EP1829692B1 - Method for improving printing quality with a thermal transfer print head and assembly to carry out the method - Google Patents
Method for improving printing quality with a thermal transfer print head and assembly to carry out the method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1829692B1 EP1829692B1 EP07002938A EP07002938A EP1829692B1 EP 1829692 B1 EP1829692 B1 EP 1829692B1 EP 07002938 A EP07002938 A EP 07002938A EP 07002938 A EP07002938 A EP 07002938A EP 1829692 B1 EP1829692 B1 EP 1829692B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- printing
- energy
- heating
- thermal transfer
- heating elements
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
- B41J2/35—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads providing current or voltage to the thermal head
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
- B41J2/325—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
- B41J2/35—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads providing current or voltage to the thermal head
- B41J2/355—Control circuits for heating-element selection
- B41J2/3555—Historical control
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
- B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
- B41J2/35—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads providing current or voltage to the thermal head
- B41J2/355—Control circuits for heating-element selection
- B41J2/3556—Preheating pulses
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
- G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
- B41J2202/30—Embodiments of or processes related to thermal heads
- B41J2202/34—Thermal printer with pre-coating or post-processing
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
- G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
- G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
- G07B2017/00556—Ensuring quality of print
Definitions
- the invention relates to a method for improving the quality of printing with a thermal transfer print head according to the preamble of claim 1 and an arrangement for carrying out the method according to the preamble of claim 10.
- the invention is used in printing devices with relative movement between the thermal transfer print head and the print material, in particular Franking machines and similar printing accounting or mail processing equipment.
- the purpose of the invention is to increase the quality of printing of data matrix barcodes at a high throughput of mail pieces, so that their machine readability is improved.
- a postage meter with a thermal transfer printing device which makes it easier to change the print image information.
- semipermanent and variable print image information are electronically stored as print data in a memory and read out into the thermal transfer printing apparatus for printing.
- the printed image (postage stamp image) is known to include a message and postal information including postage data for carrying the mail piece, for example, a postage stamp image, a postal stamp image with the post office delivery point and date, and an advertising stamp image.
- the entire print image is microprocessor-controlled printed image column by column by a single thermal transfer print head.
- a printing of printing columns in an orthogonal arrangement to the transport direction takes place on a moving mailpiece.
- the machine can thereby achieve a maximum throughput of mail of 2200 letters / hour at a print resolution of 203 dpi.
- the franking machine T1000 has only a microprocessor for controlling a thermal transfer print head with 240 heating elements for column-wise printing. All heating elements are in a row, which is 30 mm long and is arranged orthogonal to the transport direction.
- Thermal transfer printers use for printing at least the same width thermal transfer ribbon, which is arranged between a surface to be printed - for example, a mail piece - and the series of heating elements. The energy of an electrical pulse is converted at the resistance of the driven heating element into heat energy, which transfers to the thermal transfer ribbon.
- Printing requires melting of a colored layer piece from the thermal transfer ribbon and application of the colored layer piece to the print material surface.
- the printing takes place only when the impinged with the pulse heating element was brought to the pressure temperature, ie a higher than the preheating temperature.
- a line is printed parallel to the movement or transport direction in a row.
- a bar is printed orthogonal to the direction of transport in a printing nip when electrical impulses are applied simultaneously to all heating elements in the row of heating elements for a predetermined limited period of time (pulse duration).
- the pulse duration is subdividable into phases. Within the predetermined limited time duration (pulse duration), there exists a final phase (printing phase) in which the dots of a printing nip are printed.
- the last phase is preceded by further phases of control of the heating elements in order to heat the latter to the pressure temperature. Due to the transport of the mailpiece these phases print image columns are assigned.
- a long Single pulse for driving a heating element can be divided into several pulses whose pulse duration is equal and correspond to a specific heating phase. Print image columns of the moving mailpiece are thus also associated with these heating phases, as are the print columns with the printing phases.
- the binary pixel data for driving the heating elements of all printing columns are stored in a pixel memory volatile.
- the spacing of adjacent print columns is large and the binary pixel data of the print phase reflects the print image.
- multiple pulses are required to generate enough heat energy to melt down a layer of paint beneath the heating element which is printed on the surface of the mailpiece as a dot ( DE 38 33 746 A1 ).
- a microprocessor with higher computing speed could be used.
- the output of binary pixel data to the thermal transfer printhead would then occur more often per unit of time, in which a mailpiece or similar printed matter a similar piece of the transport path is moved on.
- the storage space requirement in the pixel memory increases due to the pixel data for each additionally inserted virtual column or heating phase.
- a virtual column is to be understood here as a possibility of a further column in the printed image, which, however, is not visible during printing, since no dot is printed in the heating phase.
- Modern franking machines should enable a so-called security impression, ie an impression of a special marking in addition to the aforementioned message.
- a message authentication code or a signature is generated from the aforementioned message, and then a character string or a barcode is formed as a marker. If a security print is printed with such a mark, this allows a verification of the authenticity of the security print in, for example, the post office or the private carrier ( US 5,953,426 . US 6,041,704 ).
- the heating energy for printing the image elements of the postage meter machine is to be calculated by microprocessor, taking into account the two immediately preceding print columns printed in the past.
- Such a historical control is known for history compensation and would now need to be extended to accommodate much more information to improve the readability of Datamatrix barcodes.
- the printed data matrix barcode contains a continuous line at the left and at the bottom, which is also called 100% line and at the right and at the top a broken line of barcode elements, which is also called 50% line, because every other barcode image element is missing.
- the barcode elements (modules) are usually printed in square format ( Fig. 1 ).
- the high-resolution images printed with previous methods, in particular barcode images are printed differently on the edges than in their middle and thus not always mechanically readable.
- the object of the invention is to provide a method of improving the quality of printing with a thermal transfer printhead and associated assembly which provides improved machine readability of bar codes.
- the print head heats up considerably, so that the generated barcode image elements (modules) are printed significantly wider than at the beginning of the print, especially in the printing direction.
- the barcode elements of the 50% line at the top make a checkered pattern but are often too small or too close to the other barcode image elements weakly printed. Both edge effects in combination with further unavoidable printing defects lead to failure of the readability of these barcodes.
- the barcode image elements should assume the same size on the left and right, above and below. Therefore, the heating elements and thus also the surrounding heat capacities are preheated to compensate for the edge effects, which are effective in the non-printing area in front of the barcode image, the so-called. Quietzone.
- the heating phases can each be assigned print image columns in the quiet zone.
- a certain number of heating phases are provided in order to heat the heating elements to a preheating temperature so that the thermal transfer process is not yet triggered. This leads to a desired more favorable temperature distribution in the print head and, as a result, to an equalization of the printing, in particular an enlargement of the barcode image elements at the start of printing of the barcode image.
- the size of the barcode image elements at the end of the barcode image is thereby only slightly larger compared to the beginning.
- a small number of heating elements are controlled in such a way that they become sufficiently warm and the edge effect is compensated, whereby, however, the thermal transfer process is not triggered yet. This heats up the environment of the 50% line so that barcode images are displayed as well on the edge as in the middle of the barcode.
- the number of Vorcomposingspalten and the border lines and / or the respective heating energies are adapted to the temperature of the printhead.
- the Fig. 1 2 shows a simplified illustration of a franking strip 14 with a barcode 15.
- the franking strip or a postal item for example an envelope with an identically sized field for printing a franking stamp image and other information on its surface, is printed in the transport direction at a constant speed v during printing (FIG. Arrow) moves under a thermal transfer print head along.
- the field has, for example, a width of 30 mm and a length of 160 mm.
- the thermal transfer printhead and a thermal transfer ribbon disposed between the thermal transfer printhead and the surface of the field to be printed in known manner in a printing device have been omitted from the illustration for the sake of clarity.
- dots are optionally printed in a first printing column C1 on the surface of the franking strip or envelope at a first distance from the right edge thereof.
- the franking stamp image printed on the surface from C1 to the printing nip Cn-4 was not shown.
- a first heating element of the thermal transfer printhead were permanently driven and subjected to a current pulse, then a number of printed dots would lie on a line L1.
- Further lines L2, L3, ... to Lx are parallel to the first line L1 and orthogonal to the pressure gaps. The lines are shown as a thin line and the printing columns as vertical dashed lines.
- the first dots of a first bar code are printed in a predetermined printing column Cn.
- the barcode image 15 with last dots printed in a print column Cq printed on the surface up to a third distance from the right edge of the franking strip has been simplified. These last dots of the barcode image are abutting one another in a row.
- the dots of the barcode image lie on a line Lx-2 and form a baseline. On the lines L1 and L2 as well as Lx and Lx-1, however, no dots are printed in the printing gaps Cn to Cq.
- the franking strip or envelope may be from the print column Cq + 1 to Cz, ie be further printed near the left edge with an advertising cliché, a second barcode or a logo.
- FIG. 2 For example, a plan view of the heater side of a simplified thermal transfer printhead 1 is shown schematically. Whose heating element H1 to Hx are in a row and are closely adjacent. Simplified, it is assumed that with appropriate activation, in each case a heating element H1... Hx can print on an associated line L1... Lx dots if the franking strip is moved under the heating element row at a constant speed v.
- FIG. 3 A simplified flow chart of the prior art processing of image data required for printing is shown.
- the image information required according to the postal requirements is stored as data in the main memory (RAM) of the franking machine.
- the data is processed by the microprocessor in order to control heating elements differently, depending on which history exists.
- the current activation state of the immediately adjacent heating elements and their history is taken into account for controlling a heating element.
- the ambient temperature and a temperature measured in the print head as well as other machine parameters when controlling a heating element are taken into account.
- the print data is brought by a controller known per se in a suitable format for the print head and output via a corresponding interface.
- the print data is converted by an internal electronics of the thermal transfer print head into pressure pulses of a predetermined voltage level and with a duration which can be set separately for the heating elements.
- the Fig. 4 shows a temperature curve and pulse / time diagram when printing a dot.
- a drive pulse for a heater starts at time t 1 and ends at time t 6 .
- a temperature curve according to the solid line results when a first temperature Tw 1 is measured in the immediate vicinity of the heating element and is lower than the temperature Tp required for printing.
- the printing starts at time t 5 and ends at time t 7 , ie when the temperature required for printing Tp is exceeded.
- the dot seems too weak for us.
- a temperature curve according to the dotted line is obtained when a second temperature Tw 2 in the immediate vicinity of the heating element is higher than a first temperature Tw 1 and lower than the temperature Tp required for printing.
- the printing starts at time t 3 and ends at time t 9 .
- the dot appears to us as being too bold. This can be partly compensated starting from the second temperature Tw 2 in the second step 20 ', in that a drive pulse for printing does not begin until time t 2 and ends at time t 6 .
- the dot appears to us as normal possibly a bit richer printed because the printing at time t 4 , ie earlier begins and ends only at time t 8 (temperature curve of the dash-dot line).
- the cooling process of the heating element begins after the end of the drive pulse, but runs less intense and slower. This temperature profile can not be compensated in the second step 20 'of the method according to the prior art.
- the Fig. 5 Figure 5 shows a simplified representation of the bar code data by conversion to a desired bar code image 15.
- a row R and a baseline G are formed at the left and bottom edges of quadratic pixels.
- a heater H3 on the line L3 prints into the print column Cn + 1 a dot D of an attractive size (0.6 ⁇ 0.6 mm) to produce a picture element (pixel).
- the second step 20 even omitted, since with appropriate size of the heating elements and thus also the enlarged dimensions of the dots D do not interfere with the history and the aforementioned Depositionmaschines effect.
- the barcode image reflects the stored barcode data.
- a number of dots are required to produce a quadratic bar code image (module). For example, in Canada 6 x 6 dots or in Germany 7 x 7 dots per module are required. For example, a module for FRANKIT in Germany is 0.583 x 0.583 mm.
- a heating element H3 (not shown) is energized in each case in a heat phase W which, when the franking strip is moved, can be assigned a pressure column Cn which is located immediately before the pressure column Cn + 1.
- the heating element H3 is heated to a preheating temperature.
- the printing of a dot D takes place only in the printing column Cn + 1, ie only when the heating element acted upon by a pressure pulse has been brought to the pressure temperature, that is, higher than the preheating temperature.
- At least one thermal phase W precedes the printing in the aforementioned printing gaps.
- dots can be printed in a different pressure column. If this is provided on the same line, then the heating can be reduced to a preheat temperature, as is visible in the printed dot 17.
- Fig. 7 is a barcode image with external areas to illustrate a different for these areas data processing for preheating of heating elements for a first variant shown.
- a dotted area B which is also known as a so-called Quietzone and is located right in front of the barcode, exist for the heating elements at most heat phases but no pressure phases, that is, no heating element enough energy is supplied for printing.
- lateral side areas N of the barcode image 15 does not become a heating element Energy supplied.
- the barcode data processing therefore takes place mainly in the area of the barcode image 15. This leads to a typical heat distribution in the print head with cooler edge areas.
- the thermal transfer printing head 1 consists of a 0.65 mm thick substrate S, preferably of an electrically insulating ceramic plate, which is glued to an approximately 5 mm thick metal plate.
- a first temperature T 1 of approximately 50 ° C. prevails at the boundary layer ceramic / metal.
