JPH0699637A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a key operation by a method wherein a content of a file registered in a file memory is printed on a tape during a file retrieval processing without erasing a document in an edition buffer. CONSTITUTION:A retrieval buffer is provided in addition to an edition buffer. In a file retrieval processing, a file in a file memory is not written in the edition buffer but in the retrieval buffer. With an operation of a printing key during a file name indication (S42: YES) or a file document identification (S44: YES), document data in the retrieval buffer is printed (S43). In this manner, when a plurality of files are continuously printed, the need for conducting printing after every completion of a file reading operation is eliminated, and a printing operation can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer having a function of registering document data or the like as a file.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present application has put into practical use a tape printer capable of printing characters and symbols on a tape as a printing medium, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-85050. It is suitable for making a tape having a file name printed on the spine of a file. Some of these tape printers have a function of registering document data and the like as a file. In this type of tape printer, the content of the file is printed by a process of printing normal document data. In order to use it as it is, it is only possible to read the contents of the file memory into the editing buffer and put it in the normal input state (editing mode). Therefore, if at least one file is selected from multiple files in the file memory or the document of the selected file is checked, an error will occur even if the print key is pressed during file search, and the contents of the file will be printed. I couldn't.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional tape printer, when the contents of the file memory are read into the editing buffer, the document data and the like input to the editing buffer at that time are erased. Therefore, in order to continue the editing work even after reading the file, it is necessary to register the edited document in the file and then call the file. Also, when printing multiple registered files consecutively, it was possible to print only after the files were called into the editing buffer.Therefore, the file call operation should be completed each time, and printing should be performed after the normal input status. The operation was troublesome.

An object of the present invention is to enable the printing of the contents of a file without erasing the contents of the editing buffer at the time of printing the contents of the file, so that the contents of the file can be printed even when the file is searched before the file reading operation is completed. An object of the present invention is to provide a tape printer which can reduce the number of operations when printing a plurality of files continuously.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printer in which an input unit for inputting character and symbol data and various commands and an editing unit for storing data of a document being input or edited. In a tape printer having a buffer for printing, a display means for displaying a document stored in the editing buffer, and a printing means for printing characters and symbols on a tape as a printing medium, the tape printing device stores the data in the editing buffer. A file memory that stores a plurality of files including document data and print format data that is input in association therewith, and at least one file is selected from the plurality of files in the file memory, or a document of the selected file is displayed. When a print command is input from the input means during the file search to be confirmed, the data of the file being searched is stored in the file memory. It is obtained by a printing reading means for printing on printing means directly read.

In the tape printer according to the second aspect, the printing read means comprises a search buffer capable of storing data of a plurality of files read from the file memory.

[0007]

In the tape printer according to the first aspect,
If there is a print command from the input means during file selection during file registration, file recall, file deletion, or so-called file search during file content confirmation to confirm the document of the selected file, print read means Reads the contents of the file directly from the file memory rather than from the editing buffer. Then, the contents of the file can be printed without erasing the contents of the editing buffer. In addition, since the contents of the file can be printed by the print command when searching for the file, when printing multiple files in succession, it is not necessary to print after completing the file recall operation one by one.
Printing can be performed while searching for files, and the number of operations can be reduced.

Further, in the tape printer according to the second aspect, when a file is searched, a plurality of file contents are written in a search buffer different from the editing buffer, so that a plurality of file commands can be issued by one print command. The contents of the file can be printed at once, which makes the operation even easier.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The tape printer 1 of the present embodiment prints a large number of characters such as characters and symbols on a printing tape (tape as a printing medium), and as shown in FIG. A keyboard 3 is provided, a printing mechanism 4 is provided in the main body frame 2 behind the keyboard 3, and a liquid crystal display 5 capable of displaying characters and symbols is provided behind the keyboard 3. On the keyboard 3, character keys for entering alphabets, numbers and symbols, space key, line feed key for line feed command,
File key for file search, selection key for selecting a predetermined file during file search, cursor movement key for moving the cursor to the right or left, print key for executing printing, power ON / OFF A power key and the like are provided.

