JPH07125312A - Bar code printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable correct printing of a bar code by a constitution wherein the result of detection is received from a color detecting means and conversion into dot pattern data for printing an inverted bar code is made when an ink color is of a white series and the color of a background body of a dark color series. CONSTITUTION:In a bar code printer, code data on a character and a sign and data on a bar code inputted from an input means are stored by an input data storage means. A color detecting means detects an ink color of a print ribbon and the color of a background body of dots formed of the ink, and a data conversion means receives the result of detection from the color detecting means when it converts the data read out from the input data storage means into dot pattern data for printing. In the case when the ink color is of a white series and the color of the background body of a dark color series, the dot pattern data for printing the bar code are converted into dot pattern data for printing an inverted bar code in which white and black are inverted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code printing apparatus, and more particularly to printing a bar code printing dot pattern data even if a combination of ink colors of a printing ribbon and a background member is not suitable for bar code printing. The present invention relates to a printable product by reversing it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the applicant of the present invention has disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-177
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 898, a keyboard, a display, and a printing mechanism are provided, and black ink of a printing ribbon is attached in a dot shape to a film-like tape (for example, 10 mm or 24 mm tape width) as a printing medium. In this way, we proposed a tape printer that can print characters and symbols as well as a mixture of barcodes in addition to these characters and symbols. This tape printer is suitable for printing a file name or the like as a label and creating a tape to be attached to the spine of a file. Here, as the printing dot pattern data for printing the barcode, “1” is used as the data corresponding to the black bar forming the barcode,
Bar code printing dot pattern data is created using "0" as the data corresponding to the white bar, and the black bar is printed with the dot-shaped black ink corresponding to these "1" data. Corresponding to the data "0", a white bar is formed without printing, and a bar code composed of a plurality of black bars and white bars is printed.

By the way, as the printing tape, the tape width is "6 mm", so that the width and the color of the printing tape can be selected according to the size of the pasting space, the color of the file to be pasted and the application. 9 mm "," 12 mm "..." 24 mm ", while the tape color of each tape width is" black "," red "," blue "," yellow "..." white " In addition, for each color tape, the ink color of the printing ribbon is also "black", "red", "blue", "yellow" ...
It was set to "white", and a plurality of types of tape cassettes in which these tape widths, tape colors, and ink colors were arbitrarily combined were prepared. As a result, the operator inputs a numeral string for letters, symbols, or bar codes, while using a tape cassette in which the desired tape width, tape color (ground color), and ink color are combined, and the tape width and Documents and barcodes can be printed on tapes that combine colors.

[0004]

As described above, in the tape printer capable of printing a barcode, the tape used for printing a document or a barcode can be arbitrarily selected from a plurality of types. "12m
When printing a barcode using a tape cassette with a combination of “m”, tape color is “black”, and ink color is “white”, the ink color corresponds to the original black bar “1” data. While the print is “white”, the tape color is “black” without being printed corresponding to the original “0” data of the white bar. Therefore, the white bar and the black bar are printed in opposite colors. It

Further, the bar code reading device cannot read the bar code unless a white margin portion having a predetermined width is provided before and after the bar code. That is, the barcode printed with the white bar and the black bar in the opposite colors,
Since there is no margin part of a predetermined width before and after that, there is a problem that the bar code cannot be read by the bar code reader. Even if a bar code reader reads a bar code in which white bars and black bars are printed in opposite colors, the read data is completely different from the input bar code data. There's a problem.

An object of the present invention is to print a bar code which can be accurately read by a bar code reader even when a combination of a print ribbon whose ink color is white and a background member whose dark color is used. It is to provide a code printing device.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bar code printing apparatus, as shown in a functional block diagram of FIG. 1, in which printing is performed by a printing means having a print head including a plurality of dot-shaped printing elements. In a barcode printing apparatus capable of printing a barcode by sticking the ink of a ribbon in a dot shape on a medium to be printed, a color detecting means for detecting the ink color of the printing ribbon and the color of the background body of the dots made of the ink. An input means capable of inputting characters and symbols and various commands; and an input data storage means for storing the character and symbol code data and the barcode data input from the input means,
Data conversion means for converting the data read from the input data storage means into printing dot pattern data, and when the detection result from the color detection means is received and the ink color is white and the background color is dark Data conversion means for converting the printing dot pattern data of the barcode into the printing dot pattern data of the inverted barcode in which black and white are inverted.

