SE449067B - SET TO SET PRINT SPACES BETWEEN POSTS IN A LABEL PRINTER AND LABEL PRINTER TO PERFORM THE SET - Google Patents

Description

Fig. 449 is a block diagram of a label printer in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 (a) and Fig. 2 (b) are plan views of examples of printed labels, Fig. 3 is a front view showing the design of a printhead; is a plan view on a larger scale of an example of a character pattern, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a comparison between characters or symbols and postal keywords, Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a table for comparison between postal code and postal keywords , Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a modified embodiment of the label printer, Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between phrase keywords and character keywords, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a comparison between postcodes and keywords, Fig. 10 is a diagram Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the distribution of characters to be printed, the number of characters being required, Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the characters to be printed, each when the number of characters is less than required, Fig. 13 is a diagram showing the characters to be printed, the number of characters being greater than required, Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating the lines to be printed, the number of lines being greater than what is required and Fig. 15 (a) and Fig. 15 (b) are plan views of modified examples of labels.

A label printer according to the present invention operates with a dot-printing method which includes printing of the heat-sensitive type, of the color beam type, of the electrostatic recording type, of the electrophotographic type, of the wire dot type, etc. Among these printing types, the heat-sensitive type is the most suitable for the particular label printer. The following description will therefore be directed to the application of the heat sensitive type of dot printing process.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a label printer 1, and Figs. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show plan views of examples of labels 2 which have been printed using the label printer 1. Signs and letters relating to an article, if 449 067 a which information has been printed in the printer 1, are shown in a post column (post line) 2a in the label 2. An input unit 3 according to Fig. 1 includes a ten-digit key, a function key or the like, which is actuated for input of postal codes or postal keywords. A printing unit 4 constitutes the "heat-sensitive printer" and prints the characters indicated in the post column Za in Fig. 2.

The printing unit 4 is provided with a printing head 6 according to Fig. 3. The printing head 6, which is formed by a number of heating elements D1, D2, D3 ... (230 heating elements are present in this embodiment) arranged in a row next to each other, is moved in the longitudinal direction in sixteen steps. A first memory 7 is a read-only memory, in which a number of character patterns have been stored in advance. The character designation method used in this method will now be described. In the embodiment shown, a character or symbol is displayed in the form of a character pattern consisting of 16 x 16 bits. For example, "BUTA" in the Chinese character (with the Swedish meaning "pork") is shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5, different characters or symbols are assigned keywords for item names.

Numerical groups beginning with 1000 are assigned Chinese characters (pronunciation and Swedish translation are given in Fig. 5 and will be mentioned further below), numerical groups beginning with 2000 are assigned Japanese Canadian characters (pronunciation is indicated), numerical groups beginning with 3000 are assigned the letters and number groups of the alphabet starting with 4000 are assigned symbols and numbers. The Chinese characters resp. the symbols have been prepared with a view to their possible use, and other foreign characters may be prepared if required. The number of heating elements D1-D230 (230 pieces) and a character pattern (16 x 16 bits) in the printing unit 4 have been specified assuming the use of characters including Chinese characters, but this number can be reduced if, for example, uses English characters (letters).

In memory 7, the character pattern shown in Fig. 4 corresponding to postal keywords in Fig. 5 is stored. Online mail keywords are addressed and fed as signals to memory 7, character patterns corresponding to the post keywords will be read out.

A second memory 8 is a direct access memory for storage - M ~ -wu- - -..._.._....._._..-..._. ._ _.-- _. _ _... _. ............._..__ .., -... ...__ 449 067 Ä of the table shown in Fig. 6 for comparison between postal code and postal keywords. Postal codes are given in correspondence with such items as "BUTAKATANIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)" (Swedish meaning "pork fillet") or "USIHIKINIKU" (Swedish meaning "meat ~ minced meat"). In this embodiment, the postal code 001 is assigned "BUTAKATANIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)", further the code 002 is assigned "USIHIKINIKU", and the code 003 is assigned to the item which in Swedish is called "steak", etc. In the table according to Fig. 6 the sign or symbols that form the names of the goods lined up with the postal keywords in turn. Memory 8 stores postal keywords corresponding to characters of postal codes in addresses specified by the postal codes.

