Information processing device, print data creation method, and program

Abstract

To easily customize a pasting object having a plurality of areas.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes an acquisition unit for acquiring format information for designating a format of a calendar 3000 being a pasting object having a plurality of areas, and a control unit for creating data of an image on the basis of the format information of the calendar 3000 so as to make a plurality of content images fit in the plurality of areas of the calendar 3000, respectively in the case that tapes (a label L41, a label L42, a label L51, a label L52) being media to be printed with the plurality of content images printed are pasted onto the calendar 3000.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosure of this specification relates to an information processing device, a print data creation method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Calendars included in planners sold in Japan generally include dates, days of the week, Japanese holidays, and the Rokuyo calendar. However, the information users want from a calendar varies, and there is a demand for easy customization of calendars. In recent years, planners have also been released that include calendars that only include dates and grids, with the assumption that users can customize them.

[0003] A suitable way to customize a calendar is to use a printing device that prints information on tape that can be attached to a planner, as described in Patent Document 1. By using such printing devices called label printers or label writers, you can freely customize your calendar simply by attaching the labels you create to your planner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-179882 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The task of creating labels by inputting each piece of information to be added to a calendar and then attaching the created labels to the calendar one by one is time-consuming for users. This type of work can be one factor that discourages users from customizing their calendars using printing devices. To encourage the use of printing devices for customizing calendars, it is desirable to reduce the burden of creating and attaching labels.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object according to one aspect of the present invention is to provide a technique for easily customizing a paste target having multiple areas, such as a calendar. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an acquisition unit that acquires format information of a paste target having a plurality of areas; and a control unit that, when a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the paste target, creates image data based on the format information of the paste target so that the images of the plurality of contents fit within the plurality of areas of the paste target. The control unit selects a character orientation for the print medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data, based on an alignment direction of the plurality of areas to be pasted, which is specified by the format information, and selects a writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit, based on a width in the alignment direction, which is specified by the format information. do.

[0008] A print data creation method according to one aspect of the present invention includes: The computer Acquires format information of a paste target having a plurality of areas, and when a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the paste target, creates image data based on the format information of the paste target so that the images of the plurality of contents are each contained within the plurality of areas of the paste target. and selecting a character orientation for the print medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data, based on an alignment direction of the plurality of areas to be pasted, which is specified by the format information; and selecting a writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit, based on a width in the alignment direction, which is specified by the format information. vinegar R .

[0009] A program according to one aspect of the present invention is provided for causing a computer to execute a process of acquiring format information of a paste target having a plurality of areas, and creating image data based on the format information of the paste target when a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the paste target so that the images of the plurality of contents fit within the plurality of areas of the paste target. and selecting a character orientation for the print medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data, based on an alignment direction of the plurality of areas to be pasted, which is specified by the format information; and selecting a writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit, based on a width in the alignment direction, which is specified by the format information. To make. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above aspect, it is possible to easily customize a paste target having a plurality of areas. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a partial plan view of a printing device 1 according to an embodiment with the cover open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path for a print medium. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a printing device 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device 1000 according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of a flowchart of a print control process. [Figure 7] 10 is an example of a mode selection screen of a label creation support application. [Figure 8] 10 is another example of a mode selection screen of the label creation support application. [Figure 9] 10 is yet another example of a mode selection screen of the label creation support application. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of a print content selection screen of the label creation support application. [Figure 11] This is an example of a label created in normal mode. [Figure 12] 10 is an example of a preview screen of a label creation support application. [Figure 13] 10 is another example of a preview screen of the label creation support application. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a label created in a format specification mode. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining another example of a label created in the format specification mode. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining patterns of writing directions and character orientations relative to the tape. [Figure 17]10 is a diagram for explaining yet another example of a label created by the printing device 1. FIG. [Figure 18] 10 is a diagram for explaining yet another example of a label created by the printing device 1. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system according to another embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system according to yet another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following describes an embodiment of the present invention using as an example a system including a printing device that can print characters, images, etc. on tape, which is a printing medium, and cut and discharge the printed tape (label) to the outside of the device, and an information processing device on which an application (label creation support application) that supports the creation of the label runs.

[0013] In this specification, tape refers to a thin, strip-shaped print medium made of plastic, paper, or any other material. Tape has an adhesive layer and can be attached to a notebook or other item. Tape, for example, has a separator that protects the adhesive layer and a substrate that has an adhesive layer and a printable surface, and is configured so that the adhesive layer of the substrate is exposed by peeling off the separator. Also, a label refers to tape used as a print medium with some information printed on it.

[0014] The printing method of the printing device according to the embodiment is not particularly limited. The printing device may be, for example, a thermal printer that prints using a thermal transfer method or a thermal method. However, the printing device is not limited to a thermal printer and may also be an inkjet printer, a laser printer, or the like.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of a printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention with the cover open.

[0016] 1 is a system for creating labels used to customize a label-attaching object having multiple areas, and includes a printing device 1, an information processing device 1000 on which a label-making support application runs, and an information processing device 2000 that provides calendar information to the information processing device 1000. The following description will be given taking as an example a case where the label-attaching object having multiple areas is a calendar.

