Bar code printing apparatus
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsAkihiro Sawada, Akihiko Niwa, Hideo Ueno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A character string and data characters for printing a bar code are first input, and a print key is operated. When the data read from a text memory of the apparatus are character data, the apparatus creates dot pattern data for printing the character string as per the character size selected. When bar code starting data are read, the data following the characters are read out and converted into bar code data. After the data representing a left-hand side margin of the bar code are generated, dot pattern data constituting the bar code are created in accordance with the height of the character size selected. Then, a right-hand side margin of the bar code is generated.
Claims20
A bar code printing apparatus for printing characters and a bar code on a printing medium, comprising:
- input means for inputting character data, bar code data and commands;
- memory means for storing the input data;
- print data creating means for creating print data for printing the characters and the bar code based on the stored data, including side margin creating means for creating blank side margins on right and left sides of the printed bar code and means for changing the height of the bar code in accordance with a change of character size;
- print means for printing the characters and bar code with the blank side margins;
- and
- an alarm for warning an operator when the memory means has a predetermined amount of data comprising the bar code data and input of additional bar code data is attempted, and for warning when the memory means does not contain the predetermined amount of data and printing is attempted, wherein the print data creating means comprises a bar code input mode selection means for establishing a bar code input mode.
A bar code printing assembly for printing characters and a bar code on a printing medium, comprising:
- a memory for storing character data and bar code data;
- a print data creator for creating print data for printing the characters and bar code with blank side margins on right and left sides of the printed bar code and changing the height of the bar code in accordance with a change of character size;
- a printer for printing the characters and bar code with the blank side margins;
- and
- an alarm for warning an operator when the memory has a predetermined amount of data comprising the bar code data and input of additional bar code data is attempted, and for warning when the memory does not contain the predetermined amount of data and printing is attempted, wherein the print data creator comprises a bar code input mode selector for establishing a bar code input mode.
A method of printing characters and a bar code with blank side margins on a printing medium, comprising the steps of:
- inputting character data in a character mode;
- inputting bar code data in a bar code mode;
- storing the character data and the bar code data;
- issuing a warning when the bar code data is improper;
- creating blank side margins on right and left sides of the printed bar code;
- changing the height of the bar code in accordance with a change of character size;
- and
- printing the characters and the bar code with the blank side margins and having the same height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.