JP2006289915A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set and store a printing character pattern showing at least an arbitrary mark without its transferring from a host computer or replacement of a ROM, and to print the mark of the printing character pattern. <P>SOLUTION: Inputting a pattern of a currency mark or the like designed by a touch input is accepted from a registration screen displayed on an LCD 4, and the currency mark pattern or the like accepted on the registration screen by a CPU 11 is stored in a flash ROM 8, associated with a currency code. When a printing direction of at least the currency mark is received, the pattern of the currency mark corresponding to the currency code is read from the flash ROM 8, and the currency mark is printed by a thermal head 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for setting and storing a print character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark without transferring from a host computer or exchanging a ROM and printing the mark of the print character pattern.

  Conventionally, when a currency mark such as $ (dollar) is printed by a stand-alone printer (a form that is used without being connected to a host computer), the pattern of the currency mark to be printed stored in the ROM inside the printer is displayed. This is done by reading.

  By the way, the currency mark is different for each country, and normally, a frequently used currency mark pattern or the like is often stored in a ROM inside the printer.

  For this reason, when it is necessary to print a currency mark that is not stored in the ROM inside the printer, it is naturally impossible to print.

  In such a case, as in Patent Document 1, a currency mark pattern or the like that is not stored in the ROM inside the printer is created on the host computer side and transferred to the printer side. After being stored in the memory, printing can be performed by reading the currency mark pattern and the like from the memory.

Also, it is possible to print currency marks that are not stored in the ROM inside the printer by exchanging the ROM with a currency mark pattern stored in each country and selecting the currency mark pattern from the ROM. .
JP 2000-343767 A

  However, in the above-described Patent Document 1, when transferring a currency mark pattern or the like from a host computer to a printer, a cable must be connected between the host computer and the printer, or the cable is short. When the host computer and the printer are separated from each other, the printer has to be moved close to the host computer, which is very troublesome.

  On the other hand, in the method of exchanging the ROM with the currency mark patterns and the like stored in each country, the trouble of connecting the cable or moving the printer to the vicinity of the host computer as in Patent Document 1 can be saved. Since the replacement work is necessary, there is a problem that the replacement work takes time.

  Moreover, since the exchange ROM stores currency mark patterns and the like that are expected to be used by many users, it is impossible to handle special marks that are not stored in the ROM. End up.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation. A print character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark is set and stored without transferring from the host computer or replacing the ROM, and the print character pattern An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of printing a mark.

The printing apparatus of the present invention is a printing apparatus capable of printing a printed character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark, and an input receiving unit that receives an input of the printed character pattern designed by touch input, and an input received A storage means for storing the print character pattern; and the storage means for storing the print character pattern in a distinguishable manner; and at least receiving the print instruction for the mark, the print character pattern corresponding to the print instruction is received from the storage means. And a control means for reading and printing.
In addition, the input receiving unit can receive an input of a conversion rate, and the control unit can calculate and print using the received conversion rate.
Further, the control means stores at least the name and the mark for each code together with the print character pattern in the storage means, and reads a corresponding code from the storage means when there is a print instruction. Can do.
In the printing apparatus of the present invention, when the input accepting unit accepts the input of the print character pattern designed by the touch input, the control unit stores the print character pattern in a distinguishable manner in the storage unit, and at least the mark printing instruction Is received, the print character pattern corresponding to the print instruction is read from the storage means and printed.

  According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, when the input accepting unit accepts the input of the print character pattern designed by the touch input, the control unit stores the print character pattern in a distinguishable manner in the storage unit. When the print instruction is received, the print character pattern corresponding to the print instruction is read out from the storage means and printed, so at least the print character pattern indicating any mark is transferred from the host computer or the ROM is replaced. It is possible to set and memorize without performing and to print the mark of the print character pattern.

  In this embodiment, when an input of a print character pattern designed by touch input is received by the input receiving means, the control means stores the print character pattern in a distinguishable manner in the storage means and receives at least a mark print instruction. The print character pattern corresponding to the print instruction is read from the storage means and printed, and the print character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark is set and stored without transferring from the host computer or replacing the ROM. And the mark of the print character pattern was printed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration according to an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 9 are diagrams for explaining a registration method of various patterns in the printing apparatus of FIG.

  The printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a communication interface 1, an LED 2, an operation unit 3, an LCD 4, a touch panel 5, a motor 6, a thermal head 7, a flash ROM 8, a RAM 9, a card 10, and a CPU 11.

  The communication interface 1 receives barcode data or the like read by the scanner, or receives data to be registered from the host computer. The received data includes a label printing format, a store name table such as store name, address, and telephone, and a free table that can store arbitrary table data.

