Seiko Epson Corporation

Noriyoshi Chiba

Masanao Kunugi

Tsuneo Handa

Toshiyuki Hattori

Sunao Murata

Kazunori Chihara

Tetsuya Suzuki

Michio Yoshitake

Michio Maruyama

Kazuyoshi Utsumi

Hiroyasu Ogata

Michitoshi Ishihara

Kazuyuki Onuma

A printing system that comprises a host computerand a printerin combination. As the printeris used one that can process a first class print request including a control program and print data and a second class print request including only print data, and, when an ID output request is received, sends a control program ID as identification information of a control program stored inside the printerat that point of time. Printer control softwareis installed on the host computerto put the computerin a state that, when a print request is to be outputted to the printerthe computerverifies whether a required control program is stored within the printerand the computersends a second class print request to the printerwhen storing of the control program is verified, and sends a first class print request to the printerwhen storing of the control program is not verified. Thus, it is possible to realize a printing system including a such type of printer that can process print data of various language and downloads a control program, having a shorter average time required for printing.

Printing system in which programs required for printer operation are downloaded from computer

A host sends each page of image data to a page printer in band units and the page printer writes the received each band data into a reception buffer in DRAM by DMA and transfers the band data from the reception buffer to an image formation section made up of members. The host gets an available buffer capacity from the printer just before transmitting each band data, and transmits the band data only when the printer can receive the band data. In the printer, a CPU permits transfer DMA to be started after reception data as much as the data amount calculated based on the data reception speed and the transfer rate is stored in the buffer to prevent an underrun error from occurring. If an underrun error occurs, the CPU sets an error flag, and sends the error flag to the host just before the host starts transmitting each band data. When receiving the error flag, the host drops image resolution and resends the page data with the resolution dropped.

Page printer and page print system

An image forming apparatus that is capable of saving developing agents such as toner and ink by reducing the number of dots in an image while ensuring that the characters and figures in the image are nonetheless represented distinctly. Bit map data is read out from buffer 23 and a set of three-pixel bits are held in both a vertical and a horizontal direction, with the pixel of interest being located in the center. On the basis of this set of bits, upper/lower edge detector circuit 59 and right/left edge detector circuit 61 determine whether the pixel of interest is positioned in any one of the edges of the pattern in the image to be printed. Additionally, dot-saved pattern generator circuit 67 performs dot reduction on the bit for the pixel of interest. The edge detection signals from the edge detector circuits 59 and 61 are supplied to OR gate 65, where they are ORed with the bit for the pixel of interest that is supplied from the dot-saved pattern generator circuit 67 after dot reduction. The logic sum signal from OR gate 65 represents bit map data which, as compared with the initial bit map data, has the edges of the pattern left intact and has the internal region of the pattern subjected to dot reduction. Printing is executed using this logic sum signal.

Image forming apparatus and method having a toner and ink saving feature

A thermal transfer type printer having an ink sheet rejuvenation system and method for rejuvenation of an ink sheet used in the printer wherein the printer has a transport path for transporting the ink sheet past an ink deposition station for selective transfer of powder ink from a powder ink supply to an ink sheet surface when a bias is applied at the station; ink fixing station having fixing applicator for selective engagement with the ink sheet surface for fixing the powder ink to the ink sheet; and a printing station having a thermal print head for engagement of the print head with the ink sheet onto a surface of an output medium for forming images on the output medium by selective thermal transfer of ink to the output medium surface in imagewise formation. The printer incudes a control system for the rejuvenating process to handle the sequence of operation of the ink deposition station, ink fixing station and the printing station of the printer as well as their operation at the time of a power ON condition or a power OFF condition is applied to the printer.

Thermal transfer type printer and method of rejuvenating an ink sheet

A method of and apparatus for reclaiming an inked sheet which includes a conductive ink layer formed on an insulating supporter, and in which the ink layer has transferred parts and untransferred parts remaining without being transferred; comprising the fact that an electrode (10 FIG. 1) is brought into contact with the insulating supporter (2), that conductive ink (7) to be introduced into the transferred parts (4) is conveyed to a position which confronts the electrode (10) with the inked sheet (1) intervening therebetween and which does not contact with the inked sheet (1), that a predetermined voltage is applied between the electrode (10) and the conductive ink (7), thereby to fly and supply the conductive ink (7) into each transferred part (4), and that the supplied conductive ink (7) in each transferred part (4) is fixed (14). Thus, the conductive ink (7) can be supplied without contacting with the inked sheet (1), and the supply of the conductive ink (7) need not be synchronized with the conveyance of the inked sheet (1).

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Nagano-ken, Japan

Noriyoshi Chiba