JP3444863B2 - Tape printer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer for printing an input character string of one or more lines on a strip tape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional binder spine cover or VCR (VlDE
O CASETTE RECORDER), VTR (VIDEO TAPE RECORDE)
The tape printer used for R) title label printing, etc.
A target printing tape has been prepared by printing the tape having the adhesive layer formed on one surface on the other surface by a thermal transfer method or the like.

In the conventional tape printer, operators (keys, buttons, etc.) for inputting characters are arranged on the operation panel, and the user operates the operators for inputting characters to input desired characters. Pre-fill the columns. In the tape printer, the tape feeding mechanism is driven to feed the tape from the tape ejection port. A printing mechanism having a thermal head and a tape cutting mechanism are sequentially arranged in the tape transport path.

When the printing operator is operated, the control means of the tape printer controls the tape feeding mechanism to feed the tape at a predetermined speed, and also controls the printing mechanism to pre-input the fed tape. Print the specified string. Further, the control means of the tape printer continuously controls the tape feeding mechanism even when the printing of the character string is finished, and feeds out the tape until the printed tape portion is outside the device (idle feeding), Then, the running of the tape is stopped.

After the tape has stopped running, the user operates the tape cutting mechanism to obtain a user-original label formed by printing a desired character string.

[0006]

The object to be printed by the tape printer is a label, and the user needs to print mixed characters of various character sizes more than those printed by other character information processing devices. Therefore, we offer various character sizes in tape printers.
Partially changing the font size is also possible. Such various character sizes include not only character sizes having the same number of dots vertically and horizontally but also character sizes contracted in the horizontal direction. In this way, there are many types of full-width characters, and because they can be easily switched, half-width characters are not available in conventional tape printers.
When the user wants to print a character having a size of a half-width character, the user is requested to respond with a smaller full-width character size.

Here, the half-width character is a character having a character width that is half the print width of a normal character. In particular, the number of dots for forming one character in Japanese and Chinese characters is larger than that in the English alphabet, so the number that can be expressed with as few dots as in the English alphabet is half that of the Kanji character. In many cases, both half-width numbers having the character width and full-width numbers expressing numbers with the same number of dots as Chinese characters are used.

Further, a label, which is a printed matter of a tape printer, is often used for applications such as being attached to a spine cover of a file or a cassette tape for AV equipment,
In such applications, the date is often present in the character string printed on the label. In addition, files and cassette tapes are often placed vertically, so that labels printed vertically are often attached.

As described above, when the date such as the Japanese character "October 23rd" indicating October 23rd is present in the character string, when vertically printed, "1", "0", "month", "2",
It is possible to obtain a label in which the characters "3" and "day" are individually printed side by side in the vertical direction, which makes the character string considerably uncomfortable to read. Even if the numeric characters in the date are made smaller than the character size of other characters or the reduced character size is selected as described above,
The characters "1", "0", "month", "2", "3", and "day" are printed separately side by side in the vertical direction, which is quite uncomfortable to read. Becomes a character string.

Not only in the case of vertical writing but also in horizontal writing, when a plurality of numbers are arranged, the user may feel a sense of discomfort. For example, "12 in the character string of the address
When printed, the "34th address" and the like may appear to be elongated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape printing apparatus which enhances the versatility of numeral printing and can obtain a printed label which does not cause a feeling of strangeness even for a plurality of digits such as a date and an address.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the input 1
In a tape printer that prints character strings of more than one line on a tape, (a) Reduced numbers that take in 1 / M reduced numbers of the same size as M (M is an integer of 2 or more). N for input capture means and (b) character string to be printed
When N 1 / M reduced numbers are consecutive (N is an integer equal to or greater than 1), the N 1 / M reduced numbers are divided into M units, and M-1 at the beginning or end. When the following 1 / M reduced numbers can be classified, M-1 or less 1 / M reduced numbers are printed at the size of one character of other characters, and M 1 / M reduced numbers are printed. With respect to the division of No. 2, a printing means for printing M 1 / M reduced numbers with the size of one character of other characters is provided.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, referring to the drawings as needed,
The first embodiment of the tape printer according to the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the tape printer according to the first embodiment.

