JP2022052129A - Printer, printing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique for enabling a user to easily grasp the residual number of printing sheets when the end of a printed medium is detected during execution of printing on a plurality of sheets, and the printing on the plurality of sheets ends in the middle.SOLUTION: When information on the end of a printed medium on the basis of a detection result of a detection part is detected during execution of printing a first printing pattern onto the printed medium of a plurality of sheets, a printer 1 prints a second printing pattern indicating the residual number of printing sheets or the number of printed sheets in a region between a printing position of the detection time point and the end in the printed medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

The disclosure of this specification relates to a printing device, a printing method, and a program.

Conventionally, a printing apparatus for printing characters, figures, etc. on a long printed medium to create a label has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In such a printing device, in a printing device capable of detecting the end of the print medium, when printing a plurality of sheets and the end of the print medium is detected in the middle of the printing, the printing of the plurality of sheets ends in the middle. do. Therefore, the user needs to replace the medium cartridge stored in the printing device with a new one, set the remaining number of prints in the printing device, and have the printing device print the remaining number of prints.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-028448

In order to set the remaining number of prints in the printing device, the user must first grasp the remaining number of prints. Specifically, it is necessary for the user to check the number of printed sheets by counting the number of printed sheets, etc., and to grasp the remaining number of printed sheets from the number of printed sheets and the number of printed sheets set at the time of printing a plurality of sheets.

However, when the number of printed sheets set when printing multiple sheets is small or the number of printed sheets is small, it is easy to check the number of printed sheets, so that it is easy to grasp the remaining number of printed sheets, but it is possible to print multiple sheets. When the number of printed sheets set at the time is large and the number of printed sheets is large, it is not easy to confirm the number of printed sheets, so it is not easy to grasp the remaining number of printed sheets.

Based on the above circumstances, an object according to one aspect of the present invention is to use the remaining number of printed sheets when the end of the printed medium is detected during the execution of multiple sheet printing and the printing of multiple sheets ends in the middle. The purpose is to provide a technology that can be easily grasped.

The printing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a transport unit that conveys a print medium, a print unit that prints on the print medium, and a detection unit that detects information about the end of the print medium. When information regarding the end of the printable medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printable medium, the said in the printable medium. A control unit that controls the transport unit and the print unit is provided so as to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position at the time of detection to the end. Be prepared.

The printing method according to one aspect of the present invention is a case where information regarding the end of the printed medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium. A second print pattern representing the number of remaining prints or the number of printed sheets is printed in the area between the print position at the time of detection and the end of the printed medium.

The program according to one aspect of the present invention detects information regarding the end of the printed medium based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium. , The processor is made to execute a process of controlling to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area between the print position at the time of detection and the end of the printed medium. ..

According to the above aspect, when the end of the printed medium is detected during the execution of printing on a plurality of sheets and the printing on the plurality of sheets is terminated in the middle, the user can easily grasp the remaining number of sheets to be printed.

It is a perspective view of the printing apparatus 1. It is a perspective view of the tape cassette 30 housed in a printing apparatus 1. It is a perspective view of the cassette accommodating part 19 of a printing apparatus 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the printing apparatus 1. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structure of a printing apparatus 1. It is a flowchart which shows the printing process of a plurality of sheets. It is a figure which illustrates the printing result when the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets. It is a figure which illustrates the printing result which concerns on the modification. It is a figure which illustrates the printing result which concerns on the modification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus 1. The printing device 1 is a label printer that prints on a long printed medium M. Hereinafter, a heat-sensitive label printer using a heat-sensitive tape will be described as an example, but the printing method is not particularly limited. The printing device 1 may be a thermal transfer type label printer using an ink ribbon. Further, although the label printer that prints by the single pass (one pass) method will be illustrated below, the printing device 1 may print by the multi pass (scan) method.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 1 includes an apparatus housing 2, an input unit 3, a display unit 4, an opening / closing lid 18, and a cassette accommodating unit 19. An input unit 3, a display unit 4, and an opening / closing lid 18 are arranged on the upper surface of the device housing 2. Further, although not shown, the device housing 2 is provided with a power cord connection terminal, an external device connection terminal, a storage medium insertion port, and the like.

The input unit 3 includes various keys such as an input key (for example, a character key and a number key), a cross key, a conversion key, a decision key (execution key), a print key, and a power key. The user can input print text, set the number of prints, give a print execution instruction, and the like by operating these keys.

