Electronic device, printing device, control method, and program

Abstract

To suppress failure of printing when forming a label in which a plurality of printed media to be printed is overlapped.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus comprises a control part that when a laminate medium, in which a set of media to be printed such that colors in regions representing information printed on the basis of print data are different from each other are overlapped, by use of multiple kinds of media to be printed, decides build-up sequence of the media to be printed required for formation of a laminate medium among the multiple kinds of media to be printed on the basis the print data. The electronic apparatus may be a printer, or an information processor which can communicate with the printer and can create the print data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, a printing device, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Some printing devices that print on tape-like print media use a printing method known as thermal transfer printing. 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.

[0003] Some thermal transfer printers are equipped with a cartridge containing a tape-like print medium and an ink ribbon, and print on the print medium using the print medium and ink ribbon supplied from the cartridge. For this type of printer, several types of cartridges are provided, each with a different combination of the color of the print medium and the color of the characters, figures, etc. to be printed.

[0004] The above-mentioned cartridges include those containing transparent print media, which can be used, for example, to create labels by stacking multiple printed print media with different information content or color combinations (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-017937 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] 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 that the printing device will use for the upcoming printing and the color of the information to be printed, and installs it in the printing device.

[0007] 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 may not match the printing order that the user intended when creating the print data. As a result, when replacing a cartridge, a different cartridge may be installed than the one to be used for the next print, resulting in failure to print on the print media (i.e., to create a label).

[0008] An object according to one aspect of the present invention is to provide a technique that can prevent printing failures when creating a label by overlapping a plurality of printed print-receiving media. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, which, when using a plurality of types of print media to create a stacked medium by stacking a set of print media in which the colors of areas showing information printed based on print data are different from each other, includes a control unit that determines, based on the print data, the stacking order of the print media necessary to create the stacked medium from among the plurality of types of print media. When areas indicating information to be printed on overlapping print media overlap, the control unit determines the stacking order so that the print medium with the darker color in the overlapping area is the lower layer. It is characterized by: 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. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above aspect, it is possible to prevent printing failures when creating a label by overlapping a plurality of printed print-receiving media. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printing apparatus. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a cartridge to be mounted on a printing apparatus. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of creating a label by overlapping a plurality of printed print-receiving media. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a production order determination process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a rule for determining the creation order. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a rule for determining the creation order. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a rule for determining the creation order. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of a rule for determining the creation order. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cartridge confirmation process performed by a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described 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 given as an example of a printing device according to the present invention. Note that in the following description, detailed description 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.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printing device. The printing device 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 has a keyboard unit 3 and a display 4 arranged on the surface of a device housing 2 that has a cartridge mounting section (not shown). The keyboard unit 3 has a number of keys that can be used to input information such as characters and figures to be printed on a print medium, and to check and change the operating settings of the printing device when printing on a print medium. The display 4 displays information input by operating the keyboard unit 3, information indicating the status of the printing device, and the like.

[0014] A cartridge that houses and supports a print medium and an ink ribbon, which will be described later with reference to Fig. 2, is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion of the device housing 2. A cover 5 is attached to the device housing 2 and can be switched between a state in which the cartridge mounting portion is covered and a state in which the cartridge mounting portion is open so that the cartridge can be attached and detached.

[0015] A transport unit that transports the print medium supplied from the cartridge attached to the cartridge attachment section, a printing unit having 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 are arranged in the internal space of the device housing 2. Also arranged in the internal space of the device housing 2 are a keyboard section 3, a display 4, and a control unit that controls the operations of the transport unit, printing unit, cutting unit, etc.

[0016] The printing device 1 can print on the print medium while transporting the print medium supplied from a cartridge attached to a cartridge attachment section. As shown in Fig. 1, this type of printing device 1 has an outlet 201 provided in the device housing 2 for discharging the print medium 11 supplied from the cartridge to the outside of the device.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a cartridge to be installed in a printing device. In Fig. 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 inside the device housing 2.

[0018] The cartridge 10 contains a roll 11R of print medium 11 and a roll 12R of ink ribbon 12. Unused portions of the roll 11R of print medium 11 and the roll 12R of ink ribbon 12 are each rotatably supported by the cartridge 10. One end (leading end) 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.

