Printing apparatus and its control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a printing device and a control method for the same, and a program which can quickly start reliable printing and shorten a stand-by time for charging, even if a remaining amount of a battery is too low to perform printing on even one sheet at the time of power supply from an I / F.SOLUTION: In a printer 100 which is configured to superpose ink of a plurality of colors applied to an ink ribbon 114 on a sheet 113 and execute printing on the sheet by thermal transfer, a main control part 204 determines whether a remaining amount of a battery 221 is equal to or more than a first threshold, before starting to convey the sheet 113 to a printing start position, and performs control so that a battery 221 is charged with electric power from a USB connector 104 and the sheet 113 is conveyed to a predetermined position when the determined result shows that the remaining amount is less than the first threshold and electric power is supplied from the USB connector 104 and then printing processing is started when the remaining amount of the battery 221 is equal to or more than a second threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program, and particularly to a sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatus capable of printing an image photographed by a digital still camera, a smartphone, or the like. Here, the sublimation thermal transfer type is a printing method in which a heated thermal head is pressed against an ink ribbon to sublime the ink from a solid to a gas and attach it to a printing paper. Sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatuses are also recently required to be portable, and a small-sized printing apparatus of a highly portable type incorporating a battery has become common. In a small-sized printing apparatus incorporating a battery as described above, many are configured to charge the battery with power received from an external device through a general-purpose external interface (hereinafter simply referred to as an I / F) such as USB.

[0003] Since a thermal head in a sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatus is provided with a large number of heating elements, it is necessary to supply adjustment power to the thermal head. Further, the power supply source must have the ability to supply power to all the above heating elements substantially simultaneously. However, such power supply requires a considerable load. A sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatus thus has a high power load and furthermore requires stable power without interruption. Therefore, if printing is attempted with power supplied from an I / F other than a designated power adapter, there is a possibility of problems such as an adverse effect on print quality and abnormal heat generation at the terminal portion. Therefore, in a small-sized sublimation thermal transfer type printing apparatus for printing high-definition photos, there are almost no apparatuses that can be directly driven for printing with external power received from an I / F to which various devices such as USB are connected. Therefore, in a printing apparatus powered by USB, printing drive is almost always performed using regulated power from a built-in battery or a connected dedicated battery.

[0004] For example, the printing device described in Patent Document 1, upon receiving a print command from a user, checks the battery level before starting printing. If it determines that the battery is low and unable to print even one page, it stops the printing process.

[0005] Furthermore, for example, the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 2, when charging is started, continues charging until a battery level sufficient to print at least one page is secured. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-207585 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-272210 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, even when power is supplied from the interface, if the battery level is insufficient to print even one page, the printing device described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that it cannot start printing even when the user issues a print command. In such cases, the printing device described in Patent Document 2 has the problem that charging is performed until at least one page can be printed, resulting in a long waiting time for charging.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a printing device, a control method thereof, and a program that can quickly and reliably start printing even when the battery level is so low that it cannot print even one page when power is supplied from the interface, and that can shorten the waiting time for charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printing apparatus that performs printing by thermal transfer by layering multiple colored inks coated on an ink ribbon onto a recording medium, comprising an I / F for supplying power from an external source to the printing apparatus, a battery, a transport means for transporting the recording medium to a printing start position using the power supplied from the battery or the I / F, and a control means, wherein the control means performs a first battery level determination to determine whether the remaining charge of the battery is equal to or greater than a first threshold before the transport of the recording medium by the transport means starts, and if, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining charge of the battery is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control means The system is characterized by the following: power from the battery is used to transport the recording medium by the transport means; if, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining battery level is less than the first threshold and power is supplied from the I / F, the battery is charged using power from the I / F, the recording medium is transported by the transport means, the recording medium is transported to a predetermined position, and a second battery level determination is performed to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold; and if, as a result of the second battery level determination, the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the system is controlled to start a printing process to transfer the multiple color inks onto the recording medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, even with a battery level that is insufficient to print a single page when power is supplied from the interface, reliable printing can be started quickly, and the waiting time for charging can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a printer as a printing device and an ink ribbon cassette used therein according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing examples of printer hardware configurations. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of an ink ribbon. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the printer. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart of the printer's print operation process. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the printing process when the battery level is low during external power supply, as shown in step S521 of Figure 5, according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of the printing process when the battery level is low during external power supply, as shown in step S521 of Figure 5, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] In the following explanation, "printing" refers to the entire series of processes and operations from printing based on a user's print command to paper ejection. Furthermore, "printing" refers to the process and operations within printing in which an image is formed on the recording paper (hereinafter simply referred to as "paper") by heat transfer or other means of transferring a transfer material (ink or overcoat) applied to an ink sheet onto the paper.

