Printing Apparatus

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and, in particular but not exclusively, is concerned with a tape printing apparatus.

Known tape printing apparatus of the type with which the present invention is generally concerned are disclosed in EP-A-322918 and EP-A-322919 (Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha) and EP-A-267890 (Varitronics). The printers each include a printing device having a cassette receiving bay for receiving a cassette or tape holding case. In EP-A-0267890, the tape holding case houses an ink ribbon and a substrate tape, the latter comprising an upper image receiving layer secured to a backing layer by an adhesive. In EP-A-322918 and EP-A-322919, the tape holding case houses an ink ribbon, a transparent image receiving tape and a double-sided adhesive tape which is secured at one of its adhesive coated sides to the image tape after printing and which has a backing layer peelable from its other adhesive coated side. With both these apparatus, the image transfer medium, such as an ink ribbon, and the image receiving tape, such as a substrate, are in the same cassette.

There is a different type of tape printing apparatus which is described for example in EP-A-578372, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. In this printing apparatus, the substrate tape is similar to that described in EP-A-267890 but is housed in its own tape holding case while the ink ribbon is similarly housed in its own tape holding case.

In all of these apparatus, the image receiving tape passes in overlap with the ink ribbon to a print zone consisting of a fixed print head and a platen. The print head can be pressed against the platen to cause an image to transfer from the ink ribbon to the image receiving tape. There are many ways doing this, including dry lettering or dry film impression, but the most usual way at present is by thermal printing where the print head is heated and the heat causes ink from the ink ribbon to be transferred to the image receiving tape. Alternatively, the print head may be in direct contact with a thermally sensitive image receiving tape whereby when the print head is heated, an image is defined on the image receiving tape.

With label printers, more and more label and character attributes are selectable. However, it can be difficult for the user to envisage how a label will appear. This may be a problem with those printers which do not have a "preview" facility which allows the user to view on the display the entire label. In those circumstances, the user would have to print an image on the image receiving tape in order to know what the label would look like and ascertain that it has the selected attributes. This is particularly a problem where a number of different attributes are selectable and if the display does not show the characters in the form in which they appear when printed.

The present invention relates generally to a printing apparatus and particularly a label printer. The label printer of the present invention comprises input means having a plurality of keys for defining a label to be printed. The keys include format keys for defining the format of the label. The label printer further comprises a display for displaying an image of the label, printing means for printing the label and control means for controlling the label printer to operate in a layout mode. In the layout mode, the control means causes the display to display an image of the label in a selected label format and a plurality of layout parameters for defining the label format. Each parameter is alterable. The label image displayed on the display alters with each selection of one of the layout parameters by actuating the format keys.

By displaying an image of a label on the display, the user is able to see, as the value of a given parameter is changed, what effect that has on the format of a label. This also makes it easier for the user to try out new formats.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input means further includes attribute keys for defining attributes of input characters. The control means is arranged to control the label printer to operate in a character mode. In the character mode, the display displays a character having selected character attributes and a plurality of character attribute parameters for defining the character attributes. Each parameter is alterable. The character displayed on the display alters with each selection of one of the character attribute parameters by actuating the attribute keys. Similarly, a character can also be displayed which reflects the changes made to the values of the various parameters.

When the label printer is in the character mode, the display also displays a selected value for each parameter along with the character having the selected character attributes and the plurality of character attribute parameters. The value of the parameter displayed alters with each selection of one of the character attribute parameters. Thus, a clear indication is provided to the user as to the relationship between the value selected for a parameter and the effect that the selected value has on the appearance of the character.

In the character mode, information as to the width of an image receiving tape is displayed, preferably superimposed over the displayed character. Such information comprises a central region defined between an upper and a lower border element. The central region is representative of the width of the image receiving tape, whereby a relationship between the tape width and a selected size for the character can be determined. In that way, the user can see the relationship between the size of the character and the tape width. It should be appreciated that information as to the width of image receiving tape may be displayed on the display in the layout mode.

The information as to the width of the image receiving tape can be a user defined width of the image receiving tape or alternatively the width of the image receiving tape present in the label printer.

The character may be a sample character. Similarly, the label may be a sample label. This makes it easier for the user to view how various parameters change the appearance of the character or the label.

According to the label printer of the present invention, the control means also controls the label printer to operate in an edit mode, in which the display displays character data entered by actuating the keys. The control means is arranged so that when the character mode is selected only information associated with the character mode is displayed. Thereby the character data defining the label is removed from the display in the character mode to make it simpler for the user to view the possible parameters and to make necessary changes.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control means comprises memory means for storing the label and character to be displayed in the layout and character modes. The control means also comprises processor means for determining the selected layout and character attribute parameters and for manipulating the stored label and character so that the label and the character include the selected parameters. The control means further comprises addressing circuitry for addressing the display whereby the label and character are displayed with the selected parameters.

In another preferred embodiment, the control means includes addressing means for addressing the display. The display comprises a first and second display zones, each of which is selectively addressable by the addressing means to display information relating to the label image. The first display zone is addressable to display information responsive to actuation of the keys and the second display zone of the display is addressable to store prestored data relating to the information responsive to the actuation of the format keys, to thereby assist a user in defining a label.

In the layout mode, the first display zone displays the image of the label having selected label format as well as the plurality of layout parameters while the second display zone displays a plurality of options for at least one of the parameters. Preferably, the first display zone displays the character having selected character attributes as well as the plurality of character attributes while the second display zone displays a plurality of values for at least one of the parameters. This makes it easier for the user to use the tape printer.