[0017] 1, the information processing device 1000 outputs a print instruction for a label image created by a label creation support application to the printing device 1, which then prints the label image on tape 13 to create a label on which the label image is printed. In other words, the information processing device 1000 is an example of a print control device that controls the printing process in the printing device.

[0018] The information processing device 1000 is, for example, a notebook terminal as shown in Fig. 1, but is not limited to this example. The information processing device 1000 may be a tablet terminal or a smartphone. Note that the information processing device 1000 is not limited to a mobile terminal and may also be a stationary device.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 exchange data, for example, via wireless communication. The standard of the wireless communication performed between the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 is not particularly limited. For example, a wireless LAN standard such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) may be adopted. Communication may be performed in ad hoc mode as shown in FIG. 1, or in infrastructure mode via an access point. Furthermore, a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (hereinafter referred to as BLE) may be adopted for the wireless communication performed between the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000. However, communication between the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 is not limited to wireless communication, and may also be communication using a wired cable.

[0020] The printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 are devices that are directly operated by a user, and are preferably located relatively close to each other, for example, in the same building. On the other hand, the information processing device 2000 may be located in a different location from the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000, and may be, for example, a cloud server located in a cloud environment. The information processing device 2000 may be configured in any manner as long as it can be accessed from the information processing device 1000 via the Internet, and there are no particular limitations on its configuration.

[0021] Calendar information is stored in the information processing device 2000. Here, the calendar information includes date information and various information managed in association with the date information. The date information is, for example, a date in the Gregorian calendar, and the information associated with the date information includes, for example, information such as days of the week, the six signs of the day, dates in the Japanese calendar including the era name, the lunar calendar, Japanese holidays, and foreign holidays. It may also include tide table information, weather forecast information, sunrise and sunset information, and the like. The information associated with the date information may be any information whose content can be identified by the date, i.e., it is date-dependent.

[0022] The printing device 1 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 has a device housing 2 and a lid 4 attached to the device housing 2. The device housing 2 is provided with a concave adapter mounting section 201 into which a tape adapter 11 is attached. The tape adapter 11 is a container that stores a roll of tape 13 (hereinafter referred to as a "tape roll 12") and supplies the tape 13 to the printing device 1. The underlined number "9" in Figures 1 and 2 indicates that the width of the tape 13 stored in the tape adapter 11 is 9 mm. Note that the tape 13 is not limited to 9 mm wide, and various widths such as 12 mm, 18 mm, and 36 mm can also be used.

[0023] The adapter mounting section 201 of the device housing 2 communicates with an outlet 202 provided on the side of the device housing 2. The printing device 1 can transport the tape 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11 mounted in the adapter mounting section 201 along a transport path provided in the device housing 2 and eject it from the outlet 202. The device housing 2 is equipped with a platen roller (transport roller) 6 that transports the tape 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11, a printing unit 7 that prints on the tape 13, and a cutting unit 8 that cuts the tape 13.

[0024] The lid 4 is attached to the device housing 2 so that the adapter mounting section 201 in the device housing 2 can be opened and closed. In the printing device 1, a keyboard 3 is provided in an area of ​​the device housing 2 that does not interfere with the lid 4 when it is in the closed position, and a display 5 is provided on the surface of the lid 4. The keyboard 3 is an input device having multiple keys for inputting and selecting various pieces of information related to the operation of the printing device 1. The display 5 is a display device that displays various pieces of information input or selected using the keyboard 3.

[0025] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path for a print medium, in which the transport path for the tape 13 in the printing device 1 is shown as a straight path.

[0026] The tape 13 unwound from the tape roll 12 and supplied to the printing device 1 passes between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 of the printing unit 7, and is transported along a transport path leading to the discharge outlet 202 of the device housing 2. For example, when the lid 4 moves to the closed position, the tape 13 is sandwiched between the circumferential surface of the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701, and is transported along the transport path as the platen roller 6 rotates.

[0027] The platen roller 6 in the printing device 1 of this embodiment can be rotated by the power of a motor (not shown) in a first rotation direction that feeds the tape 13 toward the discharge port 202, and in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction. In the following description, rotation of the platen roller 6 in the first rotation direction will be referred to as forward rotation, and the feed direction of the tape 13 when the platen roller 6 is rotated forward will be referred to as the forward direction. Also in the following description, rotation of the platen roller 6 in the second rotation direction will be referred to as reverse rotation, and the feed direction of the tape 13 when the platen roller 6 is rotated reverse will be referred to as the reverse direction.

[0028] The printing device 1 prints on the tape 13 by applying heat from the thermal head 701 to the tape 13 as it is transported forward. In the following description, the position on the transport path where the tape 13 and the thermal head 701 come into contact is referred to as the printing position.

[0029] The tape 13 transported along the transport path can be cut by a first cutter 801 at a full-cut position between the print position and the discharge position (a position corresponding to the discharge port 202 of the device housing 2). The tape 13 transported along the transport path can be cut by a second cutter 802 at a half-cut position between the full-cut position and the discharge position.

[0030] The first cutter 801 is a full cutter that cuts the entire tape 13 at a cut line of the tape 13 at the full cut position, separating it into two pieces. For example, if the tape 13 is a print medium that includes a substrate that is an adhesive tape layer and a separator that is a protective layer that protects the adhesive tape layer, the first cutter 801 cuts both the substrate and the separator, separating each of the substrate and the separator into two pieces.