  Note that any one of serial communication, Centronics, wireless communication, and the like can be used as a communication method using the communication interface 1.

  The operation unit 3 includes a plurality of keys related to various operations of the printing apparatus. The LCD 4 displays contents related to printing.

  The touch panel 5 accepts an instruction for setting storage of a currency printing pattern, which is a printing character pattern indicating a currency mark or a special mark such as a regional currency described later, by a touch operation. Note that the touch panel 5 may or may not be incorporated in the display surface of the LCD 4, but in this embodiment, the touch panel 5 is incorporated in the display surface of the LCD 4, and input is performed between the LCD 4 and the touch panel 5. Assume that receiving means is configured.

  The motor 6 applies driving force to a transport mechanism that transports a print medium such as a label (not shown). The thermal head 7 performs printing on a printing medium such as a label.

  The flash ROM 8 as a storage unit stores a currency printing pattern indicating a special mark such as a currency mark or a local currency set by a touch operation on the touch panel 5. Further, the flash ROM 8 has a currency table 8a and a regional currency table 8b as shown in FIG. 8 to be described later in order to store the currency printing pattern and the like. The RAM 9 is used as a work area where character patterns such as currency marks to be printed are developed.

  The card 10 can be inserted into a card slot (not shown) of the printing apparatus, and holds various data such as programs, fonts, print formats, graphics, and the like. Various data read from the card 10 can be stored in the flash ROM 8.

  The CPU 11 serving as a control unit controls the operation of each unit based on a predetermined control program, and executes LCD display currency pattern registration, currency printing pattern registration, conversion rate registration, and the like, which will be described later, and is displayed on the LCD 4. Various currency patterns set on the respective registration screens, which are input screens, are stored in a currency table 8a or a regional currency table 8b described later of the flash ROM 8.

  Next, a method for registering various patterns in the printing apparatus will be described.

  A display currency pattern setting key, a printing currency pattern setting key, a conversion rate setting key, and a setting completion key described below are displayed on the display surface of the LCD 4 in which the touch panel 5 is incorporated when various patterns are registered. It is assumed that any key is selected by pressing (touching) the touch panel 5.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, when the display currency pattern setting key is pressed (touched) (step S1), the CPU 11 executes the LCD display currency pattern registration function (step S2). The currency pattern for display registered here is for display on the LCD 4. The LCD display currency pattern registration function will be described later.

  When the printing currency pattern setting key is pressed (touched) (step S3), the CPU 11 executes a currency printing pattern registration function (step S4). The currency pattern for printing here is for printing on a printing medium such as a label. The currency printing pattern registration function will be described later.

  When the conversion rate setting key is pressed (touched) (step S5), the conversion rate registration function is executed by the CPU 11 (step S6). The conversion rate here is used for, for example, conversion of money. The conversion rate registration function will be described later.

  When the setting completion key is pressed (touched) (step S7), the registration is completed.

  Note that the display currency pattern setting key is pressed (touched) in (Step S1), the printing currency pattern setting key is pressed (touched) in (Step S3), and the conversion rate setting key is pressed in (Step S5). In the case of (touch), it goes without saying that each procedure may be mixed.

  Further, when display currency pattern setting, printing currency pattern setting, conversion rate setting, and the like are performed, a guidance message for selecting each setting procedure may be displayed on the LCD 4.

  Next, the LCD display currency pattern registration function in (step S2) of FIG. 2 will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, when the display currency pattern setting key is pressed (touched) to execute the LCD display currency pattern registration function, a dot matrix registration screen is displayed on the LCD 4 (step S8).

  On this dot matrix registration screen, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a dot matrix display surface 4a, an Enter key 4b, and a Back key 4c are displayed.

  Here, on the dot matrix display surface 4a, when any dot is pressed (touched) with a finger or an input pen (step S9), the dot matrix is black when the dot matrix is white, and white when the dot matrix is black. The display color changes (step S10).

By pressing (touching) the dot matrix display surface 4a in this way, a currency pattern for displaying a currency mark of $ (dollar) can be created, for example, as shown in the figure. The Enter key 4b is a setting completion key that is pressed (touched) when registering the created display currency pattern. When the Enter key 4b is pressed (touched) (step S11), the registration is completed. Further, when the Back key 4c is pressed (touched), it is possible to return to the previous screen.
here,

等のように、＄（ドル）以外の他の国の特殊記号による通貨マークを作成する場合には、上記同様に、ドットマトリクス表示面４ａで、いずれかのドットを指又は入力ペン等により押下（タッチ）し、それぞれの特殊記号の通貨マークの表示用通貨パターンを作成すればよい。

When creating a currency mark with a special symbol of a country other than $ (dollar) like the above, as in the above, one of the dots is pressed with a finger or an input pen on the dot matrix display surface 4a. (Touch) and create a currency pattern for displaying the currency mark of each special symbol.

