Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of adjusting a strobe pulse width of a print head element comprising, establishing a look-up table in a memory array having print element target pulse width information based on a plurality of variables and factors, with one or more variables to be tracked in real time and the others previously measured, commencing a strobe pulse for a print head element, during the strobe in real time keeping track of one or more variables and factors, referring to the look-up table location pointed to by the variables and factors to obtain a target pulse width, continuing the strobe pulse so long as the latest target pulse width exceeds the actual pulse width, and terminating the strobe pulse when the latest target pulse width has been equaled or exceeded.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of the variables in said plurality of variables and factors comprises average print head element resistance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of the variables in said plurality of variables and factors comprises print head temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a factor in said plurality of variables and factors comprises print speed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a factor in said plurality of variables and factors comprises history level.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for establishing the duration of a strobe pulse for a thermal print head element in a multi-element print head comprising, storing in a look-up table values related to target strobe pulse durations for computed functions of power supply voltage level and one of the following: print head element temperature and average element resistance, commencing a strobe pulse for a print head element, periodically measuring the power supply voltage level of the strobe pulse, periodically referring to the look-up table for measured power supply levels to obtain a target strobe pulse width on each look-up, continuing the strobe pulse so long as the latest target pulse width exceeds the actual pulse width, and terminating the strobe pulse when the latest target pulse width has been equaled or exceeded.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising determining stored look-up table values from previously measured print head element average resistance and temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the target strobe pulse width is a product of functions of measured power supply voltage, average element resistance and temperature for each print speed and history level.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for establishing the duration of a strobe pulse for a thermal print head element in a multi-element print head comprising, storing in a look-up table values of target strobe pulse durations for computed functions of power supply voltage levels, print head temperature, average element resistance, paper speed, and history level, commencing a strobe pulse for a print head element, periodically measuring the power supply voltage level of the strobe pulse and computing an average voltage level relative to the beginning of the strobe pulse, periodically reading the look-up table location pointed to by the paper speed history level and average voltage level to obtain a target pulse width on each look-up, continuing the strobe pulse so long as the latest target pulse width exceeds the actual pulse width, and terminating the strobe pulse when the latest target pulse width has been equaled or exceeded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising determining stored look-up table values from previously measured print head element parameters including resistance and temperature.