A changeover switch 9 (a changeover means) indicates whether the memory 8 is to perform a write or read operation. A control system (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 10 controls the above-mentioned units and usually consists of a microcomputer.

The operation of the label printer shown in Fig. 1 will now be described, primarily with respect to the control system, i.e.

CPU, l0L In the label printer l, an operator prepares the table according to Fig. 6 in the memory 8 in advance, after which the name of the item is automatically printed on the label 2 by entering the postal code by means of the input unit 3 in the presence of a buyer.

The arrangement of the table according to Fig. 6 in the memory 8 will first be described.

The change-over switch 9 is switched on (= set in a first state), after which the postal code 001 is entered via the input unit 3. The postal code 001 passes through the CPU 10 and is passed as an address signal to the memory 8, the address 81 of the memory 8 being ready to write. About the postal keywords according to Fig. 6, such as "BUPAKAWÜXNIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)", "1001", "1005", "1004", "2013", "2039", "2002", "20l3," 400l "," l006 ", "l007" and "4002", are entered in turn by the input means 3, the postal keywords will be entered in the address 001 of the memory 8.

If the postal code 002 is entered and then the postal keywords "l002", "2027", "2007" and "l004" are entered in turn, the corresponding keywords "USIHIKINIKU" will be entered in the memory 8 address 002. If the postal code 003 is entered and then the postal keywords "3002", "300S", "3005", "3006", "30l9", "3020", "3005", "300l" 449 067 5 and "30ll" are entered, the corresponding postal keywords "BIFFSTEK" will be entered in the address 003. If a similar process is repeated, the postal code 1004 e. dyl. is entered with the required postal keywords, whereby the table according to Fig. 6 will be prepared.

Since the table for comparing characters or symbols with postal keywords in Fig. 5 has been prepared previously, an operator can enter postal keywords using this table.

The operation in which the name of an item is printed on the label 2 will now be described. The change-over switch 9 is set in its switched-off state (second state), after which the postal code, for example 00l. is entered by means of input unit 3. The postal code 001 passes through CPU 10 and is supplied as an address signal to the memory 8, whereby the contents of the address 001 in the memory 8, i.e. the postal key code corresponding to the characters (letters) "BUTAKATANIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)" is read in CPU 10. The postal code read in CPU 10 is supplied as an address signal to the memory 7. Then it is read against the supplied key code corresponding to the character pattern in CPU 10. The first line the character pattern read in the CPU 10 (for example the line designated 4a in Fig. 4) is fed to the printing unit 4. Among the heating elements D1, D2, D3 ... in the printing head 6 of the printing unit 4, signals are applied to the elements intended for point presentation, whereby these elements are heated and a point presentation of the first line of the character pattern is obtained.In connection with the point presentation, the printhead 6 is moved one step down, whereby the second line is ready for point presentation.C CPU 10 now feeds in turn character pattern lines 2, 3 ... 16 to the printing unit 4, through which "HU¶AKATANlRUSURATSU (USUKlRT)" read at address 001 in minnetèš, Lrycksi postal column 2a on a iketten 2 (fig. 2 (a)). If postal code 002 is entered by the input unit 3, characters corresponding to the postal keywords stored in the memory 8 address 002, ie. the characters (letters) "USIHIKINIKU", to be printed on the label 2. If the postal code 003 is entered by the input unit 3, the word "STEAK" stored in the address 003 will be printed on the label 2 (fig. 2 (b)). If the postal code 004 is entered by the input unit 3, characters or symbols corresponding to the postal keywords stored in the address 004 of the memory 8 will be printed.