- a second temperature T 2 of about 70 ° C. reached at a second boundary layer within the ceramic body.
- the temperature increases non-linearly within the area shown in the line and reaches a third boundary layer T 3 of about 80 ° C at a third boundary layer.
- the temperature increases within a dashed area around the heating elements H1, H2, ..., H6, ... on until a fourth boundary layer with a fourth temperature T 4 of about 100 ° C is reached.
- This fourth boundary layer extends to the surface of an approximately 0.2 mm plus 2 micron thick insulating layer I and comes into contact with a thermal transfer ribbon (not shown). From about 65 ° C the color layer melts on the thermal transfer ribbon. An even higher fifth temperature T 5 > T 4 is achieved in the heating elements themselves. From a thermal transfer print head of the KSL360AAF-PS type from Kyocera, a power of 0.285 W or 0.354 W on a heating element with an electrical resistance of 2 KOhm or 1.6 KOhm is converted into heat during printing per dot.
- Each heating element has a size of 0.0683 x 0.110 mm and is adjacent to the nearest heating element so close that in a row 12 dot per mm can be printed.
- the metal plate M is preferably made of aluminum and is much thicker than the substrate S. It therefore already has a good thermal conductivity and serves as a heat sink.
- the thermal transfer print head 1 is by means of the metal plate M on the chassis (not shown) of the printing device or Postage meter attached.
- the substrate temperature can be measured in a known manner by means of a - not shown - thermistor.
- the equipotential line A shows a temperature drop from the center to the edge of the thermal transfer printhead 1, which can not be detected by a thermistor, if the latter - in a manner not shown - only at the edge on the substrate S is glued.
- the insulating layer I preferably consists of 2 glass layers (not shown).
- the inner glass layer is intended to insulate the heating elements very well and protect them from oxygen.
- the outer glass layer has a thickness of 2 microns and should have a high abrasion resistance.
- FIG. 9 An improved flow chart of the processing of image data required for printing is shown.
- the image information required according to the postal requirements is stored as data in a random access memory (RAM) of the franking machine.
- RAM random access memory
- the data not only reflects every colored dot (dot) to be printed, but also the amount of energy needed.
- the latter is represented as a binary code, for example with 4-bits per pixel as a quadruple and controls the necessary pulse duration of driving a heating element for printing a dot.
- This process of energy value calculation according to a first type is time consuming and therefore can not be done during printing.
- a microprocessor is programmed by software for energy value calculation and encoding as well as providing pixel energy data.
- the results of the energy value calculation and coding are buffered in the random access memory (RAM) of the franking machine, which is referred to below as pixel energy storage.
- RAM random access memory
- a corresponding method for driving a thermal transfer print head is the non-prepublished German patent application of the file number 10 2004 063 756.3 removable.
- the good readability of the prints produced can only be achieved if the amount of energy supplied to each heating element with others Parameters, in particular ribbon parameters, is tuned. Therefore, a print parameter set is read from a memory attached to the ink ribbon cassette to thereby calculate the energy values.
- a corresponding method for driving a thermal transfer print head is the non-prepublished German patent application of the file number 10 2004 060 156.9 removable.
- the data is processed by the microprocessor in a manner known per se in order to control the heating elements differently, depending on which history exists and on the different local heating by adjacent heating elements.
- energy values of the second kind are set at least at that memory location in the pixel energy store which immediately precedes the position of a dot to be printed in the barcode image, although no dot is to be printed in this position after the barcode image. From these energy values second calculation then results in a heat pulse duration, which is smaller than the pressure pulse duration, which would lead to the printing of a dot.
- the heating pulse duration can be set to a predetermined fixed value which has been determined empirically. Normally, however, the heating pulse duration is variably set to a value selectable from a set of predetermined fixed values calculated by the microprocessor.
- a method does not affect heaters that should not print dots.
- the known algorithms are only insufficiently suitable for amplifying the outer edge or front image elements / pixels of the barcode. The main reason given was the thermal resistance in the printhead, which is distributed three-dimensionally.
- the substrate S of the thermal transfer printhead can not be heated accurately enough by a simple history control mechanism that evaluates only one pixel or printing pixel environment information to be printed.
- the high-resolution barcode images printed with previous methods appear to be printed differently at the margins than in the interior and may therefore be difficult to machine-read.
- the data is processed by the microprocessor to also drive those heaters that are in the two edge regions of the heater row but are not to print dots there during bar code printing.
- those heating elements which do not lie in the two edge regions of the heating element row are also activated for a limited period of time, wherein the aforementioned period of time directly precedes the printing of the barcode image.
- a plurality of heating elements Prior to printing the beginning of the barcode image, as well as adjacent the printing direction right and left edges of the barcode image during printing, a plurality of heating elements are heated in sufficient proximity to those heating elements that print a barcode image with energy by varying the heating pulse duration is dimensioned so that taking into account the heat capacities and -Leitzuen just just no pressure.
- the number of rows and columns is dimensioned so that at the chosen subliminal energy (or different subliminal energies) is a sufficiently uniform heating of the three-dimensionally distributed heat capacities occurs before and while the barcode image is printed.
- the data to be printed barcode image in the pixel energy storage is supplemented such that the pixel energy storage in said Vor- and environment of the barcode image to be printed now contains data for energy values that preheat the thermal transfer print head in the manner described above, but not for printing dots lead these positions.
- the maximum pressure pulse duration comprises 10 phases, then energy values which are achieved by 0 to 3 phases may suffice. Up to 3/10 of the maximum energy value E max is then supplied to each heating element, which in the region B is shown in FIG Fig. 7 is effective.
- each heating element is driven at predetermined regions of the heating element row, the energy value being predetermined only for preheating, but not for printing.
- These energy values of the third type of calculation then result in a heat pulse duration which is also shorter than the pressure pulse duration which would lead to the printing of a dot.
- the heating pulse duration can be set to a predetermined fixed value which has been determined empirically.
- the energy value of the second calculation type is set if it exceeds the energy value of the third calculation type.
- the different temperature distribution in the thermal transfer print head is compensated only to the extent that the machine readability of the barcode is improved.
- a program routine is based on the Figure 12 explained in more detail below.
- the data (quadruples) reflecting the respective pixel energy value are transferred by the microprocessor via a bus to a print data controller.
- the print data controller is supplied with a respective predetermined pixel energy value for each heating element, which is converted into a corresponding number of binary pixel data having the same binary value.
- the pixel data is transmitted serially to the thermal transfer print head.
- each binary pixel data value associated with a heating element is output in an associated phase of successive phases of a pressure pulse duration to the respective drive unit of the thermal transfer print head, which feeds the energy thus selected to the heating element.
- Fig. 12 is a block diagram for controlling the printing of a postage meter with a print data controller for a thermal transfer print head.
- the franking machine is a special thermal transfer printing device with a microprocessor-based control 6, 7, 8, 9 and a print data control 4 for a thermal transfer print head 1 with high print resolution, the print data control 4 with an encoder 3 and a bus 5 with at least one microprocessor 6 and memory modules , 8, 9 of the controller is connected in terms of address, data and control.
- the quadruples are stored column by column in the pixel energy store (RAM) 7. In this case, the quadruples belonging to adjacent pixels of a printing column are stored next to one another.
- RAM pixel energy store
- a number of 90 x 16 bit data words are provided.
- a print resolution of 12 dot per 1 mm ( ⁇ 300 dpi) up to 175500 ⁇ 16 bit data words must be stored in the pixel energy store (RAM) 7 for up to 1950 columns.
- a postal security device (PSD) 18 and other - not shown - assemblies, such as keyboard, display, etc. are connected according to the postal requirements.
- DMA direct memory access
- the print data controller 4 can accept and buffer 16 bits of data in parallel from the BUS 5 word by word.
- the print data controller 4 is connected to the thermal transfer print head 1 in control and works according to a not previously published German Patent Application No.
- Each binary pixel data supplied to a heating element of the thermal transfer printhead is output from the print data controller 4 in an associated phase of successive phases of a print pulse duration.
- the thermal transfer printhead 1 is high-resolution and has an internal drive electronics and a number of 360 heating elements, which are arranged in a row of about 30 mm in length.
- a first part of 180 heating elements is driven in parallel by a first shift register 11 via a first latch unit 12 and first driver unit 13.
- a second part of 180 heating elements is from a second shift register 21 via a second latch unit 22 and second drive unit 23 driven in parallel.
- a sensor / motor controller 46 on the one hand, a start sensor S1, a scooter sensor S2, a flap sensor S3, an end sensor S4 and a thermistor 19 and on the other hand, a motor 2a for driving a roller, not shown for winding the consumed thermal transfer ribbon, a motor 2b for driving a counter-pressure roller for Druckgutbe emphasis during printing and a motor 2c for actuating the pressure mechanism of the counter-pressure roller to press the latter by means of the printed matter to the thermal transfer printing head 1 connected.
- the franking machine achieves a transport speed of approx. 150 mm per second for franking strips or for mail pieces up to 6 mm thick.
- An interrupt controller 47 is connected directly to the microprocessor 6 via a control line 49 for an interrupt signal I.
- the print data controller 4, the sensor / motor controller 46 and the interrupt controller 47 can be implemented within an application specific circuit (ASIC) or programmable logic, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
- ASIC application specific circuit
- the Fig. 11 shows a perspective view from the front and top right of a known thermal transfer postage meter Optimail30 type.
- the supply and removal of a mail piece takes place on the feed table at a contact edge on the front of the franking machine from left to right.
- the franking machine is equipped with a flap to the cassette compartment, which is arranged on the right side and on the upper part.
- German utility model DE 20 2004 015 278 U1 removable bearing the title: "cassette holder with status recognition for a printing mail processing device”.
- the Optimail30 thermal transfer postage meter has a start sensor and an end sensor below a cash drawer in the feeder table - not visible - that allow the microprocessor to reliably detect the beginning and end of a mailpiece or franking tape.
- German utility model DE 20 2004 015 279 U1 removable bearing the title: "Arrangement of a printing mailing machine.
- a franking represented by the DPAG request FRANKIT ® which was printed with a thermal transfer franking machine of the type Optimail30 on a label 14 from right to left while the tape sheet 14 is conveyed from left to right.
- a franking stamp image 16 on the right-hand side is therefore printed first in columns and subsequently a two-dimensional data matrix barcode 15 with 36 ⁇ 36 pixels. Subsequently, an advertising cliché and / or additional texts can be printed in columns.
- the franking stamp 16 includes in its upper half, the German Logo Post Post Anlagennchen followed by the provided on the next line brand FRANKIT ® and a charge amount in euros.
- the franking stamp image 16 contains in the lower half the franking date and the serial number as well as possibly two additional lines (not printed).
- the printed image of the data matrix code follows. For example, this printed image has a size of 21.336 x 21.336 mm with an allowable tolerance of ⁇ 1 mm according to the FRANKIT version 2.06 of 11.01.06.
- a printed image for supplementary lettering services can also be printed at the location of the advertising cliché and additional text.
- Fig. 13 is a program routine with determination of the energy values for preheating / edge heating of a thermal transfer print head removed, which contributes to the quality improvement in the thermal transfer printing process and thus in particular for better machine readability of barcode.
- limit values of the number of pressure columns are defined which define the length of the printing stamp image to be printed.
- a first interrogation step 102 is reached.
- the further transport of the franking strip takes place.
- the heating elements of the thermal transfer printhead are each at the end of a preheat phase above the next virtual pressure column.
- the system branches back to the first interrogation step 102 for further interrogation. Otherwise, if it is determined in the first interrogation step 102 that the strip has been transported further by one column, then the column counter is incremented by the value 'one' in step 103.
- the printing gaps C1 are thus preceded by further phases, which serve only to preheat the thermal transfer printing head and thus are not visible as printing gaps.
- the preceding columns are therefore called virtual print columns.
- the heating elements of the thermal transfer printing head are driven with a pulse whose pulse duration is not sufficient for printing.
- the column counter is incremented by the value 'one'. This continues until the pressure column C1 is reached.
- step 104 If, however, it is determined in the second interrogation step 104 that the count value is already greater than / equal to the first limit value Z ⁇ G1, then a branch is made to a third interrogation step 106, in which it is determined whether the count value is already greater than the second limit value, ie Z> G2 is.
- G2 Cf, where Cf is the column with which the printing of the franking stamp image ends. If this is not the case, the system branches back to the first interrogation step 102 via a step 107.
- step 107 the pixel energy value calculation is performed according to a first type, which is performed in dependence on predetermined parameters and has already been described above.
- step 107 the pixel energy value calculation also takes place according to a second type known per se, corresponding to the history of the driving of the heating elements and their adjacent heating elements by the microprocessor.
- step 103 Each time step 103 passes, the column counter is incremented by the value 'one'.
- the query step 106 is run through, the answer being yes.
- the answer in the third interrogation step 109 is NO, but only until the end of the franking stamp image with the print column to which a limit value G2 can be assigned is reached.
- step 106 determines whether the count value is already greater than the second limit value, ie Z> G2
- a branch is made to a fourth interrogation step 108, in which it is ascertained that whether the count is already greater than / equal to the third limit, ie Z ⁇ G3. If this is not the case, then the first query step 102 is branched back. Again, in step 103, the column counter is incremented by the value 'one' and the query steps 104 and 106 are run, the answer being yes. This continues until a pressure column Cn-4 is reached, to which the limit value G3 can be assigned.
