JP3050344B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus which divides a text (document) consisting of characters and the like input from a keyboard or the like into a plurality of blocks and prints the text block by block via a print head. In particular, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints data for each block number that can be stored in an image buffer that expands text data into dot pattern data and stores it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of tape printers have been proposed as such printers. Such a tape printer prints characters and the like on a tape having a predetermined width to create a tape, and generally stores text consisting of code data such as characters input from a keyboard or the like. And a buffer for storing dot pattern data created based on the code data of the text memory, and prints characters and the like on a tape by a dot print head according to the dot pattern data of the image buffer. Is configured.

In such a tape printer, characters and the like are printed in accordance with the dot pattern data within the storage capacity of the dot pattern data that can be stored in the image buffer.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tape printing apparatus, when dot pattern data exceeding the storage capacity of the image buffer is created, error processing is performed to print the dot pattern data. There was a problem that it was not possible.

When this is intentionally performed, characters and the like are printed on the tape for each unit of the dot pattern data in the image buffer to create individual tapes, and unnecessary tapes formed on each created tape are created. It has been performed by cutting a blank portion (a tape portion formed on both sides of a printed portion of a character or the like) and then bonding these individual tapes so as to be continuous with each other. The operation of creating such a tape and the operation of attaching the tape are extremely complicated and very inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem of the prior art. The data in a text memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the amount of dot pattern data created by integrating each block is reduced. If the storage capacity of the image buffer is exceeded, the dot pattern data of the number of blocks that can be stored in the image buffer is printed, and error processing is performed even when the amount of dot pattern data exceeds the storage capacity of the image buffer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing measure that enables printing without any problem.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a character input means for inputting characters and the like, and a text for storing text consisting of code data corresponding to the characters and the like input from the character input means. A printing apparatus having a memory, an image buffer for storing dot pattern data created based on code data stored in a text memory, and dot printing means for performing dot printing in accordance with the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer. A block designating unit that divides code data stored in the text memory into a plurality of predetermined blocks, and inputs a block mark for each of the divided blocks; a block detecting unit that detects the block mark; Of dot pattern data that can be stored in Data length calculation means for calculating the data length, and dot pattern data created based on code data obtained by integrating each block in which the block mark is detected each time a block mark is detected by the block detection means. Comparing means for comparing the block data length with the buffer data length of the dot pattern data calculated by the data length calculating means; and when the comparing means determines that the block data length is larger than the buffer data length, Print control means for controlling the dot printing means so as to print dot pattern data of the number of blocks storable in the image buffer.

[0008]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the text stored in the text memory is divided into a plurality of predetermined blocks via the block designating means, and a block mark is input for each block. Then, the block mark is detected by the block detecting means, and the buffer data length of the dot pattern data that can be stored in the image buffer is calculated by the data length calculating means.

Thereafter, each time a block mark is detected by the block detecting means via the comparing means, the block data length of dot pattern data created by integrating each block in which the block mark is detected and the buffer The data length is compared.

As a result of the comparison by the comparing means, if it is determined that the block data length is larger than the buffer data length, dot pattern data of the number of blocks that can be stored in the image buffer is printed via the dot printing means. Things.

[0011]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a tape printer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tape printing apparatus shown with the storage cover of the tape cassette storage section opened. In FIG. 1, a tape printer 1 stores character input keys 2 for inputting characters such as characters over a plurality of lines, a print key 3, and code data corresponding to characters input from the character input keys 2. A block key 4 for dividing code data in a text memory 41 to be described later into a plurality of blocks and for inputting a block mark for each of the divided blocks, and for setting a buffer size in an image buffer 47 to be described later. Buffer size set key 5 (Specifically, set with the length of the tape T to be created as described later, for example, "30
cm), a liquid crystal display 7 for displaying characters and the like input from the keyboard 6, and a cassette storage unit 8 for storing a tape cassette 13 to be described later. ing.

