Motor control system of printer

In a method for operating a motor control system for a printer having a print head, a stepping motor for moving the print head by driving the motor at drive frequencies applied by a motor driver, in conjunction with head energization signals applied by a head driver to the print head for printing on a record sheet, wherein a first drive frequency (f1) is a relatively low frequency corresponding to starting up of the motor to move the print head from the condition of being stopped, a second drive frequency (f2) corresponds to the motor being driven above the frequency where smooth rotation of the motor can be maintained without transients, a slow-up zone corresponds to the zone wherein the drive frequency is increasing from an initial frequency for starting up the motor to a final frequency wherein the motor is driven at a constant frequency for the desired printing speed of the print head,

• the improvement comprising starting up the motor to move the print head from the condition of being stopped at an initial, third drive frequency (f3) that is close to a maximum frequency limit within which the motor is self-startable, said third drive frequency being higher than the first drive frequency and less than the second drive frequency, increasing the drive frequency applied to the motor through the slow-up zone up to a final, fourth drive frequency (f4) which is a high frequency higher than the second drive frequency, in conjunction with applying head energization signals to the print head to commence printing at a time when the drive frequency is higher than the second drive frequency but still increasing in the slow-up zone, whereby the printing speed can be increased by commencing printing while the drive frequency of the motor is being increased through the slow-up zone.