JP3380358B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To certainly print the title corresponding to the recording content of a recording medium. CONSTITUTION: An optical recording medium 1 on which the discrimination mark corresponding to recording content is preliminarily recorded is held on a feed tray 2 and the discrimination mark is read by a sensor 16 while the feed tray 2 is moved and the title corresponding to the read discrimination mark is printed on the optical recording medium 1 by a head 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly, to a label of a recording medium for recording various data, for example, a title of recorded contents of the recording medium and pictures and photographs corresponding to the title. The present invention relates to a printing system suitable for printing etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a floppy disk has been used as a recording medium for storing data for supplying software including data and for backing up. Further, in recent years, writable compact discs (hereinafter referred to as “CD-R”), magneto-optical discs, and other optical recording media have come into use with the increase in the capacity of software and data.

As a method of writing a title or a memo for clearly indicating the recorded contents on these optical recording media,
A general method is to attach a label sticker to the non-recording surface of an optical recording medium or its cartridge. Also, recently, there are optical recording media in which a printing area is formed so that they can be directly written with a pencil, a felt-tip pen, or the like.

Also, as far as the CD-R is concerned, there is known an apparatus for printing a design or a character as a title of the recorded contents in a printing area formed on the back surface thereof by using a personal computer. According to this printing apparatus, the commercial value of the optical recording medium can be increased more than that by handwriting, and therefore, it is used in publishers of small-scale optical recording media. On the other hand, a CD-R that is not involved in recording or reproducing data
It is also known that a serial number is displayed by a bar code on a part of the non-recording area of.

[0005]

However, in the process of publishing an optical recording medium, data recording and label printing cannot be performed at the same time.
Batch processing is often performed with a certain amount of units.
Therefore, there is a time difference between the recording of data on the optical recording medium and the label printing, and there is a risk that a title that does not match the recorded content may be printed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a print system capable of surely printing a title or the like corresponding to the recorded contents of a recording medium.

[0007]

A print system according to the present invention is a print system for performing printing on a recording medium holding information relating to recorded contents, and a reading means for reading the information on the recording medium, and Based on a printing device having a printing means capable of printing on the recording medium, an information providing device capable of providing print information based on information held by the recording medium, and information read by a reading means of the printing device. A device for receiving print information from an information providing device capable of providing the print information through a communication unit and supplying the print information to the printing unit of the printing device, a reading unit for reading information held by the recording medium, and the recording medium. And a recording device having a recording device capable of recording data, and the recording medium holds the recording device. An information providing apparatus capable of providing recorded information based on information, and the recording apparatus receiving the recorded information corresponding to the information read by the reading unit of the recording apparatus from the information providing apparatus capable of providing the recorded information through a communication unit. And a device for supplying the recording means to the recording means.

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

According to the present invention, the information relating to the recorded contents held by the recording medium is read out, and the title or the like corresponding to the information is printed on the recording medium. As a result, the recorded contents are recorded on the recording medium. Print a label that matches

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The term "print" used in this embodiment is used as a term indicating that information is added to a recording medium with ink or the like, and also includes printing and printing. The printed information is not limited to meaningful data such as characters and pictures, but includes meaningless information such as patterns.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main portion of a printing apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

In these drawings, an optical recording medium 1 which is one of the recording media is held on a carrying tray 2 by a holding member (not shown) with the surface on which the laser light is incident, that is, the recording surface facing down. . The transport tray 2 is reciprocally moved in the directions of arrows Y1 and Y2 by a transport tray drive member 7 and a transport tray guide member 8 which are supported between a front plate 5 and a rear plate 6 fixed to a base 32. That is, the feed screw as the driving member 7 is screwed on the nut members 17A and 17B on the side of the transport tray 2, and the feed tray is rotated forward and backward by the transport tray drive motor 9, whereby the transport tray 2 is guided. While being guided by the guide bar as, it moves in the directions of arrows Y1 and Y2.

