Displaying Typewriter-formed Representation Of Print-line Patents (Class 400/83)
  • Patent number: 11823497
    Abstract: An image processing system and an image processing method for localising recognised characters in an image. An estimation unit is configured to estimate a first location of a recognised character that has been obtained by performing character recognition of the image. A determination unit is configured to determine second locations of a plurality of connected components in the image. A comparison unit is configured to compare the first location and the second locations, to identify a connected component associated with the recognised character. An association unit is configured to associate the recognised character, the identified connected component, and the second location of the identified connected component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: I.R.I.S
    Inventors: Frédéric Collet, Jordi Hautot, Michel Dauw
  • Patent number: 11760108
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a set of program instructions including: (a) generating; (b) generating; (c) setting; and (d) displaying. The (a) generating generates a plurality of sets of print data corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of print labels used in an overlaid state. The (b) generating generates a plurality of sets of medium type information for respective ones of the plurality of print labels. Each medium type information indicates a type of a printing medium used for creating a corresponding print label. The (c) setting sets a layering order for the plurality of print labels. The (d) displaying displays a list of the plurality of sets of medium type information on a display. The plurality of sets of medium type information is arranged in the layering order for the plurality of print labels corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of sets of medium type information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuichi Kanda, Tomoyasu Fukui, Koichi Kondo, Hiromichi Nampo, Michihiko Furuhashi
  • Patent number: 11726839
    Abstract: Apparatus comprises a data memory to store lock data for each of a set of processing resources, the lock data representing lock status data and tag data indicating a resource type selected from a plurality of resource types; and a processing element to execute an atomic operation with respect to the lock data for a given processing resource, the atomic operation comprising at least: a detection of whether the given processing resource is of a required resource type; a detection from the lock status data whether the given processing resource is currently unlocked; and when the given processing resource is detected to be currently unlocked and of the required resource type, performance of a predetermined action with respect to one or both of the lock status data and the tag data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Mark Salling Rutland, Gareth Rhys Stockwell, Christoffer Dall, Jade Ella Carla Alglave
  • Patent number: 11548293
    Abstract: A processing device capable of performing appropriate processing on a set platen, and a platen are provided. A platen that is used in a printer and at least one of a pretreatment device and a post-treatment device is provided with a platen identification information portion that identifies the platen. A code reader receives platen identification information that identifies the platen, from the platen identification information portion. The printer and at least one of the pretreatment device and the post-treatment device perform processing on the basis of the platen identification information received by the code reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Shuichi Tamaki, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 11328123
    Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and computer program product for dynamically correcting text of a communication sent by a user. A processor may receive a first communication sent by a first user. The processor may forward the first communication to one or more other users. The processor may receive a second communication sent by the first user. The second communication includes a command to correct an error in the first communication. The processor may determine a location of the error in the first communication. The processor may correct the error in the first communication. The processor may forward a corrected version of the first communication to the one or more other users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ivan Deleuze
  • Patent number: 9656481
    Abstract: Systems and methods for imprinting different types of articles of manufacture and for selectively enabling one or more of pre-treatment, processing, and/or post-treatment processes according to the type of article of manufacture to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Cimpress Schweiz GmbH
    Inventors: Marcel Gerber, Thomas Bosgiraud
  • Patent number: 9487044
    Abstract: A method and device for producing a board-shaped product having a surface comprising a decoration, having at least one printing roller unit for printing a decoration onto a main body formed from a carrier board, wherein at least one digital print head for printing at least one decoration element onto one or more sub-regions of the main body such that the decoration printed by means of the at least one printing roller unit remains visible, at least in part, or surrounds the decoration element if the at least one decoration element is printed onto the main body by means of the at least one digital print head before the decoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Fritz Egger GmbH & Co. OG
    Inventor: Raimund Hagspiel
  • Patent number: 9315044
    Abstract: A label printer comprises input means operable by a user to input label data. The label printer also has display means and control means configured to receive said input label data from the input means. The control means is arranged to control the display to display an image of a label defined by said input label data in a label display area. The control means is configured to cause the display to display said image of the label such that a first dimension of the image of the label is decreased with respect to the corresponding dimension of said display area so that all of said image of the label is displayed in said display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Jimmy Dullaert, Jeroen Leyman, Jos Vleurinck, Pieter Vanysacker
