Abstract: A print apparatus is disclosed. The print apparatus comprises a plurality of printing elements; and a temperature control unit, controllable by processing circuitry, to increase an operating temperature of a first printing element in the plurality of printing elements by a defined amount relative to an operating temperature of a second printing element in the plurality of printing elements. A method and a machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: An image processing method is for generating print data to cause a printing apparatus that prints a print image based on image data to execute printing, by repeating a pass operation in which a nozzle set forms dots on a printing medium while moving in a main scanning direction, and a feed operation in which the nozzle set and the printing medium are moved in a sub-scanning direction. The image processing method includes: performing a first and second halftone processes for a same region of the image data to respectively generate a first halftone data to determine a formation state of first dots and a second halftone data to determine a formation state of second dots, the first and second dots being formed by the nozzle set that ejects a same color of ink; and allocating the first halftone data and the second halftone data to pass operations.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when an instruction to supply power in a power-off state of the image forming apparatus is detected, control is performed such that the image forming apparatus is started by shifting from the power-off state to a standby state or is started by shifting from the power-off state to a sleep state based on transition setting information of a power supply state.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting unit which can reciprocate with respect to a continuous paper, and ejects ink onto the continuous paper; a heating unit which heats a liquid ejecting region which is a region in which the ejecting unit can eject the ink to the continuous paper; an IR sensor which detects a temperature of the liquid ejecting region based on infrared light in the liquid ejecting region; and a control device which controls the heating unit based on a first detection temperature of the IR sensor. The control device controls the heating unit without using the first detection temperature which is detected by the IR sensor, when the ejecting unit is located in a temperature detecting region of the IR sensor.

Abstract: A substrate for a liquid ejecting head according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first area having a plurality of ejection heaters and a driving circuit that is configured to supply electric energy to the plurality of ejection heaters disposed thereon, a second area having a signal supplying circuit that is configured to supply an electric signal to the driving circuit disposed thereon, and a heater that is configured to heat the substrate and that includes a first portion disposed in the first area and a second portion disposed in the second area. The magnitude of a current supplied to the first portion differs from the magnitude of a current supplied to the second portion.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a heat generating element which generates heat energy used to discharge a liquid; a temperature detecting element which changes in output voltage in response to a change in the temperature of the heat generating element; an electrical power source line and a grounding line electrically connected to each other through the heat generating element to apply a current to the heat generating element; and a pair of lines for temperature detection electrically connected to each other through the temperature detecting element to apply a current to the temperature detecting element. Here, each of the pair of lines for temperature detection is arranged adjacent to the other.

Abstract: A grayscale printing control method, a device thereof and a storage medium are provided. The method comprises: determining the grayscale level of image data of each point in each point line and converting the same into multi-bit binary data; forming a data set using the binary data of the same bit of all the points in a point line, thereby forming multiple data sets; each data set corresponding to a predetermined strobe time, and the print head heater corresponding to each point heating upon receiving predetermined data during the strobe time. The present invention can reduce the number of printing strobes and the times of data transmission while ensuring printing quality, thereby greatly improving printing speed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for thermally printing on a thermal image member are disclosed using a thermal print head and a nonrotating platen. The nonrotating platen is adapted to bias the thermal imaging member against the print head. The nonrotating platen includes an elastic member and a mounting means for securing at least one end of the elastic member with respect to the print head. A portion of the thermal imaging member is placed in a printing nip formed between a thermal print head and the nonrotating platen. The print head exerts a torque on the elastic member when the elastic member biases the imaging member against the print head. The thermal imaging member is translated along a transport direction through the printing nip, such that at least one surface of the imaging member slides across the nonrotating platen. The print head forms an image upon the translated thermal imaging member.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spotter device and methods for the formation of microassays, biochips, biosensors, and cell cultures. The spotter may be used to deposit highly concentrated spots of protein or other materials on a microarray a slide, wafer, or other substrate. The spotter uses microfluidic conduits and orifices to deposit proteins, other biomolecules, or chemicals on a spot on a substrate. Each orifice is part of a fluid pathways that includes an inlet and outlet conduit. When the spotter contacts a substrate a seal is formed between the orifices and the substrate.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a detection signal receiving device that receives a detection signal from a computer; where a printable condition determining device subsequently determines whether a predetermined printable condition is satisfied; where a power-ON device subsequently turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus; and where a control device subsequently executes print preparation processing; wherein when the power-ON device turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus is in sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device; and the printing apparatus includes a power supply portion equipped with a battery, and when a power supply is started, first, the printing apparatus turns into sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device.

