Abstract: A numbering and reading system with record having two-dimensional erasable bar code or a removable label with a two-dimensional bar code is disclosed. The bar code can be PDF417.

Abstract: An impact printing device for printing postal bar code patterns on an information carrier. The patterns are a combination of parallel tall and short bars separated by spaces. The type elements are attached to a movable type carrier, each element comprised of pairs of vertical bars having different stroke lengths but equal widths. Additionally these elements contain overscored and/or underscored horizontal bars, that when printed appear outside the postal bar code clear space. This produces print elements that have nearly equal area and in turn produce printed characters of uniform stroke widths that are easily read by the U.S. Postal Service electronic readers.

Abstract: An adjustment apparatus is disclosed which adjusts the resolution of a pulse encoder. The adjustment apparatus includes at least first and second pulley sets having different pulley ratios and having substantially equal belt perimeters. A pulley belt has a belt circumference substantially equal to the belt perimeters. The pulley belt is transferable from one pulley set to the other so as to adjust the resolution of the pulse encoder.

Abstract: A bar code printer capable of printing bar codes simultaneously with character strings made of, for example, alphanumeric characters. Operating a bar code key causes a bar code input display to appear on a display and the bar code start code to be stored in a bar code buffer. Then operating a number key causes a number code representing the number to be stored in the bar code buffer and a dot pattern representing the number code to be output to a video RAM. Operating an execution key while a 13 digit number code is stored in the bar code buffer will additionally cause an end code to be stored in the bar code buffer and the resultant code string to be stored in a text memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting bar code information into a circular barcode from a linear format using a graphics generator are disclosed. Data representative of a user selected barcode are retrieved from storage along with stored character generator data defining a plurality of bars and spaces representative of the user-selected barcode. The retrieved barcode is transformed into a circular barcode for commanding a printer to cause a print of said circular barcode to be made.

Abstract: A pattern generator comprising a memory for storing a plurality of regular character and sign patterns, an input device for receiving as image data a character and sign pattern in a document, a pattern recognition unit for recognizing the character and sign pattern in the image data that the input device has received, a converter for converting the character and sign pattern recognized by the recognition into to the corresponding character and sign code, and an output device for reading from the memory a character and sign pattern corresponding to the character and sign code generated by the converter and outputting the read pattern to a recording medium.

Abstract: In a printing device for printing bar-codes, a string of characters and symbols representing the contents of the bar-codes are printed under the bar-codes by replacing the lower part of the dot pattern with the dot pattern for the string. The present invention is characterized in that the printing device has a decision means for deciding whether or not to print characters and for printing bar-codes with a sufficient height for reading operation by bar-code readers. The printing device automatically omits the string of characters when a character size set by an operator is not large enough to print a string and a bar-code in juxtaposition.

Abstract: A device suitable for printing bar codes is disclosed, this device comprising a housing, means for holding a label supply roll, printing means for applying indicia to a label, means for supplying data to determine the nature of the indicia printed on the label, and means for supplying electrical energy to operate the device, characterised in that said print unit is an ink jet printer.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for negotiable instruments and securities which can print visually unrecognizable data consisting of MICR characters, barcodes or the like on negotiable instruments or securities and judge whether or not the visually unrecognizable data are exactly printed thereon, the printing apparatus for negotiable instruments and securities including a blank storing section (2) for storing stacked blanks (1) for instruments or securities, a first printer (11, 14) for printing visually recognizable data on the blanks (1), a second printer (23, 24) for printing visually unrecognizable data on the blanks (1), a reader (32, 33) for reading out the visually unrecognizable data, an instrument or security storing section (36) for storing the stacked blanks (1) for which the printing operation and the reading operation have been completed as instruments or securities (1a), a blank transporting mechanism (3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 21, 22, 25, 31) for transporting the blanks (1) from the blank storing section (2) to the

Abstract: A hand-held labeler with an integrally formed optical scanner prints labels with a coded record selected from a plurality of optically scanned and stored coded records. In a data acquisition mode, the optical scanner scans a plurality of coded records, such as bar codes, to generate data representing the coded records for storage in a memory. Selective printing of scanned code and/or information associated therewith is accomplished utilizing a display that is controlled by a keyboard to display information that identifies the data stored in the memory. When information identifying a desired coded record is shown on the display, a print switch may be actuated to cause the code associated with the displayed information to be printed on one or more labels. Further, the scanner may also be used to scan different types of bar codes where each bar code includes a coded information portion and at least one guard code identifying the type of code.