In the tape printer 5, various information necessary for printing is input to the control section 20 via the input section 10, and the control section 20 controls the output section 30 to be input from the input section 10. The displayed character string or the like is monitored and the character string is printed.

The input unit 10 has a key input unit 11 for detecting a user operation and a tape width detection sensor 12 for detecting the width of the tape. The key input unit 11 includes a plurality of operators for inputting characters, a printing operator, a tape feed operator, and the like. A character code representing a character in response to the operation of these operators, a character code of each character, and the like. A control code indicating a typeface or the like, and a control code for printing or the like are output. As a result, the tape printer 5 is formed so that the typeface of characters to be printed, the character spacing, etc. can be set by operating the key input unit 11 and the character string to be printed can be input in advance. Is designed to get you started.

The tape width detection sensor 12 detects a physical identification element such as a hole formed in the tape cartridge,
The detection result is output to the control unit 20. Here, the tape cartridge stores and holds the tape in the housing. In this tape printer 5, the tape cartridge is set in a predetermined storage position and a tape is loaded. Further, the tape cartridge has identification elements such as holes corresponding to the width of the accommodated tape, and the tape printer 5 detects the width of the loaded tape based on the detection result and further detects the width. The size of characters to be printed can be set according to the width of the tape.

The output unit 30 is composed of a printing unit 30a for printing a character string on a tape and a display unit 30b for displaying a character string input via the key input unit 11.

The printing section 30a is a tape feeding mechanism 3 for feeding the tape stored in the tape cartridge at a predetermined speed.
1 and 33, and printing mechanisms 32 and 34 that print the input character string on the tape fed at the predetermined speed.

In this embodiment, the tape printer is formed so as to feed the tape from the tape cartridge at a prescribed speed by driving the tape / ribbon feed motor 31 which is a stepping motor. Further, the thermal head 32 and a tape cutting mechanism (not shown) are sequentially arranged. The tape feeding mechanism is composed of a tape / ribbon feeding motor 31 for feeding the tape, and a motor drive circuit 33 for driving the tape / ribbon feeding motor 31 in accordance with a control command from the controller 20.

The thermal head 32 is formed by closely arranging a plurality of heating elements in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tape, and by making each heating element generate heat, the ink separately stored in the tape cartridge is formed. The ink on the ribbon is transferred by heat, and characters etc. are printed on the tape. The printing mechanism is formed by the thermal head 32 and a head drive circuit 34 that drives the thermal head 32 according to a control command from the control unit 20.

As described above, in the tape printer 5, the tape feeding mechanism supplies the tape to the position of the thermal head 32 at a predetermined speed and the printing mechanism is driven so that the character string or the like can be sequentially printed on the tape. In addition, the tape feeding mechanism can be driven independently to feed the tape in an idle manner.

A tape cutting mechanism (not shown) is, for example,
It consists of two types of cutters and a cutting operator arranged at the end of the operation panel. When this cutting operator is pressed, the other cutter crosses the cutter fixed to the housing. The tape is cut so that the tape is cut. The cut tape forms a label. The tape cutting mechanism is used in the control unit 20.
It may be automatically cut under the control of.

The display section 30b is composed of a liquid crystal display 35 arranged on the operation panel and a display drive circuit 36 for driving the liquid crystal display 35 in accordance with a control command from the control section 20. Thereby, in the tape printer 5, it is possible to confirm the input character string, print typeface, character spacing, etc. through the liquid crystal display 35.

The control unit 20 is formed by a microcomputer, and has a central processing unit (CPU) 21, a read only memory (ROM) 22, and a random access memory (R).
AM) 23, character generator ROM (CG-
A ROM) 24, an input interface (IF) 25, and an output interface (IF) 26 are connected to each other via a system bus 27 to be formed.

The input interface 25 includes the input unit 10.
The control code or the like input from the device is output to the system bus 27 at a specified timing.

