Abstract: Direct thermal recording media are designed to operate based on a thermally-induced change of state rather than a thermally-induced chemical reaction between a leuco dye and an acidic developer. The media use two types of scattering particles, one of which changes its state from solid to liquid during printing, and the other of which does not. The former particles, upon melting, fill spaces between the latter particles, thus eliminating or substantially reducing light scattering, which makes an underlying colorant visible at selected print locations where heat is locally applied. The latter, higher melting point particles have a caged morphology and comprise perforated particles. The media can provide high quality thermally-produced images at print speeds at least as high as 10 inches per second (ips).

Abstract: A control information generating method includes generating thermal transfer control information based on an amount of ink to be used for printing of a printing medium, in a case where thermal transfer control information for heating a printing medium printed on a first medium based on image data and thermally transferring the printing medium to a second medium is generated.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer includes a controller. The controller performs a first feed control process, a temperature-difference calculation process, and a first printing speed determination process. In the first feed control process, in a state where an energizing device does not perform energization to the heating element, the driving device is controlled to perform non-energization feeding while causing a thermal head to contact a print-receiving medium. In the temperature-difference calculation process, during execution of the non-energization feeding, a first deviation between two of the head temperatures which are respectively detected by the first temperature detecting device at different timings is calculated. In the first printing speed determination process, the printing speed is determined on the basis of the first deviation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for thermal sublimation imaging and more generally thermal pressing through a continuous or intermittent feed-through thermal pressing system. Cutting assemblies may be configured to cut, connect, advance, and/or align transfer media. The transfer media may have images created using inks, dyes, or the like that are configured to be sublimated into a substrate material within a sublimation assembly. The substrate may be interposed between upper and lower transfer media to allow for dual-side imaging via thermal sublimation. A thermal sublimation chamber may include a pre-confinement zone to reduce ghosting, a preheat zone, a thermal saturation zone to effectuate sublimation and image transfer, and/or a post-sublimation cooling zone to reduce ghosting. A post-sublimation collection system may separate transfer media from substrate(s).

Abstract: A printer includes a controller configured to, based on print data, perform acquiring a condition value, calculating, for each type of dots, an additional period of time an=(Tn+Xn)?(Tn-1Xn-1), where Tn represents a specified period of time for applying energy to a heating element to form an n-th type of dot, Xn represents a correction period of time that is added to the specified period of time Tn to correct a dot formation condition of the n-th type of dot in accordance with the condition value, a heating period of time An for forming the n-th type of dot is obtained by adding the correction period of time Xn to the specified period of time Tn, and is derived from adding the additional period of time an to a heating period of time An-1, and setting the heating period of time An=?k=1nak, for each dot included in a target line.

Abstract: A battery-powered printer includes a printing head that has a plurality of heat generating elements arranged along a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of a recording medium and is configured to print on the recording medium, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the printer, and a processor configured to determine whether the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold, determine a constant printing speed at the time of printing under a condition where the temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined threshold, and control the printing head and a transporting speed of the recording medium so as to cause each line of the print data to be printed on the recording medium at the constant printing speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the resistance of a printing element of a print head, the apparatus comprising: a print head comprising a plurality of individually controllable printing elements connected in parallel, and a capacitor connected in parallel with the printing elements; a test voltage supply arranged to supply a test voltage to the print head; a current monitor arranged to measure the current supplied to one of the printing elements when the said one of the printing elements is connected to the test voltage supply; and a controller arranged to determine the resistance of the said one of the printing elements based upon the measured current.

Abstract: Novel methods for calibrating a thermal printer by adjusting a look up table comprising the steps of receiving a test pattern to be printed on a receiver medium, printing the test pattern on the receiver medium, using a sensor to measure a depletion amount of donor material, and using a processor to adjust the lookup table based on the measured depletion amount are disclosed.

Abstract: When a plurality of images is printed on both the surfaces of a continuous sheet, an optimum scheduling is carried out including maintenance of a print head, thereby suppressing amount of consumption of a sheet as a whole. For such a purpose, acquiring information regarding on which of the first and second surfaces and where on the surface of the continuous sheet a unique portion exists, the unique portion is unsuitable for image printing that exists on the continuous sheet; and setting, based on the acquired information, a print unavailable region including the unique portion and a maintenance region posterior thereto on a specific sheet surface having the unique portion existing thereon, and another print unavailable region and a maintenance region posterior thereto on a reverse side of the specific sheet surface, the another print unavailable region being set so as to include a region corresponding to the maintenance region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printer includes an image forming unit, a coloring conversion unit, and a deterring unit. The image forming unit forms an image from a temperature-sensitive ink whose color is changed depending on a temperature on a medium. The coloring conversion unit converts a coloring state of the image of the temperature-sensitive ink by heating or cooling the image of the temperature-sensitive ink. The deterring unit provided between the coloring conversion unit and the image forming unit deters an air heated or cooled by the coloring conversion unit from flowing toward the image forming unit.

