge, whereby the detection label can be held as arbitrary setting information that can be detected by the pattern of the pattern image.

The pattern of the pattern image is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding arbitrary setting information (for example, the detection pattern P2 in FIG. 7A is a pattern indicating a 4-bit binary code “1010” (■ □ ■ □)) and a tape T so that the pattern image can be detected.
Since it is printed on the (first tape), by attaching the detection label obtained by cutting the portion to an arbitrary tape cartridge, the detection label can be detected as a code indicated by the pattern of the pattern image (as a binary code) as arbitrary setting information. Can be retained. Further, in the present embodiment, since the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image in which a code is expressed by a single color, monochrome printing can be performed, thereby reducing the cost for causing the tape cartridge C to hold arbitrary setting information. In addition, the monochrome pattern in this case may be a multi-value pattern such as a bar code expressed by a bar length or width, in addition to a binary code based on the presence or absence of a single color.

Further, in FIG. 7B, the tape printer 1B
The tape cartridge CA mounted on (1D, 1F, or 1) accommodates a tape T for printing character string images (a tape that becomes a tape Tb1 after printing: a second tape), and a tape printer 1A (1D). , 1E or 1), the detection label of the part of the pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern P2 of the tape Ta1 (first tape) printed is attached. Therefore, the tape cartridge CA is a tape cartridge C containing the tape T (second tape) and a tape cartridge C holding arbitrary setting information by the detection label.

Further, the above tape cartridge CA is
As the tape (second tape) that becomes the tape Tb1 after printing, the same tape T (first tape) as when the detection label of the detection pattern P2 is created is accommodated, and the tape cartridge C (first tape) for creating the detection label is accommodated. Since the tape cartridge 1 can be attached to the tape printer 1A (1D, 1E or 1: the first tape printer) as a tape cartridge, the tape cartridge C holding arbitrary setting information by the attached detection label and the tape printer 1A at the same time. (1
D, 1E or 1: the first tape printer)
A pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern can be newly printed on the accommodated second tape (first tape), and by cutting it, arbitrary setting information can be transferred to another arbitrary tape cartridge C. The tape cartridge C can create a new detection label to be held.

Next, in the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1) described above with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) similar to the tape cartridge CA described above is mounted, and the tape A pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern printed on the detection label attached to the cartridge C is detected, and a character string image (image to be printed) is stored in the tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) based on the detected pattern image. Is printed on the tape T (second tape).

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, when the tape cartridge CA to which the detection label of the detection pattern P1 (□□□□) is attached is attached, “Gothic” and “Italic” are printed by text printing. When the tape cartridge CB attached with the detection label of the detection pattern P3 ({□□}) can be printed (Tb2) and the character string image “Aoi” of (and white outline not applied, emphasis not applied), the text By printing, the character string image “Aoi” of “Mincho” and “emphasized” (and italic not applied, white outline not applied) can be printed (Tb3). During this time, the user only needs to replace the mounted tape cartridge C (replace the cartridge), and does not need any key operation.

That is, the tape printer 1B (1D, 1D
In F or 1), only by mounting the tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge), it is possible to set based on the pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern of the attached detection label without setting any arbitrary setting information again. Thus, the character string image (image to be printed) can be printed on the tape T (second tape). For this reason, the tape printer may not have a function of setting arbitrary setting information, that is, the tape printer 1B (or 1F).

Of course, in this case, character string data can be input, and the optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes information regarding printing of the character string image.
The print target image is a character image that is printed based on character string data in accordance with the optional setting information.
By this, just input the character string data,
The character string image can be printed in accordance with the optional setting information indicated by the detected image without setting information relating to the printing of the character string image again.

By the way, the above-described tape printer 1B (1
In D, 1F or 1), a pattern image (detected image) of the detected pattern was detected, and a character string image (print target image) was printed based on the detected pattern image. That is, text printing is performed based on the pattern detection. However, as described above, the tape printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can perform pattern printing based on the pattern detection.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, in the tape printing apparatus 1C (1E, 1F or 1), FIG.
(A), the tape cartridge CA (to which the detection label of the detection pattern P1 (□ 前述 □□) is attached) in FIG. 7 (a) and FIG. 9 (a) is attached, and the pattern print key 333 is pressed. , The pattern image of the detection pattern P1 (□□□□) of the detection label of the attached tape cartridge CA is detected, and the same pattern image of the detection pattern P1 (□ ■ □□) is detected by the tape. Printing can be performed on T (Ta2).