[0031] The second cutter 802 is a half cutter that cuts the tape 13 at a cut line in the tape 13 at the half-cut position so that both sides of the cut line remain integral due to the uncut portions. For example, if the tape 13 is a print medium that includes a substrate that is an adhesive tape layer and a separator that is a protective layer that protects the adhesive tape layer, the second cutter 802 cuts only the substrate and does not cut the separator. Note that the second cutter 802 may also be a cutter that cuts the tape 13 so that perforations are created in the tape 13.

[0032] 3, the printing device 1 may also be provided with a pair of discharge rollers 1501 and 1502 that sandwich the tape 13 between the half-cut position and the discharge position on the conveyance path and assist in conveying the tape 13 in the forward direction. For example, when the tape 13 is cut by the first cutter 801, the discharge rollers 1501 and 1502 operate so that the tape 13 located downstream of the full-cut position is conveyed in the forward direction. In the following description, the position on the conveyance path where the tape 13 is sandwiched between the discharge rollers 1501 and 1502 is referred to as the discharge roller position. The discharge roller position is a position between the full-cut position and the discharge position.

[0033] 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment. The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a control unit 100, a storage unit 120, an input unit 130, a display unit 140, a conveying unit 150, a printing unit 160, a cutting unit 170, a sensor 180, and a communication unit 190.

[0034] The input unit 130 is an input device for inputting various information to the printing device 1, and includes, for example, the above-mentioned keyboard 3. The display unit 140 is a display device for displaying various information to the user of the printing device 1, and includes, for example, the above-mentioned display 5.

[0035] The transport unit 150 transports the tape 13 under the control of the control unit 100. The transport unit 150 includes, for example, the platen roller 6, a motor connected to the platen roller 6, a drive circuit that drives the motor, and an encoder that detects the number of rotations (rotation angle) of the platen roller 6.

[0036] The printing unit 160 prints on the tape 13 under the control of the control unit 100. The printing unit 160 corresponds to the printing unit 7 described above, and includes, for example, a thermal head 701, a drive circuit that drives the heat generating elements of the thermal head 701, and a thermistor that detects the temperature of the thermal head 701.

[0037] The cutting section 170 cuts the tape 13 under the control of the control section 100. The cutting section 170 corresponds to the above-described cutting unit 8, and includes, for example, a first cutter 801, a second cutter 802, motors connected to each cutter, a drive circuit for driving the motors, and a pair of discharge rollers 1501 and 1502.

[0038] The control unit 100 controls the conveying unit 150, the printing unit 160, and the cutting unit 170. The control unit 100 controls the operation of one or more of the conveying unit 150, the printing unit 160, and the cutting unit 170, thereby controlling the execution of the conveying process, the printing process, and the cutting process in the printing device 1.

[0039] The control by the control unit 100 is performed by, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program stored in the storage unit 120. The control unit 100 may include an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like.

[0040] The storage unit 120 stores various programs executed by the processor serving as the control unit 100, various data used when executing the programs, etc. The storage unit 120 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 121 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 122.

[0041] The sensor 180 detects, for example, whether or not the tape adapter 11 is attached, and also detects the width of the tape 13 supplied from the attached tape adapter 11. The communication unit 190 is a communication interface that communicates with the information processing device 1000. The communication unit 190 can perform at least one of wireless communication in accordance with a known short-range wireless communication standard and wired communication using a transmission cable.

[0042] For example, when the printing device 1 configured as above receives a print instruction including a label image from the information processing device 1000, it performs a process (operation) of printing the label image on the tape 13 to create a label.

[0043] Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device 1000 according to an embodiment. Although not particularly limited, the information processing device 1000 may include, for example, a processor 1001, a storage device 1002, an input interface 1003, an output interface 1004, and a communication interface 1005, as shown in Fig. 5, which may be connected via a bus.

[0044] The processor 1001 is an example of a control unit of the information processing device 1000. The processor 1001 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and executes a program stored in the storage device 1002. The processor 1001 may include any electric circuit such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0045] The storage device 1002 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as any semiconductor memory. The storage device 1002 includes volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), and non-volatile memory such as flash memory. The storage device 1002 may also include magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, and other types of storage devices.

[0046] A program 1002a is stored in the storage device 1002. The program 1002a is an application that supports label creation (label creation support application). More specifically, the program 1002a is an application that supports the creation of labels used to customize a calendar.

[0047] The storage device 1002 may further store the above-mentioned calendar information and format information, which will be described later. The calendar information may be stored in the storage device 1002 in advance, or may be acquired from the information processing device 2000 as needed and stored. The format information may also be stored in the storage device 1002 in advance, or may be created based on information input by the user and stored in the storage device 1002.

[0048] The input interface 1003 is connected to a touch panel, a keyboard, or the like. The input interface 1003 may also be connected to an audio input device such as a microphone. The output interface 1004 is connected to a display device or the like. The display device may be a display device included in the information processing device 1000, or may be a display device different from the information processing device 1000. The communication interface 1005 exchanges data with the printing device 1, for example, by wireless communication. There are no particular limitations on the standard of wireless communication performed between the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 (communication interface 1005). Communication between the printing device 1 and the information processing device 1000 (communication interface 1005) is not limited to wireless communication, and may also be communication using a wired cable.