  • Patent number: 9268359
    Abstract: A tablet apparatus includes a first member which is provided with a keyboard, and a second member which is provided with a display portion and covers an upper surface of the first member. The first and second members are connected to each other through a link member such that the second member may be guided through the link member and move in various positions with respect to the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Won Suk Chung
  • Patent number: 8979405
    Abstract: A printing system has fixed print heads in positions that are subject to adjustment between print jobs. The system provides a print preview display that includes a representation of the item of printing stock on which the printing is to be performed. The print preview display also includes a first printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a first one of the print heads. The print preview display further includes a second printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a second one of the print heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Yichun Zhang, Patrick Rolling, Paul R. Sette, Richard A. Sloan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8947722
    Abstract: A label printer has a touchscreen for displaying and inputting label data, and comprising at least one input area. The label printer also has a hardware keyboard for inputting label data, and comprising at least one hardware key. The label printer also has control means arranged to control printing means for printing a label in accordance with label information. The label information is derived from a combination of label data input via the at least one hardware key of said hardware keyboard and label data input via the at least one input area of said touchscreen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Elke De Munck, Jimmy Dullaert, Jos Vleurinck, Lore Nuyens
  • Patent number: 8669888
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Hangeul input keypad and a method using the same. Basic consonants and basic vowels are assigned to the Hangeul input keypad, the number of the basic consonant-assigned keys is less than that of the basic vowel-assigned keys, the consonant keys and the vowel keys are disposed separately, and a shift key converting the basic consonants to extended consonants is disposed adjacent to the consonant keys to which the basic consonants convertible to the extended consonants are assigned. The Hangeul input keypad and method according to the present invention improves speed of Hangeul input, provides convenience in operation of consonant keys and a shift key, and ease of a user's learning of the Hangeul input method by optimizing the disposition of the consonants and vowels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Kunigita, Shi Hyong Cho, Yong Ho Lee, Young Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 8582133
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cable label forming apparatus having an edit screen display device, a selection candidate display instructing device, and a selection candidate display device. The selection candidate display device displays a last selected candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a normal edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed, and displays a specific candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a cable label forming edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8441654
    Abstract: Provided herein is a cable label forming apparatus having an edit screen display device, a selection candidate display instructing device, and a selection candidate display device. The selection candidate display device displays a last selected candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a normal edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed, and displays a specific candidate among the plurality of selection candidates on a priority basis in a cable label forming edit screen when displaying the plurality of selection candidates is instructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8339651
    Abstract: A printer includes a connection device that connects to an external device, a printing device that prints a character on a print medium, an input device that inputs the character and an instruction, and a first data acquisition device that acquires first data created in the external device via the connection device. The printer further includes a print history storage device that stores print history information of the first data and a second data used for printing by the printing device among the first data acquired by the first data acquisition device and the second data created based on the character and the instruction inputted by the input device. The printer also includes a print control device that causes the printing device to perform printing based on the print history information stored in the print history storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Tanjima, Yoshihiko Sugimura
  • Patent number: 8155881
    Abstract: A selection item display device allows the user to select a desired selection item in the case where a surrounding situation changes, with improved operability. The device includes: storage element for storing a selection item; retrieval element for retrieving a selection item to be displayed based on a surrounding situation from the storage element; generation element for generating an image of the retrieved selection item; display element for displaying the generated image of the selection item on a display screen; designation element for designating a selection item to be maintained from the displayed selection item; and holding element for holding the designated selection item. Even if the surrounding situation changes, and the retrieval element changes the selection item to be displayed, the generation element leaves the image of the selection item to be maintained on the basis of an instruction from the holding element on the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masayo Kaji, Naoaki Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8038358