In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the pattern print key 333 is pressed by the user while the text display screen is displayed, the pattern print processing (S
30) Activate the interrupt processing, and first, the tape identification sensor 1
Since the pattern image of the detection pattern P1 (□ ■ □□) of the detection label is detected by the light detection by the light detection means 42 (see FIG. 3), the detection result is read (S31:
(Same as S21 in FIG. 8). Next, the pattern image is
The image is developed in the print image data area 244 of M240.
That is, pattern print data is created as print image data representing a pattern image (“□□□□”) (S
32). Next, a pattern image (“□□□□”) based on the pattern print data is printed on the tape T of the tape cartridge CA (Ta2), that is, pattern printing is performed (S33), and the process (S30) is performed. The process ends (S34), and returns to the original text display screen.

As described above, the tape printer 1C (1
E, 1F or 1), the tape cartridge C described above is used.
A tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) similar to A is mounted, and a pattern image (detected image) of a detection pattern printed on a detection label attached to the tape cartridge C is detected. The same pattern image (print target image, second detected image) as the pattern image is printed on the tape T (second tape) contained in the tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge).

Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, for example, the detection pattern P1 (□ （) of the tape Ta2 is used.
□□), a detection label is created by cutting the pattern image (“□□□□”), and the detection label is attached to the tape cartridge CB described above with reference to FIG.
B (1D, 1F or 1) and prints text by pressing the print key 322, thereby detecting the detection pattern P1 of the detection label of the mounted tape cartridge CB.
(□ ■ □□), “Gothic” and “Italic”
In accordance with the optional setting information (and no white spots and no highlights), for example, a character string image of a character string "Ai" can be printed by text data as shown in the figure (Tb
4: Based on the same setting information as Tb2 in FIG. 9).

That is, as described above with reference to FIG. 9, in the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1), when the detection label of the detection pattern P3 ({□□}) is attached to the attached tape cartridge CB. Based on this, the character string image "Ai" of "Mincho" and "emphasis" (and italic not applied, white outline not applied) can be printed by text printing (Tb3), as shown in FIG. 11 (b). Thus, the detection pattern P1 is stored in the tape cartridge CB.
(□ 検 出 □□) When attached with the detection label attached, “Gothic” and “Italic”
The character string image "Aoi" (and white outline not applied, emphasis not applied) can be printed (Tb4). During this time, the user only attaches a new detection label to the mounted tape cartridge B, and does not need any key operation.

As described above, the tape printer 1C (1
In E, 1F or 1), a pattern image (detected image) of the detection pattern printed on the detection label attached to the attached tape cartridge C is detected, and based on the detected pattern image, the same pattern image (the same as the pattern image) is detected. The print target image and the second detected image are transferred to the tape cartridge C (second image).
Printing is performed on the tape T (second tape) stored in the tape cartridge). In this case, since the image to be printed is the same image as the image to be detected, even if the optional setting information is not set again or cannot be set only by mounting the tape cartridge C, the image based on the detected image is used. The same detection target image can be printed on the tape T (second tape), and by cutting the same, new detection for holding arbitrary setting information in an arbitrary tape cartridge C other than the mounted tape cartridge C is performed. Can create labels.

Therefore, the tape printer 1C (1E, 1E
By using F or 1), detection labels on which images to be detected showing the same optional setting information are printed can be created one after another, and by attaching them to arbitrary tape cartridges C one after another, these tape cartridges C Arbitrary setting information can be stored one after another. In this case, the type in which the detected image is detected and printed as it is may be used, or the arbitrary setting information indicated by the detected image may be temporarily decoded, and the detected image may be newly created and printed according to the arbitrary setting information. It may be a type that does.

Next, the label creation method in this embodiment will be summarized. In the above-described label producing method, first, as described above with reference to FIG. : First tape printer), input the optional setting information as described above with reference to FIG. 6, and detect a pattern image (eg, P2 (■ □ ■ □)) indicating the optional setting information (“■ □”). {Circle around (2)}: The detected image is printed on the tape T so as to be detectable by the light detecting means (predetermined detecting means) (Ta1 in FIG. 7), and cut to form a detection label. As a result, it is possible to make the arbitrary tape cartridge C detectably retain the arbitrary setting information only by attaching the detection label to the arbitrary tape cartridge C.

