JPH0815801B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a label printer that prints characters, barcodes, etc. on a label.

[Prior Art] For food products, sundries, etc. sold at each store,
As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), a label 1 on which a bar code corresponding to a product code for specifying the product, a price, and the like are printed is attached.

In the label printer that prints such a label 1, a frame memory that stores patterns such as characters and a barcode printed on the label 1 as image data is formed. Then, when print data is input from the outside,
The print data including the character code, the numeric data, and the data indicating the print position is developed into image data for one label using the character generator and the numeric code / barcode conversion table. And this developed label 1
The image data for one sheet is temporarily stored in the frame memory.
Next, the image data stored in this frame memory is read out and printed on the label 1 by the dot print head, for example.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as described above, the print data input from the outside is converted into image data and temporarily stored in the frame memory, and then the image data stored in the frame memory is read out. The following problems still exist in the label printer in which the dot print head prints on the label.

That is, since a general store sells a plurality of the same products, it is necessary to print a plurality of the same labels for each product type. Generally, in such a case, the required number of labels 1 for the same product are collectively printed. However, if the products are unsorted and brought into the installation position of the label printer in a random manner, As shown in the figure, it is necessary to print a limited number of plural labels 1 in any order.

As described above, the print data to be printed on the label 1 needs to be temporarily converted into image data and stored in the frame memory. Therefore, when the type of the label 1 is frequently changed as shown in FIG. 7, it is necessary to develop the print data into image data and store it in the frame memory each time. By the way, in the case of FIG. 7, it is necessary to perform the process of expanding the print data into the image data four times in total. The process of expanding this print data into image data and storing it in the frame memory is executed using the character generator and the numeric code / barcode conversion table as described above, so the process is not only very complicated but also very complicated. Requires a long processing time.

As a result, the label printing speed of the entire label printer is reduced, and the work efficiency of the label issuing work is reduced.

According to the present invention, by forming a plurality of areas for storing image data for each label in the frame memory,
Even if multiple types of print data are input in random order, it is possible to reduce the number of processings to expand the print data to image data each time, thus increasing the overall label printing speed and improving the label printing work efficiency. The purpose is to provide a printer.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention relates to a frame memory provided with a plurality of memory areas for storing image data for one label developed based on print data, and this frame. A data memory for storing print data corresponding to each image data stored in the memory area of the memory, a search means for searching whether or not the input print data is stored in the data memory, and an input by this search means When it is determined that the print data is not stored in the data memory, the input print data is stored in the data memory and the input print data is expanded into image data and stored in one of the memory areas of the frame memory. Memory control means, print output means for printing out image data on a label, and print data input by the search means are stored in a data memory. If it is found that the input print data is stored in the data memory, the image data expanded in the memory area of the frame memory is read out and transferred to the print output means. In this case, the image data transfer means for reading out the image data already stored in the memory area of the frame memory for the input print data and transferring it to the print output means is provided.

[Operation] According to the label printer configured as described above, when new print data is input from the outside, when image data corresponding to the print data is not stored in one area of the frame memory, After the print data is expanded into image data and stored in one area of the frame memory, the image data in that area is used to print out the label.

On the other hand, if the image data corresponding to the newly input print data is stored in one area of the frame memory, the image data already stored in that area is not expanded into the image data. Is printed on the label using. Therefore, the number of processes for actually expanding the print data into the image data and storing it in the area of the frame memory is reduced.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the label printer of the embodiment. Via the bus line 3 to the CPU2 for executing various information processing, the ROM4 for storing the control program, the RAM5 for storing various variable data such as the data memory, the input interface 6 for inputting print data from an external host computer or the like, A keyboard interface 8 to which various key signals are inputted from the keyboard 7, a frame memory selection circuit 10 for selecting an area 9a of a frame memory 9 for storing a plurality of image data, an image to a dot printing bed 11 for printing out image data on a label Connected are a print head drive circuit 12 that sends out each dot data that forms data, a motor drive circuit 14 that drives a paper feed motor 13 formed of, for example, a stepping motor that feeds the paper with each label attached, and the like. There is.

Various operation keys such as a power switch, a print start key, and a paper feed key are arranged on the keyboard 7.

Further, in the frame memory 9, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of areas 9a each having a storage capacity for storing image data for one label are formed. In this embodiment, six regions 9a are formed. The frame memory selection circuit 10 specifies which area 9a the image data is written to or read from.

Further, in the RAM 5, as shown in FIG. 3, each area of the reception buffer 5a and the frame memory 9 for temporarily storing the print data input through the input interface 6.
A data memory 5b that stores each print data corresponding to the image data stored in 9a, a number counter 5c that counts the number A of labels to be issued when labels with the same data printed continuously, and a new image A writing area counter 5d that counts the area number B of the writing destination area 9a when writing data to the frame memory 9, and an area number P of the area 9a in which the image data to be printed on the label by the dot print head 11 is stored. A print area memory 5e for designating is specified.

Then, when the power supply of this apparatus is turned on, the CPU 2 is configured to execute a printing process for printing the image data corresponding to the input print data on the label according to the flow chart of FIG.

In FIG. 4, when the power is turned on, the input interface 6, the memories 5a to 5e of the RAM 5 and the areas 9a of the frame memory 9 are initialized. Next, the number of issued sheets A of the sheet number counter 5c of the RAM 5 is set to an initial value 0, and the area number B of the writing area counter 5d is set to an initial value 1. When print data is input through the input interface 6 at P1, the print data is temporarily received by the reception buffer 5a.
Store to. The print data includes a character code and a numeric code corresponding to a character and a bar code to be printed out on one label, data indicating a print position, and data such as the number of issued labels.