The cassette housing 8 is driven to rotate by a pulse motor (not shown),
A ribbon winding shaft 9 for rotating the ribbon winding spool 21 to wind the thermal ink ribbon 17 is provided upright.
Further, a tape feed roller shaft 10 for rotating a tape feed roller 27 to be described later, which is rotatably driven by a tape feed motor 40 to be described later via an appropriate transmission mechanism, is provided obliquely forward (on the keyboard 6 side). Has been established.

Further, a thermal head 11 for performing printing on a film tape 15 described later via a thermal ink ribbon 17 is fixedly provided in front of the cassette housing section 8. In addition, the tape cassette 13 is present in the cassette storage unit 8 behind the cassette storage unit 8, and
Tape width for detecting the tape width of various tapes such as the film tape 15 stored in the tape cassette 13 (each tape has the same tape width for one tape cassette 13). A detector K is provided.

The tape width detector K includes three photocouplers P1, P2, and P3. The photocouplers P1, P2, and P3 have the back surface of the tape cassette 13 when the tape cassette 13 is mounted on the cassette housing portion 8. A discriminating member (not shown) provided in is inserted and the discriminating member selectively shuts off the photocouplers P1, P2, and P3, so that the tape cassette 13 exists and is stored in the tape cassette 13. It detects the tape width of various tapes such as the film tape 15.

In this embodiment, the film tape 15
6mm, 9mm, 12mm, etc.
There are five types, 18 mm and 24 mm, and each of the photocouplers P1, P2, and P3 adjusts the tape width in the tape cassette 13 by a combination of an "H" signal and an "L" signal generated based on selective blocking by a discriminating member. It is to detect. Since the configuration of the tape width detector K has the same configuration as that described in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 3-217860 and 3-217860, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Further, the cassette storage section 8 includes a storage cover 1 rotatably supported behind the tape printer 1.
2, the tape cassette 13 is exchanged in the open state.

Next, the configuration of the tape cassette 13 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the tape cassette 13 is stored in the cassette storage section 8 (the tape cassette 13 is shown without the upper case).

In FIG. 2, a tape spool 16 around which a transparent film tape 15 is wound
A ribbon spool 18 around which the thermal ink ribbon 17 is wound, and an adhesive tape spool 20 around which a double-sided adhesive tape 19 with release paper is wound with the release paper side facing out, are provided. 20 is rotatably supported in cooperation with a support portion provided on the lower surface of the upper case (not shown).

A ribbon take-up spool 21 is similarly rotatably supported between the spools 16, 18, and 20, and the ribbon take-up spool 21 is engaged with the ribbon take-up shaft 9 to form a ribbon take-up spool. By driving the take-up shaft 9, the thermal ink ribbon 17 used for printing is wound up.

Further, the thermal head 11 is disposed in a concave portion 22 provided in the lower case 14, and the thermal head 11 is opposed to a position where a platen roller 24 rotatably supported by a roller holder 23 can be pressed against the thermal head 11. Are located. The thermal head 11 includes a number of heating elements (the thermal head 1 of the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment).
1 is provided with 128 heating elements), and prints characters and the like on the film tape 15 via the thermal ink ribbon 17.

The tape discharge section 25 of the lower case 14
(The lower left side in FIGS. 1 and 2), the tape pressing roller 26
Is rotatably supported, and a tape feed roller 27 rotatably supported by the roller holder 23 is opposed to the tape press roller 26 at a position where the tape feed roller 27 can be pressed.

In the cassette housing section 8, a roller holder 23 is pivotally supported by a support shaft 28 in front of the tape cassette 13 (lower side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the roller holder 23 is not shown. The print position and the release position can be switched by a manual switching mechanism (FIGS. 1 and 2 both show a state where the print position is switched to the print position).

In the roller holder 23, the platen roller 24 and the tape feed roller 27 are rotatable, and when the roller holder 23 is switched to the printing position, the thermal head 11 and the pressing roller 2 are moved.
6 are arranged so as to be pressed against. The tape feed roller 27 is driven to rotate by the above-described tape feed roller shaft 10, and at the same time, the press roller 26 is driven to rotate in conjunction with the tape feed roller 27 by a gear mechanism (not shown).

