Preheated thermal print apparatus for video printer

A preheated thermal print apparatus having a thermal print head, comprising:

• memory means for receiving video signals to provide printing signals on a line-by-line basis;
• preheating signal generator means for generating preheating signals for a preheating period;
• and
• switch means for receiving said preheating signals and each line of said printing signals, for providing transmission of said preheating signals to the thermal print head for heating said thermal print head for said preheating period, and for providing transmission of said printing signals to the thermal print head to enable printing of symbols representative of said printing signals by said thermal print head on a printable medium during a printing period.

A preheated thermal print apparatus, comprising:

• input means for receiving video signals on a line-by-line basis, each line of said video signals having a first period, and for providing printing signals on a line-by-line basis from said video signals;
• preheating signal generator means for generating preheating signals for a preheating period during said first period;
• and
• thermal print head means for printing symbols representative of said printing signals on a printable medium, said thermal print head having a register for storing each line of said printing signals, and an array of thermal elements coupled to receive thermal energy in dependence upon said preheating signals for said preheating period during said first period prior to printing each line of said printing signals during a second period occurring subsequently to said first period.

A preheated thermal print apparatus having a thermal print head comprising an array of thermal elements for printing video signals on a printable medium, said preheated thermal print apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving video signals on a line-by-line basis;
• first memory means for temporarily storing single lines of video signals received on a line-by-line basis, each of said lines of video signals having a line memory period;
• gradation counter means for counting a predetermined gradation level of said video signals to provide print gradation data;
• comparator means for generating printing signals in dependence upon comparison of each line of said video signals with corresponding print gradation data;
• temperature detector means for detecting a temperature of said array of thermal elements of said thermal print head to provide temperature data;
• second memory means for receiving said print gradation data and said detected temperature data to provide intensity/time data in dependence upon said print gradation data;
• generator means for generating modulated signals by pulse-with modulating said intensity/time data in dependence upon a reference pulse train;
• decoder means for decoding said modulated signals to provide thermal element driving signals;
• preheating signal generator means for generating preheating signals;
• and
• switching means for enabling transmission of one of said thermal element driving signals and said preheating signals to the thermal print head in response to a controller.

A preheated thermal print apparatus having a thermal print head for sublimating dye materials on a printable medium, said preheated thermal print apparatus comprising:

• memory means for receiving video signals to provide printing signals on a line-by-line basis;
• preheating signal generator means for generating preheating signals for a preheating period;
• and
• switch means for receiving each line of said printing signals and said preheating signals for providing transmission of said preheating signals to the thermal print head for providing fundamental energy to said thermal print head for sublimating dye materials during said preheating period, and for providing transmission of said printing signals to the thermal print head for printing symbols representative of said printing signals by said thermal print head onto said printable medium during for a printing period.

A preheated thermal print apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving video signals on a line-by-line basis, each line of said video signals having a first period, and for providing printing signals on a line-by-line basis from said video signals;
• preheating signal generator means for generating preheating signals for a preheating period during said first period, said preheating signals representing a fundamental energy;
• and
• thermal print head means for printing symbols representative of said printing signals on a printable medium, said thermal print head having a register for storing each line of said printing signals, and an array of thermal elements coupled to receive said preheating signals for sublimating dye materials representative of color components in dependence upon reception of said preheating signals for said preheating period during said first period prior to printing each line of said printing signals during a second period occurring subsequent to said first period.