[0019] 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 the platen roller 7 disposed inside 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 FIG. 2) to transport the print medium 11, while controlling the heat generation (heating) of the heating elements of the thermal head 6 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 taken up around the take-up shaft 1001, which rotates while engaging with a rotation transmission member (not shown) of the printing device 1.

[0020] After passing through the thermal head 6 and undergoing printing, the print medium 11 is cut by a cutter 8 provided along the transport path of the print medium 11 and is discharged from an outlet 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. Also, for example, the second cutter may cut so that there are cut (separated) sections and uncut (separated) sections along the cut line of the printing medium 11 where the cutting is performed by the second cutter (for example, so that there are perforations).

[0021] There are multiple types of cartridges 10 containing printable media 11 and ink ribbons 12, each differing in the type of printable medium 11 (for example, 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. A user of the printing device 1 can select and use a cartridge 10 that can print information such as characters and figures in a desired color on a desired printable medium 11, depending on the purpose of use, for example.

[0022] Furthermore, some cartridges 10 house, for example, a transparent print medium 11. A user of a printing device 1 provided with a cartridge 10 housing a transparent print medium 11 can create a single label (laminated medium) by stacking multiple labels (printed print media 11) obtained by printing on the transparent print medium 11, for example.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of creating a label by stacking multiple printed print media. Fig. 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 of which has a different color area showing information printed based on print data.

[0024] The first label L1 is a label on which black characters 1501 and 1502 are printed on a white, opaque print medium 1101W. The first label L1 is created by loading a cartridge 10 that contains the white, opaque print medium 1101W and an ink ribbon with an ink layer of black ink, 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 surface opposite to the print surface onto which the black ink is transferred, for example.

[0025] The second label L2 is a label on which red characters 1503 are printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. The second label L2 is created by loading the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and a cartridge 10 containing an ink ribbon having 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 surface opposite to the print surface onto which the red ink is transferred, for example.

[0026] 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 loading the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and a cartridge 10 containing an ink ribbon with an ink layer of blue ink and performing 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 surface opposite to the print surface onto which the blue ink is transferred, for example.

[0027] 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 attaching the second label L2 and the third label L3 on top of the print surface of the first label L1, a single label 13 can be created, on which black characters 1501 and 1502, red character 1503, and a blue rectangle 16 are laid out, as shown in FIG.

[0028] In this way, by stacking a set (plurality of sheets) of printed printing media 11 on top of each other, each having different colors of information such as printed characters and figures, to create one label 13, it is possible to create a label 13 with a high visual effect.

[0029] However, when creating a single label 13 by stacking multiple printed print media 11, each with different colors of information such as printed characters and graphics, the cartridge must be replaced after each print is completed. 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 printing is performed on the print media 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 FIG. 3 in this order, the cartridge 10 containing the white, opaque print media 1101W and the ink ribbon 12 with a black ink layer is first installed in the printer 1 and printing is performed. Next, the cartridge 10 containing the colorless, transparent print media 1101N and the ink ribbon 12 with a red ink layer is installed in the printer 1 and printing is performed. Finally, the cartridge 10 containing the colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and the ink ribbon 12 having the blue ink layer is mounted in the printing device 1, and printing is performed.

[0030] However, in a conventional printer 1, the order in which printing is performed on the print media to obtain multiple printed print media to be superimposed may not match the printing order the user intended when creating the print data. As a result, when replacing the cartridge 10, a different cartridge 10 may be installed than the one to be used for the next print, resulting in failure to print on the print media 11 (i.e., to create a label). For example, in a conventional printer 1, contrary to the user's expectation that the first label L1, second label L2, and third label L3 shown in FIG. 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 a case, after creating the first label L1, the user may install the cartridge 10 to be used for creating (printing) the second label L2, resulting in failure to create the third label L3.

[0031] The printing device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can prevent label production errors that can occur when a single label is produced by stacking multiple labels (printed media).

[0032] Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment, showing an example of the configuration of the printing device 1 described above with reference to Fig. 1 from the functional and hardware aspects.

[0033] The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a control unit 100, a storage 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.

[0034] The control unit 100 controls various operations of the printing device 1. The storage 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 a program stored in the storage unit 110. The storage unit 110 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM. The storage unit 110 stores programs executed by the processor, information referenced during program execution, and the like. The 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 later) are created (the order in which cartridges are installed). 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 a function of determining the stacking order of the print media required to create the stacked medium based on the print data.