The display unit 4 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electro-luminescence) display, or the like, and displays selection menus for various settings such as characters corresponding to inputs from the input unit 3, messages related to various processes, and the like. Further, during printing, the contents such as characters and figures instructed to be printed on the print medium M may be displayed, and the progress of the printing process may be displayed. The display unit 4 may be provided with a touch panel unit, and in that case, the display unit 4 may be regarded as a part of the input unit 3.

The opening / closing lid 18 is arranged so as to be openable / closable on the upper part of the cassette accommodating portion 19. The opening / closing lid 18 is opened by pressing the button 18a. A window 18b is formed on the opening / closing lid 18 so that it can be visually confirmed whether or not the tape cassette 30 (see FIG. 2) is accommodated in the cassette accommodating portion 19 even when the opening / closing lid 18 is closed. ing. Further, a discharge port 2a is formed on the side surface of the device housing 2. The printed medium M printed in the printing apparatus 1 is ejected from the ejection port 2a to the outside of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tape cassette 30 housed in the printing apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cassette accommodating portion 19 of the printing apparatus 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the printing apparatus 1. The tape cassette 30 shown in FIG. 2 is detachably housed in the cassette accommodating portion 19 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the tape cassette 30 is housed in the cassette storage unit 19.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tape cassette 30 has a cassette case 31 that houses the printing medium M. The cassette case 31 is formed with a thermal head insertion portion 36 and an engagement portion 37. Further, the cassette case 31 is provided with a tape core 32. The print medium M is wound in a roll around the tape core 32 inside the cassette case 31.

The print medium M is a heat-sensitive tape having a five-layer structure in which a separator, an adhesive layer, a base material, a color-developing layer, and a protective layer are laminated in this order from the lower layer. The separator is detachably attached to the substrate so as to cover the adhesive layer. The material of the separator is, for example, paper, but the material is not limited to paper, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) may be used. The adhesive layer is an adhesive material applied to the base material. The material of the base material is, for example, colored PET. The color-developing layer is a heat-sensitive color-developing layer that develops color by heating with heat energy. The material of the protective layer is, for example, transparent PET. The structure of the printed medium M, which is a heat-sensitive tape, is not limited to such a five-layer structure. For example, the print medium M may have no protective layer and the color-developing layer may be exposed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cassette accommodating portion 19 of the apparatus housing 2 is provided with a plurality of cassette receiving portions 20 for supporting the tape cassette 30 at a predetermined position. Further, the cassette receiving unit 20 is provided with a tape width detecting switch 24 for detecting the width of the printed medium M (heat-sensitive tape) accommodated in the tape cassette 30.

The tape width detection switch 24 is a switch for detecting the width of the printed medium M based on the shape of the tape cassette. A plurality of tape width detection switches 24 are provided in the cassette accommodating portion 19. Tape cassettes having different tape widths are configured to press a plurality of tape width detection switches 24 in different combinations. As a result, the control circuit 5 (see FIG. 5), which will be described later, identifies the type of the tape cassette from the combination of the pressed tape width detection switches 24, and detects the width (tape width) of the printed medium M.

The cassette accommodating portion 19 is further provided with a thermal head 10 which is a printing unit that prints on the printed medium M, a platen roller 21 which is a transport unit that conveys the printed medium M, and a tape core engaging shaft 22. ing. Further, a thermistor 13 is embedded in the thermal head 10. The thermistor 13 measures the temperature of the thermal head 10.

In a state where the tape cassette 30 is housed in the cassette storage part 19, as shown in FIG. 4, the engaging part 37 provided in the cassette case 31 is supported by the cassette receiving part 20 provided in the cassette housing part 19. , The thermal head 10 is inserted into the thermal head insertion portion 36 formed in the cassette case 31. Further, the tape core 32 of the tape cassette 30 is engaged with the tape core engaging shaft 22.

When a printing instruction is input to the printing apparatus 1, the printed medium M is unwound from the tape core 32 by the rotation of the platen roller 21, and is heated by the thermal head 10 as it passes between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 21. By doing so, printing is performed on the print medium M.

The printed printed medium M that has passed between the thermal head 10 and the platen roller 21 is cut by the half cutter 16 and the full cutter 17, whereby the label is discharged from the discharge port 2a. The label is a printed medium M, and more specifically, a label created by half-cutting or full-cutting the printed medium M.

