Abstract: An ink tank receives data signals from a printer and an LED provided on the ink tank is driven on the basis of the received data signals. The LED is driven in an inactive time period that is different from the time period in which the date signals are input to the ink tank.

Abstract: A device includes a first element substrate and a second element substrate for driving a driving element; a first signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the first element substrate; a second signal input unit connected to an input terminal of the second element substrate; and a signal output unit. Each of the first and second element substrates includes a driving element, a first signal generation unit configured to output a first signal, a second signal generation unit configured to output a second signal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a selection unit configured to receive a signal from the first and the second signal generation units, select one of a state of the first signal, a state of the second signal, and a high-impedance state on the basis of the selection signal input from the input terminal, and output the state to the output terminal.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a liquid discharge head substrate including a discharge port through which a liquid is discharged, and a plurality of energy generating elements that generate energy for discharging the liquid from the discharge port, and a circuit board having flexibility including a pair of differential transmission lines for transmitting differential transmission signals used as logical signals for driving the energy generating elements, to the liquid discharge head substrate, and a voltage supply line for supplying a voltage applied to the energy generating elements to obtain the energy, to the liquid discharge head substrate, wherein the pair of differential transmission lines is provided on one surface of the circuit board, and the voltage supply line is provided on the other surface of the circuit board, which is on a reverse side of the one surface.

Abstract: A substrate includes a first and a second element arrays in each of which a plurality of elements is arrayed along a first direction of the substrate, a first and a second pad arrays in which a plurality of pads is arrayed along respective two opposite sides extending along a second direction of the substrate, a reception circuit configured to receive data for driving the elements, a data circuit configured to generate data corresponding to the first and the second element array, respectively based on the received data, a signal generation circuit configured to generate a period signal for determining a drive period of the elements based on the generated data, and an output circuit configured to output information related to the substrate.

Abstract: This invention is directed to real time detection of occurrence of a transfer error and feedback of the detection result to a printing apparatus in consideration of a possible risk that a signal transfer error occurs on a transfer path that becomes longer as the printhead is elongated. To accomplish this, in a printhead configured by cascade-connecting a plurality of element substrates, information of a transfer error detected in real time in each element substrate during transfer of a print data signal is output to an element substrate on the next stage by taking account of information input from an element substrate on the preceding stage. Information containing pieces of information from all element substrates is output from an element substrate on the final stage.

Abstract: Data transfer is realized to support a high-speed and complex driving control of the driving element. A driving device includes a driving unit configured to supply a driving element with a pulse signal that determines a driving period to drive the driving element, an input unit configured to receive, in synchronization with a trigger signal, a data signal containing first information, second information, a first flag and a second flag that determine a waveform of the pulse signal, a first setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the first information that is input to the input unit, a retaining unit configured to read and retain the second information on the basis of the first flag, and a second setting unit configured to set in the driving unit the second information that is retained in the retaining unit on the basis of the second flag.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a high-resolution, small-size, low-cost driving device includes a clock signal generating unit configured to receive a first clock signal of a differential signaling system and generate a second clock signal, an input unit configured to input a data signal which includes first information and second information, a first timing generating unit configured to select an edge of the second clock signal based on the first information and to generate a first signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge a second timing generating unit configured to select edge of the second clock signal based on the second information and to generate a second signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge, a logical circuit configured to generate a pulse signal based on the first and second signals, and a driving element configured to drive a driven element using the pulse signal.

Abstract: A head element substrate includes receiving means for receiving data in which recording data and drive pulse width data have been multiplexed, a shift register which separates recording data from the multiplexed data, and a drive pulse width signal generation circuit which generates a drive pulse width signal by separating the drive pulse width data from the multiplexed data.

Abstract: An ink tank receives data signals from a printer and an LED provided on the ink tank is driven on the basis of the received data signals. The LED is driven in an inactive time period that is different from the time period in which the date signals are input to the ink tank.

Abstract: An ink tank receives data signals from a printer and an LED provided on the ink tank is driven on the basis of the received data signals. The LED is driven in an inactive time period that is different from the time period in which the date signals are input to the ink tank.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a printhead tolerant of switching noise occurred when concurrently driving plural printing elements, a head cartridge using the printhead, and a printing apparatus. To achieve this object, a printhead includes plural printing elements and plural driving elements for driving the plural printing elements, and prints by these printing elements. The printhead includes the following arrangement. More specifically, the printhead includes a shift register which receives print data in synchronism with a clock signal, and a latch circuit which latches the print data input to the shift register in synchronism with a latch signal. The printhead further includes a restriction circuit which restricts input of the print data and clock signal to the shift register and input of the latch signal to the latch circuit in synchronism with input of an enable signal for driving the plural driving elements.