[0049] In the information processing device 1000 configured as described above, the processor 1001 executes the program 1002a to generate label images of labels used to customize a calendar (hereinafter referred to as calendar labels) and transmit them to the printing device 1. In other words, the information processing device 1000 controls the printing device 1 so that printing is performed.

[0050] The information processing device 2000 is not particularly limited, but may have the same configuration as the information processing device 1000 shown in Fig. 5. The information processing device 2000 transmits calendar information to the information processing device 1000 in response to a request from the information processing device 1000.

[0051] A print control method performed by the information processing device 1000, which generates a label image for a calendar label and transmits the label image to the printing device 1 to control the printing device 1, will be specifically described below.

[0052] FIG. 6 is an example of a flowchart of the print control process. FIGS. 7 to 9 are examples of a mode selection screen of the label creation support application. FIG. 10 is an example of a print content selection screen of the label creation support application. FIG. 11 is an example of a label created in normal mode. FIGS. 12 and 13 are examples of a preview screen of the label creation support application. FIGS. 14 and 15 are diagrams for explaining an example of a label created in format specification mode. Hereinafter, the print control process for creating a label for customizing a calendar will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 15.

[0053] The print control process shown in FIG. 6 is started, for example, when the user of the information processing device 1000 selects the label support program (program 1002a) and the processor 1001 executes the program 1002a.

[0054] When the print control process starts, the processor 1001 displays a mode selection screen on the display device of the information processing device 1000 (step S1). Here, the processor 1001 displays, for example, a window 1100 shown in Fig. 7 to Fig. 9, which functions as the mode selection screen, on the display device.

[0055] Window 1100 includes an area 1110 for setting an operation mode. In area 1110, normal mode and format specification mode can be selected, and the format specification mode can be selected from three modes (detail mode, product mode, and calendar type mode) that differ in the method of specifying the format. Figures 7, 8, and 9 show the state in which detail mode, product mode, and calendar type mode are selected in area 1110, respectively.

[0056] The normal mode is used when creating a label for customization without considering the format of the calendar to which the label is to be attached. On the other hand, the format specification mode is used when creating a label for customization with consideration given to the format of the calendar to which the label is to be attached. Below, we will first explain what happens when the normal mode is selected.

[0057] When the processor 1001 detects an input to the button area labeled "Next" in the window 1100, it identifies the operation mode selected on the window 1100 (steps S2 and S5).

[0058] When the processor 1001 detects that the normal mode has been selected in step S2, it displays a print content setting screen on the display device of the information processing device 1000 (step S3). Here, the processor 1001 displays, for example, a window 1200 shown in Fig. 10, which functions as the print content setting screen, on the display device.

[0059] Window 1200 includes an area 1210 for setting the target period and an area 1220 for setting the number of labels to be produced. The target period is the period in the calendar that is to be customized. In area 1210, it is possible to select whether or not to set the target period, and when specifying the target period, it is also possible to specify the start and end dates.

[0060] The processor 1001 acquires period information specifying the target period and information on the number of labels to be produced based on the information specified in these areas (area 1210 and area 1220). In other words, the processor 1001 operates as an acquisition unit that acquires period information and number information.

[0061] Window 1200 further includes an area 1231 for specifying the font, font size, and language of the characters to be printed on tape 13, and an area 1232 for specifying the type of information to be printed on tape 13, in other words, the type of content.

[0062] FIG. 10 illustrates content types such as "day of the week," "date (Gregorian calendar)," "date (Japanese calendar)," "date (lunar calendar)," "six days of the week," "holiday," "24 solar terms," ​​"age of the moon," "tide table," "what day," and "sunrise / sunset," but content types are not limited to these. A content type may be any type as long as the information included in that type, in other words, the information specified by that type, is date-dependent. For example, information such as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday included in the type "day of the week" is identified as one of these by the date, and is therefore date-dependent information. Note that information specified by a date may exist multiple times for a single day, as in the case of "what day," and there may also be dates to which no information is assigned, as in the case of "holiday."

[0063] For public holidays, tide tables, and sunrise / sunset information, you can also select a location. For example, for public holidays, you can specify the national holiday of the specified country by selecting a country as the location information. For tide tables and sunrise / sunset information, you can also specify the location information by selecting a location.

[0064] The processor 1001 acquires information specifying the font, font size, and language, and type information specifying the type of content, based on the information specified in these areas (area 1231 and area 1232). That is, the processor 1001 operates as an acquisition unit that acquires information specifying the font, font size, and language, and type information.

[0065] When the processor 1001 detects an input to the button area labeled "Next" in the window 1200, it generates a label image (step S4). Specifically, when the operating mode is the normal mode, the processor 1001 generates a label image based on information acquired from the print content setting screen.

[0066] In step S4, first, the processor 1001 transmits a request including period information, type information, and information specifying a language (language information) to the information processing device 2000. As a result, the information processing device 1000 acquires, from the calendar information stored in the information processing device 2000, information about the period to be customized specified by the period information among the information in the language specified by the language information included in the type specified by the type information, as multiple contents to be printed on the label.