- step 108 If it is determined in the fourth interrogation step 108 that the count value is already greater than / equal to the third limit value, ie Z ⁇ G3, then a branch is made to a fifth interrogation step 109, in which it is determined whether the count value is already greater than or equal to the fourth limit value, ie Z ⁇ G4, which is assignable to a first pressure column at the beginning of the barcode image. If this is not the case, then the system branches back to the first interrogation step 102 via a step 110. In step 110, the pixel energy value calculation also takes place according to a second type known per se, corresponding to the history of the control of the heating elements and their adjacent heating elements by the microprocessor.
- a predetermined first energy value E H can be supplied to the respective heating element which is used in region B.
- the energy value E H does not yet lead to the printing, but only causes a predetermined preheating of the corresponding heating element in at least one of the preceding phases (History Control method).
- the pixel energy value calculation of a third kind is performed for all pixels in front of the barcode image in region B. For example, in the first four printing columns, before printing the barcode image, a predetermined second energy value E V should also be supplied to each heating element associated with region B, but previously not used, because immediately after no dot is to be printed.
- the predetermined second energy value E V is applied to each of the heating elements in the region (B) before the printing of the barcode image (15). which are not used in the region (B) for a predetermined preheating with the first energy value E H.
- the second energy value E V is at least one energy level, preferably two energy levels, below that first energy value E H , which is to be supplied to the heating in each case the heating elements to be used in the area B according to the History Control method.
- the heating elements which are subsequently not used during printing or are not used immediately thereafter are thus likewise heated in contrast to the history control method.
- step 103 is again run through and the column counter is increased by the value 'one'.
- the query steps 104, 106 and 108 are run through, the answer being YES.
- the answer in the fifth query step 109 is NO, but only until a fourth limit value G4 having the pressure column Cn at the beginning of the barcode image has not yet been reached. If this is reached, then a branch to a sixth query step 111.
- the sixth query step 111 it is asked whether the count value is already greater than the fifth limit value, that is to say Z> G5, printing ending with the print column Cq. If this is not the case, the system branches back to the first query step 102 via a step 112.
- the microprocessor performs a pixel energy value calculation of the first and second type for all pixels of the barcode image and a third pixel pixel energy value calculation for pixels in the edge region N of the barcode image in step 112 beginning with the print column Cn and ending with the print column Cq, ie beginning to end of the barcode image ,
- An edge area exists when the length of the barcode image is smaller than the length of the row of heating elements (stripe width).
- the microprocessor calculates energy values for heating the heating elements at the edge of the heating element row which are assigned to the pixels in at least one of the two edge regions N externally of the barcode image, the energy values being calculated from such a height, as a result of the corresponding heating elements on the Edge of the heating element row just no dots to be printed. It is envisaged that calculating in an adding one before empirically determined energy value E N ⁇ 2/10 E max . Alternatively, it is provided that the substrate temperature of the thermal transfer print head 1 is measured and a threshold value comparison is carried out, with a threshold value undershooting of the substrate temperature from the microprocessor selecting a higher energy value E N by one level.
- step 103 is again run through and the column counter is increased by the value 'one'.
- the query steps 104, 106, 108 and 109 are run through, the answer being YES.
- the answer in the sixth query step 111 is NO, but only until a fifth limit value G5 with the pressure column Cq at the end of the barcode image has not yet been exceeded. If this is exceeded, then a branch to a seventh query step 113. This continues until a sixth limit value G6 with a pressure column Cq + 50 at the beginning of the barcode image has been reached. If this is not the case, then the first query step 102 is branched back.
- the routine is stopped in step 120.
- the routine may be adapted to the postal regulations in force in other countries, modified accordingly for the required franking imprints, or used analogously for other printed images of similar printing accounting or mailing machines.
- Fig. 14a is a barcode image with external areas to illustrate a different for these areas data processing for preheating of heating elements for a second variant shown.
- a mailpiece is used to print a two-dimensional barcode a stationary printhead is moved onto the surface of the mail piece from a feed position post upstream of a print location in a post-downstream direction.
- the feed position is upstream of the print location to the left of the postage meter machine (FIG. Fig. 11 )
- to the right of the printed bar code is an adjacent pre-area B which, during the feeding of the mail piece, reaches the printing site sooner than the area intended for printing the two-dimensional bar code.
- the adjacent pre-area B externally of the bar-code image is hatched from top left to bottom right and is hereinafter referred to more precisely as an unprintable area B for preheating heating elements before printing the bar code.
- all the heating elements of a thermal transfer printing head lying in a row are preheated, which act on the surface of the mail piece and are arranged orthogonally to the printing direction.
- the aforementioned heating elements are so controlled with a preheat pulse, which reaches at most 20% of the maximum pulse length of a pressure pulse, that the heating elements, although warm, but just not print. This leads to a predetermined favorable temperature distribution in the print head and in the result to a uniform pressure.
- the heating elements and surrounding heat capacities are also preheated in the non-printable area N1, which is located in the illustration above the 50% line of the upper part of the barcode image.
- This edge area N1 external to the barcode image is marked with a checker pattern and is hereinafter referred to more precisely as a non-printable area N1 for heating heating elements during printing of the barcode.
- the environment of the heaters used to print the 50% line will be heated to be as well mapped as the bar code elements (modules) inside the bar code.
- the square modules are displayed in black without any preheating inside the two-dimensional barcode.
- No energy values of the second kind are set at least at that memory location in the pixel energy store which immediately precedes the position of a dot to be printed in the bar code image if the pixel energy calculation of the first kind is sufficient for printing readable modules inside the two-dimensional bar code Readability) or if, for higher readability requirements of the modules, another suitable energy value calculation method is used which replaces the aforementioned pixel energy value calculation of the first and second type for the modules.
- FIG. 14b A franking imprint according to the postal requirements for the country Australia is shown.
- the barcode 15 ' is located to the right of the value stamp 16' and thus, in contrast to the printing of the barcode 15 after - in the Figure 13 shown program routine printed earlier than the value stamp 16 '.
- Fig. 14c is a program routine with determination of energy values for a further variant for preheating and edge heating of a thermal transfer printhead shown.
- the value of the threshold values G1 to G9 for the column counter changes, and in the step 110 'equivalent to the step 110, the subroutine is changed.
- a predetermined energy value E H is supplied to all heating elements of a heating element row, which are used in the pre-area B before printing the barcode image 15, wherein a first energy value E H corresponds to a heat pulse length, but not yet for printing but only causes a predetermined preheating of the corresponding heating element in at least one of the preceding phases, wherein all heating elements in the pre-B and at least one non-printing in the edge region N1 heating element at the edge of the Schuelement #2 the thermal transfer printhead 1, an energy of up to two-tenths of the maximum energy value is supplied.
- step 110 ' the per se known pixel energy value calculation of the second type is omitted and for the pixel energy value calculation of the third type, a second variant is selected in steps 110' and 112 '.
- the third variant it is provided that in a time range before the printing of the barcode image 15, when an image column of the front area B at a distance from the edge of the barcode image 15 reaches the print location, then preheat each non-printing heating element by an energy of one tenth of the maximum energy value a heating pulse is supplied during a period of time which has the duration of one phase of a pressure pulse, wherein the phase alternates with another phase, in which is not supplied with energy to the non-printing heating element.
- the distance from the edge of the barcode image 15 is at least two image columns when the heating element is supplied with an energy of one-tenth of the maximum energy value for preheating by a heat pulse during a period of one-phase duration of a pressure pulse. This will be explained in more detail below by means of pulse / time diagrams for a preheated heating element at which the areas B and N1 are moved past, when the mailpiece is transported further during printing.
- the Fig. 15a shows a pulse / time diagram for controlling a driven in the pre-B area heating element of the thermal transfer print head according to the third variant.
- the printing gaps Cn and image columns Cn-1 to Cn-26 are each shown at a distance such that in each case a distance corresponds to the duration of the printing pulse duration plus a pulse pause.
- a pulse / time diagram is shown in a second line.
- the print nip Cn is that in which at least one heating element of the thermal transfer print head imprints a dot for a pixel of the bar code on the mailpiece surface.
- a cycle results from a pressure pulse duration plus an associated pulse break.
- This variable energy supply is made possible by an electronically controlled changing of the pulse duration.
- a subroutine routine is used, which is based on the Figure 16 will be explained.
- the Fig. 15b shows a pulse / time diagram for controlling a located in the edge region N1 heating element of the thermal transfer print head.
- a subroutine routine is used, which is based on the Figure 17 will be explained.
- the representations according to the FIGS. 15b and 17 apply equally to the second and third variant of quality improvement.
- the Fig. 16 shows a subroutine routine 110 'with determination of the energy values according to the third variant for preheating a thermal transfer print head.
- Fig. 18 is a barcode image with external areas to illustrate a different for these areas data preparation for preheating of heating elements according to the third variant shown, which was developed by Francotyp-Postalia GmbH, taking into account the postal regulations for the country Canada.
- the data content of the barcode is not essential for understanding the preheating.
- the modules were drawn only at the edge of the barcode image and displayed as part of the 50% or 100% lines.
- the thermal transfer printhead drive method takes into account a different edge heating for Datamatrix Barcode. Leading for the data matrix printed by the thermal transfer printing method barcodes to increase the read rate.
- the detail view of the upper right bar code corner of the Datamatrix bar code shows a pre-heat near the 50% line at the top and right edge of the Datamatrix barcode with a heat pulse of 20% of the maximum print pulse duration and also a pre-printing total of the Datamatrix barcode Pre-heating with a heat pulse of 10% of the maximum pressure pulse duration. It is provided that the aforementioned distance from the edge of the barcode image is at least two image columns.
- the following method is proposed:
- the heating elements and surrounding heat capacities are preheated in the non-printing area B, which is located on the right side of the barcode. It can thus be defined in the impression invisible image columns Cn-y to Cn-1, which are time before the printing of the Datamatrix barcode under the Schuelement Hor the printhead along along, in the image column Cn-y, which in a position below the Schuelement Hor rather reaches, as a subsequent image column Cn- (y-1), all heating elements are driven with a heat pulse of the pulse length of 10% of the maximum pressure pulse length, while in the subsequent image column Cn- (y-1) none of the heating elements is heated with a heat pulse , This is followed, for example, 12 times in alternation by a column-by-column heating of the heating elements of the row of heating elements with a pulse length of 0.1 of the maximum pressure pulse length and a column-wise non-heating of the heating element row of the heating element row which can be assigned to the following adjacent image column.
- the Fig. 19 shows a franking imprint according to the post request in Canada.
- the barcode 15 * is arranged to the left of the value stamp 16 * and is - unlike in the Figure 12 shown barcode 15 - printed at a distance to the value stamp 16 *. Within the distance, a stamp image 17 * is printed with further data prescribed by the postal authority.
- program routine for determining the energy values for printing the barcode image in better quality, starting from the same basic idea of the invention.
- Fig. 19 variant 2 or 3 or another variant can be used to improve quality, the latter, however, being based essentially on the same idea of the invention.
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Abstract
Description
Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zur Qualitätsverbesserung des Druckens mit einem Thermotransferdruckkopf gemäß des Oberbegriffs des Anspruchs 1 und eine Anordnung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens gemäß des Oberbegriffs des Anspruchs 10. Die Erfindung kommt in Druckvorrichtungen mit Relativbewegung zwischen dem Thermotransferdruckkopf und dem Druckgut zum Einsatz, insbesondere in Frankiermaschinen und in ähnlichen druckenden Buchungs- oder Postverarbeitungsgeräten. Die Erfindung bezweckt bei einem hohen Durchsatz von Poststücken die Qualität beim Drucken von Datamatrix Barcodes soweit zu erhöhen, dass deren maschinelle Lesbarkeit verbessert wird.The invention relates to a method for improving the quality of printing with a thermal transfer print head according to the preamble of
In der
Das gesamte Druckbild wird mikroprozessorgesteuert druckbildspaltenweise von einem einzigen Thermotransferdruckkopf aufgedruckt. Dabei erfolgt ein Drucken von Druckspalten in orthogonaler Anordnung zur Transportrichtung auf ein bewegtes Poststück. Die Maschine kann dadurch einen maximalen Durchsatz an Frankiergut von 2200 Briefen/Stunde bei einer Druckauflösung von 203 dpi erreichen.The entire print image is microprocessor-controlled printed image column by column by a single thermal transfer print head. In this case, a printing of printing columns in an orthogonal arrangement to the transport direction takes place on a moving mailpiece. The machine can thereby achieve a maximum throughput of mail of 2200 letters / hour at a print resolution of 203 dpi.
