Tape Printing Display Control for On-Demand Character Flipping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tape printing apparatuses cannot display characters or outer frames subjected to left-right flip, black-white inversion, or up-down flip, limiting the versatility of text and frame designs on printed tapes.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a control portion that generates flipped image data for characters and outer frames on the fly based on user input, allowing for left-right flip, black-white inversion, or up-down flip, without increasing storage capacity by pre-storing flipped image data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If flipped image data is pre-stored in the memory element, then the display of flipped characters and outer frames is enabled, but the storage capacity of the memory element is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay capabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by storing only the original character image data in the memory element, and generates flipped versions on-demand when needed for display, avoiding the need to pre-store all flipped variants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control portion creates temporary copies of character image data in the work area memory when flip operations are required, generating flipped versions through image processing rather than retrieving pre-stored flipped data from the memory element

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Quantity of substance

If the control portion generates flipped image data dynamically, then the storage capacity is reduced, but the processing complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically storing multiple flipped character sets with an image processing system that generates flipped versions through software-based image manipulation, reducing hardware storage requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The control portion changes parameters of the stored image data through flip operations (left-right inversion, up-down inversion, black-white inversion) to generate the required flipped character and outer frame images dynamically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250292049A1Tape printing apparatus and control method of tape printing apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A tape printing apparatus includes a display portion and a control portion, in which the control portion controls the display portion based on image data representing a first character selected from a first character selection screen such that the selected first character is displayed on a text screen as a character constituting text to be printed, receives an flip instruction to display, on the text screen in place of the first character, a first flipped character in which the first character is subjected to character flip, generates first flipped image data representing the first flipped character based on the image data representing the first character when the flip instruction is received, and controls the display portion based on the generated first flipped image data such that the first flipped character is displayed on the text screen in place of the first character as the character constituting the text.