JP6213624B2 - Recording apparatus and method for controlling recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a control method for the recording apparatus.

  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.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to obtain a recording apparatus and a control method for the recording apparatus that can easily change the entire recording form of a page of a recorded matter.

In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to the present invention relates to a recording unit, a first storage unit that stores a first template that is data specifying a recording form in units of pages, and the first template. When a second storage means for storing the second template to which data for newly specifying the entire recording form of the page is added and a recording instruction including data for specifying the first template are input. And a recording control means for acquiring the second template corresponding to the designated 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, recording is performed using the second template corresponding to the first template. Thus, since the entire recording form of the page of the recorded matter is recorded in a different recording form without changing the recording instruction input to the recording apparatus, the recording form of the recorded matter can be easily changed.

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 stored. 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.

In the recording apparatus, the second template may include data designating a background color of the page as data newly designating a recording format of the entire page.
According to the present invention, a template used for recording is replaced with a template that newly includes data for specifying the background color of a page of a recorded material, so that recording can be performed without changing a recording instruction input to the recording apparatus. Since the background color of an object can be specified, the range of output expression can be further expanded.

In the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the second template includes data designating a background image constituting the background of the page as data for newly designating a recording form of the entire page. And
According to the present invention, a template used for recording is replaced with a template that newly includes data specifying a background image of a page of a recorded material, so that recording can be performed without changing a recording instruction input to the recording apparatus. Since it is possible to specify a background image of an object, the range of output expression can be further expanded.

In the recording apparatus, the second template may include data for specifying a foreground color on the page as data for newly specifying a recording form of the entire page.
According to the present invention, a template used for recording is replaced with a template that newly includes data specifying a background image of a page of a recorded material, so that recording can be performed without changing a recording instruction input to the recording apparatus. Since it is possible to specify a background image of an object, the range of output expression can be further expanded.

In addition, the present invention relates to a recording unit, a first storage unit that stores a first template that is data specifying a recording mode in units of pages, and an entire recording mode of the page in association with the first template. A recording apparatus control method, comprising: a second storage unit that stores a second template to which data for newly designating data is added; and a recording control unit that controls the recording unit. When a recording instruction including designated data is input, the second template corresponding to the designated first template is acquired from the second storage unit and recorded by the recording unit. .
According to the present invention, when a recording instruction for designating the first template is input to the recording apparatus, recording is performed using the second template corresponding to the first template. Thus, since the entire recording form of the page of the recorded matter is recorded in a different recording form without changing the recording instruction input to the recording apparatus, the recording form of the recorded matter can be easily changed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform recording by changing the recording form of the entire page of the recorded matter to a different recording form without changing the recording instruction input to the recording apparatus, and easily change the recording form. Can do.

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.

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 functions of the template terminal 5 may be incorporated into the printer 3.

  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 “Summer” is transmitted to the template terminal 5.

The template terminal 5 receives the first template transmitted from the printer 3. (Step S12). The template terminal 5 changes or adds an attribute that designates the print form of the entire page that is not defined in the first template (step S13). The change or addition of the attribute of the entire page that is not defined in the first template is, for example, the specification of the background color of the entire page, the specification of the background image of the color that constitutes the entire page, and the foreground in the page For example, the color of the print element is specified. At this time, 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. In this case, the template terminal 5 sets an attribute such as whether or not to perform color printing for each piece of print element data as necessary.
The template terminal 5 is configured to cause the printer 3 to save the new template including the attribute described above when the attribute change or addition content to be performed for the entire page of the first template being processed is confirmed (step S14). A template saving command is transmitted (step S15). Here, in step S14, the template terminal 5 newly adds the background color of the entire page as an attribute set by the command constituting the first template. In addition, the template terminal 5 transmits to the printer 3 data (including a command) that specifies an attribute newly specified in the command constituting the first template together with the template request command. In this step S15, the template terminal 5 may also transmit the first template after the processing for performing the processing for specifying the attribute. 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 reflects the attribute for designating the background color of the entire page added or changed by the processing of the template terminal 5 to the printing form of the first template processed by the template terminal 5. Is generated by a command of the second command system, and the template conversion processing unit 31 assigns the same name as the first template processed by the template terminal 5 to the generated second template, Store in the second template storage unit 35. 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, an example of the first and second templates having a correspondence relationship and a print image 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. FIG. 5A schematically shows the configuration of the first template T2 and is based on the first template T2. A print image G2 is shown. FIG. 5B schematically shows the configuration of the second template T3 and shows a print image G3 based on the second template T3.