Die Frankiermaschine T1000 hat lediglich einen Mikroprozessor zur Ansteuerung eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes mit 240 Heizelementen zum spaltenweisen Drucken. Alle Heizelemente liegen in einer Reihe, welche 30 mm lang ist und orthogonal zur Transportrichtung angeordnet ist. Thermotransferdrucker verwenden zum Drucken ein mindestens gleich breites Thermotransferfarbband, welches zwischen einer zu bedruckenden Oberfläche - zum Beispiel eines Poststückes - und der Reihe von Heizelementen angeordnet ist. Die Energie eines elektrischen Impulses wird am Widerstand des angesteuerten Heizelementes in Wärmeenergie umgesetzt, welche sich auf das Thermotransferfarbband überträgt. Ein Drucken erfordert ein Abschmelzen eines Farbschichtstückes vom Thermotransferfarbband und eine Aufbringung des Farbschichtstückes auf die Druckgutoberfläche. Das Drucken erfolgt erst dann, wenn das mit dem Impuls beaufschlagte Heizelement auf Drucktemperatur, d.h. eine höhere als die Vorheiztemperatur gebracht wurde. Beim Bewegen des Thermotransferfarbbandes zugleich mit dem Poststück relativ zum Heizelement und laufender Wärmeenergiezufuhr wird ein Strich parallel zur Bewegungs- bzw. Transportrichtung in einer Zeile gedruckt. Ein Strich wird orthogonal zur Bewegungs- bzw. Transportrichtung in einer Druckspalte gedruckt, wenn eine vorbestimmte begrenzte Zeitdauer (Impulsdauer) alle Heizelemente in der Reihe von Heizelementen gleichzeitig mit elektrischen Impulsen beaufschlagt werden. Die Impulsdauer ist in Phasen unterteilbar. Innerhalb der vorbestimmten begrenzten Zeitdauer (Impulsdauer), existiert eine letzte Phase (Druckphase), in welcher die Dot's einer Druckspalte gedruckt werden. Der letzten Phase gehen weitere Phasen der Ansteuerung der Heizelemente voraus, um letztere auf Drucktemperatur aufzuheizen. Aufgrund des Transports des Poststückes sind auch diesen Phasen Druckbildspalten zuordenbar. Ein langer Einzelimpuls zum Ansteuern eines Heizelementes kann in mehrere Impulse aufgeteilt werden, deren Impulsdauer gleich ist und einer bestimmten Aufheizphase entsprechen. Diesen Aufheizphasen sind also Druckbildspalten des bewegten Poststückes ebenso zugeordnet, wie den Druckphasen die Druckspalten.The franking machine T1000 has only a microprocessor for controlling a thermal transfer print head with 240 heating elements for column-wise printing. All heating elements are in a row, which is 30 mm long and is arranged orthogonal to the transport direction. Thermal transfer printers use for printing at least the same width thermal transfer ribbon, which is arranged between a surface to be printed - for example, a mail piece - and the series of heating elements. The energy of an electrical pulse is converted at the resistance of the driven heating element into heat energy, which transfers to the thermal transfer ribbon. Printing requires melting of a colored layer piece from the thermal transfer ribbon and application of the colored layer piece to the print material surface. The printing takes place only when the impinged with the pulse heating element was brought to the pressure temperature, ie a higher than the preheating temperature. When moving the thermal transfer ribbon at the same time with the mail piece relative to the heating element and running heat energy supply a line is printed parallel to the movement or transport direction in a row. A bar is printed orthogonal to the direction of transport in a printing nip when electrical impulses are applied simultaneously to all heating elements in the row of heating elements for a predetermined limited period of time (pulse duration). The pulse duration is subdividable into phases. Within the predetermined limited time duration (pulse duration), there exists a final phase (printing phase) in which the dots of a printing nip are printed. The last phase is preceded by further phases of control of the heating elements in order to heat the latter to the pressure temperature. Due to the transport of the mailpiece these phases print image columns are assigned. A long Single pulse for driving a heating element can be divided into several pulses whose pulse duration is equal and correspond to a specific heating phase. Print image columns of the moving mailpiece are thus also associated with these heating phases, as are the print columns with the printing phases.
Die binären Pixeldaten zur Ansteuerung der Heizelemente aller Druckspalten sind in einem Pixelspeicher flüchtig gespeichert. Bei einer niedrigen Druckauflösung ist der Abstand benachbarter Druckspalten groß und die binären Pixeldaten der Druckphase widerspiegeln das Druckbild. Gewöhnlich sind mehrere Impulse erforderlich, um genügend Wärmeenergie für ein Abschmelzen eines Farbschichtstückes unter dem Heizelement zu erzeugen, welches auf die Oberfläche des Poststückes als Dot gedruckt wird (
Prinzipiell könnte zur Erzielung einer hohen Druckauflösung in jeder Phase gedruckt werden, wenn nur rechtzeitig in vorausgehenden Phasen die Ansteuerung der Heizelemente zu deren Aufheizung erfolgt. Dabei muss auch beachtet werden, dass ebenfalls am Widerstand des in der Reihe benachbarten Heizelementes die Energie eines elektrischen Impulses in Wärmeenergie umgesetzt wird (Wärmeleitungsproblem). Die Wärmeenergie wird durch Abkühlung verringert, wenn der Impuls entfällt. Aufgrund des benachbarten Energieeintrages ist ein Zuwachs an Wärmeenergie durch Wärmeleitung gegebenenfalls soweit gegeben, dass die Ansteuerung bestimmter Heizelemente zu deren Aufheizung in einer Phase ausgesetzt werden kann und dennoch genügend Wärmeenergie vorhanden ist, welche ein Abschmelzen eines Farbschichtstückes unter dem Heizelement bewirkt. Ein Mikroprozessor ist deshalb neben der Bereitstellung und Ausgabe von binären Pixeldaten zur Erzeugung oder Nichterzeugung eines elektrischen Impulses auch mit der Steuerung der Energieverteilung in Abhängigkeit vom zu druckenden Muster beschäftigt. Die ursprüngliche Widerspiegelung des Druckbildes durch binäre Pixeldaten wird dabei im Pixelspeicher entsprechend verändert, damit ein sauberes Druckbild entsteht. Das erfordert entweder eine umfangreiche Vorausberechnung, wie u.a. aus dem
Auch aus dem
Zur Erzielung einer höheren Druckauflösung könnte ein Mikroprozessor mit höherer Rechengeschwindigkeit eingesetzt werden. Die Ausgabe von binären Pixeldaten an den Thermotransferdruckkopf würde dann öfter je Zeiteinheit erfolgen, in welches ein Poststück oder ähnliches Druckgut ein gleiches Stück des Transportweges weiterbewegt wird. Zugleich erhöht sich aber der Speicherplatzbedarf im Pixelspeicher durch die Pixeldaten für jede zusätzlich eingefügte virtuelle Spalte bzw. Aufheizphase. Unter einer virtuellen Spalte soll hier eine Möglichkeit einer weiteren Spalte im Druckbild verstanden werden, welche beim Drucken jedoch nicht sichtbar wird, da in der Aufheizphase kein Dot gedruckt wird.To achieve a higher print resolution, a microprocessor with higher computing speed could be used. The output of binary pixel data to the thermal transfer printhead would then occur more often per unit of time, in which a mailpiece or similar printed matter a similar piece of the transport path is moved on. At the same time, however, the storage space requirement in the pixel memory increases due to the pixel data for each additionally inserted virtual column or heating phase. A virtual column is to be understood here as a possibility of a further column in the printed image, which, however, is not visible during printing, since no dot is printed in the heating phase.
Seit der Markteinführung der Frankiermaschine T1000 der Anmelderin Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.KG im Jahre 1991, welche neben dem Datum und den Postgebühren nun erstmalig auch gestattete, das vorgenannte Werbestempelbild elektronisch per Knopfdruck zu wechseln, wurden die Anforderungen an deren Mikroprozessorsteuerung ständig größer. Einerseits werden mehr Daten verarbeitet, je mehr variable Daten im Druckbild erforderlich sind. Andererseits gilt es auch andere Druckbilder zu erzeugen, die sich in Aufbau und Inhalt wesentlich von einem Frankierstempelbild unterscheiden, um zum Beispiel Visitenkarten, Gebühren- und Gerichtskostenstempelbilder auszudrucken. Die Anforderungen an die Druckauflösung in dpi (Dot's par inch) erhöhen sich ständig weiter. Dabei tritt beim Drucken eines Dot's das vorgenannte Wärmeleitungsproblem zwischen den benachbarten Heizelementen durch die im zu druckenden Druckbild benachbarten Pixel um so stärker auf, je näher die Pixel benachbart sind. Das vorgenannte Problem, welches mit dem Thermotransferdruckverfahren verbunden ist, vergrößert sich bei hoher Druckauflösung.Since the market introduction of the franking machine T1000 of the applicant Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.KG in 1991, which in addition to the date and post fees now for the first time also allowed to change the aforementioned advertising stamp image electronically by pressing a button, the demands on their microprocessor control were constantly increasing. On the one hand, more data is processed, the more variable data is required in the print image. On the other hand, there are other printed images which differ significantly in structure and content from a franking stamp image, for example, to print business cards, fee and court cost stamp images. The print resolution requirements in dpi (dot's per inch) are constantly increasing. In this case occurs when printing a dot, the aforementioned heat conduction problem between the adjacent heating elements by the adjacent in the printed image to be printed pixel, the closer the pixels are adjacent. The aforementioned problem associated with the thermal transfer printing method increases with high printing resolution.
Moderne Frankiermaschinen sollen einen sogenannten Sicherheitsabdruck ermöglichen, d.h. einen Abdruck einer speziellen Markierung zusätzlich zu der vorgenannten Mitteilung. Beispielsweise wird aus der vorgenannten Mitteilung ein Message Authentication Code oder eine Signatur erzeugt und dann eine Zeichenkette oder ein Barcode als Markierung gebildet. Wenn ein Sicherheitsabdruck mit einer solchen Markierung gedruckt wird, ermöglicht das eine Nachprüfung der Echtheit des Sicherheitsabdruckes beispielsweise im Postamt oder beim privaten Carrier (
Die Entwicklung der postalischen Anforderungen für einen Sicherheitsabdruck hat in einigen Ländern zur Folge, dass die Menge der variablen Duckbilddaten sehr hoch ist, die zwischen zwei Abdrucken von unterschiedlichen Frankierstempelbildern geändert werden muss. So soll beispielsweise für Kanada ein Datamatrix Barcode von 48 x 48 Bildelementen für jeden einzelnen Frankierabdruck erzeugt und gedruckt werden.The development of the postal requirements for a security print in some countries results in a very high amount of variable print image data that has to be changed between two prints of different postage stamp images. For example, for Canada, a Datamatrix barcode of 48 x 48 pixels is to be generated and printed for each individual franking imprint.
Zum rationelleren Postvertrieb und zur Erhöhung der Fälschungssicherheit wurde von der Deutschen Post AG im Jahre 2004 eine neue FRANKIT genannte Norm in Deutschland eingeführt. Auch bei geringer Druckgeschwindigkeit ist die Druckqualität bekannter Frankiermaschinen mit Thermotransferdruck nicht gut genug für die maschinelle Lesbarkeit eines 2-D Barcodes. Neben der Druckgeschwindigkeit musste nun aber auch die Druckauflösung auf 300 dpi zum Drucken eines zweidimensionalen Barcodes erhöht werden. Ein hoher Durchsatz von Poststücken geht jedoch mit einer geringeren Qualität beim Drucken einher, insbesondere von Datamatrix Barcodes, so dass deren maschinelle Lesbarkeit nicht immer garantiert ist. Der Mikroprozessor einer dafür geeigneten Frankiermaschine hat mehr Daten in kürzerer Zeit zu verarbeiten. Die Heizenergie zum Drucken der Bildelemente der Frankiermaschine soll mikroprozessorgesteuert unter Berücksichtigung der in der Vergangenheit gedruckten zwei unmittelbar vorausgehenden Druckspalten berechnet werden. Eine solche vergangenheitsbezogene Steuerung ist zur Vorgeschichtskompensation bekannt und müsste nun erweitert werden, zwecks Berücksichtigung von sehr viel mehr Informationen, um die Lesbarkeit von Datamatrix Barcodes zu verbessern.
Der aufgedruckte Datamatrix Barcode enthält am linken und am unteren Rand je eine durchgehende Linie, welche auch 100% Linie genannt wird und am rechten und am oberen Rand eine unterbrochene Linie aus Barcodebildelementen, welche auch 50% Linie genannt wird, weil jedes zweite Barcodebildelement fehlt. Statt als Punkt werden die Barcodebildelemente (Module) gewöhnlich in quadratischer Form gedruckt (
The printed data matrix barcode contains a continuous line at the left and at the bottom, which is also called 100% line and at the right and at the top a broken line of barcode elements, which is also called 50% line, because every other barcode image element is missing. Instead of a dot, the barcode elements (modules) are usually printed in square format (
Die Aufgabe der Erfindung besteht darin, ein Verfahren zur Qualitätsverbesserung des Druckens mit einem Thermotransferdruckkopf und eine zugehörige Anordnung zu schaffen, welche eine verbesserte maschinelle Lesbarkeit von Barcodes liefert.The object of the invention is to provide a method of improving the quality of printing with a thermal transfer printhead and associated assembly which provides improved machine readability of bar codes.