  Next, the currency printing pattern registration function in (step S4) in FIG. 2 will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 5, a font to be registered is selected (step S12). In this case, for example, a key for calling a font selection screen is displayed on the display surface of the LCD 4 in which the touch panel 5 is incorporated, and when the key is pressed (touched), the font selection as shown in FIG. The screen 4d can be displayed.

  Here, WB, WL, OCR-B, XU, XS, XM, XB, XL, OCR-A, PRICE, POP1, POP2, POP3, Download Font, CG Times, and CG Trimvirate are font names.

  The font sizes (horizontal dots × vertical dots) associated with the respective font names are WB = (18 × 30), WL = (28 × 52), OCR-B = (30 × 36), XU = ( 5 × 9), XS = (17 × 17), XM = (24 × 24), XB = (48 × 48), XL = (48 × 48), OCR-A = (22 × 33), PRICE = ( 16 × 24), POP1 = (28 × 48), POP2 = (48 × 68), and POP3 = (26 × 56).

  In addition, the screen shown in FIG. 6 (a) displays the ▲ key 4e and the ▼ key 4f. By pressing (touching) the ▲ key 4e or the ▼ key 4f, the screen is scrolled up and down. Is displayed.

  In addition, a Back key 4g is displayed on the screen shown in FIG. 6A, and it is possible to return to the previous screen by pressing (touching) the Back key 4g.

  Here, when XS (17 × 17), for example, is pressed (touched) from the font selection screen 4d shown in FIG. 6A, the dot matrix is registered on the LCD 4 according to the print font size as shown in FIG. 6B. A screen 4h is displayed (step S13). The pattern displayed on the dot matrix registration screen 4h is an example of a special mark in which a vertical line is added to $ (dollar), and is created by the above-described procedure. , Can be called from the stored settings.

  In the dot matrix registration screen 4h, as described above, when any dot is pressed (touched) with a finger or an input pen (step S14), the dot matrix is white when it is white, and white when the dot matrix is black. The display color changes (step S15).

  Then, after creating a currency mark pattern for printing currency marks using special symbols as shown in FIG. 6B on the dot matrix registration screen 4h, the enter key 4i, which is a setting completion key, is pressed (touched) (step S16). Registration is complete. Here, the registered font printing pattern includes information on the selected font. Further, when the Back key 4j is pressed (touched), it is possible to return to the previous screen.

  Next, the conversion rate registration function in (step S6) of FIG. 2 will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7, conversion rate input processing is performed (step S17). In this case, for example, a conversion rate setting key for calling a conversion rate input screen is displayed on the display surface of the LCD 4 in which the touch panel 5 is incorporated, and by pressing (touching) the key, “$” = “yen”, The display prompts for input such as “£” = “yen”.

  Then, a number such as “$” = “100 yen” and “£” = “210 yen” may be input to the “yen” portion using the numeric keypad of the operation unit 3 in FIG. By setting such a conversion rate, for example, when printing on a label or the like for a product of 1000 yen, for example, $ 10.00 is printed by a predetermined calculation by the CPU 11. On the other hand, at the time of printing on a label or the like for a product with a price of $ 10.00, printing at 1000 yen is performed. Of course, $ 10.00 and 1000 yen can be printed simultaneously.

  As described above, the LCD display currency pattern registration in (Step S2) in FIG. 2, the currency printing pattern registration in (Step S4), and the conversion rate registration in (Step S6) are completed (Step S7). When the setting complete key is pressed (touched), the LCD display currency pattern, currency printing pattern, conversion rate, etc. of each currency mark are stored in the currency table 8a of the flash ROM 8 as shown in FIG. Stored for each currency code.

  In this case, when the setting completion key in (Step S7) is pressed (touched), for example, the currency code of FIG. 8A can be selected, and the LCD display of each currency mark corresponding to the selected currency code. The currency pattern, currency printing pattern, conversion rate, etc. may be stored.

  As a result, the currency mark, the currency pattern for display, the currency printing pattern, the conversion rate, etc. created in the above procedure are stored for each currency code. Management can be performed easily.

  In addition, for the name (name) of the currency mark in FIG. 8A, for example, a character input key is provided in the operation unit 3 in FIG. Or a katakana table may be displayed so that necessary characters can be selected by pressing (touching).