If more than one print data is input to the receive buffer 5a at P2, the print data of one print data is read and the number of prints contained in the print data is output to the number counter 5c of the RAM5. Set as A.

Next, the print data excluding the number of issued sheets read in P3 is RA
The data memory 5b of M5 is searched (search means). And
If the same print data is not searched, the area number B designated by the writing area counter 5d in the data memory 5b
The print data excluding the input number of issued sheets is stored in. Further, the corresponding print data is expanded into image data for one label using a character generator and a numeric code / barcode conversion table. Then, the developed image data for one label is stored in the area 9a of the area number B designated by the writing area counter 5d in the frame memory 9 (memory control means). After that, write area counter 5d
The area number B of is increased by 1. If the area number B after the increase exceeds the maximum value 6, the area number B is returned to the initial value 1.

Then, in P5, the area number of the area 9a storing the corresponding image data is stored in the print area memory 5e as the print area number C. If the same print data is already stored in the data memory 5b at P3, the image data corresponding to the print data is stored in the area 9a of the frame memory 9 corresponding to the area number in which the print data is stored. Remembered Therefore, in P5, the area number of the corresponding image data is set as the printing area number P and set in the printing area memory 5e.

Then, at P6, the image data is read from the area 9a of the area number P designated by the print area memory 5e of the RAM 5 and transferred to the print head drive circuit 12 (image data transfer means), and the print head drive circuit 12 makes dots. The print head 11 is driven to print out the label. Since the print output process for one label is completed as described above, the number of issued sheets A of the sheet number counter 5c is decremented by one. If the issued number A after subtraction has not reached 0 in P7, the process returns to P6 and the same image data is printed out on the reproduction label.

Finally, when the number of issued sheets A after subtraction reaches 0 in P7, the print output of the designated number of sheets for one input print data has ended, so the process returns to P2 and the reception buffer 5a
The next one print data is read from.

In the label printer configured as described above, for example, 1
When the individual print data is input, it is checked whether or not this print data is already stored in the data memory 5b. If it is stored, since the label printing using the corresponding print data has been performed in the past, the image data corresponding to the corresponding print data is read from the designated one area 9a of the frame memory 9 and the label is read again. Is printed out on.

On the other hand, if the input print data is not stored in the data memory 5b, it is the first time that the label printing using the corresponding data is performed. 9 is stored in the designated area 9a. Then, label printing is performed using the stored image data.

In this way, the labels 1
By providing a plurality of areas 9a for storing image data for one sheet, when the same print data is input at a small interval, it is possible to perform label printing using the image data used last time as it is. Become. Therefore, it is possible to omit the process of converting the print data input this time into image data using a character generator, a numeric code / barcode conversion table, etc., and storing the image data in the frame memory 9. Therefore, the overall label printing speed can be improved.

For example, when two types of labels 1 are sequentially printed out as shown in FIG. 7, the number of times the process of converting the input print data into image data and storing it in the frame memory is performed only twice. By the way, since the conventional printer needs to be executed four times as described above, the overall printing speed is increased as compared with the conventional printer because the number of executions is reduced. Therefore, the work efficiency of the label issuing work can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the embodiment, when the frame memory 9 is divided into a plurality of areas 9a, each area 9a is set to have the same storage capacity. However, for example, the storage capacity of each area 9a of the frame memory 9 is set in advance. Not set,
As shown in FIG. 5, when setting new image data in the frame memory 9, the capacity corresponding to the label length L may be used as the storage capacity of the corresponding area 9a. in this way,
By setting the size of each area 9a of the frame memory 9 in correspondence with the size of the stored image data, the total storage capacity of the frame memory 9 can be effectively used. In this case, the number of areas 9a that can be set in the frame memory 9 naturally changes.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the label printer of the present invention, when a plurality of areas for storing image data for each label is formed in the frame memory and the same print data is input. The image data is reused. Therefore, even if multiple types of print data are input in random order, it is possible to reduce the number of times the print data is expanded into image data each time, which can increase the overall label print speed and improve the work efficiency of label issuing work. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 show a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a frame memory, and FIG. 3 is a memory. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing each memory formed in the section, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a frame memory according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a general label. FIG. 7 and FIG. 7 are views showing labels before cutting which are continuously printed out by the label printer. 1 ... Label, 2 ... CPU, 5 ... RAM, 5a ... Receive buffer, 5b
... data memory, 6 ... input interface, 9 ... frame memory, 9a ... area, 11 ... dot print head, 12 ... paper feed motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A label 1 developed based on print data.
A frame memory having a plurality of memory areas for storing image data for one sheet, a data memory for storing print data corresponding to each image data stored in the memory area of the frame memory, and input print data are Retrieval means for retrieving whether or not it is stored in the data memory, and when the retrieving means retrieves that the input print data is not stored in the data memory, stores the input print data in the data memory. At the same time, the input print data is expanded into image data and stored in one of the memory areas of the frame memory, a memory output means for printing the image data on a label, and the input print data by the search means. If it is found that the data is not stored in the data memory, the image expanded in the memory area of the frame memory is displayed. When the data is read and transferred to the print output means and the search means finds that the input print data is stored in the data memory, it is already stored in the memory area of the frame memory for this input print data. An image data transfer means for reading the stored image data and transferring it to the print output means.