US 5,393,147 A · Tape printing device for printing characters and frames

Abstract

An operator inputs characters from a keyboard. The characters are stored in the form of character codes. The operator sets an overall frame and a partial frame to decide characters to be enclosed in the frames by editing character codes symbolically displayed on the liquid crystal display. In this process, both ends of the frames are also encoded into character codes. After the operator enters an execution key, the character codes are converted into bit image data by means of a character generator. The image data for characters, the overall frame and the partial frame are combined on the image buffer. When the image data is ready, the image data is transferred to the thermal head via a driving circuit, and the printing process is executed on a printing medium. An array of printing mechanisms substantially extending across the width of the tape printing medium allow the printing device to execute the whole printing process while sending the medium in one direction.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A tape printing device for printing an image on tape medium, comprising:

input means for inputting image data including character data;
memory means for storing the image data;
partial frame selecting means for selecting portions of the image data for framing in a partial enclosed frame and storing data corresponding to the selected portions in said memory means;
overall frame selecting means for selecting an overall enclosed frame for the image that overlaps and encompasses at least part of the selected portions of the image in the partial enclosed frame and storing data corresponding to an overall enclosed frame in said memory means;
display means for displaying image data input from said input means and for displaying the selected portions of the image data for the partial enclosed frame, wherein said display means includes a partial frame display means for displaying which characters are selected to be partially framed and for indicating boundaries of the selected partial frame;
and
print means for retrieving data from said memory means and printing the image, the partial enclosed frame and the overall enclosed frame on the tape medium based on the data retrieved.

4 more elements

A tape printing device for printing an image on a tape medium, comprising:

a housing having receiving means for receiving a tape cassette with tape medium;
input means coupled to said housing for inputting image data including character data;
memory means coupled to said housing for storing the image data;
partial frame selecting means coupled to said housing for selecting portions of the image data for framing in a partial enclosed frame and storing data corresponding to the selected portions in said memory means;
overall frame selecting means coupled to said housing for selecting an overall enclosed frame for the image that overlaps and surrounds the selected portions of the image in the partial enclosed frame and storing data corresponding to an overall enclosed frame in said memory means;
display means coupled to said housing for displaying image data input from said input means and for displaying the selected portions of the image data for the partial enclosed frame, wherein said display means includes a partial frame display means for displaying which characters are selected to be partially framed and for indicating boundaries of the selected partial frame;
print means coupled to said housing for retrieving data from said memory means and printing the image, the partial enclosed frame and the overall enclosed frame on the tape medium based on the data retrieved;
a removable tape cassette housing tape medium removably coupled to said receiving means;
a tape feeding means in said housing for feeding said tape medium from said tape cassette to said print means;
and
a feed control means coupled to said housing for controlling feeding of said tape medium to said print means.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tape printing device for printing characters and frames

Life of this patent

Tape printing device for printing characters and frames

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18