JP2019119127A - Thermal printer, printing control method for thermal printer, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a thermal printer, a printing control method for the thermal printer, and a program, which can perform optimum printing control of the thermal printer to a used power source.SOLUTION: A thermal printer includes: a sheet conveyance section 2 which conveys a sheet; a printing section 3 which performs printing on the sheet through a thermal head 32; memories 4 and 5 which record data; and a control device 1 which controls the printing section by the data recorded in the memories. The control device 1 has a first control section 11 for recording a printing condition given to the printing section and a printing result obtained by performing printing by the printing section according to the printing condition in the memories, a second control section 12 for predicting current supply capacity of a power source from the printing condition and a data set of the printing result, and a third control section 13 for reflecting the current supply capacity of the power source on the printing control. By repeating a control cycle by the first control section, the second control section, and the third control section, the thermal printer itself learns the printing control and optimizes the printing control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal printer, a printing control method and program for a thermal printer, and more particularly, to a method for improving printing control of a thermal printer by applying a machine learning method.

  In general, a thermal printer, for example, receives power supply from an attached AC adapter, or receives power supply from a main body of a POS (Point Of Sales) system via an interface cable. It has been pre-adjusted for optimal speed and optimal color development.

  Therefore, if the printing control of the thermal printer does not match the capacity and characteristics of the power supply, the throughput may be reduced and printing may be interrupted, and printing may be stopped due to the operation of the power supply protection circuit, which may prevent optimal printing. is there.

  For example, even if the specifications of voltage and rated current are the same, the operating conditions of peak current performance and power supply protection differ depending on the manufacturer and model, and the operating conditions of these peak current performance and power supply protection are usually disclosed It has not been.

  As a result, for example, when a new power supply is applied to a thermal printer, power supply protection is performed while changing temperature conditions and voltage conditions using a plurality of print patterns in which the number of heat generation dots of the thermal print head is changed stepwise. It is the actual situation that the printing speed and the application pulse time can be adjusted by cut & try so that it does not operate and can perform optimum color development.

  By the way, conventionally, various proposals have been made as printing control methods for thermal printers.

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 11-192739 gazette JP 06-122225 A

  For example, when power is supplied from the main body of the POS system described above via an interface cable, the more the peripheral devices connected to the main body of the POS system, the lower the current supply capability to the printer is. That is, in the POS system, the size and the number of displays, or the types of cash drawers and barcode readers change according to the use environment, so the current supply capability to, for example, a thermal printer also changes.

  Furthermore, since the printer side usually does not have a means to know the peak current performance and power protection operation conditions of the power supplied from the POS system, it is most suitable for the configuration of the POS system actually used (power used) It is difficult to realize print control of a thermal printer.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal printer capable of performing printing control of a thermal printer optimum for a power source to be used, a printing control method and program of the thermal printer.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sheet transport unit for transporting a sheet, a printing unit for printing on the sheet via a thermal head, a memory for recording data, and the memory A control device configured to control the printing unit based on data, wherein the control device causes the printing unit to print based on printing conditions given to the printing unit and the printing conditions A first control unit that records the printing result performed in the memory; and a second control unit that predicts the current supply capability of the power supply from the printing condition and the data set of the printing result recorded in the memory. And a third control unit for reflecting the predicted current supply capability of the power supply in printing control, and repeating a control cycle by the first control unit, the second control unit, and the third control unit. It is, thermal printer wherein thermal printer itself optimize learning the print control is provided.

  According to the thermal printer, the printing control method of the thermal printer, and the program according to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform the printing control of the thermal printer which is most suitable for the power source to be used.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of main control in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of first control (at start-up) in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart (part 1) for explaining an example of processing of the first control (in normal state) in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart (part 2) for explaining an example of the process of the first control (normal time) in the print control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of the second control in the print control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining the threshold of the current supply capability of the power supply. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of the third control in the print control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a thermal printer, a print control method of the thermal printer, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a thermal printer according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a control unit (micro controller, microprocessor: arithmetic processing unit), 2 is a sheet conveyance unit, 3 is a printing unit, 4 is a non-volatile memory (for example, flash memory), and 5 is a volatile memory (For example, DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory), 6 indicates a voltage detection circuit, and 7 indicates a power supply (for example, a 24 V DC power supply).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 1 includes a first control (first control unit) 11, a second control (second control unit) 12, and a third control (third control unit). Including 13. Here, the first to third controls (first to third control units) 11 to 13 are functions by the arithmetic processing unit (control unit) 1 that executes an example of the print control program of the thermal printer according to the present invention. Is a block that conceptually shows

  The sheet conveyance unit 2 includes a sheet feed motor control circuit 21 and a sheet feed motor 22, and the printing unit 3 includes a thermal head drive circuit 31, a thermal head 32 and a thermal head temperature detection circuit 33. The sheet conveyance unit 2 and the printing unit 3 each include various other components, but are omitted in FIG. 1.