Then, next, a detection label is attached to a tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) containing a tape T (second tape). In this case, any tape cartridge C may be used as long as it can be mounted on the tape printer 1 to which it is mounted. As a result, the optional setting information can be held in the optional tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) in a detectable manner. Further, like the tape cartridge CA used in the description of FIG. 7, the first tape cartridge and the second tape cartridge may be the same tape cartridge C. In this case, by attaching the detection label on which the detected image is printed to the tape cartridge CA used for printing the detected image as the first tape cartridge, it can be further used for printing the image to be printed.

Then, the arbitrary tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge) is mounted on the tape printer 1 (second tape printer) having the light detecting means (detecting means), and is attached to the second tape cartridge. A pattern image (detected image) of the detected pattern printed on the attached detection label is detected, and based on the detected image, a print target image is stored in a tape T (second tape) stored in a second tape cartridge. And a portion including the print target image on the second tape is cut to create a print target image label. That is, in the second tape printing apparatus, the image to be printed can be printed on the second tape based on the detected image of the detection label only by mounting the second tape cartridge and without setting the optional setting information again. By cutting it, a print target image label can be created.

The detecting means in this case may be an optical detecting means (light detecting means) as in the present embodiment, or a first tape printing apparatus capable of forming an uneven image as a detected image. Alternatively, a detecting means for detecting unevenness may be used. In this case, the tape printer 1A (1D, 1E
Or 1: the first tape printer), it is sufficient that the tape printer 1A has at least a function for setting arbitrary setting information and printing a detected image indicating the information. . Also, as the second tape printing device,
At a minimum, a function for detecting the detected image and printing the image to be printed may be provided, and may be a function having no function for setting arbitrary setting information. For this reason, the first tape printing device and the second tape printing device can be used as different types and used properly for different purposes.

In this embodiment, the tape printer 1 corresponding to the first tape printer described above includes a tape printer 1A (1D, 1E or 1), and the tape printer 1 corresponding to the second tape printer. 1, the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1) and the tape printer 1
C (1E, 1F or 1) has been described. For this reason, in the former, the tape printer 1A (or 1E: first tape printer) and the tape printer 1B (or 1E).
F: another type of the second tape printing device), and in the latter, the tape printing device 1A (or 1E: the first tape printing device) and another type of the tape printing device 1C (or 1F), which are used for different purposes. You can also.

On the other hand, the first tape printing device and the second tape printing device can be the same tape printing device 1. Using one tape printing device, the setting of arbitrary setting information and the detection of an image to be detected can be performed. , Detection of an image to be detected, and printing of an image to be printed. In this case, in the former, the tape printer 1A (1D, 1E or 1: first tape printer) and the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1: second tape printer)
The tape printer 1D (or 1) common to the tape printer can be used. In the latter, a tape printer 1E (or 1) common to the tape printer 1A (1D, 1E or 1: first tape printer) and the tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1) can be used.

In the former case, that is, when the tape printing device 1B (1D, 1F or 1) is used as the second tape printing device, the tape printing device 1B (1D, 1F or 1: Data of a character string (for example, “Aoi”) is input to the second tape printer, and a pattern image (for example, a detected pattern P2 (■ □ ■ □) in FIG. 7B) of a detection pattern (eg, an image to be detected) ) Includes information regarding printing of the character string image, and the image to be printed includes the optional setting information (for example, “Mincho”, “identical (not applicable to italic)”, “white ( Character image (“Ai”) printed based on character string (“Ai”) data in accordance with “Applied)” and “Normal (Unemphasized)”
(For example, Tb1 in FIG. 7B).

Therefore, the tape printer 1A (1D, 1D,
E or 1: In the first tape printing apparatus, information about the printing of the character string image is set as optional setting information, and a detection pattern (for example, P2 ({□}}) indicating the information is set.
□)) the pattern image (detected image) to the tape T (first
(Ta1), and the detection label obtained by cutting the portion is attached to the tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge), so that information on the printing of the character string image is transferred to the tape cartridge C (second tape cartridge). It can be stored as optional setting information.