Die Aufgabe wird mit den Merkmalen des Verfahrens nach dem Anspruch 1 und der Anordnung nach dem Anspruch 14 gelöst.The object is achieved with the features of the method according to
Beim Abdrucken von Datamatrix Barcodes erwärmt sich der Druckkopf erheblich, so dass die erzeugten Barcodebildelemente (Module) im Verlauf des Abdrucks vor allem in Druckrichtung deutlich breiter als zu Beginn gedruckt werden. Die Barcodebildelemente der 50% Linie am oberen Rand bilden ein schachbrettartiges Muster, aber geraten gegenüber den übrigen Barcodebildelementen oft zu klein bzw. sind zu schwach gedruckt. Beide Randeffekte führen im Zusammenwirken mit weiteren unvermeidlichen Druckmängeln zu Ausfällen der Lesbarkeit dieser Barcodes. Die Barcodebildelemente sollen links und rechts, oben und unten eine gleiche Größe annehmen. Deshalb werden zur Kompensation der Randeffekte die Heizelemente und damit auch die umliegenden Wärmekapazitäten vorgeheizt, welche im nicht zu bedruckenden Bereich vor dem Barcodebild, der sog. Quietzone wirksam werden. Bei bewegten Druckgut können den Heizphasen jeweils Druckbildspalten in der Quietzone zugeordnet werden. Es wird eine bestimmte Anzahl von Heizphasen vorgesehen, um die Heizelemente zwar auf eine Vorheiztemperatur zu erwärmen, so dass gerade noch nicht der Thermotransferprozess ausgelöst wird. Das führt zu einer gewünschten günstigeren Temperaturverteilung im Druckkopf und im Resultat zu einer Vergleichmässigung des Druckens, insbesondere einer Vergrößerung der Barcodebildelemente am Druckbeginn des Barcodebildes. Die Größe der Barcodebildelemente am Ende des Barcodebildes wird hierdurch im Vergleich zum Beginn nur wenig größer.When printing Datamatrix barcodes, the print head heats up considerably, so that the generated barcode image elements (modules) are printed significantly wider than at the beginning of the print, especially in the printing direction. The barcode elements of the 50% line at the top make a checkered pattern but are often too small or too close to the other barcode image elements weakly printed. Both edge effects in combination with further unavoidable printing defects lead to failure of the readability of these barcodes. The barcode image elements should assume the same size on the left and right, above and below. Therefore, the heating elements and thus also the surrounding heat capacities are preheated to compensate for the edge effects, which are effective in the non-printing area in front of the barcode image, the so-called. Quietzone. With moving printing material, the heating phases can each be assigned print image columns in the quiet zone. A certain number of heating phases are provided in order to heat the heating elements to a preheating temperature so that the thermal transfer process is not yet triggered. This leads to a desired more favorable temperature distribution in the print head and, as a result, to an equalization of the printing, in particular an enlargement of the barcode image elements at the start of printing of the barcode image. The size of the barcode image elements at the end of the barcode image is thereby only slightly larger compared to the beginning.
In einem Randbereich zwischen der 50% Linie und dem Rand des Frankierstreifens wird eine kleine Anzahl von Heizelementen so angesteuert, dass diese genügend warm werden und der Randeffekt kompensiert wird, wodurch jedoch noch nicht der Thermotransferprozess ausgelöst wird. Dadurch wird die Umgebung der 50% Linie so aufgeheizt, so dass Barcodebildelemente am Rand ebenso gut abgebildet werden, wie in der Mitte des Barcodes.In a border area between the 50% line and the edge of the franking strip, a small number of heating elements are controlled in such a way that they become sufficiently warm and the edge effect is compensated, whereby, however, the thermal transfer process is not triggered yet. This heats up the environment of the 50% line so that barcode images are displayed as well on the edge as in the middle of the barcode.
Die Anzahl der Vorheizspalten und der Randzeilen und/oder die jeweiligen Heizenergien werden der Temperatur des Druckkopfes angepasst.The number of Vorheizspalten and the border lines and / or the respective heating energies are adapted to the temperature of the printhead.
Die Erfindung wird zwar am Beispiel einer Frankiermaschine verdeutlicht, aber soll nicht allein darauf beschränkt bleiben.Although the invention is illustrated by the example of a franking machine, it should not be limited to this alone.
Vorteilhafte Weiterbildungen der Erfindung sind in den Unteransprüchen gekennzeichnet bzw. werden nachstehend zusammen mit der Beschreibung der bevorzugten Ausführung der Erfindung anhand der Figuren näher dargestellt. Es zeigen:
- Fig. 1,
- Vereinfachte Darstellung eines Frankierstreifens mit Barcode,
- Fig. 2,
- Draufsicht auf einen vereinfachten Thermotransferdruckkopf,
- Fig. 3,
- Vereinfachter Flussplan der zum Drucken erforderlichen Verarbeitung von Bilddaten nach dem Stand der Technik,
- Fig. 4,
- Temperaturverlauf und Impuls/Zeit-Diagramm beim Drucken eines Dots,
- Fig. 5,
- Vereinfachte Darstellung der Barcodedaten,
- Fig. 6,
- Barcodebild mit Verdeutlichung der Barcodedatenaufbereitung durch eine vergangenheitsbezogene Steuerung,
- Fig. 7,
- Barcodebild mit externen Bereichen zur Verdeutlichung einer für diese Bereiche unterschiedlichen Datenaufbereitung zur Vorwärmung von Heizelementen (Variante 1),
- Fig. 8,
- Schnitt durch einen Thermotransferdruckkopf entlang einer Reihe von Widerstandsheizelementen,
- Fig. 9,
- Verbesserter Flussplan der zum Drucken erforderlichen Verarbeitung von Bilddaten,
- Fig.10,
- Blockschaltbild zum Steuern des Druckens einer Frankiermaschine mit einer Druckdatensteuerung für einen Thermotransferdruckkopf,
- Fig. 11,
- Perspektivische Darstellung einer Frankiermaschine vom Typ Optimail 30,
- Fig. 12,
- Frankierabdruck nach der DPAG-Anforderung FRANKIT,
- Fig. 13,
- Programmroutine mit Ermittlung der Energiewerte zur Vorheizung und Randheizung eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes,
- Fig. 14a,
- Barcodebild mit externen Bereichen zur Verdeutlichung einer für diese Bereichen unterschiedlichen Datenaufbereitung zur Vorwärmung von Heizelementen (Variante 2),
- Fig. 14b,
- Frankierabdruck nach den postalischen Anforderungen für das Land Australien,
- Fig. 14c,
- Programmroutine mit Ermittlung der Energiewerte nach einer weiteren Variante zur Vorheizung und Randheizung eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes (
Varianten 2 und 3), - Fig. 15a,
- Impuls-/Zeitdiagramm zur Ansteuerung eines im Vorbereich B angesteuerten Heizelementes des Thermotransferdruckkopfes,
- Fig. 15b,
- Impuls-/Zeitdiagramm zur Ansteuerung eines im Randbereich N1 gelegenen Heizelementes des Thermotransferdruckkopfes,
- Fig. 16,
- Subprogrammroutine mit Ermittlung der Energiewerte nach der dritten Variante zur Vorheizung eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes,
- Fig. 17,
- Subprogrammroutine mit Ermittlung der Energiewerte nach der zweiten bzw. dritten Variante zur Randheizung eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes und zur Pixelenergiewertberechnung,
- Fig. 18,
- Barcodebild mit externen Bereichen zur Verdeutlichung einer für diese Bereichen unterschiedlichen Datenaufbereitung zur Vorwärmung von Heizelementen (Variante 3),
- Fig. 19 ,
- Frankierabdruck gemäß der Post-Anforderung in Kanada.
- Fig. 1,
- Simplified representation of a franking strip with barcode,
- 2,
- Top view of a simplified thermal transfer print head,
- 3,
- Simplified flow chart of the prior art processing of image data required for printing;
- 4,
- Temperature curve and pulse / time diagram when printing a dot,
- Fig. 5,
- Simplified representation of the barcode data,
- 6,
- Barcode image with clarification of the barcode data processing by a historical control,
- Fig. 7,
- Barcode image with external areas to illustrate a different data preparation for these areas for preheating heating elements (variant 1),
- 8,
- Cutting through a thermal transfer printhead along a series of resistive heating elements,
- Fig. 9,
- Improved flowchart of image data processing required for printing
- 10 shows,
- Block diagram for controlling the printing of a franking machine with a print data controller for a thermal transfer print head,
- Fig. 11,
- Perspective view of an
Optimail 30 franking machine, - Fig. 12,
- Franking imprint according to the DPAG requirement FRANKIT,
- Fig. 13,
- Program routine with determination of the energy values for preheating and edge heating of a thermal transfer print head,
- Fig. 14a,
- Barcode image with external areas to illustrate different data preparation for these areas for preheating heating elements (variant 2)
- Fig. 14b,
- Franking imprint according to the postal requirements for the country Australia,
- Fig. 14c,
- Program routine with determination of the energy values according to a further variant for preheating and edge heating of a thermal transfer print head (
variants 2 and 3), - Fig. 15a,
- Pulse / time diagram for controlling a heating element of the thermal transfer printing head controlled in the pre-region B,
- Fig. 15b,
- Pulse / time diagram for controlling a heating element of the thermal transfer printing head located in the edge region N1,
- Fig. 16,
- Subroutine routine with determination of the energy values according to the third variant for preheating a thermal transfer print head,
- Fig. 17,
- Subroutine routine with determination of the energy values according to the second or third variant for the edge heating of a thermal transfer print head and for the pixel energy value calculation,
- Fig. 18,
- Barcode image with external areas to illustrate different data preparation for these areas for preheating heating elements (variant 3),
- Fig. 19,
- Franking imprint according to the post request in Canada.
Die
In der
In der
Die
Die
Eine Barcodedatenaufbereitung durch eine einfache vergangenheitsbezogene Steuerung wird anhand der vereinfachten Darstellung als Barcodebild in
In der
Anhand der
In der
Die gute Lesbarkeit der erzeugten Abdrucke ist nur zu erreichen, wenn die einem jeden Heizelement zugeführte Energiemenge auch mit anderen Parametern, insbesondere Farbbandparametern, abgestimmt ist. Deshalb wird ein Druckparametersatz aus einem Speicher ausgelesen, der an der Farbbandkassette befestigt ist, um damit die Energiewerte zu berechnen. Ein entsprechendes Verfahren zum Ansteuern eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes ist der nicht vorveröffentlichten deutschen Patentanmeldung des Aktenzeichens
In einem zweiten Steuerungs-Schritt 20 werden die Daten vom Mikroprozessor in an sich bekannter Weise verarbeitet, um die Heizelemente unterschiedlich anzusteuern, je nach dem, welche Vorgeschichte existiert und nach der unterschiedlichen örtlichen Erwärmung durch benachbarte Heizelemente. Zu diesem Zweck werden Energiewerte zweiter Art mindestens an denjenigen Speicherplatz im Pixelenergiespeicher gesetzt, der der Position eines zu druckenden Dots im Barcodebild unmittelbar vorausgeht, obwohl in dieser Position nach dem Barcodebild kein Dot zu drucken ist. Aus diesen Energiewerten zweiter Berechnungsart resultiert dann eine Heizimpulsdauer, welche kleiner als die Druckimpulsdauer ist, die zum Drucken eines Dots führen würde. Im einfachsten Fall kann die Heizimpulsdauer auf einen vorbestimmten festen Wert eingestellt werden, welcher empirisch ermittelt wurde. Im Normalfall wird jedoch die Heizimpulsdauer variabel auf einen Wert eingestellt, der aus einer Gruppe an vorbestimmten festen Werten auswählbar ist und durch den Mikroprozessor berechnet wird. Ein solches Verfahren wirkt jedoch nicht auf Heizelemente, die keine Dots drucken sollen. Der Anfang des Barcodes, wie auch die in Druckrichtung gesehenen rechten und linken Ränder des Barcodes, erscheinen bei herkömmlichen Methoden als zu schwach gedruckt. Dadurch ist die Flächendeckung schlecht und der Printgrowth geringer als bei den Bildelementen/Pixel des Barcodes, welche nicht am Rand oder Anfang des Barcodebildes liegen, welches von rechts nach links gedruckt wird. Die bekannten Algorithmen sind zur Verstärkung der am äußeren Rand oder vorne liegender Bildelemente/ Pixel des Barcodes nur unzureichend geeignet. Als hauptsächlicher Grund wurde der Wärmewiderstand im Druckkopf gefunden, der dreidimensional verteilt ist. Das Substrat S des Thermotransferdruckkopfes kann durch einen einfachen Historiecontrol-Mechanismus nicht genau genug aufgeheizt werden, der nur ein zu druckendes Pixel oder Druckpixel-Umfeldinformation auswertet.In the
The good readability of the prints produced can only be achieved if the amount of energy supplied to each heating element with others Parameters, in particular ribbon parameters, is tuned. Therefore, a print parameter set is read from a memory attached to the ink ribbon cassette to thereby calculate the energy values. A corresponding method for driving a thermal transfer print head is the non-prepublished German patent application of the
In a
Im Resultat erscheinen die mit bisherigen Methoden gedruckten hochauflösenden Barcodebilder an den besagten Rändern anders gedruckt zu sein, als im Inneren und sind dadurch ggf. schlecht maschinell lesbar.As a result, the high-resolution barcode images printed with previous methods appear to be printed differently at the margins than in the interior and may therefore be difficult to machine-read.