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus includes an input device, a setting device, and a display device. The apparatus further includes a setting tape width image storage device, a character size image storage device, a tape width acquisition device, a character size acquisition device, a setting tape width image reading device that reads out one of setting tape width images from the setting tape width image storage device, and a character size image reading device that reads out one of character size images from the character size image storage device. The apparatus further includes a setting guide image generation device that generates a setting guide image by combining the one of the setting tape width images and the one of the character size images, and a setting display control device that displays the setting guide image on a setting screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suzuki, Junya Kawai, Hajime Okochi
  • Patent number: 7990567
    Abstract: A label printer having a plurality of input devices for inputting information to said label printer where a first input device can be a keyboard, and a second input device can be a connectable external controlling entity; a supply of image receiving medium such as a tape; a printer adapted to print an image on the tape; and a printer controller for controlling the label printer, so that when the label printer is connected the label printer can be operated in a stand alone mode in which information can only be input to said label printer via said first input device, or an external control mode in which information can only be input to said label printer via the connecting device, such that for a predetermined period of time after use in one of the said stand alone mode and the said external control mode, any information input via the input device not in use can not operate the label printer, but after the predetermined period of time information can be input to operate the label printer via either the first in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Jos Vleurinck, Dirke Winne, Edward Philip Duffy
  • Patent number: 7616338
    Abstract: A label printer having a plurality of input devices for inputting information to said label printer where a first input device can be a keyboard, and a second input device can be a connectable external controlling entity; a supply of image receiving medium such as a tape; a printer adapted to print an image on the tape; and a printer controller for controlling the label printer, so that when the label printer is connected the label printer can be operated in a stand alone mode in which information can only be input to said label printer via said first input device, or an external control mode in which information can only be input to said label printer via the connecting device, such that for a predetermined period of time after use in one of the said stand alone mode and the said external control mode, any information input via the input device not in use can not operate the label printer, but after the predetermined period of time information can be input to operate the label printer via either the first in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Jos Vleurinck, Dirke Winne, Edward Philip Duffy
  • Patent number: 7489413
    Abstract: A video printer (1) comprises a video printer housing portion (2), and a video camera station (3) disposed on a rear upper portion of the video printer housing portion (2) and having a signal input and output connection terminal (4). A video camera (6) with a liquid-crystal display monitor (7) is electrically connected to the connection terminal (4), and attached to the video printer (1) at its video camera station (3) so that, when the video printer (1) is in use, a user can operate the video camera (6) and the video printer (1) by operating systems (8), (9) disposed on the video printer (1) while visually confirming a picture displayed on a picture screen of the liquid-crystal display monitor (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakatsu, Shin Iima, Kayoko Ohyoshi, Tomomi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7474421
    Abstract: A printer specifies at least one arbitrary option out of a plurality of options displayed on a display screen as a tentative option, determines the tentative option as a determined option (determinate option), and performs printing based on the determinate option. When a handling explanation is requested before the determination, display is switched to display of the handling explanation from option display. A user can therefore easily and quickly view the handling explanation at once during operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 7456979
    Abstract: A video printer (1) comprises a video printer housing portion (2), and a video camera station (3) disposed on a rear upper portion of the video printer housing portion (2) and having a signal input and output connection terminal (4). A video camera (6) with a liquid-crystal display monitor (7) is electrically connected to the connection terminal (4), and attached to the video printer (1) at its video camera station (3) so that, when the video printer (1) is in use, a user can operate the video camera (6) and the video printer (1) by operating operation systems (8), (9) disposed on the video printer (1) while visually confirming a picture displayed on a picture screen of the liquid-crystal display monitor (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakatsu, Shin Iima, Kayoko Ohyoshi, Tomomi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7252442
    Abstract: A tape printer prints a text on a print label in such a way that the right side position of a character “A” corresponding to the beginning data of the text is moved to the final position of a liquid crystal display, and then an image of a leading end of the print label is displayed on the liquid crystal display as an initial display state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Okochi, Yuichiro Suzuki, Jun Itakura
  • Patent number: 6976799
    Abstract: A keyboard attached to a personal digital assistant (PDA) set having: a hinge unit including a connector to transfer a keyboard input signal to the PDA, and upper and lower hinge covers; a connection unit placed inside of the hinge unit, and can be attached in the front direction or the back direction to the PDA; and a keyboard body connected with the hinge unit, folded and unfolded about the hinge unit, having a typing board on an upper side and a front panel controller (FPC) keypad to input a key pressed on the typing board. Therefore, the keyboard of the PDA can not only be attached in the front direction or the back direction to the PDA, but also separated from the PDA, thus making the usage and maintenance of the keyboard convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-ki Kim, Kwang-hwan Cha