[0067] For example, if the period information specifies the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022, the type information specifies "day of the week," and the language information specifies "Japanese," the day of the week for each date in the year will be obtained, starting with "Saturday," which is the day of the week corresponding to January 1, 2022, and ending with "Saturday," which is the day of the week corresponding to December 31, 2022.

[0068] That is, the processor 1001 selects multiple contents to be printed on the label based on the period to be customized specified by the period information, the type specified by the type information, and the language specified by the language information. If no language is specified, content in a predetermined language (e.g., Japanese) may be selected. If no period to be customized is specified, content for a predetermined period may be selected. For example, if the specified type is days of the week, information on the days of the week for one week may be selected as content, and if the specified type is holidays, information on holidays for one year may be selected as content.

[0069] In this example, a plurality of contents are acquired from the information processing device 2000. However, if the plurality of contents can be acquired within the information processing device 1000, it is not necessarily necessary to acquire them from the information processing device 2000.

[0070] In step S4, the processor 1001 further generates a label image including the plurality of contents based on the plurality of contents acquired and the font and font size acquired in step S3. Note that if the operating mode is the format specification mode, the label image is generated using format information, which will be described later.

[0071] Once the label image is generated, the processor 1001 outputs a print instruction including the label image to the printer 1 (step S5), and ends the process shown in Fig. 6. At this time, the print instruction preferably includes the number of labels to be produced. This causes the printer 1 to generate the specified number of labels, each with multiple contents printed on the tape 13.

[0072] FIG. 11 shows an example of a label created in normal mode. FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c) show labels created when a target period is not specified, while FIG. 11(d) shows an example of a label created when a target period is specified. When "day of the week" is selected as type information, the printing device 1 creates a label L10 on which the days of the week for one week are printed consecutively with a half-cut line H sandwiched between them, as shown in FIG. 11(a). The user can easily customize the calendar by peeling off the labels for each day of the week (label L11, label L12, label L13, label L14, label L15, label L16, label L17) from label L10 and pasting them onto the calendar.

[0073] Furthermore, when "Rokuyo" is selected as type information, the printing device 1 creates a label L20 on which six types of days are printed consecutively with half-cut lines H in between, as shown in Fig. 11(b). The user can easily customize the calendar by peeling off the labels for each day (label L21, label L22, label L23, label L24, label L25, label L26) from label L20 and pasting them on the calendar.

[0074] When "Japanese Holidays" is selected as the type information, the printing device 1 creates a label L30 on which the holidays for the year are printed consecutively with half-cut lines H in between, as shown in Figure 11(c). The user can easily customize the calendar by peeling off the labels for each holiday (label L31, label L32, label L33, ..., label L3N) from label L30 and pasting them onto the calendar.

[0075] When a period is specified and "day of the week" and "six days of the lunar calendar" are selected as type information, the printer 1 creates a label L0 on which a combination of day of the week and six days of the lunar calendar for each day (six days in this example) within the specified period is printed, as shown in Figure 11(d). The user can easily customize the calendar by peeling off the labels for each day (label L1, label L2, label L3, ..., label LN) from label L0 and pasting them on the calendar.

[0076] Next, a case where the format designation mode is selected will be described. When the processor 1001 detects in steps S2 and S5 that the detailed mode, which is one of the format designation modes, has been selected, the processor 1001 acquires detailed information as format information from the mode selection screen shown in Fig. 7 (step S6).

[0077] As shown in Figure 7, when the detailed mode is selected, window 1100 includes an area 1121 for specifying the number of rows and columns in the tabular format of the calendar, an area 1122 for specifying the arrangement of the calendar, i.e., the direction in which the dates are arranged, and an area 1123 for specifying the size of the entire calendar or the size of one day's area (block) of the calendar.

[0078] In the detailed mode, the detailed information specified in these areas (areas 1121 to 1123) is acquired as information specifying the format of the calendar to be customized (hereinafter referred to as format information). That is, the processor 1001 functions as an acquisition unit that acquires the format information.

[0079] Furthermore, when the processor 1001 detects in steps S2 and S5 that the product mode, which is one of the format designation modes, has been selected, it acquires product information from the mode selection screen shown in FIG. 8 (step S7).

[0080] As shown in FIG. 8, when the product mode is selected, window 1100 includes an area 1124 for specifying the manufacturer of the product, including the calendar, to be labeled, and an area 1125 for specifying the product of the manufacturer specified in area 1124.

[0081] In the product mode, the processor 1001 acquires the product information specified in these areas (area 1124 and area 1125). Furthermore, the processor 1001 acquires format information based on the acquired product information. Specifically, the processor 1001 may acquire the format information corresponding to the specified product by selecting and reading it from the format information for each product that is pre-stored in the storage device 1002. The content of the format information may be the same as that in the detailed mode, or may further include additional information.

[0082] Furthermore, when the processor 1001 detects that the calendar type mode, which is one of the format designation modes, has been selected in steps S2 and S5, it acquires the calendar type from the mode selection screen shown in Fig. 9 (step S8). In step S8, the processor 1001 further acquires format information based on the acquired calendar type.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 9, when the calendar type mode is selected, window 1100 includes an area 1126 for specifying the size of the product containing the calendar to be labeled, and an area 1127 for specifying the type of calendar.