The first template T2 includes a monochrome printing command. The first template T2 does not include data specifying the color of the background 51 (background color) of the label 50 to be printed. The first template T2 is a template used when printing a label with the printer 6, and since the printer 6 does not perform color printing, the background 51 is assumed to be white, that is, not printed.
The first template T2 is arranged in the label 50 as data for designating the printing form on the label 50, and the character input area data 40a and 40b for inputting characters and the printing form of the image printed on the label 50. Has image attribute designation data 41 for designating.
The character input area is an area for inserting character data output from the host computer 2 together with a print instruction command. In the present embodiment, a character string “HAPPY” and a character string “Summer Festival” are output from the host computer 2, and these character strings are input to each character input area. As a result, as shown in the print image G2 in FIG. 5A, a character string c1 composed of characters “HAPPY” and a character string c2 composed of characters “Summer Festival” are printed.

The character input area data 40a and 40b included in the first template T2 includes commands and data for specifying the character size, position, and font. The character string c1 is printed on the label 50 in a printing form designated by the character input area data 40a, and the character string c2 is printed on the label 50 in a printing form designated by the character input area data 40b. .
The image attribute designation data 41 includes data for designating an image to be printed on the label 50. This image is selected in advance from images stored in the first template storage unit 34 together with the first template T2. The data designating the image is, for example, a file name of the image data. As shown in the print image G2 in FIG. 5A, an image a5 designated by the image attribute designation data 41 is printed on the label 50 so as to constitute the foreground.

  The second template T3 shown in FIG. 5B is obtained by adding background color data 42 to the data of the corresponding first template T2. The background color data 42 is data for designating a background color for each page, which is a printing unit of the label 50. The data 40a and 40b in the character input area of the second template T3 can include data for specifying the color of the character strings c1 and c2 to be printed and data for specifying the background color in the area.

In the print image G3 based on the second template T3, the background is colored with the color specified by the background color data. Similarly to the print image G2, the character strings c1 and c2 and the image a5 are printed on the print image G3 in the print form designated by the character input area data 40a and 40b and the image attribute designation data 41.
In this way, the template terminal 5 is used to convert the first template T2 used in the printer 6 into the second template T3 described by the commands of the second command system that can be executed by the printer 3. By storing in the printer 3, the printer 3 performs printing using functions such as color printing that cannot be executed by the printer 6, and changes the color of the background color to the entire page that is the printing unit of the label 50. Is possible.

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 printing processing, 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).

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 corresponding to the first template designated by the print command in the second template storage unit 35. It is confirmed whether there is a template (step S43). That is, the print control unit 32 searches the second template 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 cannot 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. To do.

In step S46, the print control unit 32 generates print data corresponding to the read template. For example, when the first template designated by the print command is given the name “Summer”, a template having the same template name “Summer” is read from the second template storage unit 35. Print data is generated. The read second template is obtained by designating the background color of the entire page as a print unit for the label 50 to be printed 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 3, and Operates as an emulator to control recording.
Thereafter, the print control unit 32 controls the print execution unit 39 to execute the printing of the label 50 based on the printing 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, the printer 3 performs printing by replacing the first template specified in the print command for the printer 6 that is mainly strengthened by the host computer 2 with the second template T3. Since the second template includes information specifying the background color attribute of the entire page, the printer 3 can perform printing in a printing form different from the printing form based on the first template. For this reason, even when the printer 6 is replaced with the printer 3, the background color of the label 50 can be specified without changing the print command output by the host computer 2, and the output expression of the label 50 can be widened. be able to.

  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. .

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 is a diagram illustrating another example of the first template and the second template, in which (A) shows the first template T4 and the print image G4 based on the first template T4, and (B) shows the second template. A print image G5 based on the template T5 and the second template T5 is shown.
The first template T4 includes a gray scale printing command and is given the name “Fragile”.
The first template T4 is input area data 40c and 40d for designating the print form of the character input area provided in the label 50, and data for designating the print form of the frame printed on the periphery of the label 50 (FIG. Not shown). The input area data 40c and 40d include data for specifying the size, position, and font of characters input to the input area, and commands and data for specifying the print density of characters. Note that the characters that are input to these input areas are characters that are output together with the print instruction from the host computer 2 as described above. In the example of FIG. 8A, “Fragile” (character string c3) and “↑ up ↑” (character string c4) are displayed. In the print image G4, character strings c3 and c4 are printed on the label 50 in gray scale according to the data 40c and 40d in the input area.

