Typewriting machines – Sheet or web – For feeding web record-medium
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-07
2001-08-21
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Sheet or web
For feeding web record-medium
C400S076000, C400S070000, C400S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276851
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape printing apparatus and a tape length-setting method which are capable of setting a tape length rapidly and reliably when printing is carried out.
2. Prior Art
Recently, there have been proposed tape printing apparatuses that carry out so-called “fixed length printing”, in which the length of a tape printed with an arbitrary character string can be set to a desired tape length such that the tape can be affixed to a predetermined affixing area in a manner adapted thereto. In these tape printing apparatuses, to form a tape having a desired tape length, first, settings of a format, such as a desired tape length, character sizes, lengths between the characters, lengths of the front and rear margins of the tape, are set to the arbitrary character string entered. Then, when a predetermined key (hereinafter referred to as the “print key”) for instructing a printing operation is depressed, if the arbitrary character string entered can be printed over the desired tape length, the printing operation is executed, whereas if the character string cannot be printed thereover, an error warning is generated.
In the above tape printing apparatus, however, the user is not notified of the fact that the character string cannot be printed on the tape length set or determined, until he depresses the print key to have an error warning issued, so that he cannot know whether or not printing can be carried out over a tape length at a time point of setting the same. Consequently, when the user depresses the print key to find that it is impossible to execute printing over the tape length he set, the user is required to edit the character string again to adapt it to the tape length or set the tape length again such that it is made longer than the value he set the last time. Further, the user has to depress the print key again to determine whether or not printing can be carried out. This makes the user feel that it is troublesome to operate the apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a tape printing apparatus and a tape length-setting method which permits the user to set a desired tape length quickly and reliably, without requiring troublesome operations before printing.
To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus that is capable of printing a character string on a tape as a medium to be printed upon over a desired tape length.
The tape printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising:
input means for inputting a character string including at least one character;
tape length calculation means for calculating a minimum tape length over which the input character string can be printed, before a print command is generated;
candidate tape length display means for displaying a plurality of candidate tape lengths over which the input character string can be printed, dependent on the minimum tape length;
tape length selection means for selecting a tape length from the plurality of candidate tape lengths displayed; and
printing means for printing the input character string over the selected tape length in response to the print command.
According to this tape printing apparatus, based on a character string comprised of at least one character entered by the entry means, the minimum tape length over which the entered character string can be printed is calculated by the tape length calculation means, and with reference to the calculated minimum tape length, a plurality of candidate tape lengths over which the input character string can be printed are displayed by the candidate tape length display means. Then, a desired tape length is selected from the plurality of displayed candidate tape lengths by the tape length selection means, and by setting the selected tape length, it becomes possible to print the character string. Therefore, a tape length over which the input character string cannot be printed (i.e. smaller in value than the minimum tape length) is prevented from being displayed as a candidate, and only tape lengths over which the input character string can be printed are displayed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a wrong tape length from being erroneously selected. In short, according to the tape printing apparatus, it is possible to set a desired tape length quickly and reliably, without requiring troublesome operations before printing.
It should be noted that throughout the specification the term “characters” are used to mean characters, including letters, symbols, and images, which are normally input to the apparatus.
Preferably, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a preferential candidate displayed preferentially to other candidates in respect of at least one of a mode of display, a position, and an order of display.
According to this preferred embodiment, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a preferential candidate displayed preferentially to other candidates in respect of at least one of the mode of display, the position, and the order of display, so that it is possible to save the trouble of searching for a predetermined option (preferential candidate) from the menu of options (candidates), thereby permitting the predetermined option to be more quickly selected.
More preferably, when the plurality of candidate tape lengths includes a tape length selected last time, the preferential candidate is the tape length selected last time.
According to this preferred embodiment, when the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a tape length selected the last time (assuming that a character string input this time can be printed by using the tape length selected last time), the “tape length selected last time” is preferentially displayed as the preferential candidate. This makes it possible to lighten the trouble of selecting a tape length when strips of tape having a predetermined length are continually made.
Alternatively or in combination, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include the minimum tape length, and the preferential candidate is the minimum tape length.
According to this preferred embodiment, since the minimum tape length is preferentially displayed as a candidate tape length, it is possible to lighten the trouble of selecting a tape length, e.g. when the tape length is desired to be made as short as possible to reduce consumption of the tape.
Preferably, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a candidate tape length represented by an extra length which is a difference between a whole tape length of the candidate tape length and the minimum tape length.
According to this preferred embodiment, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a candidate tape length represented by an extra length (obtained by adding up lengths of the front and rear margins of the tape and lengths of spaces between characters on the tape) which is the difference between the whole tape length of a candidate and the minimum tape length. This makes it easy to select a tape length, when the user desires to attach more importance to the lengths of the front and rear margins and the lengths of spaces between characters than to the tape length, for instance.
More preferably, the plurality of candidate tape lengths include a plurality of candidates each represented by a combination of any two of a sum of the minimum tape length and the extra length, the minimum tape length, and the extra length.
According to this preferred embodiment, the plurality of candidates each include any two of the “sum of the minimum tape length and the extra length”, the “minimum tape length”, and the “extra length” (assuming that the minimum tape length is 3 cm, and the extra length is 1 cm, they are displayed as follows: “MINIMUM TAPE LENGTH 3 cm+EXTRA LENGTH 1 cm” or “TAPE LENGTH 4 cm (including EXTRA LENGTH 1 cm)” or the like). Accordingly, for instance, when the user desires to set a tape length by taking into account not only the tape length but also t
Hilten John S.
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Nolan, Jr. Charles H.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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