Here, a structure comprising a white print ribbon and a black background body (claim 2), wherein the background body is composed of a base body adhered to a dot-adhering surface of a medium to be printed ( Claim 3), the background body is a medium to be printed (Claim 4), and the data conversion means is data for printing a margin of a predetermined width before and after the dot pattern data for printing the inverted barcode. Can be configured in various modes such as a configuration (claim 5).

[0009]

In the bar code printer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the character and symbol code data and the bar code data input from the input means are stored by the input data storage means. Then, the color detection means detects the ink color of the print ribbon and the color of the background body of the dots made of the ink, so the data conversion means converts the data read from the input data storage means into printing dot pattern data. At this time, when the detection result from the color detection means is received and the ink color is white and the background color is dark, an inverted barcode in which the dot pattern data for printing the barcode is inverted between white and black Is converted into dot pattern data for printing.

As described above, when the character or symbol code data and the bar code data are converted into printing dot pattern data, when the ink color is white and the background color is dark, white and black are used. Since it is converted into the dot pattern data for printing of the inverted bar code in which and are inverted, the data of "0" which is the original white bar and which does not instruct the printing is inverted to "1" which instruct the printing and the white line of While being printed in ink color, the data of "1", which is the original black bar that instructs printing, is not printed by being inverted to "0" that does not instruct printing, and becomes the background color that is a dark color system. Therefore, the white bar is the ink color of the white system and the black bar is the background color of the dark system, and the bar code can be printed accurately.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to an English-only tape printing apparatus capable of printing a large number of characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols and bar codes on a printing tape. As shown in FIG. 2, a keyboard 3 is arranged in the front part of the main body frame 2 of the tape printer 1, and the printing mechanism PM is provided in the main body frame 2 behind the keyboard 3.
Is provided, and a liquid crystal display 22 capable of displaying characters and symbols is provided immediately behind the keyboard 3. Here, reference numeral 4 indicates a cover frame 6 when the tape storage cassette CS to be mounted on the printing mechanism PM is attached or detached.
Is a release button for releasing, and reference numeral 5 is a cutting operation button for manually cutting the printing tape 19.

The keyboard 3 includes character keys for inputting alphabets, numbers and symbols, a space key, a return key, a cursor movement key for moving the cursor K to the right or left, and one digit at the cursor display position. A backspace key that erases characters and symbols on the left side, a size key that sets the size of characters to be printed, a bar code key for entering barcode data, a print key that commands printing,
An execution key for storing the barcode data in the text memory 41, a power key for turning the power on and off, and the like are provided.

Next, the printing mechanism PM will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. A rectangular tape cassette CS is detachably attached to the printing mechanism PM. The tape spool 8 around which the transparent laminate film 7 is wound, the ribbon supply spool 10 around which the print ribbon 9 is wound around, the take-up spool 11 around which the print ribbon 9 is wound, and the same width as the laminate film 7. A supply spool 13 in which a double-sided tape 12 having the above is wound with a release paper as an outer side, and a joining roller 14 for joining the laminate film 7 and the double-sided tape 12 are rotatably provided. The double-sided tape 12 has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on both sides of a base tape (corresponding to a background body), and release paper is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one side of the base tape.

The laminated film 7 and the print ribbon 9
A thermal head 15 is erected at a position where and overlap,
The platen roller 16 that presses the laminate film 7 and the print ribbon 9 against the thermal head 15, and the feed roller 17 that presses the laminate film 7 and the double-sided tape 12 against the joining roller 14 to create the printing tape 19 are the main body. Support 18 pivotally attached to the frame 2
It is rotatably pivoted to. This thermal head 15
, A heating element group consisting of 128 heating elements is vertically arranged in a row.