Abstract: A print media preheating system and method of preheating print media that includes an upper heating plate that is arranged to heat a pre-printed side of the print media with a pressure of the upper heating plate on the print media being relieved by lifting the upper heating plate away from the print media so as to reduce smudging of ink printed on the pre-printed side of the print media.

Abstract: This image generating apparatus comprises a control portion printing a print image by predicting an ambient temperature in an apparatus body substantially reaching a constant level after continuously printing the same print image from the data quantity of the print image and adding a heat quantity corresponding to the difference between the predicted ambient temperature in the apparatus body and a printing-time ambient temperature in the apparatus body detected by a second temperature sensor to a heat quantity of a thermal head decided in response to a printing-time temperature of the thermal head detected by a first temperature sensor.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a transporting unit transporting an image recording material whose shape has at a least one side in a predetermined transporting direction; an image recording position detecting unit detecting a position of the at least one side along the predetermined transporting direction, an image recording position correcting unit correcting the image recording position for the image recording material based on result of detection of the at least one side by said image recording position detecting unit; and an image forming unit forming a predesired image on the image recording material at the corrected image recording position.

Abstract: One embodiment described pertains to a thermal printer is provided having a spatial light modulator (SLM) to modulate light from a laser source to record information on a thermal-sensitive surface of a recording medium, and a heater adjacent to the medium to preheat the thermal-sensitive surface prior to recording of information thereon. The printer may further include illumination optics for focusing the light beam onto the SLM, and imaging optics to image the light on the thermal-sensitive surface. The heater may comprise a resistive, a convective or a radiant heater. The printer may further include a feed mechanism with a roller having an outer surface in contact with the recording medium for feeding it past the imaging optics, and the heater may be disposed inside of the roller to heat the recording medium in contact with the roller. The heater may be arranged to heat the entire outer surface of the roller, or only a portion thereof. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A model of a thermal print head is provided that models the thermal response of thermal print head elements to the provision of energy to the print head elements over time. The thermal print head model generates predictions of the temperature of each of the thermal print head elements at the beginning of each print head cycle based on: (1) the current ambient temperature of the thermal print head, (2) the thermal history of the print head, (3) the energy history of the print head, and (optionally) (4) the current temperature of the print medium. The amount of energy to provide to each of the print head elements during a print head cycle to produce a spot having the desired density is calculated based on: (1) the desired density to be produced by the print head element during the print head cycle, and (2) the predicted temperature of the print head element at the beginning of the print head cycle.

Abstract: A pre-heating system usable with an image forming device based on a behavior profile of a user and a method thereof including sensing, according to time, program operation patterns of at least one user executing at least one application program of at least one terminal, in order to perform data printing by using the image forming device, storing program operation patterns of each user according to time as a user profile, respectively, and if one of the users executes the application program of the terminal, counting time, and if an amount of time determined based on the user profile passes, preheating the image forming device. Accordingly, the image forming device can immediately perform a printing process without wasting pre-heating time, and the printer can be preheated only as needed, thereby reducing a waste of resources.

Abstract: A driving circuit drives an ink jet print head in a printing device. The ink jet print head has ink jet cells and heating elements corresponding to the ink jet cells. The driving circuit has a driving signal generator that provides two different driving signals to heat the ink jet cells. The first driving signal heats cells intended for jetting ink with sufficient energy so that they do jet ink. The second driving signal heats cells not intended for jetting ink with insufficient energy so that they are heated without jetting ink.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium in a heated mode includes a first emitting portion and a second emitting portion. The first emitting portion emits writing light for providing recording spots on the recording medium. The second emitting portion emits sub-heating light for providing heating spots on the recording medium. A distance between the heating spot and the recording spot is substantially constant in a main scanning direction. The recording spots are arranged in a two-dimensional pattern including columns in the main scanning direction and rows in an auxiliary scanning direction. The recording spots aligned in the columns are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the main scanning direction. The same number of heating spots as the columns of the recording spots is provided in parallel to the columns and inclined at the predetermined angle with respect to the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A method for adaptively matching print quality and performance in a host based printing system including a host computer connected to a printer via an interface. The method includes the steps of: determining a print process time corresponding to an amount of time for a page to print based on current printer settings of the printer; determining a quantity of data to be transferred from the host computer to the printer; determining a data transfer time corresponding to an amount of time required to transfer the quantity of data from the host computer to the printer via the interface; comparing the print process time to the data transfer time to determine an amount of time that can be used by the printer to improve print quality; and determining optimum printer settings for the printer based at least in part on the amount of time determined in the comparing step.

