Thermal transfer image forming apparatus using low voltage differential signaling, and method of forming image using the same

Abstract

Provided are an image forming apparatus having a thermal head which prints an image on a medium by applying heat to the medium, and a method printing the image using the image forming apparatus, that decrease the number of data lines between the control unit and the thermal head since data is transmitted between the thermal head and the control unit using the serial low voltage differential signals. The image forming apparatus includes: a data input unit which receives image data of an image that is to be printed; a control unit which includes a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) driver, generates control signals to drive a thermal head based on the image data, converts the control signals into low voltage differential signals, and outputs the low voltage differential signals using the LVDS driver; and a thermal head unit that includes an LVDS receiver which receives the low voltage differential signals output from the control unit, converts the low voltage differential signals into the control signals, and prints the image by applying heat to a medium according to the control signals.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.