Therefore, when the tape feed motor 47 (see FIG. 4) is driven in the predetermined rotation direction, the joining roller 14 and the take-up spool 11 are driven in synchronism with each other in the predetermined rotation direction, and the heating elements are energized. At this time, characters and barcodes are printed on the laminate film 7 by a plurality of dot rows, and the laminate film 7 is tape-fed in the tape feed direction A as the printing tape 19 with the double-sided tape 12 bonded thereto. As shown in FIG. 3, it is sent out of the main body frame 2. The printing mechanism PM
For details of the above, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-106555.

Next, the manual cutting device 30 for cutting the printing tape 19 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. A plate-shaped auxiliary frame 31 is erected immediately inside the main body frame 2. The fixed blade 32 is attached to the auxiliary frame 31.
Is fixed upwards. An operation lever 34 extending in the front-rear direction is attached to the pivot shaft 33 fixed to the auxiliary frame 31.
Is rotatably supported near the front end of the
A movable blade 35 is attached so as to face the fixed blade 32 at a portion corresponding to the front side of the pivot shaft 33.
Further, the rear end portion of the operation lever 34 is provided with the cutting operation button 5
The operating lever 34 is always located below the movable blade 35.
Is elastically biased by a spring member (not shown) in a direction away from the fixed blade 32. Further, the operation lever 34 is provided on the front end portion of the operation lever 34 by pressing the cutting operation button 5.
Disconnect switch 41 for detecting that the blade has rotated for disconnection
Is installed.

After printing a document or a bar code on the printing tape 19, the printing tape 19 is fixed on the fixed blade 32 and the movable blade 3.
Since it extends to the outside of the main body frame 2 through between 5 and 5,
When the cutting operation button 5 is pressed downward, the movable blade 35 approaches the fixed blade 32 via the operation lever 34, and the printing tape 19 is cut by these two blades 32, 35.

Here, as the printing tape 19 fed from the tape cassette CS, the tape width is 6 mm, 9 mm,
There are five types available: 12 mm, 18 mm, and 24 mm. Furthermore, for each tape width, the color of the base tape forming the double-sided tape 12 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the color of the double-sided tape 12, and the color of this base tape is the ground color of the tape) and the ink color of the printing ribbon 9 are "Black", "Red", "Blue", "Yellow"
... A plurality of types of tape cassettes that are arbitrarily combined from "white" are prepared. That is, there is also prepared a tape cassette CS in which the print ribbon 9 having an ink color of “white” and the double-sided tape 12 having a “black” are combined.

Then, on the bottom wall of these tape cassettes CS, in order to detect any of these five types of tape widths, there are provided a first projecting piece 20 in which three projecting claws are combined, and both surfaces of these plural colors. In order to detect which combination of the color of the tape 12 and the ink color of the print ribbon 9, a second projecting piece 21 in which five projecting claws are combined is provided. Then, on the main body frame 2, a tape width sensor 43 (FIG. 4) for detecting the tape width from the state of the protruding claw of the first protruding piece 20.
2) and a tape color sensor 44 (see FIG. 4) for detecting the combined color of the double-sided tape 12 and the print ribbon 9 from the state of the protruding claws of the second protruding piece 21.

Further, a cassette switch 42 (see FIG. 4) is attached to the main body frame 2 in order to detect that a plurality of types of tape cassettes CS are selectively mounted. When the tape cassette CS is set, the cassette detection signal SS of "H" level is output.