Next, the printing mechanism 4 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. A rectangular tape storage cassette 6 is detachably attached to the printing mechanism 4, and the tape storage cassette 6 is transparent. A tape spool 8 around which a printing tape 7 having a width of about 24 mm is wound, a ribbon supply spool 10 around which an ink ribbon 9 is wound around, a take-up spool 11 around which the ink ribbon 9 is wound up, and printing Double-sided tape 12 having the same width as the tape 7 is wound around the supply spool 13 with the release paper outside, and the joining roller 1 for joining the printing tape 7 and the double-sided tape 12 together.
4 and 4 are rotatably provided.

A thermal head 15 is erected at a position where the printing tape 7 and the ink ribbon 9 overlap each other, and the thermal head 15 connects the printing tape 7 and the ink ribbon 9 to each other.
A platen roller 16 that presses the sheet and a feed roller 17 that presses the printing tape 7 and the double-sided tape 12 against the joining roller 14 are rotatably supported by a support 18. The thermal head 15 has 128 columns arranged in the vertical direction.
A heating element group including individual heating elements is provided.

Therefore, when the tape feed motor 24 (see FIG. 4) is driven in the predetermined rotation direction, the joining roller 14 and the take-up spool 11 are driven in synchronization with each other in the predetermined rotation direction to energize the heating element group. At this time, characters are printed on the printing tape 7 by a plurality of dot rows, and the printing tape 7 is fed in the tape feeding direction A with the double-sided tape 12 joined. For details of the printing mechanism 4, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-106555.

Next, the control system of the tape printer 1 is shown in FIG.
The block diagram of FIG. That is, in this control system, a keyboard 3, a drive circuit 21 for the warning buzzer 20, a display controller (LCDC) 23 having a display RAM for outputting display data to the liquid crystal display (LCD) 5, Thermal head 1
Drive circuit 25 for driving 5, and tape feed motor 2
The drive circuit 26 for driving 4 is connected to the input / output interface 27 of the controller C, respectively. The control device C includes a CPU 29, an input / output interface 27 connected to the CPU 29 via a bus 28 such as a data bus, a CGROM 30, ROMs 31 and 32, and a RAM.
And 40.

CGROM (pattern data memory) 30
For each of a large number of characters, the dot pattern data for display is stored in the column corresponding to the code data. A ROM (outline data memory) 31 has contour data (outline data) that defines the contour line of a character for printing a character, such as a Gothic typeface and a Mincho typeface. It is classified for each and stored corresponding to the code data. Each of the large number of outline data stores the size of the print image in the vertical direction and the size of the print image in the horizontal direction.

In the ROM 32, a display drive control program for controlling the display controller 23 in correspondence with character code data such as characters, numbers and symbols input from the keyboard 3, an editing buffer 41 and a search buffer 43. An image development processing control program for converting outline data corresponding to code data into dot pattern data for printing and developing it in the print buffer 44, and sequentially reading data in the print buffer 44 to drive the thermal head 15 and the tape feed motor 24. A print drive control program, a control program for a later-described tape print control peculiar to the present application, and the like are stored.

The RAM 40 comprises an edit buffer 41, a file memory 42, a search buffer 43, a print buffer 44, a flag memory 45 and the like. The editing buffer 41 stores the data of the document being input or being edited. The file memory 42 has an editing buffer 41.
It is possible to store a plurality of files each of which is composed of the data of the document stored in and the print format data such as the character size, the typeface, and the designation of the designation that are input in association with the document data. The file search buffer 43 has the same structure as the editing buffer 41, and a plurality of file data in the file memory 41 is stored in this buffer 43.