Abstract: A printer includes a recording unit that executes on a recording medium, a recording operation under a sublimation transfer scheme; a conveying unit that using a protrusion roller having protrusions protruding toward an outer periphery and abutting a first surface of the recording medium, conveys the recording medium to a recording position for the recording operation; a pseudo recorded image data producing unit that produces pseudo recorded image data that includes pseudo pixels obtained by correcting a density of each predetermined pixel that is determined corresponding to an arrangement pattern of the protrusions on the protrusion roller and is determined from among pixels to be recorded in a second area that excludes a first area that is in contact with the protrusions, on the first surface of the conveyed recording medium; and a recording control unit that controls the recording unit based on the pseudo recorded image data.

Abstract: A printer includes a thermal head including a line head in which heating elements are arranged in a straight line, a feed device being configured to feed a printing medium in a vertical scanning direction, and a control device being configured to control the feed device and the thermal head, the printer performing printing by forming a print dot by heating on the printing medium. Each iteration of the pulse application cycle is a time period from a main heating starting time to a next main heating starting time. The control device, in a case where the main heating is not performed on a second heating element adjacent in a main scanning direction to a first heating element, is configured to perform printing by using a first mode, in which applying of a first sub-pulse to the second heating element is performed starting from the main heating starting time.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which uses, as a print head, a thermal head having heating elements arrayed in a line perpendicular to the traveling direction of a printing medium. Correspondingly pixel data, at either end, or near the end, of each line of image data going to be printed, data on heat storage in the thermal head (108) is calculated for each line on the basis of data on heat storage in the print head for a preceding line, and the data on heat storage in the print head for each line is compared with predetermined-temperature data. When any of the stored-heat data is larger than the predetermined-temperature data, energy to the heating element (113) is decreased. The image data is printed on the printing medium (104) with the energy for application to the heating element (113) being kept decreased.

Abstract: A method of forming a latent image portion on an overcoat layer by a difference in surface brilliance, at the time of layering an overcoat layer on a thermal transfer subject sheet by a heat transfer method, includes the steps of: setting at least two types of applied energy from the thermal head wherein a plurality of thermal elements are arrayed in line form, and layering the overcoat layer on the thermal transfer subject sheet; forming a difference in surface brilliance made up of a region of relatively high degree of brilliance and a region of relatively low degree of brilliance, based on the difference in the applied energy, to form a line pattern with a plurality of lines; and forming the lines by shifting a phase of a line pattern of the latent image portion and the line pattern of a background portion excluding the latent image portion.

Abstract: A control section 9 of a thermal printer 1 performs CMYK/RGB-gray conversion, gradation conversion, halftone conversion for an input image data 3, and performs shift processing and rotation processing in accordance with the resolution and the number of lines of the thermal printer 1. The control section 9 performs heat-accumulation correction processing for the image data subjected to the halftone processing, and the image data subjected to the shift processing and the rotation processing, and then prints a hairline image. When a circular hairline is printed, the control section 9 defines a pattern of circular hairlines, and produces a horizontal hairline pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum bonding a liquid crystal display device includes a unitary vacuum processing chamber, upper and lower stages provided at upper and lower spaces within the vacuum processing chamber for receiving first and second substrates, and at least one first substrate receiving system provided within the vacuum chamber to contact dummy areas between cell areas of one of the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which uses, as a print head, a thermal head having heating elements arrayed in a line perpendicular to the traveling direction of a printing medium. Correspondingly pixel data, at either end, or near the end, of each line of image data going to be printed, data on heat storage in the thermal head (108) is calculated for each line on the basis of data on heat storage in the print head for a preceding line, and the data on heat storage in the print head for each line is compared with predetermined-temperature data. When any of the stored-heat data is larger than the predetermined-temperature data, energy to the heating element (113) is decreased. The image data is printed on the printing medium (104) with the energy for application to the heating element (113) being kept decreased.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which uses, as a print head, a thermal head having heating elements arrayed in a line perpendicular to the traveling direction of a printing medium. Correspondingly pixel data, at either end, or near the end, of each line of image data going to be printed, data on heat storage in the thermal head (108) is calculated for each line on the basis of data on heat storage in the print head for a preceding line, and the data on heat storage in the print head for each line is compared with predetermined-temperature data. When any of the stored-heat data is larger than the predetermined-temperature data, energy to the heating element (113) is decreased. The image data is printed on the printing medium (104) with the energy for application to the heating element (113) being kept decreased.

