Method and apparatus for the maximization of print quality in a multipass thermal printer ribbon
US6023284A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 13, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 13, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2/36
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for maximizing print quality in a thermal printer uses a ribbon condition monitor to detect the condition of a multipass thermal ribbon. Data related to the condition of the thermal ribbon at each individual pixel is used to determine a custom energization signal for each thermal print element. In one embodiment, the system utilizes a history memory to track the prior heating history of each thermal print element and an ink memory to track the prior use of each location on the thermal print ribbon corresponding to the thermal print elements. The data from the history memory and the ink memory are combined to form an index to a table memory containing data corresponding to a plurality of energization signal levels for a particular print medium. The data in the table memory provides the custom energization signal for each of the thermal print elements. In an alternative embodiment, a light source and detector are used to determine the thickness of ink remaining on the thermal ribbon. The energization signal is adjusted to compensate for variations in the thickness of the thermal ribbon. In yet another embodiment, data is encoded at one end of a multipass therma…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.