Thermal line printer

Claim 2

A thermal printing system for actuating a plurality of groups of thermal printing elements, said elements in each one of said groups being correspondingly disposed to provide a character representation upon actuation of selected elements, said system comprising: (a) first means for storing a plurality of data words representing the characters to be printed; (b) second means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes and for reading out a selected bit from each of said codes; (c) third means for actuating selected elements in response to the state of the selected bit from each of said codes; and (d) sequencer means, operatively connected to said second means, for sequentially selecting a different bit to be read from said codes each time the plurality of words is converted by said second means.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1, wherein said sequencer means sequentially enables corresponding disposed elements in said groups for printing, selected ones of said elements printing when both enabled by said sequencer means and actuated by said third means.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 2, wherein said means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes is a read only memory for storing a repertoire of said character printing codes and wherein said data words address said read-only-memory to convert said words into corresponding printing codes.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 1, wherein said groups are disposed in dot matrices and wherein said means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character words comprises a memory for storing a repertoire of such character printing codes and wherein each one of said character printing codes in said repertoire represent a different character printable by selective printing of the elements in said dot matrices.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of converting said data words is accomplished by a memory storing a repertoire of such character printing codes and wherein said data words address said memory to convert each one of said data words to a corresponding printing code.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 5, wherein said groups of elements are arranged as dot matrices and wherein the step of sequentially altering the particular bit selected includes sequentially enabling correspondingly disposed elements for energization according to the state of the particular bit selected from each of said plurality of printing codes.

Claim 10

A thermal printing system for actuating a plurality of groups of thermal printing elements, said elements in said groups being disposed to provide a character representation upon actuation of selected elements, said system comprising: (a) first means for storing a plurality of data words representing the character to be printed; (b) second means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes; (c) third means for sequentially selecting a selected bit from said codes, said third means sequentially altering the bit selected; and (d) fourth means for actuating selected printing elements in response to the state of said selected bits.

Claim 11

A thermal printing system for actuating a plurality of groups of thermal printing elements, said elements in said groups being disposed to provide a character representation upon actuation of selected elements, said system comprising: (a) first means for storing a plurality of data words representing the character to be printed; (b) second means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes; (c) third means for sequentially selecting a selected bit from said codes, said third means sequentially altering the bit selected; and (d) fourth means for actuating selected printing elements in response to the state of said selected bits.

Claim 12

The system according to claim 8, wherein said groups are disposed in dot matrices, wherein said second means includes a memory for storing a repertoire of such character printing codes and wherein each one of said character printing codes in said repertoire represent a different character printable by selective printing of the elements in said dot matrices.

Claim 13

A thermal printing system for actuating a plurality of groups of thermal printing elements, said elements in said groups being disposed to provide a character representation upon actuation of selected elements, said system comprising; (a) first means for storing a plurality of data words representing the characters to be printed; (b) second means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes; (c) third means for selecting a selected bit from said codes, said third means selecting only one of said selected bits at any given time and sequentially selecting a different bit to be read from said codes; and (d) fourth means for actuating selected printing elements in response to the state of said selected bits.

Claim 14

A thermal printing system for actuating a plurality of groups of thermal printing elements, said elements in said groups being disposed to provide a character representation upon actuation of selected elements, said system comprising; (a) first means for storing a plurality of data words representing the characters to be printed; (b) second means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes; (c) third means for selecting a selected bit from said codes, said third means selecting only one of said selected bits at any given time and sequentially selecting a different bit to be read from said codes; and (d) fourth means for actuating selected printing elements in response to the state of said selected bits.

Claim 15

The system according to claim 8, wherein said fourth means includes a memory for temporarily storing the bits selected by said third means, said memory being coupled to said printing elements.

Claim 16

A thermal printing system comprising: (a) a plurality of linear arrays of thermal printing elements, each of the elements in each of the arrays including a heating element; (b) first means for coupling one side of the heating elements in each of said arrays to a common point, there being one such common point associated with each of said arrays; (c) second means for storing a plurality of data words representing the characters to be printed by the system; (d) a first counter; (e) means for incrementing the state of said first counter; (f) a second counter; (g) means for incrementing the state of said second counter after said first counter has counted through all available states therein; (h) third means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes and for reading out a selected bit from each of said codes, the particular bit selected depending upon the states of said first and second counters; (i) fourth means, responsive to the selected bits, for coupling selected ones of the common points to a first electrical potential; and (j) fifth means for coupling selected ones of the other sides of said heating elements to a second electrical potential, the particular ones of the other sides of said heating elements being selected according to the state of said first counter; (k) said heating elements heating in response to the application of said first electrical potential to said one side thereof and said second electrical potential to the other side thereof.

Claim 17

A thermal printing system comprising: (a) a plurality of linear arrays of thermal printing elements, each of the elements in each of the arrays including a heating element; (b) first means for coupling one side of the heating elements in each of said arrays to a common point, there being one such common point associated with each of said arrays; (c) second means for storing a plurality of data words representing the characters to be printed by the system; (d) a first counter; (e) means for incrementing the state of said first counter; (f) a second counter; (g) means for incrementing the state of said second counter after said first counter has counted through all available states therein; (h) third means for converting said plurality of data words into a plurality of character printing codes and for reading out a selected bit from each of said codes, the particular bit selected depending upon the states of said first and second counters; (i) fourth means, responsive to the selected bits, for coupling selected ones of the common points to a first electrical potential; and (j) fifth means for coupling selected ones of the other sides of said heating elements to a second electrical potential, the particular ones of the other sides of said heating elements being selected according to the state of said first counter; (k) said heating elements heating in response to the application of said first electrical potential to said one side thereof and said second electrical potential to the other side thereof.

Claim 18

The thermal printer system as defined in claim 12, wherein said printer prints on thermally sensitive paper and further including means for stepping the thermally sensitive paper past said plurality of arrays in response to said second counter being incremented.

Claim 19

The system according to claim 13, wherein said first counter is a modulo five counter and said second counter is a modulo seven counter.