Abstract: Thermal history control is performed in a thermal printer in which a single thermal print head prints sequentially on multiple color-forming layers in a single pass. Each pixel-printing interval may be divided into segments, each of which may be used to print a different color. The manner in which the input energy to be provided to each print head element is selected may be varied for each of the segments. Different energy computation functions may be used to compute the energy to be provided to the print head in each of the segments based on the predicted print head element temperature at the beginning of the segment, the color to be printed, and the energy that was supplied when printing other colors during the time period between the beginning of the segment of the current pixel-printing interval and the end of the equivalent segment of the previous pixel-printing interval.

Abstract: A reference developing image is formed on a photoreceptor drum under an image forming condition measured in advance, and the density of this reference developing image is detected. A development bias voltage is corrected based on the detection result, and when a correction value of the development bias voltage exceeds a predetermined range, a reference output voltage of an ATC sensor for detecting the density of toner in a developing device is corrected based on the detected value of humidity around the developing device, the frequency of use of the apparatus, and the agitation stress of developer.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for estimating parameters of a model of a thermal print head for use in performing thermal history control. In particular, techniques are disclosed for use in conjunction with a thermal print head having a plurality of print head elements and an associated heat sink. A sensitivity of a thermal print media to a temperature of the heat sink is identified. A sensitivity of the thermal print medium to a temperature of the plurality of print head elements is then identified based on the identified sensitivity of the thermal print medium to the temperature of the heat sink. Techniques are also disclosed for deriving conditions on estimated parameters of the print head model that determine the stability of the resulting thermal history control algorithm. Techniques are also disclosed for iteratively optimizing the values of those parameters.

Abstract: A thermal activation device has a thermal head having heat generating elements for generating heat to heat a thermal activation sheet. A radiator absorbs and dissipates heat generated by the heat generating elements of the thermal head. The radiator has a portion disposed in contact with an introduction path along which the thermal activation sheet is introduced toward the thermal head for contacting the thermal activation sheet to preheat the thermal activation sheet as the thermal activation sheet advances in the introduction path.

Abstract: A printer system comprises a communication interface and printer components. The communication interface receives a humidity value from a toner cartridge. The printer components control printing operation based on the humidity value. To control printing operation, the printer components may configure a dither matrix based on the humidity value. The toner cartridge comprises a humidity sensor and a communication interface. The humidity sensor detects a humidity level and generates the humidity value to correspond to the humidity level. The communication interface transfers the humidity value from the humidity sensor to the printer system.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus prints a print image by each dot line onto a tape. A plurality of heating elements of print head are driven while the tape is moved in a longitudinal direction thereof relative to the print head. The heating elements are aligned corresponding to the dot lines of the print image in which dots are arrayed in a width direction of the tape. With this tape printing apparatus, the number of consecutive blank lines is inspected regarding the print image made up of a mixture of print lines which are the dot lines including the dots to be printed and blank lines which are the dot lines including no dots to be printed. Based on the number of consecutive blank lines, energy applied to the print head is adjusted.

Abstract: A 2-color thermal point of sale (POS) printer includes a converter for converting full color printing commands into a commands for printing in two colors, a primary color and an alternate color. A three color image is possible when using the background color of the paper as a color.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus prints a print image by each dot line onto a tape. A plurality of heating elements of print head are driven while the tape is moved in a longitudinal direction thereof relative to the print head. The heating elements are aligned corresponding to the dot lines of the print image in which dots are arrayed in a width direction of the tape. With this tape printing apparatus, the number of consecutive blank lines is inspected regarding the print image made up of a mixture of print lines which are the dot lines including the dots to be printed and blank lines which are the dot lines including no dots to be printed. Based on the number of consecutive blank lines, energy applied to the print head is adjusted.