Next, the control system of the tape printer 1 is shown in FIG.
The block diagram of FIG. Control device C
The input / output interface 50 of the
A display controller (LCD) having a disconnect switch 41, a cassette switch 42, a tape width sensor 43, a tape color sensor 44, and a video RAM 24 for outputting display data to a liquid crystal display (LCD) 22.
C) 23, and a drive circuit 46 for the warning buzzer 45,
A drive circuit 48 for driving the thermal head 15 and a drive circuit 49 for driving the tape feed motor 47 are connected to each other. The control device C includes a CPU 52, an input / output interface 50, a CGROM 53, and an R connected to the CPU 52 via a bus 51 such as a data bus.
It is composed of OM 54/55 and RAM 60.

CGROM (pattern data memory) 53
For each of a large number of characters, the dot pattern data for display is stored in the column corresponding to the code data. In a ROM (outline data memory) 54, for each of a large number of characters for printing characters, outline data (outline data) that defines the outline of the character is in a typeface (Gothic typeface, Mincho typeface, etc.). It is classified for each and stored corresponding to the code data.

The ROM 55 has a display drive control program for controlling the display controller 23 in accordance with character code data such as characters, numbers and symbols input from the keyboard 3, and an outline corresponding to each code data in the text memory 61. An image development processing control program for converting the data into dot data and developing it in the print buffer 66, and the data in the print buffer 66 is sequentially read to read the thermal head 15 and the tape feed motor 4.
A print drive control program for driving 7, a control program for tape print control, which will be described later, peculiar to the present application, and the like are stored. The tape printing control is performed by the text memory 61.
A bar code data conversion processing control subroutine for converting the data into the bar code data based on the data of the data character consisting of 13 digits stored in is stored.

In this bar code data conversion processing control, based on the JAN (Japan Article Number) standard, data of 13 numbers including a data character (11 digit number) and a modular check character (1 digit number). Is converted to standard version barcode data. That is, the bar code data includes 3 modules for the left guard bar, 42 modules for the left six data characters, 5 modules for the center bar, 35 modules for the five right data characters, and 7 for the modular check character. Modules and light guard bars are converted into 3 modules.

A text memory 61 of the RAM 60 stores document data and bar code data input from the keyboard 3. One address of the text memory 61 is stored in the text pointer (whose content is the pointer value TP) 62. The display pointer (this content is referred to as a display pointer value DP) 63 has a display 22.
One address of the text memory 61 corresponding to the character displayed at the leftmost position of the predetermined number of character strings displayed in is stored. The character size memory 64 stores data of the size used for printing. The bar code buffer 65 stores data of data characters consisting of 13-digit numbers for printing a bar code.

The print buffer 66 stores print data of characters and symbols and print dot pattern data for bar codes as print data. That is, as shown in FIG. 17, the print buffer 66 is provided with a memory capacity of 128 bits (16 bytes) in the vertical direction and a predetermined bit of about 50 characters in the horizontal direction. Print pointer (this content is the print pointer value PP) 67
Stores one address of the text memory 61 for reading the code data to be printed.

Next, the tape print control routine executed by the controller C of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. Incidentally, reference numeral S in the figure
i (i = 10, 11, 12, ...) Is each step. When the power is turned on by the power key, this control is started, initialization such as clearing each of the memories 61 to 67 is executed (S10), and when a printable key such as a character key or a space key is operated ( S11 ・ S12: Yes
), The code data corresponding to the key is stored in the text memory 41 (S13), the display processing control is executed (S16), and the process returns to S11. For example, when the characters "A" and "B" are input, the code data of the character "AB" is sequentially stored in the text memory 61 as shown in FIG.

Next, when the bar code key is operated to print the bar code (S11: Yes, S12: No,
S14: Yes), the bar code data input processing control (see FIG. 6) is executed (S15), and after S16, the process returns to S11. When this control is started, the bar code input screen is first displayed (S30), and the bar code start code is stored in the bar code buffer 65 (S31). For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the left triangle start mark MS is displayed at the top display position of the cleared display 22, and the start code is stored in the top address of the barcode buffer 65 as shown in FIG. The symbol K is a cursor.