[0035] 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 information printed based on print data.

[0036] 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 the 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 known from the output on / off pattern.

[0037] 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 the 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 multiple heating elements of the thermal head 6. 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 for operating the cutter of the cutting unit 170 may be, for example, an electric cutter that uses power from a motor or the like, or may include a manual cutter that operates by an external force applied by the user by pressing a button or the like.

[0038] 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 may 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 appearance illustrated in FIG. 1 and may, for example, be one that omits 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 when creating a laminated medium, for example.

[0039] Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processing performed by a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 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 the printing device 1 having the keyboard unit 3 and display 4 as shown in Fig. 1.

[0040] The printing device 1 accepts input operations made by the user and performs an editing process to edit information such as characters 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 on which information in a single color is 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 continuously create multiple labels with different combinations of the type of print medium 11 and the color of the information to be printed. The input operations to continuously create multiple labels include input operations to continuously create a set (multiple sheets) of printed print media that are stacked together, as described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0041] Once the editing process is complete, the printer 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 printer 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 (characters, graphics, etc.) to be printed. For example, when creating a laminated medium by stacking a pair of print media in which the colors of areas showing the information printed based on the print data are different, the printer 1 determines that multiple types of cartridges are required. If multiple types of cartridges are required (step S2; YES), the printer 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 printer 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 printing data is a laminated medium made up of a set of printing media each having a different color in the area indicating the information to be printed, and if it is a laminated medium (step S2; YES), the creation order determination process of step S3 may be performed.

[0042] The production order determination process (step S3) is a process for determining the stacking order of print media, among multiple types of print media, required for creating the stacked medium based on the print data, when, for example, creating a stacked medium 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. 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 medium 11 in the print data and the color of the information to be printed. The production order determined in step S3 corresponds to the installation order of cartridges when creating multiple printed print media to be stacked in succession. A specific example of the production order determination process (step S3) will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10.

[0043] 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 associated with the (next) label to be produced based on the print data and the color of the information to be printed. 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 FIG. 11.

[0044] In step S4, after confirming that the cartridge 10 installed in the printer 1 is a cartridge that matches the combination of the type of print medium 11 associated with the upcoming (next) printing and the color of the information to be printed, the printer 1 then creates labels based on the print data (step S5). In step S5, the control unit 100 of the printer 1 controls the operations 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 are to be produced consecutively using the currently installed cartridge 10, the printer 1 produces 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 printer 1 also cuts the print medium 11 in step S5.

[0045] When label creation using the currently installed cartridge 10 is complete, the printer 1 determines whether label creation based on the print data is complete (step S6). For example, if labels (plurality of printed print media) are being created in accordance with the creation order determined in step S3 and there are labels that have not yet been created, the printer 1 determines that label creation is not complete. If label creation is not complete (step S6; NO), the process performed by the printer 1 returns to step S4.

[0046] When label creation is complete (step S6; YES), the printer 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 printer 1 returns to, for example, step S1. If the power has been turned off (step S7; YES), the printer 1 ends the processing illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0047] 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 one label (laminated medium) by overlapping a plurality of printed print-receiving media 11. The printing device 1 according to this embodiment performs the production order determination process, for example, in accordance with the flowchart in FIG.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a creation order determination process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment.

[0049] In the production order determination process, the printer 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 printer 1 determines, for example, whether there is a combination in which the color of the print medium 11 is opaque among the combinations of the color of the print medium 11 in the print data and the color of the information to be printed. If there are any labels with an opaque background (color) (step S301; YES), the control unit 100 determines the production order of the label with an opaque background to be first (step S302). Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines the production order of the remaining labels with transparent backgrounds according to a predetermined determination rule (step S303).

[0050] On the other hand, if there are no labels with an opaque background (step S301; NO), the control unit 100 skips the process of step S302 and determines the order of creation of labels with a transparent background according to a predetermined decision rule (step S303).

[0051] After step S303, the control unit 100 of the printer 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 then 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 printer 1 of FIG. 1), such as a liquid crystal 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 causing the printer 1 to produce the labels. Furthermore, by displaying and informing the user of the label creation order and the corresponding cartridge installation order, the user can efficiently perform cartridge replacement work by arranging the prepared cartridges in the installation order, and can also prevent installation of incorrect cartridges.