When the flag memory 45 displays flag data to be set (data is "1") during editing and options such as "register", "call", "delete" during file search. Flag data to be set (data is “1”), flag data to be set when the file name is being displayed (data is “1”), and document data in the file is being confirmed and displayed. Flag data (data is “1”) is stored. Furthermore, R
The AM 40 is provided with a buffer, a counter, a pointer, etc. for temporarily storing the calculation result calculated by the CPU 29.

Next, the outline of the tape print control routine executed by the controller C of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, reference numeral Si (i = 1, 2, 3, ...) Indicates each step. When the power is turned on by operating the power key, this control is started, and first, the editing flag HF is set (“1” in the set state), the option display flag SF, the file name display flag MF, and the file document confirmation. Flag KF
Is cleared (S1), and the document input screen is displayed on the display 5.
Is displayed on the screen (S2). In this state, it is determined whether or not there is a key input (S3), and the determination is repeated until there is a key input (S3: NO), and if there is a key input (S3: Y).
ES), it is determined whether or not it is a file key input (S4).

If the file key is input (S4: YE
S), the process proceeds to the file option display process (see FIG. 6), and if it is not the file key (S4: NO), it is determined whether or not the selection key is input (S6). If the selection key is input (S6: YES), the file selection process (see FIG. 7)
(S7). If the selection key is not entered (S
6: NO), and then it is determined whether or not the cursor movement key is input (S8). If it is the cursor movement key (S8: YE
S), and shifts to the display switching process (see FIG. 8) (S
9). If it is not the cursor movement key (S8: NO), it is judged whether or not the print key is input (S10), and if it is the print key (S10: YES), the process shifts to the printing process (see FIG. 9) (S11), If it is any other key input (S10: N
O), the process corresponding to the key is performed.

FIG. 6 shows a file option display processing control routine, and FIG. 10 is a view showing a method of switching the file option. As shown in FIG. 10, in the input state on the display 5 in the edit mode (S51), the file option is displayed by pressing the file key (S5).
2). There are three file options, "register", "call", and "delete", and these options are switched by the cursor movement key (S53, S54). Therefore, in the control routine of the file option display process, as shown in FIG. 6, first, the edit flag HF is set ("1" in the set state) to determine whether the screen of the display 5 is the edit screen.
It is determined whether it has been done (S13). Editing flag H
If F is set (S13: YES), the editing flag HF is cleared and the option display flag SF is set (S14), then the file option as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed (S15), and the next key input is performed. Wait for (S3).

If the editing flag HF is not set (S13: NO), it means that the file key is pressed during so-called file search during file selection or file content confirmation as shown in FIGS. Therefore, in this case, the buzzer sounds (S16) and waits for a new key input (S3).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a routine for controlling the file selection process, which is executed by pressing the selection key.
The file name display, the file document confirmation display, and the switching to the edit mode are performed as shown in FIG. Therefore, FIG.
Before explaining the file selection processing shown in FIG.
The display switching method shown in 3 will be described.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method of switching the file call target file. In the display state of the file call option of the file options (S55), by pressing the selection key, the file name is displayed and the already registered file name is displayed (S56). This file name display is switched by operating the cursor movement key (S57, S58). FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a method of confirming document data in a file. When the selection key is pressed in the file name display state (S59), the document data in the file is confirmed (S60), and the cursor is moved from this state. By operating the move key, the display character string on the display 5 is shifted by one character and displayed (S61, S62). FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a method of writing a file into the editing buffer 41 and setting the file in the editing mode. In the document confirmation state in the file (S63), the data in the editing buffer 41 is input by pressing the selection key. Was cleared, and instead of this,
Document data corresponding to the display document on the display is written from the file memory 42 to the editing buffer 41,
The characters in the editing buffer 41 are displayed on the display and the editing mode is set (S64).

In the file processing state shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the display state on the display is switched by inputting the selection key. Therefore, in the file selection processing control routine shown in FIG. 7, the following control is performed. still,
11 to 13, only the file call is described, but the same applies to file registration and file deletion.