Although the printhead 6 is fed forward sixteen steps in succession as described above, the label 2 can be fed _ _.._-._ _ __. __. 449,067 successively; The memory 8 can store postal keywords together with information about the date, kelp, expiration date or anything else related to the mail, whereby it is achieved that when the postal code is entered by the input unit 3, CPU 10 can read out the postal keyword and date, kelp, expiration date, e. dyl. at the same time.

Although the table showing comparison between postal code and postal keywords in Fig. 6 has been produced by a key pressing operation in the input unit 3, it can be stored in an external memory, such as a cassette tape, and then transferred to the memory 8 by CPU 10 or directly.

Fig. 7 shows the structure of the above-mentioned label printer 1 together with a third memory 11 which stores phrase keywords.

In Fig. 7, the second memory 8 stores the table shown in Fig. 6 for comparison between postal code and character keywords, as well as the table shown in Fig. 8 for comparison between phrase keywords and character keywords.

The third memory II in Fig. 8 is a read-only memory, in which phrase keywords have been stored in advance in combination with character keywords according to Fig. 5. The phrase keywords are assigned in correspondence to phrases (combinations of characters (letters), numbers, symbols, etc.) that are often printed on labels.

Examples of phrase keywords corresponding to phrases often used in the post column 2a according to Fig. 2 are such keywords as referring to types of meat, for example "KATANIKU", "SAROIN" and "HIRE" with Chinese characters or Canadian characters and "BIFF", "STEAK", as well as those relating to the cooking process itself, such as "MusIYAKI" and "YAKINIKUM" as well as those relating to the condition of meat, such as "HIKINIKU" and "HONETUKI".

When an operator prepares the table according to Fig. 9 in memory 8, the switch in question switches on, whereby the postal code 001 is entered by the input unit 3. If in this state the keywords l00l, 9001 and 9003 are entered in turn by the input unit 3, the contents of the postal keyword "BUTAKATANIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)" to be entered in address 00l in memory 8.

If the postal code 002 is entered, whereupon the keywords 1002 and 9201 are entered in turn, the postal keyword "USIHIKINIKU" will be entered in the address 002 in memory 8. If the postal code 003 is entered and 449,067's after the keywords 9301 and 9302 are entered, the postal keyword "BIFFSTEK" "to be written to the address 003 in the memory 8. Thus, postal keywords can be easily written into the memory 8 in the manner described above.

When the name of an item has been printed on the label 2, the change-over switch 9 is switched off, whereby for example the postal code 001 is entered by the input unit 3. The postal code 001 passes through the CPU 10 and is fed as an address signal to the memory 8, the contents of the address 001. i.e. the keywords 1001, 9001 and 9203, are read in the CPU 10. Among the keywords read in the CPU 10, the keywords that are not character keywords are fed, ie. phrase keywords 9001 and 9203, in memory ll. The contents of addresses 9001 and 9203 in memory ll, i.e. the key words 1005, 1004, 2013, 2041, 2002, 2013, 4001, 1006, 1007 and 4002, are read in CPU 10. The characters read in CPU 10 are supplied as an address signal to the memory 7, and thus "BUTAKATANIKUSURAISU (USUKIRI)" is printed. in post column 2a on label 2.

The method of setting the mutual distances when printing the postal characters in the post column or post column 2a on the label will now be described with reference to Figs. 10-14. In the present embodiment, characters to be printed in the post column 2a are marked A, B, C _ .. They are presented by means of a dot matrix comprising 16 parts laterally and 16 parts in the longitudinal direction. The heating elements D1-D230, namely 230 such, are arranged in a row side by side with each other, and parts of the heating elements D1-D230 which correspond to the signs A, B, C ... are heated and colored by heat pulses. The point in the dot matrix comprising 16 x 16 parts to be heated is determined by the central processing unit (CPU) included in the label printer. The characters A, B, C ... will thus be printed, while a space or gap x corresponding to two points (for example D17 and D18) is formed between the characters A, B, C ..._ The way in which the characters A , B, C ... are constructed is shown in Fig. 10 as an example. When the heating elements D1-D230 among the 230 such are used, the maximum available number of characters (which will be referred to below as the required number of characters) becomes 12 in accordance with the following calculation, namely (230 + 2) + (16 r 2) = 12,888. If the leftmost character A is presented using the heating elements D1-D16 in the manner shown in Fig. 10, the heating elements D215-D230 comprising sixteen parts to the right of the twelfth character L will remain unused. If characters with less than twelve, for example eight parts, are printed by means of the heating element D1 in the manner shown in Fig. 10, since the number of points required to print eight characters amounts to 15 x 8 + (8 - 1) x 2 = 142, the heating elements Dl43-D230 comprising 88 parts to remain unused to the right of the eighth character H. The arrangement with eight whole characters gathered on the left side does not look appealing.