The CPU 21 executes the processing procedure stored in the ROM 22 corresponding to the control code or the like input via the system bus 27, and thereby controls the operation of the entire tape printer 5.

Therefore, the CPU 22 is stored in the ROM 22.
1 stores a processing program to be executed, and also stores dictionary data for converting Kana-Kanji characters. In addition, ROM
A processing program to be described later is also stored in 22.

The RAM 23 forms a work area for the CPU 21, and stores a character string or the like input through the key input unit 11 and a character string after the Kana-Kanji conversion process in the form of a character code together with a control code. To do. here,
The control code stored in the RAM 23 is a code specific to the tape printer 5 that indicates a font for printing and displaying, character spacing, character size, and the like. A fixed area is assigned to the RAM 23 as a print memory, and the tape printer 5 uses this print memory as a print buffer memory.

Specific processing programs and fixed data stored in the ROM 22 and data stored in the RAM 23 will be described later in detail. In addition,
The ROM 22 stores a processing program 22a for fetching input characters, which will be described later, and a development program 22b for printing, and these programs 22a and 22b are also stored.
When executing, the work area for that purpose is appropriately formed in the RAM 23.

The character generator ROM 24 is
Font information of characters and symbols to be printed and displayed by the tape printer 5 is stored, and in this embodiment, bitmap font information or outline font information is stored as the font information.

The output interface 26 is the CPU 21.
The font information of the character generator ROM 24 and the control command sent from the CPU 21 are output to the output unit 30 under the control of.

As a result, the CPU 21 accesses the character generator ROM 24 according to the character code and control code stored in the RAM 23 and displays the character string input by the user on the liquid crystal display 35.

When it is detected that the printing operator is pressed through the input interface 25, the CP
U21 is a head drive circuit 34 and a motor drive circuit 33.
After sending a control command to start printing, the character generator ROM 24 is accessed in the same manner, and the output data of the character generator ROM 24 is output to the head drive circuit 34 in a prescribed order. CPU2 at this time
First, the font information output from the character generator ROM 24 is temporarily stored in the print memory and output, thereby switching the write and read addresses to and from the print memory to switch the print size, character orientation, and the like. It is done like this.

As a result, the CPU 21 sequentially prints the character string displayed on the liquid crystal display 35 on the tape in the format desired by the user. When the printing of the character string is further completed, the CPU 21 drives the motor driving circuit 33 and then controls the motor driving circuit 33 so as to stop the motor driving circuit 33, thereby idling the tape and ending the printing process.

Therefore, with respect to the tape printer 5,
The user operates the key input unit 11 while monitoring the liquid crystal display 35 to input a desired character string, and then simply presses the printing operator to perform a simple operation on the tape cutting mechanism. Is output, and when the feeding of the tape is completed and the cutting operator is pressed, the tape cutting mechanism operates, and the tape is cut to form a label.

In the first embodiment, two half-width numbers (1/2 reduced numbers) having the same size as other characters are provided. In the following, half-width numbers are input and processed. The expansion process at the time of printing will be sequentially described with reference to FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B).

FIG. 1A is a flow chart showing a process of inputting half-width numbers and the like. In the case of this embodiment, half-width numbers are prepared as symbols, and when a key for instructing symbol input (for example, a dedicated key for symbol input) is operated, the CPU 21 stores in the ROM 22.
The processing program 22a shown in (A) is started.

In this embodiment, the half-width numbers used for input are "0" to "9".

First, the CPU 21 executes step 20.
1, the initial candidate for the symbol type is the liquid crystal display 3
5 is displayed. For example, as the type of symbol, VTR
Various kinds of symbols such as cassette-oriented symbols, unit symbols, descriptive symbols, creature symbols, vehicle symbols, and mathematical symbols are prepared. In this embodiment, half-width numbers are also prepared as one symbol type as described above. As the initial candidates, the most frequently used symbol type among them or the symbol type selected immediately before by the learning function is displayed. If it is a device that displays a plurality of symbol types at once, for example, the cursor is positioned at the current candidate and blinked.