Next, when the numeric key is operated (S
32.S33: Yes), the numerical code is stored in the barcode buffer 65 (S34), the dot pattern corresponding to the numerical code is read from the CGROM 30 and output to the video RAM 24 (S35), and the process returns to S32. For example,
A 13-digit number for a barcode, that is, a 1-digit prefix character, an 11-digit data character, and a 1-digit modular check character "4912345.
678904 "is input, these 13 numeral codes are sequentially stored in the barcode buffer 65 as data of the data character as shown in FIG. 10, and these 13 numerals are displayed as shown in FIG. 22 is displayed.

Next, when the execution key is operated to instruct the end of the bar code data input (S32: Yes,
S33: No, S36: Yes), and when a 13-digit numerical code is stored in the barcode buffer 65 (S37: Ye
s), the barcode end code is the barcode buffer 6
5 is additionally stored (S38), the code string of the barcode buffer 65, that is, the data of the data character is stored in the text memory 61 (S39), and the barcode buffer 65 is stored.
Is cleared (S40), the video RAM 24 is cleared (S41), this control ends, and the process returns to S16 of the tape print control of FIG. For example, the data of data characters from the start code to the end code stored in the barcode buffer 65 shown in FIG. 10 is additionally stored in the text memory 61 as shown in FIG. 11, and the display on the display 22 is erased. It

When the cancel key is operated (S32: Yes, S33.S36: No, S42: Yes), the bar code buffer 65 and the video RAM 24 are cleared (S40 and S41). When the execution key is operated and the 13-digit numerical code is not stored in the bar code buffer 65 (S37: No), the warning buzzer 45 sounds to warn (S44), and S32 is displayed. Return.

Next, the display processing control in S16 (see FIG. 7) will be described. First, the video RAM 24 is cleared (S50), and the display pointer value DP and the text pointer value TP have the start addresses of the text memory 61 respectively. It is stored (S51), and a predetermined number of displayable characters are displayed on the display 22 based on the display pointer value DP (S52). Next, the data at the address designated by the text pointer value TP is read (S53), and when the data is not the bar code start code (S54: No), the pattern data corresponding to the code data is read and the video RAM 24 is read. And is displayed on the display 22 (S66).

Next, the text pointer value TP is incremented by 1 (S67), and when the code data exists in the text memory 61 (S62: Yes), when the data can be displayed, that is, the current display position is the last one on the display 22. If it is not the display position (S63: Yes), S53 and subsequent steps are repeatedly executed. When the current display position is the final display position (S63: No), the display pointer value DP is incremented by 1 (S64), and all the display data is moved by one digit toward the display start position. Is executed (S65), and the process returns to S53.

On the other hand, when the read data is the start code (S54: Yes), the pattern data of the start mark MS corresponding to the start code is first output to the video RAM 24 (S55). Next, when display is possible (S56: Yes
), The pattern data of the end mark ME corresponding to the end code is output to the video RAM 24 (S59), the end code in the text memory 61 is searched (S60), and the address next to the end code is stored in the text pointer value TP. (S61), and S62 and subsequent steps are executed. When it is determined No in S56, the scroll display processing is executed as in S64 and S65 (S57 and S58).

When all the data in the text memory 61 are displayed (S62: No), this control is ended and the process returns to S11 of the tape print control.
For example, when the data shown in FIG. 11 is stored in the text memory 61, as shown in FIG.
The characters "AB" are displayed by S54, S66 to S67, S62 to S65, the start mark MS and the end mark ME are displayed by S53 to S65, and the character string "XY" is replaced by the character string "A".
It is displayed similarly to "B".

Next, in the tape print control of FIG. 5, when the backspace key is operated (S11: Yes, S
12. S14: No, S17: Yes), the cursor K is not at the display position corresponding to the first character in the text memory 61 (S1
8: No), and when the code data on the left side of the cursor K is neither a start code nor an end code, that is, a character code (S19 / S20: No), the code data on the left side of the cursor K is erased from the text memory 61. At the same time, each piece of code data following the erased code data is moved toward the head address (S22), the display process is executed (S16), and the process returns to S11.