Deshalb werden zur Verbesserung der maschinellen Lesbarkeit in einem dritten Verbesserungs-Schritt 30 die Daten vom Mikroprozessor in der Weise verarbeitet, um auch diejenigen Heizelemente anzusteuern, welche in den beiden Randbereichen der Heizelementreihe liegen, aber dort während des Druckens eines Barcodes keine Dots drucken sollen. Zusätzlich werden auch diejenigen Heizelemente, welche nicht in den beiden Randbereichen der Heizelementreihe liegen, für eine begrenzte Zeitdauer angesteuert, wobei die vorgenannte Zeitdauer dem Drucken des Barcodebildes unmittelbar vorausgeht. Vor dem Drucken des Anfangs des Barcodebildes wie auch neben den in Druckrichtung gesehenen rechten und linken Rändern des Barcodebildes während des Druckens werden in hinreichender Nähe zu denjenigen Heizelementen, die ein Barcodebild drucken, eine Mehrzahl von Heizelementen mit einer Energie aufgeheizt, die durch Variation der Heizimpulsdauer so bemessen ist, dass bei Berücksichtigung der Wärmekapazitäten und -Leitfähigkeiten gerade eben noch kein Druck erfolgt. Die Zahl der Zeilen und Spalten wird dabei so bemessen, dass bei der gewählten unterschwelligen Energie (oder verschiedenen unterschwelligen Energien) eine hinreichend gleichmäßige Aufheizung der dreidimensional verteilten Wärmekapazitäten erfolgt, bevor und während das Barcodebild gedruckt wird. Zu diesem Zweck wird das zu druckende Barcodebild datenmäßig im Pixelenergiespeicher derartig ergänzt, dass der Pixelenergiespeicher im genannten Vor- und Umfeld des zu druckenden Barcodebildes nun Daten für Energiewerte enthält, die den Thermotransferdruckkopf in der oben beschriebenen Weise vorheizen, aber nicht zum Drucken von Dots an diesen Positionen führen.
Wenn zum Beispiel die maximale Druckimpulsdauer 10 Phasen umfasst, dann genügen ggf. schon Energiewerte, die durch 0 bis 3 Phasen erreicht werden. Es werden dann bis zu 3/10 des maximalen Energiewertes Emax jedem Heizelement zugeführt, welches im Bereich B der Darstellung nach
Im Ergebnis des Einbringens eines vorbestimmten Energiewertes dritter Berechnungsart erfolgt ein Ansteuern jedes Heizelementes an vorbestimmten Bereichen der Heizelementreihe, wobei der Energiewert nur zum Vorheizen vorbestimmt ist, jedoch nicht zum Drucken. Aus diesen Energiewerten dritter Berechnungsart resultiert dann eine Heizimpulsdauer, welche ebenfalls kleiner als die Druckimpulsdauer ist, die zum Drucken eines Dots führen würde. Im speziellen Fall kann die Heizimpulsdauer auf einen vorbestimmten festen Wert eingestellt werden, welcher empirisch ermittelt wurde. Bei Überlagerung eines Energiewertes zweiter Berechnungsart (schraffierte Bildelemente des Bereichs B im Barcodebild nach
In einem vierten Schritt 40 werden die den jeweiligen Pixelenergiewert widerspiegelnden Daten (Quadrupel) vom Mikroprozessor über einen Bus in eine Druckdatensteuerung übertragen. Der Druckdatensteuerung wird für jedes Heizelement ein jeweilig vorbestimmter Pixelenergiewert zugeführt, welcher in eine entsprechende Anzahl an binären Pixeldaten mit dem gleichen Binärwert umgesetzt wird. Die Pixeldaten werden seriell zum Thermotransferdruckkopf übermittelt.
Im fünften Zuführ-Schritt 50 wird jeder einem Heizelement zugeordnete binäre Pixeldatenwert in einer zugehörigen Phase von zeitlich nacheinander ablaufenden Phasen einer Druckimpulsdauer an die jeweilige Treibereinheit des Thermotransferdruckkopfes ausgegeben, welche die so ausgewählte Energie dem Heizelement zuführt.Therefore, to improve machine readability in a
If, for example, the maximum pressure pulse duration comprises 10 phases, then energy values which are achieved by 0 to 3 phases may suffice. Up to 3/10 of the maximum energy value E max is then supplied to each heating element, which in the region B is shown in FIG
As a result of introducing a predetermined energy value of the third type of calculation, each heating element is driven at predetermined regions of the heating element row, the energy value being predetermined only for preheating, but not for printing. These energy values of the third type of calculation then result in a heat pulse duration which is also shorter than the pressure pulse duration which would lead to the printing of a dot. In the specific case, the heating pulse duration can be set to a predetermined fixed value which has been determined empirically. When superimposing an energy value of the second type of calculation (hatched image elements of region B in the barcode image)
In a
In the
Anhand der
An dem Bus 5 sind entsprechend der postalischen Anforderungen ein postalisches Sicherheitsgerät (PSD) 18 sowie weitere - nicht gezeigte - Baugruppen, wie zum Beispiel Tastatur, Display u.a. angeschlossen. Die Druckdatensteuerung 4 kann bei einem direkten Speicherzugriff (DMA) eingangsseitig 16 bit parallel anliegende Daten wortweise vom BUS 5 übernehmen und zwischenspeichern. Die Druckdatensteuerung 4 ist mit dem Thermotransferdruckkopf 1 steuerungsmäßig verbunden und arbeitet nach einer nicht vorveröffentlichten
Einem Sensor/Motor-Controller 46 sind einerseits ein Start-Sensor S1, ein Roller-Sensor S2, ein Klappen-Sensor S3, ein Ende-Sensor S4 und ein Thermistor 19 sowie andererseits ein Motor 2a zum Antrieb einer nicht gezeigten Rolle zum Aufwickeln des verbrauchten Thermotransferfarbbandes, ein Motor 2b zum Antrieb einer Gegendruckrolle zur Druckgutbeförderung während des Druckens und ein Motor 2c zum Betätigen des Andruckmechanismus der Gegendruckrolle, um mittels letzterer das Druckgut an den Thermotransferdruckkopf 1 anzudrücken, verbunden. Die Frankiermaschine erzielt eine Transportgeschwindigkeit von ca.150 mm pro Sekunde für Frankierstreifen bzw. für bis zu 6 mm dicke Poststücke. Ein Interrupt-Controller 47 ist über eine Steuerleitung 49 für ein Interruptsignal I direkt mit dem Mikroprozessor 6 verbunden. Die Druckdatensteuerung 4, der Sensor/Motor-Controller 46 und der Interrupt-Controller 47 können innerhalb einer anwendungsspezifischen Schaltung (ASIC) bzw. programmierbaren Logik, wie beispielsweise einem Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) realisiert werden.Based on
On the
A sensor / motor controller 46, on the one hand, a start sensor S1, a scooter sensor S2, a flap sensor S3, an end sensor S4 and a
Die
Die Zu- und Abführung eines Poststückes erfolgt auf dem Zuführtisch an einer Anlegekante an der Vorderseite der Frankiermaschine von links nach rechts. Die Frankiermaschine ist mit einer Klappe zum Kassettenfach ausgestattet, die an deren rechten Seite und an deren Oberteil angeordnet ist. Weitere Details sind dem deutschen Gebrauchsmuster
Die Thermotransfer-Frankiermaschine vom Typ Optimail30 besitzt unterhalb eines Kassenfachs im Zuführtisch - nicht sichtbar - einen Anfang-Sensor und einen Ende-Sensor mit dem der Mikroprozessor den Anfang und das Ende eines Poststückes oder Frankierstreifens sicher erkennen kann. Weitere Details sind dem deutschen Gebrauchsmuster
The Optimail30 thermal transfer postage meter has a start sensor and an end sensor below a cash drawer in the feeder table - not visible - that allow the microprocessor to reliably detect the beginning and end of a mailpiece or franking tape. Further details are the German
In der
Der
Anschließend wird ein zweiter Abfrageschritt 104 erreicht, in welchem gefragt wird, ob der Zählwert schon größer/gleich dem ersten Grenzwert G1 = C1 ist, wobei mit der Druckspalte C1 das Drucken beginnt. Ist das nicht der Fall, dann wird über einen Schritt 105 zum ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Der Druckspalte C1 gehen somit weitere Phasen voraus, welche nur zur Vorwärmung des Thermotransferdruckkopfes dienen und somit nicht als Druckspalten sichtbar werden. Die davor liegenden Spalten werden deshalb als virtuelle Druckspalten bezeichnet. In jeder von solchen virtuellen Druckspalten werden die Heizelemente des Thermotransferdruckkopfes mit einem Impuls angesteuert, dessen Impulsdauer nicht zum Drucken ausreicht. Danach wird im Schritt 103 der Spaltenzähler um den Wert 'Eins' inkrementiert. Das geht solange weiter, bis die Druckspalte C1 erreicht ist.
Wird jedoch im zweiten Abfrageschritt 104 festgestellt, dass der Zählwert schon größer/gleich dem ersten Grenzwert Z ≥ G1 ist, dann wird zu einem dritten Abfrageschritt 106 verzweigt, in welchem festgestellt wird, ob der Zählwert schon größer dem zweiten Grenzwert, d.h. Z > G2 ist. Dabei ist G2 = Cf, wobei Cf diejenige Spalte ist, mit der das Drucken des Frankierstempelbildes endet. Ist das nicht der Fall, dann wird über einen Schritt 107 zum ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Im Schritt 107 erfolgt die Pixelenergiewertberechnung nach einer ersten Art, die in Abhängigkeit von vorbestimmten Parametern erfolgt und oben schon beschriebenen wurde. Im Schritt 107 erfolgt die Pixelenergiewertberechnung ebenfalls nach einer an sich bekannten zweiten Art, entsprechend der Vorgeschichte der Ansteuerung der Heizelemente und ihrer benachbarten Heizelemente durch den Mikroprozessor. Bei jedem Durchlaufen des Schrittes 103 wird der Spaltenzähler um den Wert 'Eins' erhöht. Der Abfrageschritt 106 wird durchlaufen, wobei die Antwort JA lautet. Die Antwort im dritten Abfrageschritt 109 lautet NEIN, jedoch nur solange, bis das Ende des Frankierstempelbildes mit der Druckspalte erreicht ist, der ein Grenzwert G2 zuordenbar ist.
Wird jedoch im dritten Abfrageschritt 106 festgestellt, dass der Zählwert schon größer dem zweiten Grenzwert, also Z > G2 ist, dann wird zu einem vierten Abfrageschritt 108 verzweigt, in welchem festgestellt wird, ob der Zählwert schon größer/gleich dem dritten Grenzwert, also Z ≥ G3 ist. Ist das nicht der Fall, dann wird zum ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Wieder wird im Schritt 103 der Spaltenzähler um den Wert 'Eins' erhöht und die Abfrageschritte 104 und 106 werden durchlaufen, wobei die Antwort JA lautet. Das geht solange weiter, bis eine Druckspalte Cn-4 erreicht ist, welcher der Grenzwert G3 zuordenbar ist.
Wird also im vierten Abfrageschritt 108 festgestellt, dass der Zählwert schon größer/gleich dem dritten Grenzwert, also Z≥ G3 ist, dann wird zu einem fünften Abfrageschritt 109 verzweigt, in welchem festgestellt wird, ob der Zählwert schon größer/gleich dem vierten Grenzwert, also Z≥ G4 ist, welcher einer ersten Druckspalte am Anfang des Barcodebildes zuordenbar ist. Ist das nicht der Fall, dann wird über einen Schritt 110 zum ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt.
Im Schritt 110 erfolgt die Pixelenergiewertberechnung ebenfalls nach einer an sich bekannten zweiten Art, entsprechend der Vorgeschichte der Ansteuerung der Heizelemente und ihrer benachbarten Heizelemente durch den Mikroprozessor. Vor dem Drucken eines Dots des Barcodebildes kann ein vorbestimmter erster Energiewert EH dem jeweiligen Heizelement zugeführt werden, welches im Bereich B zum Einsatz kommt. Der Energiewert EH führt jedoch noch nicht zum Drucken, sondern bewirkt nur eine vorbestimmte Vorerwärmung des entsprechenden Heizelementes in mindestens einer der vorausgehenden Phasen (History Control -Methode).
Außerdem erfolgt die Pixelenergiewertberechnung einer dritten Art für alle Pixel vor dem Barcodebild im Bereich B. Zum Beispiel soll in den ersten vier Druckspalten vor dem Drucken des Barcodebildes ein vorbestimmter zweiter Energiewert EV auch jedem Heizelement zugeführt werden, welches dem Bereich B zugeordnet ist, aber bisher nicht zum Einsatz kam, weil unmittelbar nachfolgend kein Dot gedruckt werden soll. Mit jeder Phase der Heizung eines Heizelementes wird die vorhandene Grundenergie oder die in den Phasen zuvor zugeführte Energie um eine Energiestufe erhöht. Der vorbestimmte zweite Energiewert EV wird jedem der Heizelemente im Bereich (B) vor dem Drucken des Barcodebildes (15) zugeführt, welche im Bereich (B) nicht für eine vorbestimmte Vorerwärmung mit dem ersten Energiewert EH zum Einsatz kommen.
Der zweite Energiewert EV liegt mindestens eine Energiestufe, vorzugsweise zwei Energiestufen, unter demjenigen ersten Energiewert EH, der zum Heizen jeweils den Heizelementen zugeführt werden soll, welche im Bereich B gemäß der History Control-Methode zum Einsatz kommen sollen. Auch die anschließend beim Drucken nicht oder nicht unmittelbar nachfolgend zum Einsatz kommenden Heizelemente werden somit im Unterschied zur History Control-Methode ebenfalls erwärmt.