The control means controls the operation of the label printer to have an edit mode in which the label image is displayed.

In another preferred embodiment, the keys comprise a plurality of function keys. The function keys include a layout function key for providing the layout mode and a character attribute function key for providing the character mode. The control means controls the operation of the label printer to operate selectively in a select mode and in an edit mode. In the select mode, each function key causes the display to display a plurality of parameters relating to functions defined by a selected function key. Each parameter has associated therewith a set of selectable options for defining that parameter. In the edit mode, the display displays character data entered by actuating the keys. In this way, the values for the various parameters can be easily selected and further the setting of a relatively large number of attributes can be easily achieved.

Preferably, at least some of the parameters representing layout or character attributes are either selected or not selected. Alternatively, some parameters may have a plurality of values, one of which is selectable for the parameter.

According to the label printer of the present invention, when the label image input prior to the selection of the character mode comprises a plurality of lines, at least one character in each of the plurality of lines will be displayed in the character mode. The position of the characters in the character mode indicates the position of the plurality of lines of the input image in each selection of the character attributes.

The present invention relates to a label printer for printing a label image on an image receiving tape. The label printer comprises input means having a plurality of keys for defining a label to be printed. The keys include attribute keys for defining attributes of input characters. The label printer also comprises a display for displaying information relating to the label to be printed, printing means for printing the label and control means for controlling the label printer to operate in an edit mode and a character mode.

In the edit mode, the display displays character data entered by actuating the keys. In the character mode, the display displays a character having selected character attributes and a plurality of character attribute parameters for defining the character attributes. Each parameter is alterable. The attributes of the character alter with each selection of one of the character attribute parameters by actuating the keys. The control means is arranged so that when the character mode is selected only information associated with the character mode is displayed.

According to the label printer of the present invention, the keys include format keys for defining the format of the label. The control means controls the label printer to operate in a layout mode in which the display displays an image of the label having a selected label format and a plurality of layout parameters for defining the format. Each parameter is alterable. The label displayed alters with each selection of one of the layout parameters by actuating the format keys.

The present invention further relates to a label printer for printing an image on an image receiving tape. The label printer comprises input means having a plurality of keys for defining a label to be printed on the image receiving tape. The keys include attribute keys for defining attributes of input characters. The label printer further comprises a display for displaying information relating to the label to be printed, printing means for printing the label and control means for controlling operation of the label printer.

The control means in the label printer is arranged to control the label printer to operate in a character mode. In the character mode, the display displays a character having selected character attributes, a plurality of character attribute parameters for defining the character attributes and a selected value for each parameter. The character attributes are alterable. On actuation of the keys, attributes of the displayed character alter with each selection of one of the character attribute parameters.

The present invention further relates to a label printer for printing a label image on an image receiving tape. The label printer comprises input means having a plurality of keys for defining a label image to be printed including attribute keys for defining attributes of input characters. The label printer also comprises a display for displaying information relating to the label image to be printed, printing means for printing the label image and control means for controlling the label printer to operate in an edit mode and a character mode.

In the edit mode, the display displays character data entered by actuating the keys. In the character mode, the display displays a character having selected character attributes, each attribute being alterable. Attributes of the character alters with each selection of one of the character attribute parameters and actuation of the keys. When the image input prior to the selection of the character mode comprises a plurality of lines, at least one character in each of the plurality of lines will be displayed in the character mode, the position of the characters in the character mode indicating the position of the plurality of lines of the input image in each selection of the character attributes.

For a better understanding of the present invention and as to how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the front of a tape printing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing two cassettes inserted in the tape printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of control circuitry for controlling the tape printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the menu displayed when the size key is actuated;

FIG. 5 shows the menu displayed when the style key is actuated;

FIG. 6 shows the menu displayed when the layout key is actuated;

FIG. 7 shows the menu displayed when the bar code key is actuated;

FIG. 8 shows the menu displayed when the memory key is actuated;

FIG. 9 shows the menu displayed when the symbols key is actuated;

FIG. 10 shows the menu displayed when the special key is actuated;

FIG. 11 shows the menu displayed when the set up key is actuated; and

FIG. 12 shows the menu displayed when the cassette parameter of the menu of FIG. 11 is selected.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified plan view of a tape printing apparatus 2 of the present invention. The tape printing apparatus 2 comprises a keyboard 4. The keyboard 4 has a plurality of data entry keys and in particular comprises a plurality of number, letter and punctuation keys 6 for inputting data to be printed as a label and function keys 8a-8i for editing the input data. These function keys 8a-8i are arranged, for example, to change the size or font of the input data. Additionally, these function keys 8a-8i allow, amongst other functions, underlining and boxing of the label to be achieved. The functions associated with the function keys 8a-8i will be described in more detail hereinafter. The keyboard 4 also comprises a print key 10 which is operated when it is desired that a label be printed. Tape feeding keys (not shown) may be provided in some embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, the keyboard 4 has an on/off key 14 for switching the label printing apparatus 2 on and off.

The tape printing apparatus 2 also has a liquid crystal display (LCD) 18 which displays the data as it is entered. The display 18 allows the user to view all or part of the label to be printed which facilitates the editing of the label prior to its printing. As will be discussed in more detail hereinafter, the display is also arranged to display various editing options which are selectable by the user. Additionally, the display 18 can display messages to the user, for example, error messages or an indication that the print key 10 should be pressed or activated. The display 18 is driven by a display driver 28 which can be seen in FIG. 3.

