JP7786189B2 - Electronic device, printing device, control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device, a printing device, a control method, and a program.

Some printing devices that print on tape-like print media use a printing method known as thermal transfer. Thermal transfer printing devices use a thermal head to heat the ink on an ink ribbon, and then transfer the heated ink to the print media, printing information such as characters and figures onto the print media.

Some thermal transfer printers are equipped with a cartridge containing a tape-like print medium and an ink ribbon, and use the print medium and ink ribbon supplied from the cartridge to print on the print medium. Several types of cartridges are available for this type of printer, with different combinations of print medium color and the colors of the characters, graphics, etc. to be printed.

Some of the above-mentioned cartridges contain transparent print media. Transparent print media can be used, for example, to create labels by stacking multiple printed print media with different printed information content and color combinations (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-017937 A

When using the above-mentioned printing device to create labels by overlapping multiple printed print media, the user causes the printing device to print on the print media multiple times while changing cartridges. That is, each time the user prints on a print media, the user selects a cartridge that corresponds to the combination of the color of the print media and the color of the information to be printed that the printing device will use for the upcoming print, and installs it in the printing device.

However, with conventional printing devices, the order in which printing is performed on the print media to obtain multiple printed print media that can be superimposed on one another sometimes does not match the printing order that the user intended when creating the print data. As a result, when replacing a cartridge, a different cartridge than the one to be used for the next print job may be installed, resulting in failure to print on the print media (i.e., to create a label).

An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide technology that can reduce printing failures when creating labels by overlapping multiple printed print media.

An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, when using multiple types of printing media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media each having a different color in the area indicating information to be printed based on printing data, the electronic device is equipped with a control unit that determines the stacking order of the printing media from the multiple types of printing media required to create the laminated medium based on the printing data, and when the areas indicating the information to be printed on overlapping printing media overlap, the control unit determines the stacking order so that the printing medium with the darker color in the overlapping area is the lower layer .
Another aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device that, when using multiple types of printing media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media in which the areas showing information printed based on print data are different in color, includes a control unit that determines the stacking order of the printing media from the multiple types of printing media required to create the laminated medium based on the print data, and the control unit determines the stacking order based on the preservation priority of the information to be printed on each printing medium so that the printing medium on which the higher priority information is printed is at the bottom, and the higher the priority of the information printed on each printing medium, the more likely it is to deteriorate due to ink peeling or fading, the more characters there are, the smaller the character size, or the lighter the color.

The above aspect makes it possible to reduce printing failures when creating labels by stacking multiple printed print media.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printing apparatus. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a cartridge to be mounted on a printing apparatus. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of creating a label by overlapping a plurality of printed print-receiving media. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a production order determination process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a rule for determining the creation order. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a rule for determining the creation order. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a rule for determining the creation order. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of a rule for determining the creation order. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cartridge confirmation process performed by a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a printing device that prints on a tape-shaped print medium using a thermal transfer method will be used as an example of a printing device according to the present invention. Note that in the following description, detailed descriptions of the configuration, functions, and operations of the illustrated printing device will be omitted for those to which known configurations, functions, and operations are applied.

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printing device. The printing device 1 illustrated in Figure 1 has a keyboard unit 3 and display 4 arranged on the surface of a device housing 2 that has a cartridge mounting section (not shown). The keyboard unit 3 has multiple keys that can be used to input information such as characters and figures to be printed on the print medium, and to check and change the operating settings of the printing device when printing on the print medium. The display 4 displays information input by operating the keyboard unit 3, information indicating the status of the printing device, etc.

A cartridge that houses and supports the print medium and ink ribbon, as described below with reference to Figure 2, is installed in the cartridge installation section of the device housing 2. Attached to the device housing 2 is a cover 5 that can be switched between a state in which it covers the cartridge installation section and a state in which the cartridge installation section is open so that the cartridge can be attached and detached.

The interior space of the device housing 2 contains a transport unit that transports the print medium supplied from the cartridge installed in the cartridge mounting section, a printing unit with a thermal head that heats the ink on the ink ribbon to transfer it to the print medium, and a cutting unit that cuts the print medium. Also located within the interior space of the device housing 2 are a keyboard section 3, a display 4, and a control unit that controls the operation of the transport unit, printing unit, and cutting unit.

The printing device 1 can print on a print medium supplied from a cartridge attached to a cartridge mounting section while transporting the print medium. As shown in Figure 1, this type of printing device 1 has an outlet 201 in the device housing 2 for discharging the print medium 11 supplied from the cartridge to the outside of the device.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a cartridge that can be installed in a printing device. In Figure 2, the outline of the cartridge 10 is shown by a two-dot chain line to illustrate the relationship between the print medium 11 and ink ribbon 12 supplied from the cartridge 10 installed in the printing device 1 and the transport unit and printing unit within the device housing 2.

The cartridge 10 contains a roll 11R of printable medium 11 and a roll 12R of ink ribbon 12. The unused portions of the roll 11R of printable medium 11 and the roll 12R of ink ribbon 12 are each rotatably supported in the cartridge 10. One end (tip) of the ink ribbon 12 supplied from the roll 12R of ink ribbon 12 is wound around a take-up shaft 1001 provided in the cartridge 10.

