EP0469854A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Printer Controller
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1991-07-30
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A printer controller is for controlling a serial dot printer. The printer prints a dot picture on paper by reciprocally scanning a recording head (9a) in horizontal forward and backward directions. The printer controller (114) includes a buffer memory (120) for storing print data in a dot pattern, a print starting address register (157) for transferring the print data from the buffer memory (120) to the recording head (9a), a print end address register (161), an address counter (155), a print timing register (200) for drive controlling the recording head, and a print timing pulse generator (151), etc. The printer controller corrects vertical misregistration of print in the forward and backward printing by adjusting a set value of the print starting address of the print starting address register (157) or a set value of the print timing register (200), etc.
Inventors
- 👤 Jiro Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Tateyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:08
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J19/00; B41J19/14; B41J19/142; B41J19/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A printer controller for a serial printer of which recording head is scanned for recording in a forward and backward directions perpendicular to a feed direction of a recording medium, said recording head being adapted to produce a picture in a dot matrix, characterized by comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data; transferring means for transferring said print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; drive control means for record and drive controlling said recording head; a first register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means to adjust a print start dot position in at least one of forward and backward printing; and a second register unit for setting into said drive control means an initial value to adjust print start timing in at least one of said forward and backward printing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the addressable buffer memory includes a print region and a non-print region having a space corresponding to a few predetermined dots, and said first register unit is adapted to set said starting address within said non-print region in at least one of said forward scanning and backward scanning.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the addressable buffer memory stores print data in print form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the second register unit sets said time interval between a change point of a drive signal of a carriage motor and a change point of a print signal of said recording head within a print time period of one dot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the second register unit performs said setting of said time interval by changing a set value of a print timing register.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by comprising the distributing means for providing at least one of said first register unit and said second register unit with a correction amount of print misregistration distributed to said forward printing and backward printing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature around said printer; and indication means for providing at least one of said first register unit and said second register unit with a correction amount to correct print misregistration in response to said detected value of said temperature detecting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by comprising the data setting means for setting an amount of adjustment to correct print misregistration to said first register unit and said second register unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the data setting means comprises a DIP switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the drive control means is adapted to move said recording head in a full span within a print range throughout printing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the recording head comprises an electrothermal transducer, thermal energy generated by said electrothermal transducer producing film boiling of ink so that growth of bubble caused by said film boiling ejects said ink.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the address counter is an updown counter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the address counter performs upcounting or downcounting in response to a print direction signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the carriage motor is a stepping motor and said drive signal is an excitation phase signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
125 words
A printer controller for a serial printer of which recording head is scanned for recording in a forward and backward directions perpendicular to a feed direction of a recording medium, said recording head being adapted to produce a picture in a dot matrix, characterized by comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data; transferring means for transferring said print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; drive control means for record and drive controlling to said recording head; and a register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means due to adjust a print start dot position in at least one of forward and backward printing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the addressable buffer memory includes a print region and a non-print region having a space corresponding to a few predetermined dots; and said register unit is adapted to set said starting address within said non-print region in at least one of said forward scanning and backward scanning.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the addressable buffer memory stores print data in print form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, further characterized by comprising the distributing means for providing said register unit with a correction amount of print misregistration distributed to said forward printing and backward printing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, further characterized by comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature around said printer; and indication means for providing said register unit with a correction amount to correct print misregistration in response to said detected value of said temperature detecting means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, further characterized by comprising the data setting means for setting an amount of adjustment to correct print misregistration to said register unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the data setting means comprises a DIP switch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the drive control means is adapted to move said recording head in a full span within a print range throughout printing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the recording head comprises an electrothermal transducer, thermal energy generated by said electrothermal transducer producing film boiling of ink so that growth of bubble caused by said film boiling ejects said ink.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the address counter is an updown counter.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that the address counter performs upcounting or downcounting in response to a print direction signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
119 words
A printer controller for a serial printer of which recording head is scanned for recording in a forward and backward directions perpendicular to a feed direction of a recording medium, said recording head being adapted to produce a picture in a dot matrix, characterized by comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data; transferring means for transferring said print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; drive control means for record and drive controlling said recording head; and a register unit for setting into said drive control means an initial value to adjust print start timing in at least one of said forward and backward printing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A printer controller as claimed in Claim 26, characterized in that the addressable buffer memory stores print data in print form.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
50 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the register unit sets said time interval between a change point of a drive signal of a carriage motor and a change point of a print signal of said recording head within a print time period of one dot.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that the register unit performs said setting of said time interval by changing a set value of a print timing register.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, further characterized by comprising the distributing means for providing said register unit with a correction amount of print misregistration distributed to said forward printing and backward printing.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
50 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, further characterized by comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature around said printer; and indication means for providing said register unit with a correction amount to correct print misregistration in response to said detected value of said temperature detecting means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, further characterized by comprising the data setting means for setting an amount of adjustment to correct print misregistration to said register unit.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that the data setting means comprises a DIP switch.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the drive control means is adapted to move said recording head in a full span within a print range throughout printing.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the recording head comprises an electrothermal transducer, thermal energy generated by said electrothermal transducer producing film boiling of ink so that growth of bubble caused by said film boiling ejects said ink.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the address counter is an updown counter.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 36, characterized in that the address counter performs upcounting or downcounting in response to a print direction signal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
A printer controller as claimed in claim 28, characterized in that the carriage motor is a stepping motor and said drive signal is an excitation phase signal.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
49 words
A printer controller comprising, in addition to the microprocessor unit, a digital control circuit which includes at least one buffer memory and an address circuit for reading out the contents of said buffer memory, and a motor drive circuit for driving a printer head in correspondence to said addressing.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
A printer including a carriage motor and a control circuit, the arrangement being such that there are provided non printing regions to correspond to acceleration changes.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
42 words
A printer including a head motor and a controller therefor, together with a buffer including information to be printed, the arrangement being such that the print starting position is controlled to reduce misalignment by controlling a print starting address within said buffer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.