Parallel to serial conversion of information data

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein said line memory is a first-in-first-out memory or a randomly addressable memory.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 wherein said control memory comprises a shift register and an associated latching memory circuit which are adapted to be actuated to receive and store the control signals in sequence and deliver the control signals on signal.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 wherein said original is to be reproduced by means of a thermal printer which includes a number of printing elements operable to generate a reproduction and said control signals are applied by said latching memory circuit on said signal to said printing elements to operate the same.

Claim 6

In a method of manipulating a train of electrical signals equal in value to the density gradation levels of a plurality of image pixels of an original image over a range of density gradation levels from zero to a maximum for controlling the reproduction of the original image on a receiving medium in a thermal printer having an array of controllable printing elements corresponding in number to the pixels in an image line and an actuating circuit for actuating the respective printing elements in individually accessible fashion, the method which comprises, under controlled synchronization, the steps of: a) Storing said train of electrical signals for a given line of image pixels in a line memory via an input thereto, b) Transferring said signals one by one from the line memory to a detector and downcounter for discriminating between a zero value signal and any non-zero value signal and for downcounting of all non-zero value signals to reduce the level thereof by one level, c) Outputting from said detector and downcounter for each signal inputted thereto a control signal to the printer actuating circuit, said control signal being a printing signal for each non-zero value signal and a non-printing signal for each zero value signal, said control signal having a duration of one time unit which is selected to equal a reproduction by said thermal printer on said receiving medium of an image having one density gradation level, d) Actuating the printing elements of said thermal printer by the actuating circuit thereof in correspondence with said control signals said one time period, e) Returning to the input of said lime memory the zero value and value-reduced non-zero signals from the detector and downcounter for transfer again to said non-zero detector and downcounter, and f) Repeating steps b)-e) for a total number of cycles necessary for all non-zero signal values to be reduced to zero, whereby the printing elements of said printer are actuated for a number of time periods equal to the total number of cycles to reproduce on said receiving sheet images of said pixels of said original image varying in density in correspondence with the density variations of the pixels of said original image.

Claim 7

In a method of manipulating a train of electrical signals equal in value to the density gradation levels of a plurality of image pixels of an original image over a range of density gradation levels from zero to a maximum for controlling the reproduction of the original image on a receiving medium in a thermal printer having an array of controllable printing elements corresponding in number to the pixels in an image line and an actuating circuit for actuating the respective printing elements in individually accessible fashion, the method which comprises, under controlled synchronization, the steps of: a) Storing said train of electrical signals for a given line of image pixels in a line memory via an input thereto, b) Transferring said signals one by one from the line memory to a detector and downcounter for discriminating between a zero value signal and any non-zero value signal and for downcounting of all non-zero value signals to reduce the level thereof by one level, c) Outputting from said detector and downcounter for each signal inputted thereto a control signal to the printer actuating circuit, said control signal being a printing signal for each non-zero value signal and a non-printing signal for each zero value signal, said control signal having a duration of one time unit which is selected to equal a reproduction by said thermal printer on said receiving medium of an image having one density gradation level, d) Actuating the printing elements of said thermal printer by the actuating circuit thereof in correspondence with said control signals said one time period, e) Returning to the input of said lime memory the zero value and value-reduced non-zero signals from the detector and downcounter for transfer again to said non-zero detector and downcounter, and f) Repeating steps b)-e) for a total number of cycles necessary for all non-zero signal values to be reduced to zero, whereby the printing elements of said printer are actuated for a number of time periods equal to the total number of cycles to reproduce on said receiving sheet images of said pixels of said original image varying in density in correspondence with the density variations of the pixels of said original image.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein said train of electrical signals represent a single line of a pixels of a single color derived from a multi-color original.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein said multi-color original contains magenta, cyan, and yellow, and optionally black, colors, and the pixels represented by said signals are of one of said colors.