The portion of the print medium 11 unwound from the roll 11R of the print medium 11 and the portion of the ink ribbon 12 unwound from the roll 12R of the ink ribbon 12 are each pulled out to the outside of the cartridge 10. The portions of the print medium 11 and ink ribbon 12 pulled out to the outside of the cartridge 10 pass between the thermal head 6 and platen roller 7 disposed within the device housing 2, with the print surface of the print medium 11 and the ink layer of the ink ribbon 12 facing each other. When printing on the print medium 11, for example, the platen roller 7 is rotated forward (counterclockwise in Figure 2) to transport the print medium 11, while the heat generation (heating) of the heating elements of the thermal head 6 is controlled based on the print data. At this time, the portion of the ink ribbon 12 that passed through the thermal head 6 together with the print medium 11 (the used portion) is returned into the cartridge 10 and wound onto the take-up shaft 1001, which rotates in engagement with a rotation transmission member (not shown) of the printing device 1.

After passing through the thermal head 6 and being printed, the print medium 11 is cut by a cutter 8 provided along the print medium 11's transport path and discharged from the discharge port 201 (see FIG. 1) of the device housing 2. While FIG. 2 illustrates only one cutter 8, the cutter that cuts the print medium 11 may include, for example, a first cutter that performs a cut called a full cut and a second cutter that performs a cut called a half cut. A full cut is a cut that separates the entire print medium 11 into two pieces. A half cut is a cut that does not cut (separate) at least a portion of the entire print medium 11. For example, if the print medium 11 is made up of multiple stacked material layers, the second cutter cuts the remaining layers without cutting (separating) at least one of the multiple material layers. Furthermore, for example, the second cutter may cut so that there are cut (separated) sections and uncut (separated) sections along the cut line of the print medium 11 along which the second cutter makes the cut (for example, so that there are perforations).

There are multiple types of cartridges 10 containing printable media 11 and ink ribbons 12, each differing in the type of printable medium 11 (e.g., color, width, material, and whether or not an adhesive layer is present). There are also multiple types of cartridges 10 containing printable media 11 and ink ribbons 12, each differing in the type of printable medium 11 but the ink color of the ink ribbon 12. Users of the printing device 1 can select and use cartridges 10 that can print information such as characters and figures in the desired color on the desired printable medium 11, depending on the purpose of use, for example.

Furthermore, some cartridges 10 contain, for example, a transparent print medium 11. A user of a printing device 1 provided with a cartridge 10 containing a transparent print medium 11 can, for example, stack multiple labels (printed print medium 11) obtained by printing on the transparent print medium 11 to create a single label (laminated medium).

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of creating a label by stacking multiple printed print media. Figure 3 shows an example of creating a single label (laminated media) 13 by stacking a set of three labels (print media) L1, L2, and L3, each with a different color in the area showing the information printed based on the print data.

The first label L1 is a label with black characters 1501 and 1502 printed on a white, opaque print medium 1101W. The first label L1 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing the white, opaque print medium 1101W and an ink ribbon with a black ink layer, and then printing. The print medium 1101 supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper 1102 that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface onto which the black ink is transferred, for example.

The second label L2 is a label with red text 1503 printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. The second label L2 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and an ink ribbon with an ink layer of red ink, and then printing. The print medium 1101N supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface to which the red ink is transferred, for example.

The third label L3 is a label with a blue rectangle (straight line) 16 printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. The third label L3 is created by printing on the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and a cartridge 10 containing an ink ribbon with an ink layer of blue ink. The print medium 1101N supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface where the blue ink is transferred, for example.

As described above, the second label L2 and the third label L3 are formed by printing information on the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. Therefore, by overlapping the second label L2 and the third label L3 on the print surface of the first label L1, a single label 13 can be created, as shown in Figure 3, with black characters 1501 and 1502, red characters 1503, and a blue rectangle 16 laid out.

By creating a single label 13 by stacking a set (multiple sheets) of printed media 11, each with different colors of printed information such as characters and graphics, it is possible to create a label 13 with a strong visual effect.

However, when creating a single label 13 by stacking multiple printed print media 11, each with different colors of printed text, graphics, and other information, the cartridge must be replaced after each print. The order in which cartridges 10 are replaced (i.e., the order in which cartridges 10 are installed) is determined by the order in which the print media are printed to obtain the multiple printed print media to be stacked. For example, when creating the first label L1, second label L2, and third label L3 illustrated in Figure 3 in this order, a cartridge 10 containing a white, opaque print media 1101W and an ink ribbon 12 with a black ink layer is first installed in the printing device 1 and printing is performed. Next, a cartridge 10 containing a colorless, transparent print media 1101N and an ink ribbon 12 with a red ink layer is installed in the printing device 1 and printing is performed. Finally, the cartridge 10 containing the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and the ink ribbon 12 with a blue ink layer is installed in the printing device 1 and printing is performed.

However, with conventional printing devices 1, the order in which printing is performed on print media to obtain multiple printed print media to be superimposed sometimes does not match the printing order the user intended when creating the print data. As a result, when replacing a cartridge 10, a different cartridge 10 may be installed than the one used for the next print, resulting in failure to print on the print media 11 (i.e., to create a label). For example, with conventional printing devices 1, contrary to the user's expectation that the first label L1, second label L2, and third label L3 shown in Figure 3 will be created in this order, the first label L1, third label L3, and second label L2 may be created in this order. In such cases, after creating the first label L1, the user may install the cartridge 10 to be used to create (print) the second label L2, resulting in failure to create the third label L3.

The printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can prevent label production failures that can occur when creating a single label by stacking multiple labels (printed media).

Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a printing device according to one embodiment. Figure 4 shows an example configuration of the printing device 1 described above with reference to Figure 1 from a functional and hardware perspective.

The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a control unit 100, a memory unit 110, an input unit 120, a display unit 130, a cartridge detection unit 140, a transport unit 150, a printing unit 160, and a cutting unit 170.

The control unit 100 controls various operations of the printing device 1. The memory unit 110 stores various information necessary for the operation of the printing device 1. The functions of the control unit 100 are realized, for example, by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing programs stored in the memory unit 110. The memory unit 110 includes RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM. The memory unit 110 stores programs executed by the processor and information referenced during program execution. Information referenced during program execution includes, for example, print data created for printing on the print medium 11 and information indicating the order in which labels (described below) are created (cartridge installation order). When creating a stacked medium by stacking a set of print media in which the areas indicating information printed based on the print data are different in color, the control unit 100 has the function of determining the stacking order of the print media required to create the stacked medium based on the print data.

The input unit 120 accepts input of various information for operating the printing device 1. The input unit 120 may include, for example, the keyboard unit 3 described above. The display unit 130 displays various information related to the operation of the printing device 1. The display unit 130 may include, for example, the display 4 described above. The display unit 130 (display 4) may be an example of a notification unit that notifies information indicating the printing media required to create a laminated medium when creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media each having a different color in the area indicating the information printed based on the print data.

The cartridge detection unit 140 detects the state of the cartridge mounting portion (not shown) of the device housing 2. The cartridge detection unit 140 includes, for example, an installation state detection unit 141 and a cartridge type detection unit 142. The installation state detection unit 141 detects whether the cartridge 10 is installed in the cartridge mounting portion of the device housing 2. The cartridge type detection unit 142 detects the type of cartridge 10 installed in the cartridge mounting portion of the device housing 2. The cartridge type detection unit 142 detects information indicating the combination of the type of print medium 11 (e.g., color, width, medium type (material, presence or absence of adhesive layer, etc.)) contained in the installed cartridge 10 and the color of the ink layer of the ink ribbon 12. The information detected by the cartridge type detection unit 142 may be information directly indicating the type of print medium 11 and the color of the ink layer of the ink ribbon 12, or may be indirect information associated with the combination of the type of print medium 11 and the color of the ink layer of the ink ribbon 12 (e.g., the model number of the cartridge 10). Furthermore, the cartridge detection unit 140 may be configured so that the cartridge type detection unit 142 also functions as the mounting state detection unit 141. For example, the cartridge detection unit 140 may output on/off patterns of multiple switches corresponding to the identification pattern of the cartridge 10 provided on the outer surface of the cartridge 10 mounted in the cartridge mounting unit. In this case, it is possible to detect that the cartridge 10 is mounted by the multiple switches outputting some kind of on/off pattern, and the type of cartridge 10 can be determined from the output on/off pattern.

The transport unit 150 transports the print medium 11 based on control information from the control unit 100. The transport unit 150 corresponds to the transport unit described above and includes a rotation transmission member (not shown) used to wind the platen roller 7 and ink ribbon 12, and a rotation mechanism for rotating them. The printing unit 160 prints on the print medium 11 based on control information from the control unit 100. The printing unit 160 corresponds to the printing unit described above and includes a thermal head 6 and a control circuit that controls the heat generation (heating) of the thermal head 6's multiple heating elements. The cutting unit 170 cuts the print medium 11 based on control information from the control unit 100. The cutting unit 170 corresponds to the cutting unit described above and includes, for example, a cutter 8 and a drive mechanism for operating the cutter 8. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, the cutting unit 170 may include a first cutter that performs a full cut and a second cutter that performs a half cut. Furthermore, the drive mechanism that operates the cutter of the cutting unit 170 may be, for example, an electric cutter that uses power from a motor or the like, or it may include a manual cutter that operates by an external force applied by the user, such as by pressing a button.

The configuration of the printing device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the configuration described above with reference to FIG. 4 and can be modified in various ways. For example, the printing device 1 may include a communication unit (communication interface) for communicating with external electronic devices, including information processing devices such as smartphones and personal computers. The communication unit may be a communication interface that performs wireless communication according to known short-range wireless communication standards, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication unit may also be a communication interface that performs wired communication via a transmission cable, such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. Furthermore, the printing device 1 including the communication unit is not limited to the external appearance illustrated in FIG. 1 and may, for example, omit the keyboard unit 3 and display 4. The printing device 1 may also include a notification unit that audibly notifies the user of information indicating the required printing medium, for example, when creating a laminated medium.

Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processing performed by a printing device according to one embodiment. Figure 5 shows an example of the processing performed by the printing device 1 when printing on a print medium 11 to create a label using a printing device 1 having a keyboard unit 3 and display 4 such as that shown in Figure 1.

The printing device 1 accepts input operations from the user and performs an editing process to edit information such as text and graphics to be printed on the print medium 11 (step S1). While the editing process is being performed, the user of the printing device 1 can use the keyboard unit 3 to perform input operations, for example, to create a label with information in a single color printed on a single type of print medium 11. Also, while the editing process is being performed, the user of the printing device 1 can perform input operations, for example, to create multiple labels in succession that have different combinations of the type of print medium 11 and the color of the information to be printed. Input operations for creating multiple labels in succession include input operations for creating a set (multiple sheets) of printed print medium that are stacked in succession, as described with reference to Figure 3.