[0084] In the calendar type mode, the processor 1001 acquires format information based on the calendar type specified in area 1127 and the size specified in area 1126. Specifically, the processor 1001 may acquire format information corresponding to the combination of the specified calendar type and size by selecting and reading it from the format information for each combination of calendar type and size that is pre-stored in the storage device 1002. The content of the format information may be the same as that in the detailed mode or product mode, or may further include additional information.

[0085] When the format information is acquired in steps S6 to S8, the processor 1001 displays the format of the calendar to which the label is to be attached on the display device of the information processing device 1000 (step S9). Here, the processor 1001 displays, for example, a window 1300 shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 on the display device, which functions as a preview screen that displays the calendar format.

[0086] 12 shows an example of a preview screen that is displayed when the calendar format is the same on both the left and right pages of a planner. The preview display in area 1310 shows that the calendar to be customized has seven date areas aligned horizontally, and the size of each area is X1 (mm) x Y1 (mm). The user can adjust the size of the date areas on the preview screen.

[0087] 13 shows an example of a preview screen that is displayed when the calendar formats are different on the left and right pages of a planner. The preview display in area 1321 indicates that the calendar to be customized on the left page has three date areas aligned horizontally, with the size of each area being X2 (mm) x Y2 (mm). The preview display in area 1322 indicates that the calendar to be customized on the right page has four date areas aligned horizontally, with the size of each area being X3 (mm) x Y3 (mm). The user can adjust the size of the date areas on the preview screen.

[0088] Once the adjustment is complete and the user confirms that the previewed format is correct as the calendar format (YES in step S10), the processor 1001 displays the print content setting screen on the display device of the information processing device 1000 (step S3). The processing in step S3 is as described above in the normal mode.

[0089] When the processor 1001 detects an input to the button area labeled "Next" in the window 1200 (print content setting screen), it generates a label image (step S4). Specifically, when the operating mode is the format specification mode, the processor 1001 generates a label image based on the information acquired from the print content setting screen and the format information.

[0090] First, the processor 1001 acquires multiple contents to be printed on the label based on the information acquired from the print content setting screen. This process is the same as in normal mode. Next, the processor 1001 generates a label image using the acquired multiple contents, the font and font size acquired in step S3, and the format information acquired in steps S6 to S8.

[0091] This process differs from normal mode in that a label image is generated using format information. Specifically, the label image has multiple pieces of content spaced apart at intervals according to the format specified in the format information. For example, in the format shown in the preview display in Fig. 12, multiple pieces of content are spaced apart in the label image so that the distance between the beginnings of the pieces of content is X1 (mm).

[0092] Once the label image is generated, the processor 1001 outputs a print instruction including the label image to the printer 1 (step S5), and ends the processing shown in Fig. 6. As a result, the printer 1 creates a label on which multiple contents are arranged on the tape 13 at intervals according to the format. In other words, the processor 1001 is a control unit that controls the printing unit (printer 1) so that multiple contents to be added to the calendar are printed on the tape 13 at intervals according to the format.

[0093] 14 shows an example of a label that is created when the format shown in FIG. 13 is specified in the format information, "day of the week" is specified in the type information, and a two-week period is specified in the period information. With the above settings, labels (label L41, label L51) on the left page have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday printed at intervals according to the format, and labels (label L42, label L52) on the right page have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday printed at intervals according to the format, separated by a half-cut line H, are created (label L40, label L50).

[0094] This allows the user to customize the calendar 3000 by attaching the Moon to Water labels to the left page portion of the calendar 3000 and the Thursday to Sunday labels to the right page portion of the calendar 3000 at the same time. This significantly reduces the user's workload compared to attaching labels for each day of the week.

[0095] Figure 15 shows an example of a label created when the format shown in Figure 13 is specified in the format information, "Rokuyo" is specified in the type information, and a specified two-week period is specified in the period information. With the above settings, two labels (label L60, label L70) are created, each with one week's worth of Rokuyo corresponding to the dates of the specified two weeks printed at intervals according to the format. Each label has three days of Rokuyo printed on the left page and four days of Rokuyo printed on the right page, separated by the half-cut line H.

[0096] This allows the user to easily customize the calendar with information that differs from week to week by attaching the labels to the left and right pages in the order in which they were printed.

[0097] As described above, by having the information processing device 1000 control the printing device by performing the process shown in Fig. 6, the user can easily create a label suitable for customizing a calendar simply by selecting the necessary information from several options, and can customize the calendar in various ways to suit their preferences. For example, by simply specifying a content type, the information necessary for customizing the calendar can be easily obtained and included in the label image. Furthermore, by simply specifying a period, the content corresponding to that period can be obtained and included in the label image.

[0098] Furthermore, by specifying format information, it is possible to attach labels to the calendar in multiple day units such as semiweekly, weekly, or monthly units, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. This further greatly reduces the amount of work required for customization, making it easy to customize the calendar.

[0099] In the above, an example has been shown in which a label is created in which the writing direction is the longitudinal direction of the tape 13 and the orientation of the characters is the width direction of the tape 13, but the labels created by the printer 1 are not limited to this example. The writing direction and the orientation of the characters may be set by the user as appropriate.

[0100] Given that currently most of the text on calendars is written horizontally, processor 1001 may select the orientation of the text based on the format information, specifically, the orientation of the text relative to tape 13 based on the alignment direction of the date area in the calendar specified in the format information.