Abstract: A method of accessing stored printing parameters from a memory associated with a specific supply and simultaneously processing a group of thermal elements. The thermal element group generally comprises consecutive thermal elements. The processor concurrently considers the thermal element group and the dot history of thermal element group. The method of simultaneously processing the thermal element group comprises packing the thermal element group into a dot history pattern and forming a multiple thermal element organizational table. Thereafter, the multiple thermal element organizational table is used by the processor to determine and regulate energy delivered to each thermal element in the thermal element group. Furthermore, by simultaneously processing the thermal element group, processor efficiency can be elevated. Thus, the method permits a printer to increase printing speed and reduces the workload of the processor associated with the printer.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer has been described that includes a print head integrity tester. The tester measures a resistance of each thermal element of the print head to determine if an element is defective. In one embodiment, the resistance is measured by monitoring a current through the element and comparing to a reference. The printer can also include a power strobe adjustment that automatically adjusts the power applied to the print head elements as the thermal elements age.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring an image of predetermined length onto a substrate by selective energisation of a row of printing elements in a printhead of printing apparatus. The printing apparatus may be arranged with a print ribbon located between the printhead and the substrate such that ink is selectively transferred from the ribbon in the substrate as a result of energisations of the printing elements. The image to be printed is rendered in memory as a series of rows of pixels and the apparatus is set up to download the rendered rows of pixels to the printhead successively. The relative positioning of successively printed rows of pixels on the substrate is determined by relative displacement between the printhead and the substrate. The apparatus is set up to control the positioning of the rows of pixels by controlling the delay between successive energisations of the printing elements.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer has been described that includes a print head integrity tester. The tester measures a resistance of each thermal element of the print head to determine if an element is defective. In one embodiment, the resistance is measured by monitoring a current through the element and comparing to a reference. The printer can also include a power strobe adjustment that automatically adjusts the power applied to the print head elements as the thermal elements age.

Abstract: A method of accessing stored printing parameters from a memory associated with a specific supply and simultaneously processing a group of thermal elements. The thermal element group generally comprises consecutive thermal elements. The processor concurrently considers the thermal element group and the dot history of thermal element group. The method of simultaneously processing the thermal element group comprises packing the thermal element group into a dot history pattern and forming a multiple thermal element organizational table. Thereafter, the multiple thermal element organizational table is used by the processor to determine and regulate energy delivered to each thermal element in the thermal element group. Furthermore, by simultaneously processing the thermal element group, processor efficiency can be elevated. Thus, the method permits a printer to increase printing speed and reduces the workload of the processor associated with the printer.

Abstract: A line thermal printer is disclosed in which a plurality of heating elements are subjected to a divided energization process to energize the heating elements by dividing an energization process into a plurality of portions. The line printer includes a controller, including a correction factor table which stores correction factors that have been previously computed using a previously provided exponential functional formula, for performing a controlling operation so that the energization of the heating elements is carried out in accordance with an energization time that has been obtained by a correction factor corresponding to a measured temperature of each of the heating elements, obtained from the correction factor table. The temperature loss caused by dividing the energization process of each of the heating elements, disposed at the line thermal head, is easily and properly corrected.

Abstract: A method for printing an image using a thermal printing system comprising a thermal printer having a thermal head TH incorporating a plurality of energisable heating elements Hn and a thermographic material m, comprises several steps. These steps comprise supplying image data Id corresponding to a plurality of output values Dn to a processing unit, reading a first table LUT1 comprising first entries for desired output values Dk and second entries for sequences Sk of time slices si of activation pulses, transformation of the image data Id into corresponding sequences Sk of time slices of activation pulses, providing the time slices of activation pulses to the heating elements Hn of the thermal head TH, and printing the image by transporting the thermographic material past and adjacent to the thermal head and by activating the heating elements Hn of the thermal head.

Abstract: A thermal head driver system cyclically and independently drives at least two thermal heads having each a plurality of electric resistance elements. A storage system cyclically stores an image information data, the image information data cyclically being each of at least two types of image information data, respectively corresponding to the thermal heads. A selector system cyclically and correspondingly selects which thermal head should be driven in accordance with the cyclical storage of the types of image information data in the storage system, such that the electric resistance elements of the thermal head, selected by the selector system, are selectively and electrically energized in accordance with a corresponding type of image information data cyclically stored in the storage system.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a thermal printer, having a thermal head incorporating a plurality of energisable heating elements, comprises the step of supplying to the thermal printer a thermographic material m, a plurality of printer data Pi each intended to be recorded as a pixel having a density Di, and default reference values for printing parameters comprising a value Pref for a reference printing power; and the step of printing a calibration pattern for the plurality of printer data Pi, the calibration pattern comprising a multiple step density wedge such that a whole range of a relation Di (Pi) between the printer data Pi and the density Di is covered.

