Abstract: A printer connected to an external host device and a peripheral device, the printer comprising: a power generation circuit configured to supply a preset drive voltage required for an operation of the peripheral device to the peripheral; a drive circuit configured to operate the peripheral device with the drive voltage in response to input of a drive signal; a control circuit configured to output the drive signal to the drive circuit to operate the drive circuit only in a preset drive period during which the drive circuit operates; and a communication circuit connected to the control circuit and configured to receive data input from the external host device.

Abstract: A receipt issuing device operably connected to an external host device and an external storage device, including a communication circuit configured to receive receipt data from the external host device, the receipt data including a print start command and receipt information; an external storage device detector configured to detect a wireless communication with the external storage device; an electronic receipt writer configured to write an electronic receipt based on the receipt information to the external storage device; an printing unit configured to printing a receipt based on the receipt information onto a printing medium; and a controller configured to determine, based on a result of the detection by the detector in acquiring the print start command, whether to perform a process of issuing the electronic receipt with the electronic receipt writer or a process of printing the receipt with the printing unit, and upon detecting the signal from the detector, cause to perform the process of the issuing the e

Abstract: A printing control system, including a printer control apparatus and a host control apparatus, the printer control apparatus including: a first communication unit configured to transmit to the host control apparatus a reception request signal, which is for prompting the host control apparatus to transmit a transmission request signal; and a second communication unit configured to transmit data to the host control apparatus when receiving the transmission request signal, the host control apparatus including: a third communication unit configured to receive the reception request signal; and a fourth communication unit configured to, when receiving the reception request signal, transmit the transmission request signal, which is for prompting the printer control apparatus to transmit the data.

Abstract: A printer connected to an external host device and a peripheral device, the printer comprising: a power generation circuit configured to supply a preset drive voltage required for an operation of the peripheral device to the peripheral; a drive circuit configured to operate the peripheral device with the drive voltage in response to input of a drive signal; a control circuit configured to output the drive signal to the drive circuit to operate the drive circuit only in a preset drive period during which the drive circuit operates; and a communication circuit connected to the control circuit and configured to receive data input from the external host device.

Abstract: A printing control system, including a printer control apparatus and a host control apparatus, the printer control apparatus including: a first communication unit configured to transmit to the host control apparatus a reception request signal, which is for prompting the host control apparatus to transmit a transmission request signal; and a second communication unit configured to transmit data to the host control apparatus when receiving the transmission request signal, the host control apparatus including: a third communication unit configured to receive the reception request signal; and a fourth communication unit configured to, when receiving the reception request signal, transmit the transmission request signal, which is for prompting the printer control apparatus to transmit the data.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a printing head, a platen for urging the paper against the printing head, a bearing for rotatably holding the platen shaft and having an engagement portion for holding the platen in place, a movable platen frame for moving the bearing between a first position to perform printing and a second position at which the bearing is spaced further apart from the printing head than in the first position, and a frame having an engagement groove engageable with the engagement portion of the bearing when the platen is moved into the first position to perform painting, the engagement groove having a shape corresponding to the engagement portion of the bearing. The engagement portion of the bearing has a symmetrical, non-circular shape with respect to a central axis of the platen shaft, so that idle rotation of the platen bearing is prevented.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided in which the occurrence of a sticking phenomenon can be lowered compared with a thermal printer with a conventional structure under conditions where other causes are the same therewith, which are involved in the occurrence of the sticking phenomenon, such as a period of time from drive of a heating element until the next rotation of a platen roller and respective coefficients of friction of recording paper, a thermal head, and the platen roller. In a thermal printer in which printing and paper feeding are performed in a state in which paper is sandwiched between a thermal head having a heating element and a platen roller pressed against the thermal head, a center of a rotating support shaft 7 that rotatably supports the thermal head 3 is arranged so as to be overlapped on an extension line of a head surface 3a, and also, an acting force of a spring 4 that generates a pressing force between the thermal head 3 and the platen roller 2 is made perpendicular to the head surface 3a.

Abstract: A thermal head model type determining apparatus for a thermal printer having a print engine containing a replaceable thermal head and a printer controller for controlling the print engine. The thermal head model type determining apparatus includes a memory for storing model type information tables containing property data for each of a plurality of different thermal head model types, a measuring circuit for measuring properties of a thermal head provided in the print engine, a and thermal head model type identifying device for determining the model type of the thermal head provided in the print engine by comparing the properties measured by the measuring circuit with the model type information tables stored in the memory.

Abstract: In a thermal printer having a platen release mechanism for separating a platen away from a printing head, an idle rotation of a platen bearing is prevented while keeping a preferable attaching/detaching operation property of the platen.

Abstract: A thermal line printer drive method and a thermal line printer devised to prevent occurrence of a white gap during printing. A plurality of heating elements arranged on a line perpendicular to a sheet feed direction are separated into a plurality of blocks, and the heating elements in each block are driven separately from those in other blocks to perform thermal recording on a heat-sensitive sheet. A drive pulse is applied to each heating element in each block a certain number of times by being divided.

Abstract: To provide a thermal line printer and a method of driving the thermal line printer, which may suppress the degradation in printing quality such as non-uniformity in density caused by the sticking phenomenon. A method of driving a thermal line printer for performing thermal recording onto thermal paper to be fed by a drive of a stepping motor with a thermal line head where a plurality of heating resistors are arranged in a linear manner on a line perpendicular to a paper feeding direction, includes the following steps of: dividing the thermal resistors of the thermal line head into n blocks (where n is an integer not smaller than one), and further constituting m groups (where m is an integer not smaller than zero) by the n blocks; and driving each of the groups in order, and driving the stepping motor after each drive to thereby perform a paper feed less than one dot.

Abstract: A thermal line printer drive method and a thermal line printer devised to prevent occurrence of a white gap during printing. A plurality of heating elements arranged on a line perpendicular to a sheet feed direction are separated into a plurality of blocks, and the heating elements in each block are driven separately from those in other blocks to perform thermal recording on a heat-sensitive sheet. A drive pulse is applied to each heating element in each block a certain number of times by being divided.

Abstract: A determining apparatus (a printer controller PC) for determining the property of a thermal head (1) having a plurality of heating devices (heating resistor 1a) is comprised of: a thermal head property storing device (ROM 33) for previously storing the property data of the plurality of various kinds of thermal heads; thermal head property measuring devices (voltage measuring circuit 34, head configuration measuring circuit 35) for measuring the property of the thermal head to be connected; and thermal head determining devices (CPU 30 and a program for head initial diagnostic process) for determining the thermal head by comparing/checking the property measured by the thermal head property measuring devices with the data stored in the thermal head property storing device.