Printing Apparatus and Printing Method

Abstract

There is provided a printing apparatus including: an image creating device which creates a plurality of two-dimensional code images; an interval setting device which sets an interval between the plurality of two-dimensional code images; and a printing device which prints the plurality of two-dimensional code images having the interval set therebetween by the interval setting device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tape printer according to an embodiment with its cover closed.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the tape printer according to the embodiment with its cover opened.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the tape printer.

FIGS. 4A to 4D are illustrations displayed on a display, each showing an input/edit mode, a code selection menu, an application menu, and an error correction level menu.

FIGS. 5A to 5D are illustrations, each showing a division setting menu, an interval setting menu, a data input screen, and a state in which QR-code images are displayed in a preview area.

FIG. 6A is a label on which a QR-code image is printed, and FIG. 6B a label on which both a QR-code image and divided QR-code images are printed.

FIGS. 7A to 7D are illustrations, each explaining an interval setting.

FIG. 8 is an illustration explaining an interval setting in a case in which QR-code images are printed in the direction of a tape width.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for creating QR-code images.

FIGS. 10A to 10E are illustrations of the display at an intermediate stage in which QR-code images are created by the tape printer according to a second embodiment.

FIGS. 11A to 11C are illustrations of the display at a final stage in which the QR-code images are created.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are the labels created by the tape printer.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are illustrations of a display in a process in which QR-code images are created in a modified example of the tape printer according to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are the labels created by the tape printer.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising: an image creating device which creates a plurality of two-dimensional code images;an interval setting device which sets an interval between the plurality of two-dimensional code images; anda printing device which prints the plurality of two-dimensional code images having the interval set therebetween by the interval setting device.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interval setting device secures a margin necessary for the two-dimensional code images and includes a plurality of alternatives by which the interval is selected and set to make the two-dimensional code images fall within a printing medium.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of two-dimensional code images are formed of a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images resulting from division of a series of input data.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of two-dimensional code images are formed of a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images resulting from division of a series of input data and formed of a single two-dimensional code image.

5. A printing method comprising: an image creating step of creating a plurality of two-dimensional code images;an interval setting step of setting an interval between the plurality of two-dimensional code images; anda printing step of printing the plurality of two-dimensional code images having the interval set therebetween by the interval setting step.

6. A printing apparatus comprising: a divided two-dimensional code image creating device which divides a series of input data into plural units and codes the same to create a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images having position marks indicative of the positions thereof,a code image rotating device which individually rotates the created plurality of divided two-dimensional code images by any rotation angle including zero degree, anda printing device which prints the rotated plurality of divided two-dimensional code images in a state in which they are arranged side by side.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the code image rotating device comprises: a rotation angle setting device which sets respective rotation angles of the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images to be rotated; anda rotation executing device which rotates the respective divided two-dimensional code images based on the rotation angles set by the rotation angle setting device.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rotation angle setting device is configured so as to set the rotation angles before the divided two-dimensional code image creating device creates the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images.

9. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rotation angle setting device further comprises the rotation angles set when the last divided two-dimensional code images are created, as alternatives of the rotation angles.

10. A printing apparatus comprising: a divided two-dimensional code image creating device which divides a series of input data into plural units and codes the same to create a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images; anda printing device which prints the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images and an indication image representing the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images as the series of input data, the indication image being provided to the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the indication image refers to a frame image surrounding the plurality of divided two-dimensional code images in whole.

12. The printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the indication image refers to a plurality of character images provided to the respective divided two-dimensional code images.

13. A printing method in which a series of input data is divided into plural units and then coded to create a plurality of divided two-dimensional code images having position marks indicative of the positions thereof and the created plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are printed, wherein the created plurality of divided two-dimensional code images are individually rotated by any rotation angle including zero degree.