In the file selection processing control routine, if the selection key is input during file processing, as shown in FIG.
First, it is determined whether or not the option display flag SF is set (“1” in the set state) (S17), and when the option display flag is set (S17: YE).
S) Since the selection key has been operated while the options are being displayed, the contents of the file search buffer 43 are cleared (S18), and the document contents of the first file among the plurality of files are searched for in the file search buffer 43. Write to (S1
9). Then, the option display flag SF is cleared, the file name display flag MF is set (S20), the file name of the written file is displayed in the search buffer 43 (S21), and the next key input is awaited (S3). This state is shown in S56 of FIG.

When the selection key is input, the option display flag SF
If it is determined that is not set (S17: N
O), it is determined whether or not the file name display flag MF is set (“1” in the set state) to determine whether the file name display screen is displayed (S22). When the file name display flag MF is set (S2
2: YES), which means that the selection key has been input while the file name is being displayed, so the file name display flag MF is cleared and the file document confirmation flag KF is set (S2
3) Display the document data (S24), and then wait for key input (S3). This state is shown in S60 of FIG.

When it is determined that the file name display flag MF is not set when the selection key is input (S2
2: NO), in order to determine whether or not the selection key has been input on the file document confirmation screen, it is determined whether or not the file document confirmation flag KF is set (“1” in the set state) (S25). When the file document confirmation flag KF is set (S25: YES), it means that the selection key has been input on the file document confirmation screen, so the editing flag HF is set and the file document confirmation flag K is set.
F is cleared (S26), the stored document in the editing buffer 41 is cleared (S27), and the document of the file being displayed is written from the file memory 42 to the editing buffer 41 (S28). Then, the document data is displayed on the display 5 from the editing buffer 41 (S29) and waits for the next key input (S3). This state is shown in S64 of FIG. If the file document confirmation flag KF is not set in S25 (S25: NO), it means that the selection key has been input when the editing screen is displayed, so other processing is performed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a routine for display switching processing control. To explain the display switching process based on this figure,
In this routine, first, in order to determine whether or not the option display screen is displayed, it is determined whether or not the option display flag SF is set (S31), and when it is set (S3).
1: YES), which means that the cursor movement key has been input in the option display state, so that the next option is displayed (S32) and the next key input is waited (S3), as in S52 to S53 in FIG. ). When the option display flag SF is not set (S31: NO), it is determined whether the file name display flag MF is set (S3).
3) If it is set (S33: YES), it means that the cursor movement key has been input on the file name display screen, so the file search buffer is cleared (S3
4), the next document in the file memory 42 is written in the search buffer 43 (S35). Then, the file name is displayed on the display (S36). This state is shown in Figure 1.
1 S56, 57, 58.

When the file name display flag MF is not set (S33: NO), it is judged whether or not the file document confirmation flag KF is set (S37), and when it is set (S37: YES). Since the cursor movement key has been input on the file document confirmation screen, the display character string is shifted by one character (S38). This processing state is represented by S60, 61, 6 in FIG.
2 shows. If the file document confirmation flag KF is not set (S37: NO), it means that the cursor movement key has been input on the editing screen, and other processing is performed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a print processing control routine. The printing process will be described with reference to this figure. In this routine, first, it is judged whether or not the editing flag HF is set (S40), and if it is set (S4).
(0: YES), since the print key has been input on the edit screen, the data on the edit screen will be printed.
In the process, first, a dot pattern data creation process for expanding the print dot pattern data for printing the document data in the editing buffer 41 into the print buffer 44 is executed, and the dot pattern data read from the print buffer 44 is printed. The data is output to the mechanism 4 to execute the printing process (S4
1) Wait for the next key input after printing is completed (S
3).

