Patent ID: 6532078
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A method of printing split images on a tape by a tape printing apparatus, comprising the steps of:detecting a basic image width D0 representative of a width of a basic image which contains m (m is an integer equal to or larger than 1) lines of character string images and a background image formed exclusively by an outer frame and having said m lines of character string images arranged therein; detecting provisional split image widths PRD(j) (j is an integer from 1 to m) each representative of a width of each of said m lines of character string images; determining whether or not said basic image width D0 is larger than a tape image width W corresponding to a real tape width as a width of said tape, and at the same time all of said provisional split image widths PRD(j) are each smaller than said tape image width W; and dividing said basic image width D0 into n (n is an integer larger than 1, and at the same time m&lE;n) split image widths D(i) (i is an integer, provided that D(i)&lE;W) representative of respective widths of n split images including m split images containing said m lines of character string images, respectively, on condition that it is determined that said basic image width D0 is larger than said tape image width W, and at the same time said all of said provisional split images widths PRD(j) are each smaller than said tape image width W, to thereby divide said basic image into said n split images in a manner such that said m lines of character images can be separately printed on said tape without splitting any of said lines, the outer frame being split and each line of character string images being un-split, the split number n=line numbers m+2; and a printing step of allocating at least one of a split printing width T(i) corresponding to said split image width D(i) and a split overlap width R(i)(R(i)=Lâˆ’T(i)) as a width of a margin, in said real tape width L, to thereby print said n split images on said tape separately from each other by correlating an i-th split image of said n split images to a split printing area having said split printing width T(i) on said tape.