[0101] In this case, for example, the orientation of the characters relative to the tape 13 can be changed for label L80 to be affixed to a calendar in which dates are aligned vertically, such as a weekly (vertical) type or a monthly (vertical) type, as shown in Figure 16(a), and label L90 to be affixed to a calendar in which dates are aligned horizontally, such as a monthly (block) type, as shown in Figure 16(b).

[0102] Furthermore, although horizontal writing is generally selected as the writing direction, the processor 1001 may also select the writing direction based on the format information, specifically, the width of the alignment direction of the date area in the calendar specified in the format information.

[0103] In this case, even for calendars in which dates are aligned horizontally, the writing direction can be changed depending on the type of alignment width, such as the monthly (vertical) type and the monthly (Gantt chart) type. For example, as shown in Figure 16(b), for label L90 to be affixed to a calendar with a relatively large horizontal width, such as the monthly (block) type, the writing direction can be maintained horizontal as a general rule, while for label L100 to be affixed to a calendar with a narrow horizontal width, such as the monthly (Gantt chart) type, the writing direction can be changed to vertical to prevent the content from overflowing the area, as shown in Figure 16(c).

[0104] 14 and 15 show an example of creating labels separated by half-cut lines H on a page-by-page basis, but for example, as shown in Fig. 17, solid lines SL may be printed at the boundaries of each area on each label (label L41a, label L42a) separated by half-cut lines H included in label L40a. This makes it easy to confirm the attachment position on the calendar, and the daily areas are clearly separated in the customized calendar just as they were before customization, making it easy to use.

[0105] In addition, an example has been shown in which printing multiple contents at intervals according to format information simplifies the label attachment process and reduces the burden on the user in customizing the calendar, but the information processing device 1000 may also reduce the burden on the user by printing multiple contents using a different method.

[0106] While the example shown above is a case where a content type (such as days of the week or the six days of the lunar calendar) in which content exists for all dates is selected, there are also types such as holidays in which content does not exist for many dates. When such a type is selected, in order to reduce the amount of tape 13 consumed relative to the amount of content (amount of printed area), for example, as shown in FIG. 18, instead of leaving a predetermined gap between multiple pieces of content, information specifying the position on the calendar to be pasted on the multiple pieces of content may be printed between the multiple pieces of content. In other words, the processor 1001 may control the printing unit (printing device 1) to print information specifying the position on the calendar to be pasted on the tape 13.

[0107] Label L110 shown in Fig. 18 is a label with public holidays printed on it. Between each label (label L111 to label L11N) separated by half-cut line H and the adjacent label, a header (header H1 to header HN) is formed, on which the position on the calendar where each label should be affixed is printed.

[0108] The above-described embodiments are illustrative examples provided to facilitate understanding of the invention. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments and should be understood to encompass various modifications and alternatives to the above-described embodiments. For example, it will be understood that each embodiment can be embodied by modifying its components without departing from its spirit and scope. It will also be understood that various embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments can be implemented by deleting some components from all of the components shown in the embodiments or by adding some components to the components shown in the embodiments. In other words, the information processing device, printing control method, and program can be variously modified and altered without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0109] In the above-described embodiment, information specifying the format of the calendar to be customized is exemplified as an example of format information, but the format information is not limited to information specifying the format of the calendar. The format information may be any information to be pasted that has multiple areas.

[0110] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the information processing device 1000 controls the printing device 1 so that multiple contents to be added to the calendar are printed on the tape 13 at intervals according to the format, but the information processing device 1000 may also generate a label image (image data) to be used for printing on the printing device 1, and the device that controls the printing device 1 using the generated label image may be a device separate from the information processing device 1000.

[0111] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the information processing device 1000 generates a label image by printing multiple content images on the tape 13 at intervals according to the format, but if this is applied to things other than customizing a calendar, it can be rephrased as follows: That is, when a print medium on which multiple content images are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, the information processing device 1000 (processor 1001) creates image data based on the format information of the pasting target so that the multiple content images each fit within multiple areas of the pasting target. As a result, if the pasting target is a calendar, a label is generated from the image data to be printed on the print medium so that the content images fit into each of multiple areas partitioned by date.

[0112] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the range to which multiple contents are added among the multiple areas of the calendar to be pasted is specified by a period, but the method of specifying the range is not limited to a period. Any range information specifying a specific range among the multiple areas will suffice, and the information processing device 1000 (processor 1001) may select multiple contents based on the range specified by the range information in addition to the type information described above.

[0113] In the above-described embodiment, the printing device 1 has an input unit and a display unit. However, the printing device to which the information processing device 1000 sends a print instruction may not have an input unit or a display unit, such as the printing device 1a included in the system shown in FIG. 19. Also, while the information processing device 1000 that creates the label image and the printing device 1 that prints the label image are separate examples, they may be performed by the same device. As in the system shown in FIG. 20, the label image may be created and printed by the printing device 1. That is, the printing device 1 may function as an information processing device, and the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 may execute the process of FIG. 6 to control the printing unit 160 to print multiple contents on the tape 13 at intervals according to the format.

