The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 24, 1999
Keith Buxton, Mapperley Plains, GB;
Philip Hart, Nuthall, GB;
Markem Technologies Limited, Nottingham, GB;
Abstract
A method of printing using a thermal print head comprises a plurality of printing elements arranged generally in an array each of which may selectively be energised and de-energised under the control of a control means to transfer pixels of marking medium from a carrier onto a substrate or to activate pixels on a sensitive substrate, the method comprising providing to the control means data dependent on the nature of the image to be printed which would enable the image having an image length L to be printed as a matrix of pixels at a linear resolution of C where C is the number of image columns per unit length in the direction of printing, wherein the method comprises causing relative movement between the print head and the substrate such that the print head relatively traverses the substrate the image length L in an available time T whilst the print head performs E thermal cycles to print the image, and the control means manipulating the data so that the image is printed with the print head omitting or repeat printing at least some of the columns of pixels so that the image has Z columns per unit length.