JP4830527B2 - Printing apparatus, printing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a printing method, and a program for creating a two-dimensional code image based on input data and printing it.

Conventionally, as this type of printing apparatus, one that creates a two-dimensional code image such as a QR code image and prints it on a label sheet is known (see Patent Document 1). Here, when creating a QR code image, in addition to a method of creating a single QR code image by encoding input data input to the printing apparatus, more when printing on a small width tape or label. and it divides the input data in order to provide information coding can also be created as the divisional code composed of a plurality of divided QR code image. That is, in this printing apparatus, a series of input data can be printed as a single QR code image and can be printed as a plurality of divided QR code images.

  However, in such a printing apparatus, when a single QR code image and a plurality of divided QR code images have the same size, if they are arranged in a standard posture and printed on label paper, they are printed one by one. When reading, it can be determined only by the result of reading whether it is a divided QR code image or a single QR code image. In the first place, it is unclear even that a divided QR code image and a single QR code image are mixed. For this reason, when a plurality of divided QR code images and a single QR code image are in a mixed state, the reading operation is very troublesome.

According to the present invention, when a plurality of two-dimensional code images are printed, it can be easily visually discriminated whether the divided code is one divided two-dimensional code image or a single two-dimensional code image. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus, a printing method, and a program that perform printing on a computer.

Printing device of the present invention, by encoding by dividing the series of input data into a plurality of printing division two-dimensional code image generating means for generating a plurality of divided two-dimensional code image, a plurality of divided two-dimensional code image In addition, an index image that integrally surrounds a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images and that indicates that the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are a series of input data is attached to the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images. And printing means for printing.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to visually discriminate whether a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are one divided two-dimensional code image constituting the divided code or a single two-dimensional code image based on the index image. it can. Thereby, it does not take time to read a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images.

  According to this configuration, by enclosing a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images with a frame image, whether the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images in the frame are one divided two-dimensional code image constituting the divided code, or a single It is possible to determine whether the image is a two-dimensional code image. Note that the frame images do not necessarily have to be continuous as long as the corner portions are clear.

Printing method of the present invention, by encoding by dividing the input data of a series into a plurality of division two-dimensional code image generating step of generating a plurality of divided two-dimensional code image, when printing a plurality of divided two-dimensional code image A frame image that integrally surrounds the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images, and an index image that indicates that the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are a series of input data is attached to the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images. And a printing step for printing.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to easily visually recognize and determine whether a plurality of two-dimensional code images are divided two-dimensional code images or single two-dimensional code images.

  A program according to the present invention causes a computer to function each unit in the printing apparatus or causes the computer to execute the printing method.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a program capable of easily visually recognizing whether each of the plurality of two-dimensional code images is a divided two-dimensional code image or a single two-dimensional code image.

  Hereinafter, a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This printing apparatus is a so-called tape printer, which creates a two-dimensional code image, a character image, etc. based on input data, prints them on a printing tape, and cuts the printed portion to create a label. Is for.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tape printer 1 contains an apparatus main body 2 that performs a printing process on the printing tape T, a printing tape T, and an ink ribbon R, and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 2. Tape cartridge C.

  The apparatus main body 2 has an outer shell formed by an apparatus case 3, and a print processing unit 10 is widely formed therein. A keyboard 5 having various keys 4 is disposed on the upper surface of the front half of the device case 3. An opening / closing lid 6 is widely provided on the upper left surface of the rear half of the device case 3, and a viewing window 7 is formed on the upper surface of the opening / closing lid 6 so as to visually confirm whether the tape cartridge C is mounted / not mounted. A lid opening button 8 is provided on the front side of the lid 6 to open the lid 6. A rectangular display 9 for displaying an input result from the keyboard 5 and the like is formed on the upper right side of the rear half.

  When the lid opening button 8 is pressed to open the opening / closing lid 6, a cartridge mounting portion 11 into which the tape cartridge C is mounted is formed in the inside thereof, and the cartridge mounting portion 11 is drawn out from the tape cartridge C. A print head 21 that performs a printing process is disposed on the printing tape T (see FIG. 2).