Abstract: There is disclosed a thermosensitive line printer, wherein a heating element array of a thermal head is pressed on a thermosensitive recording paper at a distance L2 from a nipping position by a pair of conveyer rollers, and is driven to record an image frame line by line from a print starting end, as the recording paper is conveyed by the conveyer rollers in a direction from the thermal head to the conveyer rollers. Based on image data of an upper zone of an image frame that is to be recorded around the distance L2 from the print starting end if the image frame is recorded from its top side, an image analyzer calculates a first estimation value that represents conspicuousness of potential density deviation in the upper zone that could be caused by a thermal deformation of the thermosensitive recording paper at the print starting end if the image frame is recorded from the top side.

Abstract: A method for recording an image on a thermographic material (m) comprising a step of providing a thermographic material having a thermal imaging element, a transparent thermal head (TH) having energizable heating elements (Hi), and a radiation beam (L), and a step of activating heating elements of the thermal head and imagewise and scanwise exposing the imaging element by means of the radiation beam. Herein, the total energy resulting from the thermal head and from the radiation beam has a level corresponding to a gradation of the image to be recorded on the imaging element. Moreover, the imagewise and scanwise exposing is carried out by passing the radiation beam through transparent parts of the thermal head.

Abstract: A thermal head of a thermal printer has plural heating elements arranged along a line and connected in parallel with one another. A respective one of the heating elements is connected to one of plural heat control switches, which are selectively turned on/off for driving the heating elements individually by applying electrical energy to generate heat. To measure resistance data of at least one of the heating elements, a capacitor is connected in parallel with the plural heating elements. A reference resistor is connected in parallel with the plural heating elements and the capacitor. The capacitor is charged, and then discharged via the reference resistor or the one of the heating elements. A voltage across the capacitor is detected. An amount of discharging time required to decrease of the capacitor voltage from a predetermined high voltage to a predetermined low voltage is measured while the capacitor is discharged, in association respectively with the reference resistor and the heating elements.

Abstract: A printing process for a substantially light-insensitive thermographic monosheet material having two edges parallel to one another and >12 cm apart (non-label) for obtaining a desired optical density and a desired colour tone comprising: selecting a thermographic monosheet material, the selected thermographic monosheet material being a black and white thermographic monosheet material having a support and a thermosensitive element; supplying image data to a processing unit of a thermal printer including a printhead having energizable heating elements arranged in a column C; converting the image data which are not zero into at least one activation pulse per pixel to be printed; energising the heating elements printing-line by printing-line adjacent to the selected substantially light-insensitive thermographic monosheet material thereby producing an image; transporting the imaging material past and adjacent to the printhead in a transport direction with a transport system; forming an image dot with a h

Abstract: A thermal head for a printer includes a heating resistor temperature which is controlled by a temperature control apparatus. The temperature control apparatus senses the temperature of the heating resistor from a current flowing through the heating resistor and a temperature coefficient of the resistor. The temperature control apparatus includes a down-counter for decreasing an initial data corresponding to a current of the heating element when the heating element has a positive temperature coefficient. While, the temperature control apparatus includes an up-counter for increasing an initial data corresponding to a current of the heating element up to a full-count data when the heating element has a negative temperature coefficient.

Abstract: The improved thermal head adjusting method used when an image is recorded onto a thermal recording material by applying a voltage to a thermal head in accordance with image data, comprises the steps of measuring an initial state of at least one of characteristic values of the thermal head and adjusting the voltage to be applied in accordance with the image data with respect to a reference voltage. According to this method, variation in densities caused by difference of and variation in individual thermal heads can be greatly reduced and a high quality homogeneous thermal image can be stably recorded without being affected by difference of thermal heads.

Abstract: A line thermal printer in which a plurality of heating elements are disposed at a line thermal head, with the plurality of heating elements being subjected to a divided energization process in order to energize every several number of heating elements by dividing an energization process into a plurality of portions. The line printer includes a controller, including a correction factor table which stores correction factors that have been previously computed using a previously provided exponential functional formula, for performing a controlling operation so that the energization of the heating elements is carried out in accordance with an energization time that has been obtained by a correction factor corresponding to a measured temperature of each of the heating elements, obtained from the correction factor table.