Abstract: A pocket sized, electric powered bar code printer has a slot for receiving an envelope or label, interchangeably. The slot and an end stop thereof are situated so as to enable the user to easily locate the label or the lower left corner of the envelope relative to a mechanical and/or thermographic printer which is used to impart thereto the bar code used by the U.S. Post Office. A numeric keypad allows the desired postal zip code to be input to the device, and these numbers are displayed on an LCD screen, as they are entered, for review by the user prior to printing. A "clear entry" key allows the user to make needed corrections, after which depression of a "print" key initiates printing of a bar code which corresponds to the entered numbers. As long as the power is not interrupted and there is no change to the display, subsequent pieces of mail may be printed with the same code by just depressing the print key once the items are properly located in the slot.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bar code printing method of printing bar codes consisting of bars and spaces having the width of (n+0.5) P by a bar code printer having a line thermal head with a number of heating elements arrayed at a specified pitch P, in which n +l pieces of heating elements on the aforesaid line thermal head are allocated to sections corresponding to bars in a bar code and n pieces of heating elements to sections corresponding to spaces in the bar code (n: a positive integer in both cases) and the heating elements allocated to the aforesaid bars are heated when bar codes are printed.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a step motor for feeding paper in a paper feed direction, an interface for inputting printing data including bar code data, an image buffer for storing bit image data representing at least first and second bar codes which correspond to the same bar code data input by the interface, a thermal head having a row of heating elements perpendicular to the paper feed direction for printing the bit image data stored in the image buffer in units of lines on the paper, and a control circuit for driving the step motor to feed the paper in order to print the bit image data, and for driving the thermal head each time the paper is fed by a preset amount.

Abstract: A bar code printer according to the present invention is used for the printing of symbol guards to be printed on both sides of a bar code pattern leaving fixed margins, simultaneously with printing of the bar code pattern formed with the combination of wide lines and narrow lines having been standardized previously. Even if wrinkles on a thermal transcription ink ribbon occur in the vicinity of symbol guards provided on both sides of the bar code pattern, the wrinkles do not occur in the bar code printing region. It is therefore possible to perform high quality bar code printing with the bar code printer according to the present invention.

Abstract: An impact printing device for printing bar code patterns on an information carrier, the patterns including a combination of parallel thin and wide bars separated by spaces wherein the wide bars can have an imprint width which is a multiple of the thin bars, comprising a movable type carrier, a plurality of bar code type elements on said type carrier, the bar code type elements including first type elements having a pair of imprint forming parallel thin bars and second type elements having a single imprint forming thick bar, and a plurality of print hammers each defining a print position of a print line and each operable selectively to successively impact combinations of the first and second type elements at the same print position to form completed bar code imprints at the print position having a wide bar imprint with a width greater than the single thick bars of the second type elements.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a printer to print data beginning at a specified distance from the reference edge of a document. Several test documents are moved through a print station and a test symbol is printed on each of them with a preselected set of heating elements from a dot matrix thermal printer. The test documents are then processed through the same print station whereupon a sensor detects the reference edge of the document and the test symbol. A master controller then determines a test symbol distance between the reference edge and the midpoint of the test symbol for each test document. A plurality of test documents is processed in this manner, and the master controller determines an average test symbol distance for the plurality of test documents. Using an average test symbol distance, the master controller determines the distance between the sensor and a given hewating element of the thermal printer.

