JP6202168B2 - Printer and printer control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer and a printer control method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a system including a recording apparatus, a system that performs recording using a template created in advance is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of recording apparatus performs recording of labels and the like by arranging data input from a control computer or the like according to a stored template.

JP 2012-048415 A

  In the conventional recording apparatus, it is conceivable to change the template in order to improve the output expression of a recorded matter such as a label. In this case, the computer on the control side needs to output data so that it conforms to the template used by the recording device, so changing the template requires changes to the software on the computer on the control side. is there. However, there are many cases where it is not easy to change the software, such as when the computer that controls the recording device constitutes a complicated business system such as accounting processing. In such a case, the output expression of the recorded matter should be improved. It was difficult to plan.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printer which can easily change the recording mode, and aims to provide a control method of the printer.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a print execution unit that executes printing on a medium, a control unit that acquires a template including information that specifies a print form of data of a print element, and the print execution unit. A storage unit that holds data relating to the printing, and the control unit acquires a first template as the template and changes a command for specifying the printing form included in the first template, or When the command for adding the information specifying the print form to the first template is received, the second information for specifying the print form for the first template is changed or added based on the command. A printing command including information for designating the first template, storing the template in the storage unit in association with the first template When receiving, acquiring the second template from the storage unit, to execute printing by controlling the printing unit based on the acquired and the second template and the print command, and wherein the.
Further, according to the present invention, the storage unit holds the first template, and the control unit receives the print command, and if the second template is not held in the storage unit, One template is acquired, and printing is executed by controlling the print execution unit based on the first template and the print command.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the second template has information for designating a print color different from the print color in the first template as information for designating the changed or added print form.
In the invention, it is preferable that the template includes information specifying at least one of a position and a size of the print element in a print area of the medium as information specifying a print form of data of the print element. And
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the control unit converts the second template into a second command system different from the first command system constituting the first template and stores the second command system in the storage unit. .
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the print command is configured by the first command system, and the information for designating the first template is a command included in the first command system.
In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the name of the first template and the name of the second template include the same character string.
Further, the present invention provides a print execution unit that executes printing on a medium, a control unit that acquires a template that includes information that specifies a print mode of print element data, and data related to the printing by the print execution unit. A storage unit that holds the first template as the template, and a command for changing the information specifying the printing form included in the first template, or the first When a command for adding information specifying the print form to the template is received, the second template in which the information specifying the print form is changed or added to the first template based on the command is added to the second template. A print command including information specifying the first template is received in association with one template and stored in the storage unit. When acquires the second template from said storage unit, characterized in that to execute printing by controlling the printing unit based on the acquired and the second template and the print command.
In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to the present invention is associated with a recording unit, a first storage unit that stores a first template that specifies a recording form of data of a recording element, and the first template. The second storage means for storing the second template in which the data of the recording element is changed and / or added, and the recording instruction including the data specifying the first template are input. Recording control means for acquiring the second template corresponding to the first template from the second storage means and recording the second template by the recording means.
According to the present invention, when a recording instruction specifying the first template is input, the recording apparatus performs recording using the second template corresponding to the first template. Thereby, since it records with a different recording form, without changing the recording instruction | indication input into a recording device, the recording form of a recorded matter can be changed easily.

In the recording apparatus, when there is no second template corresponding to the designated first template, the first template is acquired from the first storage unit and recorded. And
According to the present invention, recording can be executed even if there is no second template corresponding to the designated first template. Therefore, the second templates corresponding to all the first templates do not have to be prepared. For this reason, it is possible to change the recording form so as to use the second template only for some of the first templates. Therefore, the restrictions related to the change of the recording form can be relaxed, and the recording form can be changed more easily.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the recording apparatus, the second template is obtained by newly adding data designating a recording form of data of the recording element to the first template.
According to the present invention, by replacing a template used for recording with a template in which data specifying a recording form is newly added, the range of output expression is further expanded without changing an input recording instruction. be able to.

The present invention is the above recording apparatus, wherein the second template includes data specifying a recording color of the recording element as data specifying a recording form of data of the recording element. .
According to the present invention, it is possible to newly specify a recording color without changing an input recording instruction by replacing the template with a template in which data specifying the recording color is newly added. The range of output expression can be further expanded.

