Abstract: A detector circuit for detecting a malfunction of a circuit due to a low third power supply voltage that has the same amplitude and potential as an input signal is provided. Based on an output signal of the detector circuit, whether an output of a second power supply voltage generation circuit for activating a heater driving circuit is allowed or not is determined. When the third power supply voltage is low and the heater driving circuit operates improperly, no power supply voltage is supplied from the second power supply voltage generation circuit. Since no power supply voltage is supplied to the heater driving circuit, the heater driving circuit does not drive a corresponding heater.

Abstract: An ink jet print head substrate is provided which can prevent voltage drop variations during driving, no matter in what way the ejection energy generation elements are driven, and which can also apply a stable energy to the ejection energy generation elements at all times. The ink jet print head substrate of this invention has a plurality of kinds of ejection energy generation elements to generate different magnitudes of ink ejection energy and wiring portions. The print head substrate also has a plurality of wiring layers arranged to at least partly overlap one another. The wiring portions connected to the different kinds of ejection energy generation elements are provided at least partly in different wiring portions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printhead having a plurality of element substrates, in which the effects of the rise in element substrate temperature and current noise are not manifested in a biased manner in only one of the element substrates. The printhead is comprising a plurality of printing elements and provided with first and second element substrates having the plurality of printing elements and a second element substrate in such a manner that the first element substrate and second element substrate are spaced apart, with the first element substrate having a first function circuit electrically connected to the second element substrate and having processing functions used for driving the printing elements of the second element substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are a head substrate, a printhead, a head cartridge, and a printing apparatus using the printhead or head cartridge which are capable of separately measuring variations in the resistance of a printing element and variations in the parasitic resistance including the wiring resistance and the ON resistance of a driving element. For example, a head substrate having a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of driving elements for driving the plurality of printing elements includes the first terminal which receives a test signal to the plurality of printing elements, the second terminal which receives a selection signal for selecting and driving at least some of the plurality of printing elements, and the third and fourth terminals which output potentials at the two ends of each of the printing elements selected by the selection signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are a head substrate, a printhead, a head cartridge, and a printing apparatus using the printhead or head cartridge which are capable of separately measuring variations in the resistance of a printing element and variations in the parasitic resistance including the wiring resistance and the ON resistance of a driving element. For example, a head substrate having a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of driving elements for driving the plurality of printing elements includes the first terminal which receives a test signal to the plurality of printing elements, the second terminal which receives a selection signal for selecting and driving at least some of the plurality of printing elements, and the third and fourth terminals which output potentials at the two ends of each of the printing elements selected by the selection signal.

Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.

Abstract: A buffer circuit for shaping a waveform of a logic signal is arranged where a line for a logic circuit included in a recording-head substrate is divided into substantially equal portions, the line having an unignorable parasitic component due to its increased length. Therefore, the recording-head substrate, a recording head using the recording-head substrate, and a recording apparatus including the recording head are capable of minimizing the adverse effects of parasitic resistance and parasitic capacitance in lines even when the length of a heater array is increased.

Abstract: A printhead that minimizes increased size and cost of an apparatus by reducing a number of input pads, while making use of the advantages of employing a differential input circuit. This printhead has an input pad to which a differential signal obtained by superimposing two or more logic signals is input. The differential input circuit includes a circuit that disassembles the differential signal input via the input pad into separate logic signals.

Abstract: A discrimination circuit is provided for discriminating between acceptance and non-acceptance of image data transmitted to a device substrate for every group of recording elements. Thereby, data corresponding to a plurality of recording element groups can be received from a common terminal.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head substrate includes a plurality of recording elements, shift registers configured to serially receive input recording signals for driving the plurality of recording elements, latch circuits configured to hold in parallel the recording signals input to the shift registers, and drive circuits configured to drive the plurality of recording elements based on signals output from the latch circuits. The latch circuits, the drive circuits, a recording element array including the plurality of recording elements, and a supply port adapted to supply liquid to the plurality of recording elements are disposed on each side of the shift registers in order from the shift registers.

Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.

