JPH05318844A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a tape printer capable of uniformly and continuously performing printing of a character or the like in the proper character intervals even when data length of dot pattern data exceeds memory length of an image buffer. CONSTITUTION:Text data are expanded to a dot pattern in the character expansion work area and stored (S15). Further memory length of an image buffer is compared with data length of data after qualifying the dot pattern data. It is judged (S18) whether or not the dot pattern data can be arranged in the image buffer. In the case (S18:NO) of making arrangement impossible, the dot pattern data of 48 dots length from the rearmost part of the image buffer are evacuated to the evacuation area and stored. Thereafter the dot pattern data of the image buffer are printed and also the data evacuated to the evacuation area are arranged in the front position of the image buffer 44.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer which prints characters on a long tape to form a tape, and more particularly to data of dot pattern data corresponding to characters input from a keyboard. The present invention relates to a tape printing apparatus capable of printing characters and the like on the tape without breaks at appropriate character intervals even when the length exceeds the memory length of the image buffer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various tape printers have been proposed which print a character or the like on a long tape to form a tape. In such a tape printer, code data such as characters input from a keyboard is stored in a text memory, and dot pattern data corresponding to the code data stored in the text memory is transferred to an image buffer having a predetermined memory length. Along with
The dot pattern data in the image buffer is printed on the tape via the dot print head.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tape printer, it is not possible to provide a large capacity image buffer in view of various points such as cost, control and mechanism. Since the memory capacity of the buffer is limited, an image buffer having a relatively small capacity and a fixed memory length is used. As a result, if dot pattern data that exceeds the memory length of the image buffer is transferred to the image buffer, the entire dot pattern data cannot be stored in the image buffer. There wasn't.

In such a case, if one dares to continuously print all dot pattern data to create a tape,
First, dot pattern data having a data length that can be stored in the image buffer is transferred to the image buffer for printing, and then the remaining dot pattern data that cannot be stored in the image buffer is transferred to the image buffer for printing. It will be.

At this time, when the remaining dot pattern data is transferred to the image buffer, the dot pattern data corresponding to the first character of each dot pattern data is expanded in a normal character pattern area. Therefore, for example, in the case where data is expanded by overlapping pattern areas between characters such as italic characters, the normal character spacing is set at the end position L of the image buffer as shown in FIG. An inter-character space S that is larger than the space is formed.

Similarly, special characters such as
Even in the case where pattern areas between characters are overlapped and data is developed as in “f” and “g”, a normal inter-character space at the end position L of the image buffer as shown in FIG. 10B. A larger inter-character space S will be formed. Therefore, according to the conventional tape printer, when the data length of the dot pattern data exceeds the memory length of the image buffer, it is not possible to print characters without breaks with proper character spacing that looks good. was there.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. Even when the data length of dot pattern data exceeds the memory length of the image buffer, the characters arranged between the characters are An object of the present invention is to provide a tape printing device capable of printing characters and the like without breaks at uniform and proper character intervals without breaks, thereby making it possible to create a tape having an extremely good appearance. And

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a text input memory for inputting characters and the like, and a text memory for storing text including code data such as characters input from the character inputting means. An image buffer having a predetermined memory length and storing dot pattern data corresponding to the code data stored in the text memory, and dots for printing dots such as characters on a long tape according to the contents of the image buffer. In a tape printer having a printing means, comparing means for comparing the memory length of the image buffer with the data length of the dot pattern data, and the data length of the dot pattern data are smaller than the memory length of the image buffer. Saving to temporarily save and store part of the dot pattern data And the comparison means determines that the data length of the dot pattern data is larger than the memory length of the image buffer, the data except the part of the dot pattern data is stored in the image buffer and Storage control means for storing the dot pattern data in the save memory, and after printing the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer, a part of the dot pattern data stored in the save memory is stored in the image buffer. And a print control means for controlling the dot printing means so as to transfer and print.

[0009]

In the present invention having the above structure, first, when the dot pattern data corresponding to the code data stored in the text memory is transferred to the image buffer, the memory length of the image buffer and the dot pattern data are compared through the comparing means. Is compared with the data length of. When it is determined that the data length of the dot pattern data is larger than the memory length of the image buffer as a result of the comparison by the comparison means, a part of the dot pattern data is stored in the save memory via the storage control means, The dot pattern data excluding a part of the data is stored in the image buffer.