Once the editing process is complete, the printing device 1 then determines whether multiple types of cartridges are required to create labels based on the print data created from the information edited in the editing process (Step S2). The printing device 1 determines whether multiple types of cartridges are required based on the combination of the type of print medium 11 in the print data and the color of the information to be printed (text, graphics, etc.). For example, when creating a layered medium by stacking a pair of print media in which the colors of the areas representing the information to be printed based on the print data are different, the printing device 1 determines that multiple types of cartridges are required. If multiple types of cartridges are required (Step S2; YES), the printing device 1 performs a production order determination process (Step S3) and then a cartridge confirmation process (Step S4). If multiple types of cartridges are not required (Step S2; NO), the printing device 1 skips the production order determination process (Step S3) and performs the cartridge confirmation process (Step S4). In step S2, it is determined whether the label to be created based on the print data is a stacked medium, which is a set of print media in which the areas showing the printed information are different colors, and if it is a stacked medium (step S2; YES), the creation order determination process in step S3 may be performed.

The production order determination process (step S3) is a process for determining the stacking order of multiple types of print media required to create the stacked medium based on the print data, for example, when creating a stacked medium by stacking a set of print media in which the areas showing the information printed based on the print data are different in color. In step S3, the printing device 1 determines the production order of the multiple printed print media based on, for example, multiple combinations of the type of print media 11 and the color of the information to be printed in the print data. The production order determined in step S3 corresponds to the cartridge installation order when creating multiple printed print media to be stacked in succession. Specific examples of the production order determination process (step S3) will be described later with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

The cartridge confirmation process (step S4) is a process for confirming that the cartridge 10 installed in the printing device 1 matches the cartridge for the combination of the type of print medium 11 and the color of the information to be printed associated with the (next) label to be created based on the print data. In step S4, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 confirms whether the cartridge 10 is installed based on a detection signal from the installation status detection unit 141 of the cartridge detection unit 140. Also in step S4, the control unit 100 identifies the type of print medium 11 contained in the installed cartridge 10 and the color of the ink layer (ink color) of the ink ribbon based on a detection signal from the cartridge type detection unit 142 of the cartridge detection unit 140. A specific example of the cartridge confirmation process (step S4) will be described later with reference to Figure 11.

In step S4, after confirming that the cartridge 10 installed in the printing device 1 is a cartridge that matches the type of print medium 11 associated with the upcoming (next) printing and the color of the information to be printed, the printing device 1 then creates labels based on the print data (step S5). In step S5, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 controls the operation of the transport unit 150, printing unit 160, and cutting unit 170 based on the print data to create labels that can be produced using the currently installed cartridge 10. For example, if the print data includes information indicating that two or more labels will be produced consecutively using the currently installed cartridge 10, the printing device 1 will produce those two or more labels consecutively in a single process of step S5. If the print data includes information to cut the print medium 11, the printing device 1 also cuts the print medium 11 in step S5.

When label production using the currently installed cartridge 10 is complete, the printing device 1 determines whether label production based on the print data is complete (step S6). For example, if labels (multiple printed print media) are being produced in the production order determined in step S3 and there are labels yet to be produced, the printing device 1 determines that label production is not complete. If label production is not complete (step S6; NO), the processing performed by the printing device 1 returns to step S4.

When label creation is complete (step S6; YES), the printing device 1 determines whether the power has been turned off (step S7), for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5. If the power has not been turned off (step S7; NO), the processing performed by the printing device 1 returns to step S1, for example. If the power has been turned off (step S7; YES), the printing device 1 ends the processing illustrated in FIG. 5.

In this way, the printing device 1 according to this embodiment performs a production order determination process (step S3) when editing (creation of print data) is performed in the editing process (step S1) to create a single label (laminated medium) by stacking multiple printed print media 11. As the production order determination process, the printing device 1 according to this embodiment performs processing, for example, in accordance with the flowchart in FIG. 6.

Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the creation order determination process performed by a printing device according to one embodiment.

In the production order determination process, the printing device 1 first determines whether there are any labels with an opaque background (the color of the print medium) (step S301). In step S301, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 determines, for example, whether any combination of the color of the print medium 11 in the print data and the color of the information to be printed results in an opaque color of the print medium 11. If there are any labels with an opaque background (step S301; YES), the control unit 100 determines the production order for the label with an opaque background to be first (step S302). The control unit 100 then determines the production order for the remaining labels with transparent backgrounds according to predetermined determination rules (step S303).

On the other hand, if there are no labels with an opaque background (step S301; NO), the control unit 100 skips step S302 and determines the order in which to create labels with a transparent background according to a predetermined decision rule (step S303).

After step S303, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 displays the cartridge installation order for consecutively producing multiple overlapping labels (printed print media) based on the determined label production order (step S304), and terminates the production order determination process. In step S304, the label production order and the corresponding cartridge installation order are displayed on the display unit 130 (display 4 in the printing device 1 of FIG. 1), for example, an LCD display. Note that step S304 may be a process of displaying information indicating only the types of cartridges required to produce the multiple overlapping labels, instead of the cartridge installation order. In this way, by displaying information indicating the cartridges required to produce the multiple overlapping labels on the display unit 130 (display 4) to notify the user before producing the multiple overlapping labels, the user can prepare the necessary cartridges and check the remaining amount of print media 11 before having the printing device 1 produce the labels. Additionally, by displaying and informing the user of the order in which the labels should be created and the corresponding cartridge installation order, the user can efficiently replace cartridges by arranging the cartridges in the order in which they should be installed, and can also prevent the installation of incorrect cartridges.