The pressure contact roller 26 and the tape feed roller 27 cooperate with each other to form an adhesive of the double-sided adhesive tape 19 on the film tape 15 on which characters and the like are printed by the thermal head 11 via the thermal ink ribbon 17. The surface is pressure-bonded, and finally the tape T is created and the tape T is sent out in the direction of arrow J.

Next, a control system of the tape printing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a control block diagram of the tape printing apparatus 1, and the control apparatus 3
It is configured with 0 as the core. The control device 30 is a CPU 3
1, a ROM 32, a CGROM 33, and a RAM 34, which are connected to each other via a bus 35 and also to an input / output interface 36.

Here, the ROM 32 stores various programs, and stores a tape print control program, a print processing program, which will be described later, and various other programs necessary for controlling the tape printer 1.
The CPU 31 performs various calculations based on various programs stored in the ROM 32.

The CGROM 33 stores dot pattern data corresponding to characters such as characters input from the keyboard 6, and the dot pattern data is read from the CGROM 33 and transferred to an image buffer 47 described later. Things.

Further, the RAM 34 is for temporarily storing various calculation results calculated by the CPU 31. The RAM 34 is provided with various memories as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, a text memory 41 sequentially stores code data corresponding to characters input from the keyboard 6 as document data.
The text pointer 42 is for sequentially specifying the position of the block mark input by the block key 4 and storing the position.

Further, the buffer length data memory 43 is a memory for storing the buffer data length of the image buffer 47 set by the buffer size set key 5, and the block data length memory 44 is designated by the text pointer 42. This is a memory for storing the block data length in the block mark.

The block data length accumulation memory 45 is a memory for accumulating and storing the block data stored in the block data length memory 44 each time a block mark is designated by the text pointer 42. The flag 46 is used when comparing the data length stored in the buffer data length memory 43 with the data length stored in the block data length memory 44 as described later.
This is for storing these magnitude relations, and is set to "1" when the block data length becomes larger than the buffer data length, and reset and set to "0" when the block data length is reversed. Things.

Further, the image buffer 47 expands and stores dot pattern data read from the CGROM 33 in accordance with the character code data stored in the text memory 41. The dot printing is performed in accordance with the dot data stored in the image buffer 47.

Returning to FIG. 3, the description of the control block diagram will be continued. The keyboard 6 is controlled via the input / output interface 36, and the liquid crystal display 7 and the display controller 37 are controlled via the input / output interface 36, respectively. When a character is input from the keyboard 6, the character code data described above is sequentially stored in the text memory 41, and the keyboard 6 is controlled based on the dot pattern generation control program and the display control program. A dot pattern corresponding to the character input via the LCD is displayed on the liquid crystal display 7.

The thermal head 11 has a drive circuit 38.
, And prints the dot pattern data transferred to the image buffer 47. In synchronization with this, the tape feed motor 40 controls the feed of the tape T via the drive circuit 39.

Next, the operation of the tape printer constructed as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the print control program. In step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, initialization such as clearing of various memories is performed.

In S2, it is determined whether a key input has been made from any key on the keyboard 6. If there is a key input (S2; YES), the flow shifts to S3,
On the other hand, if there is no key input (S2: NO), the process waits until there is a key input.

In S3, it is determined whether the input is from the print key 3 or not. If it is determined that the input is from the print key 3 (S3: YES), a printing process described later is performed in S4. After that, the process returns to S2. On the other hand, when it is determined in S3 that the input is not a key input from the print key 3 (S3: NO), it is determined in S5 whether the input is a key input from a document (text) editing key such as the character input key 2. .

If it is determined that the input is a key input from the document edit key (S5: YES), the text is edited in S6, and the edited text is stored in the text memory 41. Thereafter, the process returns to S2. On the other hand, S5
If it is determined that the input is not a key input from the text editing key (S5: NO), the process corresponding to the operated key is performed in S7, and the process returns to S2. For example, when there is a key input from the block key 4,
Block processing for inputting a block mark for each block data is performed as described later.