In the recording apparatus, the second template may specify at least one of a position and a size of the recording element in a recording area of a recording medium as data for specifying a recording form of the data of the recording element. It is characterized by including the data to perform.
According to the present invention, the position and size of a recording element can be flexibly changed without changing the input recording instruction, and the range of output expression can be further increased.

The present invention also relates to a recording means, a first storage means for storing a first template for designating a recording form of data of the recording element, and the data of the recording element associated with the first template. And / or a recording apparatus control method comprising: a second storage unit that stores the added second template; and a recording control unit that records the added second template, and includes data specifying the first template. When a recording instruction is input, the second template corresponding to the designated first template is acquired from the second storage unit and recorded in the recording unit.
According to the present invention, when a recording instruction specifying the first template is input by the recording apparatus, recording is performed using the second template corresponding to the first template. Thereby, it is possible to record in different recording forms without changing the recording instruction input to the recording apparatus, and the recording form of the recorded matter can be easily changed.

  According to the present invention, even if the recording instruction input to the recording apparatus is not changed, recording can be performed with different recording forms, and the recording form of the recorded matter can be easily changed.

1 is a functional block diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the template used with a printing system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement which concerns on a template conversion process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the sequence of a template conversion process. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of a 1st and 2nd template. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement which concerns on a printing process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the sequence of a printing process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a 1st and 2nd template. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a 1st and 2nd template. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a 1st and 2nd template. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a 1st and 2nd template. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a printing process of a printer.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system 1 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a printing system 1 (recording system) is a system that prints (records) and outputs a label, for example. A host computer 2 that outputs a print command as a print command (recording command), and a printer 3. (Recording device) and the template terminal 5 are connected by a network 4. In FIG. 1, a printer 6 that is not provided in the printing system 1 is illustrated for explanation. The printing system 1 may include a POS system.
The host computer 2 includes a CPU that executes programs, a ROM that stores basic control programs executed by the CPU and data to be processed, a RAM that temporarily stores programs executed by the CPU, processed data, programs, The computer includes a nonvolatile storage device that stores data and the like. The host computer 2 has an application program 21 and a device driver 23 and outputs a print command to be printed by the printer 6. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which characters and images are printed on a printing area of a label sheet, which is a recording medium having an adhesive material on the back side, and a label that is a cut sheet of a predetermined size is printed out by the printing system 1. To do.

  The application program 21 has a function of designating a template stored in advance in the printer 6 and instructing execution of printing. As will be described later, in the printing system 1, a plurality of templates used for printing are set in advance and stored in the printer 6, for example. The application program 21 designates a template to be used for printing from among a plurality of templates. The device driver 23 is a program for controlling the printer 6 created in accordance with the hardware specifications and software specifications of the printer 6. When the application program 21 instructs execution of printing, the device driver 23 creates and outputs a print command composed of commands in a command system (hereinafter referred to as a first command system) that can be interpreted by the printer 6. When a template is designated by the application program 21, the device driver 23 generates a command including information on the designated template and outputs it to the printer 6.

The printing system 1 does not actually include the printer 6, and the printer 3 receives and executes a print command transmitted from the host computer 2 to the printer 6. As will be described later, the printer 3 emulates the functions of the printer 6, interprets the print command described in the first command system, and prints the label in a printing form different from the case where the printer 6 prints. That is, the printing system 1 is a system in which the host computer 2 and the printer 6 are combined and the printer 6 is removed and the printer 3 is connected instead. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which a printer 6 that does not have a color printing function and performs monochrome printing is replaced with a printer 3 capable of color printing.
Further, the application program 21 and the device driver 23 provided in the host computer 2 are not changed from the state in which the printer 6 is used.

The network 4 is a network that connects the host computer 2, the printer 3, and the template terminal 5 so that they can communicate with each other, and is configured by, for example, a wired LAN or a wireless LAN compliant with the Ethernet (registered trademark) standard.
In addition, the host computer 2 and the printer 3 may be connected so as to be able to communicate with each other via an interface compliant with the USB or RS-232C standard. In this case, in the printing process described later, the host computer 2 and the printer 3 are connected. Performs one-to-one communication. When connecting the printer 3 to the host computer 2 instead of the printer 6, if the network address of the printer 3 is set to the same address as the network address of the printer 6 before replacement, information for designating the destination printer in the host computer 2 There is no need to change. If the printer 6 is connected to the host computer 2 by USB or RS-232C, the printer 3 is connected to the host computer 2 by the same connection method, and the host computer 2 specifies the printer to communicate with. There is no need to change the information. In this way, the printer 6 can be replaced with the printer 3 without making any changes to the host computer 2.

