Abstract: A method for image processing by adjusting heating time includes providing a first heating table corresponding to a relationship between a first color density and a first heating time and a second heating table corresponding to a relationship between a color degree and a second heating time based on a printing parameter. The method further comprises providing a function corresponding to a relationship between a second color density and the color degree based on the first heating table and the second heating table, wherein the second heating time has a one-to-one relationship with the color degree, and the color degree has a one-to-one relationship with the second color density.

Abstract: A method for calculating and adjusting the color temperature of an image includes calculating an average color temperature and adjusting the chromaticity of each pixel of the image according to the average color temperature. The adjustment may be linear across all pixels or scaled according to the chromaticity of each pixel. The adjustment will not cause pixels to cross chromaticity axis boundaries, thus preserving original colors.

Abstract: A printer includes a ribbon supply end, a ribbon retrieving end, and a ribbon. The two ends of the ribbon are installed on the ribbon supply end and the ribbon retrieving end respectively. The printer further includes a print head, a print medium fixture, a driving module for driving the ribbon from the ribbon supply end to the ribbon retrieving end, a moving shaft for moving from a first position of the ribbon between the print head and the ribbon supply end so as to elongate the ribbon between the print head and the ribbon supply end before the print head transfers dye on the ribbon onto the print medium and when the print head and the print medium fixture clamp the print medium, and a control module for controlling the printer according to whether the moving shaft can be moved from the first position to a second position.

Abstract: A printer includes a ribbon supply end including a shaft, a ribbon retrieving end, and a ribbon. The two ends of the ribbon are installed on the ribbon supply end and the ribbon retrieving end respectively. The printer further includes a print head, a driving module for driving the ribbon supply end and the ribbon retrieving end so as to move the ribbon from the ribbon supply end to the ribbon retrieving end, a sensing module installed at one side of the ribbon supply end including a first contact sensor, and a second contact sensor installed between the first contact sensor and the ribbon supply end, and a control module for controlling the printer according to whether or not the second contact sensor can contact the shaft of the ribbon supply end when the first contact sensor contacts the ribbon on the ribbon supply end.

Abstract: A ribbon roller is fixed in a ribbon cartridge via a fixing element. The fixing element includes an accommodation means and a fastening element. The accommodation means fixes a tab of the ribbon roller, and the fastening element engages the ribbon cartridge. When transporting the ribbon cartridge, the fixing element is capable of preventing the ribbon roller from rotating so as to prevent the ribbon from wrinkling and affecting printing quality.

Abstract: Multi-layer printing of a thermal printer allows editing of print objects in a plurality of editing pages, and creation of a relationship between the editing pages and a plurality of dye areas of a dye ribbon. The print objects in the editing pages are converted into a plurality of pages of printing data. A thermal printer drives the dye areas of the dye ribbon to sequentially transfer two pages of the printing data onto a first surface of a card. With visible editing windows, the operation of editing the print objects for a thermal printer can be simplified.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a hidden image, which is formed in a first area of a hologram, is disclosed. The apparatus has a laser device for generating a laser beam and projecting the laser beam to the hologram, and a sensing device for sensing light that reflects from the hologram. When the laser beam is emitted to the hologram at a first incident angle, at least one diffractive beam is generated by diffraction of the laser beam. The sensing device is capable of outputting a responding signal according to the characteristics of the diffractive beam. Additionally, if the laser beam is emitted to the hologram at an incident angle, which is not equal to the first incident angle, the diffractive beam cannot be generated so that the sensing device does not output the responding signal.

Abstract: An easy-load mechanism and its associated method for installing a printer cartridge comprises a moveable cartridge bay for holding the printer cartridge, a lever device for accepting an external force, and a linking device the external force from the lever device to the moveable cartridge bay, wherein when the lever device is able to move the movable cartridge from an initial position to a target position via the linking device. Additionally, an alternative easy-load mechanism and its associated method for installing a printer cartridge comprises a moveable cartridge bay for holding the printer cartridge, a lever device for accepting an external force, a first engagement device, a second engagement device, and a third engagement device for transferring force from the lever device to the moveable cartridge bay, wherein the lever device is able to move the movable cartridge from an initial position to a target position via the engagement devices.

Abstract: A photo printer includes a housing, a circuit board having a first set of female conducting terminals and a control circuit for controlling the operation of the printer, a connection module having a connector that contains both a first set of male conducting terminals for engaging with the first set of female conducting terminals and a second set of female conducting terminals, and an external card for storing data having a second set of female conducting terminals for engaging with the first set of female conducting terminals.

Abstract: A color printer for economizing ribbon includes a ribbon including dye regions, and each dye region includes a plurality of dye areas for carrying dye of different colors. The color printer further includes a print head for transferring dye on the ribbon onto a subject, a ribbon-moving device for moving the ribbon so that the print head can transfer the dye on each of the dye areas of one dye region onto the subject to form a color picture, an optical sensing module installed on the side of the ribbon including an optical encoding disk driven by the ribbon-moving device generating a count when the ribbon-moving device moves the ribbon, and a control module for controlling the ribbon-moving device to move the next dye region of the ribbon to the print head after finishing printing one dye region of the ribbon according to the count of the optical encoding disk.

Abstract: According to the claimed invention, a positioning apparatus is disclosed. The positioning apparatus comprises a motor and a Scotch yoke for controlling the position of a first printer part. The motor is for providing a rotational motion to the Scotch yoke. In response, part of the Scotch yoke moves in a linear fashion. As a result of the linear motion of the Scotch yoke, the position of the first printer part can be controlled.

Abstract: An image and audio processing system includes a housing, a storage medium, a non-contact audio storage device installed inside the housing for storing audio data in the storage medium by wireless communication technology, and a print device installed inside the housing for printing an image on the storage medium.

Abstract: A method of registering the position of a ribbon by moving the ribbon with a constant angular velocity and detecting the amount of ribbon used in a photo printer. The ribbon includes dye regions each having several dye frames, and black bar regions each prior to a dye region. The first dye frame of each dye region is registered after each black bar region is detected. The amount of ribbon used is determined based on the moved time of the black bar region. And while one of the dye frames is finished printing, the required time for moving the ribbon to register the start position of the subsequent dye frame is obtained based on the moved time of the black bar region, the length of the printed part of the dye frame, and the length from non-printed part of the dye frame to the subsequent dye frame.

Abstract: A method includes distributing grayscales of dye blocks in each of a plurality of color blocks to be printed as an image on a medium according to grayscales of the image to be printed on the medium and a predetermined printing rule, transferring the dyes of the dye blocks in the plurality of color blocks to the medium to generate the image according to the distribution, and transferring dyes of an overcoating block in the last color block of the plurality of color blocks to the medium.

Abstract: A method for generating a watermark on a photo picture using a thermal printer. The thermal printer includes a thermal printhead for heating an ink ribbon and sublimating color dyes stored in the ink ribbon on a photo picture. The ink ribbon includes a plurality of sequentially arranged color frames. Each color frame includes a plurality of dye frames with different color dyes and a dye frame with overcoating. The method includes using the thermal printhead to heat a color frame with a plurality of different color dyes and to sublimate the color dyes on a photo picture and using the thermal printhead to heat the dye frame with the overcoating and to heat different areas on the color frame by two distinct time periods.