Thereafter, the CPU 21 determines in step 202 whether the selection key or the change key (for example, the cursor movement key corresponds) is operated, and when the change key is operated, the CPU 21 determines in step 203 the type of symbol. The current candidate (blinking symbol type) is changed and the process returns to step 202.

When the selection key is operated in a situation where a certain symbol type is currently a candidate, the process proceeds from step 202 to step 204, and the CPU 21 discriminates the selected symbol type. When a symbol type other than the half-width numeral is selected, the CPU 21 proceeds to the processing routine shown in step 205 and performs the symbol selection process within the symbol type.

On the other hand, if the selected symbol type is a half-width number, the CPU 21 causes the liquid crystal display 35 to display any one-width number as an initial current candidate in step 206. In the case of this embodiment, the half-width numeral is displayed by taking an area for one character for display. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the dot pattern S1 indicating the half-width numeral and the numeral itself. The combination symbol of the hatched dot pattern S2 indicating "1" is displayed in a size of one character, and the display is different from the representation of numbers having the same character width as a general Kanji character as shown in FIG. 3B. Done. As a matter of course, the CG-ROM 24 stores the data in FIG.
A font as shown in (A) is prepared.

When the half-width numbers of the current candidates are displayed, the CP
In step 207, the U21 determines whether the selection key or the change key (for example, the cursor movement key corresponds) has been operated, and when the change key has been operated, the step 2
In 08, the current candidate for half-width numbers (half-width numbers blinkingly displayed) is changed, and the process returns to step 207 described above.

When the selection key is operated in a situation where a certain half-width numeral is currently a candidate, the CPU 21 proceeds from step 207 to step 209, determines that the current half-width numeral is selected, and determines in the RAM 23. The half-width numeric code is stored next to the last character code in the buffer area of the input character string of, and the display buffer area is also operated to display the character input screen at the stage when the symbol key is operated. And the dot pattern as shown in FIG. 3 (A) that defines the selected half-width numeral is displayed at the character input position indicated by the cursor when the symbol key is pressed. The process ends.

Here, in the first embodiment,
The half-width numeral code is not a pair of a half-width code and a numeral code, but one code having the same number of bits as the other character codes represents the half-width numeral. For example, the character string "10
When "1", "0", "2", and "3" of "23rd of the month" are half-width numbers, each character of these character strings is in hexadecimal notation, "EC61", "EC60", "8C8E". , "E
It is represented by "C62", "EC63", and "93FA". In this way, it is easy to take out the half-width numeral display font from the CG-ROM 24.

Although not described above, when the user presses the cancel key during the symbol selection process,
The symbol selection operation can be canceled on the way.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the user is required to select from the symbols each time he / she inputs a half-width numeral. Therefore, when inputting an N-digit half-width numeral, the user needs to perform the selecting operation from the symbol N times.

By the way, as a method for designating a half-width number, a key for instructing a half-width mode is provided, and a number input between two pressings of this key is fetched as a half-width number (this embodiment itself is different from other embodiments). (Configure) or the half-width number from the already entered number where the cursor is located during the first operation when the half-width designation key is operated twice to the already entered number where the cursor is located during the second operation There is a method of capturing it as a numeral (which itself constitutes another embodiment). However, in this first embodiment,
For the following reasons, the symbols are selected as described above.

Since the tape printer has various character sizes, it is possible to meet the reduction request of the alphabet etc. by selecting the character size.
In the above embodiment, half-width characters (half-width numbers) are applied only to the numbers. Since the number of half-width characters is limited in this way, it is not necessary to prepare many symbols even when selecting from symbols, and the device configuration (C
The G-ROM 24 etc.) is rarely complicated.
In addition, in the other selection method as described above, a new input processing routine that does not exist in the conventional tape printing apparatus must be provided. However, it is necessary to provide a new input processing routine for a small number of half-width characters. Not efficient in terms of effective use of capacity. On the other hand, in the method of selecting from symbols, it is not necessary to provide a new input processing program, and a part of the symbol selection processing program can be changed.

