Patent Publication Number: US-2011052295-A1

Title: Label printing device and label printing method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-201875, filed on Sep. 1, 2009, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a label printing device which may print a label image on a recording medium such as a label by using a reading unit that reads control information, and to a label printing device and a label printing method which may reuse once-used printing data for a printing operation. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recently, label printing devices have been manufactured and used which may issue a pop label without inputting information with keys regarding a product name, a price, or the like one by one. The label printing device may print and issue the pop label to identify a product name, a manufacturer name, a bargain price, or the like. Thus, the label printing device is used in a retail shop or the like to facilitate the sales of the products. 
     In general, the label printing device for issuing the pop label is often used through the connection to a POS system to which a plurality of POS terminals are connected, e.g., via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an example of a label printing device. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an example of a label printing device. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing an example of a history information management process of the label printing device. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing an example of a history information management process of the label printing device. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing an example of a history information management process of the label printing device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a label printing device connected to an external device may include a reading unit, a printing unit, and a controller. The reading unit is configured to read management data. The printing unit is configured to print a label image on a recording medium based on printing data corresponding to the management data. The controller is configured to determine whether the printing data corresponding to the management data exists in a storage region. If the printing data exists in the storage region, the controller is further configured to control the printing unit to print the label image on the recording medium using the printing data. 
     Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an example of a label printing device according to one embodiment, and  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing an overview of an example of the label printing device according to one embodiment. 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a label printing device  1  may be connected to an external device (e.g., a host computer  2 ) via a network or the like. The label printing device  1  may include a CPU  11  as a controller that is configured to control the overall operation, and functions to be a history information management unit. The label printing device  1  may further include a FROM  12  and a RAM  13  that are connected to the CPU  11 . The RAM  13  (as a storage region) stores previously-used history information, management data indicated by a barcode or the like and printing data corresponding to the management data. For example, the printing data stored in RAM  13  may include image data such as bit map image data. 
     The label printing device  1  may include a display control circuit  14 , a display  15  which is configured to display operation information or label information under control of the display control circuit  14 , and a communication interface  16  as an example of a communication unit for communicating with the host computer  2  to acquire printing data corresponding to management data. The label printing device  1  may further include a motor control circuit  17 , a stepping motor  18  whose operation is controlled by the motor control circuit  17 , a key input unit  19  with which a user may input operation information or the like, a head control circuit  20  for printing a label (on which a price is printed and which is to be attached to a product in a shop) on a medium, a thermal head  21  as a printing unit whose operation is controlled by the head control circuit  20  and which performs a printing operation on the medium of the label, a power supply circuit  22  which supplies power to each part/unit, a battery  23  which supplies power to the power supply circuit  22 , a scanner control circuit  24 , and a scanner  25  as a reading unit, controlled by the scanner control circuit  24 , for reading the bar code. The above-described elements may be respectively connected to the CPU  11 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an overview of the label printing device  1  according to one embodiment. The scanner  25  is mounted on the label printing device  1 , as the reading unit which may read management data of the label. The thermal head  21  may perform a label printing operation. 
     The label printing device  1  having the above-described configuration may start a printing process from an operation of reading management data of a bar code or a two-dimensional code. The label printing device  1  transmits the management data to the host computer  2  in a wired or wireless manner. Based on the management data, the host computer  2  may generate information (a printing format) necessary for printing and transmit the generated information to the label printing device  1  in the wired or wireless manner. The label printing device  1  may generate printing data corresponding to the received printing format to thereby print a label. When the label printing is completed, the printed label is attached to a corresponding product by the user. 
     In one embodiment, the label printing device may store as history information previously-used management data (a bar code or the like) and a printing format corresponding to the management data (corresponding printing data) in the RAM  13 . When management data indicated by the bar code that is scanned by the scanner  25  exists within the history information, the label printing device  1  may rapidly print a label using the printing format (corresponding printing data) in the history information without making an inquiry to the external host computer  2 . That is, in one embodiment, the operations at the side of the host computer  2  of receiving bar code data, generating printing data from the received bar code data, and transmitting the generated printing data to a printer may be omitted. 
     Hereinafter, a printing process associated with the history information management process in the label printing device  1  having the above-described configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts.  FIGS. 3 to 5  show flowcharts illustrating the printing process associated with the history information management process of the label printing device in one embodiment. 