In the tape printing apparatus 1B (1D, 1F or 1: second tape printing apparatus), a pattern image (detected image) of a detection pattern (for example, P2 (■ □ ■ □))
, And inputting character string data (for example, “say”), without setting information relating to printing of the character string image again, according to the arbitrary setting information indicated by the detected image, A) ") can be printed (Tb1), and by cutting it, a character string image label can be created.

On the other hand, in the latter case, that is, when the tape printing apparatus 1C (1E, 1F or 1) is used as the second tape printing apparatus, the label producing method of the present embodiment uses the method described above with reference to FIG. And a tape printer 1C
In (1E, 1F or 1: second tape printing apparatus), a pattern image (detected image) of a detection pattern (for example, P1 (□ ■ □□)) attached to the attached tape cartridge C is detected and printed. The image is the same image as the detected image, that is, the detection pattern (for example, P1 (□
2) (□□)) is a pattern image (print target image, second detected image).

Therefore, the tape printer 1C (1E, 1E
F or 1: The tape cartridge C (the second tape cartridge) is simply mounted on the second tape printing apparatus, and even if the optional setting information is not set again or cannot be set, it is determined based on the detected image. And a print target image (second detected image) which is the same image as the tape T (second detected image).
(Ta2), and by cutting it, a new detection label can be created for holding any setting information in any tape cartridge C other than the tape cartridge C mounted as the second tape cartridge.

That is, the tape printer 1C (1E, 1E)
F or 1: using the second tape printing apparatus, the detection pattern (for example, P1
(□ ■ □□)) The detection labels printed with the pattern images (detected images) can be created one after another, and by sticking them to any tape cartridge C one after another, any one of them can be added to these tape cartridges C one after another. Setting information can be stored. In addition, this tape printing apparatus 1C (1
E, 1F or 1: the second tape printing apparatus) may be of a type in which the detected image is detected and printed as it is, or the optional setting information is decoded once, and the detected image is re-formed in accordance with the optional setting information. A type that creates and prints may be used.

In this embodiment, in the latter case, that is, when the tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1) is used as the second tape printer, the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1) is used. Is further used as a third tape printer. The tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1) can be used as the third tape printer. In this case, the same operation as that of the second tape printer is repeated. Therefore, the description is omitted.

For this reason, in the above label producing method, as shown in FIG. 11, the tape T printed by the tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1: the second tape printer).
Pattern image (second detected image) of the detection pattern (eg, P1 (□ ■ □□)) of (tape Ta2: second tape)
The image label to be printed, which is created by cutting the portion including the character "T", is used as the second detection label, and is used as a tape T (third tape).
Is attached to a tape cartridge CB (third tape cartridge) that houses the tape printing apparatus 1B (1D,
1F or 1: third tape printer).

In the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printer), the tape cartridge C
A pattern image (second detected image) of the detection pattern (for example, P1 (□ ■ □□)) printed on the second detection label attached to B is detected, and based on the second detected image,
A second image to be printed, which is another image, is printed on a tape T (third tape) accommodated in a tape cartridge CB (third tape cartridge), and a portion including the second image to be printed is cut. A second print target image label is created.

That is, the tape printer 1B in this case
In (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printer), the detected label printed on the detection label (second detection label) is the same as in the tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1: second tape printer). An image (second detected image) is detected,
Unlike the tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1: the second tape printer), a print target image (second print target image) different from the detected image is printed. As a result, in the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printer), the detection label can be detected only by installing the tape cartridge CB (third tape cartridge) without setting any optional setting information again. Detection pattern (for example, P
1 (□ ■ □□)) based on the pattern image (second detected image), the second print target image can be printed on the third tape,
By cutting it, a second print target image label can be created.

Of course, in the present embodiment, data of a character string (for example, "Oh") is input to the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1: the third tape printer).
The optional setting information indicated by the pattern image (second detected image) of the detection pattern (for example, P1 (□ ■ □□)) includes information related to printing of a character string image, and the second print target image is It is a character image (“Aoi”) that is printed based on data of a character string (“Aoi”) according to setting information (for example, “Gothic” and “Italic” (and no white space applied, no emphasis applied)). (For example, Tb4 in FIG. 11B).