The printing device 1 further includes a photo sensor 41. The photo sensor 41 is a detection unit for detecting information regarding the end of the printed medium M, and as shown in FIG. 4, from a position on the transport path of the printed medium M where printing is performed by the thermal head 10. Is also provided on the upstream side at a distance L. The photo sensor 41 includes, for example, a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The light emitting element is, for example, a light emitting diode, and the light receiving element is, for example, a photodiode. The photo sensor 41 detects the reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting element by the light receiving element, and outputs a signal to the control circuit 5 (see FIG. 5) described later. The control circuit 5 detects the end of the printed medium M as information regarding the end of the printed medium M, for example, based on the change in the amount of reflected light detected by the light receiving element. The photo sensor 41 is not limited to the photo reflector that detects the reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitting element. The photo sensor 41 may be a photointerruptor in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are arranged so as to face each other.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a hardware structure of the printing apparatus 1. In addition to the above-described components, the printing device 1 includes a control circuit 5, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 6, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 7, a display drive circuit 8, and a head drive circuit 9, as shown in FIG. It includes a transfer motor drive circuit 11, a transfer motor 12, an encoder 26, a cutter motor drive circuit 14, a cutter motor 15, a half cutter 16, and a full cutter 17.

The control circuit 5 is a control device including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control circuit 5 controls the operation of each part of the printing apparatus 1 (for example, the platen roller 21 and the thermal head 10) by expanding and executing the program stored in the ROM 6 in the RAM 7.

The ROM 6 stores a program (including a program for performing a plurality of sheets printing process shown in FIG. 6 described later) and various data (for example, fonts and the like) necessary for executing the program. The RAM 7 is a work memory used for executing a program. A part of the RAM 7 is used as a print buffer. The computer-readable recording medium that stores the program and data used for processing in the printing apparatus 1 includes a physical (non-temporary) recording medium such as ROM 6 and RAM 7.

The display drive circuit 8 is a liquid crystal display driver circuit and an organic EL display driver circuit. The display drive circuit 8 controls the display unit 4 based on the display data stored in the RAM 7 under the control of the control circuit 5.

The head drive circuit 9 controls the energization of the heat generating element 10a of the thermal head 10 based on the print data and the control signal under the control of the control circuit 5. The thermal head 10 has a plurality of heat generating elements 10a arranged in the main scanning direction, and the heat generating elements 10a heat the heat-sensitive tape, which is the printing medium M, to print one line at a time. That is, in the printing device 1, the control circuit 5 is a control unit that controls the thermal head 10 by controlling the energization of the heat generating element 10a via the head drive circuit 9.

The transport motor drive circuit 11 drives the transport motor 12 under the control of the control circuit 5. The transport motor 12 may be, for example, a stepping motor or a direct current (DC) motor. The transport motor 12 rotates the platen roller 21. Under the control of the transfer motor drive circuit 11, the transfer motor 12 rotates not only in the forward direction, which is the direction in which the printed medium M is fed, but also in the reverse direction, which is the direction in which the printed medium M is rewound. ..

The platen roller 21 is a transport unit that is rotated by the driving force of the transport motor 12 and transports the print medium M along the longitudinal direction (sub-scanning direction, transport direction) of the print medium M. The platen roller 21 is fed out from the tape cassette 30 when the transport motor 12 is rotating in the forward direction, and is fed out from the tape cassette 30 when the transport motor 12 is rotating in the reverse direction. The printed medium M is rewound.

That is, in the printing device 1, the control circuit 5 is a control device that controls the platen roller 21 by controlling the transfer motor 12 via the transfer motor drive circuit 11.

The encoder 26 outputs a signal to the control circuit 5 according to the drive amount (rotation amount) of the transfer motor 12 or the platen roller 21. The encoder 26 may be provided on the rotating shaft of the transport motor 12, or may be provided on the rotating shaft of the platen roller 21. The control circuit 5 can specify the amount of the printed medium M to be conveyed based on the signal from the encoder 26.