  The power supply 7 supplies, for example, a voltage of 24 V DC, and receives an alternating current (AC) from a commercial power supply and outputs a target direct current (DC) power, or supplies power via an interface cable. It is a power supply of the main body of the POS system to be received. The voltage detection circuit 6 detects the drive voltage of the thermal printer driven by the power supply 7, and the drive voltage (voltage data) detected by the voltage detection circuit 6 is controlled by the control device 1 (first control unit 11). And the third control unit 13). Further, the temperature (temperature data) of the thermal head 32 detected by the thermal head temperature detection circuit 33 is also output to the control device 1 (the first control unit 11 and the third control unit 13).

  The first control unit (first control) 11 records, for example, in the non-volatile memory 4 the printing conditions given to the printing unit 3 and the printing result of the printing performed by the printing unit 3 based on the printing conditions. . For example, the maximum load printing condition given to the printing unit 3 and the result (printing result) are recorded in the area 41 of the non-volatile memory 4.

  Here, in the first control unit 11, for example, the print image held in the print image buffer 51 of the volatile memory 5, the data of the printing speed conversion table 52 and the density setting 54 stored in the volatile memory 5, Also, data of the printing speed coefficient table 43, the voltage coefficient table 44, the head temperature coefficient table 45, and the density coefficient table 46 recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 are input. Note that these are merely examples, and it is needless to say that input data to the first control unit 11 can be variously changed.

  The second control unit (second control) 12 predicts the current supply capability of the power supply 7 from the print condition and the data set of the printing result recorded in the non-volatile memory 4. That is, for example, the second control unit 12 reads out the maximum load printing condition and its result from the area 41 of the nonvolatile memory 4 and predicts the current supply capability of the power supply 7 and generates the threshold power conversion table 42 as non-volatile. Record in memory 4

  The third control unit (third control) 13 reflects the current supply capability of the power source 7 predicted by the second control unit 12 in the printing control. Here, the third control unit 13 includes, for example, the print image held in the print image buffer 51 of the volatile memory 5, the data of the printing speed conversion table 52 and the density setting 54 stored in the volatile memory 5, Also, data of the threshold power conversion table 42, the printing speed coefficient table 43, the voltage coefficient table 44, the head temperature coefficient table 45, and the density coefficient table 46 recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 are input.

  That is, in addition to the data input to the first control unit 11, the third control unit 13 generates the threshold power conversion table 42 generated by the second control unit 12 and recorded in the non-volatile memory 4. Data has been entered. Furthermore, the third control unit 13 generates the power consumption conversion table 53 and stores it in the volatile memory 5, and rewrites (updates) the printing speed coefficient table 43 of the volatile memory 5. Also with regard to the data input to the third control unit 13, the above description is merely an example, and various modifications are possible.

  Then, the control device 1 repeats the control cycle by the first control unit 11, the second control unit 12, and the third control unit 13 described above, that is, the first control, the second control, and the third. By repeating the cycle of control, print control is learned (machine learning) and optimized.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of main control in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, when an example of the main control process is started, in step ST11, the first control (at start (restart)) is performed, and the process proceeds to step ST12 to perform the first control (usually Do). That is, in step ST11, the first control unit 11 performs, for example, first control (at start-up) for recording printing failure due to the stop of the supply of power during printing, and then proceeds to step ST12. The control unit 11 performs, for example, a first control (normal time) of accumulating the electrical printing conditions at the time of printing on the maximum load unit when printing on a thermal printer and the results thereof in the non-volatile memory.

  Next, the process proceeds to step ST13, and the second control, that is, the second control that predicts the current supply capability of the power supply from the accumulated data set by the second control unit 12, for example, is performed. The third control, that is, the third control unit 13 performs the third control to reflect the predicted current supply capability of the power supply on the printing speed. Then, the process proceeds to step ST15, and the processes of steps ST12 to ST14 are repeated as an infinite loop, and print control is learned and optimized. Note that the infinite loop in step ST15 ends, for example, when it is determined that the optimization of print control is sufficient and the learning mode is stopped. The infinite loop (ST15) in which the processes of steps ST12 to ST14 are repeated may be continued, for example, while the thermal printer is operating (period when the thermal printer is on).