Abstract: A thermal recording system for recording an image on a thermo-sensitive recording medium using a laser beam under a preheated condition of the thermo-sensitive recording medium. In the thermal recording system, a preheating device preheats the thermo-sensitive recording medium which has leuco dyes, a developer and light-absorbing dyes all provided on a support, and which develops color in a continuous tone at a density corresponding to the energy of the applied heat, to a predetermined temperature less than a color-developing temperature. A heating-beam generating device allows a laser beam to scan the thermo-sensitive recording medium so as to heat the thermo-sensitive recording medium to a predetermined color-developing temperature. Thus, the heating-beam generating device can control the laser beam in a sufficient control range, thereby making it possible to record an image on the thermo-sensitive recording medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: A print head apparatus capable of temperature sensing is provided. The print head apparatus includes an ink ejector coupled to an enabling signal and a selection signal for selecting the ink ejector. The ink ejector includes a nozzle, a heating module for selectively heating ink in the ink ejector so that ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle, and a temperature sensing module for selectively producing a measured temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the ink in close proximity to the nozzle. When the enabling signal is active, and the selection signal is active and indicates that the ink ejector is selected, the heating module heats up the ink in the ink ejector so that the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle. When the selection signal is active and indicates that the ink ejector is selected, the temperature sensing module outputs the measured temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the ink in close proximity to the nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inkjet temperature regulation controller that includes a time base circuit adapted to generate a clock signal and a head temperature sampler adapted to generate head temperature data by sensing print head temperature responsive to the clock signal. A preheat data generating circuit is adapted to translate the head temperature data into head preheat temperature data. A preheat data delivering circuit is adapted to provide the preheat temperature data to at least one preheating element. A monitor circuit is adapted to generate statistical data according to the head temperature data. The preheat data generating circuit receives updated head preheat temperature data responsive to the statistical data.

Abstract: A drive device used for an ink droplet ejecting apparatus prevents an occurrence of a satellite ink droplet and improves printing quality. When ejection of an ink droplet is performed with two pulses and an ambient temperature surrounding a head is between low and medium, a pulse output period between first and second ejection pulses is set to be 5AL (AL=a cycle of a pressure wave in a pressure chamber/2). When ejection of an ink droplet is performed with three pulses and the ambient temperature surrounding the head is between low and medium, the pulse output period between first and second ejection pulses and between second and third pulses is both set to be 5AL.

Abstract: In a heat transfer recording apparatus for printing images on recording paper by bringing ink film in contact with recording paper and heating them by means of a thermal head, the preheating time of the thermal head is decided based on the thermal head temperature detected by a thermistor and the accumulated power supply time obtained as a product of the number of times power is supplied to the thermal head and the detection interval, thus to achieve a uniform image quality by eliminating the effect of the thermal head heat accumulation even in case of forming multiple images successively on multiple sheets of recording paper.