When the transport motor 12 is a stepping motor, the control circuit 5 specifies the transport amount based on the signal (number of input pulses) input to the transport motor drive circuit 11 that drives the transport motor 12. be able to. Therefore, when the transport motor 12 is a stepping motor, the encoder 26 may be omitted, and the control circuit 5 determines the transport amount based on the signal (number of input pulses) input to the transport motor drive circuit 11. You may specify it. By using a stepping motor for the transport motor 12, the device configuration can be simplified.

The cutter motor drive circuit 14 drives the cutter motor 15 under the control of the control circuit 5. The full cutter 17 and the half cutter 16 are operated by the power of the cutter motor 15 to fully cut or half cut the print medium M. The full cut is an operation of cutting all the layers constituting the print medium M along the width direction of the print medium M, and the full cutter 17 is a cutting device for performing a full cut. The half cut is an operation of cutting a layer other than the separator of the print medium M along the width direction of the print medium M, and the half cutter 16 is a cutting device for performing a half cut.

In the printing apparatus 1 configured as described above, the end of the printed medium M is detected based on the detection result of the photo sensor 41 during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium M. In this case, the platen roller 21 and the platen roller 21 are printed so that a second print pattern representing the number of remaining prints or the number of printed sheets is printed in the area between the print position at the time of end detection and the end of the printed medium M. The thermal head 10 is controlled by the control circuit 5. By such control of the control circuit 5, in the printing apparatus 1, when the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing on a plurality of sheets and the printing on the plurality of sheets is terminated in the middle, the remaining number of printed sheets can be easily printed by the user. Can be grasped by. Hereinafter, the control of such a control circuit 5 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a plurality of sheets printing process, and also shows a printing method. The plurality of sheets printing process is a process performed by the control circuit 5 by the processor executing the program stored in the ROM 6. This multi-sheet printing process is a process that starts when the user inputs a character or a character string to be printed, a print text, a number of sheets to be printed, or the like by a key operation on the input unit 3, and inputs a print execution instruction.

When the printing process for a plurality of sheets is started, as shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit 5 first sets the input number of printed sheets (n) to the variable PrnNum representing the number of printed sheets (PrnNum = n) (step). S11). Further, the control circuit 5 puts the text data of the input print text into a print buffer (a part of the RAM 7) as a print pattern (hereinafter, referred to as “first print pattern”) in a predetermined format (for example, a bitmap format). expand.

Next, the control circuit 5 initializes the print number counter (step S12). Specifically, the control circuit 5 sets 0 in the variable PrnCnt representing the number of print counter values (PrnCnt = 0).

Next, unless the control circuit 5 detects the end of the print medium M, the control circuit 5 sequentially processes the first line to the final line of the first print pattern developed in the print buffer (a part of the RAM) in units of one line. The process of printing the first print pattern for one sheet on the print medium M is performed by repeating printing and the forward transfer of the print medium M (steps S13 to S16). Specifically, the control circuit 5 prints one line of the first print pattern on the printed medium M (step S13), and conveys the printed medium M by one line of the first print pattern in the forward direction. (Step S14). Next, the control circuit 5 determines whether or not the end of the printed medium M (medium end) has been detected based on the detection result of the photo sensor 41 (step S15), and if the determination result is NO, the control circuit 5 determines. , It is determined whether or not the printing of the final line of the first print pattern is completed (step S16). If the determination result in step S16 is NO, the process returns to S13, and the process for the next line of the first print pattern starts.

On the other hand, when the determination result in step S16 is YES, the control circuit 5 increments PrnCnt (PrnCnt = PrnCnt + 1) (step S17) and determines whether or not PrnCnt = PrnNum (step S18). If the determination result in step S18 is NO, the control circuit 5 half-cuts the printed medium M by the half cutter 16 (step S19). After step S19, the process returns to S13, and printing of the first print pattern for the next sheet is started.

On the other hand, when the determination result in step S18 is YES, the control circuit 5 conveys the printed medium M in the forward direction by a predetermined amount (step S20). Here, the predetermined amount is the distance from the printing position by the thermal head to the full cut position by the full cutter 17. Next, the control circuit 5 fully cuts the printed medium M by the full cutter 17 (step S21). As a result, a tape piece in which the tape pieces corresponding to the number of printed sheets are half-cut is created. When step S21 is completed, the plurality of sheets printing process shown in FIG. 6 is completed.

On the other hand, when the determination result in step S15 is YES, the control circuit 5 calculates the remaining number of sheets (remaining number of prints) by subtracting PrnCnt from PrnNum (PrnNum-PrnCnt) (step S22).