The printer 3 includes a print execution unit (recording unit) 39 including hardware that executes printing such as a print head and a conveyance roller, and a controller that controls the hardware. The print execution unit 39 includes: Print on label paper and output label.
In addition, the printer 3 includes a control unit 30 that controls each unit of the printer 3. The control unit 30 receives a template conversion processing unit 31 that executes template conversion processing in response to a request from the template terminal 5 and a print command including a command of the first command system from the host computer 2. A printing control unit (recording control unit) 32 that interprets a command in the printing command and causes the printing execution unit 39 to execute printing (recording).
The printer 3 includes a storage unit 33 (storage unit) that stores programs and data in a nonvolatile manner. In the storage area of the storage unit 33, there are a first template storage unit 34 (first storage unit) and a second template storage unit 35 (second storage unit) capable of storing templates, and a basic template storage unit 36, respectively. Provided. The storage unit 33 stores a label printing program 37. The label printing program 37 is a program that operates in the same manner as a program executed by a controller (not shown) of the printer 6, and is used by the print control unit 32 to emulate the operation of the printer 6.

  A template is a set of data that designates the printing form (recording form) of a print medium printed by the printer 3 or 6. In the present embodiment, a case where label paper is used as a print medium will be described. The label paper is a paper in which labels with an adhesive material cut to a predetermined size are arranged on a long release sheet, and are wound into a roll shape and accommodated in the printers 3 and 6, for example. The printers 3 and 6 print one page of characters and images on one label. Here, as the printing form, for example, the size of the label, the position in the label, the number of characters per line, the number of lines, the decoration of the characters, the font size, the font type, the image size, the image position, the top, bottom, left and right margins, etc. A template is a set of commands that specify each of these attributes. That is, the template includes data that designates a printing form of data of recording elements (printing elements) such as characters and images to be recorded (printed) on the label.

2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams showing an example of a template used in the printing system. FIG. 2A shows an example of information included in the template T1, and FIG. 2B shows an example of a print image G1 based on the template T1. Here, the print image based on the template is a schematic representation of a print form when printing is performed on a label sheet according to the template.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the template T1 includes the value of “Label Width” that is data specifying the width of the label and the coordinates of “Home Position” that is data specifying the reference position. Further, the template T1 includes data that designates a printing form of a plurality of frames (frames a1 to a4) and character strings (character strings b1 to b3) as print elements to be printed on the label. Frames a1 to a4 are areas in which characters and images can be placed, and as illustrated in FIG. 2A, depending on the position, shape, and size (width W1 to W4, height H1 to H4) of the frame. It is prescribed. The printing positions of the frames a1 to a4 are designated by position coordinates (X1 to X4, Y1 to Y4) with the reference position of the label as the origin in the label printing area (recording area). In the example of FIG. 2A, the frames a1 to a4 are rectangular. The rectangular frames a1 to a4 are preliminarily specified to be printed with their width direction and height direction parallel to the label width direction and height direction, and position coordinates (X1 to X4, Y1 to Y4). Represents the positions of the upper left corners of the frames a1 to a4 in the print image G1, respectively. What can be placed in these frames and printed can be specified by a separate command. Further, there may be a frame in which nothing is arranged among the frames defined in the template T1, and in this case, nothing is printed in the area of the frame.
In the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B, images are arranged in the frames a1 to a4. Since the frames a1 to a4 have a rectangular shape, a rectangular image is printed in the areas of the frames a1 to a4 in the print image G1 in FIG.

Further, the template T1 may include data on the character strings b1 to b3 to be printed on the label, and data for designating the printing form of each character string. In the example of FIG. 2 (A), for character strings b1 to b3, data of characters “XXX”, “ΔΔΔΔ”, “□□□□” included in the character string, and character strings b1 to b3 are included. As a printing form of b3, data specifying a printing position (position coordinates (X5 to X7, Y5 to Y7)) and data specifying a font size (fs1 to fs3) are included.
Further, the contents of the template illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B can be dynamically changed. In other words, characters and images can be inserted into a frame included in an existing template and printed, or another character or image can be added and printed at a position where no frame or character string is defined in the template. is there.