[0114] Although the above-described embodiment does not mention the color of the tape 13, there is a desire to use different colors when customizing a calendar. For this reason, labels for customizing a calendar may be created using different colors of tape. In this case, multiple colors may be specified on the print content specification screen, and the information processing device 1000 may be configured to output a notification from the information processing device 1000 urging the user to change the tape when printing with a tape of a specified color is required.

[0115] In this specification, the expression "based on A" does not mean "based only on A," but means "based on at least A." That is, "based on A" may also be based on B in addition to A.

[0116] The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows: [Appendix 1] an acquisition unit that acquires format information of a paste target having a plurality of areas; a control unit that, when a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, creates data of the images based on the format information of the pasting target so that the images of the plurality of contents fit within each of a plurality of areas of the pasting target. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 2] In the information processing device according to Supplementary Note 1, The acquisition unit further acquires type information that specifies a type of content to be added to the paste target, The control unit selects the plurality of contents based on the type specified by the type information. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 3] In the information processing device according to Supplementary Note 2, The acquisition unit further acquires range information that specifies a range to which the plurality of contents are to be added among the plurality of areas of the pasting target; The control unit selects the plurality of contents based on the type specified by the type information and the range of the paste target specified by the range information. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 4] In the information processing device according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, The control unit selects a character orientation relative to the print medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data, based on an alignment direction of the plurality of areas to be pasted, which is specified by the format information. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 5] In the information processing device according to Supplementary Note 4, The control unit selects a writing direction for printing performed by the printing unit based on the width in the alignment direction specified in the format information. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 6] In the information processing device according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 5, The control unit controls a printing unit based on the generated image data. 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 7] The information processing device according to Supplementary Note 6, further comprising: The printing unit 1. An information processing device comprising: [Appendix 8] Obtain format information of a paste target having multiple regions; A print data creation method characterized by creating image data based on the format information of the pasting target so that, when a printing medium on which images of multiple contents are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, the images of the multiple contents each fit within multiple areas of the pasting target. [Appendix 9] On the computer, Obtain format information of a paste target having multiple regions; A program characterized by executing a process to create image data based on the format information of the pasting target so that, when a printing medium on which images of multiple contents are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, the images of the multiple contents each fit within multiple areas of the pasting target. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1 Printing device 2. Device housing 3 Keyboard 4 Lid 5. Display 6 Platen roller 7 Printing Unit 8 Cutting Unit 11 Tape Adapter 12 tape rolls 13 Tape 100 control section 120 Storage section 121 RAM 122 ROM 130 Input section 140 Display section 150 Conveyor 160 Printing Department 170 Cutting section 180 sensors 190 Communications Department 201 Adapter attachment part 202 Outlet 701 Thermal Head 801 First Cutter 802 Second Cutter 1501, 1502 Discharge rollers 1000, 2000 Information Processing Devices 1001 processor 1002 Storage device 1002a Program 1003 Input Interface 1004 Display Interface 1005 Communication Interface 1100, 1200, 1300 windows 3000 Calendar L0~L6, L10~L17, L20~L25, L30~L3N, L40~L42, L40a, L41a, L42a, L50~L52, L60~L62, L70~L72, L80, L90, L100, L110~L11N Labels H Half cut line H1~HN headers SL solid line

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires format information of a paste target having a plurality of areas; a control unit that, when a print medium on which a plurality of content images are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, creates data of the image based on the format information of the pasting target so that the plurality of content images fit within each of a plurality of areas of the pasting target; Equipped with The control unit selects the orientation of characters on the printing medium in printing performed by the printing unit based on the generated image data, based on the alignment direction of the multiple areas to be pasted specified in the format information, and selects the writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit based on the width of the alignment direction specified in the format information.

2. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, The acquisition unit further acquires type information that specifies a type of content to be added to the paste target, The control unit selects the plurality of contents based on the type specified by the type information.

1. An information processing device comprising:

3. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2, The acquisition unit further acquires range information that specifies a range to which the plurality of contents are to be added among the plurality of areas of the pasting target; The control unit selects the plurality of contents based on the type specified by the type information and the range of the paste target specified by the range information.

1. An information processing device comprising:

4. 4. The information processing device according to claim 1, The control unit controls a printing unit based on the generated image data.

1. An information processing device comprising:

5. 5. The information processing device according to claim 4, further comprising: The printing unit 1. An information processing device comprising:

6. A computer comprising: Obtain format information of a paste target having multiple regions; When a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, data of the images is created based on the format information of the pasting target so that the images of the plurality of contents are each contained within a plurality of areas of the pasting target; Based on the alignment direction of the plurality of areas to be pasted, which is specified by the format information, a character orientation with respect to the print medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data is selected, and based on the width in the alignment direction specified by the format information, a writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit is selected. How to create print data.

7. On the computer, Obtain format information of a paste target having multiple regions; When a print medium on which images of a plurality of contents are printed is pasted onto the pasting target, a process is executed to create data of the images based on the format information of the pasting target so that the images of the plurality of contents are each contained within a plurality of areas of the pasting target; A program characterized by selecting the orientation of characters relative to the printing medium in printing performed by a printing unit based on the generated image data, based on the alignment direction of the multiple areas to be pasted, as specified in the format information, and selecting the writing direction in printing performed by the printing unit, based on the width of the alignment direction specified in the format information.

Images