[0014] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the printer 100 and the ink ribbon cassette 300 used therein as a printing device according to this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 1(a) is a perspective view from the top side, and Figure 1(b) is a perspective view from the bottom side.

[0015] The printer 100 has a configuration in which the upper case 101-1 and the lower case 101-2 cover the upper and lower exterior. The printer 100 also has a paper output slot 101-3 on one end of its side, formed by a gap between the upper case 101-1 and the lower case 101-2.

[0016] With such a configuration, during printing, the paper 113 (recording medium: FIG. 4) may temporarily protrude from the paper discharge port 101-3 to the outside of the printer 100, or the printed paper 113 may be discharged from the paper discharge port 101-3.

[0017] The printer 100 further includes, on its upper surface, a display unit 102 having an LED inside and a power switch 103 provided adjacent to the display unit 102.

[0018] The display unit 102 displays the lighting and blinking of multiple colors of the LED through the window portion at the upper part of the main body upper case 101-1. By the lighting and blinking, the power state of the printer 100, and status information such as printing operation and error can be displayed.

[0019] The power switch 103 is an operation button that can switch the ON and OFF of the power of the printer 100 by being pressed by the user.

[0020] Also, on a side surface of the printer 100 different from the side surface where the paper discharge port 101-3 is formed, a cassette cover 101-4 and a USB connector 104 that are supported to be openable and closable are provided, and inside the printer 100, a chassis 110 having a cassette mounting portion 110-1 is provided.

[0021] The cassette mounting portion 110-1 can be accessed with the cassette cover 101-4 open. That is, the user can open the cassette cover 101-4 and insert the ink ribbon cassette 300 (hereinafter simply referred to as cassette 300) in the direction of the arrow 400 to mount the cassette 300 on the cassette mounting portion 110-1.

[0022] In the cassette 300, an ink ribbon 114 coated with sublimable ink is stored in a rolled state. The ink ribbon 114 is conveyed by a conveyance mechanism of the printer 100.

[0023] The USB connector 104 is an interface that connects to an external power adapter or external device via a USB cable (not shown), supplying power to the printer 100 from an external source and communicating with the external device.

[0024] Furthermore, a retractable tray cover 101-5 is provided on the bottom of the printer 100.

[0025] With the tray cover 101-5 open, printing paper 113 (Figure 4A) can be loaded into the paper storage section 117 (Figure 4A).

[0026] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of printer 100. In Figure 2, the same reference numerals are used for the components shown in Figure 1, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0027] In Figure 1, the printer 100 includes a main control unit 204, an image processing unit 205, a thermal head control unit 206, a thermal head 207, a head temperature sensor 208, an ambient temperature sensor 209, a head position sensor 210, and a paper detection sensor 211. The printer 100 also includes an ink ribbon detection sensor 212, a marker detection sensor 213, a motor driver unit 214, a head position drive motor 215, a paper transport motor 216, a wireless communication unit 217, an operation unit 218, and a USB control unit 219. Furthermore, the printer 100 includes a display control unit 220, a battery control unit 222, a battery 221, and a battery level detection unit 223.

[0028] The main control unit 204 controls the printer 100 and consists of a CPU 201, Flash ROM 202, and SDRAM 203.

[0029] The CPU 201 performs system control and arithmetic processing for the printer 100. The Flash ROM 202 stores the system control program for the printer 100. The CPU 201 reads the program from the Flash ROM 102 and controls each part of the printer 100 based on the read program. The SDRAM 203 temporarily stores image data and is used for data processing tasks.

[0030] Furthermore, the functions and processing of the printer 100, which will be described later, are realized by the CPU 201 reading the program stored in the Flash ROM 102 and executing this program.

[0031] The image processing unit 205 performs image processing on image data sent from a digital camera, mobile device, etc. The image processing unit 205 performs various image processing operations such as decompression of compressed image data, resizing according to the paper size 113 to be used, and image correction, and generates print data for printing based on the processed image data.