[0052] When multiple labels (printed media) are stacked to create a single label (laminated media), for example, by creating the multiple labels in a stacking order, the created labels can be stacked while waiting for the next label to be created. In this case, the first label to be created among the multiple labels will be either the label that will be the bottom layer or the label that will be the top layer (outermost). In the flowchart illustrated in Figure 6, the order of creation of the label with an opaque background is determined first, so by stacking the created labels in order so that the label with an opaque background is the bottom layer, a single label made up of multiple labels can be efficiently created.

[0053] The decision rule applied to determining the order in which transparent-background labels are produced in step S303 is not limited to a 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 a 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. Furthermore, 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 (e.g., whether it is text or graphics) to be printed on the print medium 11. Some examples of decision rules will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

[0054] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a rule for determining the order of creation. Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of a rule for determining the order of creation.

[0055] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic rule 20 for determining the order of labels to be printed based on the color of the area showing the information (characters, 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 (bright) color, such as yellow or light blue, the visibility of the information may be reduced. Therefore, when determining the order of labels to be printed with a transparent background in step S303, the lighter (brighter) color of the area showing the information to be printed may be placed on top of the other labels. In other words, if the order of labels to be printed with an opaque background is set to first as in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 6, the order of labels to be printed with an opaque background may be determined by applying rule 20 of FIG. 7 so that the labels to be printed on each of a set of print media 11 are produced in order from the darkest (darker) color of the area showing the information to be printed. In this way, the user can create highly visible labels by simply stacking the labels in the order in which they were created, without having to be aware of the stacking order.

[0056] Furthermore, the rule for determining the order of creation based on the color of the area indicating the information to be printed can also be applied, for example, to cases where areas where information is printed on overlapping 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 (light blue) area printed on a second print medium 11, the order of creation is determined so that the second print medium 11 is overlaid on top of the first print medium 11. While FIG. 7 shows an example of a general rule 20, the rule for determining the order of creation 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).

[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic rule 21 for determining the order of printing 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 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 information (character size) printed on the lower print medium 11 is small, the visibility of the information may be reduced. Therefore, when determining the order of printing labels with transparent backgrounds in step S303, the labels with smaller printed information (character size) may be placed on top of each other when stacked. In other words, if the order of printing labels with opaque backgrounds is set to first as in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 6, the order of printing may be determined by applying rule 21 in FIG. 8 so that the labels with the largest printed information (character size) to be printed on each of a set of print media 11 are printed in descending order. In this way, highly visible labels can be created simply by stacking the labels in the order in which they were created, without the user having to consider the stacking order. 8 uses character size as an example, but the rule is not limited to this and may be a rule that determines the creation order based on the resolution (definition) of the graphic to be printed, or based on the character size and graphic resolution, etc. 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, not limited to the character size or graphic resolution, etc.

[0058] FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic 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 characters and graphics printed on a label 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 FIG. 9 can be applied, and a print medium 11 printed with information that is printed with a lower priority for preservation (preventing deterioration due to ink peeling, fading, and other factors) can be stacked on top of a print medium 11 printed with information that is printed with a higher priority for preservation. This allows the user to create labels with high information preservation simply by stacking the labels in the order in which they were created, without having to worry about the stacking order. Furthermore, this also reduces the consumption of tape, for example, by applying an additional transparent protective tape on top of multiple printed print media 11.

[0059] 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 (the lower the layer). Also, for example, the priority of colors classified as light (pale) based on the color attributes (elements) may be set higher (the lower the layer) than the priority of other colors.

[0060] The label production order may be determined according to other rules, not limited to rules 20 to 22 described above with reference to Figures 7 to 9. 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, derived based on multiple layout data corresponding to each of the multiple labels, is placed on a lower layer. Furthermore, rules 20 to 22 described above with reference to Figures 7 to 9 may be applied not only individually but also in combination of two or more rules, or in combination of one of rules 20 to 22 with another rule. For example, if the areas where information is printed on overlapping print-receiving media 11 overlap, the production order may be changed depending on how the areas where information is printed on each print-receiving medium 11 overlap. For example, if a black or dark blue area printed on a first printing medium 11 overlaps with a light blue (pale blue) area printed on a second printing 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 printing medium 11 is overlaid on top of the second printing medium 11 can prevent the black or dark blue area from appearing lighter due to being covered by the light blue area.