After that, the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer is printed on the tape through the dot printing means under the control of the printing control means, and then the part stored in the save memory is further printed. The dot pattern data is transferred to the image buffer and printed on the tape.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tape printing apparatus shown with the storage cover of the tape cassette storage section opened. In FIG. 1, the tape printer 1 has a character input key 2 for inputting characters such as characters over a plurality of lines, a print key 3, and various characters and the like input from the character input key 2 as described later. A keyboard 6 provided with various keys such as a modifier setting key 4 for instructing character modification (bold characters, outline characters, italic characters), a return key 5 for issuing a line feed command and executing various processes, A liquid crystal display 7 for displaying characters and the like input from the keyboard 6 and a cassette housing portion 8 for housing a tape cassette 13 described later are provided.

Further, the tape cassette 13 is rotatably driven by a pulse motor (not shown), and the tape cassette 13
The ribbon winding shaft 9 for winding the thermal ink ribbon 17 by rotating the ribbon winding spool 21 is installed upright.
Further, a tape feed roller shaft 10 for rotating a tape feed roller 27, which will be described later, is rotatably driven by a tape feed motor 40, which will be described later, via an appropriate transmission mechanism at an obliquely forward position (on the keyboard 6 side). It is set up.

Further, a thermal head 11 for printing on a film tape 15, which will be described later, is fixedly installed in front of the cassette housing portion 8 via a thermal ink ribbon 17. Further, the cassette housing portion 8 is opened and closed by a housing cover 12 which is rotatably supported on the rear side of the tape printer 1, and the tape cassette 13 is exchanged in an open state.

Next, the structure of the tape cassette 13 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the state where the tape cassette 13 is stored in the cassette storage portion 8 (the tape cassette 13 is shown excluding the upper case).

In FIG. 2, a tape spool 16 around which a transparent film tape 15 is wound in a lower case 14,
A ribbon spool 18 around which the thermal ink ribbon 17 is wound, and an adhesive tape spool 20 around which a double-sided adhesive tape 19 with release paper is wound with the release paper side facing outward are arranged. These spools 16, 18, 20 is rotatably supported by cooperation with a support portion provided on the lower surface of the upper case (not shown).

A ribbon take-up spool 21 is also rotatably supported between the spools 16, 18 and 20, and the ribbon take-up spool 21 is meshed with the ribbon take-up shaft 9 described above. By driving the take-up shaft 9, the thermal ink ribbon 17 used for printing is taken up.

Further, the thermal head 11 described above is arranged in a recess 22 provided in the lower case 14, and a platen roller 24 rotatably supported by a roller holder 23 is opposed to the thermal head 11 at a position where it can be pressed. It is arranged. The thermal head 11 includes a large number of heating elements (the thermal head 1 of the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment).
1 has 128 heating elements), and prints characters and the like on the film tape 15 via the thermal ink ribbon 17.

Further, the tape ejection portion 25 of the lower case 14
The tape pressure roller 26 is provided near (on the lower left side in FIGS. 1 and 2).
Is rotatably supported, and a tape feed roller 27, which is rotatably supported by the roller holder 23, is arranged opposite to the tape pressure contact roller 26 at a position where it can be pressure contacted.

In the cassette housing portion 8, a roller holder 23 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 28 in front of the tape cassette 13 (lower side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the roller holder 23 is not shown. It is possible to switch between the print position and the release position by a manual switching mechanism (FIGS. 1 and 2 both show a state in which the print position is switched to the print position).

In the roller holder 23, the platen roller 24 and the tape feed roller 27 described above are rotatable, respectively, and when the roller holder 23 is switched to the print position, the thermal head 11 and the pressure contact roller 26.
It is arranged so as to be pressed against. The tape feed roller 27 is rotationally driven by the tape feed roller shaft 10 described above, and at the same time, the pressure contact roller 26 is rotationally driven in conjunction with the tape feed roller 27 by a gear mechanism (not shown).

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

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

The ROM 32 stores various programs, and includes a tape printing control program, a modification setting processing program, a printing processing program, and other various programs necessary for controlling the tape printer 1 as will be described later. Remembered Then, the CPU 31 performs various calculations based on various programs stored in the ROM 32.

Further, the CGROM 33 stores dot pattern data corresponding to each character input from the keyboard 6, and the dot pattern data is CGR.
The image buffer 4 read from the OM 33 and described later
4 is to be transferred.

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

In FIG. 4, the text memory 41 sequentially stores code data corresponding to characters input from the keyboard 6 as document data.
Further, the character development work area 42 is a text memory 41.
C corresponding to the character code data stored in
The dot pattern data read from the GROM 33 is expanded and stored, and the character expansion work area 42 is used for character modification processing described later.