Abstract: A process for printing a successive row of numbers of bar code 2/5 interleaved provides that the narrow bar/wide bar printing ratio is set at 2:1. A code field is divided into narrow bar areas and the latter are in each case assigned alternately to two different printing units. The printing units exhibit, in the bar areas assigned to them, adjustable printing forms in all bar combinations. The code is printed in exact register by the two printing units in succession.

Abstract: A label printer is disclosed adapted to establish and store therein a set of retrieval codes in which at least one condition of the various conditions of the place where each commodity is kept in stock is encoded and to issue labels in succession for each commodity whose item number satisfies the conditions of the retrieval code, whereby stock control of the commodities is enabled to be easily performed without preparing any special table or the like.

Abstract: The thermal printer in which an irregular character pattern such a bar code or an OCR (optical character recognizer) character which are different in length and width from the standard font patterns are modified into bit patterns having the same size as that of the standard font patterns. These bit patterns are stored along with restoring data for restoring the bar codes with restoring data for restoring the bar codes and OCR characters to their original pattern for output to a printer. The thermal printer is responsive to a heating element driving pulse signal which is applied once during the data cycle when an ordinary character or graph is printed and twice during data cycle when a bar code is printed. The second pulse per data cycle is selectively applied to the heating element for each irregular character such that the thermal printer is heated to higher temperatures, thereby increasing the diameter of each dot to be printed so that the ruggedness of the contour line of the bar code is minimized.

Abstract: Indicia having a requirement for a high degree of precision is printed onto a sheet and is scanned or read automatically shortly thereafter. Electronic control signals result from a comparison of the actually printed indicia with a pre-defined quality standard, and are used selectively to adjust command control signals to the printer to correct indicia printed thereafter. The leading edge of sheets to which the indicia is to be printed is precisely located by a light absorption detection or sensing mechanism which controls a sheet advance motor. The indicia printed, preferably bar code, is read by an optical bar code scanner traversing the printed code.

Abstract: A desk-top and/or hand held thermal printer comprises a main unit having a guide path therein for a moving continuous label strip which includes a backing sheet and discrete labels detachably attached to the backing sheet. The printer has a flat bottom surface for resting on a flat surface; a retaining means for supporting a roll of backing sheet and labels and guiding the labels through a thermal printing device where a bar code or the like is thermally printed on the thermosensitive labels; a label peeling means for peeling the labels from the backing sheet; a label affixing means for affixing the peeled-off labels on objects; a data input means for example a keyboard or a computer input terminal; a data display means; and a controller for controlling the entire printer.

Abstract: A portable thermal label printer is provided with a data input, data memory for storing label information data, a program memory, and an input/output port for data communication with external devices.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided wherein data inputted from a data reader, such as a pen scanner, is compared with previously stored data. In the event that a match occurs, the printer prints predetermined information such as a sorting code on a thermal print medium. The thermal printer has a data input, data memory, program memory and an I/O port for communication with external devices. A controller controls the various components and directs the printer to print when the match occurs. Should a match not occur, the non-matching data is stored in data memory. The print medium such as a label or the like, may then be affixed to the same article or merchandise from which the data reader initially read the data.

Abstract: A portable label printer comprising a label printer unit and an electrically and mechanically detachable data terminal unit is disclosed. When mated, the data terminal unit and the label printer unit are angularly adjustable with respect to each other. The printer unit has an interface for communication with external devices.

Abstract: A thermal label printer is provided with a label feeding mechanism which is adapted to operate either in a first mode in which the printer supplies peeled labels or in a second mode in which the printed labels are delivered while still adhered to their backing sheet. The labels are delivered out of the printer on a conveyor belt which extends to a label peeling member in the printer. The conveyor belt is tiltable in a manner which is effective to create a larger clearance between the conveyor belt and the peeling member to facilitate loading of the backing sheet prior to beginning printing operations.