Abstract: This invention enables to supply a stable voltage from a voltage converter circuit and suppress an increase in the area of the entire element body even if the number of recording elements increases and the element body becomes longer. An element body for a recording head includes a plurality of arrayed recording elements, and a voltage converter circuit which converts an externally input voltage, wherein the voltage converter circuit includes a reference voltage generating section and a voltage converter section, and the voltage converter section is formed from a plurality of distributedly arranged voltage converter elements.

Abstract: An inkjet recording head substrate having an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy used to discharge ink and a drive element for driving the electrothermal transducer mounted thereon includes a first circuit portion for outputting selection signals for selecting the electrothermal transducer to be driven at a amplitude level of a second voltage higher than a first voltage based on an input signal of the amplitude level of the first voltage, a second circuit portion for inputting the selection signals from the first circuit portion and controlling the drive element corresponding to the electrothermal transducer to be driven based on the selection signals subject to the second voltage, and a plurality of signal-lines for transmitting the selection signals between the first and second circuit portions.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head substrate which is mounted with electrothermal transducers producing thermal energy used for discharging ink and which drives the electrothermal transducers, comprising: a production circuit operating on a first voltage and producing a selection signal indicating driving or non-driving of the electrothermal transducer; a conversion circuit for converting the produced selection signal into a selection signal of a second voltage higher than the first voltage; and a driving circuit operating on the second voltage and driving the electrothermal transducer in accordance with the selection signal of the second voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed are a head substrate, a printhead, a head cartridge, and a printing apparatus using the printhead or head cartridge which are capable of separately measuring variations in the resistance of a printing element and variations in the parasitic resistance including the wiring resistance and the ON resistance of a driving element. For example, a head substrate having a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of driving elements for driving the plurality of printing elements includes the first terminal which receives a test signal to the plurality of printing elements, the second terminal which receives a selection signal for selecting and driving at least some of the plurality of printing elements, and the third and fourth terminals which output potentials at the two ends of each of the printing elements selected by the selection signal.

Abstract: A printhead is provided with a protection circuit protecting the printing element, in order to achieve a high electrostatic tolerance, in particular, an improved tolerance to electric insulation breakdown in an interlayer film. The protection circuit is formed between a signal input pad of the printing element and an inverter connected to a driving circuit. The protection circuit includes two pairs of diodes. A resistance is provided between the two pairs of diodes. Each pair of diodes enables quick dissipation of a high-voltage electrostatic surge, applied to the printhead, to a power supply or base line having a large capacity. A printing apparatus employing the printhead is also provided.

Abstract: A buffer circuit for shaping a waveform of a logic signal is arranged where a line for a logic circuit included in a recording-head substrate is divided into substantially equal portions, the line having an unignorable parasitic component due to its increased length. Therefore, the recording-head substrate, a recording head using the recording-head substrate, and a recording apparatus including the recording head are capable of minimizing the adverse effects of parasitic resistance and parasitic capacitance in lines even when the length of a heater array is increased.

Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.

Abstract: A printhead having a high electrostatic tolerance, in particular, having an improved tolerance to an electric insulation breakdown in an interlayer film that is a characteristic electrostatic breakdown in a printhead, is provided without increasing the cost of a printing apparatus main unit or the printhead and the size of the printhead. Also provided is a printing apparatus employing said printhead. A protection circuit for protecting the printing element is formed between a signal input pad of the printing element and an inverter. The first protection function comprising two diodes, which is included in the protection circuit, enables quick dissipation of a high-voltage electrostatic surge, applied to the input pad, to a power supply or base line having a large capacity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printhead capable of outputting information about the state of the printhead at a proper speed while increasing the printing data input speed. In a printing data transfer/discharge sequence of supplying clock signals CLK having a first frequency and a second frequency lower than the first frequency from a printing apparatus main body, and inputting printing data DATA which influences an increase in printing speed, printing data is transferred in synchronism with a first clock signal. In a data read sequence of outputting information MEM_OUT and TMP_OUT about the state of the printhead after the printing data input period, information is output in synchronism with a second clock signal.