  A tape discharge port 12 is formed on the left side of the device case 3 to communicate the cartridge mounting portion 11 with the outside of the device. The device case 3 faces the tape discharge port 12 to cut the printing tape T. A cutter unit 14 is incorporated. The cutter unit 14 is disposed so as to face the tape discharge port 12, and includes a full cutter 15 that cuts the printing tape T in a scissors manner by a motor drive (full cutter motor 16) (see FIG. 2). ).

  Although not shown, a power supply port for supplying power and a connector for connecting to an external device such as a personal computer (not shown) are formed on the right side of the device case 3. Although not shown in both figures, a circuit board constituting a control unit 45 (see FIG. 3) that performs overall control of the apparatus main body 2 is mounted inside the apparatus case 3.

  A print head 21 having a heating element and covered with a head cover 20, a positioning projection 22 for positioning a tape reel 31 to be described later, a printing tape T and an ink ribbon R of the tape cartridge C are sent to the cartridge mounting portion 11. A platen drive shaft 23 facing the print head 21 and a take-up drive shaft 24 that winds up the ink ribbon R are projected, and the corner of the cartridge mounting portion 11 is composed of a plurality of microswitches. A tape identification sensor 25 (see FIG. 3) is provided. A print feed motor 26 (see FIG. 3) and a reduction gear train (not shown) for driving the platen drive shaft 23 and the take-up drive shaft 24 are incorporated inside the bottom plate of the cartridge mounting portion 11.

  The tape cartridge C includes a cartridge case 30 in which a tape reel 31 around which a printing tape T is wound, and a ribbon feeding reel 32 and a ribbon take-up reel 33 around which an ink ribbon R is wound at the lower right portion. Has been. A through hole 34 is formed in the lower left portion of the tape reel 31 to be inserted into the head cover 20 that covers the print head 21. Further, a platen roller 35 is disposed corresponding to the portion where the printing tape T and the ink ribbon R overlap each other, and is fitted to the platen drive shaft 23 and rotated. Further, a plurality of small detection holes (not shown) are formed on the back surface of the cartridge case C, and the plurality of detection holes are detected by a tape identification sensor 25 described later so that the type of the printing tape T can be identified. It has become.

  When the tape cartridge C is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 11, the through opening 34 is formed in the head cover 20, the tape reel 31 is positioned on the positioning protrusion 22, the ribbon winding reel 33 is positioned on the winding drive shaft 24, and the platen roller 35 is positioned on the platen driving shaft 23. When the open / close lid 6 is closed in this state, the print head 21 is in contact with the platen roller 35 with the print tape T and the ink ribbon R interposed therebetween and enters a print standby state. When printing is started, the platen drive shaft 23 and the take-up drive shaft 24 rotate synchronously, and printing processing is performed by the print head 21 while feeding the print tape T and the ink ribbon R. At the same time, the ink ribbon R fed out from the ribbon feeding reel 32 goes around the opening wall of the through hole 34 and is taken up by the ribbon take-up reel 33. The printed tape T after the printing process is cut by the full cutter 15 and the cut printing tape T is discharged to the outside as a label from the tape discharge port 12.

  The printing tape T includes a recording tape T1 having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer applied to the back surface, and a release tape T2 attached to the recording tape T1 with the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. Then, the user peels off the peeling tape T2 from the tape piece of the printing tape T separated after the printing process, and affixes the recording tape T1 to the adherend.

  The display 9 is composed of a dot matrix type liquid crystal display device. For example, a display screen 37 capable of displaying display image data of 256 dots × 81 dots and a plurality of indicators (not shown) for displaying various setting conditions and the like. ) And is used when the user inputs data from the keyboard 5 to create and edit a print image (image data) and visually check the result.

  Next, the configuration of the control system of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The tape printer 1 includes a keyboard 5 and a display 9, and includes an operation unit 40 that controls a user interface such as input of character information and display of various information by a user, a tape cartridge C, a print head 21, and a print feed motor 26. A print processing unit 41 for printing a print image based on character information input on the print tape T while feeding the print tape T and the ink ribbon R, a full cutter 15 and a full cutter motor 16 for driving them. A cutting unit 42 that performs a full cut on the printed printing tape T, a detection unit 43 that includes various sensors such as the tape identification sensor 25, and performs various detections, a display driver 50, a head driver 51, and a print feed motor driver 52. , A cutter motor driver 53, a drive unit 44 for driving each unit, and each Is connected to, it is constituted by a control unit 45 for controlling the entire tape printer 1.