Nach dem ersten Abfrageschritt 102 wird wieder der Schritt 103 durchlaufen und der Spaltenzähler um den Wert 'Eins' erhöht. Die Abfrageschritte 104, 106 und 108 werden durchlaufen, wobei die Antwort jeweils JA lautet. Die Antwort im fünften Abfrageschritt 109 lautet NEIN, jedoch nur solange, bis ein vierter Grenzwert G4 mit der Druckspalte Cn am Anfang des Barcodebildes noch nicht erreicht ist. Wenn dieser aber erreicht ist, dann wird auf einen sechsten Abfrageschritt 111 verzweigt. Im sechsten Abfrageschritt 111 wird gefragt, ob der Zählwert schon größer dem fünften Grenzwert, also Z > G5 ist, wobei mit der Druckspalte Cq das Drucken endet. Ist das nicht der Fall, dann wird über einen Schritt 112 zum ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Vom Mikroprozessor wird im Schritt 112 beginnend mit der Druckspalte Cn und endend mit der Druckspalte Cq, d.h. ab Anfang bis Ende des Barcodebildes, eine Pixelenergiewertberechnung erster und zweiter Art für alle Pixel des Barcodebildes und eine Pixelenergiewertberechnung dritter Art für Pixel im Randbereich N des Barcodebildes durchgeführt. Ein Randbereich existiert, wenn die Länge des Barcodebildes kleiner ist, als die Länge der Reihe von Heizelementen (Streifenbreite). Vom Mikroprozessor werden Energiewerte für das Erwärmen der Heizelemente am Rand der Heizelementreihe berechnet, welche den Pixeln in mindestens einem der beiden Randbereiche N extern des Barcodebildes zugeordnet sind, wobei die Energiewerte von einer solchen Höhe berechnet werden, so dass im Ergebnis von den entsprechenden Heizelementen am Rand der Heizelementreihe gerade noch keine Dots ausgedruckt werden. Es ist vorgesehen, dass das Berechnen in einem Hinzufügen eines zuvor empirisch ermittelten Energiewertes EN ≤ 2/10 Emax besteht. Alternativ ist vorgesehen, dass die Substrattemperatur des Thermotransferdruckkopfes 1 gemessen und ein Schwellwertvergleich durchgeführt wird, wobei bei einer Schwellwertunterschreitung der Substrattemperatur vom Mikroprozessor ein um eine Stufe höherer Energiewert EN ausgewählt wird.Subsequently, a
If, however, it is determined in the
However, if it is determined in the
If it is determined in the
In
In addition, the pixel energy value calculation of a third kind is performed for all pixels in front of the barcode image in region B. For example, in the first four printing columns, before printing the barcode image, a predetermined second energy value E V should also be supplied to each heating element associated with region B, but previously not used, because immediately after no dot is to be printed. With each phase of the heating of a heating element, the existing basic energy or the previously supplied energy in the phases is increased by one energy level. The predetermined second energy value E V is applied to each of the heating elements in the region (B) before the printing of the barcode image (15). which are not used in the region (B) for a predetermined preheating with the first energy value E H.
The second energy value E V is at least one energy level, preferably two energy levels, below that first energy value E H , which is to be supplied to the heating in each case the heating elements to be used in the area B according to the History Control method. The heating elements which are subsequently not used during printing or are not used immediately thereafter are thus likewise heated in contrast to the history control method.
After the
Nach dem ersten Abfrageschritt 102 wird wieder der Schritt 103 durchlaufen und der Spaltenzähler um den Wert 'Eins' erhöht. Die Abfrageschritte 104, 106, 108 und 109 werden durchlaufen, wobei die Antwort jeweils JA lautet. Die Antwort im sechsten Abfrageschritt 111 lautet NEIN, jedoch nur solange, bis ein fünfter Grenzwert G5 mit der Druckspalte Cq am Ende des Barcodebildes noch nicht überschritten ist. Wenn dieser aber überschritten ist, dann wird auf einen siebenten Abfrageschritt 113 verzweigt. Das geht solange weiter, bis ein sechster Grenzwert G6 mit einer Druckspalte Cq + 50 am Anfang des Barcodebildes erreicht ist. Solange das nicht der Fall ist, dann wird auf den ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Aber wenn das der Fall ist, dann wird auf weitere Abfrageschritte verzweigt, welche nicht dargestellt sind, um Energiewerte für die übrigen Druckstempelbilder zu berechnen bis ein vorletzter Abfrageschritt 119 erreicht ist, in welchem gefragt wird, ob die letzte Druckspalte Cz am Ende eines Frankierabdrucks erreicht ist. Wenn das nicht der Fall ist, dann wird auf den ersten Abfrageschritt 102 zurück verzweigt. Aber wenn das der Fall ist, dann wird die Routine im Schritt 120 gestoppt.
Die Routine kann für die in anderen Ländern gültigen Postvorschriften angepasst, für die erforderlichen Frankierabdrucke entsprechend modifiziert bzw. für andere Druckbilder von ähnlichen druckenden Buchungs- oder Postverarbeitungsgeräten sinngemäß verwendet werden.After the
The routine may be adapted to the postal regulations in force in other countries, modified accordingly for the required franking imprints, or used analogously for other printed images of similar printing accounting or mailing machines.
In der
Zeitlich vor dem Drucken der Dots in einer ersten Druckspalte des zweidimensionalen Barcode-Abdruckes werden also alle in einer Reihe liegenden Heizelemente eines Thermotransferdruckkopfes vorgeheizt, die auf die Oberfläche des Poststückes wirken und dabei orthogonal zur Druckrichtung angeordnet sind. Die vorgenannten Heizelemente werden mit einem Vorheizimpuls, welcher höchstens 20% der maximalen Impulslänge eines Druckimpulses erreicht, so angesteuert, dass die Heizelemente zwar warm werden, aber gerade noch nicht drucken. Das führt zu einer vorbestimmt günstigen Temperaturverteilung im Druckkopf und im Resultat zu einem gleichmäßigen Druck.In the
Thus, prior to the printing of the dots in a first printing column of the two-dimensional barcode impression, all the heating elements of a thermal transfer printing head lying in a row are preheated, which act on the surface of the mail piece and are arranged orthogonally to the printing direction. The aforementioned heating elements are so controlled with a preheat pulse, which reaches at most 20% of the maximum pulse length of a pressure pulse, that the heating elements, although warm, but just not print. This leads to a predetermined favorable temperature distribution in the print head and in the result to a uniform pressure.
Die Heizelemente und umliegenden Wärmekapazitäten werden außerdem im nicht zu bedruckenden Bereich N1 vorgeheizt, der in der Darstellung über der 50%-Linie des Oberteils des Barcodebildes gelegen ist. Dieser Randbereich N1 extern des Barcodebildes ist mit einem Karo-Muster gekennzeichnet und wird nachfolgend genauer als ein nicht zu bedruckender Bereich N1 zum Erwärmen von Heizelementen während des Druckens des Barcodes bezeichnet.
Während des Druckens des Barcodes wird ein Heizelement der benachbarten Zeile direkt oberhalb des Barcodebildes mit einer Impulselänge von 0,2 = 20% der maximalem Druckimpulslänge für eine vorbestimmte Anzahl von Druckspalten so angesteuert, dass das Heizelement warm wird aber gerade noch nicht drucken kann. Dadurch wird die Umgebung der Heizelemente, die zum Drucken der 50% Linie eingesetzt werden, so aufgeheizt, dass diese ebenso gut abgebildet wird, wie die Barcodeelemente (Module) im Inneren des Barcodes.
In der
Im punktiert gezeichneten Bereich N2 unter dem Barcodebild wird keine Vorwärmung von Heizelementen benötigt, wenn sie keinem zu bedruckenden Bereich zugeordnet sind.
Bei Barcodeabdrucken von anderer Art kann es durchaus sinnvoll sein zu unterscheiden, dass die zu erwärmenden Heizelemente in Position zu den Randbereichen (oben, rechts, unten und links) des Barcodeabdruckes unterschiedlich zu erwärmen sind. Im Unterschied dazu brauchen bei der vorgenannten zweiten Variante der Datenaufbereitung zur Vorwärmung von Heizelementen diejenigen der Heizelementreihe beispielsweise überhaupt nicht erwärmt werden, die beim Transport des Poststückes dem linken Bereich des Barcodeabdruckes zugeordnet sind, da in den Bildspalten unmittelbar dahinter keine Dots gedruckt werden und der Druckkopf auch schon seine Betriebstemperatur erreicht hat. Diejenigen Heizelemente im Randbereich der Heizelementreihe die beim Transport des Poststückes gegenüber dem unteren Bereich des Barcodeabdruckes liegen, müssen ebenfalls nicht erwärmt werden, wenn der Druckkopf durch ein Drucken einer 100%-Linie mit den unmittelbar benachbarten Heizelemente schon seine Betriebstemperatur erreicht hat.The heating elements and surrounding heat capacities are also preheated in the non-printable area N1, which is located in the illustration above the 50% line of the upper part of the barcode image. This edge area N1 external to the barcode image is marked with a checker pattern and is hereinafter referred to more precisely as a non-printable area N1 for heating heating elements during printing of the barcode.
During printing of the bar code, a heating element of the adjacent line directly above the barcode image is driven with a pulse length of 0.2 = 20% of the maximum print pulse length for a predetermined number of print columns so that the heater will be warm but just can not print. Thereby For example, the environment of the heaters used to print the 50% line will be heated to be as well mapped as the bar code elements (modules) inside the bar code.
In the
In the dotted area N2 under the barcode image, no preheating of heating elements is required if they are not assigned to a region to be printed.
In the case of barcode prints of a different kind, it may well be useful to distinguish that the heating elements to be heated are to be heated differently in position to the edge regions (top, right, bottom and left) of the barcode imprint. In contrast, need in the aforementioned second variant of the data preparation for preheating of heating elements of the Heizelementreihe, for example, are not heated, which are associated with the transport of the mail piece the left portion of the Barcodeabdruckes, as in the image columns immediately behind no dots are printed and the print head already reached its operating temperature. Those heating elements in the edge region of the heating element row that lie in the transport of the mail item relative to the lower portion of the Barcodeabdruckes must also not be heated if the printhead has already reached its operating temperature by printing a 100% line with the immediately adjacent heating elements.
In der
In der
Das wird nachfolgend anhand von Impuls-/Zeitdiagrammen für ein vorgeheiztes Heizelement näher erläutert, an welchen die Bereiche B und N1 vorbeibewegt werden, wenn das Poststück während des Druckens weiter transportiert wird.In the
This will be explained in more detail below by means of pulse / time diagrams for a preheated heating element at which the areas B and N1 are moved past, when the mailpiece is transported further during printing.
Die
Es vergeht dann gemäß dem Beispiel eine Zeitdauer von 26 Takten bis zum Drucken der Dots. Ein Takt ergibt sich aus einer Druckimpulsdauer plus einer zugehörigen Impulspause. Wenn die Bildspalte Cn-25 den Druckort erreicht, dann wird ein Heizimpuls ausgelassen, aber wenn die Bildspalte Cn-24 den Druckort erreicht, dann wird ein Heizimpuls der Energie E = 1/10 Emax wieder abgegeben. Die Heizimpulsabgabe alterniert mit der Nichtabgabe bis beispielsweise die Bildspalte Cn-2 erreicht ist, in welcher ein Heizimpuls der Energie E = 2/10 Emax an die Heizelemente abgegeben wird, welche den Barcode drucken sollen. Wenn die nachfolgende Bildspalte Cn-1 erreicht ist, wird wieder ein Heizimpuls der Energie E = 2/10 Emax abgegeben. Alternativ wäre auch ein Heizimpuls der Energie E = 3/10 Emax möglich. Diese variable Energiezuführung wird durch ein elektronisch gesteuertes Verändern der Impulsdauer ermöglicht. Dazu wird eine Subprogrammroutine verwendet, welche anhand der
Durch Weglassen der Impulse in den Bildspalten Cn-3 bis Cn-26 ergibt sich eine - nicht gezeigte - Darstellung eines Impuls-/Zeitdiagramms zur Ansteuerung eines im Vorbereich B angesteuerten Heizelementes auch für die zweite Variante der Qualitätsverbesserung.The
It then passes according to the example, a period of 26 clocks to print the dots. A cycle results from a pressure pulse duration plus an associated pulse break. When the image column Cn-25 reaches the print location, a heat pulse is skipped, but when the image column Cn-24 reaches the print location, a heat pulse of energy E = 1/10 Emax is given off again. The Heizimpulsabgabe alternates with the Nichtabgabe until, for example, the image column Cn-2 is reached, in which a heat pulse of energy E = 2/10 Emax is delivered to the heating elements, which should print the barcode. When the succeeding image column Cn-1 is reached, a heat pulse of energy E = 2/10 Emax is again emitted. Alternatively, a heat pulse of energy E = 3/10 Emax would be possible. This variable energy supply is made possible by an electronically controlled changing of the pulse duration. For this purpose, a subroutine routine is used, which is based on the
By omitting the pulses in the image columns Cn-3 to Cn-26 results in - not shown - representation of a pulse / time diagram for controlling a driven in the pre-B heating element for the second variant of the quality improvement.