  • Patent number: 6835013
    Abstract: A label printer for printing a label, the printer comprising: input means for inputting data defining labels to be printed; storage means for storing a plurality of labels, labels being separated in said storage means by label indicators; selection means for selecting at least one of said labels to be displayed at a display of the label printer; and means for controlling only said selected label to be displayed in dependence on the location of label indicators defining the limits of said selected label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Esselte
    Inventors: Anthony Roy Dunn, Samuel Edward Cockerill
  • Patent number: 6504706
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portable presentation device (1) comprising a container having a lid (3) and a base (4), a first display device (7) and a controller (10) for driving the first display device (7). The portable presentation device is in the form of a briefcase, with the first display device (7) built into the lid (3) of the briefcase. With the lid (3) opened so that the first display device (7) is perpendicular to the base, presentations may be conveniently given to a small group of viewers with the first display device (7) being manipulable by means of the controller (10). The controller (10) may also have its own display (11) so that the operator may easily view and control the presentation himself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: ICE 21 Limited
    Inventor: Steven John Stewart
  • Patent number: 6496275
    Abstract: There are provided a character printing method and device. There are defined print size alternatives to be selectively set to a print size of a printing area of a printing object on which is to be printed part or all of a character group including at least one character. One of the print size alternatives is set to the print size. Print image data is formed by extracting part or all of the character group such that the part or all of the character group is adapted to the print size. A print image is printed on the printing object based on the print image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kurashina, Minoru Nagata
  • Patent number: 6491454
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus and method for printing a series of characters on a tape including an input device to input a series of characters, and a display device coupled to the input device and configured to display the series of characters. A tape length calculator is coupled to the input device to automatically calculate a total length of tape to be printed based upon the series of characters. The printing apparatus further includes a unit selector to convert the total length into a displayed length of a selected unit of length selected from at least two different choices of units of length, and a tape length display for displaying the displayed length in the selected unit of length prior to printing. A storage device is coupled to the unit selector and is adapted to store the length unit as a selected display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiya Toyosawa, Kenji Watanabe, Takeshi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 6459943
    Abstract: A seal producing apparatus includes file storing and recalling procedures wherein calling of a file is permitted only when a seal loaded in the seal producing apparatus is a seal type having a shape and size suitable to contain the allowable number of lines and the allowable number of characters per line in the seal type associated with the file to be called and when the size of the seal type of the seal loaded in the seal producing apparatus is equal to or larger than the size of the seal type associated with the file to be called.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignees: King Jim Co., Ltd., Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Suetani, Kiyoshi Ogawa, Tomoyuki Shimmura, Masahiko Nunokawa
  • Patent number: 6411315
    Abstract: A scalable edit window and position indicators displayable on a display of an electronic typewriter are provided. The width of the scalable edit window adjusts in accordance with the paper size or size of the recording medium selected for printing the keyed-in characters, or in accordance with a value provided by the operator. The height of the scalable edit window adjusts in accordance with the font size of keyed-in characters. The keyed-in characters are displayed in the scalable edit window in a font size and appearance as characters which will be printed on a recording medium. The displayable position indicators include a horizontal ruler and a vertical ruler. The horizontal ruler is adjusted in accordance with the maximum printing capability of the system printer or the width of a recording medium used for printing the keyed-in characters. The vertical ruler is adjusted in accordance with the font size of the keyed-in characters or the length of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chihsin Steven Young
  • Patent number: 6341907
    Abstract: A printing system including printing device and at least two host devices. Each of the at least two host devices inputs a priority of a print request, and transmits a reason for the priority of the print request together with the print request and the priority, when the priority is higher than a predetermined priority. The printing device performs printing operations requested by a plurality of print requests, in an order in which the plurality of print requests are arranged, and changes ordinal positions of the plurality of print requests in the order according to priorities of the plurality of print requests so that an ordinal position of a print request with a higher priority precedes an ordinal position of a print request with a lower priority. When the printing device receives from a first host device a print request with a priority higher than a predetermined priority, the printing device sends information on the first host device to at least one second host device other than the first host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kondo Katsuyoshi
  • Patent number: 6168323
    Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus for printing desired character string data on a tapelike printing object, in which a plurality of functions can be set with a single physical operator. When a character size setting function key is operated (S14), the position of a cursor existing on a display screen is detected. The character size is set over the whole sentence (S24) if the cursor is positioned on the right side of a line head mark, set by paragraph (S23) if the cursor is positioned at the head of the first line of each paragraph, and set by line (S22) if the cursor is positioned on the right side of the head of a line of each paragraph. In other cases, the size of characters from the cursor on is set or the character size is set word by word (S20, 21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hayama, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6126340
    Abstract: A printer 80 integrally comprises a printing section 81 for printing on a recording medium such as a cut sheet S and continuous paper L2 based on printing data transmitted from an external host unit H, a control panel 70 containing an indicator section for indicating operating states of the printing section 81, a display panel 60 for displaying data transmitted from the host unit H to the printing section 81 and instructed to be displayed, an interface 86 for transmitting/receiving signals between the host unit H and the printing section 81 and interfaces 87 and 62 for transmitting/receiving signals between the printing section 81 and the display panel 60. It is possible to securely prevent disagreement of printed content and displayed content and to realize down-sizing and simplification of the system structure by constructing a printer as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Star Micronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyasu Ono, Tomoaki Amano
  • Patent number: 6115024
    Abstract: There is provided an image display device which is capable of clearly displaying the use of each fixed format for forming an image and the image formed according to the fixed format on a small-sized display screen with small memory capacity. A display device is switched between a text display mode for displaying an image of a character string corresponding to text data on a display screen thereof and an image display mode for displaying an image corresponding to image data on the display screen. In the text display mode, a plurality of fixed formats are selectively displayed for use in creating object image data. The fixed formats each have predetermined entry items to which the text data is to be input. One of the fixed formats presented in the text display mode is selected and set to a designated format. The text data input to the predetermined entry items is stored as input text data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Hayama
  • Patent number: 6109798
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters in a preferable balance on a tape through a simple operation. The tape printing device of the invention is used for printing text data in a plurality of lines along a width of the tape and in a plurality of `paragraphs` along a predetermined length of the tape. The `paragraph` in the tape printing device is different from a paragraph in a word processor and includes a fixed number of lines. Even when text data in a certain line of a paragraph is deleted, the certain line is kept in the paragraph as a vacant line. In another application, the tape printing device of the invention includes a predetermined menu for printing text data in a plurality of lines. The plurality of lines are arranged in a good balance when the user selects one of possible choices for each required information in the predetermined menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nunokawa, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6062750
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises input means for inputting various characters, design setting means for selecting a design pattern including a frame to be added around the characters and a background pattern to be added on a background of the characters thereby to emphasize the characters, memory means for storing ornament frame data of an ornament frame to be arranged in both ends of the frame and mask data of the ornament frame, first data producing means for producing first frame data on the frame selected by the design setting means, the first frame data having a predetermined area, and first background pattern data on the background pattern selected by the design setting means, the first background pattern data having a predetermined area, second data producing means for producing design data by generating second background pattern data by a logical multiply of the first background pattern data and the mask data of the ornament frame and arranging the second background pattern data within second frame data
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Ueno, Minako Ishida, Sachiko Nakagawa, Mizue Terai
  • Patent number: 6007262
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus is provided. Document data including character data, line feed data and division break-inserting data is input. An editing document formed of the document data is displayed. A position within the editing document is designated. A selected one of registered documents stored is called and inserted into the editing document as document data forming a new division of the editing document, at a predetermined one of a forward position immediately before a desired division within the editing document and a backward position immediately after the desired division, the desired division containing the designated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 5967679
    Abstract: A label printing apparatus having an input device for determining a predetermined label length and selecting one or more of plurality of characters for composing a label having one or more lines of characters in the length; a memory for storing font data defining the plurality of characters; a display for displaying the characters selected at the input device; a printer for printing the selected characters on an image receiving tape to produce a label; and a controller operable to determine an appropriate character size such that the number of characters selected by a user can be accommodated on the predetermined length of tape, wherein the controller is operable to apply a scaling factor to the font data according to the appropriate character size to optimize the size of the characters within the predetermined label length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Esselte N.V.