Abstract: A reversible thermal recording method using a color/non-color type reversible thermosensitive recording material which has a recording layer formed overlying at least one side of a substrate and including an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting color developer and which reversibly forms a colored state and a non-colored state by being appropriately heated and cooled. The recording layer having images of the colored state which have been formed in the recording layer is heated to erase the image, and imagewise heated either at substantially the same time as, or after, the image erasing operation to record new images therein, and then relatively rapidly cooled to maintain the new images. A reversible thermal recording apparatus therefor is also provided.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for performing recording of data on a recording medium by transferring ink of an ink sheet on said recording medium comprises conveying means for conveying said ink sheet and recording medium, recording means for effecting said ink sheet to record image data on said recording medium, and control means for counting time after image recording by said recording means and driving said recording means when the next image recording is not performed in a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording sheet is conveyed relative to a thermal head. To effect thermal recording, the thermal head applies heat energy to the recording sheet. The recording sheet is preheated with preheating energy shortly before recording of the recording sheet with the thermal head. The preheating energy is lower than enough to color the recording sheet, but heightens temperature of the recording sheet upon movement of the recording sheet to the thermal head. The heat energy to be applied by the thermal head is reduced according to the preheating energy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a thermal pulse for a drop on demand printer actuator. A varying voltage pulse is applied to a resistance heater forming part of the actuator, which generates time varying power in the resistance heater. The power varies with respect to time in a manner comprising:1) a pre-heating stage, which raises the temperature of the actuator, but is of insufficient total energy to actuate the printing actuator;2) a stage of increased power which rapidly raises the temperature of the actuator to the required temperature for operation;3) a stage of decreased power, which is less than the power in stage (b) but is sufficient to maintain the temperature of the temperature at the required temperature for operation;4) a stage of low or zero power, during which the temperature of the temperature rapidly falls below the required temperature for operation.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for compensating printing heads which operate in thermal drop on demand printing modes for the effects of thermal lag includes a counter which provides a number representing the amount of elapsed time during a heater energizing pulse as a proportion of the entire pulse duration. The output of the counter is connected to a device which determines the power supply voltage required at the said elapsed time. This result is used to control a programmable power supply which is connected to the heater power supply of the print head. The device is preferably a lookup table stored in digital memory, containing a pulse waveform calculated using iterated transient finite element analysis of the thermal state of the nozzle during simulated operation.

Abstract: In a driving method of a thermal printer, in which method heating elements are driven by strobe pulses consisting of preheat pulses and subsequent drive pulses that depend on a gradation level, the preheat pulse width and the frequency of basic clock pulses that are used to generate the strobe pulses are switched linearly with the temperature of a thermal head unit. In particular, based on data of preheat pulse widths and basic clock pulse frequencies for respective experimental head temperatures, preheat pulse widths and basic clock pulse frequencies for the other temperatures are calculated.

Abstract: This invention relates to a laser marking method which comprises heating a base article having on its surface a thin film of a laser marking composition containing a color former and a color developer having a melting point of 200.degree. C. or above, and then applying laser light to the thin film. The method of this invention is capable of no-break marking with vivid color development by application of laser light, without causing discoloration of the ground even under a condition of 120.degree. C. or above.

Abstract: A driver circuit provides a plurality of drive energies having a plurality of thermal distributions associated therewith. These thermal distributions interact with print media to form binary images having active and inactive areas. A driver control circuit is responsive to source image information to apply selected drive energies to selected heating elements. These drive energies produce interacting thermal distributions for selectively positioning boundaries between active and inactive areas.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus wherein a CPU checks the number of recording heads mounted on a carriage, sets a recording mode based on the number of recording heads, determines a combination of a drive frequency and a drive pulse width in accordance with the recording mode, sets drive pulse width data to a head controller, and heats the recording head or heads by a preliminary drive based on the set drive frequency and pulse width.

Abstract: A heat transfer recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by transferring an ink possessed by an ink sheet to the transfer medium comprises conveying means for conveying the ink sheet and the recording medium, recording means for recording an image on the recording medium, and control means for controlling the recording means after an image has been recorded by the recording means so as to record the image over again by using the same data after the ink sheet has been conveyed while the recording medium being stopped.

Abstract: A method for controlling the energization of a thermal printing heating element by a succession of current impulses (I) separated according to a printing raster is described. The current impulses (I) upon exceeding a pre-given energy content effect a printing event and in the case of falling below this energy content effect a preheating. At each raster time point (t1) the printing requirement is ascertained for a predetermined number of yet to follow raster time points (t2, t3) and for raster time points (t2, t1) without printing requirements and lying in advance of a raster time point (t3) with a printing requirement the current impulses (I1, I2) are progressively increased. Through the use of this method a thermal printer with a high printing speed is achieved.

Abstract: A recording apparatus uses a thermal head which includes a plurality of heat generating elements divided into blocks. Recording is controlled by sequentially selecting each block during a recording period and driving the heat generating elements in that block according to recording data. Preheating is controlled by simultaneously selecting all blocks during a preheat cycle and driving all of the heat generating elements according to preheat data. The energy used in preheating is insufficient to cause recording.