Abstract: A printhead tolerant of switching noise that occurs when concurrently driving plural printing elements, a head cartridge using the printhead, and a printing apparatus can be provided. The printhead includes plural printing elements and plural driving elements for driving the plural printing elements, and prints using these printing elements. The printhead also includes a shift register which receives print data in synchronism with a clock signal, and a latch circuit which latches the print data input to the shift register in synchronism with a latch signal. The printhead further includes a restriction circuit which restricts input of the print data and clock signal to the shift register and input of the latch signal to the latch circuit in synchronism with input of an enable signal for driving the plural driving elements.

Abstract: A variation in brightness among light emitting portions provided in a plurality of liquid containers can be reduced to decrease power required to drive the light emitting portions, while allowing the light emitting portions to appropriately function as reporting units. Thus, to illuminate the light emitting portions provided in the plurality of ink tanks, a driving pulse for each of the plurality of light emitting portions is modulated to control rates of a light emission period and a light emission halted period during a unit time. Further, the light emission period of at least one of the plurality of light emitting portions overlaps the light emission halted period of at least another one of the plurality of light emitting portions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing head having connection terminals for performing an electrical connection of signals including drive signals of print elements by contacting connection terminals in an apparatus side when the head is mounted onto an ink jet printing apparatus. It is made to guarantee connections of all terminals by detecting contacts of a part of terminals. Among the terminals in the head, terminals whose distances from the connection terminals in the printing apparatus become maximum when a deviation occurred in the mounting, are used as terminals for contact detection. For example, from among the connection terminals arranged in a planar area, which is rectangular-shaped, terminals positioned in corners are used as the terminals for the contact detection. When the contacts of these terminals are detected, the connections of all the terminals inside the area can be guaranteed.

Abstract: The printing head has connection terminals for performing an electrical connection of signals including drive signals of print elements by contacting connection terminals on an apparatus side when the head is mounted onto an ink jet printing apparatus. Connections of all terminals can be guaranteed by detecting contacts of a part of terminals. Among the terminals in the head, terminals whose distances from the connection terminals in the printing apparatus become maximum when a deviation occurred in the mounting are used as terminals for contact detection. For example, from among the connection terminals arranged in a planar area, which is rectangular-shaped, terminals positioned in corners are used as the terminals for the contact detection. When the contacts of these terminals are detected, the connections of all the terminals inside the area can be guaranteed.

Abstract: A recording head circuit is configured to drive a plurality of recording elements by dividing the plurality of recording elements into a plurality of blocks. The circuit delays not only heat signals, which are used to drive the recording elements in each of the blocks, but also block signals. Consequently, noises are prevented from appearing due to overlapping of signals.

Abstract: A control section of each ink tank detects a difference in voltage value between a voltage value of an output data signal and a voltage value of an input data signal through the differential detector. When a plurality of ink tanks of the same color are mounted, this voltage difference carries a value different from a voltage of the original output data signal. Accordingly, by detecting this voltage difference, it can be detected that the plurality of the ink tanks of the same color are mounted, these ink tanks can be specified and identified, and be controlled individually.

Abstract: A head element substrate includes receiving means for receiving data in which recording data and drive pulse width data have been multiplexed, a shift register which separates recording data from the multiplexed data, and a drive pulse width signal generation circuit which generates a drive pulse width signal by separating the drive pulse width data from the multiplexed data.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a printhead tolerant of switching noise occurred when concurrently driving plural printing elements, a head cartridge using the printhead, and a printing apparatus. To achieve this object, a printhead includes plural printing elements and plural driving elements for driving the plural printing elements, and prints by these printing elements. The printhead includes the following arrangement. More specifically, the printhead includes a shift register which receives print data in synchronism with a clock signal, and a latch circuit which latches the print data input to the shift register in synchronism with a latch signal. The printhead further includes a restriction circuit which restricts input of the print data and clock signal to the shift register and input of the latch signal to the latch circuit in synchronism with input of an enable signal for driving the plural driving elements.

Abstract: A liquid container that can present various information using illumination of a light-emitting unit includes an IC package having a storage element and the light-emitting unit. The storage element stores information used for controlling the amount of light emitted from an LED included in the light-emitting unit, so that variation in brightness of the light-emitting unit can be reduced and the information can be adequately presented.