JPH1158851A - Handy printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a handy portable apparatus capable of erasing handwritten characters without utilizing separate paper to reproduce the same type characters as the erased characters at any place. SOLUTION: The position and expanse range of handwritten characters are detected (S5) by the scanner of a handy printer (S1) and a character shape is read (S7) to execute character recognizing processing (S9). After these processings are completed (S13:YES), cleanly copied characters by types are printed on the basis of a font data memory by the ink jet head of the handy printer (S15).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand-held printer, and more particularly to a hand-held printer capable of reading and printing characters and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to obtain a printed type having the same contents as characters handwritten on paper, a label in which the same characters are printed by a label printer or the like is placed on the handwritten characters, or The characters are erased with a correction liquid or the like, and the same characters are printed on the paper or other places by a printing device. Alternatively, printing may be performed by a printing device on a sheet different from a sheet on which handwritten characters are written.

[0003]

However, all of these methods are time-consuming operations such as the necessity of inputting characters, and cannot be carried out anywhere such as on the go. Furthermore, the last method has a disadvantage that another paper is required. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and eliminates the hassle and eliminates handwritten characters without using another sheet, and automatically prints the same printed characters everywhere. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reproducible device.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handy printer for achieving the above object, comprising: a main body which can be gripped by hand; a traveling member for causing the main body to travel on a printing medium; When the main body travels by the traveling member, a print head facing the print target medium, and when the main body travels by the traveling member, a read head facing the print target medium, and a travel amount by the traveling member Travel distance detecting means for detecting, and a character which determines the position and spread range of each character written on the printing medium based on the travel distance detected by the travel distance detecting means and image information from the reading head. Two-dimensional information acquisition means, character recognition means for recognizing each character written on the print-receiving medium from image information read by the reading head, and font data stored in advance. And font data storage means for,
Based on the data from the character two-dimensional information acquisition means, after each character is read by the reading head, in order to erase each character, an erasing agent is applied by the print head to the spread range of each character on the print-receiving medium. A character erasure command unit capable of discharging and erasing each character, and each character recognized by the character recognition unit on a character erased portion or another portion of the print-receiving medium, based on the font data storage unit. Character print command means for causing the print head to print.

According to the handy printer described above, the position and spread range of characters (hereinafter, referred to as "handwritten characters, etc."), such as handwritten characters, which are described in advance on a print-receiving medium are determined. Erasers (eg, white ink)
Will be erased by Then, the handwritten character or the like is recognized, and the same printed character is automatically printed on the erased portion or another portion of the print-receiving medium based on the data in the font data storage means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the character printing command means is means for discharging a colorant of the same color as the erasing agent around a printed character.
When printing is performed by the print head on a portion where erasure of handwritten characters or the like by the erasing agent is incomplete, the printed characters are unclear due to the surrounding incompletely erased portion. Even if there is such an incompletely erased portion, a colorant of the same color as the erasing agent is discharged to that portion, so that the unclearness is eliminated. Further, according to the handy printer described above, it is possible to form clear printed characters without completely erasing the spread range of the handwritten characters or the like with an erasing agent.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handy printer, comprising:
The image processing apparatus further includes a ground color determining unit configured to determine a ground color of the print target medium, wherein the character erasing instruction unit is configured to determine the character recognition unit based on data from the ground color determining unit and the character two-dimensional information acquiring unit. After the recognition of each character, the printing head discharges an erasing agent of the same color as that of the printing medium in the spread range of each character in order to erase each character. In this handy printer, the color of the print medium is determined, and thereafter, the handwritten characters and the like are erased in the same color.Therefore, even if the print medium is any color, the erased portion does not stand out and the finish is beautiful. Become.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in place of the character erasing command instructing means and the character printing commanding means in the first aspect, an erasing agent is ejected by the print head over a spread range of each character on the printing medium. Or when the characters recognized by the character recognition means are printed on the print head, and the erasing agent is ejected in a portion other than the printing portion, and when all the recognized characters cannot be printed in the spread range of each character. Has character reproduction instructing means for printing the remaining characters on the other portion of the printing medium.