Further, the save area 43, when the data length of the dod pattern data stored in the character development work area 42 exceeds the memory length of the image buffer 44 as a result of character modification processing as described later, A part of the dot pattern data is temporarily saved and stored. Further, the image buffer 44 transfers and stores the dot pattern data stored in the character development work area 42, and the thermal head 11 prints dots according to the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer 44. To do.

Now, returning to FIG. 3 and continuing the description of the control block diagram, the keyboard 6 is controlled via the input / output interface 36, and the liquid crystal display 7 and the display controller 37 are controlled via the input / output interface 36, respectively. When the character connected to the device 30 is input from the keyboard 6, the character data described above is sequentially stored in the text memory 41, and the character input via the keyboard 6 based on the dot pattern generation control program. A dot pattern representing is displayed on the liquid crystal display 7.

The thermal head 11 has a drive circuit 38.
The dot pattern data transferred from the character development area 42 to the image buffer 44 is printed by the tape feeding motor 40 and the tape feeding motor 40 controls the feeding of the tape T through the driving circuit 39 in synchronization with the printing. It is a thing.

Next, the operation of the tape printer 1 having the above structure will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of the tape print control program. In step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, various memories are initialized such as clearing.
Subsequently, in S2, it is determined whether or not there is a key input from any key on the keyboard 6, and if there is a key input (S2: YES), the process proceeds to S3, while if there is no key input (S2: : NO) waits for key input.

In S3, it is determined whether or not there is a key input from the text input / edit key such as the character input key 2. When there is a key input from the text creation / edit key (S3: YES), the text (document) is created / edited in S4, the text data is sequentially stored in the text memory 41, and the process returns to S2.

When it is determined that the key input is not the text creation / edit key (S3: NO), the process proceeds to S5, and it is determined in S5 whether or not there is a key input from the modifier setting key 4. When there is a key input from the modification setting key 4 (S5: YES), the modification setting process is performed in S6, and then the process returns to S2.

The decoration setting processing is performed according to the decoration setting processing program shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, S
In 10, the liquid crystal display 7 is set on the decoration setting screen shown in FIG. 7 when the decoration setting key 4 is pressed. Figure 7
, There are four types of character modification modes. “Normal” is a normal character, “Bold” is a character printed with print dots overlaid, and “Outline” is an outline of the character. A so-called bag character in which only characters are printed, and "italic" are characters inclined and printed.

In S11, a modification selection process is performed. Here, the modification selection process is performed by selecting each character modification mode through the numeric keys 1 to 4 provided on the keyboard 6. With this,
The decoration setting is completed.

Next, when it is determined in S5 that the key input is not from the modification setting key 4 (S5: NO), S7
Then, it is determined whether or not the key input is from the print key 3. When it is determined that the key input is from the print key 3 (S7: YES), the printing process described later is performed in S8, and then the process returns to S2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the key input is not the print key 3 (S7: NO), the process corresponding to the pressed key is performed in S9, and then the process returns to S2.

Next, the printing process performed in S8 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of the print processing program. In S12, it is judged whether or not the text data is stored in the text memory 41. If it is determined that the text data is stored in the text memory 41 (S12: YES), the process proceeds to S13, while if it is determined that the text data is not stored in the text memory 41 (S12:
If the answer is NO, the printing process is terminated after the alarm process is performed by the buzzer sounding in S26.

When it is determined in S12 that the text data is stored in the text memory 41 (S1
2: YES), and the image buffer 44 is cleared in S13. In S14, the text data for one character is read from the text memory 41, and the text data is expanded and stored in the character development work area 42 via the CGROM 33 (S).
15).

At the next step S16, it is determined whether the text data read from the character development work area 42 is modified as described above. When the character decoration setting is made (S16: YE
In S), the dot pattern data stored in the character development work area 42 in S17 is subjected to character modification in accordance with the modification mode set as described above, and then the process proceeds to S18. When such character modification is performed, the data length of the dot pattern data increases according to the modification mode (for example, italic character modification). On the other hand, S
If it is determined in 16 that the character decoration setting is not made (S16: NO), the process immediately proceeds to S18.

In S18, the data length obtained by adding the data length of the dot pattern data modified as described above to the data length of the dot pattern data already stored in the image buffer 44 and the memory length of the image buffer 44. Is compared with each other to determine whether the dot pattern data can be arranged in the image buffer 44. If it can be arranged (S18: YES), S1
At 9, the dot pattern data is sequentially arranged and stored in the image buffer 44 (S19).

In S20, it is determined whether or not the next text data exists in the text memory 41. If the text data exists (S20: YES), the processes in S14 to S19 are performed on the subsequent text data. It returns to S14 to perform. On the other hand, when the text data does not exist (S20: NO), the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer 44 in S25 is dot-printed on the film tape 15 via the thermal head 11.