For this reason, the tape printer 1A (1D, 1D,
E or 1: In the first tape printing apparatus, information relating to the printing of the character string image is set as arbitrary setting information, and a detection pattern (for example, P1 (□ ■ □□) indicating the information is set.
□)) the pattern image (detected image) to the tape T (first
The label is printed on a tape, and the detection label obtained by cutting the portion is attached to a tape cartridge CA (second tape cartridge), and the detected label is detected by a tape printer 1C (1E, 1F or 1: second tape printer). Detection pattern that is the same image as the image (for example, P1 (□ ■ □□))
Is printed on the tape T (second tape) (Ta1), and the pattern image (second detected image) of the second
By affixing the detection label to the tape cartridge CB (third tape cartridge), information on the printing of the character string image can be transferred to the tape cartridge CA (second tape cartridge) and the tape cartridge CB (third tape cartridge).
Tape cartridge) can be stored as arbitrary setting information.

In the tape printing apparatus 1B (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printing apparatus), a pattern image (second detected image) of a detection pattern (eg, P1 (□□□□)) is detected. By simply inputting the data of the character string (for example, “Aoi”), without setting the information related to the printing of the character string image again, the optional setting information (for example, “Gothic” and “Italic”) indicated by the second detected image "(And no whitespace, no emphasis))
Character string images ("Ai") can be printed (Tb
4) By cutting it, a character string image label can be created.

In this case, the tape printer 1C (1
E, 1F or 1: the second tape printing apparatus) may have at least a function of detecting a detected image and printing a second detected image of the same image as the detected image. The tape printer 1C may be used. The tape printing apparatus 1B (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printing apparatus) has at least a function of detecting a detected image (second detected image) and printing a character string image. In this sense, the tape printer 1B may be used. For this reason, the second tape printing device and the third tape printing device can be of different types and used properly for different purposes. That is, the tape printing apparatus 1C (or 1E: second tape printing apparatus) and the tape printing apparatus 1B (or 1D: third tape printing apparatus) can be selectively used for different purposes.

On the other hand, the second tape printing device and the third tape printing device may be the same tape printing device 1, and one tape printing device may be used to detect the image to be detected. It is possible to print the same image (second detected image) and the second image to be printed, which is another image. In this case, the tape printer 1C (1E,
1F or 1: a tape printer 1F (or 1) common to the tape printer 1B (1D, 1F or 1: third tape printer) can be used.

From the viewpoint of the label creation method, it is preferable that the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing, as in the present embodiment. . Thereby, they can be set as optional setting information, a detected image indicating the optional setting information can be printed, a detection label on which the detected image is printed can be created, and the optional setting information can be set by attaching the label. It can be held in a tape cartridge. Also,
By detecting the detected image, a print target image based on the detected image can be printed, and a print target image label on which the print target image is printed can be created.

Further, in the present embodiment, the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format, and the pattern of the pattern image is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the arbitrary setting information. Yes (for example, the detection pattern P2 in FIG.
The pattern (■ □ ■ □) indicating the value code “1010” is printed on the tape T so that the pattern image can be detected. Therefore, the detection label obtained by cutting the part is attached to an arbitrary tape cartridge. By this, it is possible to store as an arbitrary setting information that can be detected as a code (as a binary code) indicated by the pattern of the pattern image, and to detect the pattern image and print a print target image based on the pattern image. Create image labels for printing. Further, since the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image in which a code is expressed by a single color, monochrome printing can be performed, thereby reducing the cost for holding the tape cartridge with arbitrary setting information.

In the above-described embodiment, the arbitrary setting information is formed into a detected image indicating the arbitrary setting information by patterning or the like. However, the detected image indicating the printing content as it is as the arbitrary setting information is obtained. And print
It may be detected and printed as it is. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example of the tape cartridge C that can be mounted inside the tape printing apparatus has been described as the tape cartridge C. However, for example, a large wound tape cartridge CC as shown in FIG. A multi-stage (multi-stage) winding tape cartridge CD or the like as shown in FIG.

For example, in the case of FIG. 14A, a detection label in which the print content (arbitrary setting information) is printed as it is as the detected image P4 is affixed to the tape cartridge CC. An application such as using a tape printing apparatus 1G that simply detects the detected image P4 and prints it as it is can be considered. In the case of FIG. 3B, the detected images P5, P6, etc., which indicate different optional setting information, are printed on the cartridges of each stage of the multi-stage (multi-stage: two stages in the illustrated example) tape cartridge CD. When printing is performed on the tapes accommodated in the cartridges of the respective stages, the detected images P5, P6, etc. of the respective detection labels are detected, and printing is performed based on the respective detection results. , Etc. are conceivable.