In the first embodiment, one half-width numeral is displayed on the liquid crystal display 35 in the size of one full-width character as shown in FIG. 3A. For the reason. Displaying the size of one full-width character can be easily performed by preparing a font for the CG-ROM 24. On the other hand, when it is attempted to display two half-width numbers in the size of one full-width character (which itself constitutes another embodiment), a calculation process therefor is required, and the process becomes complicated. Moreover, it is necessary to change the display position according to the progress of input, and it is inefficient to perform the process of displaying two half-width numbers in the size of one full-width character each time the display position is changed.

Next, the expansion processing of each character during printing (including the expansion processing of half-width numbers) will be described with reference to FIG. 1B.

The character expansion at the time of printing is performed by repeatedly expanding the character string for each character. Figure 1
FIG. 7B is a flowchart showing the expansion processing of each character which is repeatedly executed in this way. In the case of vertical writing, a method of responding by rotating the font (dot pattern) from the CG-ROM 24 at the time of expansion and a CG at the time of expansion
There is a method of storing the font (dot pattern) from the ROM 24 as it is and reading it by rotating it when the thermal head 32 is driven. However, the following description will be given for the latter case. That is, the expansion process itself is the same for both horizontal writing and vertical writing.

When the processing shown in FIG. 1B is started, the CPU 21 first determines in step 211 whether or not the character to be expanded this time is a half-width numeral. If it is not a half-width numeral, the expansion processing similar to the conventional one is performed in step 212, and the expansion processing for the current expansion target character ends.

On the other hand, if the character to be expanded this time is a half-width numeral, the CPU 21 determines in step 213 whether the next character to be expanded is also a half-width numeral.

If the next character to be expanded is also a half-width numeral, C
The PU 21 proceeds to step 214, and in the font expansion area (referred to as area 1) defined by the print pointer, of the two consecutive half-width digits, the first half-width digit and the same full-width digit font (Dot pattern) to C
It is read from the G-ROM 24 and developed. The character size in this case is determined by the attribute of the print target character string. Further, for example, the ROM 22 stores a correspondence table of half-width numeric codes and corresponding full-width numeric codes, and this table is used in the processing of step 214. FIG. 4A shows an image of the expansion processing in step 214. Subsequently, in step 215, the CPU 21 compresses the expanded font only in the horizontal direction to half (1/2) and stores it in the left half of area 1. FIG. 4 (B) shows an image of the compression storage processing in step 215.

As a method of compressing the expanded font only in the horizontal direction by half (1/2), a method of taking the logical sum of two dots adjacent in the horizontal direction can be applied as shown in the following equation.

Dnew (Xn, Ym) = Dold (X2n-1, Y
m) + Dold (X2n, Ym) Next, the CPU 21 proceeds to step 216 and continues 2 in an unused font development area (referred to as area 2; for example, the area next to the area specified by the print pointer).
Among the half-width numbers, a full-width number font (dot pattern) with the same number as the second half-width number is used for CG-RO.
Read from M24 and expand. FIG. 4C shows an image of the expansion processing in step 216. Subsequently, in step 217, the CPU 21 compresses the expanded font only in the horizontal direction to half, and
Store in the right half of. FIG. 4D shows step 217.
3 shows an image of a compression storage process in FIG.

On the other hand, if the character to be expanded this time is a half-width numeral, but the next character to be expanded is other than a half-width numeral, CP
The U21 proceeds to step 219, and displays in the font expansion area 1 defined by the print pointer, a CG character with a full-width numeral having the same half-width numeral as the character to be developed this time.
-After reading from the ROM 24 and expanding, step 220
In step 1, the expanded font is compressed only in the horizontal direction and stored in the left half of area 1, and in step 221, the blank processing of the right half of area 1 is performed.

When the dot development for the area 1 defined by the print pointer is completed as described above, C
The PU 21 moves the print pointer to 1 in step 218.
It is incremented and the series of expansion processing for the character to be expanded this time is ended.

When the font information expanded by such expansion processing is printed and the print target character string includes, for example, two half-width numbers, it is shown in FIG. 5 (A) or FIG. 5 (B). Thus, a label in which two half-width numbers are printed in the size of one character of the other characters can be obtained. Note that FIG. 5A shows the case of horizontal writing, and FIG. 5B shows the case of vertical writing.

