Patent ID: 7857531

Claim:
A printing device for printing labels comprising: a memory arranged to store one or more letter sets, each letter set including at least a principal letter and at least one additional letter comprising an accented version of the principal letter; a user input having letter selection keys configured to permit selection of a letter set to define an image to be printed by the printing device, a single letter or a single letter set being associated with a respective letter selection key and a key which controls if a selected letter is printed in upper case or lower case; and a controller for accessing letters from the memory to be printed which correspond to letters selected at the user input; wherein the printing device is configured such that an initial actuation of a letter selection key, by actuating the letter selection key and then within a predetermined time commencing with an initiation of activation of the letter selection key, releasing the letter selection key, selects the principal letter in the selected letter set; and by maintaining the initial actuation of the letter selection key until after the predetermined time commencing with the initiation of activation of the letter selection key has elapsed and only then releasing the letter selection key, selects an accented version of the principal letter.