However, when the code data on the left side of the cursor K is the start code (S19: Yes) or the end code (S19: No, S20: Yes), the start code and the end code and the data between these codes. All of the character data is erased from the text memory 61, each code data following the erased bar code data is moved toward the head address (S23), and the display process is executed (S16). Return to S11.

For example, in the text memory 61, FIG.
When the backspace key is operated while the data shown in FIG. 15 is stored and the cursor K is displayed at the display position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 15, as shown in FIG. The bar code data is erased from the start code to the end code, and the code data of the character "XY" is moved toward the head address. As a result, as shown in FIG. 16, only the character string “ABXY” is displayed on the display 22.

Next, when the operated key is a key other than the character key, the bar code key, the backspace key and the print key (S11: Yes, S12 / S14 / S17 / S24: N).
o), the process corresponding to the operated key is executed (S2
6) and returns to S11. In particular, when the size key is operated to set the character size, the size data is stored in the character size memory 64 in S26.

On the other hand, when the print key is operated (S
11: Yes, S12, S14, S17: No, S24: Yes), and print processing control (see FIG. 8) is executed (S25). When this control is started, first, the switch signals from the switches 41 and 42 and the sensor signals from the sensors 43 and 44 are read (S70), and the cassette detection signal SS from the cassette switch 42 is at "H" level, When the tape cassette CS is set (S71: Yes) and when the document data exists in the text memory 61 (S72: Yes).
), The print buffer 66 is cleared (S73), and the start address of the text memory 61 is set to the print pointer value PP (S74). Here, when the cassette detection signal SS from the cassette switch 42 is at the "L" level and the tape cassette CS is not set (S71: N
o) Or, when the document data does not exist in the text memory 61 (S72: No), the warning buzzer 45 is sounded (S91), and this control is ended, and the tape printing control S is performed.
Return to 11.

Next, when the code data at the address designated by the print pointer value PP is a character code (S7
5, S76: Yes), the enlargement ratio is obtained based on the data of the set size, the outline data is enlarged using this enlargement ratio, and the print data, which is the dot pattern data for printing, is extracted from this outline data. It is created and stored in the print buffer 66 (S77).
Details of the dot pattern data conversion processing control for converting outline data into printing dot pattern data using the enlargement ratio are described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 49-12.
See Japanese Patent No. 9447.

Next, the print pointer value PP is incremented by 1 (S78), and when there is code data in the text memory 61 (S79: Yes), S75 and subsequent steps are repeatedly executed. For example, in the text memory 61,
As shown in FIG. 11, when the data of the character string “AB”, the data of the data character of the barcode, and the data of the character string “XY” are stored, as shown in FIG.
In the print buffer 66, print dot pattern data for the characters "A" and "B" are first expanded and stored.
That is, dot pattern data of "1" (illustrated in black) for instructing printing is stored corresponding to the image of the character, and dot pattern data of "0" for not instructing the printing is stored for other than the character image. Data (illustrated in white) is stored.

On the other hand, when the read code data is the start code (S75, S76: No, S82: Yes), the data of the data character stored from the start code to the end code of the next address is read. (S83). Next, space data for the left margin required for barcode printing is created and stored in the print buffer 66 (S84). Then, based on the data of these 13-digit data characters, the above-mentioned barcode is used. By the data conversion processing control, it is converted into the dot pattern data for the white bar and the black bar of the standard version of the bar code, and the height (size) of the bar code symbol is enlarged to the set size. And is stored in the print buffer 66 (S85). Here, the dot pattern data for the white bar is "0" which does not instruct printing, and the dot pattern data for the black bar is "1" which instructs printing.

Further, space data for a write margin is created and stored in the print buffer 66 (S
86). For example, as shown in FIG. 18, the print buffer 66
First, a space for the left margin is developed,
Then, the dot pattern data for printing for the white bar and the black bar of the standard version of the bar code is expanded, and the space for the write margin is further expanded.

