Printing device
First Claim
1. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
- a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A printing device for printing labels comprises a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principle character and an additional character which is associated with the principle character; user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device; and a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means. The first actuation of a character selection key selects the principle character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of printing characters on a label comprising the steps of:
-
storing in a memory one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
using character selection keys, selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected; and
printing the defined image on a column-by-column basis using a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and the second activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character.
-
-
20. A printing device for printing images comprising:
-
a memory for storing a plurality of character groups, each group associated with a particular language and comprising at least one character set which includes at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having a group selection key for selecting a character group and character selection keys for selecting a character set of a selected character group to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means; and
a print head having a column of printing elements each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27-28. -28. (canceled).
-
29. A printing device for printing images comprising:
-
means for storing a plurality of character sets, wherein at least one character set includes a plurality of principal characters and at least one accent character which is associated with a principal character;
a keyboard comprising means to select a character set, means to select a principal character, and means to select at least one accent character;
means to view the selected principal characters, principal characters with associated accent characters, or mixture thereof; and
means to print the selected principal characters, principal characters with associated accent characters, or mixture thereof on a column-by-column basis. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
-
-
32. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of the associated additional character.
-
-
33. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set and a key for selecting a character size to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed in accordance with the defined image.
-
-
34. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set and a key for selecting a character size to define an image to be printed by the printing device;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed by the print head in accordance with the defined image. - View Dependent Claims (35)
-
-
36. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed on an image-receiving medium by the printing device;
a cutting mechanism arranged to cut a portion of image-receiving medium after an image has been printed to thereby form a label;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key selects the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame selects the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed on an image-receiving medium.
-
-
37. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing one or more character sets, each character set including at least a principal character and an additional character which is associated with the principal character;
user input means having character selection keys for selecting a character set to define an image to be printed on an image-receiving medium by the printing device;
a cutting mechanism arranged to cut a portion of image-receiving medium after an image has been printed to thereby form a label;
a print head having a column of printing elements, each of which is selectively activatable to print the defined image on a column-by-column basis; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the user input means;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of the associated additional character, such that the principal character and the additional character can be printed on an image-receiving medium.
-
-
38. A printing device for printing labels comprising:
-
a memory for storing a plurality of character sets, each character set including a plurality of principal characters and a plurality of additional characters, wherein each additional character is associated with a principal character;
a printer adapted to print labels;
a keyboard comprising a language selection key to select a character set from the plurality of character sets, a plurality of character selection keys for selecting a character to define an image to be printed by the printing device, and a printer activation key; and
a controller for accessing characters from the memory to be displayed and printed which correspond to characters selected at the keyboard;
wherein the first actuation of a character selection key allows selection of the principal character in the selected character set and a subsequent activation of the character selection key in a predetermined time frame allows selection of an associated additional character, and wherein the principal characters comprise letters and numbers associated with a language and the additional characters comprise accented letters used in the language, such that the order of display of the additional characters on subsequent activations of the selected character activation key is in the order in which they are most commonly used in that language. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
-
Specification