Die
Die
Eine - nicht gezeigte - Darstellung einer Subprogrammroutine ergibt sich auch für die zweite Variante der Qualitätsverbesserung, wenn die Schritte 1103' bis 1105' entfallen.The
A representation of a subprogram routine (not shown) also results for the second variant of the quality improvement if steps 1103 'to 1105' are omitted.
Die
In der
Die Heizelemente und umliegenden Wärmekapazitäten werden im nichtdruckenden Bereich B vorgeheizt, der in der Darstellung rechts vom Barcode gelegen ist. Es können also im Abdruck unsichtbare Bildspalten Cn-y bis Cn-1 definiert werden, die zeitlich vor dem Drucken des Datamatrix Barcodes unter der Heizelementreihe des Druckkopfes entlang geführt werden, wobei in der Bildspalte Cn-y, welche in eine Position unter der Heizelementreihe eher gelangt, als eine nachfolgende Bildspalte Cn-(y-1), alle Heizelemente mit einem Heizimpuls der Impulslänge von 10% der maximalen Druckimpulslänge angesteuert werden, während in der nachfolgenden Bildspalte Cn-(y-1) keines der Heizelemente mit einem Heizimpuls erwärmt wird. Daran schließen sich zum Beispiel 12 mal im Wechsel ein spaltenweises Heizen der einer Bildspalte aktuell zuordenbaren Heizelemente der Heizelementreihe mit der Impulslänge von 0,1 der maximalen Druckimpulslänge und ein spaltenweises Nichtheizen der Heizelementreihe der Heizelementreihe an, die der nachfolgenden benachbarten Bildspalte zuordenbar sind. In einer in der
Die
Für die Erzeugung eines Bildes nach
Wenn in dem vorgenannten Beispiel von Poststücken, Briefkuverten oder Frankierstreifen gesprochen wird, dann sollen andere Formen von Druckgütern nicht ausgeschlossen werden. Vielmehr sollen alle Druckgüter mit eingeschlossen sein, die von Druckvorrichtungen nach dem Thermotransferdruckverfahren bedruckt werden können.If in the above example of mail pieces, letter envelopes or franking strips is spoken, then other forms of printed matter should not be excluded. Rather, all printed matter should be included, which can be printed by printing devices by the thermal transfer printing process.
Zur Qualitätsverbesserung können weitere andere Ausführungen der Erfindung entwickelt bzw. eingesetzt werden, die vom gleichen Grundgedanken der Erfindung ausgehen und von den anliegenden Ansprüchen umfasst werden.To improve the quality further other embodiments of the invention can be developed or used, which are based on the same basic idea of the invention and are encompassed by the appended claims.
Claims (19)
- A method for improving the printing quality with a thermal transfer print head (1) for a printing device the control of which is equipped with a microprocessor (8) and memory means for data processing before printing as well as for triggering and controlling a printing process, in which a first amount of energy is calculated in a first determination step (10) before printing, taking at least machine parameters into account, wherein the amount of energy is fed to a first heating element of the thermal transfer print head (1) in a feeding step (50) for transferring ink from a ribbon assigned to the thermal transfer print head (1) onto a print-medium surface, characterized in that, in an improvement step (30), there is carried out a calculation of an energy value in such a way that the microprocessor (6) processes the data of the print image in order to trigger also those heating elements that are located in at least one of the edge regions of the row of heating elements but shall not print any dots during the printing of a bar code and wherein also those heating elements that are not located in the two edge regions of the row of heating elements are triggered with a heating impulse for a limited period of time, wherein said period of time directly precedes the printing of a bar code image (15) and that energy values for each of the heating elements of the thermal transfer print head (1) are intermediately stored in the pixel energy memory (7) in a non-volatile manner.
- A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the microprocessor (6) performs a different data preparation for determining the energy values for the regions (N1), (N2) and (B) outside the bar code image (15).
- A method according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that, following the energy value calculation in steps (10), (20) and (30), the data reflecting a respective pixel energy value are transmitted, in a fourth formatting step (40), via a bus to a printing data control unit (4) in order to transform the data into a corresponding number of binary pixel data with the same binary value there, and that, in a fifth feeding step (50), each binary pixel data value fed to a heating element is sent, in a related phase of consecutive phases of a printing pulse, to the respective driver unit of the thermal transfer print head (1) in order to transform the printing data by an internal electronic unit of the thermal transfer print head into printing pulses of a predefined voltage level and with a duration that can be separately set for the heating elements.
- A method according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a voltage is applied to the heating elements as a printing pulse, said printing pulse being dividable into phases of equal duration, that, with every phase of heating a heating element, the existing basic energy or the energy fed in the phases before is increased by one energy step, and that there are also heated the heating elements that are not used or not used immediately afterwards in the printing process following.
- A method according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the microprocessor (6) calculates the energy values for the heating of the heating elements on the edge of the row of heating elements that are assigned to the pixels in at least one of the two edge regions N1 and N2 outside the bar code image, the energy values being calculated to such an amount that, as a result, the respective heating elements on the edge of the row of heating elements will just not print any dots.
- A method according to Claim 5, characterized in that energy of up to two tenths of the maximum energy value is fed to each heating element on the edge of the row of heating elements of the thermal transfer print head (1) while the bar code image is printed.
- A method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the calculation is performed by adding an energy value EN that was determined empirically or by calculation before.
- A method according to Claim 6, characterized in that the substrate temperature of the thermal transfer print head (1) is measured and a threshold-value comparison is performed, wherein, in case the substrate temperature remains below the threshold value, the microprocessor (6) selects a higher energy value EN.
- A method according to Claim 8, characterized in that the microprocessor (6) selects an energy value EN that is one step higher.
- A method according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a predefined energy value EH is fed to a heating element that is used in the region (B) before the printing of the bar code image (15), wherein a first energy value EH, however, does not yet cause printing, but only causes a predefined pre-heating of the respective heating element in at least one of the preceding phases, that a predefined second energy value EV is fed to each of the heating elements in the region (B) before the printing of the bar code image (15) that are not used in the region (B) for a predefined pre-heating with the first energy value EH, wherein the second energy value EV is at least one energy level lower than the first energy value EH.
- A method according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a predefined energy value EH is fed to all heating elements of a row of heating elements that are used in the foreregion (B) before the printing of the bar code image (15), wherein a first energy value EH corresponds to the length of a heating pulse that, however, does not yet cause printing, but only effects a predefined pre-heating of the respective heating element in at least one of the preceding phases, wherein an energy of up to two tenths of the maximum energy level is fed to all of the heating elements in the foreregion B and to at least one heating element not printing in the edge region on the edge of the row of heating elements of the thermal transfer print head (1).
- A method according to Claim 11, characterized in that, within a time range before printing the bar code image (15), when an image column of the foreregion B spaced from the edge of the bar code image (15) reaches the printing area, energy of one tenth of the maximum energy value is fed to every non-printing heating element for pre-heating by means of a heating pulse during a period of time having the duration of one phase of the printing pulse, said phase alternating with another phase during which no energy is fed to the non-printing heating element.
- A method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the distance from the edge of the bar code image (15) is at least two image columns when energy of one tenth of the maximum energy value is fed to the heating element for pre-heating by means of a heating pulse during a period of time having the duration of one phase of the printing pulse.
- An assembly for implementing the method according to Claim 1,
characterized in that a thermal transfer print head (1) is equipped with a row of heating elements, wherein the length of said row of heating elements of the thermal transfer print head (1) exceeds the length of a row (R) of bar code image elements on the edge of the bar code image that is the last to be printed, that the thermal transfer print head (1) is arranged in a printing device and is connected with a control unit that is equipped with a microprocessor (8) programmed to perform a calculation of energy values by which the heating elements on the edges of the high-resolution thermal transfer print head (1) are also triggered in heating phases when no dots shall be printed on the edges outside the bar code image and, when a dot shall be printed, to perform a calculation of an energy value to be fed to the thermal transfer print head (1) in different ways. - An assembly according to Claim 14, characterized in that the microprocessor (8) performs an energy-value calculation in a first and a second way, wherein the amount of energy that shall be fed to each heating element of a thermal transfer print head (1) is calculated by the microprocessor (8) considering machine parameters and depending on the various image segments of the franking stamp.
- An assembly according to Claims 14 to 15, characterized in that a pixel energy memory (7) intermediately storing the energy values in a non-volatile manner is connected with the thermal transfer print head (1) for data and control purposes via a printing data control unit (4).
- An assembly according to Claims 14 and 16, characterized in that the printing data control unit (4) is designed as a field-programmable component (FPGA).
- An assembly according to Claims 14 and 16, characterized in that the printing data control unit (4) is designed as a user-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
- An assembly according to Claim 14, characterized in that at least one heating element is arranged on the edge of the row of heating elements of the thermal transfer print head (1) to which, as a result of an energy-value calculation performed by the microprocessor (8) empirically or by calculation in a third way, there is fed energy of up to two tenths of the maximum energy value and which is directly adjacent to a heating element used for printing a 50-percent line on the upper edge of the bar code.
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DE102006009334A DE102006009334A1 (en) | 2006-03-01 | 2006-03-01 | A process for improving the quality of printing with a thermal transfer printhead and apparatus for carrying out the process |
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EP1829692A2 EP1829692A2 (en) | 2007-09-05 |
EP1829692A3 EP1829692A3 (en) | 2008-03-05 |
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US (1) | US7609284B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1829692B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE490090T1 (en) |
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DE102007018903A1 (en) * | 2007-04-19 | 2008-10-23 | Deutsche Post Ag | Method for detecting a machine-readable code applied to a mailpiece, device for carrying out the method, mailpiece and method for providing the mailpiece with a machine-readable code |
DE102007000547A1 (en) | 2007-10-21 | 2009-04-23 | Telefrank Gmbh | Postage meter and method for controlling a franking machine |
JP5793024B2 (en) * | 2011-08-24 | 2015-10-14 | キヤノン株式会社 | Thermal printer, control method therefor, and program |
US20150009271A1 (en) * | 2013-07-03 | 2015-01-08 | Ctpg Operating, Llc | System and Method of Thermal Printing Security Features |
US10685317B2 (en) * | 2015-09-22 | 2020-06-16 | United States Postal Service | Trackable postage |
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DE3833746A1 (en) | 1988-09-30 | 1990-04-05 | Siemens Ag | Thermal printing with pre-heating resistor elements - energised by actual data and by clock pulse of variable width and height |
JPH02121853A (en) | 1988-10-31 | 1990-05-09 | Toshiba Corp | Thermal head control circuit |
US5132703A (en) * | 1991-03-08 | 1992-07-21 | Yokogawa Electric Corporation | Thermal history control in a recorder using a line thermal head |
DE4133207A1 (en) | 1991-10-07 | 1993-04-15 | Francotyp Postalia Gmbh | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF A THERMAL PRINT HEATING ELEMENT |
US5625399A (en) | 1992-01-31 | 1997-04-29 | Intermec Corporation | Method and apparatus for controlling a thermal printhead |
JP2978672B2 (en) * | 1993-01-28 | 1999-11-15 | 株式会社東芝 | Recording device |
US5546112A (en) * | 1994-10-28 | 1996-08-13 | Pitney Bowes Inc. | Epm having a system for detecting fault conditions of the thermal printhead |
JP2857837B2 (en) | 1994-11-16 | 1999-02-17 | 日本電気エンジニアリング株式会社 | Thermal head heat control device |
US5953426A (en) | 1997-02-11 | 1999-09-14 | Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. | Method and arrangement for generating and checking a security imprint |
DE19748954A1 (en) | 1997-10-29 | 1999-05-06 | Francotyp Postalia Gmbh | Producing security markings in franking machine |
JP2003048337A (en) * | 2001-08-06 | 2003-02-18 | Riso Kagaku Corp | Method and apparatus for controlling thermal head |
US6788325B2 (en) * | 2002-02-06 | 2004-09-07 | Brady Worldwide, Inc. | Processing multiple thermal elements with a fast algorithm using dot history |
DE102004027517B4 (en) * | 2004-06-03 | 2007-05-10 | Francotyp-Postalia Gmbh | Arrangement and method for controlling a thermal transfer print head |
DE202004015279U1 (en) | 2004-10-01 | 2005-01-13 | Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Kg | Arrangement for a printing mail processing device |
-
2006
- 2006-03-01 DE DE102006009334A patent/DE102006009334A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2007
- 2007-02-12 AT AT07002938T patent/ATE490090T1/en active
- 2007-02-12 DE DE502007005811T patent/DE502007005811D1/en active Active
- 2007-02-12 EP EP07002938A patent/EP1829692B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2007-02-19 CA CA2578902A patent/CA2578902C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2007-02-21 US US11/677,164 patent/US7609284B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20070206043A1 (en) | 2007-09-06 |
CA2578902C (en) | 2011-02-15 |
EP1829692A3 (en) | 2008-03-05 |
ATE490090T1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
EP1829692A2 (en) | 2007-09-05 |
DE502007005811D1 (en) | 2011-01-13 |
CA2578902A1 (en) | 2007-09-01 |
DE102006009334A1 (en) | 2007-09-20 |
US7609284B2 (en) | 2009-10-27 |
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