When creating a single label (laminated medium) by stacking multiple labels (printed media), for example, by creating the multiple labels in the order they will be stacked, it is possible to wait for the next label to be created while stacking the created labels. In this case, the first label to be created will be either the bottommost label or the topmost label (outermost surface). In the flowchart illustrated in Figure 6, the order of creation of labels with opaque backgrounds is determined to be first, so by stacking the created labels in order so that the label with the opaque background is the bottommost label, a single label made up of multiple labels can be created efficiently.

The decision rule applied to determining the order in which transparent-background labels are produced in step S303 is not limited to any specific rule. For example, the order in which transparent-background labels are produced may be the overlapping order of layout data in print data containing multiple layout data created by the user by editing the layout data used to produce each label. If labels are produced in the overlapping order determined by the user, the mistake of installing the wrong cartridge 10 is less likely to occur. In addition, the order in which multiple overlapping labels are produced may be determined according to a decision rule defined based on the color and content of the information to be printed on the print medium 11 (for example, whether it is text or graphics). Some example decision rules are described with reference to Figures 7 to 10.

Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of a rule for determining the order of creation.

Figure 7 illustrates a general rule 20 for determining the production order based on the color of the area showing the information (text, graphics, etc.) to be printed on the print medium 11. When multiple print media 11 are stacked, the color of the area showing the information printed on the lower print medium 11 is affected by the color and light transmittance of the print medium 11 and adhesive layer stacked on top of it. Therefore, if the color of the area showing the information printed on the lower print medium 11 is a light color, such as yellow or light blue, the visibility of the information may be reduced. Therefore, when determining the production order for labels with transparent backgrounds in step S303, labels with lighter colored areas showing the information to be printed may be placed higher when stacked. In other words, if the production order for labels with opaque backgrounds is set to first as in the flowchart illustrated in Figure 6, rule 20 of Figure 7 may be applied to determine the production order so that labels with darker colored areas showing the information to be printed on each of a set of print media 11 are produced in order, starting with the darkest color. In this way, users can create highly visible labels by simply stacking the labels in the order they were created, without having to worry about the stacking order.

Furthermore, the rule for determining the creation order based on the color of the area indicating the information to be printed can also be applied, for example, when areas on overlapping print media 11 on which information is printed overlap. For example, when a black or dark blue area printed on a first print medium 11 overlaps with a light blue (light blue) area printed on a second print medium 11, the creation order is determined so that the second print medium 11 is overlaid on top of the first print medium 11. While Figure 7 shows an example of a general rule 20, the rule for determining the creation order based on the color of the area indicating the information to be printed may also be in the form of a table that specifies which color should be on top for each overlapping combination (for example, if light blue and dark blue overlap, light blue should be on top).

Figure 8 illustrates a general rule 21 for determining the production order based on the character size of the information to be printed on the print medium 11. When multiple print media 11 are stacked, the readability of the information (characters) printed on the underlying print medium 11 is affected by the color and light transmittance of the print medium 11 and adhesive layer stacked on top of it. Therefore, if the information (character size) printed on the underlying print medium 11 is small, the visibility of that information may be reduced. Therefore, when determining the production order for labels with transparent backgrounds in step S303, labels with smaller printed information (character size) may be placed on top of each other when stacked. In other words, if the production order for labels with opaque backgrounds is set to first as in the flowchart illustrated in Figure 6, rule 21 in Figure 8 may be applied to determine the production order so that labels with larger printed information (character size) are created first on each of a set of print media 11. In this way, users can create highly visible labels simply by stacking the labels in the order in which they were created, without having to worry about the stacking order. Note that while rule 21 in Figure 8 uses character size as an example, it is not limited to this and may instead determine the creation order based on the resolution (definition) of the graphic to be printed, or on the character size and graphic resolution. Furthermore, the stacking order of labels may be determined based on the content of the information to be printed on each of a set of print media, rather than on the character size or graphic resolution.

Figure 9 illustrates a general rule 22 for determining the order of printing based on the priority of the preservation of information printed on the print medium 11. Information such as text and graphics printed on labels gradually becomes difficult to read as the label is used due to ink peeling, fading, and other factors. When multiple labels are stacked to create a single label, information printed on a label that is overlaid on another label is protected by the other label. Therefore, when stacking multiple print media 11, rule 22 in Figure 9 can be applied, and print media 11 printed with information that is a high priority for preservation (preventing deterioration due to ink peeling, fading, and other factors) can be stacked on top of print media 11 printed with information that is a low priority for preservation. This allows users to create labels with high information preservation by simply stacking the labels in the order in which they were created, without having to worry about the stacking order. It also reduces tape consumption, for example, by applying an additional transparent protective tape on top of multiple printed print media 11.

The priority of storability may be determined in advance based on the content of the information to be printed, or may be determined by the user at the time of editing, etc. For example, when multiple print media 11, each with characters printed thereon, are stacked, the greater the number of characters or the smaller the characters, the higher the priority (lower layer). Also, for example, colors classified as light (pale) based on color attributes (elements) may be given a higher priority (lower layer) than other colors.