Although not particularly shown, for example, in a refillable cartridge for refilling a tape, every time the contents are changed, the label is changed to a detection label of a detected image indicating arbitrary setting information conforming thereto, or the contents and the Applications such as selling in combination with a corresponding detection label are also conceivable.

Further, as an application of the example in which the above-described print contents are directly used as a detected image, for example, a character string indicating a fixed message such as “Thank you for every time”, “Confirmed”, “Caution for breakage”, etc. It is also possible to print an image of a typical character string as it is as a detected image, and to use that portion as a detection label. Also,
One or more fixed character strings (for example, the above three)
May be registered in advance, and an instruction image indicating one of the registered standard character strings may be printed as a detected image, and that part may be used as a detection label. In addition,
In the former, since the detected image is a character image, the detected image can be created by a normal tape printing apparatus, and the information can be regarded as a kind of optional setting information. In addition, since the latter information can be arbitrarily set by the user in the same manner as the above-described character decoration and the like,
It can be seen as a type of optional setting information.

That is, in these cases, a character string information image indicating character string information (a type of arbitrary setting information) for printing a fixed character string image (standard character string image) in which one or more characters are arranged is covered. A detection label to be a detection image can be prepared (created). Therefore, if these detection labels are attached to a tape cartridge and mounted on a tape printer capable of detecting an image to be detected of the detection label, the tape printer does not need to input a fixed-form character string or the like again. , Based on the character string information indicated by the detected image (character string information image)
Can print standard character string images. In other words, by attaching the above-described detection label, it is possible to make any tape cartridge detectably hold information on the fixed-form character string image to be printed.

In the above case, an uneven image may be adopted (formed) instead of the printed image as the detected image.
As the detecting means, for example, as in the above-described embodiment, for example, a light detecting means capable of optically reading (detecting) an image to be detected or a detecting means for detecting the unevenness when the detected image is an unevenness image Means (irregularity detecting means) can be adopted. For example, in the case of the former (the detected image is a fixed character string image printed or formed), for example, a light detecting unit capable of detecting the image itself can be used similarly to a scanner or the like. The shape of the concave portion or the convex portion may be detected.

In the latter case (the detected image is an instruction image indicating one of the registered standard character string images), a fixed image is designated as the detected image (instruction image) as in the above-described embodiment. A pattern image (for example, an image to be detected constituted by a pattern such as a bar code) obtained by patterning a character string image instruction in a predetermined format can be adopted. If it is an uneven image, a mechanical detecting means or the like for detecting unevenness by turning on / off a push-type detection switch may be used.

In these cases, a tape cartridge to which the detection label has been attached is simply mounted on a tape printer capable of detecting the image to be detected on the detection label. Or, the pattern image) designates one of the standard character string images registered as the character string information, so that the designated standard character string image can be printed based on the character string information (instruction).

As a matter of course, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the pattern of the detected image can be a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the instruction information of the fixed character string image, or the code can be a binary code. good. Also, if the code of the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image expressed in a single color, the detected image can be created in monochrome, and the cost for holding the character string information image, especially the cost for creating the detection label, is reduced. it can. In addition, the monochrome pattern in this case may be a multi-value pattern such as a bar code expressed by the length or width of a bar, in addition to a binary code based on the presence or absence of a single color.

In the above-described example, a detection label having a character string information image indicating character string information for printing a standard character string image as a detected image is affixed to the tape cartridge. For this reason, in the tape printing method and the tape printing apparatus described above, the tape cartridge is mounted, the detected image of the detection label attached to the tape cartridge is detected, and based on the character string information indicated by the detected image, A fixed character string image is printed on the tape stored in the tape cartridge. That is,
By simply mounting the tape cartridge, a standard character string image can be printed on the contained tape based on the character string information indicated by the detected image of the attached detection label without having to input a standard character string again. .

When the detected image is a regular character string image (when the detected image is printed as it is), an input means (such as a keyboard) for inputting a character string or the like can be omitted (the input means becomes unnecessary). Become). In addition, even when the detected image is the instruction image, by registering (storing: for example, storing in a ROM or the like) the regular character string image in advance, the input unit can be omitted in the same manner (the input unit becomes unnecessary). Become). Of course, in the above-described example, a label on which the fixed character string image is printed can be created by separating (cutting) the portion on which the fixed character string image is printed.