Abstract: This invention relates to a unit type thermal label printer capable of receiving and transmitting data. The unit type thermal label printer is comprised of detachable components consisting of a label printer unit, a data terminal unit, an applicator unit, and a handle unit. These units can be partially or completely connected and disconnected as desired thereby enabling the device to be configured according to the particular needs of the user and the situation.

Abstract: A portable thermal label printer employing an optical reader such as a pen or touch scanner for data input is disclosed. The operator needs only to hold the scanner, while the remaining components are held around the operator's waist or the like. The operator can therefore use both hands to handle articles of freight, and enables freight to be handled and labels to be printed easily and efficiently. Further, the arrangement of the thermal label roll with respect to the thermal print head enables the overall unit to be made light and compact.

Abstract: Indicia having a requirement for a high degree of precision is printed onto a sheet and is scanned or read automatically shortly thereafter. Electronic control signals result from a comparison of the actually printed indicia with a pre-defined quality standard, and are used selectively to adjust command control signals to the printer to correct indicia printed thereafter. The leading edge of sheets to which the indicia is to be printed is precisely located by a light absorption detection or sensing mechanism which controls a sheet advance motor. The indicia printed, preferably bar code, is read by an optical bar code scanner traversing the printed code.

Abstract: A document encoder is described, which is conceived as a compact desk set. In order to serve as a multi purpose unit and in spite of that exhibit a compact type of construction, the various printing devices (2, 4, 6, 7, 8) and print backings (41, 42; 47; 55; 64, 71) impacting the document from its front- and back side are arranged stationary in a chassis (1), while the printing process in direction of the lines is accomplished solely through conveying the document by means of a conveyor device. The print devices and the print backings are arranged so that they apply print to the front- and back sides of the document in a partially overlapping way. The document conveyor path (10) is U-shaped, whereby the input station (11) is located at one leg of the conveyor path (10), the printing devices (2, 4, 6, 7, 8) at the other leg (15). The printing mechanisms themselves are either type wheel printing mechanisms (3), stamping print mechanisms (4, 6) or needle print mechanisms (7, 8), according to the desired needs.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for protecting a document against unauthorized alteration comprising providing, on localized areas of a substrate, a self-contained chemical system which can produce an authorized visible message when subjected to impact pressure, and the same chemical system produces an unauthorized warning indication when any attempt is made to mechanically alter the authorized visible message.

Abstract: A label printer includes a printing head having a plurality of heating elements arranged in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction of a label, and a data generator for supplying a plurality of article data, including a bar code and a price, to the printing head in the ordinary printing mode. In the test mode, the data generator supplies to the printing head test pattern data indicative of a plurality of test patterns which are printed in substantially the same positions as the printing positions of those plurality of article data, each of the test patterns having an area of substantially the same size as the largest one of the areas occupied by the article data to be printed in the same printing position.

Abstract: A label printer for a bar code comprising a heat printing head having resistance dots for printing the bar code on a heat sensitive label. A motor feeds the label with a constant speed, e.g. 10 cm/sec. The printing head receives electrical power pulses form a control unit which receives signals from a memory unit and a CPU-unit. The CPU-unit receives external signals form e.g. a weighing machine, a keyboard or an external computer and computes the bar code, check figures or the like. The printing head comprises a substrate including the electronic circuits and the resistance dots. The substrate is supported by a metal block which comprises temperature sensors which control the power pulses to the resistance dots.

Abstract: An arrangement for conducting an on-the-cup promotion in which promotional prize information is encoded onto each soft drink cup with an optically machine-readable code. The code is used with the promotion to identify whether a customer has won any of the different prizes available. In order to provide the needed variation and the completely random distribution of prizes needed for a fair game, each individual cup is separately encoded as it is being manufactured by a computer controlled printing station directly preceding a cup-forming machine. All of the necessary information on the number or prizes, the frequency of occurrence of each prize, and a program to randomize that frequency is placed in the computer software. A scanner at the point of sale scans the code, signals whether the cup is a prize winner or not, and delivers a printed ticket notifying winners of their prizes and how to redeem them.