    Inventors: Michael A. Beadman, Paul Martin
  • Patent number: 5961225
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and also a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device. The tape cartridge has a characteristic element readably storing specific information on the tape such as a width of the tape. The tape printing device reads the characteristic element to control printing conditions according to the type of the tape cartridge. More specifically, the tape printing device determines a variety of parameters including a number of lines and character sizes of the character series printed on the tape as well as lengths of left and right margins. When a tape of a relatively large width is set in the tape cartridge, the device increases a rotation torque of a platen for feeding the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nunokawa, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5924806
    Abstract: A method for processing single line data and multiple line data generated at a POS station for driving a printer thereof into common structure data, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Elwyn Thomas Ainsworth
  • Patent number: 5885016
    Abstract: A tape printing apparatus for printing a series of characters on a tape including an input device to input a series of characters, and a display device coupled to the input device and configured to display the series of characters. A tape length calculator is coupled to the input device to automatically calculate a total length of tape to be printed based upon the series of characters. The printing apparatus further includes a unit selector to convert the total length into a displayed length of a selected unit of length selected from at least two different choices of units of length, and a tape length display for displaying the displayed length in the selected unit of length prior to printing. A storage device is coupled to the unit selector and is adapted to store the length unit as a selected display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiya Toyosawa, Kenji Watanabe, Takeshi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 5885012
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a label printer that has a plurality of keys for defining a label to be printed. Such keys include keys for defining the format of the label. The label printer also includes a display for displaying an image of the label, a printing unit for printing the label and a control unit for controlling the label printer to operate in a layout mode. In the layout mode, the control unit 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 of the layout parameters is alterable. Thereby, the label image displayed on the display alters with each selection of one of the layout parameters by actuating the format keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Esselte N.V.