Next, the printing process performed in S4 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the print processing program. In S10, it is determined whether or not text (document) data is stored in the text memory 41. If there is text (S10: YES), the process proceeds to S11. If not (S10: NO), a buzzer or the like is sounded in S24, error processing is performed, and the routine returns.

Here, it is assumed that a text as shown in FIG. 7 is created and stored in the text memory 41. In FIG. 7, the text includes four block data (first block data, second block data, third block data, and fourth block data). At the end of each block data, a block mark M1 is formed by the block key 4. , M2, M3, and M4 are input.

In S11, the presence of the tape cassette 13 is detected along with the width of each tape stored in the tape cassette 13 via the tape width detector K. here,
If it is detected that there is no tape cassette 13, an error process (S24) is performed and the process returns. When the presence of the tape cassette 13 is detected, in S12, the buffer size of the image buffer 47 is set by the buffer size set key 5 and stored in the buffer data length memory 43. Here, it is assumed that a buffer size of 30 cm is set as the buffer size as shown in FIG.

The set flag 46 is reset to "0" and the image buffer 47 is cleared. Further, the head of the block data is indicated via the text pointer 42. Specifically, the text pointer 42 indicates the position of the block mark M1 of the first block data (the position indicated by P1 in FIG. 7).

In the following S13, the data length of the first block data pointed by the text pointer 42 is calculated as described above and stored in the block data length memory 44, and then the process proceeds to S14. In S14, it is determined whether or not the block data length stored in the block data length memory 44 is larger than the buffer size set in S12 and stored in the buffer data length memory 43.

If the block data length is smaller than the buffer size (S14: NO), the process proceeds to S15, while if the block data length is larger than the buffer size (S14: YES), error processing is performed in S24. After being returned. In the above example, since the block data length of the first block is smaller than the buffer size, the determination in S14 is NO, and the process proceeds to S15.

In S15, after the block data length is accumulated and stored in the block data length accumulation memory 45, the flow shifts to S16. In the above example, the block data length calculated in S13 is stored in the block data length accumulation memory 45 as it is.

In S16, the block data length accumulation memory 4
It is determined whether the block data length stored in the buffer data length 5 is larger than the buffer size stored in the buffer data length memory 43. If the block data length is smaller than the buffer size (S16: NO), the block data is developed into dot pattern data in S17 and stored in the image buffer 47.

At S18, it is determined whether or not the next block data exists. If the block data exists (S18: YES), the text pointer is advanced to the block mark of the next block data at S19. After that, the process returns to S13 to process the next block data. On the other hand, when it is determined in S18 that there is no next block data (S18: NO), the process proceeds to S21 described later.

Here, in the above example, it is determined in S16 that the first block data length stored in the block data accumulation memory 45 is smaller than the buffer size. 47, and since the next block data exists in S18, the text pointer 42 is moved to the position of the block mark M2 (the position indicated by P2 in FIG. 7) of the next second block in S19, and then to S13. Return.

Thereafter, the processes of S13 to S19 are performed on the second block data and the third block data in the same manner as described above. In S19, the position of the text pointer 42 is changed to the position of the block mark M3 (the position indicated by P3 in FIG. 7). ) To the position of the block mark M4 (the position indicated by P4 in FIG. 7), and then stores the fourth block data in the integration memory 4.
5 (S15), the block data length obtained by integrating the first block data to the fourth block data in S16 becomes larger than the buffer size of the image buffer 47, so that the determination is YES, and S
20.

On the other hand, in S16, the integrated block data in the block data
7 (S16: YE)
S), the set flag 46 is set to "1" in S20, and the dot pattern data developed and stored in the image buffer 47 is stored in the thermal head 11 in S21.
Is printed on the film tape 15 via the.

According to the above-described example, the first to third block data are printed on the film tape 15 via the thermal head 11 by the processes of S20 and S21.