  That is, as one embodiment of a printing control method for a thermal printer according to the present invention, a first control for storing printing conditions given to the thermal printer and printing results obtained by printing by the thermal printer based on the printing conditions The second control (ST13) that predicts the current supply capacity of the power supply from the data set of (normal time: ST12) and the accumulated printing conditions and printing results, and reflects the current supply capacity of the predicted power supply in the printing control And a third control (ST14). Then, by repeating the cycle of the first control (normal time: ST12), the second control (ST13) and the third control (ST14), the printing control is learned and optimized (ST15).

  Here, the print control can be learned and optimized by, for example, the thermal printer itself in a learning mode provided in advance. For example, before shipping the thermal printer, start the learning mode with the power supply used and learn and optimize the print control, or the user actually uses the thermal printer The learning mode can be activated under the environment to learn and optimize the printing control. Alternatively, to learn and optimize print control, for example, while the thermal printer is in operation, that is, while the user is using the thermal printer in an environment, a special learning mode is set. The process can be performed by the thermal printer itself without raising it. Hereinafter, the process of steps ST11 to ST14 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of first control (at start-up) in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention, and the processing of step ST11 in FIG. 2 is described in detail. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, when an example of the process of the first control (at the time of start-up) starts, it is determined in step ST21 whether or not the supply of power is stopped during printing, and the power is supplied during printing. If it is determined that it has stopped (YES), the process proceeds to step ST22, and if it is determined that the supply of power is not stopped during printing (NO), an example of the process of the first control (during startup) is ended. . In step ST21, for example, when power consumption at the time of printing becomes equal to or higher than the current supply capability of the power supply 7 and power supply is temporarily stopped due to the operation of the power supply protection circuit and then started (restarted). As described above, it is judged whether the non-volatile memory 4 has the recording of the printing condition and the recording of the printing result. In step ST22, the printing result [printing failure (voltage drop)] corresponding to the power and the amount of power is recorded in the non-volatile memory 4, and an example of the process of the first control (at start-up) is ended.

  FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts for explaining an example of the process of the first control (at normal time) in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention, and the process of step ST12 in FIG. It is a thing. First, as shown in FIG. 4, when an example of the process of the first control (at normal time) is started, it is determined in step ST31 whether there is a print request and it is determined that there is a print request (YES) At step ST32, the maximum number of heat generation dots and the number of continuous rasters are extracted from the print image buffer 51, and the process proceeds to step ST33. If it is determined in step ST31 that there is no print request (NO), an example of the process of the first control (normal time) is ended.

In step ST33, the printing speed is obtained using the printing speed conversion table from the maximum number of heat generation dots and the number of continuous rasters. Here, the printing speed is, for example,
Print speed = Print speed conversion table (number of heat generation dots, number of continuous rasters)
It can be determined as

Further, the process proceeds to step ST34, printing speed (output of printing speed coefficient table 43 and printing speed conversion table 52), voltage (output of voltage detection circuit 6 and voltage coefficient table 44), head temperature (thermal head temperature detection circuit 33). And from the output of the head temperature coefficient table 45), the density setting (the output of the density coefficient table 46 and the density setting 54), and the number of continuous rasters (the output of the print image buffer 51), the maximum load portion total application pulse time is determined. Here, the maximum load part total application pulse time is
Maximum load portion total applied pulse time = printing speed coefficient table (printing speed) × voltage coefficient table (voltage) × temperature coefficient table (head temperature) × density coefficient table (density setting) × number of continuous rasters

Next, in step ST35, the maximum load portion total printing time is obtained from the printing speed and the number of continuous rasters. Here, the maximum load part total printing time is
It can be calculated as the time at maximum load area printing = printing speed × number of continuous rasters.