The first template storage unit 34 included in the printer 3 stores a first template configured with commands of the first command system.
The first template is a template in which the templates illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B are described using commands of the first command system. The first template is a template used by the printer 6 for printing. For example, when the printer 6 is replaced with the printer 3, all the templates used by the printer 6 are copied to the first template storage unit 34. The
The second template storage unit 35 stores a second template described by a command defined in a second command system different from the first command system. That is, the second template is obtained by describing the template illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B with commands of the second command system. The second command system may include commands common to the first command system, or may include commands that are not common. In addition, the second command system includes commands relating to attributes that are not defined in the first command system, as commands for specifying a printing form.
In the present embodiment, the first command system is composed of commands for monochrome printing, and the printing colors (recording colors) of the printing elements are limited to black and gray scale. On the other hand, the second command system includes commands for specifying the printing colors of the printing elements corresponding to color printing of 16, 256 colors, 65536 colors, or 16.770 million colors. You can use it to specify printing colors for printing elements other than black and grayscale.

Further, the second template stored in the second template storage unit 35 is associated with one of the first templates stored in the first template storage unit 34, and is at least one different from the corresponding first template. The label can be printed in different printing forms. Specifically, the second template is a template in which at least a part of the print element of the corresponding first template and the data specifying the attribute of the print element is changed, added, or deleted.
In the present embodiment, names are assigned to the first template and the second template, and the same name as the corresponding first template is assigned to each second template. That is, templates having the same name are stored in the first template storage unit 34 and the second template storage unit 35. Here, the second template having the same name need not be stored in the second template storage unit 35 for all of the first templates stored in the first template storage unit 34. For example, regarding any of the first templates stored in the first template storage unit 34, the second template having the same name may not be stored.

  The basic template storage unit 36 stores a basic template that the printer 3 uses as a default template. When the host computer 2 outputs a print command that does not include information specifying a template and receives this print command, the print control unit 32 outputs characters and images according to the basic template stored in the basic template storage unit 36. Deploy.

The template terminal 5 is a terminal device that edits a template for designating a label printing form, and is composed of, for example, a personal computer.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation related to the template conversion process, and schematically shows a data flow in the printing system 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a sequence of template conversion processing. (A) shows the operation of the template terminal 5 and (B) shows the operation of the template conversion processing unit 31 of the printer 3. The template conversion process will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the template conversion process, the template terminal 5 and the printer 3 exchange data with each other. The template conversion processing unit 31 executes, for example, a Web server function, and the template terminal 5 executes, for example, a Web client function. In this case, the template conversion processing unit 31 transmits data of the template processing Web page in response to the access of the template terminal 5, and the template terminal 5 transmits a request to the printer 3 based on the Web page. Processing is performed in the form. Note that the function of the template terminal 5 may be incorporated into the printer 5.

  The template terminal 5 transmits a template request command for requesting transmission of the first template to the template conversion processing unit 31 of the printer 3 by a user operation or an operation of a preset program (step S11). . Here, the template terminal 5 may request transmission of any of the first templates stored in the first template storage unit 34, or may request transmission of all the first templates. The template conversion processing unit 31 of the printer 3 receives the template request command transmitted from the template terminal 5 (step S21). The template conversion processing unit 31 reads out the first template requested to be transmitted in the template request command from the first template storage unit 34 (step S22), and transmits it to the template terminal 5 (step S23). As shown in FIG. 3, here, as an example, the first template with the name “Fragile” is transmitted to the template terminal 5.

The template terminal 5 receives the first template transmitted from the printer 3 (step S12). Here, the template terminal 5 replaces the print element data (character data or image data) with another print element data or adds print element data as necessary. Furthermore, an attribute not defined in the first template is additionally set (step S13). For example, the template terminal 5 additionally sets an attribute such as whether or not to perform color printing for each piece of print element data in the first template.
When the template terminal 5 determines the setting contents of the attribute to be added to the first template being processed (step S14), the template terminal 5 transmits a template storage command for causing the printer 3 to store a new template including this attribute (step S14). S15). In step S15, the template terminal 5 transmits to the printer 3 the attribute data (including the command) to be newly added to the command constituting the first template together with the template saving command. In step S15, the template terminal 5 may also transmit the first template after the processing for performing the attribute setting processing. When the print element data is edited or replaced, the template terminal 5 transmits the processed print element data together.

