Abstract: A self-contained, high power, solid state, battery voltage switching system applies battery voltage to a thermal printhead when the printer is turned on and disconnects voltage from the battery to the thermal printhead when the printer is turned off, thereby conserving battery power and increasing battery life. FET switches connect the battery to the printhead and to a circuit for applying operating voltage to a drive and control circuit for the printhead. Gate voltage is applied to the FET, or FETs when a plurality thereof are connected in parallel, to enable the FETs to provide the connection between the battery and the printhead. The gate voltage is supplied from a flip-flop and a FET driver which are self-contained with the FETs and the other circuitry in the printer.

Abstract: A printing system includes a plurality of print engines; a raster printer controller having a processor for generating the rasterized bitmap data; and a plurality of print engine communication devices, where each of the print engine communication devices are coupled to a corresponding one of the print engines to provide the rasterized bitmap data to the corresponding print engine. The print engine communication devices are coupled together with the raster printer controller in a daisy chain configuration by a data link. Each of the print engine communication devices includes a message processing circuit that is adapted to monitor data received from raster printer controller, execute commands embedded in data received, update a bitmap data memory storage buffer in the print engine communication device with rasterized bitmap data embedded in the data received from the raster printer controller.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a data switch for a Bi-Tronics printer that keeps the Bi-Tronics printer in the use of data switch by adding a controller circuit which provides simulating responding signals to a disconnected computer. When the data switch is turned to different position, that is, the Bi-Tronics printer is in fact disconnected with the computer, a pseudo signal will be provided by the controller circuit to deceive the computer that the printer is still connected. Therefore, the driver of the Bi-Tronics printer in computer could not detect the abnormal condition of the Bi-Tronics printer, so that, the error massage will not appear on the screen and the data switch could still function properly between the computer and the Bi-Tronics printer without interrupting the user.

Abstract: To prevent effective print speed from being lowered, a counter is provided for each of a plurality of print hammers. A number of times a print hammer is driven during one print phase having a predetermined period of time is counted by the counter. The counted value is compared with a reference value, and when the counted value has reached the reference value during the print phase, driving of the print hammer is halted until the end of the print phase. A reference value is changed based on the number of times the print hammer is driven during a previous print phase immediately before the present print phase. The reference value represents an allowable number the print hammer can be driven during each of successive print phases.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer system utilizing bi-directional communication between a computing device and a printing machine, for transmitting data representing real-time supply roll parameters to an application program on the computing device. Supply roll parameters are stored on a memory circuit component that is connected to a supply roll. The computing device polls the printing machine for the supply roll parameters. The printing machine transmits the supply roll parameters to the computing device and the computing device formats the parameters into a display, proportionately matching the dimensions and color of the actual supply roll. A user can then create and/or edit output files for the specific supply roll loaded in the printing machine, viewing the output exactly as it will be printed.

Abstract: A system for printing an image onto a target area of a moving substrate with an actuatable print head having an actuation delay time, the substrate movable at a variable speed to a print position relative to the print head. The system includes a trigger signal generator for generating a trigger signal when the target area of the substrate is a specified distance from the print position so selected that a time required to move the target area of the substrate the specified distance to the print position is not less than the actuation delay time of the print head. Encoder signals based on movement of the substrate decrement a reference count during a delay time to generate a delay count, wherein the delay time corresponds to the actuation delay time of the print head. The encoder signals decrement the delay count in response to the generation of a trigger signal, wherein a print signal is generated when the delay count is decremented to zero.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer printer which causes neither blur in first printing nor stain on a sheet even in both-side printing, and which can securely maintain ink writing properties in recording to write an ink image by an intermediate transfer member, and re-transfer properties in re-transfer of an ink image to a printing medium over a long period time.

Abstract: The stall manager system controls food distribution and mealtimes in a given number of animal stalls arranged in stall lines. The system comprises a given number of electronically controllable feeding devices mounted in the animal stalls, which are controlled by a stall manager module for each one of the animal stalls. A central computer unit manages food distribution and mealtimes relative to the feeding devices in the animal stalls. The central computer unit has communication resources for addressing selective command messages to the stall manager modules to accomplish the management. The stall manager modules are connected in series, and are each provided with a repeater circuit for relaying data between the central computer unit and the next stall manager module in line.

Abstract: A method is described for calibrating a printer and/or a scanner so that information can be printed at a desired location with respect to a sheet, the method comprising: storing a first set of markings as a first image in digital form; printing, using a printer to be calibrated, the first image on a sheet to form a printed sheet; scanning the printed sheet to generate a second image stored in digital form; comparing the first image and the second image, or an image derived from the second image, to determine a first transformation which maps the first set of markings in the second image, or the image derived from the second image, onto the first set of markings on the first image; storing parameters of the first transformation for subsequent use by applying the first transformation to information to be printed at the desired location. Using this method the bias transformations associated with a printer and/or a scanner can be accurately measured and stored for future use in printing.

Abstract: A print job allocation system interlinks customers of a plurality of printing plants located throughout the world and a plurality of printing plants located throughout the world. The system includes a network for connecting the printing plant customers and a plurality of printing machine control devices controlling a plurality of printing machines in the plurality of printing plants. The system also includes a print job processor which receives print job data from the printing customers and printing machine data from the printing machine control devices. The print job processor processes the data received and allocates print jobs by matching desired print job requirements to available printing machine capacity and capabilities. Using various print job criteria, the print job processor selects one or more printing machines from one or more printing plants which provide for optimum use of the world-wide printing machines and optimum performance of the printing and distribution of the printed products.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a continuous web printing process is disclosed. In the method, a computer index file is created which tracks the status of all printed logical segments on the web. Based on the status of a record relating to a particular logical segment or the status of other associated logical segments, the particular logical segment is either accepted or rejected. The status of a record is set by scanning the logical segment for errors.

