# US 12,005,703 B2 · Printer and method for detecting printing paper

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- Number: US 12,005,703 B2
- Document ID: US12005703B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/789,307
- Filed: 2020-12-28
- Published: 2023-02-16
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-12-27
- Assignees: Bixolon Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Bixolon Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Chul Hui Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005703B2

## CPC

- B41J 11/0095: {Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end}
- G01V 8/12: using one transmitter and one receiver
- B41J 3/4075: {Tape printers; Label printers}
- B41J 11/70: cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
- B41J 29/393: Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns}
- G01J 1/02: Details
- B41J 15/042: {for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

A printer includes: a transfer unit configured to transfer printing paper in a printing direction; a printing unit configured to print information on transferred printing paper; a detection unit installed to face discharged printing paper on a printing paper discharge portion side, and configured to acquire measured values by detecting light while printing paper is transferred or when the transfer of printing paper is stopped; and a control unit configured to collect measured values of the detection unit while printing paper is transferred, to calculate a reference value by using the collected measured values, and to determine whether printing paper has been removed by comparing the calculated reference value with a measured value acquired by the detection unit when the transfer of printing paper is stopped.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printer comprising:
a transfer unit configured to transfer printing paper in a printing direction;
a printing unit configured to print information on transferred printing paper;
a detection unit installed to face discharged printing paper on a printing paper discharge portion side, and configured to acquire measured values by detecting light while printing paper is transferred or when transfer of printing paper is stopped; and
a control unit configured to collect measured values of the detection unit while printing paper is transferred, to calculate a reference value by using the collected measured values, and to determine whether printing paper has been removed by comparing the calculated reference value with a measured value acquired by the detection unit when transfer of printing paper is stopped; and
wherein the control unit determines whether printing paper has been removed by comparing the calculated reference value with a measured value acquired by the detection unit in real time, transmits a print start command to the transfer unit and the printing unit when it is determined that printing paper has been removed, and maintains the transfer unit and the printing unit in a print waiting state when it is determined that printing paper has not been removed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printer of claim 1, wherein the control unit waits without collecting a measured value of the detection unit until printing paper is transferred by a preset waiting distance after the transfer unit has started transfer of printing paper.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The printer of claim 2, further comprising a cutting unit provided on the printing paper discharge portion side, and configured to include a cutter arranged perpendicular to a transfer direction of printing paper and to cut a front end of printed printing paper;
wherein the waiting distance is set to be equal to or longer than a vertical distance between the cutter of the cutting unit and the detection unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The printer of claim 1, wherein the control unit collects measured values of the detection unit from a time when collection of measured values of the detection unit is started up to a time when the transfer unit transfers printing paper by a preset measurement distance.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printer of claim 1, wherein the control unit collects measured values of the detection unit from a time when collection of measured values of the detection unit is started up to a time when transfer of printing paper by the transfer unit is stopped.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The printer of claim 1, wherein the printer is a mobile printer that is driven by a battery.

### Claim 7

A method for detecting printing paper, the method being performed by a printer, the method comprising:
printing information on printing paper while transferring the printing paper in a printing direction;
while printing paper is transferred, collecting measured values by using a paper sensor that is installed to face discharged printing paper on a printing paper discharge portion side and detects light;
setting a reference value by using the collected measured values;
when transfer of printing paper is stopped, determining whether printing paper has been removed by comparing the reference value with a measured value acquired using the paper sensor; and
when in determining whether printing paper has been removed, it is determined that the printing paper has been removed, starting printing on printing paper; and
when in determining whether printing paper has been removed, it is determined that the printing paper has not been removed, maintaining a print waiting state even when printing is not completed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising waiting without collecting a measured value of the paper sensor until printing paper is transferred by a preset waiting distance after transfer of the printing paper has been started.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the waiting distance is set to be equal to or longer than a vertical distance between a cutter, arranged perpendicular to a transfer direction of printing paper on the printing paper discharge portion side, and the paper sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein collecting the measured values comprises collecting measured values of the paper sensor from a time when collection of measured values is started up to a time when printing paper is transferred by a preset measurement distance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein collecting the measured values comprises collecting measured values of the paper sensor from a time when collection of measured values is started up to a time when transfer of printing paper is stopped.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

A computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program for performing the method set forth in claim 7.