Thermal transfer recording device

Claim 1

A thermal transfer recording device which performs thermal transfer recording by transfer of ink from an ink ribbon to a record carrier and moves said ink ribbon and said record carrier between a thermal head and a platen, and which is operable in a selected one of a first mode, in which the ink ribbon is of a fusion type used for recording in accordance with input binary print data, and a second mode, in which the ink ribbon is of a sublimation type used for recording in accordance with input multi-value print data, comprising: a first control section which outputs a first signal based on input binary print data; a second control section which outputs a second signal based on input multi-value print data; mode switch means having a setting to indicate whether the first mode or the second mode is selected; selection means responsive to said setting of said mode switch means for selecting said first signal when said first mode is selected or said second signal when said second mode is selected and for supplying the selected one of said first signal and said second signal to said thermal head, wherein said thermal head delivers a quantity of heat to the ink ribbon corresponding to the selected one of said first mode and said second mode, the quantity of heat delivered corresponding to the selected one of said first signal and said second signal.

Claim 7

A method of thermal transfer recording using a thermal transfer recording device which performs thermal transfer of ink from an ink ribbon to a record carrier and moves said ink ribbon and record carrier between a thermal head and a platen, said device being selectively operable in a first mode in which said ink ribbon is of a fusion type used for recording in accordance with input binary print data and in a second mode in which said ink ribbon is of a sublimation type used for recording in accordance with input multi-value print data, comprising the steps of: providing a first control section which outputs a first signal based on input binary print data; providing a second control section which outputs a second signal based on input multi-value print data; providing a first identifying means on one of the fusion type ink ribbon and an accessory to the fusion type ink ribbon; providing a second identifying means on one of the sublimation type ink ribbon and an accessory to the sublimation type ink ribbon; detecting said first identifying means or said second identifying means corresponding to the type of ink ribbon being used with said thermal transfer recording device; selecting said first signal or said second signal in accordance with the corresponding one of said first and second identification means detected; supplying the selected one of said first signal and said second signal to said thermal head; and applying heat by use of said thermal head to said ink ribbon being used with the recording device, the quantity of heat delivered corresponding to the selected one of said first signal and said second signal.

Claim 8

A method of thermal transfer recording using a thermal transfer recording device which performs thermal transfer of ink from an ink ribbon to a record carrier and moves said ink ribbon and record carrier between a thermal head and a platen, said device being selectively operable in a first mode in which said ink ribbon is of a fusion type used for recording in accordance with input binary print data and in a second mode in which said ink ribbon is of a sublimation type used for recording in accordance with input multi-value print data, comprising the steps of: providing a first control section which outputs a first signal based on input binary print data; providing a second control section which outputs a second signal based on input multi-value print data; providing a first identifying means on one of the fusion type ink ribbon and an accessory to the fusion type ink ribbon; providing a second identifying means on one of the sublimation type ink ribbon and an accessory to the sublimation type ink ribbon; detecting said first identifying means or said second identifying means corresponding to the type of ink ribbon being used with said thermal transfer recording device; selecting said first signal or said second signal in accordance with the corresponding one of said first and second identification means detected; supplying the selected one of said first signal and said second signal to said thermal head; and applying heat by use of said thermal head to said ink ribbon being used with the recording device, the quantity of heat delivered corresponding to the selected one of said first signal and said second signal.