Abstract: A printing device adapted to print a bar code on a moving information carrier, preferably in the form of a label for marking an article or packaged goods, said bar code consisting of a plurality of parallel bar imprints of different widths separated by spacings lying therebetween. The invention is characterized in that there is provided one single printing member for all of the bar imprints of the bar code, the imprint width of said printing member being not greater than the smallest width of any bar imprint appearing in said bar code, and said printing member being operatively connected to an actuating unit coupled to a programmable control unit, which is adapted to generate control signals at small enough time intervals to form bar imprints of larger width by juxtaposing of bar imprints of the width of said printing member without intervening spacings.

Abstract: A marking device for a shorthand machine selectively marks the margins of the paper tape output of the shorthand machine to denote a portion of the shorthand notes for ready reference. The activating keys for the device are located in close proximity with the machine keyboard, whereby the operator may activate the device with minimal interruption of the recording process. Disposable marking instruments may be employed in the device. Incorporation of the device in the machine cover preserves the first planar surface of the cover and further, facilitates storage of the device when not in use.

Abstract: Alignment mark 5 is printed by printer 30 during the same operation in which bar code 3 is printed. Subsequent alignment is by the optical scanner 32 centering on mark 5. In a specific application a factor relating to the vertical position of scanner 32 to printer 30 is obtained by scanning mark 5 shortly after it is printed. This factor is used to position the scanner 32 to read for errors after a line of code 3 is printed.

Abstract: A mechanism using a stepping motor as the prime mover for a bar code printing head or hammer mounted on the end of a pivotal lever. Where the output code (such as the postal code used in the U.S.) requires a full bar as one binary indication and a half bar the other binary indication, two motors each with its own printing head are used. The heads are spaced apart longitudinally relative to an object to be printed. A full bar is made up of two half bars, thus, both motors must be energized at separated time intervals to cause both heads to strike in a single transverse alignment to print a full bar. The lever supporting the printing head is constructed to position its center of percussion essentially in alignment with the printing hammer to minimize wear on the motor shaft.

Abstract: A printing device is provided for printing bar code or other indicia on record media such as bank checks and similar documents. The bar code indicia consists of a series of symbols which may be "01" or "10", in which "1" is represented by the presence of a bar and "0" is represented by the absence of a bar in a possible bar position on the record media. The printing device includes a platen having two angled printing surfaces, each of which may be in the configuration of a bar, on one end and being rockable between two positions in each of which one of the printing surfaces is parallel to the path of movement of the record media, and the other of said surfaces is not. A hammer driven by a constant-speed cam coacts with the printing surfaces on the platen to print on the record media during each cycle of cam rotation, and suitable controls position the platen by means of a solenoid during each cycle to determine whether a first symbol or a second symbol will be printed.

Abstract: A method and system are described for producing identification characters that are both man and machine readable. The identification characters, such as those on a patient's I.D. bracelet or an inventory control tag, are scanned with an optical character reader. The character information obtained from the reader, or other input source, is processed and used to control the reproduction of the identification characters using a dot matrix printer. The readability of the characters is enhanced by using thermal paper and increasing the heat applied by the dot matrix printer to (1) enlarge the area of the dots and (2) increase their optical absorbance. The increased area and absorbance produces an apparent solid line character which is more easily readable by an optical character reader.

Abstract: A plurality of sleeves extends through a printing-medium chamber; each sleeve has one or more openings through which its interior can communicate with the chamber. In each sleeve a plunger is reciprocable between a retracted position in which the opening is exposed so that printing medium can enter from the chamber, and a printing position in which the plunger closes the opening and the printing medium in the sleeve is applied to a workpiece. A drive reciprocates the plungers individually. The chamber may be pressurized to cause more rapid entry of printing medium into the sleeves. The quantity of printing medium applied during each plunger reciprocation may be selectively varied.