Reference numeral 18 denotes an optical position detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as "origin sensor") for detecting that the carrying tray 2 has moved to a fixed position as the origin position in the arrow Y2 direction. The origin position is a supply / discharge position of the optical recording medium 1 where the optical recording medium 1 is held or removed on the transport tray 2. 19, the carrying tray 2 has an arrow Y1.
The position sensor is an optical type position sensor (hereinafter, referred to as “terminal sensor”) for detecting movement to a fixed position as a terminal position in the direction. The transport tray 2 is controlled to move between an origin position and an end position detected by these sensors 18 and 19.

Reference numeral 14 is a carriage on which a print head 15 as a printing means is mounted.
The carriage guiding member 11 and the carriage driving member 12 supported between A and the right base 10B reciprocate in the directions of arrows X1 and X2 substantially orthogonal to the moving direction of the transport tray 2. That is, that is, when the feed screw as the drive member 12 is rotated forward and backward by the carriage drive motor 13, the carriage 14 is guided by the guide bar as the guide member 11 and moves in the directions of the arrows X1 and X2. ing.

A reading sensor 16 for reading an identification symbol displayed on the optical recording medium 1 is provided at a fixed position on the moving locus of a portion near the center of the optical recording medium 1 on the transport tray 2, as will be described later. It is equipped. The sensor 16 of this example is a bar code reader for reading a bar code as an identification symbol.

FIG. 3 is a plan view when the transport tray 2 is moved to the origin position, and FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line IV-IV at that time.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of the optical recording medium 1, and FIG. 6 is a side view thereof. FIG. 5 shows a back surface 22 of the optical recording medium 1 opposite to the surface 23 on which the laser light is incident (see FIG. 6), and the back surface 22 has an annular recording of the surface 23 on which the laser light is incident. A non-recording area 4 is formed on the inner circumference of the area 3B. In the non-recording area 4 on the back surface 22, an identification symbol 21 which is information relating to the recorded contents recorded on the optical recording medium 1 is displayed. The identification code can be identified from the back surface 22 side. The identification symbol 21 is different for each optical recording medium 1 such as a serial number and can identify the individual.
For example, it is printed directly on the optical recording medium 1 or is printed on a sticker attached to the optical recording medium 1 before or after the sticking. Further, this identification symbol 21 is
It may be formed simultaneously with the recording layer of the optical recording medium 1. In the case of this example, this identification symbol 21 is recorded in the form of a bar code. Back surface 2 including back surface area 3A of annular recording area 3B
2 can be used as a formation area of the identification symbol 21. However, the area between the central hole 20 and the non-recording area 4 is an area used to hold the optical recording medium 1 in an information recording device that records information on the optical recording medium 1 or a device that reads the recorded information. Therefore, it is not preferable to form the identification symbol 21.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a printing system using the above printing apparatus.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 31 is the above-mentioned printing apparatus, and this printing apparatus 31 is controlled by a control apparatus 32 in the form of a personal computer. The control unit 32A of the control device 32 controls the printing device 31 based on input information from the operation unit 32B such as a keyboard and print information input through the modem 32C and stored in the data buffer 32D as described later. . Control unit 3
2A is composed of a CPU that executes control processing, data processing, and the like, a ROM that stores programs such as the processing procedure, and a RAM that is used as a work area. The RAM can be used as the data buffer 32D. A hard disk may be used as the data buffer 3. Further, the control device 32 includes a display unit 32E such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT for displaying the processing status.
Is provided.

The printing device 31 includes a reading sensor 1
An output unit (not shown) for outputting the read information of No. 6 to the control device 32 and an input unit (not shown) for inputting the print information from the control device 32 to the head 15 are provided.