In this handy printer, if the handwriting character can be recognized by the character recognition means, the character is printed in the spread range of the character and the erasing agent is discharged around the printed character. However, if the recognition of a handwritten character or the like cannot be performed immediately, before the recognition, the erasing agent is discharged in the spread range of the character for the time being.

[0010] In short, in the handy printer, when printing type characters, the erasing agent is printed directly on the location and the erasing agent is discharged around the location without discharging the erasing agent on the location in advance (ie, Printing and erasing simultaneously). If character recognition is delayed and all the recognized characters cannot be printed in the spread range of the characters, the remaining characters are printed on the other portion of the print-receiving medium.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the handy printer, the character erasing command means and the character printing command means or the character reproduction command means are operated during the reading operation of the printing medium by the reading head. . In this handy printer, reading with a reading head for character recognition and printing with a print head can be performed in one run of the handy printer.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a handy printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1A is a side view of a handy printer, FIG. 1B is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 1C is another side view thereof.

As shown in FIG.
0 has a vertically elongated substantially rectangular parallelepiped gripping portion 11. The grip portion 11 functioning as a main body has a size that can be gripped by hand, and the handy printer 10 is entirely portable. A mounting portion 12 such as an input / output unit is provided on the bottom surface 1B of the grip portion 11 and protrudes downward from a portion from the inside thereof. The mounting portion 12 in FIG.
The inside thereof is shown, and the mounting portion 12 in FIG.
Indicates the appearance.

At the center of the mounting portion 12 in the horizontal direction, the roller 1
4. Specifically, a roller 14 having a central axis length several times the roller diameter is provided. The rollers 14 allow the handy printer 10 to travel on a printing medium such as paper 15. The roller 14 is provided with an encoder (not shown) for detecting the travel distance. A scanner 16 having a width substantially equal to the central axis length of the roller 14 is installed on the mounting portion 12 adjacent to the roller 14 and parallel to the central axis. The position of the scanner 16 is in the direction in which the roller 14 is rotated to advance the handy printer 10. This scanner 16
Can read images such as characters and symbols.

The mounting portion 12 has an inkjet head 18 having a width substantially equal to the width of the scanner 16.
Is disposed adjacent to the roller 14 and parallel to the central axis thereof, and on the opposite side of the roller 14 from the scanner 16 side. In the inkjet head 18, a plurality of ink ejection nozzle rows (not shown) including a large number of ink ejection nozzles capable of ejecting white ink are arranged along the width direction of the inkjet head 18. Similarly to the white printing ink ejection row, a plurality of ink ejection rows each capable of printing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are provided on the inkjet head 18.

When the handy printer 10 travels among the four side surfaces of the grip portion 11, one side surface 1S having a slightly smaller area than the front and rear surfaces 1F and 1R (see FIG. 1C).
Are provided with switches and the like as described below.

First, near the top, a power switch 2
0 is provided, and by pressing this, the handy printer 10 becomes operable. The handy printer 10 can also execute other functions in addition to the copy-writing function of printing handwritten characters as printed characters. When the power switch 20 is pressed, one of the functions exists near the center of the side surface 1S. Liquid crystal display (LCD) 2 as display unit
2 is displayed. If the display is different from the function that the user intends to perform, pressing 2 or 4 of the four scroll buttons 24 provided immediately above the LCD 22 changes the function displayed on the LCD 22. . When a function to be performed by the user is displayed, the user can press the enter button 26 provided on the scroll button 24 and beside the power switch 20 to execute the function. Become.

In addition to the above-mentioned display, when each of the above functions is performed, various displays are performed on the LCD 22 according to the required functions. For example, as in the case of selecting the above-described execution function, a candidate to be selected may be displayed on the LCD 22. In this way, a parallel choice (for example, male or female) is selected from the selection items. To do so, the user presses 2 or 4 of the scroll button 24 while moving to another selection item (for example, if one option of a certain selection item is
(2) or (4), then move to the lower-level selection item related to the option), use the scroll buttons 1 or 3
Is pressed, and the confirm button 26 is pressed when necessary. Also, a display asking whether or not to execute, such as “whether to print”, is also displayed.
When 6 is pressed, the execution is performed by the handy printer 10 itself or with the action of the user.