Next to the keyboard 4 of the tape printing apparatus 2, there is a cassette receiving bay 40, which is normally closed with a lid 41. FIG. 2 shows the interior of the cassette receiving bay with the lid 41 removed. The cassette receiving bay 40 is arranged to receive two cassettes 50, 51, a thermal print head 42 and a platen 44 which cooperates to define a print zone 46. The platen 44 is mounted for rotation within a cage molding 49. The print head 42 is pivotable about a pivot point 48 so that it can be brought into contact with the platen 44 for printing or moved away from the platen 44 to enable the cassettes 50, 51 to be removed and replaced. A cutting arrangement 66 is provided which includes a cutter support member 68 which carries a blade 70. The blade 70 acts against an anvil 71.

The first cassette inserted into the cassette bay 40 is denoted generally by reference numeral 50. This cassette 50 holds a supply spool 52 of an image receiving tape 54. The image receiving tape 54 comprises an upper layer for receiving a printed image on one of its surfaces and has its other surface coated with an adhesive layer to which is secured a releasable backing layer. The image receiving tape 54 is guided by a guide mechanism (not shown) through the cassette 50, out of the cassette 50 through an outlet O, past the print zone 46 to a cutting location C. The platen 44 is accommodated in a recess 47 of the first cassette 50.

The second cassette 51 has a supply of ink ribbon 60 on an ink ribbon supply spool 56 and an ink ribbon take up spool 58. The second cassette 51 also has a recess 45 for receiving the print head 42. The image receiving tape 54 and the ink ribbon 60 are arranged to pass in overlap between the print head 42 and the platen 44. In particular, the image receiving layer of the image receiving tape 54 is in contact with the ink ribbon 60. The ink ribbon 60 is a thermal transfer ribbon which when in contact with the activated or heated elements of the thermal print head 42 defines an image on the image receiving tape 54.

As shown in FIG. 3, the platen 44 is driven by a motor 30, for example a dc motor or a stepper motor so that it rotates to drive the image receiving tape 54 in a direction which is parallel to the lengthwise extent of the image receiving tape 54 through the print zone 46. In this way, an image is printed on the image receiving tape 54 and the image receiving tape 54 is fed from the print zone 46 to the cutting location C. The rotation of the platen 44 also causes the ink ribbon 60 to be driven from the ink ribbon supply spool 56, past the print head 42, and to the ink ribbon take up spool 58.

In those embodiments where the motor 30 is a dc motor, the image receiving tape 54 is driven continuously through the print zone 46 during printing. Alternatively, in those embodiments where the motor is a stepper motor, the platen 44 rotates stepwise to drive the image receiving tape 54 in steps through the print zone 46 during the printing operation. However, it should be appreciated that any type of motor operated in any suitable manner can be used with embodiments of the present invention.

The print head 42 is a thermal print head comprising a column of a plurality of printing elements. The print head 42 is preferably only one printing element wide and the column extends in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the image receiving tape 54. The height of the column of printing elements is preferably equal to the width of the image receiving tape 54 to be used with the label printing apparatus 2. With embodiments of the present invention where more than one width of image receiving tape 54 is used, the print head column will generally have a height equal to the largest width of image receiving tape 54. An image is printed on the image receiving tape 54 column by column by the print head 42.

In some embodiments the print head 42 may have a height which may be slightly less than the width of the largest image receiving tape which can be used with the tape printing apparatus 2 of the present invention. This is because an image printed on the image receiving tape 54 will tend to have upper and lower blank margins. The print head 42 may then have a height corresponding to the largest width of tape, less the height of the upper and lower margins.

It should be appreciated that an image can be printed on the image receiving tape via the ink ribbon 60. Alternatively if the image receiving tape 54 is of a suitable thermally sensitive material, an image can be applied directly by the print head 42 to the image receiving tape. In this case, no ink ribbon would be required with a thermally sensitive image receiving tape 54.

As an alternative to the two cassette system shown in FIG. 2, the cassette receiving bay 40 may be arranged to receive a single cassette having both the image receiving tape 54 and the ink ribbon 60. Any other suitable arrangement for providing a supply of image receiving tape can of course be used with the present invention.

The basic control circuitry for controlling the tape printing apparatus 2 will now be described in connection with FIG. 3. There is a microprocessor chip 20 having a read only memory (ROM) 22, a microprocessor 24 and random access memory capacity indicated diagrammatically by RAM 26. The microprocessor 24 is controlled by programming stored in the ROM 22 and when so controlled acts as a controller. It should be appreciated that the microprocessor chip can be replaced by a separate microprocessor, a separate ROM and a separate RAM.

The microprocessor chip 20 is connected to receive label data input to it from the keyboard 4. The microprocessor chip 20 outputs data to drive the display 18 via the display driver chip 28 to display a label to be printed, or a part thereof, and/or message or instructions for the user. The display driver 28 may form part of the microprocessor chip 20. Additionally, the microprocessor chip 20 outputs data to drive the print head 42 which prints an image onto the image receiving tape 54 to form a label. Finally, the microprocessor chip 20 also controls the motor 30 for driving the image receiving tape 54 through the tape printing apparatus 2. The microprocessor chip 20 may also control the cutting mechanism 66 to allow lengths of image receiving tape 54 to be cut off after an image has been printed thereon. Alternatively, the cutting mechanism may be manually operable.

