Thermal printer and ink ribbon used therewith
AssigneeDai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
InventorsHiroyuki Soshi, Mitsuhiro Hamashima
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gradation correction data used in correcting the gradation of the printed image is recorded on the leader film of the ink ribbon in a form of optically readable marks. Then the ink ribbon is set in a thermal printer, the marks are read out by an optical sensor to obtain the gradation correction data. Then, the gradation correction of the image data to be printed is carried out by referring to the correction data thus obtained prior to the actual printing of the image data.
Claims12
An ink ribbon for use in a sublimation transfer type thermal printer, comprising:
- an ink ribbon body portion which is coated with color ink;
- and
- an ink ribbon head portion on which gradation correction data is recorded, said gradation correction data being recorded in a form of a matrix of discontinuous markings comprising a plurality of columns arranged in a transfer direction of the ink ribbon, said plurality of columns comprising a plurality of columns of gradation correction data sub-marks and a column-of parity sub-marks for a parity check of the sub-marks in rows of the matrix.
A thermal printer for use with an ink ribbon comprising an ink ribbon head portion on which gradation correction data is recorded in a form of a matrix of discontinuous markings a plurality of columns arranged in a transfer direction of the ink ribbon, said plurality of columns comprising a plurality of columns of gradation correction data sub-marks and a column of parity sub-marks for a parity check of the sub-marks in rows the matrix, said printer comprising:
- a detection unit for reading the gradation correction data sub-marks during the transfer movement of the ink ribbon and outputting a read-out signal;
- a reproduction unit for receiving the read-out signal and reproducing the gradation correction data;
- and
- a storage unit for storing the gradation correction data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.