Further, the process proceeds to step ST36, and the average power at the time of maximum load printing is obtained from the maximum heat generation dot number, the consumed current per dot, the voltage, the continuous raster number total applied pulse time and the continuous raster number total print time. Here, the average power at the time of printing the maximum load part is
Average power when printing maximum load part = maximum number of heat generation dots × consumed current per dot × voltage × (applied pulse time when printing maximum load part 時間 time when printing maximum load part)
It can be determined as

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the process proceeds to step ST37, and the maximum load portion printing conditions (average power at maximum load portion printing, time at maximum load portion printing) are recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 (area 41). Then, the process proceeds to step ST38. In step ST38, printing is performed at the printing speed obtained using the printing speed conversion table 52. Here, the data of the printing speed conversion table 52 is rewritten and updated by a third control described later in detail. For example, in the case of an undesirably low speed at which jitter or the like occurs, the application pulse time is reduced so that the same power is obtained without decelerating after decelerating to the slowest speed at which print quality is ensured. It is preferable to control short. Furthermore, at the time of acceleration / deceleration, it is preferable to change the speed stepwise so that the speed does not change rapidly.

  Next, the process proceeds to step ST39, in which it is determined whether printing of the print image buffer is all finished, that is, whether printing of print data held in the print image buffer 51 is all completed. If it is determined in step ST39 that printing of the print image buffer is all finished (YES), the process proceeds to step ST40, and it is determined whether or not a voltage drop has occurred during printing. That is, in step ST40, the drive voltage of the thermal printer driven by the power supply is detected, and it is determined whether or not the detected drive voltage has generated a voltage drop during printing. If it is determined in step ST39 that printing of the print image buffer is not complete (NO), the process returns to step ST38, and the same processing is repeated until it is determined that printing of the print image buffer is complete.

  If it is determined in step ST40 that a voltage drop has occurred during printing (YES), the process proceeds to step ST41, and the printing result [printing failure (voltage drop)] corresponding to the power and the power amount is stored in the non-volatile memory 4 (area 41). , And ends an example of the process of the first control (normal time). On the other hand, if it is determined in step ST40 that no voltage drop has occurred during printing (NO), the process proceeds to step ST42, and the printing result [printing success] corresponding to the power and the power amount is recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 , An example of the process of the first control (normal time) is ended.

  As described above, as the printing result, for example, the printing can be recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 after printing if the printing is successful or not and if the current is insufficient even if the printing is successful. In addition, there are the following two types of methods as the determination of printing failure, for example.

  First, in the first method, for example, the power consumption at the time of printing of the thermal printer performed based on the printing conditions exceeds the current supply capability of the power supply 7 and the power supply supply is temporarily stopped by the operation of the power supply protection circuit. , Print failure case. Here, a power supply protection circuit (not shown) is incorporated, for example, in the power supply 7 and temporarily stops the power supply to protect the power supply 7 in the case of an overload, and resumes the power supply after a predetermined time. It is supposed to The successful printing case is, for example, the case where the thermal printer completes printing based on the printing conditions without causing a printing failure and a stop of the power supply.

  Here, in the case of the printing success case, for example, the first control unit (first control) 11 indicates that the printing conditions given to the thermal printer and the printing completion indicating that the thermal printer has completed the printing based on the printing conditions Information (print result: print success) is stored (recorded) in the non-volatile memory 4, and in the print failure case, only the print conditions given to the thermal printer are stored in the non-volatile memory 4.

  Then, for example, when the thermal printer is activated (restarted) after the power supply is temporarily stopped due to the operation of the power supply protection circuit, the control device 1 (first control unit 11) stores the same in the non-volatile memory 4 When the received information is only the printing condition, it can be judged (judged) as a printing failure case.

  Further, the control device 1 monitors a voltage change during printing, and determines, for example, a case where a case where a voltage drop due to a lack of current is detected is a printing failure. That is, if the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit 6 maintains the predetermined allowable voltage range, the control device 1 determines that the printing is a successful case, and if it deviates from the allowable voltage range, the print failure case It can be determined that

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the process of the second control in the print control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention, and the process of step ST13 in FIG. 2 is described in detail. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method of determining the threshold of the current supply capability of the power supply, where the threshold of the current supply capability of the power supply (margin maximizing separated hyperplane) is determined using the support vector machine technique. To explain.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6, when an example of the process of the second control starts, in step ST51, whether or not a new maximum load unit printing condition and its result (printing result) are written in the non-volatile memory 4 If it is determined that the information is written (YES), the process proceeds to step ST52. If it is determined that the information is not written (NO), an example of the second control process is ended.