As described above, in the first embodiment, only the full-width numeric printing font is prepared in the CG-ROM 24 and the half-width numeric characters are processed by the reduction process. Even in the conventional tape printer, there is a reduced character size in which a font of a certain character size is reduced and treated as full-width characters in order to diversify the character size. Available for

Although the expansion process which is different from the conventional process by introducing the half-width numbers has been described above, the process at the time of printing which is different from the conventional process by introducing the half-width numbers is a flowchart. Although not shown, there are other processes depending on the number of characters, such as a tape length determination process and a character size determination process. When N half-width numbers are consecutive, the number of characters there is N when N is an even number.
When / 2 and N are odd numbers, it is processed as a rounded up integer of N / 2.

According to the first embodiment, since the input of half-width numbers can be accepted and printing can be performed, the versatility of the number printing can be improved, and the multi-digit numbers such as the month, day and address can be printed without any discomfort. A tape printer that can obtain a label can be realized.

In the above, another embodiment to the first embodiment has been described, but the following other modified examples can be given.

In the above-described first embodiment, the ones in which "0" to "9" are prepared as the half-width numeric symbols used for input selection are shown, but two-digit half-width numbers from "00" to "99" are further provided. You may also prepare the symbol about.

In the first embodiment, the full-width font is prepared as the printing numeric font, but a half-width numeric font may be prepared. In this case, it is possible to prepare a two-digit font of "00" to "99". In this way, the capacity of the CG-ROM 24 increases, but the expansion processing can be expected to be faster.

In the first embodiment, when the odd-numbered half-width numbers are consecutive, the last one is printed in the half-width size. However, it should be printed in the full-width size. May be. Further, when an odd number of half-width numbers are consecutive, the first one may be printed independently, and thereafter, two half-width numbers may be set as a set and printed in full-width size.

Next, the second tape printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
Will be described. In the first embodiment, only 1/2 reduced numbers (half-width numbers) are supported as printable reduced numbers, but in the second embodiment, a plurality of types of reduced numbers are supported. is there. That is, if M reduced numbers are arranged side by side and printed, the reduction ratio is 1 as a 1 / M reduced number printed in the same size as a normal double-byte character.
Not only / 2 but also 1/3, ..., 1 / J reduction ratios are available.

The overall structure of this second embodiment is as follows.
Since it is almost the same as FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment, its illustration is omitted.

Further, the input processing of the reduced number is almost the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIG. 1A), but the following points are different.

Also in the case of the second embodiment, the reduced numeral is prepared as a symbol, and when a key for instructing symbol input (for example, a dedicated key for symbol input) is operated, C
The PU 21 starts a processing program (see FIG. 1 (A)) for fetching symbols stored in the ROM 22. In the second embodiment, the reduction numbers of the reduction ratios (1/2, 1/3, ..., 1 / J) used for input are those for "0" to "9", respectively. It is prepared.

First, the CPU 21 causes the liquid crystal display 35 to display the initial symbol type candidate, and when the change key is operated, changes the current symbol type candidate so that a certain symbol type is the current candidate. When the selection key is operated in the situation, the CPU 21 determines the selected symbol type (see steps 201 to 204). 1 / M
(M is 2 to J) When a symbol type other than the reduced number is selected, the CPU 21 performs symbol selection processing within the symbol type (see step 205), while the selected symbol type is 1 / M. If it is a reduced number, the CPU 21 displays any 1 / M reduced number as an initial current candidate on the liquid crystal display 35 (see step 206).
In the case of the second embodiment, the display of the 1 / M reduced number is displayed by taking an area for one character for display, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (A) or (B), 1 / M (1/3 or 1
/ 4) A combination symbol of the dot pattern S1 indicating a reduced number and the hatched dot pattern S2 indicating the number itself is displayed in the size of one character, and the number has the same character width as a general Kanji character. The display is different from the expression. Naturally, in the CG-ROM 24,
A font as shown in FIG. 6A or 6B is prepared.