Abstract: A method of printing using a thermal print head comprises a plurality of printing elements arranged generally in an array each of which may selectively be energised and de-energised under the control of a control means to transfer pixels of marking medium from a carrier onto a substrate or to activate pixels on a sensitive substrate, the method comprising providing to the control means data dependent on the nature of the image to be printed which would enable the image having an image length L to be printed as a matrix of pixels at a linear resolution of C where C is the number of image columns per unit length in the direction of printing, wherein the method comprises causing relative movement between the print head and the substrate such that the print head relatively traverses the substrate the image length L in an available time T whilst the print head performs E thermal cycles to print the image, and the control means manipulating the data so that the image is printed with the print head omitting or repea

Abstract: A thermal imaging system for compensating for the temperature dependent changes in thermal elements of a thermal printhead is disclosed. Specifically, the thermal imaging system generates a temperature or energy dependent profile of the resistances of each thermal element which makes up the thermal printhead. Based upon this profile, the imaging system estimates the resistances of thermal elements based upon a pixel density to be transferred to media. Based upon the estimated resistances, the imaging system adjusts the amount of energy to be applied to particular thermal elements for transferring a pixel having a density which more closely approximates the density of a corresponding pixel in a desired image.

Abstract: A pixel density correction device for processing a signal containing pixel density values conveyed to a printing head of an electrocoagulation printing apparatus that includes a plurality of simultaneously addressable electrodes. The pixel density correction device of the invention comprises an input for receiving the signal representative of pixel density values associated with the simultaneously addressable electrodes, and a processing element for altering a pixel density value of a selected one of the simultaneously addressable electrodes, the signal processing element being responsive to pixel density values associated with electrodes other than the selected electrode to determine a corrected pixel density value associated with the selected electrode.

Abstract: A thermal head of a thermal printer is provided with an array of parallel connected heating elements and transistors connected in series to the heating elements in one to one relation. In a resistance measuring mode, one of the transistors connected to one heating element whose resistance is to measure is turned on, and other transistors are turned off. In this condition, a capacitor connected in parallel to the heating element is charged up to a predetermined voltage, and then discharged. A counter circuit starts time-counting by a short unit time t0 when a predetermined delay time Tmin has passed since the start of discharging, and outputs a count Q when the charged voltage goes down to a predetermined level. Based on a discharge time T=Tmin+t0·Q, the resistance of the heating element is calculated.

Abstract: A temperature control apparatus for controlling a temperature of a heating resistor included on a thermal head of a printer. The temperature control apparatus includes a sensing circuit for sensing the temperature of the heating resistor from a current flowing through the heating resistor. The temperature control apparatus includes a switching device for switching the current activated by a status signal, and a holding circuit, which holds the status signal indicating whether each heating resister is to be heated. The holding circuit is cleared when the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: In an image forming method in that an image-receiving layer of an image-receiving element is in contact with an ink sheet comprising a thermally transferable dye, and the dye is transferred to the image-receiving layer in accordance with imagewise-heating by a thermal head, the image-receiving layer having dye image formed by dye transfer is subjected to re-heating through a thin film material by thermal head.

Abstract: A thermal head of a thermal printer has plural heating elements arranged along a line and connected in parallel with one another. A respective one of the heating elements is connected to one of plural heat control switches, which are selectively turned on/off for driving the heating elements individually by applying electrical energy to generate heat. To measure resistance data of at least one of the heating elements, a capacitor is connected in parallel with the plural heating elements. A reference resistor is connected in parallel with the plural heating elements and the capacitor. The capacitor is charged, and then discharged via the reference resistor or the one of the heating elements. A capacitor voltage across the capacitor is detected. Discharging time elapsed in a decrease of the capacitor voltage is measured from a predetermined high voltage to a predetermined low voltage while the capacitor is discharged, in association respectively with the reference resistor and the heating elements.

Abstract: A printhead having multiple print lines of conventional design and a printhead control system for using the multiple print lines in a variety of operations. In one embodiment, the printhead control system prints an image by superimposing the printing from multiple print lines. In another embodiment, the image is printed by alternating the energization of one print line so that each print line is used to print only 1/3 of the image lines. As a result, the print lines are allowed a relatively long time to cool, thus allowing the printhead to be operated at a faster speed. In another embodiment, the printing elements of each print line print with a different image density, and images printed by superimposing the printing elements in the print lines with a variety of combinations depending upon the desired magnitude of the image density.