On the other hand, when it is determined in S18 that the modified dot pattern data cannot be arranged in the image buffer 44 (S18: NO), the image buffer out of the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer 44 in S21. A part of the data having a data length of 48 dots is saved in the save area 43 from the end of 44. At this point, the image buffer 44 stores dot pattern data having a data length shorter by 48 dots than the memory length.

Thereafter, the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer 44 is printed on the film tape 15 via the thermal head 11 in S22, and the image buffer 44 is cleared in S23. Then, in S24, the dot pattern data of 48 dot length saved in the save area 43 in S21 is arranged at the head position of the image buffer 44, and then S
Returning to step 19, the dot pattern data, which was stored in the character development work area 42 in S15 and S16 but could not be arranged in the image buffer 44 by the judgment in S18, is arranged and stored in the image buffer 44.

Then, while there is text data in the text memory 41, S14 to S20 are repeatedly executed,
When there is no more text data in the text memory 41 (S20: NO), the dot pattern data in the image buffer 44 is printed and the printing process ends (S2).
5).

Printing examples obtained by printing the dot pattern data based on the above printing process are shown in FIGS. 9 (A) and 9 (B). FIG. 9A shows an example in which an uppercase letter is printed by performing italic modification. Even at the terminal position L of the image buffer 44, unlike the conventional tape printer, "E" and "F" are displayed. The space S formed between the spaces is the same as that of other uppercase letters, and the characters are properly arranged from this space.

Further, FIG. 9B shows an example in which lowercase letters are printed, and between the "f" and "g" at the end position L of the image buffer 44 as in FIG. 9A. The space S formed in is the same as that of other lowercase letters, and each character is properly arranged from this space.

As described in detail above, in the tape printer according to this embodiment, the dot pattern data generated based on the text data stored in the text memory 41 is expanded and stored in the character expansion work area 42. At the same time, the data length of the data after such modification of the dot pattern data and the memory length of the image buffer 44 are compared to determine whether the dot pattern data can be arranged in the image buffer 44. Prints the dot pattern data of the image buffer 44 after storing the dot pattern data of 48 dots in length from the tail end of the image buffer 44 in the save area 43, and stores the image of the data saved in the save area 43. Since it is arranged at the beginning position of the buffer 44, it is saved Never large space S unnecessarily will be formed at the end position L of the image buffer 44 even when printing a dot pattern data.

As a result, it is possible to print characters and the like uniformly and without interruption in the character intervals arranged between the characters, with a proper character interval, so that a very good-looking tape can be obtained. Can be created

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the data length of the dot pattern data to be saved in the save area 43 is set to 48 dots from the end of the image buffer 44, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it can be changed as necessary. it is obvious.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when the data length of the dot pattern data exceeds the memory length of the image buffer, the character intervals arranged between the characters are uniform and long and short. In addition, it is possible to print characters without breaks with proper character spacing.
Therefore, it is possible to provide a tape printing device capable of producing a tape having an extremely good-looking appearance, and its industrial effect is great.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where a tape cassette is stored in a cassette storage portion.

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

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of RAM.

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

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a modification setting processing program.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a liquid crystal display is set on a decoration setting screen.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a print processing program.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a printing example in which printing is performed by the tape printing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of printing performed by a conventional tape printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tape printing device 2 Character input key 3 Printing key 4 Modification setting key 6 Keyboard 11 Thermal head 30 Controller 31 CPU 32 ROM 33 CGROM 34 RAM 41 Text memory 42 Character expansion work area 43 Evacuation area 44 Image buffer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A character input / input means for inputting characters and the like, a text memory for storing a text consisting of code data of characters and the like input from the character input means, and a text memory having a predetermined memory length and stored in the text memory. In a tape printer having an image buffer for storing dot pattern data corresponding to the code data, and dot printing means for printing dots such as characters on a long tape in accordance with the contents of the image buffer. Comparing means for comparing the memory length with the data length of the dot pattern data; and temporarily storing part of the dot pattern data so that the data length of the dot pattern data is smaller than the memory length of the image buffer. Save memory, and the dot pattern by the comparison means. When it is determined that the data length of the data is larger than the memory length of the image buffer, the data excluding the part of the dot pattern data is stored in the image buffer, and part of the dot pattern data is stored in the save memory. Storage control means for causing the dot pattern data stored in the image buffer to be printed, and the dot printing for transferring part of the dot pattern data stored in the save memory to the image buffer for printing. A tape printing apparatus comprising: a printing control unit that controls the printing unit.