A print switch 28 is provided below the LCD 22 on the side surface 1S, and printing can be performed by pressing the switch 28. On the top of the handy printer 10, there is an infrared transmitting / receiving unit 30, which can communicate with an external information device such as a host computer. Thereby, for example, it is possible to receive data stored in the memory of the external information device or to transmit data obtained by the handy printer 10 to the external information device.

The control section of the handy printer 10 will be described with reference to the schematic block diagram of FIG. In this control unit, the CPU 40 is connected to a main ROM 44 storing control programs such as a reading / erasing / recording control program, a RAM 46, and a timer 48 having a clock function and a calendar function. Further, C
The PU 40 includes a power switch 20, an LCD 22, a scroll button 24, an enter button 26, a print switch 28,
The infrared transmitting / receiving unit 30 is connected.

The scanner 16 has a character recognition processing unit 5 for recognizing and decoding characters from the image read by the scanner 16.
4 and connected to the CPU 40 together with the encoder 52. The character recognition processing unit 54 decodes the character read by the scanner 16 from the data obtained from the scanner 16 and the travel distance of the roller 14 obtained from the encoder 52 (that is, the position of the roller 14). This is a known processing unit that uses a hardware circuit and decodes the information according to the information storage memory 56.

Further, the inkjet head 18 is connected to the CPU 40 via the inkjet head controller 60.
It is connected to the. The inkjet head controller 60 controls the rollers 14 detected by the encoder 52.
The inkjet head 18 is controlled according to the position of
Font data memory 58 connected to CPU 40
To form a print image.

Next, a description will be given of an example of a handwritten character clear copy recording control process in the handy printer 10 configured as described above with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 3 and a schematic diagram of FIG. First, when the user of the copy-printing function turns on the power switch 20 and operates the scroll button 24 and the confirmation button 26 to select “execute the copy-printing function” displayed on the LCD 22, the message “Character recognition running and printing running simultaneously? Is displayed on the LCD 22.

To execute the copy function, the user presses the enter button 26, and then, as shown in FIG. First, the ground color of the paper 15 is read by the scanner 16, the color is determined by the CPU 40 (S 1), and black B, yellow Y, cyan C, magenta M, and white necessary to reproduce the color are read. The amount of W to be mixed is calculated by CPU 40 (S3).

Next, when the scanner 16 reaches the end of the handwritten character, from that time, the position of the character and the spread range are detected, and the processing for recognizing the character is started. That is, based on the travel distance of the roller 14 by the encoder 52 and the image data of the part of the handwritten character read by the scanner 16, the position of the part and the spread range of the part are detected (S5). The character shape is read within the range of the image data obtained at the time (S7), and the character recognition process is started and continued (S9). In the character recognition processing, for example, referring to the decryption information storage memory 56 based on the character shape to be read, candidates for handwritten characters are gradually narrowed down, and finally determined as one character.

Next, in the portion where the handwritten character image was read by the scanner 16, the above-mentioned ejection compounding amounts of B, Y, C, M and W inks necessary for reproducing the ground color of the paper 15 were obtained. From the data on the character position and the spread range of that portion, the ink jet head 18 is driven, and each ink mixed in the same color as the paper 15 is
The handwritten character is discharged to at least the spread range of the portion of the handwritten character to delete the handwritten character (S11).

If the position and the spread range of one entire handwritten character and the character recognition have not been completed (S13: NO), the processes of S5 to S11 are repeated, and if they have been completed, S13: YES), the inkjet head controller 60 prints the same character as the handwritten character by the inkjet head 18 using the data in the font data memory 58 (S15). In this step, ink is ejected by the ink jet head 18 around the print character portion so that the ink becomes the same color as the ground color of the paper 15.

Next, when there is another handwritten character to be read (S17: YES), S5 to S15 are repeated again. If there are no other handwritten characters (S1
7: NO), this control process ends, and the handy printer 1
The traveling operation of No. 0 is terminated. As described above, if the handy printer 10 is used, handwritten characters written on a memo pad or other paper 15 can be converted as shown in FIG.
It is easy to copy as type. In the drawing, the portions other than the print character portion in the portion surrounded by the two-dot chain line are solidly overprinted with the respective inks so as to have the same color as the paper.

