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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 09, 2002
Itaru Fukushima, Tokyo, JP;
Cyber Graphics Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A print control device and method utilizes a thermal head provided with a set of minute heating members serving as both a heating element and a temperature detector and a drive circuit for supplying an electric current to drive the heating members; a control circuit for switching the electric current flowing to the respective heating members between a heating drive state and a temperature detection state; a circuit for converting temperature values from each of the heating members to voltage values and for detecting the voltage values using electrical current that flows during the temperature detection state; an analog/digital conversion circuit for converting the voltage into a digital value; an adder for cumulatively adding digital values obtained by the digital conversion from the start of heating; a comparator for comparing the cumulative value obtained by the adder against a target print density value set in advance with respect to a given point on which printing is to be executed and sent from a superior device, to thereby determine which one is greater; and a circuit for stopping the heating drive of the heating member if the comparator detects that the target print density has been reached.