The label production order is not limited to rules 20-22 as described above with reference to Figures 7-9, and may be determined according to other rules. For example, the label production order may be determined such that the label with a larger proportion of the printed area to the entire label is placed on the lower layer, as derived based on multiple layout data corresponding to each of the multiple labels. Furthermore, rules 20-22 as described above with reference to Figures 7-9 may be applied not only individually, but also in combination of two or more rules, or in combination of one of rules 20-22 with another rule. For example, if the areas where information is printed on overlapping print media 11 overlap, the production order may be changed depending on how the areas where information is printed on each print media 11 overlap. For example, if a black or dark blue area printed on a first print medium 11 overlaps with a light blue (pale blue) area printed on a second print medium 11, and the entire black or dark blue area is contained within the light blue area, changing the creation order so that the first print medium 11 is overlaid on top of the second print medium 11 can prevent the black or dark blue area from appearing lighter due to being covered by the light blue area.

Figure 10 shows a fourth example of a rule for determining the production order, showing examples of labels L1 to L4 and an example of the order in which they are stacked when a single label (laminated medium) 13 is created by stacking a first label L1, a second label L2, a third label L3, and a fourth label L4.

The first label L1 is a label with black text 1504 printed on a white, opaque print medium 1101W. The first label L1 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing the white, opaque print medium 1101W and an ink ribbon with a black ink layer, and then printing. The print medium 1101W supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper 1102 that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface onto which the black ink is transferred, for example.

The second label L2 is a label with a thick red line 18 printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. The thick red line 18 underlines the words "Not for Removal" in the black text 1504 printed on the first label L1 on the overlapping label 13. The second label L2 is created by loading and printing a cartridge 10 containing a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and an ink ribbon with a red ink layer. The print medium 1101N supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper 1102 that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface where the red ink is transferred, for example.

The third label L3 is a label with a (dark) blue rectangle 17 printed on a colorless, transparent print medium 1101N. The blue rectangle 17 is located to the right of the black text 1504 printed on the first label L1 on the overlapping label 13, and serves as the background color for the light blue text 1504 described below. The third label L3 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing a colorless, transparent print medium 1101N and an ink ribbon with an ink layer of blue ink, and then printing. The print medium 1101N supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper 1102 that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the side opposite the print surface to which the blue ink is transferred, for example.

The fourth label L4 is a label with light blue text 1506 printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. The light blue text 1506 is located to the right of the black text 1504 printed on the first label L1 on the overlapping labels 13, and is within the area of the blue rectangle 17 on the third label L3. The fourth label L4 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and an ink ribbon with an ink layer of light blue ink, and then printing. The print medium 1101N supplied from the cartridge 10 has an adhesive layer and a release paper 1102 that protects the adhesive layer laminated on the surface opposite the print surface to which the light blue ink is transferred, for example.

The example label 13 shown in Figure 10 indicates that the item to which the label 13 is affixed is managed by the "XX department" at a facility such as a company or school, and is "strictly prohibited from being taken outside." Furthermore, the light blue text "A01" 1506 displayed within the blue rectangle 17 on the label 13 in Figure 10 is, for example, a number (management number) that identifies the item to which the label 13 is affixed.

When creating a label 13 such as the one shown in FIG. 10, a user of the printing device 1 edits and creates print data including, for example, first layout data for creating the first label L1, second layout data for creating the second label L2, third layout data for creating the third label L3, and fourth layout data for creating the fourth label L4. In this case, if the user edits the data in the order of the first layout data, second layout data, third layout data, and fourth layout data, the printing device 1 can create the first label L1, second label L2, third label L3, and fourth label L4, for example, according to the editing order of the layout data. The printing device 1 can also create the first label L1, second label L2, third label L3, and fourth label L4 according to a decision rule separate from the creation order of the layout data.

When performing the production order determination process according to the flowchart in Figure 6, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 places the first label L1, which has black text 1504 printed on a white, opaque print medium 1101W, in the production order first. Then, in step S303, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 ensures that the fourth label L4, which has light blue text 1506 printed on a colorless, transparent print medium 1101N, is not placed last (fourth) in the production order, for example, based on the priority of storability. The priority of storability may be set by the user for each layout data, or the control unit 100 may, for example, assign a higher priority to storability to layout data that prints text based on the information to be printed in each layout data.

In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 10 , the light blue text 1504 of the fourth label L4 needs to overlap the blue rectangle 17 of the third label L3. Therefore, considering the efficiency of the label stacking process described above, it is preferable to create the fourth label L4 after the third label L3. Therefore, considering the preservation of the light blue text 1506 of the fourth label L4, it is preferable to create each label so that they are stacked in the order of the first label L1, the third label L3, the fourth label L4, and the second label L2, as in label 13 in FIG. 10 . By using this creation order, each time a label is created, the created label can be stacked using the waiting time (waiting time) until the next label is created, thereby efficiently stacking multiple labels (printed media) to create a single label. Additionally, by overlapping the second label L2, which has graphic information printed on it, on top of the fourth label L4, which has text information printed on it, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the text information on the fourth label L4 due to ink peeling, fading, etc.

Note that if the order in which multiple overlapping labels are produced is determined based on the overlapping order of each layout data in the print data, or based on the decision rules as described above with reference to Figures 7 to 10, the cartridge replacement order when producing multiple labels may be incorrect, potentially resulting in failed label production. For this reason, as described above with reference to Figure 5, the printing device 1 of this embodiment performs a cartridge confirmation process (step S4) to confirm that the appropriate cartridge 10 is installed when determining the order in which multiple overlapping labels are produced and producing each label. The printing device 1 of this embodiment performs the cartridge confirmation process, for example, following the flowchart in Figure 11.

Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of cartridge confirmation processing performed by a printing device according to one embodiment.

In the cartridge confirmation process, the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 first reads and displays information indicating the type of cartridge to be used for the next print (label creation) (step S401). The control unit 100 displays information indicating the type of cartridge to be installed (e.g., the type of print medium 11 housed in the cartridge and the color of the ink layer on the ink ribbon) on the display unit 130 (display 4 in the printing device 1 of Figure 1), such as an LCD display.

After step S401, or in parallel with step S401, the printing device 1 detects the type of cartridge 10 currently installed (step S402). In step S402, the installation status detection unit 141 of the cartridge detection unit 140 detects whether the cartridge 10 is installed in the cartridge installation section of the device housing 2. If the cartridge 10 is installed, the cartridge type detection unit 142 of the cartridge detection unit 140 detects the type of the installed cartridge 10 (the type of print medium 11 contained therein and the color of the ink layer of the ink ribbon).

After steps S401 and S402, the printing device 1 determines whether the type of cartridge 10 read in step S401 matches the type of cartridge 10 detected in step S402 (step S403). If the cartridge 10 types match (step S403; YES), the printing device 1 terminates the cartridge confirmation process and returns to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 5 to create a label. If the cartridge 10 types do not match (step S403; NO), the printing device 1 displays information prompting the user to replace the cartridge (step S404) and returns to the processing of step S402. Note that cases where the cartridge 10 types do not match also include when no cartridge 10 is installed or when an empty cartridge 10 is installed after the print medium 11 has been used up.

As described above, the printing device 1 of this embodiment uses multiple types of print media 11 to create a stacked medium by stacking a set of print media in which the areas showing information (characters, graphics, etc.) printed based on print data are different in color. The stacking order of the print media required to create the stacked medium is determined based on the print data. The printing device 1 of this embodiment also displays information indicating the type of cartridge to be installed according to the order in which each print media included in the set of print media is to be created. In the case of a thermal transfer printing device 1 like this embodiment, the information indicating the cartridge type includes information indicating the type of print media (e.g., color, width, media type (material, presence or absence of adhesive layer, etc.)) and information indicating the color of the ink layer on the ink ribbon 12. The printing device 1 also confirms that the type of the installed cartridge 10 matches the type of cartridge to be used for the next print (label creation), which is determined based on the label creation order, before starting the next print (label creation). This prevents the next print from being started with the wrong cartridge 10 installed, resulting in a failed label creation.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples intended to facilitate understanding of the invention. In other words, the electronic device, print control method, and program according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.

For example, the multiple labels (printing media 11) that are stacked to create a single label (laminated medium) do not all need to be the same size as described with reference to Figures 3 and 11; they may be multiple labels of different widths, for example. When stacking multiple labels of different widths, the order in which the labels are created can be determined so that, for example, the thinner (narrower) labels are placed on top.

In addition, the above-described embodiment illustrates a thermal transfer printing device 1 that creates labels by installing a cartridge 10 containing a roll 11R of printable medium 11 and a roll 12R of ink ribbon 12. However, the printing device 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a specific printing method. The printing device 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a thermal transfer printing device, and may be, for example, a thermal printing device that changes color on the printable medium 11 by applying heat from a thermal head 6. Furthermore, the printing device 1 according to the present invention may be of another printing method that prints in one color on the printable medium 11 supplied from an installed cartridge. In a thermal printing device, for example, a single cartridge (container) may be configured to replace the printable medium 11. In such a printing device, for example, an IC tag sticker or barcode containing information indicating the type of printable medium 11 is affixed to the roll 11R of printable medium 11, and the cartridge detection unit 140 described with reference to FIG. 4 may be equipped with a reading unit that reads the IC tag sticker or barcode. Furthermore, the printing device may be, for example, one that can accommodate multiple types of print media 11 in the device housing 2, and that automatically changes the multiple types of print media 11 loaded on the printing device itself while printing.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a printing device 1 having the function of editing the information and colors to be printed on the print medium 11 was exemplified, but the editing of the information and colors to be printed, and the process of determining the label creation order (the order in which the cartridges 10 are installed), may also be performed by an electronic device capable of communicating with the printing device 1, such as a smartphone or personal computer.