  The control unit 45 includes a CPU 60, a ROM 61, a RAM 62, and an input control device 63 (IOC: Input Output Controller), which are connected to each other via an internal bus 64. As will be described in detail later, the ROM 61 is a code image creation program 70 (divided) that creates a two-dimensional code image 82 (QR code image) based on the input data 80 input from the keyboard 5, the error correction rate 81, and the cell size. 2D code image creation means), a rotation angle setting program for setting the rotation angle of the created 2D code image, and a rotation execution program for rotating the QR code image based on the rotation angle set by the rotation angle setting program In addition to a control program area 68 for storing a control program such as a code image rotation program 71 (code image rotation means), a control area 69 for storing characters (symbols, numbers, characters, etc.) prepared in the apparatus is provided. Have.

  The RAM 62 is used as a work area for control processing, and a rotation angle storage area 75 for storing the rotation angle 83 set in the code image rotation program 71 and an area for temporarily storing the created print image. A print buffer 76 and the like. The RAM 62 is supplied with power by a backup circuit (not shown) so as to retain stored data even when the power of the tape printer 1 is turned off.

  The CPU 60 inputs various signals and data from each unit of the tape printer 1 via the IOC 63 according to the control program in the ROM 61. Further, various data in the RAM 62 are processed based on the various signals and data that are input, and various signal data are output to each part in the tape printer 1 via the IOC 63, thereby controlling printing processing and the like.

  In the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the code image creation program 70 can create a two-dimensional code image 82 (image data) based on the input data 80 input from the keyboard 5. is there. That is, the main part of the invention of the tape printer 1 is realized by the operation unit 40 and the control unit 45. The two-dimensional code includes a QR code, a Maxi code, a Veri code, a data matrix, a PDF 417, and the like. In the present embodiment, for example, a case where a QR code image 82 is created will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the created QR code image 82 has a square shape, and includes a data area 87 composed of cells 86 and cutout symbols 88 provided at three corners (attitude marks in the claims). ) And a margin area 89 surrounding the data area 87. Parameters for setting the print size of the QR code image 82 include the amount of input data, the size of the cell 86 (cell size), the error correction rate 81, and the like. Furthermore, as a feature of the QR code, a division connection function is provided. That is, in the tape printer 1, a single QR code image 82a can be created based on the input data 80, and the input data 80 is divided into a plurality of parts to create a plurality of divided QR code images 82b. Is also possible.

  Here, when a single QR code image 82a and a plurality of divided QR code images 82b are created in the same size and both are printed in the reference posture, when reading the QR code image 82, a single QR code image 82a is read. Whether it is the image 82a or the plurality of divided QR code images 82b cannot be determined, and the reading operation is troublesome. Therefore, the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment is configured so that a plurality of printed divided QR code images 82b can be visually recognized as one set. Hereinafter, the control will be described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG.

  First, when the power is turned on by pressing the power key of the keyboard 5, the tape printer 1 is activated in an operation state in which key input is possible. The tape printer 1 is provided with a plurality of modes such as an input editing mode 90 for inputting / editing an arbitrary character string and a code image creating mode 91 for creating a QR code image 82 and a barcode image. Each mode is called by the key operation of, and a print image is created from an input screen dedicated to each mode. At the time of activation, the input editing mode 90 is set as a default (see FIG. 4A).

  The lower half of the input editing mode 90 is an image editing area 92 for inputting and editing a print image, and the upper half of the input editing mode 90 is a preview area 93 for displaying a print image of the print image as a preview. It has become. Also, on the left side of the upper half of the input editing mode 90, the length of the label corresponding to the print image being created / edited and the width of the print tape T detected by the tape identification sensor 25 are displayed.

  In the image editing area 92, character strings input from the keyboard 5 are displayed horizontally, and when the character strings extend over a plurality of lines, they are displayed side by side. In the image editing area 92, a line head mark 95 indicating which line each character string is positioned on and a cursor 96 indicating the edit input position are displayed. In the preview area 93, the print image of the print image input / edited in the image edit area 92 is displayed in black and white inversion.