  In step ST52, the current supply capability of the power source 7 is obtained from the average power and time at the time of printing of the maximum load unit recorded in the first control and the printing result using a statistical analysis method. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, as a method for obtaining the current supply capability of the power supply, for example, the vertical axis is the average power (W), and the horizontal axis is the time (ms). Plot printing failure groups, and use support vector machine techniques to determine the boundary between success (circles in FIG. 7) and failure (asterisks in FIG. 7) Margin maximizing separated hyperplane (threshold of current supply capability) TT There is something. Of course, it goes without saying that various other statistical analysis methods can be applied.

  Then, the process proceeds to step ST53, a table (threshold power conversion table 42) for converting the current supply capability of the power supply 7 obtained from time to threshold power is created and recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 and processing of the second control. End one example. Note that although the timing of executing the second control may be any time, for example, it is preferable immediately after the execution of the first control.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the process of the third control in the printing control method of the thermal printer according to the present invention, and the process of step ST14 in FIG. 2 is described in detail. As shown in FIG. 8, when an example of the third control process starts, in step ST 61, the total printing speed, the total number of heat generation dots, the voltage, the head temperature, the density setting, and the consumed current per dot are consumed. The conversion table 53 is created (or rewritten (updated)). Here, the power consumption conversion table (total printing speed, total number of heat generation dots) is
Power consumption conversion table (total printing speed, total number of heat generation dots) = number of heat generation dots × consumption current per dot × voltage × (printing speed coefficient table (printing speed) × voltage coefficient table (voltage) × temperature coefficient table (head Temperature) × density coefficient table (density setting) ÷ printing time)
It can be determined as

  The printing speed coefficient table 43, the voltage coefficient table 44, the head temperature coefficient table 45, and the density coefficient table 46 are stored in the nonvolatile memory 4, and the power consumption conversion table 53 is stored in the volatile memory 5. It is done.

Further, the process proceeds to step ST62, and using the threshold power conversion table 42 and the power consumption conversion table 53 recorded in the non-volatile memory 4 in the second control described above, the printing speed is obtained from the number of heat generation dots and the number of continuous rasters. The conversion table 52 is created, and an example of the third control process is ended. The printing speed stored in the printing speed conversion table 52 is, for example, changing the number of continuous rasters, the number of heat generation dots, and the printing speed from their respective minimum values to their maximum values to determine comparison power consumption and comparison threshold power. The printing speed is determined to be the closest value in the range in which the power does not exceed the threshold power. Here, the comparison power consumption, the comparison threshold power, and the printing speed conversion table (the number of continuous rasters, the number of dots) are respectively compared power consumption = power consumption conversion table (the printing speed, the number of heat generation dots)
Comparison threshold power = threshold power conversion table (printing speed × number of continuous rasters)
Printing speed conversion table (total number of continuous rasters, number of dots) = (printing speed that the comparison power consumption does not exceed the comparison threshold power and becomes the closest value)
It can be determined as

  Although the timing to execute the third control may be any time, since the head temperature changes even after printing is stopped, it is always executed including the idle time of the thermal printer to continue generating the printing speed conversion table. Is preferred.

  Furthermore, at the time of printing, the printing speed is determined in raster units using a printing speed conversion table for obtaining the printing speed from the number of heat generation dots generated by the third control described above and the number of continuous rasters. Then, it is preferable to control the printing speed so as to change stepwise when the obtained printing speed gives priority to the slowest speed and accelerates or decelerates from the current speed. If the printing speed in the generated printing speed conversion table is an undesirably low speed at which jitter or the like occurs, the speed is reduced to the slowest speed at which the printing quality is ensured, and thereafter the speed is not reduced. It is preferable to control the application pulse time short so as to obtain the same power.

  In the above, the printing control method (program) of the thermal printer according to the present invention, for example, provides a special learning mode (power supply adjustment mode) for learning and optimizing printing control, and is performed (executed) in the learning mode. be able to. Here, for example, the learning mode can be started from a special mode or a command, and in this learning mode, power supply adjustment is performed intensively.

  That is, in the learning mode, for example, conditions of elements related to electric energy (maximum number of heat generation dots of print pattern and the number of continuous rasters thereof, head temperature, power supply voltage, density setting, speed and gradation at maximum heat generation dot number printing) While changing stepwise the parameters of the printing condition), the capability of the power supply 7 connected in a centralized manner is detected, and the printing control is optimized.