The tape printing apparatus 2 of the present invention allows labels to be composed and displayed on the display 18 using the various keys. In particular, the ROM 22 stores information relating to alphanumeric characters and the like which are associated with respective ones of the keys 6 as well as information relating to the functions associated with the function keys 8a-8i. When a key 6 is depressed, data concerning the associated character or the like is retrieved from the ROM 22 and then stored in the RAM 26. The data stored in the RAM 26 may be in the form of a code which identifies the character. The microprocessor 24, in accordance with the data stored in the RAM 26, generates pixel data which is transmitted in one form column by column to the print head 42 and to the display 18 in another form. It should be appreciated that the displayed image and the printed image may differ only in their resolution in some embodiments of the present invention.

Additionally data concerning a function may be retrieved from the ROM 22 in response to activation of one or more of the function keys 8a-8i. That data may take the form of one or more flags. The pixel data generated by the microprocessor 24 and sent to the print head 42 and the display 18 will take into account the data relating to one or more functions stored in the RAM 26. As will be appreciated, the function keys 8a-8i of the keyboard 4 have predetermined functions associated therewith which causes predetermined data associated with that function to be retrieved from the ROM 22 and/or RAM 26. Some of the functions may allow information to be stored into the RAM 26.

As mentioned above, a range of different widths of image receiving tape 54 can be used with the tape printing apparatus 2 embodying the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, five different widths of image receiving tape 54 are used--6, 12, 19, 24 and 32 mm. However, it is not necessary to provide five different widths for the ink ribbon 60. In particular, two different widths of ink ribbon 60 may be used 19 and 28 mm. The 19 mm ink ribbon 60 can be used with 6, 12 and 19 mm width image receiving tapes 54. The 24 and 32 mm width image receiving tapes 54 can be used with the 28 mm ink ribbon 60. A printed image on the image receiving tape 54 will generally have upper and lower blank margins. Accordingly, the 28 mm ink ribbon 60 still allows a "full" sized image to be printed on the 32 mm width image receiving tape 54. The image would then have, for example, upper and lower margins each of 2 mm height.

Discussions will now be made in relation to the plurality of data entry keys 6 which are used to input an image or message to be printed on the image receiving tape 54 to thereby design a label and the plurality of function keys 8a-8i. The function associated with each of these keys will be described in turn.

Key 8a has two functions associated therewith. Firstly, when the key 8a is activated alone and no other keys are activated at the same time, an "escape" function is provided. This key 8a allows the user to exit from the menus displayed when any of the keys 8b-8i are activated to return the display 18 to a state in which the user can enter character data, etc. defining an image to be printed on the image receiving tape 54 and the entered character data or the like is displayed on the display 18. In other words, it allows the user to return to the normal data entry mode in which an image to be printed can be entered. It should be appreciated that if the escape key 8a is activated, changes made to the values of any parameters will be ignored and the values of the parameters will revert to the values which were selected immediately before the activation of the function key 8b-8i concerned and the calling up of the associated menu. Also associated with key 8a is a "new" function. When the shift key 6a is activated at the same time as key 8a, this clears the previously entered message or image so that a new message or image can be input by the user.

Key 8b, which will be referred to as the size key, allows a user to select the value of three different parameters. In particular, values can be assigned to the character font parameter, character size parameter and character width parameter. When the size key 8b is depressed, the menu shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display 18. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the display 18 is divided into two sections, 18a and 18b. In the upper section 18a, the three parameters mentioned above and their current user selected values are displayed. We refer first to the size parameter. As can be seen, the size parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61 in FIG. 4 and accordingly, the available size options which can be selected by the user are displayed in the lower section 18b of the display 18. The user can change the currently selected size value i.e. AUTO by pressing the select key 62. The current user selected size value will be replaced by the next value displayed in the lower part 18b of the display. Thus, on activation of the select key 62, size 1 would be the user selected size and is displayed as such in the upper part 18a of the display. As will be appreciated, numbers "1" to "6" represent suitable sizes with "1" being the smallest and "6" being the largest.

Each activation of the select key 62 will cause a different size value to be the currently selected value. The select key 62 is thus activated repeatedly until the desired size value is the user selected size.

It should be appreciated that one of the options for the value of the size parameter is AUTO. When the AUTO value is selected, the character size will be selected in accordance with a user selected tape width, as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. However in some embodiments of the present invention the character size can be selected in accordance with the actual width of image receiving tape present in the cassette receiving bay 40.

In order to change the value of the width or font parameter, the cursor keys 63 are activated until the width or font parameter respectively is highlighted by the cursor 61. The options or values displayed in the lower part 18b of the display 18 will then be the various width or font options available to the user for the highlighted parameter. The currently selected value for the width and font are indicated in the upper part of the display 18 next to the words "width" and "font" respectively. In a similar manner to that outlined in respect of the size parameter, the width or font value can be selected by one or more activations of the select key 62. The font values are "Times" and "Helv" which represent different fonts while the width values are represented by three letters "W", each of which has a different width representing different widths of character.

Additionally, on the right hand side of the upper part 18a of the display 18 is a sample character 100. The sample character has only the size, font and width values currently selected by the user for the characters to be input by the user and subsequently printed. In other words, the sample character 100 only reflects the values of those parameters which are selectable via this menu. The character displayed is, as mentioned above, a sample character which in the present case is the letter A. However, any other letter or letters may constitute the sample display. In one modification, if the image input by the user, immediately prior to the activation of the size key 8b has a plurality of lines, a plurality of sample characters will be displayed. The number of sample characters will correspond to the number of lines and the characters will be arranged one above another, if the number of lines can be accommodated in a given width of the image receiving tape 54. This may be the user selected tape width, the actual width of the image receiving tape 54 present in the cassette receiving bay 40 or the maximum width of the image receiving tape 54. If not, the characters are arranged side by side, reflecting the arrangement of the multiple lines in the input image.