In order for the space or gap X between characters to be adjusted in correspondence with the number of characters, the following three methods are used according to the invention. According to the first method, the required number of characters corresponding to the number of heating elements is set in advance by CPU 10, whereupon after detecting that the number of characters to be printed is less than the required number by means of CPU 10, the gap x is adjusted to equal length. According to the second method, when the CPU 10 detects that a larger number of characters is to be printed than the required number, some of the characters are omitted in the order in which they are arranged. According to the third method, when a plurality of printing lines are used and when the number of lines to be printed amounts to more than the required number, a part of the character arrangement in the vertical direction is omitted.

The first method will now be described in detail.

If the number of points in the character direction in the mail column on the label is denoted Td, the number of characters is denoted N, the number of points in the character direction, which are required to write a letter, is denoted a, the number of dots corresponding to the space or gap X between adjacent characters are denoted x, the residual gap or residual gap at the front end (left end) of the character device direction is denoted K1, and the residual gap or residual gap at the trailing end is denoted K2, the relationship will be represented in the following equation: Td = aN + x (N-1) + (K1 + K2) ..... (l) If it is assumed that K1 and K2 are positive and K2 is equal to Kl 449 etc. 9 or a point greater than Kl, the relationship becomes as follows: K2 à Ki å 0 _ ..... (2) 1 ä (K2- Kl); 0 ..... (3) When the number of characters N varies, a, K1 and K2 are determined.

(Example L) Description will now be made with reference to Fig. 11. According to Fig. 11, the number of characters N is determined to 12 when Td = 230, a = 16, X = 2. Conversely, x, K1 and K2 must be given when N = l2 and x = K1 + K2. If the equation (1) is modified, Td = aN 4 x (Nl) + x ..... (4) = aN + xN ɚ _ :. ⧠N = 230 - 16 x 12 12 = 3, l6666 Thus x = 3 is given, and the fraction after the decimal point is divided into K1 and K2. If the equation (1) is modified, Kl + K2 = Td - aN - x (Nl) is obtained ..... (6) = 230 ~ 16 X 12 - 3 (l2 ~ l) = 5 Thus KL can be given as 2 and K2 f is denoted as 3, whereby the space or gap X between the characters (letters) A - N, the margin Y at the left side of the character A and the margin Z at the right side of the character L are determined. (Example 2) Referring to Fig. 12, a description will now be given of the case when the number of mail characters is four. In accordance with equation (5) it holds that 2 230 - 16 X 4 4 = 41.5 Thus x = 41 is given, and K1 and K2 are obtained from equation (6) as below.

K1 + K2 å 230 - 16 X 4 - 41 (4-1) 43 ll 449 067 10 Thus, K1 = 21 and K2 = 22 can be specified, whereby a balanced distribution of the characters in the manner shown in Fig. 12 is obtained.

The second method will be described in connection with the above description of Fig. 10, when the heating elements D1-D230 comprising 230 elements were used and when the number of points required to write a character was 16 and the number of points corresponding to the space or the gap X between the characters (letters) A - L amounted to 2, and the number of characters (letters) that could be printed is 12 or less. The second method makes it possible to use items comprising more than 12 in their number and has the task of increasing the number of characters N intended for printing by making the quantities a and x in equation (1) as small as possible. For example, the character A according to Fig. 1 "US1" with Japanese characters can be read "US1" even if the presentation obtained from the heating elements D1, D2, D15 and D16 is omitted in the lateral direction.