Abstract: An intelligent, portable printer having a microprocessor controller, a printing mechanism, and a web feed mechanism integrated into an assembly which, together with a battery pack, may weigh about 1.5 pounds and be about 60 cubic inches in volume. The web may have removable labels adhesively attached to a liner, or it may be linerless label stock with exposed adhesive, or it may be non-adhesive plain paper stock. The web may be printed with bar codes, graphics, text, or lines. Because the printer is so small and light in weight, it may be used at any site where labels are required. By labels is meant any tickets, stickers, or other patches (so-called "label-stock"). The controller includes a microprocessor which communicates interactively with a terminal, which may be remote from the printer and may include or be a host computer, via cable, radio, or optical interfaces. The terminal supplies application programs and data representing the information to be printed.

Abstract: A dot matrix printing apparatus which designates an area of a memory as a print buffer and which outputs print data from the print buffer to a printer head having print elements for printing the print data. The dot matrix printing apparatus includes a memory, an area of which is designatable as a print buffer, and a processor which (1) executes an application program to generate the print data, (2) determines size data for the print data, the size data comprising a number of columns of print data and an amount of print data per each column, the amount of print data per each column being derived from a number of operable print elements on the printer head, (3) designates an area of the memory as a print buffer based on the size data, the print buffer being defined by address data, and (4) stores the print data in the print buffer.

Abstract: When a dental patient is having one or more of his or her front teeth aesthetically improved, when a dentist cements thereon a porcelain veneer, which becomes a porcelain laminate extending across the front surface of the patient's tooth, the method steps followed and the equipment used have been improved. The improvements center both on obtaining more quickly and more accurately a noble metal foil matrix, which conforms to the front surface of the front tooth die of the patient, and on applying the porcelain ceramic slurry on the conformed noble metal material, to compensate for the shrinking of the porcelain during the firing thereof. The improved equipment is a forming machine which utilizes a constant pressure source of compressed air to move a piston in a cylinder, with the piston moving one metal die to contact another metal die, each die having an aligned rubber insert, and each rubber insert having an alike aligned receiving space.

Abstract: An improved dental post is provided in an apparatus for forming a pattern of an apical canal comprising:an elongated apical shaft;a transfer head axially attached to one end of the apical shaft; anda thermoplastic encasing the apical shaft.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for setting intercharacter spacing for display, rendering or other output of strings of adjacent characters utilize character shapes to set final spacing amounts. The invention stores specifications of characters to be rendered adjacently along an axis, the specifications including a font associated with each of the characters, each character having an associated interior portion defined by a contour portion, and adjacent characters having opposed contour segments separated along the axis by at least one intercharacter contour distance at an initial (e.g., default) intercharacter spacing; and sets a final intercharacter spacing between pairs of adjacent characters along the axis based on a portion of the intercharacter contour distances; the invention may further utilize statistical analysis of these distances in setting spacing.

Abstract: A printing system is disclosed in which a host computer 1 sends print data to a printer 2, and the printer 2 prints an image on a paper in accordance with the print data received. The printer 2 includes a printing mechanism 19 for performing a printing operation and a control unit 18 with a stand-by function. In the host computer 1, a printer driver 4 receives a print command from an application 3, and outputs removal data to the control unit 18 and then generates print data. Upon receipt of the removal data, the control unit 18 removes a stand-by status of the printer and places the printer in a wake-up status. The signal format of the removal data is the same as of the print data. Accordingly, a conventional interface may be used for the transmission of the removal data. Further, the data format of the removal data is the same as of the print data. Accordingly, the wake-up status of the printer may be removed by utilizing commands provided for some other purposes.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method for printing on a recording medium at locations being determined by encoder pulses of an encoder signal generated by an encoder including an encoder pending circuit. The encoder pending circuit outputs an encoder pending signal indicating the generation of one of the encoder pulses during a current printing operation. A controller coupled to the encoder pending circuit, receives the encoder pending signal and generates an enable signal after the completion of the current printing operation. The method of printing includes receiving one of the encoder pulses; determining whether the received one of the encoder pulse is generated during a current printing operation and completing the current printing operation before responding to the received one of the encoder pulses.

Abstract: A dot matrix printer having a plurality of hammers forming in part a hammerbank, with a motor for driving the hammerbank, and a controller for releasing the hammers for printing on a print media. A counterbalance is mechanically linked to the hammerbank for balancing it during movement. Lands and grooves are connected for rotation with the motor. A sensor sends pulses corresponding to the lands and grooves for controlling the hammerbank movement. The hammerbank is linked to the position of the lands and grooves as mechanically connected to the motor.

Abstract: A controller receives a signal indicating the temperature of a print head from a head temperature detection thermistor. The controller sets a cooling time for the print head based on a time in which the temperature of the print head increase from a first temperature to a second temperature and an environment temperature detected by an environment temperature detection thermistor. When the temperature of the print head exceeds the second temperature due to excessive heat accumulation therein, printing and movement of the print head are suspended for the cooling time immediately after completion of printing of one or a plurality of bands at a position where the print head is located at that time. Thus, the temperature of the print head is decreased.