Alternatively, the sample character 100 displayed may be a full WYSIWYG character which means that its appearance on the display 18 is substantially the same as it would appear on the image receiving tape 54 after printing. The sample character would then also reflect the values of parameters which are not selectable via this menu and which are selectable via the other function keys. The only difference between the displayed version of the character and the printed version of the character would be in the resolution thereof as the display tends to have a lower resolution than the printed image.

Additionally, upper and lower bars 102 may also be superimposed over part of the sample character 100 on the display 18. A clear area 103 is provided between those bars 102 and this provides an indication to the user of a user selected width for the image receiving tape. Thus, it is clear to the user when the selected value of the size parameter is such that the character is too large for the user selected width of image receiving tape 54. Alternatively, the bars 102 may reflect the actual width of image receiving tape 54 present in the cassette receiving bay 40. Thus it is clear to the user when the selected value of the size parameter is such that the character is too large for the current width of image receiving tape 54 present in the cassette receiving bay 40. In certain circumstances, the user may intentionally select a character size which is larger (or smaller) than the width of the image receiving tape 54 currently in the cassette receiving bay 40 so that a label for a larger width of the image receiving tape 54 can be stored for later printing on that larger (or smaller) width of the image receiving tape 54.

In order to remove the menu shown in FIG. 4 from the display 18 and confirm the selected values for the size, width and font parameters, the return key 9 is actuated. If the escape key 8a is activated as discussed above, then the menu shown in FIG. 4 is removed from the display 18 and the values of the size, width and font parameters revert to those which were selected immediately prior to the actuation of the size key 8b.

The third function key 8c is the style key 8c. The style key 8c permits the user to select further attributes of the character to be displayed and printed on the image receiving tape 54. When the style key 8c is actuated, the menu shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the display 18. As with the previous menu, the display is divided into two parts 18a and 18b. However, unlike the menu displayed in relation to FIG. 4, the lower part 18b of the display 18 is clear except when the underlining parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61.

The underlining parameter has values of for example NONE, 1, 2 and 3. "NONE" would represent no underlining, "1", the thinnest width of underlining, "2" the medium width of underlining and "3" the thickest width of underlining. These four value options are displayed in section 18b of the display when the underlining parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61. In order to change the underlining parameter value currently selected, when that parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61, the select key 62 is activated and this operates in exactly the same way as described in relation to the size key 8b. In particular, the next underlining option shown in the lower part 18b of the display will be the new user selected option and is therefore displayed in the upper part 18a of the display 18. The select key 62 is repeatedly activated until the desired underlining value has been selected and is displayed next to the underlining parameter in the upper part 18a of the display 18.

The following parameters are also selectable: normal, bold, italic, outline and shadow. However, these parameters differ from the underlining parameter discussed previously in that they are either selected or not selected. If they are selected, then a tick 64 is provided as for example shown in FIG. 5 next to the bold and italic parameters. If they are not selected, then there is no tick 64 provided next to the parameters as for example shown in FIG. 5 in relation to the normal, outline and shadow parameters. In order to change for example the bold setting, the bold parameter is highlighted by using the cursor keys 63 so that the cursor 61 is over the bold parameter. The select key 62 is then activated to remove the bold setting. If the select key 62 is activated again, then the bold parameter is again selected. With the normal, bold, italics, outline and shadow parameters, it should be appreciated that some of these options are mutually exclusive. For example, if the bold parameter is selected, then the normal parameter cannot be selected. If the bold parameter is on and the normal parameter is subsequently selected, then the bold parameter will no longer be selected. The lower part 18b of the display 18 is clear when any of the parameters displayed in the menu of FIG. 5 is highlighted by the cursor 61, except when the previously discussed underline parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61.

As with the previous menu, a WYSIWYG sample character 100 is displayed which has the values of the parameters only of the menu displayed in FIG. 5. Thus, as the user changes the value for any of the parameters displayed in the menu shown in FIG. 5, the character will change to reflect the change in the value of the parameter. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sample character 100 only has the attributes selectable by the menu in which the sample character 100 is included. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the sample character 100 displayed with the size and style menus will have the attributes which are selected via both of these menus. In other words the displayed sample character would have both the selected style and the size attributes. As described in relation to the size key, a plurality of sample characters may be provided to reflect the number of lines in the input image.

In order to remove the style menu from the display 18, the return key 9 is depressed to confirm the selected values of the parameter and remove the menu from the display. Alternatively, as previously discussed, the escape key 8a can be actuated to revert to the previous values of the parameters.

Characters subsequently entered to define an image to be printed will then have the attributes which have been selected via the style key 8c and also the size key 8b. It is also possible to mark a portion of text and to call up the size and/or style menu. The marked portion of text would then have the new selected size and style parameter values while the unmarked text would have the previously selected style and size parameter values. Within the marked text, any subsequently added characters would have the new parameter values while outside the marked text any subsequently added character would have the previous parameter values.