The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows:
[Appendix 1]
An electronic device characterized by having a control unit that, when using multiple types of printing media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media in which the areas showing information printed based on print data are different in color, determines the stacking order of the printing media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of printing media based on the print data.
[Appendix 2]
Further provided with a notification unit,
the control unit causes the notification unit to notify information indicating the required print medium before each of the required print media is used in accordance with the stacking order.
2. The electronic device according to claim 1.
[Appendix 3]
a detection unit that detects information indicating a usable print medium;
the control unit starts creating the set of printing media when the information indicating the required printing media notified by the notification unit matches the information indicating the usable printing media detected by the detection unit.
3. The electronic device according to claim 2.
[Appendix 4]
The stacking order is set when the user creates the print data.
4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:
[Appendix 5]
The control unit
An electronic device described in any one of appendices 1 to 4, characterized in that when areas indicating information to be printed on overlapping printing media overlap, the stacking order is determined so that the printing medium with the darker color in the overlapping area is the lower layer.
[Appendix 6]
The control unit
An electronic device described in any one of appendices 1 to 5, characterized in that the stacking order is determined based on the priority of preservation of the information printed on each printing medium, so that the printing medium on which the information with the highest priority is printed is at the bottom.
[Appendix 7]
The print medium is accommodated in a cartridge that supports the print medium for printing on the print medium.
7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:
[Appendix 8]
the cartridge further contains an ink ribbon having a layer of ink for transfer to the print medium;
8. The electronic device according to claim 7.
[Appendix 9]
The control unit
An electronic device described in any one of appendices 1 to 8, characterized in that when the set of printing media includes a transparent printing medium, the stacking order of the necessary printing media is determined so that the transparent printing medium is the outermost layer of at least one of the printing media.
[Supplementary Note 10]
the control unit determines a printing order for the set of printing media in accordance with the determined stacking order.
10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
[Appendix 11]
An electronic device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 10;
a printing means for printing on the print medium based on the print data;
A printing device comprising:
[Appendix 12]
Electronic devices,
A control method characterized by performing a process to determine the stacking order of the printing media required to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of printing media based on the printing data when creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media in which the areas showing information printed based on printing data are different in color from each other.
[Appendix 13]
A program that causes an electronic device to execute a process for determining the stacking order of printing media required to create a laminated medium from multiple types of printing media based on the printing data when creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media in which the areas showing information printed based on printing data are different from each other.

1 Printing device 100 Control unit 110 Memory unit 120 Input unit 130 Display unit 140 Cartridge detection unit 141 Mounting state detection unit 142 Cartridge type detection unit 150 Transport unit 160 Printing unit 170 Cutting unit 2 Device housing 201 Discharge outlet 3 Keyboard unit 4 Display unit 5 Lid 6 Thermal head 7 Platen roller 8 Cutter 10 Cartridge 1001 Winding shaft 11 Printed medium 11R Roll 1101W of printed medium 11 White opaque printed medium 1101N Colorless transparent printed medium 1102 Release paper 12 Ink ribbon 12R Roll 13 of ink ribbon 12 Labels 1501, 1502, 1504 Black characters 1503 Red characters 1506 Light blue characters 16 Blue rectangle 17 Blue rectangle 18 Thick red lines 20, 21, 22 Rules

Claims (14)

When a laminated medium is to be created by stacking a set of print media in which the colors of the areas showing the information printed based on the print data are different from each other using a plurality of types of print media, a control unit is provided that determines the stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the plurality of types of print media based on the print data,
The electronic device is characterized in that, when areas indicating information to be printed on overlapping printing media overlap, the control unit determines the stacking order so that the printing medium with the darker color in the overlapping area is the lower layer . When a laminated medium is to be created by stacking a set of print media in which the colors of the areas showing the information printed based on the print data are different from each other using a plurality of types of print media, a control unit is provided that determines the stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the plurality of types of print media based on the print data,
the control unit determines the stacking order based on the priority of preservation of information to be printed on each print medium so that the print medium on which the information with the highest priority is printed is at the bottom;
An electronic device characterized in that the higher the priority of the information printed on each of the printing media, the more likely it is to deteriorate due to ink peeling or fading, the more characters there are, the smaller the character size, or the lighter the color. Further provided with a notification unit,
the control unit causes the notification unit to notify information indicating the required print medium before each of the required print media is used in accordance with the stacking order.
3. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2 . a detection unit that detects information indicating a usable print medium;
the control unit starts creating the set of printing media when the information indicating the required printing media notified by the notification unit matches the information indicating the usable printing media detected by the detection unit.
4. The electronic device according to claim 3 . The stacking order is set when the user creates the print data.
5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device. The print medium is accommodated in a cartridge that supports the print medium for printing on the print medium.
6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device. the cartridge further contains an ink ribbon having a layer of ink for transfer to the print medium;
7. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device. The control unit
The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when the set of printing media includes a transparent printing medium, the stacking order of the necessary printing media is determined so that the transparent printing medium is the outermost layer of at least one of the printing media. the control unit determines a printing order for the set of printing media in accordance with the determined stacking order.
9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ;
a printing means for printing on the print medium based on the print data;
A printing device comprising: Electronic devices,
When creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media using multiple types of print media, each having a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, a stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of print media is determined based on the print data ;
When areas showing information to be printed on overlapping print media overlap, the stacking order is determined so that the print media with the darker overlapping area is the lower layer.
A control method comprising: executing a process. Electronic devices,
When creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media using multiple types of print media, each having a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, a stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of print media is determined based on the print data;
determining the stacking order based on the priority of preservation of information to be printed on each print medium so that the print medium on which the information with the highest priority is printed is the lower layer;
The higher the priority of the information printed on each of the print media, the more likely it is to deteriorate due to ink peeling or fading, the more characters there are, the smaller the character size, or the lighter the color.
A control method comprising: executing a process. When creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media using multiple types of print media, each having a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, a stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of print media is determined based on the print data ;
When areas showing information to be printed on overlapping print media overlap, the stacking order is determined so that the print media with the darker overlapping area is the lower layer.
A program that causes an electronic device to execute a process. When creating a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media using multiple types of print media, each having a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, a stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of print media is determined based on the print data;
determining the stacking order based on the priority of preservation of information to be printed on each print medium so that the print medium on which the information with the highest priority is printed is the lower layer;
The higher the priority of the information printed on each of the print media, the more likely it is to deteriorate due to ink peeling or fading, the more characters there are, the smaller the character size, or the lighter the color.
A program that causes an electronic device to execute a process.