Thus, when the number of characters to be printed in the mail column or the post column amounts to more than the required number of characters, the number of characters to be printed in accordance with the following equation, namely N = Td ...., is determined by modifying equation (4). (7) (a - Co) + x where Co is the number of points to be omitted.

(Example 3) In connection with Fig. 13, a description will now be given for the case when the number of postal characters amounts to 14. If the equation (7) is modified, one can obtain (a - Co) IXL šg (a - Co) »Éå _ á ..... (8) Assuming that Td = 230, x = 1 and N = 14 become _ 230 _ a Co - -ïÃ- l = 15,428571 A dot at either the left or right end of each character thus omitted, and a character is presented in the form of 15 dots. The values of K1 and K2 are given in accordance with equation (6) as follows. _-..... i.-...._-.._- .., ._..._...-..._.......__ 449 067 11 K + 1 <2 = 23o-1sx14- (14-1) = 7 Thus, K1 = 3 and K2 = 4 can be given, whereby the presentation 1 according to Fig. 13 is obtained.

(Example 4) When a character can be read correctly even if four points have been omitted, namely two on the right and two on the left, as in the case of "USl" resp. "NIKU" in the Chinese thinking according to Fig. 10, the maximum number of characters that can be displayed in the post column is calculated according to equation (7) as follows: 230 (16 ~ 4) + l 17,692 The maximum number is thus 17, and K1 = 5 and K2 = 5 N: ll can be specified._ _ The third method will now be described: If the number of dots perpendicular to the character arrangement in the post column on the label is Te, then the number of lines is P, the number of dots perpendicular to the character arrangement required for a character to be written is b, the number of points corresponding to the space between the lines is r, the number of points corresponding to the margin at the upper end is S1 and the number of points corresponding to the margin at the lower end the end amounts to S2, the relationship can be expressed with the following equation: Te = bP + r (P-1) + (sl + S2) (8) (Example 5) Provided that Te = 41 and b = 16 (compare fig. 10) the maximum number of rows becomes 2. In accordance with the equation ( 8) holds that r (P1) + (Sl + S2) Te - bP = 41 - 16 x 2 = 9 4 (2-l) + sl + S2 = 9 l + S2 = 9 The distribution is thus obtained with r = 5, S1 = 2 and S2 = 2. In r + S this state, P constitutes the required number of lines, the printing being carried out with one or two lines. According to the third method, the intention is to omit a part of the upper or lower part (for example the lower end) of the characters A, B, C arranged next to each other in the manner shown in Fig. 10. In the case of printing more lines than the required number as shown in Fig. 14, the equation (8) can be modified to bP = Te - r (P-1) - (Sl + S2) * l ”i“ ffiïlÅ_f_ÅÉ1__i_Éz) <9> I) Provided that P = 3, S1 = O, S2 = 0 and Te = 41 it applies that, 41 - 2 0 2 bd '= 13,665 "' * š lf Thus b = 13 is given, and the assignment of the specified fraction to the space between the rows means that r is equal to l. In Fig. 14 the words "TOKUBAIHIN" are with the Chinese characters (Swedish meaning "find"), "ham" ) and "KAITEN 7 SIYUNENKINEN" (Swedish meaning "BUTANIKUSOMOTO" (Swedish meaning "7 ~ anniversary of the opening of the store") arranged in three lines, and the number of points corresponding to the character height is 13 and corresponding to the space between the lines is l Since the characters A, B, C ... are printed with 13 dots, three dots will have been omitted from the lower part of the characters.Japanese words can be read correctly even if you omit part of it lower end (or of the upper and lower ends) as described above. In the third method, this feature is used in Japanese words, whereby "USINIKU" in Fig. 10 can be read correctly even if three points have been omitted at the lower end.