Also, the above-mentioned fixed messages such as “Thank you for all of you”, “confirmed”, and “caution of breaking” are printed many times as a fixed character string image, and the fixed character string image (fixed message) There is a case where the user wants to cut off the part as a label and affix it to a desired place (or a product or the like). In such a case, for example, the above-described fixed message is printed in the tape printer 1G described above (there is almost no input unit) in FIG. 12, and the printed tape is replaced with the tape cartridge C before printing.
If it is wound up as a large-winding reel (for example, a 100-mm winding reel) (or a tape cartridge containing the same) as in C, the label of the fixed-form message can be created by simply cutting out the fixed-form message portion by the required number. it can. Here, the input side and the output side are large-winding reels (or tape cartridges), but one or both of them can be similarly used if they are of normal size (small size).

In the case of the above example, since the tape on which the fixed character string image is printed is wound, the same fixed character string image is continuously printed by repeating the printing from the printing of the fixed character string image a plurality of times. You can obtain a tape that has been printed multiple times. That is, it is possible to obtain a tape that can continuously produce labels on which the same fixed character string image is printed simply by separating (cutting) the fixed character string images one by one. In the same manner as described above, each time the contents are changed, for example, in a tape refillable cartridge, the contents are changed to the detection label of the detected image indicating the character string information (arbitrary setting information), or the contents and the corresponding contents are changed. Applications such as selling in combination with a detection label are also conceivable.

Further, in each of the above-described examples, the detection label on which the detected image is printed or formed is affixed to the tape cartridge (the surface of the cartridge case), so that the detected image is held so as to be detectable (that is, the arbitrary setting information). And character string information so as to be detectable), but not only the detection label but also a plate (detection plate) made of plastic or cardboard or the like on which the detected image is printed or formed in the same manner on the surface of the cartridge case of the tape cartridge. May be attached. That is, a detected image is printed or formed on the surface of some member so as to be detectable and attached to the surface of the cartridge case, so that the detected image (ie, arbitrary setting information and character string information) can be detected on the tape cartridge. Can be held. Furthermore, even if an image to be printed is directly printed or formed on the surface of the cartridge case without using any members, the optional setting information and the character string information can be similarly held detectably.

Of course, other than the above-described examples, modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0151]

As described above, according to the tape printer, the tape cartridge, and the label producing method of the present invention, the optional setting information is held in the optional tape cartridge in a detectable manner, and based on the held optional setting information. For example, it is possible to create a label on which an image to be printed is printed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer to which a tape printer, a tape cartridge, and a label producing method according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the tape printer of FIG. 1 in a cover open state.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the tape printing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a conceptual process of overall control of the tape printing apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of imaging and arbitrary setting information of the tape printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen for pattern setting and pattern printing based on the pattern setting and an operation on the display screen.

FIG. 7 is an image diagram of the pattern printing based on the pattern setting, based on the imaging of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a printing process in text printing based on pattern detection.

FIG. 9 is an image diagram similar to FIG. 7 for text printing based on pattern detection.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a pattern printing process at the time of pattern printing based on pattern detection.

FIG. 11 is an image diagram similar to FIG. 7 for pattern printing based on pattern detection.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an application example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A to 1G Tape printing device 3 Keyboard 4 Display 7 Print head 11 Operation unit 12 Printing unit 13 Cutting unit 14 Detection unit 41 Display screen 200 Control unit 270 Drive unit C, CA to CD ... Tape cartridges P1 to P3 ...... Detection pattern P4 to P6 Detected image R Ink ribbon T, Ta1 to Ta2, Tb1 to Tb4 Tape

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B65H 16/02 B65H 16/02 3F052 F term (Reference) 2C055 CC01 CC03 CC05 2C058 AC06 AD06 AE04 AF06 AF51 LA03 LA23 LA24 LB02 LB06 LB17 LB36 LC11 2C060 BA09 BC02 BC12 BC84 2C061 AP05 AQ04 AR01 AS06 AS08 HK11 HN15 2C087 AA07 AA13 AA15 AB01 BA01 BA03 BA05 BA07 BB10 BB11 BD55 CB07 3F052 AA01 AB05 BA23 CA02 DA01