  The template conversion processing unit 31 of the printer 3 receives the template storage command transmitted from the template terminal 5 (step S24). Based on the data transmitted from the template terminal 5 together with the template saving command, the template conversion processing unit 31 generates and saves the second template by a command defined in the second command system (step S25). Specifically, the template conversion processing unit 31 converts a print form in which the attribute added or changed by the process of the template terminal 5 is reflected on the print form of the first template processed by the template terminal 5 to the second command system. A second template described by the command is generated. Further, when print element data is transmitted from the template terminal 5 together with the template save request, the template conversion processing unit 31 receives the data of these print elements and the data for specifying the print form of the data. A second template containing is generated. And the template conversion process part 31 attaches | subjects the same name to the produced | generated 2nd template as the 1st template which the template terminal 5 processed, and stores it in the 2nd template memory | storage part 35. FIG. Thereby, it becomes clear that the 2nd template which template conversion treating part 31 generated at Step S25 is a template used instead of the 1st template which template terminal 5 processed.

Hereinafter, examples of the first and second templates having a correspondence relationship and examples of print images based on the templates will be described.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the first template T2 and the second template T3 that are in a correspondence relationship, and shows print images G2 and G3 based on the first template T2 and the second template T3.
A print image G2 based on the first template T2 to which the name “Fragile” is assigned includes a print element that is a rectangular frame a5, a character string b4 “Fragile” arranged in the frame a5, and “↑”. and a printing element which is a character string b5 “up ↑”. The first template T2 includes data for a frame a5, character strings b4 and b5, and data for specifying the printing form. The first template T2 is composed of commands of a first command system that designates a printing form for the monochrome printer 6, and does not include data that designates the printing color of the frame a5 and the character strings b4 and b5. .

The second template T3 having the same “Fragile” name as the first template T2 is obtained by replacing the character string b4 of the first template T2 with an image a6 that prompts attention that is a crack. Further, data specifying the print color of the image a6 is added to the second template T3. An example of the print color is red suitable for alerting. The print image G3 based on the second template T3 has a form in which the character “Fragile” is omitted and a color image a6 is printed instead of the print image G2.
In this way, by using the template terminal 5, the first template used in the printer 6 is converted into the second template described by the command of the second command system that can be executed by the printer 3, and the printer 3. By storing in the printer 3, it is possible for the printer 3 to use functions such as color printing that could not be executed by the printer 6.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation related to the printing process, and schematically shows a data flow in the printing system 1. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the sequence of the printing process, where (A) shows the operation of the host computer 2 and (B) shows the operation of the print control unit 32 of the printer 3.
The printing process will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the printing process, the host computer 2 and the printer 3 exchange data with each other. Note that when the host computer 2 and the printer 3 are connected on a one-to-one basis via a communication path such as USB or RS-232C, the printing process is executed via this communication path.

  The printing process is started when the host computer 2 executes the application program 21 by a user operation or a preset program operation. When the application program 21 generates print data for a label and issues a print execution instruction, the device driver 23 generates a print command including data specifying the first template and based on the first command system to the printer 3. It is transmitted (step S31). Note that when adding print element data to the first template, the print element data to be added is included in the print command.

The print control unit 32 of the printer 3 receives the print command transmitted from the host computer 2 (step S41). The print control unit 32 refers to the data of the second template stored in the second template storage unit 35 (step S42), and the second template storage unit 35 stores the first template corresponding to the first template specified by the print command. It is confirmed whether there are two templates (step S43). In other words, the print control unit 32 searches the first storage unit 35 for a second template having the same name as the template included in the print command.
If there is no corresponding second template in the second template storage unit 35 (step S43; No), the print control unit 32 reads the designated first template from the first template storage unit 34 (step S44). ), The process proceeds to step S46. Here, when there is no corresponding first template in the first template storage unit 34, the print control unit 32 may read out the basic template from the basic template storage unit 36. If it can be confirmed that the corresponding second template is in the second template storage unit 35 (step S43; Yes), the second template is read from the second template storage unit 35 (step S45), and the process proceeds to step S46. Transition.

In step S46, the print control unit 32 generates print data corresponding to the read template. For example, when the first template specified in the print command is given the name “Fragile”, a template having the same template name “Fragile” is read from the second template storage unit 35. Print data is generated. As described above, the read second template is obtained by replacing the data of the character string b4 “Fragile” with the data of the color image (recording element) a5 in the first template.
In steps S <b> 42 to S <b> 46, the print control unit 32 converts the command of the first command system that is the command system of the printer 6 into the command of the second command system that is the command system of the printer 11. Operates as an emulator to control recording.
Thereafter, the print control unit 32 controls the print execution unit 39 to execute label printing based on the print form designated by the second template (step S47).

