JPH02273252A - Method and apparatus for control of thermal printer head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control heat generation and heat accumulation effect with a simple structure and to obtain a satisfactory printing quality by controlling thermal heads with different conduction starting time by a heat history pattern. CONSTITUTION:A microcomputer 11 counts a time difference until next set data latch pulse is generated, and sends set data 14 and set data latch pulse 15 to a set data latch circuit 12. The latch circuit 12 latches the data 14 from the microcomputer 11 via the pulse 15. If the set data is '1', power 16 is supplied to a thermal head 13, while if it is '0', it is interrupted. Thus, the microcomputer 11 so operates as to differentiate conduction starting times by considering the relation to the thermal history pattern, and sets the conducting time to the heads 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for supplying electricity for printing in a thermal printer, which is a terminal device for computer equipment.

Prior Art Conventionally, the energization time for each thermal head was set.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Conventional methods like this require complicated processing;
In the method of serially inputting print energization data, it is impossible to set the energization time for each head.

Thermal heads print by increasing the temperature of the head by energizing it, but good print quality cannot be obtained unless heat generation and heat storage effects are well controlled.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is a thermal printer head that performs thermal history control through simple processing and can send printing energization data that has undergone thermal history control even to heads that input printing energization data serially. The object of the present invention is to provide a control method and a device thereof.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the method of the present invention is such that each thermal head is controlled with different energization start times depending on the thermal history pattern.

Furthermore, the device of the present invention is provided with means for generating a plurality of latch pulses for each difference in energization start time depending on the thermal history pattern of the nod to each thermal head, and the set data is latched by the latch pulse, and the energization of the thermal head is started. It is configured to do so.

Function The above configuration manages how long ago in the past the heads were energized, and energizes each head only for a time commensurate with the current heat storage.This allows the simple configuration to reduce heat generation and heat storage effects. can be controlled well and good print quality can be obtained.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a thermal history pattern for the present invention, where O marks indicate printed dots that were energized, X marks indicate printed dots that were not energized, and - marks indicate energized and non-energized histories. Indicates printed dots that do not need to be taken into account. In Fig. 1, ■ indicates that if all of the past four printed dots were non-energized, the current time required for the current printed dot is 690 μs, and ■ indicates that the previous three dots were non-energized. , if the 4th song before is energized, the energizing time is 630 μs, ■ indicates that the 2nd song before is not energized, and if the 3rd song is energized, the energizing time is 560 μs, ■ indicates that if the previous one is not energized and the second one is energized, the energizing time is 470 μs, and ■ indicates that if the previous one is energized, the energizing time is 320 μs. ,
One method for controlling the energization time of the current printed dot according to each thermal history pattern is shown.

FIG. 2 shows the set data latch pulse of the thermal history control method of the thermal head of the present invention. When the set data is 51 when this latch pulse is generated, the head is energized,
At 20#, power is cut off.

In Fig. 2, set data (not shown) is latched by a set data latch pulse generated at the start point of the energization time determined for each thermal history pattern, and the energization start time for each thermal head is set. History control becomes possible. For example, in the case of thermal history pattern (2), in order to increase the energization time by 320 μs, the set data O is latched by the set data raft pulse 1, and the energization data is set to 0 for the next 60 μs. After this time, the set data is set to 0 in the same way with the output set data clutch pulse 2.
Latch and set 70μS to 0. Similarly, set 90μs to 0 with set data latch pulse 3,
Set 150Its to O with set data latch pulse 4. The set data 1 is latched by the next set data latch pulse 5, and this set data latch pulse 5 is used as the set data latch pulse 1' for the next printing dot process.
Until then, the energization data is set to 1, and the thermal head is energized for a time of 320 μS.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram for implementing the method of the invention. In FIG. 3, 11 is a microcomputer;
2 is a set data latch circuit, and 13 is a thermal head. The microcombi 11 measures the time difference until the next cent data latch pulse is generated, and when the time 7 has elapsed, the set data 14 and the set data latch pulse 15 are sent to the set data latch circuit. The set data latch circuit 12 latches the set data 14 from the microcomputer 11 using the set data latch pulse 15, and if the set data is 1, the power supply 16 is supplied to the thermal head 13, and if it is 0, it is cut off. In this way, the microcomputer 11 operates so as to set different energization start times in consideration of the relationship with the thermal history pattern, and sets the energization time to each thermal head 12.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, thermal history control of a thermal head can be realized relatively easily in terms of hardware and software processing, and moreover, simple processing is sufficient.
Processing speed can also be increased. Therefore, even in an apparatus with a large dot configuration and a high printing speed, complicated hardware is not required, and costs can be reduced.

This is particularly advantageous for a thermal head that inputs print energization data serially.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a thermal history pattern for the present invention, FIG. 2 is a set data latch pulse waveform diagram for explaining a thermal head thermal history control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a thermal history pattern example of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a thermal head control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11... Microcomputer, 12... Set data latch circuit, 13... Thermal head, 14...
・Set data, 15...Set data latch pulse, 16...Power supply.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A thermal printer head control method that uses an energized heating element and controls each thermal head that performs printing by the heat generating action of the energized heating element so as to differentiate the energization start time depending on the thermal history pattern. 2. means for generating a plurality of latch pulses for each difference in energization start time according to the thermal history pattern of each thermal head that performs printing by the heat generating action of the energizing heating element; and latching set data by the latch pulses; A thermal printer head control device comprising set data latch means for starting energization of a thermal head.