Next, the control circuit 5 performs a character string printing process for the remaining number of sheets (step S23). In this process, the control circuit 5 prints the text data of the text representing the remaining number of prints calculated in step S22 as a print pattern (hereinafter, referred to as “second print pattern”) in a predetermined format (for example, bitmap format). It is expanded into a buffer (a part of RAM 7), and the second print pattern is printed in the area (hereinafter referred to as "termination area") between the print position at the time of end detection and the end in the printed medium M. .. The length of this end region in the transport direction is the distance L shown in FIG. The printing of the second print pattern is performed in the same manner as in steps S13 to S16 (excluding step S15) described above. As a result, when the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing on a plurality of sheets, the remaining number of prints is printed before the end, so that the user counts the number of printed sheets. It can be easily grasped without any problems. When step S23 is completed, the plurality of sheets printing process shown in FIG. 6 is completed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a printing result when the end of the printed medium M is detected during execution of printing on a plurality of sheets. In this example, the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing of multiple sheets of the print text "Ai", and the end area R in the printed medium M (the area between the print position at the time of end detection and the end). In addition, "remaining 15" is printed as the remaining number of prints. As a result, the user can easily grasp that the number of remaining prints is "15". The length of the end region R in the transport direction is the distance L shown in FIG. 4, that is, the distance L from the printing position by the thermal head 10 to the detection position by the photo sensor 41.

As described above, according to the printing apparatus 1, when the end of the printing medium M is detected during the execution of printing on a plurality of sheets and the printing on the plurality of sheets is terminated in the middle, the user can easily grasp the number of remaining prints. be able to.

The above-described embodiments show specific examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The printing apparatus, printing method, and program can be variously modified and modified without departing from the description of the claims.

For example, in the multi-sheet printing process shown in FIG. 6, when the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of multi-sheet printing, the remaining number of prints is printed in the terminal area of the printed medium M, but the remaining number of prints is printed. The number of printed sheets may be printed instead of the number of printed sheets.

Further, in the remaining number of sheets character string printing process in step S23 in the plurality of sheets printing process shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit 5 is the unprinted portion of the first print pattern in the middle of printing at the time of detecting the end of the printed medium M. When the second print pattern can be printed in the end area, the platen roller 21 and the thermal head 10 are controlled so that the unprinted portion and the second print pattern are printed in the end area. You may. However, in this case, the remaining number of prints to be printed as the second print pattern is a value obtained by subtracting 1 from the remaining number of prints calculated in step S22. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a printing result according to such a modification. In this example, the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing of multiple sheets of the print text "Kaki", and at the time of the detection, the unprinted part of the "Kaki" in the middle of printing (the right half of the "Ki") Since the "remaining 10" representing the number of remaining prints could be printed in the terminal area R, the unprinted portion (right half of "ki") and the "remaining 10" are printed in the terminal area R. According to such a modification, the printing of the first print pattern in the middle of printing can be completed by using the terminal area of the print medium M, so that the print medium M can be saved by one sheet of the first print pattern. Will be possible.

Although the control circuit 5 cannot print the unprinted portion of the first print pattern and the second print pattern in the terminal area during printing at the time of detecting the end of the printed medium M, the unprinted portion is printed. When printing is possible in the terminal area, the platen roller 21 and the thermal head 10 may be controlled so that only the unprinted portion is printed in the terminal area. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a print result according to such a modification. In this example, the end of the printed medium M is detected during the execution of printing of multiple sheets of the print text "Sashisuse", and the unprinted portion of the "Sashisuse" in the middle of printing at the time of the detection ("Sushisuse"). The right half of "", "se") and the remaining number of prints cannot be printed in the terminal area R, but the unprinted part (the right half of "su" and "se") can be printed in the terminal area R. Therefore, only the unprinted portion (the right half of "su" and "se") is printed in the terminal area R. According to such a modification, although the remaining number of printed sheets is not printed, it is possible to save the printed medium M for one first print pattern.