The second template T5 is obtained by adding background image designation data 43 for designating the printing form of the background image a6 constituting the background of the label 50 to the first template T4. The second template T5 is assigned the same name as the first template T4 and is stored in the second template storage unit 35.
The background image designation data 43 is data for designating the background image a6 to be printed as the background of the label 50. For example, when data of a plurality of images that can be used as background images are stored in the second template storage unit 35 in advance, the background image designation data 43 is data that designates one image data from these image data groups. (For example, a file name). In the example of FIG. 8B, the background image designation data 43 includes the file name “Image1” of the image data used as the background image a6, and thereby the background image a6 is designated as the background image. In the print image G <b> 5 of FIG. 8B, the background image a <b> 6 designated by the background image designation data 43 is arranged on the background of the label 50. This background image a6 is a color image.
When a print command designating the first template T4 is output from the host computer 2, the printer 3 performs printing based on the second template T5 corresponding to the first template T4, so that a colored background image is obtained. It becomes possible to print a6 as the background of the page of the label 50, and the width of the output expression of the label 50 can be widened.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of the first template and the second template. FIG. 9A illustrates the first template T6 and the print image G6 based on the first template T6, and FIG. 9B illustrates the second template. A print image G7 based on T7 and the second template T7 is shown.
The first template T6 in FIG. 9A is composed of commands for gray scale printing, and as data for specifying the printing form on the label 50, input area data 40e for specifying the printing form of the character input area, 40f, and image attribute designation data 44 for designating the printing form of the image to be printed on the label 50. The input area data 40e and 40f include data specifying the character size, position, and font, like the input area data 40b and 40c. In the example of FIG. 9A, the characters to be input to the input area are “Fragile” (character string c3) and “↑ up ↑” (character string c4) output from the host computer 2.
The image attribute designation data 44 is data for designating an image a8 to be printed on the label 50. For example, when data of a plurality of images that can be used as a label image is stored in the storage unit 33 in advance, the image attribute designation data 44 is data for designating one image data from these image data groups ( For example, file name).

  The second template T7 newly includes foreground attribute designation data 45 for designating print colors of print elements such as images a8 and characters c3 and c4 constituting the foreground in the first template T6. In other words, the foreground attribute designation data 45 is data for collectively designating the foreground color of the label 50. The foreground attribute designation data 45 may be data that designates one color for the entire page, or data that designates a plurality of print colors different for each portion. By using the second template T7, it is possible to color-print characters c3 and c4 and the image a8 as in the print image G7 in FIG. 9B.

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 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 (2nd Storage unit), 39... Print execution unit (recording unit), T2, T4, T6... First template, T3, T5, T7.

Claims (6)

A print head for printing on the label;
A control unit for controlling the print head to execute printing on the label;
Serial includes a憶part, the,
The control unit specifies the first template when a print command including information specifying a first template is input as a template including data specifying a printing form of a printing element to be printed on the label. A second template corresponding to the information is read from the storage unit, and the printing is executed based on the print command and the second template;
Recording the second template data for designating the printing form of the printing elements which are printed as a background image in the label, characterized in der Rukoto those added or changed to the first template apparatus. Before SL included in the second template, data specifying the printing form of the printing element to be printed as the background image is data relating to the printing element to be printed as the background image of the color, characterized by The recording apparatus according to claim 1 . The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the print command includes a part of a name of the first template as the information designating the first template . Before Stories second template, the character string as the printing element to be printed on the label, according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a position information indicating a position of the character string in the label is printed The recording device according to any one of the above . The control unit acquires the first template and a command for designating the print form of the print element to be printed as the background image,
Storing the first template in which data specifying the print form of the print element printed as a background image on the label based on the command is added or changed as the second template in the storage unit The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording apparatus is a recording apparatus. A control method of a recording apparatus comprising a print head for printing on a label and a storage unit ,
When a print command including information specifying the first template is input as a template including data specifying the printing form of the printing element printed on the label, the first corresponding to the information specifying the first template is input. 2 templates are read from the storage unit,
Based on the print command and the second template, the label is printed by the print head,
The recording apparatus , wherein the second template is data in which the print form of the printing element printed as a background image on the label is added or changed with respect to the first template. Control method.

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