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A first tape cartridge mounting unit for mounting a first tape cartridge containing a first tape, an optional setting information input unit for inputting optional setting information, and an image detectable by a predetermined detecting unit is printed. A detected image printing unit that prints on the first tape so that the detected image indicating the optional setting information can be detected by the detecting unit to create a detection label that is attached to an arbitrary tape cartridge. And a tape printer. 2. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a font, decoration, and color used for printing. 3. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning the arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format. 4. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pattern is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the optional setting information. 5. The tape printer according to claim 4, wherein the code is a binary code. 6. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image expressing the code in a single color. 7. A detection label formed by cutting a portion including an image to be detected of the first tape printed by the tape printing apparatus according to claim 1 and a second tape is attached thereto. A tape cartridge containing a tape. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second tape is used.
The first tape according to any one of the above,
The tape cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the tape cartridge can be mounted on the tape printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 as a tape cartridge. 9. A second tape cartridge mounting means for mounting the tape cartridge according to claim 7 as a second tape cartridge, and a detected image printed on a detection label stuck to the second tape cartridge. Tape printing, comprising: detecting means for detecting; and printing means for printing an image to be printed on a second tape contained in the second tape cartridge based on the detected image. apparatus. 10. A character string input means for inputting character string data in which one or more characters are arranged, wherein the arbitrary setting information indicated by the detected image includes information on printing of a character string image. 10. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the print target image is a character image printed based on the data of the character string in accordance with the optional setting information. 11. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image to be printed is the same image as the image to be detected. 12. A first tape cartridge mounting step of mounting a first tape cartridge containing a first tape in a first tape printer, and an optional setting information input step of inputting optional setting information to the first tape printer. And a detected image printing step of printing on the first tape by the first tape printing device so that a detected image indicating the arbitrary setting information can be detected by a predetermined detecting unit. A detection label creating step of creating a detection label by cutting a portion including the detection image; a detection label attaching step of attaching the detection label to a second tape cartridge containing a second tape; Attaching a second tape cartridge to a second tape printer having a detecting means, and attaching the second tape cartridge to the second tape cartridge. Detecting the detected image printed on the detected detection label by the second tape printing device; and, based on the detected image, transferring the image to be printed onto the second tape contained in the second tape cartridge. A print target image printing step for printing; and a print target image label creating step for cutting a portion of the second tape including the print target image to create a print target image label. Method. 13. The label producing method according to claim 12, wherein the first tape printing device and the second tape printing device are the same tape printing device. 14. The label producing method according to claim 12, wherein the first tape cartridge and the second tape cartridge are the same tape cartridge. 15. The label creation method according to claim 12, wherein the optional setting information includes information designating at least one of a typeface, decoration, and color used for printing. Method. 16. The label producing method according to claim 12, wherein the detected image is a pattern image obtained by patterning the arbitrary setting information in a predetermined format. 17. The label creating method according to claim 16, wherein the pattern is a pattern indicating a code obtained by coding the optional setting information. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the code is a binary code. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the pattern image is a monochrome pattern image expressing the code in a single color. 20. A character string input step of inputting character string data in which one or more characters are arranged to the second tape printer, wherein the optional setting information indicated by the detected image includes a character string image. 20. The image according to claim 12, wherein the print target image is a character image printed based on the character string data in accordance with the optional setting information. Label creation method described. 21. The label creating method according to claim 12, wherein the print target image is a second detected image that is the same image as the detected image. 22. A third tape is accommodated as a print target image label created by cutting a portion including the second detected image of the second tape printed by the second tape printing device as a second detection label. A second detection label attaching step of attaching the second detection label to the third tape cartridge, a third tape cartridge attaching step of attaching the third tape cartridge to a third tape printer having the detecting means, A second detection step of detecting, by the third tape printing device, the second detected image printed on the second detection label attached to the third tape cartridge, based on the second detected image, A second printing target image printing step of printing a second printing target image, which is another image, on a third tape contained in the third tape cartridge; 22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a second print target image label creating step of creating a second print target image label by cutting a portion of the tape including the second print target image. Label creation method. 23. A character string inputting step of inputting data of a character string in which one or more characters are arranged to the third tape printer, wherein the optional setting information indicated by the second detected image includes:
The second print target image includes information on printing of a character string image, and the second print target image includes:
The label creation method according to claim 22, wherein the label image is a character image printed based on the data of the character string. 24. The label producing method according to claim 22, wherein the second tape printer and the third tape printer are the same tape printer.