If the editing flag HF is not set (S40: NO), it is determined whether the file name display flag MF is set (S42). If it is set (S42: YES), the file name is set. Since the print key has been input during display, the dot pattern data creation process for expanding the print dot pattern data for printing the document data in the file search buffer 43 into the print buffer 44 is executed, and the print buffer The dot pattern data read from 44 is output to the printing mechanism 4 to execute the printing process (S43), and after the printing process is completed, the next key input is awaited (S3). Since the file name display screen is displayed even after this print processing is completed, if the cursor move key is entered in this state to display the next file name and the print key is operated (S10: YES), the current file is displayed again. The contents of the file name are printed.

If the file name display flag MF is not set (S42: NO), it is judged whether the file document confirmation flag KF is set (S44),
If it is set (S44: YES), it means that the print key has been input during the confirmation of the file document, so that the document content of the file search buffer 43 is printed in the same manner as above (S43). After the printing process is completed, the next key input is awaited (S3). If the file document confirmation flag KF is not set (S44: NO), for example, as shown in FIG.
Since the file cannot be identified as in the case of displaying the file option shown in 0, in this case, the buzzer sounds and error processing is performed (S45).

As described above, in the print processing, since the document in the search buffer 43 is directly printed by the input of the print key during the file search, that is, during the file name display or the file document confirmation, the edit buffer is used. The contents of 41 will not be erased. The contents of the file can be printed by inputting the print key even during file search, so when printing multiple files in succession, it is not necessary to print after completing the file read operation each time. Printing can be executed while searching, and the number of operations can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the search buffer is provided and the content of the file is written in the search buffer. However, the content of the file in the file memory may be directly written without providing the search buffer. Further, when the search buffer is provided, only one file content is written in the search buffer in the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of file contents may be writable. By doing so, the contents of a plurality of files in a plurality of search buffers can be printed with a single print key operation, and the operation is further simplified.

[0035]

As described above, according to the tape printer of the first aspect, the contents of the file in the file memory are read directly from the file memory rather than from the editing buffer. The contents of the file buffer can be printed by pressing the print key even when searching for a file without erasing the contents of the buffer for file use. There is no need to print after completion, printing can be performed while searching for files, and the number of operations is reduced.

Further, according to the tape printer according to the second aspect, the contents of a plurality of files can be written in the search buffer provided separately from the editing buffer, so that one print key operation is performed. With this, it is possible to expect an excellent effect that the contents of a plurality of files can be printed and the operation can be further simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram corresponding to claims 1 and 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the tape printer according to this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a printing mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control system of the tape printer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a tape print control routine.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a file option display processing control routine.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a file selection processing control routine.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a display switching process control routine.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of a print processing control routine.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a file option switching method.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method of switching a file call target file.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a method of checking document data in a file.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a method of writing a file in an edit buffer and setting the file in an edit mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tape Printing Device 2 Body Frame 3 Keyboard 4 Printing Mechanism 5 Display 6 Tape Storage Cassette 7 Printing Tape 8 Tape Spool 9 Ink Ribbon 10 Ribbon Supply Spool 11 Winding Spool 12 Double-sided Tape 13 Supply Spool 14 Bonding Roller 15 Thermal Head 16 Platen Roller 17 Feed roller 41 Editing buffer 42 File memory 43 Search buffer 44 Print buffer 45 Flag memory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An input unit for inputting character or symbol data and various commands, an editing buffer for storing data of a document being input or edited, and a document stored in the editing buffer are displayed. In a tape printer including a display unit for displaying characters and symbols on a tape as a print medium, the data of the document stored in the editing buffer and a print format input in association therewith A file memory that stores a plurality of files including data, and a print command is input from the input unit during a file search for selecting at least one file from the plurality of files in the file memory or confirming a document of the selected file. Read-out for printing, in which the data of the file being searched is read directly from the file memory and printed by the printing means Tape printing apparatus characterized by comprising: a means. 2. The tape printer according to claim 1, wherein the printing read means includes a search buffer capable of storing data of a plurality of files read from the file memory.