Printing device

A method of printing characters on a label comprising the steps of:

• storing in a memory one or more character sets, each character set comprising a principal character and at least one additional character, the or each additional character being a version of the principal character;
• using character selection keys, selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected;
• and
• printing the defined image on a column-by-column basis using a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects a selected additional character which is a version of the principal character.

A printing device for printing images comprising:

• a memory for storing a plurality of character groups, each group associated with a particular language and comprising at least one character set which comprises a principal character and at least one additional character, the or each additional character being a version of the principle character;
• user input means having a group selection key for selecting a character group and character selection keys for selecting a character set of a selected character group to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
• and
• a print head having a column of printing elements each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis.

A printing device for printing images comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of character groups, wherein at least one character group includes a plurality of principal characters and at least one additional character, the or each additional character being a version of the principal character;
• a keyboard comprising means to select a character group, means to select a principle character, and means to select the at least one additional character;
• means to view the selected principal characters, principal characters with associated additional characters, or mixture thereof;
• and
• means to print the selected principal characters, principal characters with associated additional characters, or mixture thereof on a column-by-column basis.

A printing device for printing labels comprising:

• a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set comprising a principal character and at least one additional character, the or each additional character being a version of the principal character;
• user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis;
• and
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of a selected additional character which is a version of the principal character.

A printing device for printing labels comprising:

• a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
• user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set and a key for selecting a character size to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis;
• and
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed in accordance with the defined image.

A printing device for printing labels comprising:

• a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
• user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set and a key for selecting a character size to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis;
• and
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed by the print head in accordance with the defined image.

A printing device for printing labels comprising:

• a memory for storing a plurality of character groups, each character group including a plurality of character sets, each character set including a principal character and one or more additional characters, the or each additional character being a version of the principle character;
• a printer adapted to print labels;
• a keyboard comprising a language selection key to select a character set group from the plurality of character groups, a plurality of character selection keys for selecting a character to define an image to be printed by the printing device, and a printer activation key;
• and
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the keyboard;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of an associated additional character, and
• wherein the principal characters and the additional characters are associated with a language, such that the order of display of the additional characters on subsequent activations of the selected character activation key is in the order in which they are most commonly used in that language.

A printing device for printing labels comprising:

• a memory for storing a plurality of character groups, each character group comprising one or more character sets, each character set comprising a principal character and at least one character set comprising at least one additional character, the or each additional character being a version of the principal character;
• user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
• a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis;
• and
• a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
• wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the at least one additional character in the selected character set if the selected character set has an additional character and the principle character if the selected character set has no additional character.