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US 9,102,183 B2Granted
High efficiency printing method for improved image quality
AssigneeKodak Alaris Inc.
InventorsGregory James Garbacz, Robert Fredric Mindler, Marcus M. Townsend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Novel methods for calibrating a thermal printer by adjusting a look up table comprising the steps of receiving a test pattern to be printed on a receiver medium, printing the test pattern on the receiver medium, using a sensor to measure a depletion amount of donor material, and using a processor to adjust the lookup table based on the measured depletion amount are disclosed.
Claims19
A method for calibrating a thermal printer by adjusting a lookup table, comprising:
- providing a donor ribbon having donor material;
- providing a print head located in the thermal printer, wherein the print head is adapted to print images by causing donor material to transfer from the donor ribbon onto a receiver medium;
- using a sensor to measure an initial amount of donor material on the donor ribbon prior to depletion;
- receiving a test pattern to be printed on the receiver medium;
- printing the test pattern on the receiver medium by heating the print head to heat the donor ribbon causing the donor material to transfer from the donor ribbon onto the receiver medium, thereby depleting donor material on the donor ribbon;
- using the sensor to measure a depletion amount of the donor material on the donor ribbon after printing;
- using a processor to calculate a difference between the initial amount of donor material and the depletion amount of donor material;
- and
- using the processor to adjust the lookup table based on the difference, thereby calibrating the thermal printer.
6 more elements
A method for detecting incorrect media in a thermal printer, comprising:
- providing a donor ribbon having donor material;
- providing a print head located in the thermal printer, wherein the print head is adapted to cause donor material to transfer from the donor ribbon onto a receiver medium;
- receiving a test pattern to be printed on the receiver medium;
- printing the test pattern on the receiver medium by heating the print head to heat the donor ribbon causing the donor material to transfer from the donor ribbon onto the receiver medium, thereby depleting donor material on the donor ribbon;
- using a sensor to measure a depletion amount of the donor material on the donor ribbon after printing;
- and
- using a processor to compare the measured depletion amount of donor material with an expected depletion amount of the donor material and detecting incorrect media in the thermal printer when the measured depletion amount of donor material is different from the expected depletion amount by a particular threshold.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.