In the above-described processing mode, if each handwritten character is relatively small with respect to the reading unit of the scanner 16 and character recognition processing is possible even if the scanner 16 does not travel too far, the type character is converted to the type. It is possible to print at substantially the same position as or close to the handwritten character. On the other hand, if the handwritten characters are relatively large with respect to the reading unit of the scanner 16 and character recognition processing cannot be performed unless the scanner travels considerably, the printed characters are placed in the same position as the handwritten characters.
Printing is not possible, but in that case, the printed characters are printed shifted from the position of the handwritten characters.

In the present invention, the travel of the handy printer 10 for recognizing handwritten characters and the travel of the handy printer 10 for printing a fair copy may be performed separately. The control process will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. When the person performing the copy-printing function turns on the power switch 20 and operates the scroll button 24 and the confirm button 26 to select “execute the copy-writing function” displayed on the LCD 22, the message “Character recognition running and printing running simultaneously?” LCD2
2 is displayed, the scroll button 24 is depressed to display “reading or printing traveling?” On the LCD 22. In this state, the enter button 26 is pressed, and the handy printer 10 is caused to run from the adjacent portion of the paper 15 on which the character to be copied is written.
Then, the background color of the paper 15 is read (S11), and the amounts of the B, Y, C, M, and W inks required to reproduce the color are calculated by the CPU 40 (S13).

Next, when the scanner 16 reaches the handwritten character, the handwritten character shape is read from that time (S15). If the reading is not possible (S17: YES), "read" is displayed on the LCD 22. Is displayed, the executor of the copy-editing function returns to S
Return to 11. If the above reading is possible (S1
7: NO), character recognition processing is executed based on the read image data with reference to the decryption processing storage memory 56 (S19). When character recognition is completed, the character is
It is displayed on the CD 22 (S21). When the character is different from the handwritten character (S23: YES), the person from the clean copy function restarts the processing from S11. If there is no error in the character recognition (S23: NO), the travel of the handy printer 10 for character recognition ends.

Then, "What is the color of the fair copy?"
2, the scroll button 24 is pressed to select and display a desired color. Then, the enter button 26 is pressed to select the color (S25; see FIG. 6).

After that, the handy printer 10 is
When the printer is placed on the upper side and the print switch 28 is pressed, the ejection of each ink is started so as to have the same color as the paper 15 (S2).
7) When the handwritten character is detected by the scanner 16, the position of the handwritten character and the spread range are obtained from the image data and the data from the encoder 52 (S29). The CPU 40 refers to the obtained result and starts printing the first character recognized in the traveling in the extended range (S31). Each ink is ejected around the character portion so that the ink becomes the same color as the paper 15. When the printing is completed, each ink is ejected so as to have the same color as that of the paper 15, and if the next handwritten character exists (S33: YES), the processing from S29 onward is repeated. If the handwritten character no longer exists (S33: N
O), end this processing. Also in this processing mode, if the handy printer 10 is used, handwritten characters written on the paper 15 such as a memo pad can be easily copied as printed characters.

In each of the above-described processing modes, the background color of the paper 15 is determined, and the erasure of the handwritten characters is performed using the ink having the same color as that of the background color.
It is not necessary to determine the ground color of the. In other words, for erasing handwritten characters, for example, it may be determined in advance that white ink W is used. In this processing mode, the ground color determination of the paper 15 is unnecessary, and the hardware or software configuration is simplified.

After the character recognition, the ink for erasure is always ejected, and then the printed characters are printed, but the erasing ink is not ejected around the printed characters. The present invention can include various forms, such as a processing form for printing a fair copy character afterwards.

[0036]

As described above in detail, according to the handy printer of the first aspect of the present invention, handwritten characters can be automatically generated without any trouble and without using another paper. It can be erased and the same printed characters can be reproduced anywhere. According to the handy printer of the second aspect, even if there is a part where the erasing of the handwritten character or the like by the erasing agent is incomplete, the coloring agent of the same color as the erasing agent is discharged to that part. Be clear. Further, according to the handy printer, it is possible to form clear printed characters without completely erasing the spread range of the handwritten characters or the like with an erasing agent.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the color of the medium to be printed is determined, and thereafter, the handwritten characters and the like are erased with the same color. Is not noticeable and the finish is beautiful.