[0032] As an alternative, the processing performed by the image processing unit 205 may be performed by the main control unit 204 instead, or it may be configured so that both the image processing unit 205 and the main control unit 204 perform the processing.

[0033] The thermal head control unit 206 converts the print data generated by the image processing unit 205 into an electrical signal and outputs it to the thermal head 207. The thermal head 207 converts the electrical signal into thermal energy and transfers the dye (ink) from the ink ribbon 114 (Figure 1) onto the paper 113.

[0034] The head temperature sensor 208 measures the temperature of the thermal head 207 and outputs the measured value to the main control unit 204. The ambient temperature sensor 209 measures the ambient temperature inside the printer 100 and outputs the measured value to the main control unit 204. Based on the outputs of the head temperature sensor 208 and the ambient temperature sensor 209, the main control unit 204 corrects the drive signal for the thermal head 207 or puts the drive into standby mode.

[0035] The head position sensor 210 detects the position of the thermal head 207, such as the pressed position and retracted position, and outputs the detection result to the main control unit 204. The paper detection sensor 211 detects the position of the paper 113 and outputs the detection result to the main control unit 204. The ink ribbon detection sensor 212 detects information about the ink ribbon 114 and outputs the detected information to the main control unit 204. The marker detection sensor 213 is a reflective optical sensor that detects a marker provided on the ink ribbon 114 when the reflected light is blocked, and outputs the detection result to the main control unit 204.

[0036] The motor driver unit 214 controls the head position drive motor 215 and the paper transport motor 216. The head position drive motor 215 is a motor that drives the thermal head 207 to a pressing position for printing and to a retracted position for changing the cassette 300 or transporting the paper 113. The paper transport motor 216 is a motor for transporting the paper 113. The main control unit 204 issues commands to the motor driver unit 214 based on sensor information from each of the above sensors (208 to 213) and pre-programmed information to drive and control the head position drive motor 215 and the paper transport motor 216. In this embodiment, it is also possible to transport the ink ribbon using the paper transport motor 216. When transporting both paper and ink ribbon, the paper transport motor 216 rotates the transport roller 124 and the paper feed roller 121, and also rotates the ribbon winding shaft (not shown) of the printing device, which is connected to the ink ribbon winding shaft. Furthermore, by switching the power transmission of the paper transport motor 216, it is possible to transport the paper 113 by rotating only the transport roller 124 and the paper feed roller 121, or to transport the ribbon winding shaft of the printing device and transport the ink ribbon without transporting the paper. Alternatively, instead of transporting both the paper and the ink ribbon with a single motor, separate motors may be provided for driving the paper and the ink ribbon.

[0037] The wireless communication unit 217 controls wireless communication with external devices such as digital cameras. The operation unit 218 receives user operation instructions from the power switch 103 and other devices located on the upper case 101-1 of the main unit. The USB control unit 219 determines information from external devices connected to the USB connector 104, which is an I / F, and performs communication control, power transfer control, and various data transmission control such as operation information and image data. The display control unit 220 controls the output of the display unit 102, such as LED lighting and blinking. The battery control unit 222 acquires the remaining battery level of the battery 221 detected by the battery level detection unit 223, and based on the acquired battery level, controls the charging of the battery 221 and supplies power from the battery 221 to various parts of the printer 100.

[0038] The battery 221 is built into the printer 100. However, the battery 221 only needs to be able to reliably supply power to the printer 100; for example, it may be located outside the printer 100 and connected to it.

[0039] Next, the configuration of the ink ribbon 114 will be explained using Figure 3.

[0040] Figure 3 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the ink ribbon 114. The ink ribbon 114 has a configuration in which multiple colors of ink are regularly arranged one color at a time in the transport direction. Here, the ink ribbon 114 is for full-color printing, and dye-coated surfaces of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) are arranged side by side, and each color is superimposed on the paper 113 and printed by thermal transfer to form a full-color image. The ink ribbon 114 is further provided with a colorless, transparent overcoat (OC) surface to form a protective layer on the image-forming surface of the paper 113. Markers 114-1Y to 1OC, which are black band-shaped prints, are applied between each color's dye-coated surface and the OC surface to detect the leading position of each surface. In addition, the marker 114-1Y indicating the leading position of the yellow (Y) dye-coated surface is composed of two black band-shaped prints to distinguish it from the other markers 114-1M to 1OC.