[0061] Figure 10 shows a fourth example of a rule for determining the production order, showing examples of each label L1 to L4 and an example of the order in which they are stacked when a first label L1, a second label L2, a third label L3, and a fourth label L4 are stacked to create a single label (laminated medium) 13.

[0062] The first label L1 is a label with black characters 1504 printed on a white, opaque print medium 1101W. The first label L1 is created by loading a cartridge 10 that contains the white, opaque print medium 1101W and an ink ribbon with an ink layer of black ink, 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 surface opposite to the print surface onto which the black ink is transferred, for example.

[0063] 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 black text 1504 printed on the first label L1 on the overlapping label 13, emphasizing the words "Not for Removal." The second label L2 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N and an ink ribbon with a red ink layer, 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 onto which the red ink is transferred, for example.

[0064] The third label L3 is a label with a (dark) blue rectangle 17 printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. In the overlapping labels 13, the blue rectangle 17 is located to the right of the black characters 1504 printed on the first label L1, and serves as the background color for the light blue characters 1504 described below. The third label L3 is created by loading a cartridge 10 containing a colorless and 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 surface opposite to the print surface onto which the blue ink is transferred, for example.

[0065] The fourth label L4 is a label on which light blue letters 1506 are printed on a colorless and transparent print medium 1101N. In the overlapping labels 13, the light blue letters 1506 are located to the right of the black letters 1504 printed on the first label L1 and 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 performing 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 onto which the light blue ink is transferred, for example.

[0066] The label 13 shown in Fig. 10 indicates that the item to which the label 13 is affixed is managed by the "XX department" in a facility such as a company or school, and is "strictly prohibited from being taken out." Furthermore, the light blue characters "A01" 1506 displayed within the blue rectangle 17 on the label 13 in Fig. 10 are, for example, a number (management number) that identifies the item to which the label 13 is affixed.

[0067] 10, a user of the printing device 1 edits and creates print data including, for example, first layout data for creating a first label L1, second layout data for creating a second label L2, third layout data for creating a third label L3, and fourth layout data for creating a fourth label L4. If the user edits the print 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, in accordance with 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 in accordance with a determination rule separate from the creation order of the layout data.

[0068] 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, does not place it 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 assign a higher priority to storability to layout data that prints text, based on the information to be printed in each layout data.

[0069] 10, the light blue text 1504 of the fourth label L4 must 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 the labels 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 the label 13 of FIG. 10. By creating the labels in this order, each time a label is created, the created labels 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. In addition, by overlaying the second label L2, on which graphic information is printed, on top of the fourth label L4, on which text information is printed, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the text information on the fourth label L4 due to ink peeling, fading, etc.

[0070] If the order in which to produce multiple overlapping labels 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, which could result 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 whether the appropriate cartridge 10 is installed when determining the order in which to produce multiple overlapping labels and producing each label. The printing device 1 of this embodiment performs the cartridge confirmation process, for example, following the flowchart in Figure 11.

[0071] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cartridge confirmation process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment.

[0072] 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 causes the display unit 130 (display 4 in the printing device 1 of FIG. 1), such as a liquid crystal display, to display information indicating the type of cartridge to be installed (for example, the type of print medium 11 contained in the cartridge and the color of the ink layer of the ink ribbon).

[0073] After step S401, or in parallel with step S401, the printing device 1 detects the type of the currently installed cartridge 10 (step S402). In step S402, the installation state detection unit 141 of the cartridge detection unit 140 detects whether or not the cartridge 10 is installed in the cartridge installation unit 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).

[0074] 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 types of cartridge 10 match (step S403; YES), the printing device 1 ends the cartridge confirmation process and returns to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 5 to create a label. If the types of cartridge 10 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 types of cartridge 10 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.

[0075] 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 colors of the areas showing information (characters, graphics, etc.) printed based on print data are different. The stacking order of the print media necessary to create the stacked medium is determined based on the print data. Furthermore, the printing device 1 of this embodiment displays information indicating the type of cartridge to be installed according to the order in which each print medium included in the set of print media is to be installed. In the case of a thermal transfer printing device 1 such as this embodiment, the information indicating the type of cartridge includes information indicating the type of print medium (e.g., color, width, medium type (material, presence or absence of adhesive layer, etc.)) and information indicating the color of the ink layer of 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 printing (label creation), which is identified according to the label creation order, before starting the next printing (label creation). This prevents the next printing from starting with the wrong cartridge 10 installed, resulting in a failed label creation.

