Label image generation device generating a plurality of label images corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of labels for creating composite labels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12001741-B2
Application number	US-202217836622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2022
Priority date	Jun 11, 2021
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A label image generation device generates label images corresponding to labels for creating composite labels. In each composite label, a label created from a first printing medium and a label created from a second printing medium are overlaid. A control device generates first and second label images to be formed on the first printing medium, and a third label image to be formed on the second printing medium. The control device displays a first composite image and a second composite image. In the first composite image, the first and third label images are overlaid. In the second composite image, the second and third label images are overlaid. The control device controls a printing mechanism to perform printing for creating the first number of first labels, the second number of second labels, and the third number of third labels. The third number depends on both the first and second numbers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a set of program instructions installed on and executed by a computer included in a label image generation device for generating a plurality of label images corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of labels, the plurality of label images being used for creating one or more composite labels, wherein in each of the one or more composite labels a label for a first layer created from a first printing medium and a label for a second layer created from a second printing medium are overlaid, the set of program instructions, when executed by the computer, causing the label image generation device to perform:
a first generation process to generate a first label image for the first layer to be formed on the first printing medium;
a second generation process to generate a second label image for the first layer to be formed on the first printing medium, the second label image being different from the first label image;
a third generation process to generate a third label image for the second layer to be formed on the second printing medium;
displaying a first composite image representing an image of a first composite label and a second composite image representing an image of a second composite label, wherein in the first composite image, the first label image and the third label image are overlaid, wherein in the second composite image, the second label image and the third label image are overlaid; and
outputting a print instruction to a printing mechanism to print the first label image on the first printing medium for creating a first number of first labels for the first layer, to print the second label image on the first printing medium for creating a second number of second labels for the first layer, and to print the third label image on the second printing medium for creating a third number of third labels for the second layer, the third number being the sum of the first number and the second number, the print instruction including order information, the order information specifying an order of printing so that a combination of the first number of first labels and the second number of second labels is printed continuously.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the displaying selectively displays the first composite image and the second composite image.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the set of program instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the label image generation device to perform:
acquiring a first piece of text object information and a second piece of text object information from a storage,
wherein the first generation process generates the first label image to have the first piece of text object information,
wherein the second generation process generates the second label image to have the second piece of text object information.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the set of program instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the label image generation device to perform:
acquiring first base data and second base data,
wherein the first base data corresponds to one or more label images to be printed on the first printing medium, and includes first information on a first allowable degree of freedom within which one or more label images to be printed on the first printing medium can be generated,
wherein the second base data corresponds to one or more label images to be printed on the second printing medium, and includes second information on a second allowable degree of freedom within which one or more label images to be printed on the second printing medium can be generated, the second allowable degree being different from the first allowable degree.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the displaying displays a screen including a composite image display region, a first display region, a second display region, and an editing region,
wherein the composite image display region is to display the first composite image and the second composite image, the first display region is to display one or more label images to be printed on the first printing medium, the second display region is to display one or more label images to be printed on the second printing medium, and the editing region is to be used to edit object information which is to be inputted into one or more label images to be printed on the first printing medium.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 5 , wherein in the first composite label, a label created from the first printing medium, a label created from the second printing medium, and a label created from a third printing medium are overlaid, wherein in the second composite label, a label created from the first printing medium, a label created from the second printing medium, and a label created from a fourth printing medium are overlaid,
wherein the set of program instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the label image generation device to further perform:
a fourth generation process to generate a fourth label image to be formed on the third printing medium; and
a fifth generation process to generate a fifth label image to be formed on the fourth printing medium,

wherein the fourth label image includes a first object, the fifth label image includes a second object whose color is different from the second object,
wherein the screen further includes a third display region to selectively display the fourth label image and the fifth label image.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 6 , wherein the fifth generation process generates the fifth label image so that the fifth label image includes an object image which is selected from among a plurality of object candidate images.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein in each of the one or more composite labels, a label created from the first printing medium is overlaid on a label created from the second printing medium,
wherein the first label image and the second label image are generated so that a printing length of the first label image to be printed on the first printing medium is less than or equal to a printing length of the second label image to be printed on the second printing medium.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the outputting outputs the print instruction to the printing mechanism to continuously print a combination of the first number of first labels and the second number of second labels, and to continuously print the third label image on the second printing medium for creating the third number of third labels.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the set of program instructions, when executed by the computer, causes the label image generation device to further perform:
a fourth generation process to generate a fourth label image to be formed on the first printing medium; and
a fifth generation process to generate a fifth label image to be formed on a third printing medium,
wherein the one or more composite labels includes a first-type label group having one first label as the first layer and one third label as the second layer, a second-type label group having one second label as the first layer and one third label as the second layer, and a third-type label group having one fourth label as the first layer and one fifth label as the second layer, wherein in each composite label, a label of the

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Fukui Tomoyasu
• Kanda Ryuichi
• Nampo Hiromichi
• Kondo Koichi

Classifications

• G06F3/1243 Primary

  Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning · CPC title

• G06F3/1204

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• G06F3/1256 Primary

  User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks · CPC title

• G06F3/1284

  Local printer device · CPC title