Next, based on the combined color signal from the tape color sensor 44, when the ink color IC of the printing ribbon 9 is "white" and the color of the double-sided tape 12, that is, the ground color TC is not "black" (S87: No), since printing is possible using the dot pattern data for printing for the white bar and the black bar of the bar code, the address of the end code is set in the print pointer value PP (S89), and S78 and the subsequent steps are executed.

However, when the ink color IC is "white" and the background color TC of the double-sided tape 12 is "black" (S87: Yes),
In the print buffer 66, the dot pattern data “0” for spaces and white bars is inverted to “1” for instructing printing, and the dot pattern data “1” for black bars does not instruct for printing “0”. The dot pattern data for printing the inverted bar code is created. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, in the print buffer 66, the dot pattern data of “0” related to the barcode is inverted to “1”, and the dot pattern data of “1” is inverted to “0”. The dot pattern data for printing is created.

By the way, when the read code data is neither a character code nor a start code, for example, a space code (S75, S76 / S82: No), a dot pattern expansion process corresponding to the code data is executed ( S90) and S78 and subsequent steps are executed. When all the data in the text memory 61 have been developed into dot patterns (S79: No), the print data in the print buffer 66 is output to the print mechanism PM for print processing (S).
80), a drive signal for causing the tape feed motor 47 to feed a predetermined amount of tape is output (S81), the control is terminated, and the process returns to S11.

As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 20, when the dot pattern data of the character string “AB”, the inverted bar code, and the character string “XY” are expanded in the print buffer 66, respectively, the result is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the “black” double-sided tape 12 is printed corresponding to the “1” dot pattern data to be printed with the “white” ink and the “0” dot pattern data not to be printed. The printing tape 19 having the background color of is produced. That is, the character strings "AB" and "XY" are printed in white, respectively, while the bar code is originally printed in the ink color "white" of the print ribbon 9 corresponding to the white bar and originally the black bar. Since the background color is “black” corresponding to, the barcode can be accurately printed even when the printing ribbon 9 is white and the double-sided tape 12 is black.

Furthermore, since a left margin and a right margin of a predetermined width are printed in white on the print ribbon 9 in front of and behind the bar code body composed of a plurality of white bars and black bars, respectively, these white margins are printed. The barcode provided with the portion can be accurately read by the barcode reader.

Here, the tape cassette CS is shown in FIG.
It is also possible to change and configure as shown in FIG. That is, the release tape is adhered to the outside and printed in dots by the thermal head 15 on the inside of the printing tape 12A wound around the supply spool 13 to form the printing tape 19. In this case, the tape cassette CS can be simplified and the cost of barcode printing can be reduced without separately providing the laminate film 7 which is the medium to be printed.

By the way, in the bar code data conversion process control, it is possible to convert the bar code data into the bar code data of the shortened version in addition to the standard version. In this case, the number of characters of the data character can be changed. Since it can be converted into standard version or shortened version barcode data based on the above, and the data can be converted into printing dot pattern data, two types of barcodes of different versions can be printed simultaneously with the character string.

Here, the correspondence relationship between each means described in the claims and the configuration in the above-mentioned embodiment will be described. The tape color sensor 44 corresponds to the color detecting means.
And the second projecting piece 21, the one corresponding to the input means is the keyboard 3, the one corresponding to the input data storage means is the text memory 61 of the RAM 60, and the one corresponding to the data converting means is The print processing control is particularly S77 and S83 to S88.

The print ribbon 9 may have various white ink colors, and the double-sided tape 12 may have various dark color colors such as "green". In the bar code data conversion processing control, "EAN (Europe
An article number) "or" CODE39 "may be used for conversion into barcode data. It should be noted that, within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications may be made to the control of the above-described embodiment based on existing technology or technology obvious to those skilled in the art. It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to various bar code printers that include a dot print type print head and are capable of bar code printing.

