Printing device

• US 6,916,129 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DYMO BVBA (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Esselte (Esselte Group Holdings SA)
• Inventors: Woodman, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghatt, Dave A.
• Application Number:
  US10/094,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20030180081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 341/22, 400/472, 400/109, 400/110, 400/111, 400/88
• US Class Current: 400/109
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence

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.

Claims

1. A printing device for printing images 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 scroll keys for selecting a character and an enter key 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;

wherein following selection of a principal character using the scroll keys, the first actuation of the enter key selects the character set within which the principal character is included and a subsequent activation of a scroll key and the enter key selects the associated additional character.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 label length 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;

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 to create a label of the selected length.

5. 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 label length 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;

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 to create a label of the selected length.

6. 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 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, a printer activation key and a reverse key to reverse the order display of additional characters; 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.

7. 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, the memory further stores a plurality of font data;

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 controller selects a font based on the language selected;

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.

8. 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, the memory further stores at least one common word, wherein the common word is stored and recalled as an additional 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.