Reference numeral 33 is a host computer as an information providing apparatus, 33A is an information storage section for storing the identification symbol 21 and print information in the printing apparatus 31 in association with each other, and 33B is a modem. Furthermore, the information storage unit 33A
The recording information to be recorded in the recording area 3B of the optical recording medium 1 is stored in the table in association with the identification symbol 21. The information storage unit 33A has, for example, a table form in which print information and print information are associated with the identification symbol 21. A network is configured between the host computer 33 and the control device 32 by the NW cable 34. Further, a control device 32 for a plurality of printing devices and a control device 42 for a plurality of recording devices described later can be connected to the network.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 41 denotes a recording device for recording information in the recording area 3B of the optical recording medium 1. The recording device 41 of the present example is for reading information in the recording area 3B of the optical recording medium 1 and the reading sensor 41A for reading the identification symbol 21 displayed in advance before recording information on the optical recording medium 1. The recording device 41B is provided with the recording device 41B, and the recording device 41 is controlled by a control device 42 in the form of a personal computer. The control unit 42A of the control device 42 controls the recording device 41 based on the input information from the operation unit 42B such as a keyboard and the recording information input through the modem 42C and stored in the data buffer 42D as described later. . The control unit 42A includes a CPU that executes control processing, data processing, and the like, a ROM that stores a program such as a processing procedure thereof, and a RAM that is used as a work area. The RAM can be used as the data buffer 42D. A hard disk may be used as the data buffer 42D. Further, the control device 42 is provided with a liquid crystal or CRT display unit 42E for displaying the processing status and the like.

The recording device 41 has an output part (not shown) for outputting the read information of the sensor 41A to the control device 42 and an input part (not shown) for inputting the recording information from the control device 42 to the recording part 41B. It is provided.

Next, the operation will be described.

First, the optical recording medium 1 on which the identification symbol 21 is displayed is set in the recording device 41. Controller 4
2 inputs record information corresponding to the identification symbol 21 read by the sensor 41A from the host computer 33, and records the record information in the recording area 3B of the optical recording medium 1 by the recording unit 41 of the recording device 41. The recording device 41
It is also possible to equip the optical recording medium 1 with a recording device for the identification symbol 21 and record the identification symbol 21 together with the recording information on the optical recording medium 1. As a result, the information corresponding to the identification symbol 21 is recorded on the optical recording medium 1. When the host computer 33 cannot retrieve the recorded information corresponding to the identification symbol 21, the display unit 42E of the control device 42 displays that fact.

After that, the optical recording medium 1 on which the information corresponding to the identification symbol 21 is recorded is printed by the printing device 31.
Is held on the transport tray 2. The sensor 16 reads the identification symbol 21 when the optical recording medium 1 is located at the origin position or when the optical recording medium 1 moves together with the transport tray 2 from the origin position in the arrow Y1 direction.
The control device 32 uses the identification code 21 read by the sensor 16.
Is input from the host computer 33, and the print information is printed on the optical recording medium 1 by the head 13 of the printing device 31. At the time of the printing, the carrier 14 having the head 15 mounted thereon is controlled to move in the directions of the arrows X1 and X2, and the optical recording medium 1
The transport tray 2 holding the is controlled to move in the directions of arrows Y1 and Y2. In this way, the information such as the title corresponding to the recorded information is surely printed on the optical recording medium 1. The host computer 33 uses the identification code 2
When the print information corresponding to 1 cannot be retrieved, the display unit 32E of the control device 32 displays a message to that effect.

After the printing is completed in this way,
The transport tray 2 returns to the origin position, and the optical recording medium 1 for which printing has been completed is unloaded from the transport tray 2.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows a printing apparatus 31.
Another structural example of the main part of FIG.

