Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-02-27
Hong, Stephen S. (Department: 2776)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195668
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of editing text data to be printed in a plurality of lines as well as to a printing device for printing the edited text data in the plurality of lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among a variety of printing devices generally known, there are small-sized printing devices for printing desired text data on a surface of an adhesive tape having an adhesive rear face. With such a tape printing device, a desirable title or name is printed on a label (cut piece of a tape) through simple operation. These labels with an adhesive are applied in both domestic and business fields, for example, on the spine of business files or the back of video tapes.
A high-functional, value-added printing device has been developed to allow text data to be printed in a plurality of lines on the tape. Tape cartridges used for the printing device may accommodate transferable tapes and those of various colors and widths other than the conventional adhesive tapes.
The value-added function of printing text data in a plurality of lines, however, leads to increase the size of the device undesirably, thereby damaging the advantages of the portable printing device. The size increase of the high-functional printing device is mainly attributable to a large display unit for editing text data of plural lines.
Simple down-sizing of the display makes it difficult to check and observe information and data on the display. Another possible structure for the down-sizing shows only part of text data to be edited. This deteriorates the efficiency of editing procedures and may result in waste of the tape since mistakes are often found after the printing on the tape.
There is a known function applicable to the printing device, which calculates a required length for input text data and displays the required length of the tape. A fixed unit of length is, however, confusing since some nations adopt the metric system whereas other nations use the inch-yard system. Calculation results of the required length based on the input text data may cause display of rather complicated numbers with decimal point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the invention is accordingly to provide a printing device having a small display unit which allows the user to easily check and observe data and information without deteriorating the efficiency of editing procedures.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of editing data with such a printing device.
The above and other related objects are realized by a tape printing device for editing data of up to ‘n’ lines, where ‘n’ is an integer at least 2, and printing the edited data in ‘m’ lines, where ‘m’ is an integer between 1 to the maximum line number ‘n’. In the tape printing device of the invention, the edited data are displayed on a main display unit in ‘p’ lines, where ‘p’ is an integer between 1 to ‘n’−1. A line currently edited is displayed as a digit on an auxiliary display unit. The data which occupies a relative large display area and includes data of the line currently edited are displayed on the main display unit while the current editing position is indicated on the auxiliary display unit.
The invention is also directed to another tape printing device for editing data of up to ‘n’ lines, where ‘n’ is an integer at least 2, and printing the edited data in ‘m’ lines, where ‘m’ is an integer between 1 to ‘n’. In the tape printing device of the invention, the edited data are displayed on a display unit in ‘p’ lines, where ‘p’ is an integer between 1 and the maximum line number ‘n’. The data displayed on the display unit can be scrolled along each line. A digit representing a line number at a head of the data displayed on the display unit is indicated in either of the following forms. When the data is scrolled to make the head of the data reach an end of the display unit and further scrolled to be out of a display area of the display unit, the digit representing a line number is indicated at a fixed position on the end of the display unit. When the data is scrolled to make the head of the data reach the end of the display unit and further scrolled to be within the display area of the display unit, the digit representing a line number is indicated at the head of the data.
According to another aspect of the invention, a tape printing device for printing data on a tape or recording medium inputs data, prints the input data on the tape, and cuts the tape with the data printed thereon at a specified length. The specified length of the tape with the data printed thereon is displayed together with a unit of length on the display unit prior to the printing procedures. The unit of length can be selected among a plurality of choices.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for displaying edited input data of up to ‘n’ lines, where ‘n’ is a maximum line number and an integer of at least 2, which are to be printed on an elongated tape or elongated recording medium. The method includes the steps of: (A) providing a main display unit configured to display at least a portion of the edited input data in ‘p’ lines, where ‘p’ is an integer between 1 to at most ‘n’−1; and (B) controlling the editing procedure of the input data. This controlling step further includes displaying at least a portion of the input data, including displaying at least a portion of the input data of a line currently edited on the main display unit. This method of the present invention further includes the step of (C) indicating in digits the line currently edited on an auxiliary display unit positioned proximate to the main display unit.
The present invention also includes the another method of displaying edited input data of up to ‘n’ lines, where ‘n’ is a maximum line number and an integer, to be printed on an elongated tape or elongated recording medium. In this embodiment, the method first includes the step of: (A) providing a main display configured to display on a display area thereof at least a portion of the edited input data in ‘p’ lines, where ‘p’ is an integer between 1 to the line number ‘n’. The next step includes (B) controlling the editing procedure of the input data and displaying at least a portion of the input data, including displaying at least a portion of the input data of a line currently edited on the display area. Finally, this present invention method includes the step of (C) indicating in a digit a line number indicator corresponding to a respective line of edited input data displayed on the main display. The line number indicator is positioned proximate and adjacent to the respective line on the main display and is formed to display the corresponding digit in either one of the following two forms. The first form pertains to (i) displaying in the display area the line number indicator proximate to and moving with a selected portion of the respective input data of the respective line during scrolling thereof across the main display when the selected portion is positioned within the display area during scrolling of the input data. The other form pertains to (ii) displaying the line number indicator at a fixed location relative the display area and proximate to an end thereof, adjacent to the respective line on the main display, when the selected portion of the respective input data is scrolled beyond the end and out of display of the display area.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with the accompanying drawings.
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Hosokawa Takeshi
Toyosawa Yoshiya
Watanabe Kenji
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Hong Stephen S.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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