Printer and method of control

Claim 2

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media path in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for receiving, interpreting, and distinguishing between (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; path selection means for selecting the respective media path in accordance with the media selection command interpreted by said control command interpreter to supply the selected recording media; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determination means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the print mode specified by one of: the print mode command received, interpreted, and distinguished by said control command interpreter and ignoring the received, interpreted, and distinguished media selection command for driving time determination purposes; and an entry in said look up table corresponding to the media selection command received, interpreted, and distinguished by said command interpreter only when no print mode command is received by said control command interpreter; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 3

The printer of claim 1, further comprising receiving means for receiving and temporarily storing the media selection and print mode commands sent from the host computer and for providing the stored commands to said control command interpreter.

Claim 4

The printer of claim 1, wherein said driving time determination means comprises a driving time memory that stores driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes each having differing driving time values, said driving time memory being configured so that it subsequently retrieves stored driving time values based on one of said plural print modes.

Claim 5

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media path in response to a recording selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; path selection means for selecting the respective media path in accordance with the media selection command interpreted by said control interpreter to supply the selected media; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means, comprising: a driving time memory that stores driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes, each having differing driving time values, said driving time memory being configured so that it subsequently retrieves stored driving time values based on one said plural print modes; and a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and respective print mode, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the measured voltage and said print mode (1) selected using said look up table and said driving time memory in response to the media selection command interpreted by said control command interpreter or (2) designated by the print mode command interpreted by said control command interpreter; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 6

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media path in response to a recording selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; path selection means for selecting the respective media path in accordance with the media selection command interpreted by said control interpreter to supply the selected media; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means, comprising: a driving time memory that stores driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes, each having differing driving time values, said driving time memory being configured so that it subsequently retrieves stored driving time values based on one said plural print modes; and a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and respective print mode, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the measured voltage and said print mode (1) selected using said look up table and said driving time memory in response to the media selection command interpreted by said control command interpreter or (2) designated by the print mode command interpreted by said control command interpreter; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 7

The printer of claim 4 further comprising an analog-digital conversion means for converting the voltage amplitude measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means to a digital value.

Claim 8

The printer of claim 4 wherein said driving time memory comprises at least one driving time table that stores driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes and driving times corresponding to the measured voltage.

Claim 9

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media path in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; path selection means for selecting the respective media path in accordance with the media rejection command interpreted by said control interpreter to supply the selected media; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the voltage measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means and both said print modes (1) selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said control command interpreter or (2) designated by the print mode command interpreted by said control command interpreter; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 10

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media path in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; path selection means for selecting the respective media path in accordance with the media rejection command interpreted by said control interpreter to supply the selected media; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the voltage measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means and both said print modes (1) selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said control command interpreter or (2) designated by the print mode command interpreted by said control command interpreter; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 11

The printer of claim 7, wherein said driving time memory comprises at least one driving time table that stores driving times corresponding to a plurality of print modes and driving times corresponding to the measured voltage.

Claim 12

The printer of claim 8 further comprising an analog-digital conversion means for converting the voltage amplitude measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means to a digital value.

Claim 15

The control method of claim 10 further comprising the step of temporarily storing the media selection and print mode commands sent from the host computer.

Claim 16

The control method of claim 10 further comprising the step of storing driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes each having differing driving time values in a driving time memory that is configured to subsequently retrieve stored driving time values based on one of said plural print modes.

Claim 19

The control method of claim 13 further comprising the step of converting the voltage amplitude measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means to a digital value.

Claim 20

The control method of claim 14 further comprising the step of: updating said data comprising a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode when the print mode command is executed after the media selection command, so as to cause a print mode selected by the print mode command and the media selection command to match.

Claim 21

The control method of claim 15 further comprising the step of initializing said conversion while initializing the printer.