[0041] In this embodiment, the ink ribbon 114 uses a highly heat-resistant film, such as polyethylene terephthalate film, with a thickness of approximately 2 to 10 microns as its base material. Furthermore, on the dye-coated surfaces of each color—yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C)—a sublimation ink, prepared by mixing dye with a binder, plasticizer, and adhesive, is applied to the film to a thickness of approximately 0.2 to 5 μm. On the colorless, transparent overcoat surface, a styrene derivative, styrene resin, styrene copolymer resin, binder, etc., is applied to a thickness of approximately 0.5 to 5 μm. Additionally, on the surface of the ink ribbon 114 opposite to the surface coated with sublimation ink, a lubricant is applied to reduce frictional resistance with the sliding part and stabilize the movement of the ink ribbon 114, as well as an abrasive for polishing and cleaning the surface of the thermal head 207.

[0042] Next, the printing operation of printer 100 will be explained using Figures 4 to 6.

[0043] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of printer 100, and Figure 5 is a flowchart of the printing operation process of printer 100. Figure 4(a) shows the print standby state, Figure 4(b) shows the paper feeding state, Figure 4(c) shows the print operation state, and Figure 4(d) shows the state after printing is complete and before paper ejection.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, after the user sets the cassette 300 into the printer 100, the paper 113 is loaded into the paper storage compartment 117, and when the power switch 103 is pressed, the printer 100 enters the print standby state shown in Figure 4(a). The printer 100 is equipped with a platen roller 115 and a thermal head 207. The thermal head 207 is rotatably supported on the thermal head pivot shaft 119 and is positioned to maximize the distance from the platen roller 115 so as not to interfere with the cassette 300 during insertion and removal.

[0045] Next, when image data to be printed is specified on an external device such as a digital camera or smartphone and a print command is issued, the printer 100 receives the print command information via the wireless communication unit 217. Upon receiving this information, the main control unit 204 starts the print operation process shown in Figure 5 (step S501).

[0046] When this process begins, the main control unit 204 first causes the battery level detection unit 223 to detect the remaining charge of the battery 221 (hereinafter referred to as the "first battery level check"). Subsequently, the main control unit 204 determines whether the battery level detected in the first battery level check is sufficient to print one image for all colors Y, M, C, and OC (i.e., whether it is above the first threshold) (step S502: first battery level determination). Taking into account variations in the individual capacity and differences in the condition of the battery 221, it is difficult to accurately detect the battery level in the first battery level check by simply measuring the open-circuit voltage of the battery 221. Therefore, in the first battery level check of this embodiment, the voltage drop is checked when a simulated load with conditions close to the actual load is applied, and the battery level is confirmed with high accuracy. If a battery level sufficient to print one page is detected (YES in step S502), the battery control unit 222 notifies the main control unit 204 of the detection result and starts supplying power from the battery 221 to each part of the printer 100 (step S503). At this time, even if there is external power supply via USB, the battery 221 will not be charged by the external power supply.

[0047] Upon receiving such notification from the battery control unit 222, the main control unit 204 drives the head position drive motor 215 to rotate the thermal head 207 counterclockwise around the thermal head pivot axis 119 in the figure. As shown in Figure 4(b), the thermal head 207 is moved to an intermediate position between the standby position shown in Figure 4(a) and the printing position shown in Figure 4(c) where it nips with the platen roller 115 (step S504). This controls the positions of the thermal head 207 and the platen roller 115.