  When creating the QR code image 82, a predetermined key operation is performed while the input editing mode 90 is displayed, and a code image creation mode 91 for creating a code image is displayed. On the displayed initial screen of the code image creation mode 91, a code selection menu 100 for displaying a plurality of types of codes in a selectable manner is displayed (see FIG. 4B). The code selection menu 100 displays options such as various bar codes that are one-dimensional codes and QR codes that are two-dimensional codes. At this time, when “QR code” is selected, the usage menu 101 is displayed in a hierarchical manner (see FIG. 4C).

  In the usage menu 101, “general” and “URL” options are displayed so as to be selectable, and either one is selected according to the usage of the QR code image 82 to be created. When creating a desired character string, “General” is selected, and when creating an address such as a home page, “URL” is selected. When a desired option is selected in the usage menu 101, an error correction level menu 102 is displayed in a hierarchical manner (see FIG. 4D).

  In the error correction level menu 102, options of the error correction rate 81 of “7%”, “15%”, “25%”, and “30%” are displayed so as to be selectable. When the desired error correction rate 81 is selected, a division setting menu 103 for selecting the number of divisions of the QR code image 82 to be created is displayed (see FIG. 5E).

  In the division setting menu 103, options of “none”, “two divisions”, “three divisions”, and “four divisions” are displayed so as to be selectable. Here, when the “None” option is selected, the screen shifts to a data input screen 105 to be described later, and a single QR code image 82 a is created based on the input data 80 input on the data input screen 105. The When any of the other options, that is, the options of “2 division”, “3 division”, and “4 division” are selected, the divided QR code image 82b is divided based on the selected number of divisions. . That is, the division position of the input data 80 is set according to the data configuration of the input data 80 input on the data input screen 105 to be described later, and the input data 80 is divided based on this setting. Based on this, a plurality of divided QR code images 82b are created. After selection, the screen shifts to a rotation angle setting menu 104 for setting the rotation angle 83 of each of the plurality of divided QR code images 82b.

  The rotation angle setting menu 104 displays “Automatic”, “No”, “90 °”, “180 °”, and “270 °” options. The rotation angle setting menu 104 is sequentially displayed for the number of divisions selected above. That is, when “2 division” is selected in the above, the first rotation angle setting menu 104a for rotating one of the divided QR code images 82b is displayed (see FIG. 5 (f)), and after selecting the above options, Then, the second rotation angle setting menu 104b for rotating the other divided QR code image 82b is displayed (see FIG. 5G). The set rotation angle 83 is configured to rotate clockwise.

  Here, the option of “automatic” is the rotation angle 83 set at the time of creating the previous code. When this is selected, the divided QR code is used with the rotation angle 83 stored in the rotation angle storage area 75 in the RAM 62. The image 82b is rotated. As a result, when it is desired to perform rotation at the same rotation angle 83 as at the time of creating the previous code, there is no need to set the rotation angle 83 again. When the setting of the rotation angle 83 of each divided QR code image 82b is completed, the process proceeds to the data input screen 105 for inputting data to be stored in the divided QR code image 82b (see FIG. 5 (h)).

  The data input screen 105 has an input data display area 106 for displaying the input data 80 input from the keyboard 5 at the center thereof, and the number of lines of the input data 80 input on the left side of the input data display area 106. Is displayed. Here, when “general” is selected in the usage menu 101, a series of input data 80 composed of a desired character string is input by the keyboard 5, and the input data 80 input by a predetermined key operation is determined (FIG. 6). (See (i)). Then, based on the above settings, a plurality of divided QR code images 82 b are created by the code image creation program 70 and a plurality of divided QR code images 82 b rotated by the code image rotation program 71 are created. Then, the mode is switched to the input editing mode 90, and a QR mark 107 indicating a plurality of divided QR code images 82b is displayed in the image editing area 92. That is, in the preview area 93, a plurality of divided QR code images 82b created in a rotated state are displayed (see FIG. 6 (j)).

  Here, when creating a single QR code image 82a or a plurality of divided QR code images 82b, they are created according to the same operation procedure as described above (see FIG. 6 (k)). For example, a single QR code image 82a having the same size as the plurality of divided QR code images 82b is created, and a print button on the keyboard 5 is pressed to start printing. Then, the plurality of divided QR code images 82b that are created first are printed while being rotated at the set rotation angle 83, and the single QR code image 82a that is created next is printed in the reference posture. The That is, the plurality of divided QR code images 82b are printed with the position of the cutout symbol 88 changed, and the single QR code image 82a is printed with the position of the cutout symbol 88 at the reference position (FIG. 7). (See (a)).

