Method and apparatus for utilizing uni-and bidirectional printing on the same print medium
US5953496A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 2, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K2215/0077
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The number of lines in each of at least two printing areas is detected each time a print head conducts main scanning by detecting the presence or absence of dots of dot-pattern data on a line basis, the two printing areas being obtainable separately with a blank area therebetween with lines free from being printed. A decision is made on a printing direction by deciding specialized one-way printing for printing a printing block in the same direction as the direction of an immediately prior printing pass or specialized two-way printing for printing the printing block in a direction in which the movement of the print head becomes minimized in value. The printing block is what is to be printed through the next main scanning according to the relation between the number of lines in each of the printing and blank areas and the number of dot-forming elements of the print head.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.