  Alternatively, without providing a special learning mode, for example, print control optimization (learning) can be performed in a normal operation period (normal operation mode) in which the thermal printer is in operation. That is, for example, printing control can be optimized using printing conditions and results when printing receipt printing data and the like from the main body of the POS system. It goes without saying that the present invention can also be provided as, for example, a print control program of a thermal printer executed by the arithmetic processing unit (control unit) 1 shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the embodiments of the thermal printer, the printing control method of the thermal printer, and the program according to the present invention, for example, when power is supplied from the POS system main body via the interface cable, Print control can be optimized after product shipment for various POS systems with different system configurations. In addition, it is possible to omit processing required for optimization of print control that an expert took several days by learning (machine learning), for example, diverting a power supply for another company's printer whose voltage and connector shape match. It becomes easy, and furthermore, it becomes possible to realize a sales form in which the main body and the power supply are sold separately like a mobile phone.

  Although the embodiments have been described above, all the examples and conditions described herein are for the purpose of assisting the understanding of the concept of the invention applied to the invention and the technology, and the examples and conditions described are particularly It is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Also, such descriptions in the specification do not show the advantages and disadvantages of the invention. While the embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 Controller (micro controller, microprocessor: arithmetic processing unit)
2 paper conveyance unit 3 printing unit 4 non-volatile memory (flash memory)
5 Volatile memory (DRAM)
6 voltage detection circuit 7 power supply 11 first control (first control unit)
12 Second control (second control unit)
13 Third control (third control unit)
21 sheet feed motor control circuit 22 sheet feed motor 22
31 thermal head drive circuit 32 thermal head 33 thermal head temperature detection circuit

Claims (21)