According to Figs. 10-14, the heating elements D1-D230 of the heat-sensitive printer are arranged side by side with each other in a row, printing being performed when the heating elements 1 D1-D230 or labels to be printed are transferred in their longitudinal direction in sequence. However, the method can be applied to a point printer of a type other than a heat-sensitive type and of a type other than when printing takes place during lateral movement of the print head. Furthermore, the method can be applied when printing characters of different sizes, for example when the size of numbers or Canadian characters is smaller than the size of Chinese characters.

In Figs. 15 (a) and 15 (b), the name 12 of the item as well as additional characters or letters 14 may be printed in the mail slot 2a on the label 2.

In order for the above-mentioned printing to be carried out 449 067 13 there is a further character or letter setting means 15 in the input unit 3 according to fig. 1 or Fig. 7, in addition to which a code corresponding to additional characters (including sentences) in pattern form is input to the memory in the CPU 10 by the influence of said means 15.

The additional character setting means 15 selectively act on auxiliary keys l5a ..., which correspond to a presentation of sentences and expressions such as "recommended today", "according to advertisement", "reduced price today", "special discount", "business manager's choice "," just returned ", etc., whereby the code for a sentence or expression corresponding to the auxiliary key's55a presentation is retrieved from memory and output to the CPU.

The code is interrupted at the end of the name of the item that has previously been set in the CPU, and spaces between the characters are re-entered corresponding to the number of characters in the name of the item and the additional sentence or expression, whereby the result e.g. is that "cooked ham (according to advertisement)" is printed on the label 2 in the manner shown in Fig. 15 (a).

Although the additional sentence or the additional expression 14 is interrupted at the end of the name 12 on the item in Fig. 15 (a), it is conceivable that it is interrupted at the front end of the item 12 of the item. Instead of the auxiliary key 15a, which constitutes an entire key, a code type obtained as a combination between register key and function key can be used as the setting means 15 for the additional character or word.

Claims (7)

449 067 l4 PATENT REQUIREMENTS A method of setting printing gaps between mail slots in a label printer, characterized in that a required number of characters and / or lines in a mail slot of a label to be printed by dots are preset in a control system (10) and that when a number characters and / or lines to be printed amount to more or less than the preset number, adjustment of the spaces between the characters and / or partial omission of the characters is performed. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the control system (10) detects that the number of characters in the mail column to be printed is less than the required number of characters, the space between adjacent characters to be printed is set so that the spaces become equal. 3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the control system (10) detects that the number of characters in the mail column to be printed is greater than the required number of characters, characters to be printed in part in the direction in which they are arranged. 4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the control system detects that the number of rows in the mail column to be printed is greater than said required number of rows, characters are to be omitted partially in a perpendicular direction to the direction in which the characters are arranged . Label printer for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a printing control system, that the set number of characters and / or lines and the number of characters and / or lines to be printed are compared and that the preset interval corresponding to the smaller number is entered automatically when the number of characters and / or lines to be printed is smaller and / or some of the characters are automatically omitted when the number of characters and / or lines to be printed is larger. Label printer according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a printing unit (1) operating according to a dot printing system, preferably of heat-sensitive type, further a first memory (7) storing character patterns, a second memory (8) which stores postal keywords in an address corresponding to a postal code, and a control system (10) comprising said pressure control system, said control system (10) being able to read out the postal keyword corresponding to a postal code arranged to be read out the character pattern from the first memory (7) on the basic input of an input unit (3) from the second memory (8), selecting the read out postcode, and supplying the read out character pattern to the printing unit (1). A label printer according to claim 6, wherein it comprises a third memory (II) which stores identifiable keywords in the form of phrases, said control system (10) being arranged to read out keywords corresponding to the postal code and supplied by a input unit (3) from the second (8) and third (ll) memories and then to read out the character pattern from the first memory (7) and to supply this to the printing unit (1).