Key 8d is the layout key. When the layout key 8d is activated the menu shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. Once again, the display 18 is divided into two parts 18a and 18b. As with the style and size menus the first part 18a of the display 18 displays the parameters and the currently selected values for those parameters while the second part 18b of the display 18 displays the options for a given parameter highlighted by the cursor 61.

For example, in FIG. 6, the fixed length parameter has been highlighted. The various options available for the fixed length parameter are displayed in the lower part 18b of the display 18. A different value for the fixed length parameter can be selected by activating the select key 62 the appropriate number of times.

For example, if the fixed length parameter was to have the NONE value, then the select key 62 would be activated twice as the currently selected value for this parameter is the TEXT value, as can be seen from FIG. 6. The TEXT value means that the length of the text in an input label is selected to have a maximum user selected length. The LABEL value means that the label itself is selected to have a predetermined user selected length. The respective user selected length can be selected by using the cursor keys 63 to highlight a value box which appears when the TEXT or LABEL values are selected. The user selected length can be selected using the up and down cursor keys 63 to increment or decrement the value. Alternatively the user selected length can be selected using the numbered keys. The third value NONE is where the label and the text can have any length in dependence on the input image.

In order to change the value of any other parameter, the cursor keys 63 are used so that the desired parameter to be changed is highlighted. For example, if the thickness of the frame or box parameter was to be changed, then the upward cursor key 63 would be activated three times to highlight with the cursor 61 the thickness parameter. The available values or options for the thickness parameter would then be displayed on the lower part 18b of the display 18. The thickness parameter refers to the thickness of the lines defining the box and has a range of suitable numerical values.

The box parameter has the values 0, 1, 2 or 3. "0" represents no box, "1" represents a standard rectangular box, "2" represents a standard box with rounded corners, and "3" represents a more ornate type of box.

The justification parameter value can be RIGHT, CENTER, LEFT or OFF. As can be seen from the sample label 101 displayed, the message is right justified with respect to the box. The orientation parameter can have four values, HORIZONTAL, HORIZONTAL and MIRROR, VERTICAL, or VERTICAL and MIRROR with respect to length of the image receiving tape 54. MIRROR means that the image is printed in a mirror image form so that it can be viewed from the opposite side of the image receiving tape 54 to that on which it is printed. The alignment option refers to justification of the label itself as a whole with respect to the tape and has the value R, L, C representing right, left and centre justification.

Once a user has selected the desired layout parameters, the return key 9 is activated to confirm the selected values of the parameters and to remove the layout menu from the display 18. The label layout of the existing image, a marked portion of an existing image or a new input image will reflect the selected values for the layout parameters.

The bar code key 8e, when activated causes the menu shown in FIG. 7 to be displayed. This display is again divided into two parts 18a and 18b. In the top part 18a of the display 18, there is once again a list of parameters with their currently selected values. In the second part 18b of the display 18 the various options available for the parameter highlighted by the cursor 61 are displayed. The parameter which is highlighted by the cursor 61 can be changed using the cursor keys 63 to move the cursor 61, as discussed in relation to the previous function keys 8b, 8c or 8d. Any of the values available for a given parameter which are displayed in the lower part 18b of the display can be selected by activation of the select key 62 the necessary number of times. To confirm the selected values of the parameters and to remove the bar code menu from the display 18, the return key 9 is actuated.

The values of two parameters need to be selected to decide the format of bar codes to be printed. The first parameter is type. The possible options or values for this parameter relate to standard bar code formats and are as follows:

NONE, EAN8, EAN13, UPCA, UPCE, code 39, code 128A, code 128B, code 128C. ITF 14, Interleave of 2 of 5.

The second parameter is the density parameter which can have a low, normal or high value. The selected value for the density parameter is indicated by the thickness of the sample bar code lines next to the word "density". The bar code menu is removed once the user has selected the desired values of the parameters by actuating the return key 9.

The memory function key 8f, when activated, causes the menu shown in FIG. 8 to be displayed. There are a number of various functions available via this menu. Firstly, if the STORE option is highlighted by the cursor, hen the current label which has been input by the user immediately prior to the activation of the memory key 8f will be stored. The CLEAR option, when highlighted by the cursor 61, allows the user to clear a label which is currently displayed in the upper part 18a of the display 18 from the memory. The RECALL option allows the user to recall a previously stored label from the memory while the SEARCH option allows the user to search for a label previously stored in the memory. In order to select one of these options, the cursor keys 63 are used to highlight, with the cursor 61 the selected option. The lower part 18b of the display is used to provide an indication to the user as to the percentage of the memory which is free. This is displayed regardless of which of the four memory parameters has been highlighted by the cursor. To confirm the selection of the values of the parameters and to remove the menu from the display 18, the return key 9 is activated.

Key 8g is the symbol key which allows one or more of a plurality of stored symbols to be inserted into a label. A number of symbols are associated with the symbol key 8g. To provide keys for each of these symbols would require a huge number of keys which is impractical. When the symbol key 8g is activated, the menu shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. There are a number of options available to the user. The user is able to select one of the displayed options namely ALL, PUNCTUATION, TECHNICAL, CURRENCY or SPECIAL. In order to select one of these options, the cursor keys 63 are activated until the desired option has been highlighted by the cursor 61. When an option is highlighted, the symbols associated with that option are automatically displayed in area 18c of the upper part 18a of the display. One of the symbols shown on the display area 18c can be selected from the displayed symbols by moving the cursor 60 until the cursor 60 is over the selected symbol. The return key 9 is then activated. This removes the symbol menu from the display 18 and causes the highlighted symbol to appear in the image to be printed on the image receiving tape 54.