As described above, the printer 3 performs printing based on the second template corresponding to the first template when a print command designating the first template is input. That is, at the time of printing, the printer 3 performs printing by replacing the first template specified in the print command for the printer 6 with the second template. Since the second template is a template in which at least one of change, addition, and deletion is applied to the first template T2, the printer 3 has a print form different from the print form based on the first template. Recording can be performed. For this reason, by replacing the printer 6 with the printer 3, it is possible to easily change the label printing form using a function that the printer 6 does not have, without changing the print command output by the host computer 2. .
If there is no second template corresponding to the first template designated by the host computer 2, the printer 3 acquires and records the designated first template, and therefore the second template corresponding to the designated first template. Printing can be executed without a template. Accordingly, the second templates corresponding to all the first templates do not necessarily have to be prepared. For this reason, it becomes possible to change the printing form by using the second template only for a part of the first templates, and it is possible to relax restrictions on changing the printing form and change the printing form more easily. .

  Further, in the second template T3, as shown in the example in which the data specifying the print color is included as the data specifying the print form of the data of the image a6, the printing system 1 prints the template used for printing. By replacing the data specifying the color with the newly added second template, the print color can be specified without changing the print instruction output by the host computer 2. Thereby, the range of output expression can be expanded without changing the software configuration or the like of the host computer 2. As in the present embodiment, for example, by using the second template instead of the first template corresponding to the monochrome printer 6, the width of the output expression can be increased by colorization without changing the input print command. It becomes possible to spread.

  Further, the second template includes data designating at least one of the position and size of data such as a frame a5, an image a6, and a character string b5 in a print area of a label that is a print medium. Therefore, by replacing the template used for printing with the second template, the arrangement and size of the frame a5, the image a6, and the character string b5 can be flexibly changed, so that the width of the output expression can be further increased.

  In the above description, an example of the first and second templates has been described with reference to FIG. 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. Another example of the first template and an example of the second template corresponding to each first template will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 8 illustrates print images G2 and G4 corresponding to the first template T2 and the second template T4 corresponding to the first template T2. The first template T2 and the print image G2 in this example are the same as those described with reference to FIG.
The second template T4 adds the data of the image a7 that calls attention to being a crack to the printing elements of the first template T2, and further specifies the printing form (printing color and printing position) of the image a7. Is added. The position of the image a7 is designated as a position that does not overlap the character string b4 or the character string b5.
Therefore, the print image G4 based on the second template T4 is obtained by arranging a color image a7 that is not in the print image G2.
The second template T4 shown in FIG. 8 is obtained by newly adding data for the image a7 and data for specifying the printing form to the first template T2. Therefore, by replacing the first template T2 specified by the print command output by the host computer 2 with the second template T4, it is possible to add an image and widen the range of output expression.

FIG. 9 illustrates print images G2 and G5 corresponding to the first template T2 and the second template T6 corresponding to the first template T2. The first template T2 and the print image G2 in this example are the same as those described with reference to FIG.
The second template T5 is a template in which data specifying the print color of the character string b4 is added to the first template T2. For this reason, the print image G5 when printed based on the second template T5 is obtained by coloring the character string b4 of the monochrome print image G2 to a designated color such as red or blue.

FIG. 10 illustrates print images G6 and G7 corresponding to the first template T6 and the second template T7 corresponding to the first template T6.
In the first template T6 described with reference to FIG. 5, the first template T6 is added with data (print element data) of an image a8 that prompts a warning that is a broken object, and data that specifies the print form. Is. The first template T6 does not include data for specifying the print color.
A second template T7 corresponding to the first template T6 includes data specifying the print color of the data of the image a8 in the first template T6.
The print image G7 based on the second template T7 is obtained by coloring the monochrome image a8 in the print image G6 based on the first template T6 into an image a9.

  As shown in the examples of FIGS. 9 and 10, the second templates T5 and T7 have a printing form that is not in the first templates T2 and T6 in the first templates T2 and T6. This is a new addition of data that specifies. According to these examples, by using the second templates T5 and T7 instead of the first templates T2 and T6 specified by the print command output from the host computer 2 to the printer 6, the width of the output expression can be increased. It can be expanded further.