In the next S22, the set flag 46
Is set to "1", and if it is set (S22: YES), the block data length accumulation memory 45 is cleared in S23 and the set flag 46 is reset to "0". . Further, the image buffer 47 is cleared. Thereafter, the process returns to S13. If "1" is not set in the set flag 46 in S22 (S22: NO), the process returns and the printing process is performed again.

In the above example, as described above, S21
After printing the first to third block data in the image buffer 47 in S22, S22 and S
23, the process returns to S13.
Steps 13 to S16 are performed. In S16, the determination is NO because the block data stored in the block data length accumulation memory 45 is only the fourth block data, and the fourth block data is expanded in the image buffer 47 in S17.

In S18, since the next block data does not exist, the determination is NO, and the flow shifts to S21 to print the contents (fourth block data) of the image buffer 47. In S22, the set flag 46 is set to the value in S23.
Is reset to "0", so that the determination is NO and the process is returned.

As described above in detail, in the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the text stored in the text memory 41 is divided into the first to fourth block data via the block key 4, and Block marks M1, M for each of the divided block data
2, M3 and M4 are input, and the text pointer 42 is input.
Each time block marks M1, M2, M3, and M4 are detected through block data, each block data is integrated, and the integrated block data length and buffer size set key 5
Is compared with the data length of the image buffer 47 stored in the buffer data length memory 43 via the thermal head 11 for each block data storable in the image buffer 47. Therefore, even when the amount of dot pattern data created by integrating each block exceeds the storage capacity of the image buffer, printing can be performed without performing error processing.

This eliminates the need for a complicated operation such as creating a plurality of tapes for each set of data and attaching them to each other as in a conventional tape printer.

Since the buffer length of the image buffer 47 can be appropriately changed by the buffer size set key 5, even if one block length exceeds, for example, 30 cm, the image buffer 47 can be changed to 30 cm or more. Therefore, the above operation can be completely eliminated.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0060]

As described above, the present invention divides data in a text memory into a plurality of blocks, and when the amount of dot pattern data created by integrating each block exceeds the storage capacity of the image buffer. Provides a printing measure that prints the dot pattern data of the number of blocks that can be stored in the image buffer, so that even if the amount of dot pattern data exceeds the storage capacity of the image buffer, it can be printed without error processing. The industrial effect is great.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tape printer in which a storage cover of a tape cassette storage unit is opened.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a state where a tape cassette is stored in a cassette storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the tape printer.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing various memories provided in a RAM.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a tape print control program.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a print processing program.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state in which text stored in a text memory is divided into block data.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tape printer 2 character input key 3 print key 4 block key 5 buffer size set key 6 keyboard 11 thermal head 30 controller 31 CPU 32 ROM 33 CGROM 34 RAM 41 text memory 43 buffer data length memory 44 block data length memory 45 block Data length accumulation memory 46 Set flag 47 Image buffer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-3-92368 (JP, A) JP-A-63-723 (JP, A) JP-A-4-99666 (JP, A) JP-A-3-92368 133733 (JP, A) JP-A-61-158379 (JP, A) JP-A-2-261666 (JP, A) JP-A-62-163467 (JP, A) JP-A-3-161370 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 5/30 B41J 3/36 G06F 17/21

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A character input device for inputting a character or the like, a text memory for storing text composed of code data corresponding to the character or the like input from the character input device, and a code memory stored in the text memory. A printing apparatus comprising: an image buffer for storing created dot pattern data; and dot printing means for performing dot printing in accordance with the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer, wherein a plurality of code data stored in the text memory are Block designating means for dividing into blocks and inputting block marks for each of the divided blocks, block detecting means for detecting the block marks, and calculating a buffer data length of dot pattern data that can be stored in the image buffer Data length calculation means; Each time a block mark is detected by the block detection means, the block data length of dot pattern data created based on code data obtained by integrating each block in which the block mark is detected is calculated by the data length calculation means. Comparing means for comparing the buffer data length of the dot pattern data with the buffer data length, and when the comparing means determines that the block data length is larger than the buffer data length, the dot pattern of the number of blocks that can be stored in the image buffer. A printing control means for controlling the dot printing means so as to print data.