Abstract: A method and apparatus for expanding a color gamut of a direct thermal printer is described. The method includes, in a three-color direct thermal printer having at least a print head, the print head including print head elements, dynamically adjusting a duty cycle of at least one of the colors depending on the color to be printed in each pixel of an image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for expanding a color gamut of a direct thermal printer is described. The method includes, in a three-color direct thermal printer having at least a print head, the print head including print head elements, dynamically adjusting a duty cycle of at least one of the colors depending on the color to be printed in each pixel of an image.

Abstract: The present application is directed to systems and methods for print alignment by a continuous feed printer. A sensor of a printer detects a first line of a pattern on a non-printing side of a printing medium, the pattern comprising two non-parallel lines separated by a predetermined distance at a predetermined position of the printing medium. The printer advances the printing medium a first distance, and the sensor detects a second line of the pattern. The printer identifies a horizontal offset of the printing medium from an expected location of the predetermined position proportional to the difference between the first distance and the predetermined distance.

Abstract: The present application is directed to systems and methods for print alignment by a continuous feed printer. A sensor of a printer detects a first line of a pattern on a non-printing side of a printing medium, the pattern comprising two non-parallel lines separated by a predetermined distance at a predetermined position of the printing medium. The printer advances the printing medium a first distance, and the sensor detects a second line of the pattern. The printer identifies a horizontal offset of the printing medium from an expected location of the predetermined position proportional to the difference between the first distance and the predetermined distance.

Abstract: The present application is directed to systems and methods for print alignment by a continuous feed printer. A sensor of a printer detects a first line of a pattern on a non-printing side of a printing medium, the pattern comprising two non-parallel lines separated by a predetermined distance at a predetermined position of the printing medium. The printer advances the printing medium a first distance, and the sensor detects a second line of the pattern. The printer identifies a horizontal offset of the printing medium from an expected location of the predetermined position proportional to the difference between the first distance and the predetermined distance.

Abstract: The present application is directed to systems and methods for full bleed printing. A cutter of a printer cuts a first kiss cut in a continuous printing medium at a first position displaced from an end of the continuous printing medium. A medium advancement mechanism of the printer positions the continuous printing medium with a print head of the printer at a print start location between the first position and the end of the continuous printing medium. The print head prints a first image on a continuous printing medium to a print end location. The cutter cuts a second cut in the continuous printing medium at a second position between the first position and the print end location. A portion of the continuous printing medium between the first kiss cut and the second cut comprises a full bleed print.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal printer in which the temperature of the thermal printing head can be modulated by means of an auxiliary heat sink, and methods for printing using such a thermal printer.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal printer in which the temperature of the thermal printing head can be modulated by means of an auxiliary heat sink, and methods for printing using such a thermal printer.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal printer in which the temperature of the thermal printing head can be modulated by means of an auxiliary heat sink, and methods for printing using such a thermal printer.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for enhancing full color images and may be used within a variety of computer peripheral devices such as a scanner which scans images initially recorded on a photographic medium, for example. The invention takes image data and applies a programmable set of parameters to the image data which govern color saturation and sharpness, inter alia. The image is then passed to a computer where a user may alter the parameter. The parameters are passed back to be reprocessed within the scanner and an updated image is then sent back the computer in real time.