In FIGS. 7 to 10, the second template is obtained by changing, adding, and deleting data specifying the print form of the print element in the corresponding first template. It is not limited to.
FIG. 11 illustrates (A) a first template T8, (B) a second template T9 corresponding to the first template T8, and print images G8 and G9 corresponding to each template.
The first template T8 in FIG. 11A includes an image 40, characters 41, and a frame 42 as print elements to be printed on the label. The data of the first template T8 includes image data of the image 40, data specifying the size and position of the image 40, and data specifying the character code, font, size, and position of the character 41. The frame 42 is provided as a frame for inserting characters. The data of the first template T8 does not include character data to be inserted into the frame 42, that is, character code, but includes data specifying the font, size, and position of the character in the frame 42.

  When using the first template, the host computer 2 outputs the data specifying the name of the first template and the data including the character code of the character to be inserted into the frame 42 together with the print command. In the example of FIG. 11A, the address data can be inserted into the frame 42, and the host computer 2 uses the name “Summer” of the first template T8 and the address data “123 XX Street, 12345 ″ is output together with the print command.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the second template T9 corresponding to the first template T8 includes an image 50, characters 51, and a frame 42 as printing elements. The data of the second template T9 includes image data of the image 50 and data specifying the size and position of the image 50, and includes data specifying the character code, font, size, and position of the character 51. The image 50 is image data that replaces the image 40, and the character 51 is data that replaces the character 41. As long as the image 50 and the character 51 can be arranged within the range of the label size, the image 40 and the character 41 do not need to have the same size, position, and font, and an arbitrary size, position, and font can be set.
Furthermore, since the printer 3 can perform color printing, the second template T9 includes data for specifying the print color of the image 50 and data for specifying the print color of the character 51.

  The second template T9 includes a frame 52 as a printing element. The frame 52 is a frame that is arranged in the same size and the same position as the frame 42 of the first template T8 and into which characters can be inserted. In this frame 52, the same number of characters as the frame 42 can be inserted and printed. Accordingly, when the host computer 2 outputs the name of the first template T8 and the character data to be inserted into the frame 42, the printer 3 converts all the characters to be inserted into the frame 42 (here, address data) into the frame. 52 can be inserted and printed. As described above, the second template may have a frame in which at least the same data as the first template can be inserted with respect to a frame in which the data is dynamically inserted or changed by the data output from the host computer 2 together with the print command. preferable. In addition, characters and images that are fixedly included in the template may be changed without departing from the printing area on the printing surface of the label. For example, when the print image G8 has a size that occupies half of the label, the print size of the print image G9 may be substantially the entire surface of one label.

  When the print image G8 of the first template T8 and the print image G9 of the second template T9 are compared, the image a10 and the image a12, and the character b6 and the character b7 may be greatly different. The character c2 does not need to have the same font and size as the character c1 and can print the same number of characters, and therefore may have a different font and size.

  The operation of creating the second template using the template terminal 5 can be performed in two ways. That is, there are a method in which the template terminal 5 reads the first template and works, and a method of creating a new template without diverting the first template. In the example shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to change the character 41 or the image 40 to a greatly different character 51 or image 50. In such a case, it can be said that a method of creating a new template is easier. .

In the printing system 1, another data stored in the printers 3 and 6 is specified together with the template by the print command output from the host computer 2, and the printer 3 and 6 applies the specified data to the template for printing. You can also. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of this printing process.
In the first template, in addition to the image data and character data of the print element and the data specifying the print mode of each print element, it is possible to include the file name of image data to be printed by being embedded in the template. The printer 6 stores, for example, data of an image a14 in FIG. 12A together with the first template. When the first template specified by the print command output from the host computer 2 includes the file name “sun” of the image a14, the data of the image a14 is read out and another print in the first template is performed. Printed with the element.