Claim 22

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for receiving interpreting and distinguishing between (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the print mode specified by one of: the print mode command received, interpreted, and distinguished by said command interpreter and ignoring the received, interpreted, and distinguished media selection command for driving time determination purposes; and an entry in said look up table corresponding to the media selection command interpreted and distinguished by said command interpreter when no print mode command is received by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 23

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for receiving interpreting and distinguishing between (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the print mode specified by one of: the print mode command received, interpreted, and distinguished by said command interpreter and ignoring the received, interpreted, and distinguished media selection command for driving time determination purposes; and an entry in said look up table corresponding to the media selection command interpreted and distinguished by said command interpreter when no print mode command is received by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 24

The printer of claim 17, further comprising receiving means for receiving and temporarily storing the media selection and print mode commands sent from the host computer and for providing the stored commands to said control command interpreter.

Claim 25

The printer of claim 18, further comprising an analog-digital conversion means for converting the voltage amplitude measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means to a digital value.

Claim 26

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to dive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with both the measured voltage and the print mode selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said command interpreter and designated by the print mode command interpreted by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 27

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command and (2) the media selection command; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to dive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with both the measured voltage and the print mode selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said command interpreter and designated by the print mode command interpreted by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 28

The printer of claim 20, wherein said driving time memory comprises at least one driving time table that stores driving times corresponding to said plurality of print modes and driving times corresponding to the measured voltage.

Claim 29

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command: and (2) the media selection command; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the voltage measured by said print head driving voltage measurement and both the print modes (1) selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said command interpreted and designated by the print mode command interpreted by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 30

A printer for selectively printing on two types of recording media in response to a media selection command received from a host computer by application of voltage signals to a dot-matrix type print head, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for interpreting (1) a print mode command: and (2) the media selection command; print head driving voltage measurement means for ascertaining the amplitude of voltage used to drive the print head; driving time determination means for determining a driving time for driving said print head, said driving time determining means comprising a look up table for storing a correspondence between the two types of recording media and a respective print mode, wherein the look up table is changeable by one print mode command interpreted by said control interpreter, wherein the driving time is determined in accordance with the voltage measured by said print head driving voltage measurement and both the print modes (1) selected using said look up table in response to the media selection command interpreted by said command interpreted and designated by the print mode command interpreted by said command interpreter; and a print head controller for applying the voltage signals to the dot-matrix print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means.

Claim 31

The printer of claim 22, wherein said driving time memory comprises at least one driving time table that stores driving times corresponding to a plurality of print modes and driving times corresponding to the measured voltage.

Claim 32

The printer of claim 23, further comprising an analog-digital conversion means for converting the voltage amplitude measured by said print head driving voltage measurement means to a digital value.

Claim 35

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media by application of voltage signals to a print head, the signals including at least two print modes in which a driving time for driving the print head is different from each other, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for receiving and interpreting a first command for designating a recording media from said at least two types of recording media and a second command for designating a print mode from said at least two print modes; path selection means for selecting the media path corresponding to the recording media selected in accordance with said first command received and interpreted by said control command interpreter to supply the selected recording media to the print head; driving time determination means for determining the driving time in accordance with a print mode, said driving time determination means comprising a conversion means for storing a correspondence between the at least two types of recording media and a respective print mode and for outputting the print mode corresponding to the selected recording media, wherein the correspondence between the at least two types of recording media and a respective print mode is updated in accordance with said second command so that the print mode output by said conversion means matches the print mode designated by said second command; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.

Claim 36

A printer for selectively printing on at least two types of recording media supplied from a respective media by application of voltage signals to a print head, the signals including at least two print modes in which a driving time for driving the print head is different from each other, said printer comprising: a control command interpreter responsive to the host computer for receiving and interpreting a first command for designating a recording media from said at least two types of recording media and a second command for designating a print mode from said at least two print modes; path selection means for selecting the media path corresponding to the recording media selected in accordance with said first command received and interpreted by said control command interpreter to supply the selected recording media to the print head; driving time determination means for determining the driving time in accordance with a print mode, said driving time determination means comprising a conversion means for storing a correspondence between the at least two types of recording media and a respective print mode and for outputting the print mode corresponding to the selected recording media, wherein the correspondence between the at least two types of recording media and a respective print mode is updated in accordance with said second command so that the print mode output by said conversion means matches the print mode designated by said second command; and a print head driver controller for applying the voltage signals to said print head for the driving time determined by said driving time determination means, whenever a printing operation is to be executed by said printer.