    Inventors: Nicholas James Hastings, Graham Scott Gutsell, Ian Morgan George, Martin Christopher Edwards
  • Patent number: 5868504
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters in a preferable balance on a tape through a simple operation. The tape printing device of the invention is used for printing text data in a plurality of lines along a width of the tape and in a plurality of `paragraphs` along a predetermined length of the tape. The `paragraph` in the tape printing device is different from a paragraph in a word processor and includes a fixed number of lines. Even when text data in a certain line of a paragraph is deleted, the certain line is kept in the paragraph as a vacant line. In another application, the tape printing device of the invention includes a predetermined menu for printing text data in a plurality of lines. The plurality of lines are arranged in a good balance when the user selects one of possible choices for each required information in the predetermined menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nunokawa, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5860752
    Abstract: The tape printing device of the present invention has the function of automatically setting the length of the front and rear margins according to the width of the tape and the function of printing a square-array dot pattern on a wide region which is wider than the character string. Moreover, the tape printing device of the present invention has the function of feeding the tape, for example, between a print head and a cutter, when instructing to stop printing the character string, without printing characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignees: King Jim Co., Ltd., Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Watanabe, Takanobu Kameda, Chieko Aida, Tomoyuki Shimmura, Yoshiya Toyosawa, Hiroyasu Kurashina, Takeshi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 5857789
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printer which can print both text and bar code data on an elongated web-like tape. The printer is provided with a display having a first display mode in which both text data and bar code data are displayed. A bar code display unit is provided to advise the user when the cursor is assigned to bar code data in the first display mode. A second display mode can also be provided. In the second display mode, only the bar code data is displayed and only it can be entered and edited. When characters comprising either text data or bar code data are entered, they are placed sequentially in an input buffer, which comprises a first area of a storage device. The start and end positions of the bar code data within the input buffer are stored in a second area of the storage device. During printing operations, the position of each character in the input buffer is compared to the start and end positions to determine whether that particular character is to be printed as text or as a bar code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Esselte NV
    Inventors: Robert Charles Lewis Day, Tony Dunn, Martin Edwards, Stijn Jans
  • Patent number: 5839837
    Abstract: A cartridge detector detects information on the color of a label tape of a cartridge which is a printing medium on the basis of the shape of the cartridge. A controller determines the color of the label tape on the basis of detected information obtained from the cartridge detector. The controller controls a display through a display control unit and displays the background of a display screen in the same color as that of the label tape determined on the basis of the detected information obtained from the cartridge detector. A key-in unit inputs to the printer printing data (for example, character, illustration data, etc.) and their print color data. The controller controls the display through the display control unit to display in the print color specified by the key-in unit the printing data input from the key-in unit in the screen background having the same color as the label tape. The input printing data is printed on the label tape by a printing unit through the print control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Takehara
  • Patent number: 5833379
    Abstract: A tape printer includes a keyboard (4) that inputs character strings to be printed on each printed block that is defined in a label tape or a label tube and inputs control commands by which an output format of the character strings is controlled; a display portion (10) that displays the character strings and the control commands that have been input, a memory portion (8) that stores the character strings and the control commands that have been input; a thermal head (13) for printing the character strings stored in the memory portion on each block of the label tape or the label tube on the basis of the control commands stored in the memory portion; a memory (58) that registers printing data that is displayed on the display portion in correspondence with a specific key; and a CPU (7) that causes the printing data registered by the memory to be displayed following an end of the character strings displayed on the display portion and, at the same time, storing the printing data in the memory portion by operating t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Max Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kano
  • Patent number: 5823689
    Abstract: The invention provides a computer system utilizing bi-directional communication between a computing device and a printing machine, for transmitting data representing real-time supply roll parameters to an application program on the computing device. Supply roll parameters are stored on a memory circuit component that is connected to a supply roll. The computing device polls the printing machine for the supply roll parameters. The printing machine transmits the supply roll parameters to the computing device and the computing device formats the parameters into a display, proportionately matching the dimensions and color of the actual supply roll. A user can then create and/or edit output files for the specific supply roll loaded in the printing machine, viewing the output exactly as it will be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Varitronic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly R. Nehowig, Scott W. Kullman, Douglas R. Kremers
  • Patent number: 5816717
    Abstract: A method of recalling stored labels is disclosed in which target data is provided by a user so that only labels having label data matching the target data are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Esselte N.V.
    Inventors: Michael Andrew Beadman, Paul Robert Bridle
  • Patent number: 5810487
    Abstract: A system for processing a carton includes a unit for supplying articles for printing, a unit for printing the contents of articles supplied from the supplying unit so as to be housed within the carton, including the names or quantity of the articles to be housed within the carton, or the printing pattern, a unit for assembling the article to be printed to a carton shape from its developed state, a unit for loading the articles to be housed within the article to be printed assembled in the carton shape by the assembling unit, a transporting unit for interconnecting the unit for supplying the articles for printing, printing unit, assembling unit, and the loading unit; and a production supervising computer controlling the unit for supplying the articles for printing, printing unit, assembling unit, loading unit and the transporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kano, Naoki Yoshinari