[0048] Once the thermal head 207 has moved to the intermediate position, the main control unit 204 starts feeding paper 113 from the paper storage unit 117 (step S505). When the paper feeding operation starts, the pressure plate 120 is biased toward the paper feed roller 121 by a biasing means (not shown), pushing up the paper 113 loaded in the paper storage unit 117 and pressing it against the paper feed roller 121. In the standby position shown in Figure 4(a), the paper feed roller 121 is retracted to a position away from the paper 113. In the intermediate position shown in Figure 4(b), the paper feed roller 121 is pushed down by a driving force (not shown) to a position where it contacts the paper 113. At this time, the paper feed roller 121 is driven by the driving force of the paper transport motor 216 and rotates counterclockwise in the figure, transporting the pressed paper 113 toward the print recording unit, which is composed of the thermal head 207 and the platen roller 115. At this point, the paper 113 comes into contact with the separation barrier 122 provided on the printer 100. As a result, only the single sheet of paper stacked at the top of the paper storage section 117 is transported. Subsequently, the transported paper 113 is detected by the paper detection sensor 211, and once it is confirmed that there is no malfunction in the paper feeding operation, the main control unit 204 pushes the rotatably supported switching plate 123 upward and rotates it clockwise in the figure. As a result, the paper 113 moving to the left in the figure enters the space between the nip of the transport roller 124 and the transport driven roller 125. The transport roller 124 has multiple tiny protrusions formed on it that pierce the back surface of the paper 113, enabling accurate transport of the paper 113. The transport roller 124 is driven by the paper transport motor 216. The paper transport motor 216 is a stepping motor, which enables precise control of the amount of paper 113 fed. After the paper 113 is transported between the nip of the transport roller 124 and the transport-driven roller 125, the main control unit 204 moves the paper feed roller 121 to the standby position shown in Figure 4(a) using a power source not shown. This is to prevent other papers in the paper storage unit 117 from being transported by mistake by the paper feed roller 121. Subsequently, the main control unit 204 continues to transport the paper 113 using the transport roller 124 and the transport-driven roller 125.Subsequently, when the rear end of the paper 113 passes the paper detection sensor 211 and a predetermined amount has been transported, the paper detection sensor 211 detects that the paper 113 has passed the front end of the switching plate 123, and the main control unit 204 stops transporting the paper 113.

[0049] Next, the main control unit 204 controls the paper transport motor 216. This control causes the transport roller 124 and the transport driven roller 125 to transport the paper 113 in the reverse direction, stopping the paper 113 at the printing start position shown in Figure 4(c) (step S506). This controls the positions of the paper 113 and the ink ribbon 114. At this time, the rear end of the paper 113 passes over the switching plate 123 and under the paper feed roller 121, and is transported to the space between the guide wall 127 that partitions and holds the lower part of the battery 221 and the paper storage wall 128.

[0050] Once the paper feeding operation is complete and the paper 113 stops at the printing start position (when the printing preparation operation is complete), the main control unit 204 performs an ink ribbon 114 lead-out operation (step S507). The ink ribbon 114 lead-out operation will be described below. Once the paper 113 has been transported to the position shown in Figure 4(c) and transport to the printing start position is complete, the ink ribbon 114 stored in the cassette 300 is wound up. That is, the tip of the winding shaft 301 located inside the cassette 300 engages with an engaging part (not shown) provided on the printer 100, and is rotated counterclockwise in the figure by a power (not shown), causing the ink ribbon 114 wound around the supply shaft 302 to be wound onto the winding shaft 301. As shown in Figure 2, each color of the ink ribbon 114 is provided with a marker 114-1Y~1OC at the beginning, and in particular, the marker 114-1Y at the beginning of the yellow (Y) ribbon is composed of two black strip-like prints. When the marker detection sensor 213 detects a marker provided on the ink ribbon 114, the main control unit 204 stops the transport of the ink ribbon 114, thereby ending the lead-out operation. Once the lead-out operation of the ink ribbon 114 is complete, the main control unit 204 determines whether or not the detection of the marker 114-1Y, which consists of the two black stripe-shaped prints, was successful (step S508). In this embodiment, failure to successfully detect the marker 114-1Y means that only a marker consisting of one black stripe-shaped print was detected, or that the marker 114-1Y could not be detected within the specified time. In such cases (NO in step S508), the main control unit 204 controls the display unit 102 to flash an indicator showing an abnormality (error) in the cassette 300 (step S509). Furthermore, the main control unit 204 notifies the external device that transmitted the print instruction information to the printer 100 in step S501 via the wireless communication unit 217 that an abnormality has occurred in the ink ribbon 114 (step S510), and terminates this process.

[0051] On the other hand, if marker 114-1Y is successfully detected (YES in step S508) and the yellow (Y) indicator is identified, the process proceeds to step S511.

[0052] In step S511, the main control unit 204 rotates the unit holding the thermal head 207 counterclockwise around the thermal head pivot axis 119. This moves the thermal head 207 to the printing position where the ink ribbon 114 and the paper 113 are held between the platen roller 115.