     In the label printing device  1 , the key input unit  19  may include a trigger button for scanning by the scanner  25 . Upon pushing the trigger button, the CPU  11  may operate the scanner control circuit  24  and the scanner  25  to read a bar code or a two-dimensional code (act A 10 ). When the CPU  11  acquires the management data such as the bar code (act A 11 ), the CPU  11  may determine whether or not a history information management mode is selected at the present time (act A 12 ). If the CPU  11  determines that the history information management mode is selected at the present time, the CPU  11  may determine to use the history information (act A 13 ), and the CPU  11  may search for the history information from the RAM  13  (act A 14 ). 
     Based on the search results, when the CPU  11  determines that history information is available within the RAM  13  (act A 15 ), the CPU  11  may check a validity period of printing data included in the history information so as to determine whether the printing data can be used for printing (act A 16 ). If the CPU  11  determines that the printing data is in the validity period and thus the printing data can be used for printing, the CPU  11  may set a head address of the printing data in the RAM  13  (act A 17 ). Based on the printing data for which the head address is set, the CPU  11  may print an image on a label as a recording medium by using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 12 , when the CPU  11  determines that the history information management mode is not selected, the CPU  11  may determine whether to use a built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13  (act A 37 ). When the CPU  11  determines to use the built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13 , the CPU  11  may search for a product code corresponding to management data of a bar code (act A 38 ). When the CPU  11  determines that there is the data (e.g., product code) corresponding to the management data (YES of act A 43 ), the CPU  11  may be operable to read a printing format of the product code (act A 44 ) and generate printing data (act A 45 ). Based on the printing data which CPU  11  generates, the CPU  11  may print a label image on a label by using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 37 , when the CPU  11  determines not to use the built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13 , the CPU  11  may determine whether it is possible to refer to a product master server (e.g., the host computer  2 ) via a network (act A 39 ). When the CPU  11  determines that it cannot refer to the product master server via the network (NO of act A 39 ), the CPU  11  may be operable to read a printing format in the case of “No corresponding data” from the RAM  13  (act A 46 ), and generate printing data to print a label image using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (acts A 45  and A 18 ). 
     In act A 39 , when the CPU  11  determines that it is possible to refer to the product master server via the network, the CPU  11  may generate a server inquiry command (act A 40 ), and transmit the generated server inquiry command to the product master server on the network through the communication interface  16  (act A 41 ). As a result, when the CPU  11  receives a corresponding product code from the product master server through the communication interface  16  (YES of act A 42 ), the CPU  11  proceeds to act A 43 . When there is data corresponding to the product code (YES of act A 43 ), the CPU  11  may be operable to read a printing format of the product code (act A 44 ) and generate printing data (act A 45 ). Thereafter, the CPU  11  may perform the printing process based on the printing data (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 43 , when the CPU  11  determines that there is no corresponding data (NO of act A 43 ), the CPU  11  proceeds to act A 46  and may read a printing format for use in the case where there is no corresponding data. 
     In act A 15 , when the CPU  11  determines that there is no corresponding history information in the RAM  13 , the CPU  11  may determine whether to use the built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13  (act A 29 ). When the CPU  11  determines to use the built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13  (YES of act A 29 ), the CPU  11  may search for a product code corresponding to management data of a bar code (act A 30 ). When there is data corresponding to the product code (YES of act A 31 ), the CPU  11  may read a printing format of the product code (act A 26 ) and generate printing data (act A 27 ). Thereafter, the CPU  11  may register the history information to the RAM  13  (act A 27 ) and then perform the printing process using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 29 , when the CPU  11  determines not to use the built-in product master table stored in the RAM  13  (NO of act A 29 ), the CPU  11  may determine whether it is possible to refer to the product master server via the network (act A 32 ). When the CPU  11  determines that it cannot refer to the product master server via the network, the CPU  11  may read a printing format for use in the case of “No corresponding data” from the RAM  13  (act A 36 ), generate printing data (act A 27 ), register history information (act A 28 ), and perform the printing process using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 32 , when the CPU  11  determines that it is possible to refer to the product master server via the network, the CPU  11  may generate a server inquiry command (act A 33 ), and transmit the generated server inquiry command to the product master server through the communication interface  16  (act A 34 ). As a result, when the CPU  11  receives a corresponding product code from the product master server through the communication interface  16  (YES of act A 35 ), the CPU  11  proceeds to act A 31 . When there is data corresponding to the product code (YES of act A 31 ), the CPU  11  may read a printing format of the product code (act A 26 ) and generate printing data (act A 27 ). Thereafter, the CPU  11  may register history information (act A 28 ) and perform the printing process based on the printing data (act A 18 ). 