  According to the above configuration, the plurality of divided QR code images 82b and the single QR code image 82a are divided into a plurality of divided QR code images 82b and a single QR code image 82a depending on the position of the cutout symbol 88. Thus, it is possible to visually recognize that the plurality of divided QR code images 82b constitute a divided code. Therefore, even when a single QR code image 82a and a plurality of divided QR code images 82b are mixed, the reading operation can be performed smoothly. The rotation angles 83 of the plurality of divided QR code images 82b may be different from each other as long as it can be recognized that they constitute a divided code, or the same rotation angle different from the reference posture. 83 (see FIG. 7B). In the present embodiment, the rotation angle 83 is set before the creation of the plurality of divided QR code images 82b. However, the rotation angle 83 may be set and rotated after the creation.

  Next, a tape printer 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In order to avoid duplicate descriptions, only different parts will be described. The tape printer 1 stores a frame image attachment program that attaches a frame image 110 that integrally surrounds a plurality of divided QR code images 82b in place of the code image rotation program 71 stored in the ROM 61. Hereinafter, the operation procedure by the user will be mainly described with reference to FIG.

  As in the first embodiment, when the number of divisions is set in the division setting menu 103, an option as to whether or not to attach the frame image 110 is displayed (see FIG. 8A). Here, when the frame image 110 is set, the screen moves to the data input screen 105, and after inputting a desired character string, when the input data 80 is confirmed, a plurality of divided QR code images 82b with the frame image 110 are created. Is done. Thereby, in the preview area 93 of the input editing mode 90, a plurality of divided QR code images 82b created based on the above settings and a frame image 110 attached so as to integrally surround them are displayed. (See FIG. 8 (b)). The frame image 110 may be, for example, a frame image with decoration, or may be surrounded by four corners of a plurality of divided QR code images 82b with images such as angle brackets.

  According to the above configuration, whether the plurality of divided QR code images 82b in the frame image 110 is one divided QR code image 82b constituting the divided code or a single QR code image 82a is visually recognized. be able to. For this reason, even if the single QR code image 82a is arranged side by side, the reading operation of the plurality of divided QR code images 82b can be performed smoothly. Note that a character image 112 may be added instead of the frame image 110. In the character image 112 as shown in FIG. 9B, the number of divisions is written in the denominator portion, and the numbers consecutive to 1 and 2 are written in the numerator portion. Further, for example, a character image 112 such as “Division 1” or “Division 2” may be added. That is, as long as the character image 112 indicates that the plurality of divided QR code images 82b are a series of input data 80, the character image 112 may be freely attached within the range.

1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer in a closed state according to the present embodiment. 1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer in an open state according to the present embodiment. It is a control block diagram of a tape printer. It is a schematic diagram of a display in the early stage of creation of a QR code image. It is a schematic diagram of a display in the middle of creation of a QR code image. It is a schematic diagram of a display in the final stage of creation of a QR code image. It is a figure of the label produced by the tape printer. It is a schematic diagram of a display during creation of a QR code image created using the tape printer according to the second embodiment. It is a figure of the label produced with the tape printer which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tape printer 70 ... Code image creation program 71 ... Code image rotation program 75 ... Rotation angle storage area 80 ... Input data 81 ... Error correction rate 82 ... Two-dimensional code image (QR code image) 83 ... Rotation angle 88 ... Extraction symbol 110: Frame image 112 ... Character image

Claims (3)

A divided two-dimensional code image creating means for dividing a series of input data into a plurality of pieces and coding them to create a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images;
A frame image that prints the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images and integrally surrounds the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images, and indicates that the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are a series of input data. A printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints an index image attached to the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images. A divided two-dimensional code image creation step of dividing a series of input data into a plurality of pieces and coding them to create a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images;
A frame image that prints the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images and integrally surrounds the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images, and indicates that the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are a series of input data. And a printing step of printing an index image on the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images. As each unit in the printing apparatus according to claim 1, a program for causing executed causing a computer to function, or a printing method according to claim 2 to the computer.

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