[0053] Subsequently, in step S512, the main control unit 204 prints one screen of yellow (Y). Specifically, once the thermal head 207 has moved to the printing position, the main control unit 204 presses and holds the paper 113 and ink ribbon 114 with the thermal head 207 and platen roller 115, as shown in Figure 4(d), and transports them toward the paper output port 101-3. During this transport, the main control unit 204 transfers the ink heated by the thermal head 207 and applied to the ink ribbon 114 to the paper 113. During the printing operation, the ink ribbon 114 and the paper 113 are transported at the same speed. For this reason, the ink ribbon transport mechanism provided in the printer 100 incorporates a torque limiter mechanism (not shown) that slips if a load exceeding a certain torque is applied. When the ink ribbon 114 and paper 113 are heated by the thermal head 207 to produce an image, they are transported while maintaining contact for a certain distance, and then transported in a direction that separates them from each other. Specifically, the paper 113 is transported to the left in the diagram by the transport roller 124, and the ink ribbon 114 is transported toward the guide shaft 303 located inside the cassette 300 while sliding against the release plate 129 which is integrally positioned on the thermal head 207. The ink ribbon 114 is stuck to the paper 113 due to the heating for printing by the thermal head 207, but it is transported to the position of the release plate 129 and peeled away from the paper 113.

[0054] Subsequently, once the yellow image has been printed onto the paper 113 (NO in step S513), the main control unit 204 rotates the unit that holds the thermal head 207 to retract the thermal head 207 to the intermediate position shown in Figure 4(c) (step S514). Then, the main control unit 204 transports the paper 113 in the opposite direction to the printing operation and stops it at the printing start position (Figure 4(c)) (step S515), returning to step S507. Then, similar to the start of the yellow (Y) printing operation, the ink ribbon 114 is wound onto the take-up shaft 301, and once the marker 114-1M is successfully detected, the paper 113 is transported to the printing start position and the printing of one screen of magenta (M) is performed. Similarly, the printing of cyan (C) and overcoat (OC) is performed. Once all printing, including the overcoat, is complete (YES in step S513), the thermal head 207 is moved to a standby position to retract from the paper 113, as shown in Figure 4(e) (step S516). Next, the paper 113 is further transported in the direction of being ejected from the paper output slot 101-3, and paper ejection is complete when the rear end of the paper 113 passes the transport roller 124 (step S517). Once paper ejection is complete, printing is terminated and this process is finished (step S522).

[0055] With the above steps completed, the printing process is finished, in which the inks are layered and transferred in the order of yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat. Up to this point, it is the typical operation of a conventional printer.

[0056] On the other hand, if, during the first battery check in step S502, no remaining battery power sufficient to print one page is detected (below the first threshold), the USB control unit 219 determines whether there is external power supply to the USB connector 104 (step S518). If there is no external power supply, i.e., no power is supplied from the USB connector 104 to the printer 100 (NO in step S518), the main control unit 204 controls the display unit 102 to blink, indicating a print failure error (step S519). Furthermore, the main control unit 204 notifies the external device that sent the print instruction information to the printer 100 in step S501 via the wireless communication unit 217 that printing is impossible due to insufficient battery power (step S520), and terminates this process.

[0057] On the other hand, if the printer 100 is receiving external power via the USB connector 104 (YES in step S518), the process proceeds to step S600 in Figure 6, and the printing process for when the battery level is low while receiving external power, according to the first embodiment, is started (step S521).

[0058] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the printing process in step S521 of Figure 5 when the battery level is low while external power is being supplied, according to the first embodiment. In other words, this process is executed when the first battery level check did not detect enough remaining battery power to print one page (NO in step S502), but the printer 100 is receiving external power (step S518).

[0059] First, when the main process starts in step S600, the main control unit 204 moves the thermal head 207 to the intermediate position shown in Figure 4(b) (step S601), similar to step S504 in Figure 5.

[0060] Once the thermal head 207 has finished moving to the intermediate position, the main control unit 204 starts feeding paper 113 from the paper storage unit 117 (step S602), similar to step S505 in Figure 5. Similar to the paper feeding operation described above, the main control unit 204 stops transporting paper 113 when it detects that the paper 113 has passed the leading edge of the switching plate 123.

[0061] Next, the main control unit 204 transports the paper 113 in the reverse direction, similar to step S506 in Figure 5, and stops the paper 113 at the printing start position (predetermined position) shown in Figure 4(c) (step S603).