     In act A 16 , when the CPU  11  determines the validity period expired and the printing data should not be used to print (NO of act A 16 ), the CPU  11  may generate an inquiry command directed to the host computer  2  (act A 19 ) and transmit the generated inquiry command to the host computer  2  on the network through the communication interface  16  (act A 20 ). As a result, when the label printing device  1  receives corresponding printing data from the host computer  2  through the communication interface  16  (act A 21 ), the CPU  11  proceeds to act A 22 . When there is data corresponding to the product code (YES of act A 22 ), the CPU  11  may determine whether to use the built-in product master table of the printing data (act A 24 ). In the case of using the built-in product master table, the CPU  11  may update a product master record (act A 25 ) and thereafter proceeds to act A 26 . In the case of not using the built-in product master table, the CPU  11  directly proceeds to act A 26  and thereafter may read a print format, generate printing data, register history information, and perform a printing process (acts A 26 , A 27 , A 28 , and A 18 ). 
     In act A 22 , when the CPU  11  determines that a corresponding printing data cannot be acquired from the host computer  2  (NO of act A 22 ), the CPU  11  may read a printing format for use in the case of “No corresponding data” from the RAM  13  (act A 23 ), generate a printing data (act A 27 ), register history information (act A 28 ), and perform the printing process using the head control circuit  20  and the thermal head  21  (act A 18 ). 
     Here, as a process in the case where a corresponding printing data from the host computer  2  does not exist, it is possible to notify the user of an error message by simply displaying the error message on a screen in the display  15  using an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an LED (Light Emitting Diode), or the like in addition to a method of printing a printing format indicating “No corresponding image” In this case, it may become unnecessary to print the printing format and thus label consumption can be prevented. 
     As described above with reference to the flowchart of  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the label printing device  1  in one embodiment may perform scanning and printing collectively by a trigger button of the scanner, and particularly, store previous history information in the RAM  13 . When management data indicated by a scanned bar code exists in the history information, the label printing device  1  may use a printing format (or printing data) corresponding to the management data, thereby making it possible to rapidly print a label by omitting the operations to be performed on the host computer  2  of receiving bar code data, generating printing data from the received bar code data, and transmitting the generated printing data to a printer. 
     In one embodiment, a specific operation example of operating the label printing device  1  includes the “issuance of a markdown label.” For example, a markdown label to be used on clothing is generally attached later to a price tag label of a product. A bar code may be different when the size of clothing having the same product code is different. In this case, there is almost no possibility that the same bar code may be continuously scanned. When an inquiry to the host computer  2  is made on a case-by-case basis through wireless communication, a delay may occur due to external factors in the communication environment and thus it may take time to print, so that the psychological burden of a worker may be increased. According to the label printing device  1  in one embodiment, it is possible to rapidly execute a printing process to print an image of a markdown label corresponding to one price tag label using built-in history information. 
     A plurality of ranges of predetermined validity periods in which history information (management data and printing data) is referred to may be selected. That is, the restriction/management at the side of the host computer  2  may be reflected by setting the number of history items or setting a validity period-limited printing. 
     As the above-described predetermined period, in some embodiments history information is set for the day by the action of the CPU  11  and the program built in the RAM  13  or the FROM  12 , and to automatically delete history information of yesterday or before by the operation of the CPU  11 . In some embodiments, history information is used for one week and automatically deleted after one week passes. Thereby, it is possible to prevent old price information or label information from being mixed with current price information or label information without being updated. 
     As used in this application, entities for executing the actions can refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, an entity for executing an action can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on an apparatus and the apparatus can be an entity. One or more entities can reside within a process and/or thread of execution and an entity can be localized on one apparatus and/or distributed between two or more apparatuses. In one embodiment, the validity period may not be limited to a time period or duration but may be defined by specifying a certain date within which history information is valid. For example, the validity period may be specified by “Jun. 1, 2010,” on which history information is valid. 
     The program for realizing the functions can be recorded in the apparatus, can be downloaded through a network to the apparatus and can be installed in the apparatus from a computer readable storage medium storing the program therein. A form of the computer readable storage medium can be any form as long as the computer readable storage medium can store programs and is readable by the apparatus such as a disk type ROM and a solid-state computer storage media. The functions obtained by installation or download in advance in this way can be realized in cooperation with an OS (Operating System) or the like in the apparatus. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel device and method described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the device and method described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.