Printer and Printer Control Method

Abstract

A print data conversion area can be created to reflect that all printed slips are not the same size. A printer includes a conveyance unit that conveys checks with one edge following a guide extending in the conveyance direction, a length detection unit that detects the length of the conveyed check in the conveyance direction, and a conversion area formation unit that creates a print data conversion area to which print data for the entire image to be recorded on the check is written. The conversion area formation unit determines the range of the conversion area with reference to a position corresponding to a particular position on the check using the detected length of the check in the conveyance direction.

1 . A printer comprising:
 a conveyance unit that conveys a slip through a conveyance path in a conveyance direction;   a recording head that records on the slip while moving in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction;   a guide that extends in the conveyance direction and is arranged on one side of the conveyance path, the guide being configured to guide one side of the slip through the conveyance path, the other side of the conveyance path being open;   a length detection unit that detects the length of the slip in the conveyance direction;   a control unit that produces converted print data for recording by the recording head;   a storage unit that stores data in a storage area; and   a conversion area formation unit that creates a conversion area in the storage area for storing the converted print data, determines dimensions of the conversion area in the storage area based on the detected length of the slip in the conveyance direction, and determines the movement range of the recording head;   wherein the control unit writes the converted print data in the conversion area with reference to a position corresponding to the one, guided side of the slip and controls the recording head to record the converted print data on the slip.   
     
     
         2 . The printer described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the slip has magnetic ink characters recorded a specific distance from the one side; and   the printer further comprises a reading unit that reads the magnetic ink characters on the slip, the reading unit being disposed to the conveyance path at a position separated a specific distance from the guide.   
     
     
         3 . The printer described in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the length detection unit includes a media detection sensor that is disposed to a position relative to the reading unit on the conveyance direction and detects if the slip is present; and   the length detection unit detects the length of the slip in the conveyance direction based on the distance the slip is conveyed by the conveyance unit and output from the media detection sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The printer described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the conversion area is a rectangular area, and   of the four vertices defining the rectangle, the control unit converts and writes the converted print data to the conversion area using as the origin the vertex corresponding to a point on the slip that is closest to a trailing edge of the slip in the conveyance direction and closest to the one side of the slip relative to corresponding points on the slip of the other vertices.   
     
     
         5 . The printer described in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the control unit writes the converted print data from the origin using the direction corresponding to the conveyance direction as the write direction.   
     
     
         6 . The printer described in  claim 5 , wherein:
 when writing the converted print data for one line of text to the conversion area, if part of the line will not fit in a corresponding line in the conversion area in the write direction, the control unit inserts a line change and continues writing to the conversion area.   
     
     
         7 . The printer described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the recording head is mounted and moved on a carriage; and   the direction in which the control unit changes the line is the direction of carriage movement in the direction away from the position corresponding to the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         8 . The printer described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the control unit writes the converted print data to the conversion area in the direction enabling reading the text from a position at the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         9 . A printer capable of connecting to a control device, the printer comprising:
 a conveyance unit that conveys a slip through a conveyance path in a conveyance direction;   a recording head that records on the slip while moving in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction;   a guide that extends in the conveyance direction and is arranged on one side of the conveyance path, the guide being configured to guide one side of the slip through the conveyance path, the other side of the conveyance path being open;   a length detection unit that detects the length of the slip in the conveyance direction; and   a control unit that controls (i) the recording head to record on the slip based on data received from the control device and further to record the received data on the slip with reference to a position on the one, guided side of the slip in a range that is defined based on the detected length of the slip in the conveyance direction, and (ii) the movement range of the recording head.   
     
     
         10 . The printer described in  claim 9 , wherein:
 when recording the received data in the conveyance direction of the slip and the line changes, the control unit controls the recording unit to record data in the order received, and changes the line in the direction of carriage movement in the direction away from the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         11 . The printer described in  claim 9 , wherein:
 when recording the received data in the conveyance direction of the slip, the control unit controls the recording unit to record in the direction enabling reading the text from a position corresponding to the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         12 . The printer described in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the slip has magnetic ink characters recorded a specific distance from the one side; and   the printer further comprises a reading unit that reads the magnetic ink characters on the slip, the reading unit being disposed to the conveyance path at a position separated a specific distance from the guide.   
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling a printer capable of connecting to a control device, comprising steps of:
 conveying a slip through a conveyance path that has a guide on one side and is open on the other side, the guide extending in the conveyance direction and arranged to guide one side of the slip as it is conveyed through the conveyance path;   detecting the length of the slip in the conveyance direction as the slip is conveyed through the conveyance path;   moving a recording head to record on the slip based on data received from the control device, the recording being referenced to a position on the one, guided side of the slip in a range that is defined based on the length of the slip detected in the length detecting step; and   controlling the movement range of the recording head.   
     
     
         14 . The method of controlling a printer described in  claim 13 , wherein:
 when recording the received data in the conveyance direction of the slip and the line changes, data is recorded in the order received, and the line is changed in the direction of carriage movement in the direction away from the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         15 . The method of controlling a printer described in  claim 13 , wherein:
 when recording the received data in the conveyance direction of the slip, recording proceeds in the direction enabling reading the text from a position corresponding to the one side of the slip.   
     
     
         16 . The method of controlling a printer described in  claim 13 , wherein:
 the slip has magnetic ink characters recorded a specific distance from the one side; and   the magnetic ink characters on the slip are read by a reading unit disposed to the conveyance path at a position separated a specific distance from the guide.