  When printing is performed, the dollar corresponding to each currency code (1) or (3) is designated by the CPU 11 by designating, for example, the currency code (1) or (3) in the currency table 8a of FIG. 8 (a). Alternatively, the currency print pattern, conversion rate, and the like of the pound currency mark are read out and printed on a print medium such as a label by the thermal head 7. At this time, the display currency pattern of the designated currency code (1) or (3) may be read and a currency mark to be printed may be displayed on the LCD 4.

  When any of the currency marks is printed on a print medium such as a label, a guidance message for selecting a print setting procedure may be displayed on the LCD 4.

  As described above, in this embodiment, an input of a currency mark pattern or the like designed by touch input is accepted from the registration screen displayed on the LCD 4, and the currency mark pattern or the like accepted from the registration screen is received by the CPU 11. When stored in the flash ROM 8 in correspondence with the currency code and receiving at least a currency mark printing instruction, the currency mark pattern corresponding to the currency code is read from the flash ROM 8 and at least the currency mark is printed by the thermal head 7. Thus, a print character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark can be set and stored without transferring from the host computer or replacing the ROM, and the mark of the print character pattern can be printed.

  In the present embodiment, creation of various patterns of currency marks such as $ (dollar) for each country has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and JPY (defined in ISO 4217). It is also possible to create various patterns of currency marks by abbreviations of alphabetic characters such as Japanese Yen), USD (US Dollar), CAD (Canadian Dollar), KRW (South-Korean Won), and EUR (Euro).

  Further, various patterns of currency marks by abbreviations of these alphabet characters can be stored by providing a table similar to the currency table 8a shown in FIG.

  In addition, each local group decides the name and expression method and publishes it individually, and creates various patterns of special marks in the local currency used when the value of services and goods are freely determined and exchanged. It is also possible.

  In other words, these local currencies are: Gull (near Tomakomai City), Peanuts (Chiba Prefecture), COMO (Tama District, Tokyo), YU (Haramura, Suwa-gun), Oumi (Kusatsu City), FUKU (Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture) ), YUFU (Yufuin Town, Oita Prefecture), Donga (Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture), etc., are written in letters and abbreviations, etc. It is possible to create and print various patterns of each special mark.

  It should be noted that the created regional currency special mark is stored in the regional currency table 8b of the flash ROM 8 as shown in FIG. 9 for each of the regional currency codes (1), (2), (3). Can be. In this case, as described above, for example, when the setting completion key is pressed (touched), one of the regional currency codes (1), (2), (3)... In the regional currency table 8b is selected. You can do it.

  For the name (name) of the local currency in the local currency table 8b, for example, a character input key is provided in the operation unit 3 of FIG. The hiragana table or the katakana table may be displayed on the screen so that necessary characters can be selected by pressing (touching).

  It is also possible to create various patterns of various local currencies that can be used only in limited regions of the world. In this case as well, a table similar to the local currency table 8b shown in FIG. Can be made.

  Furthermore, it is possible to create various patterns of special marks using symbols such as “*”, “#”, “♪”, and in this case, a table similar to the regional currency table 8b shown in FIG. 9 is provided. It can be memorized.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration according to an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart for explaining registration of various patterns in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the currency pattern for a display of FIG. It is a figure which shows the dot matrix registration screen in the currency pattern registration for a display of FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the pattern registration for currency printing of FIG. It is a figure which shows the font selection screen in the pattern registration for currency printing of FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the conversion rate registration of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the currency table of the flash ROM of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the local currency table of flash ROM of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

3 Operation unit 4 LCD (input acceptance means)
4a Dot matrix display screen 4d Font selection screen 4h Dot matrix registration screen 5 Touch panel (input acceptance means)
7 Thermal head 8 Flash ROM (memory means)
8a Currency table 8b Regional currency table 11 CPU (control means)

Claims (3)

A printing device capable of printing a printed character pattern indicating at least an arbitrary mark,
Input receiving means for receiving input of the print character pattern designed by touch input;
Storage means for storing the print character pattern that has received an input;
Control means for storing the print character pattern in the storage means so as to be discriminable, and reading out the print character pattern corresponding to the print instruction from the storage means and printing it when at least the print instruction of the mark is received. Characteristic printing device. The input receiving means receives an input of a conversion rate,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates and prints using the received conversion rate. The control means causes the storage means to store at least a name and a mark together with the print character pattern for each code, and reads a corresponding code from the storage means when a print instruction is given. Item 3. The printing apparatus according to Item 1 or 2.

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