Printer

Abstract

A printer having a first printing mode in which information is printed in a normal image on a general printing tape and a second printing mode in which information is printed in a mirror image on a transfer tape. When the printer prints a two-dimensional code symbol image 40b in the second printing mode on the transfer tape 31b, the printer also prints a two-dimensional code symbol image 40a in the normal image in an area of the transfer tape next to its area in which the symbol image is printed in the mirror image. At this time, an additional confirmative indication 42 is printed close to the symbol image 40a printed in the normal image to indicate that this symbol image should be used only for confirming the content of the symbol image printed in the mirror image.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printer according to an embodiment of present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tape cassette and a printer that uses the cassette where an internal structure of the printer is shown;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit for use in the printer;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a printing process to be performed by the printer;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a printing process in a normal image printing mode to be performed by the printer;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a printing process in a mirror image printing mode to be performed by the printer;

FIG. 7 illustrates several examples of an image printed in the normal image printing mode; and

FIG. 8 illustrates several examples of an image printed in the mirror image printing mode;

Claims

1. A printer comprising: a printing unit that prints first information on a printing medium; anda print controller that controls the printing unit in accordance with a print command so as to print the first information in a mirror image and also prints at least part of the first information in a normal image.

2. The printer of claim 1, further comprising a print number setting unit that sets the number of items of first information to be printed; and wherein: the print controller controls the printing unit to print the first information in the mirror image by the number of items of first information set by the print number setting unit, and to print at least one item of the first information in the normal image.

3. The printer of claim 1, wherein the print controller adds to the first information to be printed in the normal image second information indicating that the first information to be printed in the normal image should be for confirming the content of the first information, and then causes the printing unit to print resulting information in the normal image.

4. The printer of claim 1, wherein the print controller also causes the printing unit to print in the normal image the whole first information to be printed in the mirror image.

5. The printer of claim 1, wherein the print controller causes the printing unit to print in the normal image a part of the first information to be printed in the mirror image.

6. The printer of claim 1, wherein the print controller reduces the size of at least a part of the information to be printed and causes the printing unit to print resulting information in the normal image in an area smaller than an area where the first information to be printed is printed in the mirror image.

7. The printer of claim 6, wherein the print controller causes the printing unit to print in the normal image the whole first information to be printed in the mirror image.

8. The printer of claim 6, wherein the print controller causes the printing unit to print in the normal image a part of the first information to be printed in the mirror image.

9. The printer of claim 1, wherein the first information to be printed involves a symbol image of predetermined codes, and wherein the print controller comprises: a dot pattern data producing unit that produces dot pattern data indicative of a symbol image of the predetermined codes;a data pattern data supply unit that supplies to the printing unit the dot pattern data produced by the dot pattern data producing unit; andan inverting unit that inverts the dot pattern data upside down when the dot pattern data is supplied by the data supply unit to the printing unit for mirror image printing.

10. The printer of claim 1, further comprising: a printing mode setting unit that selectively sets a mirror image printing mode for mirror image printing or a normal image printing mode for normal image printing, and wherein:the print controller controls the printing unit in accordance with a print command when the mirror image printing mode is set by the printing mode setting unit to print the first information in the mirror and normal images, and controls the printing unit in accordance with a print command when the normal image printing mode is set by the printing mode setting unit to print the first information in the normal image.

11. The printer of claim 10, further comprising: a sensing unit that senses the kind of a printing medium loaded in the printer to cause the printing unit to print the first information on the printing medium; anda determining unit that determines based on information on the kind of printing medium sensed by the sensing unit whether the printing medium loaded in the printer is suitable for the mirror image printing, and wherein:the print controller is responsive to the print mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit determining that the printing medium loaded is suitable for the mirror printing to control the printing unit so as to print the first information in the mirror and normal images.

12. The printer of claim 11, wherein the print controller is responsive to the print mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit failing to determine that the printing medium loaded is suitable for the mirror image printing to prohibit the printing unit from printing the first information.

13. The printer of claim 11, further comprising an alarm unit, responsive to the printing mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit failing to determine that the printing medium loaded in the printer is suitable for the mirror image printing, for generating an alarm message that the printing medium loaded is unsuitable for the mirror image printing.

14. The printer of claim 10, further comprising an input unit that inputs and sets data on the kind of the printing medium loaded in the printer; and a determining unit that determines based on the data on the kind of the printing medium set by the input unit whether the printing medium loaded is suitable for the mirror printing, and wherein:the print controller is responsive to the print mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit determining that the printing medium loaded is suitable for mirror printing to control the printing unit so as to print the first information in the mirror and normal images.

15. The printer of claim 14, wherein the print controller is responsive to the print mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit failing to determine that the printing medium loaded is suitable for the mirror image printing to prohibit the printing unit from printing the first information.

16. The printer of claim 14, further comprising an alarm unit, responsive to the printing mode setting unit setting the mirror image printing mode and the determining unit failing to determine that the printing medium loaded in the printer is suitable for the mirror image printing, for generating an alarm message that the printing medium loaded is unsuitable for the mirror image printing.