[0076] The above-described embodiments are merely examples for facilitating 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 changes are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0077] For example, the multiple labels (print-receiving media 11) that are stacked to create one label (laminated medium) do not all need to have the same dimensions as described with reference to Figures 3 and 11, and may instead be multiple labels of different widths. When multiple labels of different widths are stacked, the order in which the labels are created can be determined so that, for example, the thinner (narrower) the label is, the higher the layer.

[0078] The above-described embodiment illustrates a thermal transfer printer 1 that creates labels by installing a cartridge 10 containing a roll 11R of print medium 11 and a roll 12R of ink ribbon 12. However, the printer 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a specific printing method. The printer 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a thermal transfer printer, and may be, for example, a thermal printer that changes color on the print medium 11 by applying heat from a thermal head 6. Furthermore, the printer 1 according to the present invention may be of another printing method that prints in one color on the print medium 11 supplied from an installed cartridge. In a thermal printer, for example, a single cartridge (container) may be configured to replace the print medium 11. In such a printer, for example, an IC tag sticker or barcode containing information indicating the type of print medium 11 is affixed to the roll 11R of print 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 mount multiple types of printing media 11 on the device housing 2, and that automatically replaces the multiple types of printing media 11 mounted on the printing device itself while printing.

[0079] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a printing device 1 having a function of editing the information and colors to be printed on the printing medium 11 was exemplified, but the processes of editing the information and colors to be printed and determining the order in which the labels are created (the order in which the cartridges 10 are attached) may also be performed by an electronic device capable of communicating with the printing device 1, such as a smartphone or a personal computer.

[0080] The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows: [Appendix 1] A control unit that, when using a plurality of types of print media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media in which the colors of areas showing information printed based on print data are different from each other, 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. An electronic device comprising: [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 any one of claims 1 to 3. [Appendix 5] The control unit 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. 5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. [Appendix 6] The control unit The stacking order is determined based on the priority of preservation of information printed on each print medium so that the print medium on which the information with the highest priority is printed is the lower layer. 6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. [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 any one of claims 1 to 6. [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 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. 9. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. [Appendix 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, When a laminated medium is to be created by stacking a set of print media using a plurality of types of print media, each of which has a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, the stacking order of the print media necessary for creating the laminated medium is determined based on the print data. A control method comprising: executing a process. [Appendix 13] When a laminated medium is to be created by stacking a set of print media using a plurality of types of print media, each of which has a different color in an area showing information printed based on print data, the stacking order of the print media necessary for creating the laminated medium is determined based on the print data. A program that causes an electronic device to execute a process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 Printing device 100 control section 110 Storage section 120 Input section 130 Display section 140 Cartridge detection unit 141 Wearing state detection unit 142 Cartridge type detection unit 150 Conveyor 160 Printing Department 170 Cutting section 2. Device housing 201 Outlet 3 Keyboard section 4 Display 5 Lid 6 Thermal head 7 Platen roller 8 Cutter 10 cartridges 1001 Winding shaft 11 Printing media 11R Roll of printing medium 11 1101W White opaque printing medium 1101N Colorless and transparent printing medium 1102 Release paper 12 Ink ribbon 12R Ink ribbon 12 roll 13 Label 1501, 1502, 1504 Black letters 1503 Red letters 1506 Light blue letters 16 Blue Rectangle 17 Blue Square 18 Thick red line Rules 20, 21, and 22

Claims

1. 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.

2. When using multiple types of print media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of print media in which the colors of the areas showing the information to be printed based on print data are different from each other, a control unit is provided that determines the stacking order of the print media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. The stacking order is set when the user creates the print data.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

6. 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 first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

7. 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.

8. The control unit 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.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

9. 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 first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

10. 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:

11. 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.

12. An electronic device comprising: 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.

13. 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.

14. When using multiple types of printing media to create a laminated medium by stacking a set of printing media in which the colors of the areas showing the information to be printed based on the printing data are different from each other, the stacking order of the printing media necessary to create the laminated medium from among the multiple types of printing media is determined based on the printing 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.

Images