When the 1 / M reduced number of the current candidate is displayed, the CPU 21 determines whether the selection key or the change key is operated, and when the change key is operated, the current candidate of the 1 / M reduced number is selected. When the selection key is operated in a situation where a certain 1 / M reduced number is currently changed as a candidate, the CPU 21 confirms that the current candidate 1 / M reduced number is selected, and the input character in the RAM 23 is determined. This 1 after the last character code so far in the column buffer area
/ M Stores the code of the reduced number, and also operates the display buffer area to return the display to the character input screen at the stage where the symbol key was operated, and the cursor indicates when the symbol key is pressed. The dot pattern as shown in FIG. 6 (A) or 6 (B) that defines the selected 1 / M reduced number is displayed at the character input position that has been set, and the series of processing ends (steps 207 to 209). reference).

Also in this second embodiment, the 1 / M reduced number code is not a set of a code and 1-M reduced code and a number code, but 1 of the same bit number as the code of other characters.
Each code represents a 1 / M reduced number. In this way, it is easy to extract the 1 / M reduced number display font from the CG-ROM 24.

Next, the expansion processing of each character (including naturally the expansion processing of 1 / J reduced number) at the time of printing will be described with reference to FIG.

Character expansion at the time of printing is carried out by repeatedly expanding character strings for each character. Figure 7
Is a flow chart showing the expansion processing of each character which is repeatedly executed in this way. In the case of vertical writing, a method of responding by rotating a font (dot pattern) from the CG-ROM 24 at the time of expansion and a method of responding at the time of expansion by CG-RO
There is a method in which the font (dot pattern) from M24 is stored as it is, and is rotated and read when the thermal head 32 is driven. However, the following description will be given for the latter case. That is, the expansion process itself is the same for both horizontal writing and vertical writing.

When the CPU 21 starts the processing shown in FIG. 7, first in step 301, it is determined whether or not the expansion target character at this time is a reduced numeral. If it is not a reduced number, in step 302, the same expansion processing as the conventional one is performed, and the expansion processing for the current expansion target character ends.

On the other hand, if the character to be expanded this time is a reduced number, the CPU 21 recognizes the reduction ratio 1 / M in step 303, and then, in step 304, reduces it including the reduced number to be expanded this time. Recognize how many (L in this case) consecutive reduced numbers of the rate are. It should be noted that the continuous number L to be recognized has the upper limit of the reciprocal M of the reduction ratio 1 / M recognized in step 303. That is, L
≦ M.

Next, in step 305, the CPU 21 sets the parameter K that defines the order of the L consecutive L's to 1. Then, the CPU 21 proceeds to step 306, and unused font development area (called area 2) unrelated to the font development area defined by the print pointer (called area 1); for example, next to the area defined by the print pointer. Area), K-th 1 / M
Full-width number font (dot pattern) same as reduced numbers
Is read from the CG-ROM 24 and developed. The character size in this case is determined by the attribute of the print target character string. Further, for example, in the ROM 22, 1 /
A correspondence table between the M reduced numeric code and the corresponding full-width numeric code is stored, and this table is stored in step 306.
It is used in the processing of.

Subsequently, in step 307, the CPU 21 compresses the font of area 2 to 1 / M in the horizontal direction, and then stores it in the Kth Mth divided area of area 1. As a method of compressing the expanded font to 1 / M only in the horizontal direction, as shown in the following expression, a method of taking the logical sum of M dots adjacent in the horizontal direction can be applied.

Dnew (Xn, Ym) = Dold (XMn- (M-1), Ym)) + Dold (XMn- (M-2), Ym)) + Dold (XMn-1, Ym) + Dold (XMn, Ym) ) Thereafter, the CPU 21 determines in step 308 by comparing the parameter K with the continuous number L whether or not the expansion for the last 1 / M reduced number in L has been completed, and if not completed, In step 309, after the parameter K is incremented by 1, the process returns to step 306 described above.