The ALL option when selected causes all of the symbols to be displayed. As all of the symbols cannot be displayed at the same time on the display, the display may need to be scrolled using the cursor keys 63 in order for the user to check through all of the available symbols. The PUNCTUATION, TECHNICAL, CURRENCY and SPECIAL options are all sub-sets of the ALL option. The PUNCTUATION option selects punctuation marks and the like. The TECHNICAL option selects technical symbols, for example mathematical or scientific symbols. The CURRENCY option selects currency symbols while the SPECIAL option selects the remaining symbols. It should be appreciated that with this menu, only the upper part 18a of the screen is used. The lower part 18b of the screen remains blank at all times with this menu.

In one modification to the present invention, once the cursor 61 is over the selected symbol, the select key 62 is activated. This causes the selected symbol to be displayed in the lower part 18b of the screen. The user then moves the cursor to the next symbol to be selected. The select key 62 is then activated again and the second symbol is displayed next to the first selected symbol in the lower part 18b of the display 18. This continues until the user has selected all the required symbols. When the return key 9 is activated, all of the selected symbols which are displayed in the lower part 18b of the display 18 appear in the image to be printed on the image receiving tape 54 which is also displayed on the display. In a modification of this, only one symbol can be selected at a time so that each time the select key 62 is activated, the currently selected symbol replaces the previously selected symbol.

Function key 8h is the special function key. When the special function key 8h is activated, the menu shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. There are six parameters which can be set. The first is copies which is the number of copies of a label to be printed. This can be set by the user. When the copies parameter in the upper part 18a of the display is highlighted by the cursor 61, the select key 62 or a sidewards cursor key is activated to move the cursor to the copies box. The number in the box can be altered by using repeated activations of the up cursor key to increment the number of copies. Likewise the down cursor key 63 can be used to decrement the number of copies. The select key 62 or a sidewards cursor key is then activated to move the cursor 61 back to the copies parameter, as shown in FIG. 10. In an alternative embodiment, the lower part of the display 18b provides a message to the user to the effect that the user should input the desired number of copies using the numbered keys 6. For example, if five copies were required, the user could press the key for numeral 5. Alternatively, when the copies box is highlighted, the user may simply input the number of copies required using the numbered keys 6 without the need for a message to be displayed to the user.

The second parameter which can be set is incremental copies. This means that subsequent copies of the same label will have incremental numbers. For example if the first label has the number 1, then the second label will have the number 2 and so on. When the incremental copies parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61, the user inputs the number of incremental copies required. In a similar manner described above in relation to the copies parameter, the number of incremental copies required can be selected. The microprocessor then determines the number present in the current label and for each subsequent label increments the value of the number by one.

The third parameter is the color parameter which when selected allows different pages (or portions) of a label to be printed in different colors. This necessitates the removal of the cassette 51 holding a supply of ink ribbon of a first color and the replacement of a different ink cassette 51 holding an ink ribbon of a different color. If the color parameter is selected, the print head will be controlled to print only the first page or portion of the image. The print head will then stop printing and a message may be displayed to the user advising the user to change the ink cassette. Once the ink cassette of a different color is inserted, the second portion of the image is then printed in the second color. The color parameter is either selected or not selected. To select the color parameter, the select key 62 is activated. A further activation of the select key 62 will cause the color parameter to be not selected. If the color parameter is selected, then a tick will be provided next to that parameter.

The fourth parameter is the preview parameter which is either selected or not selected, in a similar manner to that outlined in respect of the color parameter. If the preview parameter is selected, the label is reduced to a size such that the entire label can be viewed at one time on the display. Thus, the user can see the relative positioning of the different parts of the label.

The fifth parameter is the inverse parameter which again is either selected or not selected, as outlined above in relation to the color parameter. If the inverse parameter is not selected, then, for example, a black ink ribbon would define an image on, for example, a white image receiving tape such that the text would appear as a black image on a white background. If the inverse parameter is selected, the text would appear as a white image on a black background. In other words, in the inverse mode, those printing elements of the print head which would be off in the non-inverse mode of printing would be on and those printing elements which would be on in the non-inverse printing mode of operation would be off.

The final parameter which can be selected via the special function key 8h is the serial parameter. Again, this parameter is selected or not selected. This parameter can be selected in the same way as outlined in relation to the previous parameters of this menu. If the serial parameter is selected, then the tape printing apparatus 2 will be arranged to receive instructions and data from a remote apparatus such as a pc or the like. If the serial parameter is not selected, then the tape printing apparatus 2 cannot be controlled by an external pc or the like.

As with the previous menus, the return key 9 is activated to confirm that selected values of the parameters and to remove the menu from the display 18.

Reference will next be made to the set up key 8i. When the set up key 8i is activated, a menu as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed. As with the other functions, the display is divided into two parts 18a and 18b. The various parameters for which values are to be set are generally indicated in the upper part 18a of the display along with the current values of some of those parameters. The various options or values which can be selected for the highlighted parameters may be displayed in the lower part 18b of the display 18. There are five parameters to be set in respect of the set up function.

The first parameter is the cutter parameter. The user has two options for this parameter which are displayed in the lower part 18b of the display. The first option is for the cutter to provide a cut completely through the tape as well as a tab cut. Alternatively, only a tab cut may be provided. In the latter case, a string of labels would be produced which are separated by a cut extending only through the image receiving layer of the image receiving tape. The backing tape would remain in tact.

