Thermal printer with energy save features

A thermal printer comprising:

• an energy storage device;
• and
• a thermal printhead including:
• a substrate;
• a resistor layer formed on one surface of the substrate wherein the resister layer is partitioned into a plurality of resister layer segments, the resistor layer segment is further partitioned into a plurality of resistor portions, and the resistor portion constitutes a heating element;
• and
• a plurality of thermoelectric elements disposed on the other surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of thermoelectric elements is positioned opposite to corresponding one of the plurality of resister layer segments, and converts heat generated by the corresponding resistor layer segment to electrical energy when a temperature difference between the corresponding resistor layer segment and an opposite side of corresponding one of thermoelectric elements where the corresponding one of the resistor layer segment is disposed nearby, becomes large enough for the corresponding thermoelectric element to convert heat into electric energy, and the electrical energy is stored in the energy storage device.