When the dot development of L 1 / M reduced characters for the area 1 defined by the print pointer is completed by repeating the above-described processing loop of steps 306 to 309, a positive result is obtained in step 308. , CPU
21. In step 310, the print pointer is incremented by 1 in step 310, and a series of expansion processing for the current expansion target character ends.

8 (A) to 8 (F) are areas at the time of dot development for three consecutive 1/3 reduced numbers "1", "2", "0" by the development processing shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the change of 1 and area 2 in time series. In addition,
In the dot expansion processing for two consecutive 1/3 reduced numbers of "1" and "2", the stored contents of the area 1 at the end of the expansion are as shown in FIG. 8 (D).

According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to deal with various numerical expressions desired by the user as compared with the first embodiment.

As a partially modified embodiment of the second embodiment, a modification similar to that of the first embodiment may be used, and the description thereof is omitted here. To do.

[0086]

According to the tape printer of the present invention, M
(M is an integer greater than or equal to 2) Number of 1 / M reduced-number input means that takes in the same size as other characters, and N (N is 1 or more) in the character string to be printed. Integer) of 1 / M reduced numbers in succession, the N 1s
/ M Reduced numbers are divided into M numbers, and when M-1 or less 1 / M reduced numbers are divided at the beginning or the end, the M-number is reduced to the size of one character of other characters. Not more than one 1 / M reduced number is printed, and for the 1 / M reduced number divisions of M, M is the size of one character of other characters.
Since the printing means for printing individual 1 / M reduced numbers is provided, the versatility of the number printing is enhanced, and it is possible to obtain a printed label having no discomfort with respect to a plurality of numbers such as a date and an address.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing half-width numeral input processing and print processing of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the tape printer of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a half-width numeral display method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a half-width numeral expansion process during printing according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a print example of half-width numbers according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method for displaying 1 / M reduced numbers according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing font expansion processing during printing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow of a 1 / M reduced number printing expansion process of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Input part, 11 ... Key input part, 20 ... Control part, 21
... CPU, 22 ... ROM, 23 ... RAM, 30 ... Output unit, 32 ... Thermal head, 35 ... Liquid crystal display.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (31) Priority claim number Japanese Patent Application No. 6-303359 (32) Priority date December 7, 1994 (December 7, 1994) (33) Priority claim country Japan (JP) (72) Inventor Chieko Aida 2-10-18 Higashi-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo King Jim Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomoyuki Niimura 2-10-18 Higashi-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (72) Invention Toyozawa Yoshiya 3-5 Yamato, Suwa-shi, Nagano Seiko Epson Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroyasu Kurashina 3-5 Yamato, Suwa-shi, Nagano Seiko Epson Corporation (72) Inventor Hosokawa Australia 3-3 Yamato, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture Seiko Epson Corporation (56) References JP-A-5-305749 (JP, A) JP-A-5-305750 (JP, A) JP-A-3 281363 (JP, A) JP Akira 57-64875 (JP, A) JP flat 4-99657 (JP, A) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, DB name) B41J 2/485 B41J 3 / 36

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tape printing apparatus for printing a character string of one or more input lines on a tape, wherein M (M is an integer of 2 or more) pieces of 1 / M reduced numbers having the same size as other characters. A reduced number input capturing means for capturing an input and N (N is an integer of 1 or more) 1's in a character string to be printed.
/ M When the reduced numbers are consecutive, the N 1 / M
The reduced number is divided into M numbers, and M- is added to the beginning or the end.
When one or less 1 / M reduced number can be divided, the size of one character of other characters is M-1 or less 1 / M.
The reduced number is printed, and the M 1 / M reduced number is divided into M 1's in size of one character of other characters.
/ M a tape printing device comprising a printing unit for printing reduced numbers. 2. The reduced number input fetching means selects a predetermined 1 / M from among symbol characters representing 1 / M reduced numbers.
When the symbol character corresponding to the M reduced number is selected and input,
2. The tape printer according to claim 1, wherein the tape printing apparatus is configured to take in the predetermined 1 / M reduced number when the predetermined 1 / M reduced number is input.