The printing unit is controlled based on a sheet conveyance unit for conveying a sheet, a printing unit for printing on the sheet via a thermal head, a memory for recording data, and data recorded in the memory. A thermal printer comprising: a controller;
The controller is
A first control unit configured to record, in the memory, a printing condition provided to the printing unit, and a print result printed by the printing unit based on the printing condition;
A second control unit configured to predict a current supply capability of a power supply from the print condition and the data set of the print result recorded in the memory;
And a third control unit that causes the printing control to reflect the predicted current supply capability of the power supply.
The thermal printer itself learns and optimizes the print control by repeating control cycles of the first control unit, the second control unit, and the third control unit.
A thermal printer characterized by The print result is
A successful printing case in which the printing performed by the thermal printer is successful based on the printing conditions, and
Including a print failure case where the printing performed by the thermal printer fails based on the printing conditions,
The thermal printer according to claim 1, The printing success case is a case where the thermal printer has completed printing based on the printing conditions,
The printing failure case is a case where the power consumption at the time of printing of the thermal printer performed based on the printing conditions exceeds the current supply capacity of the power supply, and the power supply supply is temporarily stopped by the operation of the power supply protection circuit.
The thermal printer according to claim 2, The memory is a non-volatile memory,
The first control unit is
In the printing success case, the printing conditions to be provided to the thermal printer and printing completion information indicating that the thermal printer has completed printing based on the printing conditions are stored in the non-volatile memory.
In the case of the printing failure case, only the printing condition given to the thermal printer is stored in the non-volatile memory.
The thermal printer according to claim 3, The controller is
When the thermal printer is started after the power supply is temporarily stopped by the operation of the power protection circuit, it is determined that the printing failure case is the case where the information stored in the non-volatile memory is only the printing condition.
The thermal printer according to claim 4, further,
A voltage detection circuit that detects a drive voltage of the thermal printer driven by the power supply;
The controller is
If the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit maintains a predetermined allowable voltage range, it is determined that the printing is successful.
If the drive voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit deviates from the allowable voltage range, it is determined as the print failure case.
The thermal printer according to claim 2, A first control for accumulating a print result printed by the thermal printer based on printing conditions given to the thermal printer and the print conditions;
A second control for predicting the current supply capability of a power supply from the accumulated print conditions and the data set of the print result;
And a third control for causing print control to reflect the predicted current supply capability of the power supply,
The print control is learned and optimized by repeating the cycle of the first control, the second control and the third control.
And controlling the printing of the thermal printer. The learning and optimization of the printing control is performed by the thermal printer itself in a learning mode provided in advance.
A printing control method of a thermal printer according to claim 7, characterized in that. Learning and optimizing the printing control is performed by the thermal printer itself while the thermal printer is in operation.
A printing control method of a thermal printer according to claim 7, characterized in that. The print result is
A successful printing case in which the printing performed by the thermal printer is successful based on the printing conditions, and
Including a print failure case where the printing performed by the thermal printer fails based on the printing conditions,
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that The printing success case is a case where the thermal printer has completed printing based on the printing conditions,
The printing failure case is a case where the power consumption at the time of printing of the thermal printer performed based on the printing conditions exceeds the current supply capacity of the power supply, and the power supply supply is temporarily stopped by the operation of the power supply protection circuit.
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first control is
In the printing success case, the printing conditions to be provided to the thermal printer and printing completion information indicating that the thermal printer has completed printing based on the printing conditions are stored in a non-volatile memory.
In the case of the printing failure case, only the printing condition given to the thermal printer is stored in the non-volatile memory.
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to claim 11, characterized in that: When the thermal printer is started after the power supply is temporarily stopped by the operation of the power supply protection circuit, the case where the information stored in the non-volatile memory is only the printing condition is determined as the printing failure case Do,
The printing control method of a thermal printer according to claim 12, characterized in that: The successful printing case is a case where the drive voltage of the thermal printer driven by the power supply maintains a predetermined allowable voltage range.
The print failure case is a case where the drive voltage of the thermal printer driven by the power supply deviates from the predetermined allowable voltage range.
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first control is the maximum load unit at which the thermal printer performs printing based on the electrical printing conditions at the time of printing the maximum load unit in the thermal printer and the electrical printing conditions at the time of the printing of the maximum load unit Record the print result at the time of printing in non-volatile memory,
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to any one of claims 7 to 14, characterized in that: The second control predicts the current supply capability of the power supply from the electrical printing conditions at the time of printing the maximum load unit and the data set of the printing result at the time of printing the maximum load unit recorded in the non-volatile memory Do,
The printing control method of a thermal printer according to claim 15, characterized in that: The electrical printing conditions at the time of printing the maximum load unit to be recorded in the nonvolatile memory by the first control include the average power and time at the time of printing the maximum load unit given to the thermal printer,
The second control is
The average power and time at the time of printing at the maximum load section given to the thermal printer, and the power supply capacity of the power supply by using a statistical analysis method, and a threshold power table for converting the time to threshold power is created Do,
The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the printing control method of the thermal printer. The second control is
Printing success group and printing failure group with respect to a plane in which the average power is taken as the vertical axis and the time is taken as the horizontal axis;
Determining the threshold of the current supply capability of the power supply using support vector machine technique between the success and failure boundaries of the printing
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to claim 17, characterized in that. The third control is
A power consumption conversion table for determining the power consumption of the thermal printer based on the total printing speed and the total number of heat generation dots, the voltage, the head temperature, the density setting, and the current consumption per dot;
Using the power consumption conversion table and the threshold power table created by the second control, create a printing speed conversion table for finding the printing speed of the thermal printer from the number of heat generation dots and the number of continuous rasters,
The printing speed of the printing speed conversion table changes the number of heat generation dots, the number of continuous rasters, and the printing speed from their respective minimum values to their maximum values to obtain comparison power consumption and comparison threshold power, and power consumption is a threshold. Determined as the printing speed that is the closest value within the range that does not exceed the power,
The printing control method of the thermal printer according to claim 17, characterized in that. The printing speed controls the printing speed to change stepwise when priority is given to the slowest speed and acceleration or deceleration is performed from the current speed.
If the printing speed in the printing speed conversion table is an undesirable low speed at which jitter or the like occurs, the speed is reduced to the slowest speed at which print quality is ensured, and thereafter the speed is not reduced, and the same power is used. Control the application pulse time to be short
The printing control method of a thermal printer according to claim 19, characterized in that: The printing unit is controlled based on a sheet conveyance unit for conveying a sheet, a printing unit for printing on the sheet via a thermal head, a memory for recording data, and data recorded in the memory. A print control program of a thermal printer comprising an arithmetic processing unit,
In the arithmetic processing unit,
A first control for accumulating a print result printed by the thermal printer based on printing conditions given to the thermal printer and the print conditions;
A second control for predicting the current supply capability of a power supply from the accumulated print conditions and the data set of the print result;
A third control for causing print control to reflect the predicted current supply capability of the power supply;
A cycle of the first control, the second control, and the third control is repeated to execute a learning process in which the thermal printer learns and optimizes the print control.
A printing control program of a thermal printer characterized in that.

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