The second parameter is the cassette parameter which allows the user to select an image receiving tape width independently of the width of image receiving tape 54 received in the cassette receiving bay 40. When the cassette parameter is highlighted by the cursor and the select key 62 activated, the menu shown in FIG. 12 replaces that shown in FIG. 11. On this menu, the five possible image receiving tape widths which can be selected by the user are displayed. Only one of these widths can be selected at one time. In the menu shown in FIG. 12, the user selected image receiving tape width is currently 12 mm. To change the user selected tape width, the cursor is moved until the desired new user selected image receiving tape width is highlighted by the cursor. The select key 62 is then activated to confirm that value as the new user selected tape width and remove the menu shown in FIG. 12 from the display. The menu shown in FIG. 12 will be replaced by that shown in FIG. 11. If alternatively, the escape key 8a is activated, the used selected tape width will revert to the previously selected tape width. It should be appreciated that in embodiments of the present invention, a user selected tape width is always selected. However, in other preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to select whether or not a user selected tape width is defined at a given time.

It should be appreciated that the user selected tape width may be selected according to the user's preference and need not be the same as the width of image receiving tape 54 actually received in the cassette receiving bay 40. The user selected tape width allows the user to compose a label for printing on the user selected tape width particularly when the auto size is selected for the character. In other words, when the value auto is selected for the character size via the size key 8b, the microprocessor 24 is operable to select the most appropriate character size in accordance with the user selected tape width. That label can then be stored and subsequently printed by the user when the width of the image receiving tape received in the cassette bay 40 is the same as the user selected tape width.

The third and forth parameters are the personalization parameters. The personalization parameters allow a user to select a preferred set of character and/or label attributes and to store those selected attributes for future use. Accordingly, the RECALL parameter, if selected, allows the previously selected character and/or label attributes to be recalled. The input image already input or about to be input by the user will have these characters and/or label attributes. The STORE parameter allows a set of the user selected character and/or label attributes to be stored. It should be appreciated that the STORE and RECALL personalization parameters are either selected or not selected and may be selected in the same manner as outlined in relation to the color parameter of the menu shown in FIG. 10.

The fifth parameter associated with this menu is the language parameter. This refers to the selected language used to convey messages to the user, for example in the various menus described in relation to the function keys 8b-8i. The various languages available are listed in the lower part 18b of display when the language parameter is highlighted and the user can select the desired language in accordance with his own preference. The languages are selected by activating the select key 62 the required number of times, when the language parameter is highlighted by the cursor 61. Thus, a user can change the language as desired. It should be appreciated that the language selected by the user does not effect the keyboard operation. There are a number of different keyboard formats available which tend to differ depending on the language spoken in the country in question. By modifying the messages which are displayed to the user on the display 18 to be in the user selected language, it is possible for a user to be able to easily use a tape printing apparatus 2 which has not been designed for his own language. For example, if the tape printing apparatus 2 is suitable for use in an English language country, a French user can select French as the value of the language parameter and the display will display all the messages to the user in French.

As will be appreciated, all of the function keys 8b to 8i cause a menu to be displayed which has two parts. The upper part 18a generally displays the parameters and the currently selected values for those parameters while the lower part 18b of the display may display the values available for a parameter highlighted by the cursor 61. The two parts 18a and 18b of the display are separated by a line across the display. Alternatively the first and second parts 18a and 18b of the display may be different displays. Thus, the user is unable to affect a value on the lower part of the display but is only able to modify the values in the upper part of the screen. In other words, the user is unable to address or modify the lower part 18b of the display when any of the function keys 8b -8i are activated. Even if there are no values to be displayed in the lower part 18b of the display 18, the lower part 18b of the display 18 is kept blank.

The microprocessor 24 is arranged to control the LCD driver 28 so that when any of the function keys 8b-8i is activated, the display is divided into two separate portions. The upper portion 18a of the display is controlled by the microprocessor 24 so that the user can address this first part of the display. In contrast, the microprocessor 24 is arranged to control the lower part 18b of the display so that the user is unable to address the lower part of the display. It should be appreciated that in the normal (edit) mode of operation in which the user is able to input an image to be printed, the microprocessor 24 is arranged to permit the user to address both the upper and lower parts of the display 18. However, in one modification to the present invention, the user is able to address only the first part of the display in the edit mode of operation to allow an input image to be displayed in the first part 18a of the display. The second part of the display may be used to convey information to the user such as the value of certain parameters, messages to the user or the like.

It should also be appreciated that with embodiments of the present invention a single activation of one of the function keys 8b-8i is all that is required to call up the associated menu. The use of shift keys or the like is not required. Additionally, the menus can also be removed from the display simply by activating the return key 9 which then recalls to the display an image which has previously been input, or if no such image has been input a blank screen. The user is then able to continue or start to input an image to be printed. Alternatively, the previously input image can be modified.

If one of the function keys has been activated and the associated menu is displayed on the display and a further function key is activated, then the menu displayed on the display 18 will be one associated with the most recently activated function key. Thus, the user can switch from function to function without having to press the return key between successive actuation of different function keys thus reducing the number of key operations which are required in order to modify various settings of the tape printing apparatus 2.

Activation of a function key while the menu associated with another function key is displayed will cause the values of the currently displayed menu to be confirmed.

The foregoing description is only illustrative of the principle of the present invention. It is to be recognized and understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact configuration as illustrated and described herein. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to be included as further embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention accordingly is to be defined as set forth in the appended claims.