[0054]

According to the bar code printing apparatus of the first aspect, the color detecting means, the inputting means, the input data storing means, and the data converting means are provided, and the code data of characters and symbols and the bar code are stored. About data When converting to dot pattern data for printing, if the ink color is white and the background color is dark, it is converted to dot pattern data for printing with an inverted barcode in which white and black are reversed. Therefore, the data of the original white bar “0” is inverted to “1” and printed with the white ink color, while the data of the original black bar “1” is inverted to “0”. The white bar is the white ink color and the black bar is the dark background color, and the bar code is printed correctly. it can.

According to the bar code printer of the second aspect, since the white print ribbon and the black background member are provided,
The original white bar can be printed with a white ink color, and the original black bar has a black background body color. Even if the print ribbon and background body are a combination of these colors, the barcode can be printed accurately. can do.

According to the barcode printing apparatus of the third aspect, since the background body is configured as a base body that is attached to the dot attachment surface of the print medium, the barcode printed on the print medium is used. Since the dot-shaped ink is adhered to the base body, the ink is prevented from being worn because it is inside the printing medium.

According to the bar code printing apparatus of the fourth aspect, since the background body is the print medium, the print medium can be used as the background body, and both the background body and the print medium can be used. Since it is not necessary, the cost of barcode printing can be reduced.

According to the bar code printing apparatus of the fifth aspect, the data converting means adds data for printing a margin of a predetermined width before and after the dot pattern data for printing the inverted bar code. The barcode reading device can accurately read the barcode through these margins.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of claim 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tape printer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a printing mechanism equipped with a tape cassette.

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 barcode data input processing control routine.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a display processing control routine.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a print processing control routine.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a data structure in a text memory.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a data configuration in a barcode buffer.

FIG. 11 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 9 in which barcode data is stored.

FIG. 12 is a view equivalent to FIG. 9 in which code data of a character string is stored.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a display example of a display when inputting barcode data.

FIG. 14 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 13 when a number corresponding to a data character is input.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a display example in which a character string and a barcode are mixed.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a display example of only character strings.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing dot pattern data of a character string “AB” expanded in a print buffer.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing dot patterns of “AB” and a barcode developed in the print buffer.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing dot patterns of “AB” and a reverse barcode developed in the print buffer.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing dot patterns of “ABXY” and a reverse barcode developed in the print buffer.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a printing example in which a character string and a barcode are mixed.

FIG. 22 is a diagram in which a tape cassette according to a modified example is mounted
FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Tape Printing Device 3 Keyboard 9 Printing Ribbon 12 Double-sided Tape 13 Thermal Head 21 Second Projecting Piece 29 CPU 31 ROM 32 ROM 44 Tape Color Sensor 47 Tape Feed Motor 60 RAM 61 Text Memory C Controller CS Tape Cassette PM Printing Mechanism

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location B41J 5/30 C G06K 1/12 A 19/06 B41J 3/534 G06K 19/00 A

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A bar code printing apparatus capable of printing a bar code by applying ink of a print ribbon to a print medium in a dot shape by a printing means having a print head composed of a plurality of dot-shaped print elements. , A color detection means for detecting the ink color of the print ribbon and the color of the background of the dots made of the ink, an input means for inputting characters and symbols and various commands, and a character input from the input means Input data storage means for storing code data of symbols and symbols and bar code data, and data conversion means for converting data read from the input data storage means into printing dot pattern data, the color detection means When the ink color is white and the background color is dark, the dot pattern data for printing the barcode is set to white and black. Bar code printing apparatus characterized by comprising: a data converting means for converting the print dot pattern data of the reverse barcode obtained by inverting the. 2. The bar code printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a white print ribbon and a black background member. 3. The barcode printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the background body is a base body that is attached to a dot attachment surface of a print medium. 4. The barcode printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the background is a medium to be printed. 5. The barcode according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion means adds data for printing a margin of a predetermined width before and after the dot pattern data for printing the inverted barcode. Printing device.