Fargo Electronics, Inc.

Primera Technology, Inc.

Robert E Francis

Gary M Klinefelter

Matthew K Dunham

Jon J Ibs

Brent D Lien

Erick Hagstrom

John P Skoglund

Darren W Haas

Gary B Fulmer

Thomas J Reynolds-Kotz

John J Ibs

A printer is provided with a smart card encoding device that is externally accessible. The smart card is a key with an integrated circuit including a memory that will retain a discrete password and other digital information. The password on the smart card key must be compared to a password stored in the printer memory before printing operations will be permitted. The digital information in the smart card key memory can include marks or graphics that would indicate that the cards being printed by the printer are secured cards and authorized cards. The information will be printed from the smart card key memory only when the passwords match so that the discrete information on the smart card key can be used for driving the printer for printing this information. The printer is made into a high security printer by permitting the overriding of the password only upon the generating of identical numbers from separated algorithms, one in the printer memory and one at a secure location. An algorithm input is a dynamically changing parameter of the printer, such as the number of print head passes, or the number of cards printed so the algorithmically generated numbers are unique.

Security printing and unlocking mechanism for high security printers

The present invention provides a method of performing a burn cycle in a thermal printer that reduces printhead switching while increasing printing speed and extending printhead life. In the method, data is loaded into a shift register of a thermal printhead to designate resistive elements that are to be enabled and disabled during the burn cycle. Next, the data is latched into a burn register of the printhead and a power supply of the printhead is activated thereby energizing the enabled resistive elements. New data is then loaded into the shift register. After a short burn period has expired, the new data is latched into the burn register. The steps of loading and latching new data are repeated a predetermined number of times, after which the power supply is deactivated to complete the burn cycle.

Printer using thermal printhead

A method for use with an identification card printing system to improve contrast of an original image represented by an array of pixels each having a pixel level representing an intensity of the pixel includes a first step of selecting a pixel of the pixel array. Next, an adjusted pixel level is calculated for the selected pixel based upon its pixel level and at least one proximal pixel level defined as the pixel level of a pixel located proximate to the selected pixel. Finally, the selecting and calculating steps are repeated for substantially all of the pixels of the pixel array to form an adjusted pixel array that represents an adjusted image having greater contrast than the original image.

Thermal printhead compensation

A printer for printing an image onto a substrate includes a thermal print head having a plurality of electrical resistors, a supply of coloring material adjacent the print head for deposition on the substrate and a print head controller. The print head controller provides a pulse train output to at least one of the electrical resistors. The pulse train includes a plurality of pulses and at least one pulse has a variable width related to a binary value at least another pulse has fixed width.

Printer using thermal print head

A printer for printing information on images on a substrate such as an identification card in multiple colors has an intermediate transfer film or web on which a reverse image is printed. The printer has a lamination station where the image is transferred to a substrate, such as an identification card. The intermediate transfer film or web is moved back and forth, the intermediate transfer film or web has slack occurring in it between the printing station and the lamination station. The slack is taken up with spring loaded rollers to permit operation of the printer head and the lamination station at the same time. Additionally, the printer is made into modules that are movable for easy access to interior components and to expose film or web paths that permits installing both the print film or web and the intermediate transfer film or web without threading it through enclosed openings.

Printer having an intermediate transfer film

A CD printer for printing labels on compact discs print information on a CD centered on a print program center. A support for the CD is movable in one axis. The printer moves on a perpendicular axis. The axis forms a plane parallel to the plane of the disc. The CD may be centered selective to the printer program by printing on the disc a first series of lines that are radially spaced and extend from the CD center along both of the axes, and then rotating the CD 180.degree. and printing a second set of lines which are radially spaced along each of the axes but are spaced a radial distance less than the lines printed in the first printing. A vernier is established and where the lines align, the amount of offset from a centered position is indicated. Offset can be corrected by moving the tray and print head on its mounting in the respective directions to a new zero position indicated by the vernier display. The CD is held in a repeatable position on its tray through the use of a three-point contact arrangement that engages the edges of the discs at three locations.

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Richfield, MN, United States of America

Robert E Francis