In the case of this example, an optical recording medium 1 which is one type of recording medium is rotatably held on the carrier tray 2 about an axis O, and the optical recording medium 1 can be rotationally controlled. ing. That is, the nut members 17A, 17
B is attached to the base member 24 and its transport tray 2
In addition, a rotation motor 24 for rotating the optical recording medium 1 is provided. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the identification symbol 21 as the information relating to the recorded contents recorded on the recording medium is a bar code arranged in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the optical recording medium 1 or the like. By rotating the optical recording medium 1, the identification symbol 21 can be accurately read by the sensor 16. Further, for example, if the optical recording medium 1 is printed in advance and the head 1
When the print position by 5 is restricted,
By rotating the optical recording medium 1, the positional relationship between the head 15 and the optical recording medium 1 can be adjusted in the circumferential direction of the optical recording medium 1.

The sensor 14 and the head 15 may be provided so that the rotation can be controlled. Alternatively, the optical recording medium 1 may be fixedly held on the transport tray 2, and the transport tray 2 may be rotationally controlled together with the optical recording medium 1.

(Other Embodiment) FIG. 9 shows another optical recording medium 1.
It is a plan view showing a configuration example of, on the surface of the hard case,
An identification mark 34 in the form of a bar code is recorded, and a print area 33 such as a title is set.
The recording medium to which the present invention is applicable can be applied not only to an optical recording medium but also to various recording media such as a magnetic recording medium.

As a means for holding and moving the optical recording medium 1, a conveyor such as a belt can be used in addition to the carrying tray 2. The identification symbol 22 may be a character, a symbol, or the like other than a barcode, and the point is that it is information related to the recorded contents of the recording medium. Further, the sensor 14 may be one that performs image processing using a CCD camera or the like in addition to the barcode reader. Further, the sensor 14 may be provided in a reading device different from the printing device 31, and the reading device may be connected to a network with the host computer 33.

Information corresponding to the identification symbol 21 may be recorded in the recording area 3B as the recording information of the optical recording medium 1, the information may be read and the corresponding information such as a title may be printed. Good. Further, information relating to the recorded contents may be recorded as image information in the recording area 3B of the optical recording medium 1 and a title or the like may be printed based on the image information. Also,
In this way, information corresponding to the identification symbol 21 is recorded in the recording area 3B.
The recording operation may be performed in the recording device 41.

Further, the head 15 as a printing means
May be, for example, an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink. A high print quality can be obtained by using a piezo as a printing means for ejecting ink, or by using an electrothermal converter for each nozzle that causes film boiling in the ink for ejecting ink. It is also possible.

However, the latter is particularly preferable in order to reduce the size and weight of the printing means.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to read out information relating to the recorded contents held by the recording medium and print a title or the like corresponding to the information on the recording medium, and print a label or the like that matches the recorded contents on the recording medium. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an essential part of a first embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part when the transport tray shown in FIG. 1 is moving to an origin position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of an optical recording medium.

FIG. 6 is a view on arrow VI in FIG.

7 is a block configuration diagram of a printing system including the printing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an essential part of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another example of the optical recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Optical recording medium 2 Transport tray 15 print head 18 sensors 31 printing equipment 32 control device 33 Host computer 41 recording device 42 Control device

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Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing system for printing on a recording medium holding information relating to recorded contents, comprising: a reading unit for reading the information on the recording medium and a printing unit capable of printing on the recording medium. A printing apparatus having the same, an information providing apparatus capable of providing print information based on the information held by the recording medium, and an information capable of providing the print information based on the information read by the reading unit of the printing apparatus. A device for receiving from a providing device through a communication means and supplying it to the printing means of the printing device, and a reading means for reading information held by the recording medium,
And a recording device having a recording device capable of recording data on the recording medium, an information providing device capable of providing recording information based on information held by the recording medium, and a reading device read by the recording device. A printing system, comprising: a recording device that receives recording information corresponding to information from an information providing device capable of providing the recording information through a communication unit and supplies the recording information to the recording unit of the recording device. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium is an optical recording medium. 3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the information held by the recording medium is an identification mark printed on the recording medium. 4. The print system according to claim 1, wherein the information held by the recording medium is image data. 5. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints using an inkjet head capable of ejecting ink.