Abstract: Time for which an ejection port surface of a print head has been exposed to the exterior since the end of the last cleaning operation is predicted and accumulated as an accumulated exposure time. A cleaning timing is set to be a timing when the accumulated exposure time coincides with a set time set according to the ambient temperature and humidity of an area in which a label printer is installed. In principle, a cleaning operation is performed at the cleaning timing. However, when the cleaning timing comes during the current consecutive printing operation, the cleaning operation is not performed during the current consecutive printing operation but at a time before the start of the current consecutive printing operation or a time after the end of the current consecutive printing operation.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus which can process precise information on the number of pixels printed by nozzles of the print head without degrading throughput and properly manage the service life of the print head. To this end, a plurality of nozzles of the print head are divided into a plurality of blocks and a nozzle in each of the blocks which prints a maximum number of pixels in a predetermined unit print volume is taken to be a representative nozzle. In each of the blocks, the numbers of pixels printed by the representative nozzle for every unit print volume are accumulated and managed.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided which is capable of forming a high-quality image without adverse effect (deterioration in printing precision) which may be caused by a dimensional error in producing ink ejection orifice rows, an error in arranging the ink ejection orifice rows, an error in delivering a recording medium, or a like error. With the apparatus employing six rows of ink ejection orifices, an image is formed by ejecting the ink from the third row of the six ink ejection orifice row numbered in the delivery direction onto a raster line zone L3, ejecting the ink from the fifth row onto a raster line zone L5, ejecting the ink from the sixth row onto a raster line zone L6, ejecting the ink from the fourth row onto a raster line zone L4, ejecting the ink from the second row onto a raster line zone L2, and ejecting the ink from the first row numbered in the recording medium delivery direction onto a raster line zone L1.

Abstract: Time for which an ejection port surface of a print head has been exposed to the exterior since the end of the last cleaning operation is predicted and accumulated as an accumulated exposure time. A cleaning timing is set to be a timing when the accumulated exposure time coincides with a set time set according to the ambient temperature and humidity of an area in which a label printer is installed. In principle, a cleaning operation is performed at the cleaning timing. However, when the cleaning timing comes during the current consecutive printing operation, the cleaning operation is not performed during the current consecutive printing operation but at a time before the start of the current consecutive printing operation or a time after the end of the current consecutive printing operation.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided which is capable of forming a high-quality image without adverse effect (deterioration in printing precision) which may be caused by a dimensional error in producing ink ejection orifice rows, an error in arranging the ink ejection orifice rows, an error in delivering a recording medium, or a like error. With the apparatus employing six rows of ink ejection orifices, an image is formed by ejecting the ink from the third row of the six ink ejection orifice row numbered in the delivery direction onto a raster line zone L3, ejecting the ink from the fifth row onto a raster line zone L5, ejecting the ink from the sixth row onto a raster line zone L6, ejecting the ink from the fourth row onto a raster line zone L4, ejecting the ink from the second row onto a raster line zone L2, and ejecting the ink from the first row numbered in the recording medium delivery direction onto a raster line zone L1.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to improve an error process when a write error occurs in an RFID tag. According to this invention, a printing control method for a printing apparatus includes a write step of writing predetermined information by communicating with an RFID tag added to each label on a label paper sheet, a printing step of printing a predetermined image to be printed on the surface of the label, and a reception step of receiving one of a first setting for, when an RFID tag write error occurs, stopping writing information in the write step and stopping printing the image to be printed in the printing step, and a second setting for writing the information and printing the image to be printed on a printing medium conveyed after the printing medium to which the RFID tag is added, wherein when the RFID tag write error occurs, the write step and the printing step are executed based on a setting received in the reception step.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus which can process precise information on the number of pixels printed by nozzles of the print head without degrading throughput and properly manage the service life of the print head. To this end, a plurality of nozzles of the print head are divided into a plurality of blocks and a nozzle in each of the blocks which prints a maximum number of pixels in a predetermined unit print volume is taken to be a representative nozzle. In each of the blocks, the numbers of pixels printed by the representative nozzle for every unit print volume are accumulated and managed.

Abstract: There is provided a printer capable of accurately detecting the print positions of a printing medium and keeping print positions where data are printed constant. A printer according to this invention can accurately detect the print positions of a printing medium and keep positions where data are printed constant by the following operation. More specifically, the printer sets a gap width (PG) for the printing medium and detects the position information of the conveyed printing medium by an optical sensor arranged on a convey path. The printer compares output values (Va, Vb) from the optical sensor with a threshold value (Vth) and obtains a detected gap width (AG) corresponding to the set gap width (PG). The printer changes the threshold value (Vth) such that the detected gap width (AG) coincides with the set gap width (PG).

Abstract: There is provided a printer capable of accurately detecting the print positions of a printing medium and keeping print positions where data are printed constant. A printer according to this invention can accurately detect the print positions of a printing medium and keep positions where data are printed constant by the following operation. More specifically, the printer sets a gap width (PG) for the printing medium and detects the position information of the conveyed printing medium by an optical sensor arranged on a convey path. The printer compares output values (Va, Vb) from the optical sensor with a threshold value (Vth) and obtains a detected gap width (AG) corresponding to the set gap width (PG). The printer changes the threshold value (Vth) such that the detected gap width (AG) coincides with the set gap width (PG).

Abstract: A printing method and apparatus in which basic image data and information of the printing position of the image data on a recording medium are input from a data source and stored in advance, and the designated image data is bitmapped at the printing position to print an image, thereby increasing the printing speed, and a printing system including the printing apparatus. In this system, image data sent from a host is registered as a basic image, and the image is bitmapped in an image memory on the basis of the information of the printing position, of the stored basic image data on a printing paper sheet, sent from the host. The image data bitmapped in the image memory is then output to a printhead to print the image.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus receives image data from a host computer and prints the image data. If an elapsed time from an end of printing processing for one printing job to start of printing processing for the next job is less than a predetermined time period, printing processing for the next job is started, without subjecting ink-jet heads to a recovery process, following the end of printing processing for the one job. The recovery process is carried out not only when the predetermined period elapses but also whenever processing for printing on a predetermined amount of printing medium is executed.