In the handy printer according to the fourth aspect, when printing type characters, printing is performed directly on the location without discharging the erasing agent in advance at the location, and the erasing agent is discharged around the location. That is, simultaneous execution of printing and erasing becomes possible.

According to the handy printer of the fifth aspect, reading by the reading head for character recognition and printing by the print head can be performed by one operation of the handy printer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a handy printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control unit of the handy printer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process for handwriting a handwritten character in the handy printer.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a state before handwritten characters are read by the handy printer. FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram showing a state after printing of printed characters by the handy printer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a character recognition process of another process for handwriting a handwritten character in the handy printer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing process of another process for handwriting a handwritten character in the handy printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Handy printer, 11 grip part, 12 mounting part, 14 roller, 16 scanner, 18 inkjet head, 20 power switch, 22 LCD, 24
Scroll button, 26 confirm button, 28 print switch, 30 infrared transmission / reception unit, 40 CPU, 48
Timer, 52 encoder, 54 character recognition processing unit, 5
8 font data memory, 60 inkjet head controller

Claims (5)

[Claims] A main body that can be gripped by hand, a traveling member that causes the main body to travel on a medium to be printed, a print head that faces the medium to be printed when the main body is caused to travel by the traveling member, When the main body is caused to travel by the traveling member, a reading head facing the print-receiving medium, travel-amount detecting means for detecting a traveling amount by the traveling member, and a position and a position of each character written on the print-receiving medium. Character two-dimensional information obtaining means for obtaining a spread range based on the travel distance detected by the travel distance detection means and image information from the read head; and writing the image on the print-receiving medium from the image information read by the read head. A character recognizing means for recognizing each character, a font data storing means storing font data in advance, and a data from the character two-dimensional information acquiring means. Then, after each character is read by the reading head, in order to erase each character, an erasing agent is ejected by the print head over the spread range of each character on the print-receiving medium to erase each character. Command means, and a character print command means for causing the print head to print each character recognized by the character recognition means on a portion where characters have been erased or another portion of the print-receiving medium based on the font data storage means. A handy printer comprising: 2. The handy printer according to claim 1, wherein the character print commanding means is means for discharging a colorant of the same color as the erasing agent around a print character. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a ground color determination unit configured to determine a ground color of the print target medium from data obtained by reading the print target medium with the read head. And based on the data from the character two-dimensional information acquisition means, after each character is read by the reading head, in the spread range of each character to erase each character, an erasing agent of the same color as the medium to be printed,
2. A hand-held printer according to claim 1, wherein said hand-held printer is means for discharging said print head. 4. A main body that can be gripped by hand, a traveling member that causes the main body to travel on a medium to be printed, a print head that faces the medium to be printed when the main body is caused to travel by the traveling member, When the main body is caused to travel by the traveling member, a reading head facing the print-receiving medium, travel-amount detecting means for detecting a traveling amount by the traveling member, and a position and a position of each character written on the print-receiving medium. Character two-dimensional information obtaining means for obtaining a spread range based on the travel distance detected by the travel distance detection means and image information from the read head; and writing the image on the print-receiving medium from the image information read by the read head. A character recognizing means for recognizing each character, a font data storing means storing font data in advance, and a data from the character two-dimensional information acquiring means. Then, after each character is read by the reading head, in order to erase each character, the printing head ejects an erasing agent to the spread range of each character on the print-receiving medium, or the character is recognized by the character recognition unit. The printed character is printed on the print head, and an erasing agent is ejected in a portion other than the printed portion.If all the recognized characters cannot be printed in the spread range of each character, the printed character is printed on another portion of the print-receiving medium. And a character reproduction command means for printing the remaining characters. 5. The character erasing command means and the character print command means, or the character reproduction command means, are means operable during an operation of reading the medium to be printed by the reading head. Item 5. The handy printer according to any one of Items 1 to 4.