In the above-described modification, it is determined whether or not the unprinted portion of the first print pattern and the second print pattern during printing at the time of detecting the end of the printed medium M can be printed in the end area, and the determination thereof. Whether or not the unprinted portion can be printed in the terminal area is determined by the transport direction length corresponding to the number of lines of the unprinted portion, the transport direction length corresponding to the number of lines of the second print pattern, and the distance L. Can be done based on.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a specific example in which the printing device 1 has the input unit 3 and the display unit 4 is shown, but the printing device 1 does not have to have the input unit 3 and the display unit 4, and the print text. Data, print execution instructions, and the like may be received from an electronic device other than the printing device.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the control circuit 5 detects the end of the printed medium as information regarding the end of the printed medium M based on the detection result of the photosensor 41, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example. , Information regarding the termination of the printed medium M may be detected based on the signal from the encoder 26. In this case, the control circuit 5 has a predetermined length (length in the transport direction) from the transfer amount of the printed medium M specified based on the signal from the encoder 26 to the end of the printed medium M. (For example, the length corresponding to the above-mentioned distance L) may be detected as information regarding the end of the printed medium M. Then, when it is detected, it may be controlled to print the second print pattern. The encoder 26 in this case is also a detection unit for detecting information regarding the end of the print medium M.

Hereinafter, the inventions described in the scope of claims at the time of filing the application of the present application will be added.
[Appendix 1]
A transport unit that transports the print medium and
A printing unit that prints on the printed medium,
A detection unit for detecting information regarding the end of the printed medium, and a detection unit.
When information regarding the end of the printable medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printable medium, the said in the printable medium. A control unit that controls the transport unit and the print unit is provided so as to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position at the time of detection to the end. A printing device characterized by being provided.
[Appendix 2]
The printing apparatus according to Appendix 1, wherein the detection unit is provided on the transport path of the printing medium and on the upstream side of the position where printing is performed by the printing unit.
[Appendix 3]
The control unit detects information about the end of the printable medium based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printable medium. If the unprinted portion of the first print pattern and the second print pattern that are being printed at the time of detection can be printed in the area, the first print pattern that is being printed at the time of detection is possible. The printing apparatus according to Appendix 1 or 2, wherein the transport unit and the printing unit are controlled so as to print the unprinted portion and the second printing pattern in the area.
[Appendix 4]
When information regarding the end of the print medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the print medium, the detection time point in the print medium. A printing method comprising printing a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position to the end of the print.
[Appendix 5]
When information regarding the end of the printed medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium, the detection time point on the printed medium. A program characterized by causing a processor to execute a process of controlling to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position to the end of the print.

1 Printing device 2 Device housing 2a Outlet 3 Input section 4 Display section 5 Control circuit 6 ROM
7 RAM
8 Display drive circuit 9 Head drive circuit 10 Thermal head 10a Heat generation element 11 Transfer motor drive circuit 12 Transfer motor 13 Thermista 14 Cutter motor drive circuit 15 Cutter motor 16 Half cutter 17 Full cutter 18 Open / close lid 18a Button 18b Window 19 Cassette accommodation Part 20 Cassette receiving part 21 Platen roller 22 Platen roller 22 Tape core engaging shaft 24 Tape width detection switch 26 Encoder 30 Tape cassette 31 Cassette case 32 Tape core 36 Thermal head Inserted part 37 Engaging part 41 Photosensor M Printed medium

Claims (5)

A transport unit that transports the print medium and
A printing unit that prints on the printed medium,
A detection unit for detecting information regarding the end of the printed medium, and a detection unit.
When information regarding the end of the printable medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printable medium, the said in the printable medium. A control unit that controls the transport unit and the print unit is provided so as to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position at the time of detection to the end. A printing device characterized by being provided. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is provided on the transport path of the printing medium and on the upstream side of a position where printing is performed by the printing unit. The control unit detects information about the end of the printable medium based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printable medium. If the unprinted portion of the first print pattern and the second print pattern that are being printed at the time of detection can be printed in the area, the first print pattern that is being printed at the time of detection is possible. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transport unit and the print unit are controlled so that the unprinted portion and the second print pattern are printed in the area. When information regarding the end of the printed medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium, the detection time point on the printed medium. A printing method comprising printing a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position to the end of the print. When information regarding the end of the printed medium is detected based on the detection result of the detection unit during the execution of printing of a plurality of sheets of the first print pattern on the printed medium, the detection time point on the printed medium. A program characterized by causing a processor to execute a process of controlling to print a second print pattern representing the remaining number of prints or the number of printed sheets in the area from the print position to the end of the print.

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