The second template corresponding to the first template is created so as to include the file name “sun” of the image a14. Furthermore, another image a15 shown in FIG. 12B may be stored in the second template storage unit 35 with the same file name “sun” as the image a14. In this case, the characters a16 and a17 and the image a15 of the print image G10 (FIG. 12C) that are actually printed without changing the print command and data output by the host computer 2 are used as the original first template. Can be changed to different characters and images. Similarly to the above example, the second template can newly include data specifying the print colors of the characters a16, a17 and the image a15, and can easily print a colored label.
If the file name of the image data is not included in the data output from the host computer 2 and the file name is included in the first template, the same file name is used for the newly used image data as shown in FIG. There is no need to add. The image data having the same file name as the file name included in the second template may be stored in the second template storage unit 35.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this. For example, in the above embodiment, the first template and the second template are associated with each other by assigning the same name as the corresponding first template to the second template stored in the second template storage unit 35 of the printer 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and information defining the correspondence between the first template and the second template may be stored in the storage unit 33 or another storage unit. . In this case, the print control unit 32 may select the second template corresponding to the first template specified by the print command transmitted from the host computer 2 based on the above information, and the template names need to be the same. There is no.
In the above embodiment, when the second template corresponding to the first template specified by the print command is not stored in the second template storage unit 35, the first template is acquired from the first template storage unit 34. The configuration for generating print data has been described as an example. However, the first template is used or the second template is selected depending on the content of data transmitted together with the print command, the parameter of the command included in the print command, or the like. It may be determined whether to use, and print data may be generated by selectively using the first template and the second template.
In the above embodiment, the case where the label is printed by the printer 3 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to the case where the recorded matter is recorded using another print medium or recording medium. Of course.

  Each functional block shown in the block diagram is realized by cooperation between hardware and software, and the specific hardware implementation form, software specifications, etc. are arbitrary, and other details The configuration can be arbitrarily changed. The specific configuration of the printer 3 is not particularly limited as long as it can execute printing, and various apparatuses such as a SIDM printer, an ink jet printer, a thermal printer, and a laser printer can be applied. Of course, the present invention is not limited to a device that is used independently, but can be applied to other devices (such as an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) or a CD (Cash Dispenser)). Furthermore, the data processing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the printer 3 having the print control unit 32 as a processing means, and when printing data is generated by an apparatus such as a computer provided separately from the printer 3. In addition, the data processing apparatus of the present invention can be applied to the apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing system, 2 ... Host computer, 3 ... Printer (recording device), 34 ... 1st template memory | storage part (1st memory | storage means), 32 ... Print control part (recording control means), 35 ... 2nd template memory | storage Part (second storage means), 39... Print execution part (recording means), T2, T6, T8... First template, T3, T4, T5, T7, T9.

Claims (8)

A print execution unit that executes printing on a medium ;
A control unit for obtaining a template including information for specifying a print form of data of the print element ;
A storage unit for holding data related to the printing by the printing execution unit,
The controller is
The first template is acquired as the template, and the command for changing the information specifying the printing form included in the first template or the command for adding the information specifying the printing form to the first template is received. A second template in which information specifying the printing form is changed or added to the first template based on the command is stored in the storage unit in association with the first template;
When receiving a print command including information for designating the first template to obtain a pre-Symbol second template from said storage unit, said printing unit based on the acquired and the second template and the print command Control to execute printing,
Printer that features a call. The printer according to claim 1,
The storage unit holds the first template,
Wherein, upon receiving the print command, when said second template is not held in the storage unit, it acquires the previous SL first template, based on the first template and the print command printer, characterized in that to execute printing by controlling the printing unit. The printer according to any one of claims 1 and 2 ,
The second template is changed or as information for specifying the added the printing form, the printer characterized by having information to specify a print color different from the print color of the first template. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
Printer Before Kite Plates as information specifying the print form of the data of the printing element, characterized in that it comprises information specifying at least one of the position and size of the printing element in the printing area of the medium . The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The printer, wherein the control unit converts the second template into a second command system different from the first command system constituting the first template, and stores the second command system in the storage unit. The printer according to claim 5,
The print command is composed of the first command system,
The printer is characterized in that the information specifying the first template is a command included in the first command system. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The name of the first template and the name of the second template include the same character string. A print execution unit that executes printing on a medium, a control unit that acquires a template that includes information for specifying a print mode of data of a print element, a storage unit that holds data related to the printing by the print execution unit , A method for controlling a printer comprising :
The first template is acquired as the template, and the command for changing the information specifying the printing form included in the first template or the command for adding the information specifying the printing form to the first template is received. A second template in which information specifying the printing form is changed or added to the first template based on the command is stored in the storage unit in association with the first template;
When receiving a print command including information for designating the first template to obtain a pre-Symbol second template from said storage unit, said printing unit based on the acquired and the second template and the print command A method for controlling a printer , characterized in that printing is performed under control.

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