Abstract: A dynamic strobe compensation control for a battery powered barcode printer varies the strobe time for the thermal printhead of the printer during the printing of a line of data to compensate for internal resistance losses in the thermal printhead. The control varies the strobe time based upon the measured voltage of the battery powering the printhead when the battery is not loaded by the thermal printhead and when the battery is load by the thermal printhead. The print quality is thus maintained across the width of a line of print data as well as over multiple lines of print data.

Abstract: An automatic print speed control for a barcode printer is shown, the printer includes a printhead to which power is applied during a strobe time to cause the printhead to print. The printer also includes a stepper motor that is responsive to a periodic drive signal for advancing a web of labels or the like past the printhead for printing thereon. The control is responsive to a number of measured operating variables of the barcode printer to adjust the printhead strobe time. The adjusted strobe time is compared to the period of the stepper motor drive signal in order to adjust the speed of the stepper motor if necessary.

Abstract: A thermal printing postage meter comprising a base supporting a registration wall, a print deck. The registration wall supports a detachable mounted thermal ribbon cassette and a thermal print head. The thermal print head is mounted to the registration wall to extend over the deck to define a print station. A platen drive assembly is mounted to the base for biasing an envelope against the thermal print head and causing the envelope to traverse the thermal print head during a print cycle of the thermal meter under the influence of a drive motor responsive to a micro controller. The micro controller has a plurality of switches mounted to the registration wall of the postage meter. The cassette is comprised of a housing formed by a front and rear wall maintained in spaced apart relationship by a plurality of side walls. The rear wall of the housing includes a slot having an outwardly extending pin slidably mounted in the slot.