[0062] After the paper feeding operation is completed and the paper 113 is transported to the printing start position (when the printing preparation operation is completed), the main control unit 204 performs the ink ribbon 114 lead-out operation, similar to step S507 in Figure 5 (step S604). Once the ink ribbon 114 lead-out operation is completed, the main control unit 204 determines whether the detection of the marker 114-1Y, which consists of the two black strip-shaped prints, was successful, similar to step S508 in Figure 5 (step S605). If the detection of the marker 114-1Y was not successful (NO in step S605), the main control unit 204 controls the display unit 102 to blink to indicate an abnormality (error) in the cassette 300, similar to step S509 in Figure 5 (step S606). Furthermore, the main control unit 204, similar to step S510, notifies the external device that transmitted the print instruction information to the printer 100 in step S501 via the wireless communication unit 217 that an abnormality has occurred in the ink ribbon 114 (step S607), and terminates this process.

[0063] On the other hand, if marker 114-1Y is successfully detected (YES in step S605) and the yellow (Y) indicator is identified, the process proceeds to step S608 (Figure 6).

[0064] In step S608, the main control unit 204 causes the battery level detection unit 223 to detect the remaining battery level of the battery 221 (hereinafter referred to as the "second battery check"). Subsequently, the main control unit 204 determines whether the battery level detected in the second battery check is sufficient to print one image of each monochrome color (Y, M, C, OC) (i.e., whether it is above the second threshold) (step S608: second battery level determination). In the second battery check, as in the first battery check, the battery level may be confirmed by a load test using a simulated load, but a load test consumes power during the test. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery level detection unit 223 stores the battery level detected in the first battery check and the power consumption in each subsequent operation as data. In other words, in the second battery check, a calculated value is obtained by subtracting the power consumption in each operation from the remaining battery level in the first battery check, and this value is detected as the battery level. Thus, in the second battery check, the remaining battery level is detected using a calculated value, which helps to suppress power consumption from the battery 221. The second threshold here may be a default value set for each of the Y, M, C, and OC colors, or it may be a default value common to Y, M, C, and OC. For example, the power consumption required to print one screen of a solid black image is usually greater than the power consumption required to print one screen of each of the Y, M, C, and OC colors. Therefore, by setting the second threshold to four times the power consumption required to print one screen of a solid black image, a sufficient battery level can be expected regardless of the printed image. However, setting the second threshold with higher precision can shorten the waiting time in step S609, which will be described later. Therefore, the required power consumption calculated for each of the Y, M, C, and OC colors of the image to be printed may be set as the second threshold.

[0065] Here, if the battery level detected in the second battery check is equal to or greater than the second threshold (YES in step S608), the main control unit 204 controls the battery control unit 222 to start the printing process using power supplied from the battery 221, and proceeds to step S610. In this embodiment, as a result, only the platen roller 115, thermal head 207, head position drive motor 215, and paper transport motor 216 are driven by power supplied from the battery 221. Other necessary power is supplied from the USB connector 104.

[0066] In step S610, the main control unit 204 moves the thermal head 207 to the printing position, similar to step S511 in Figure 5. That is, the check in step S608 is performed with the platen roller 115 and the thermal head 207 separated.

[0067] Subsequently, in step S611, the main control unit 204 prints one screen of yellow (Y), similar to step S512 in Figure 5. Steps S612 to S617 are the same as steps S513 to S517 in Figure 5, so their explanation is omitted. In other words, in Figure 6, the second battery check is performed for each print of one screen of Y, M, C, and OC through the processing from steps S604 to S614.

[0068] On the other hand, if the battery level detected in the second battery level check is less than the second threshold (NO in step S608), the process proceeds to step S609.

[0069] In step S609, the main control unit 204 puts each mechanism of the printer 100 into standby mode, and the battery control unit 222 starts charging the battery 221, before returning to step S608. Subsequently, if the battery level detected in the second battery check in step S608 exceeds the second threshold due to this charging (YES in step S608), the process proceeds to step S610.

[0070] In this embodiment, even if the first battery check fails to detect sufficient battery power for printing one page, printing operations, including paper feeding, begin when power is supplied to the printer 100 from the USB connector 104 (when external power is available). After completing the printing preparation operations, a second battery check is performed. If sufficient battery power for printing one screen each of Y, M, C, and OC is detected (YES in step S608), printing of one screen of at least one color (Y, M, C, or OC) is performed. On the other hand, if such battery power cannot be detected (NO in step S608), minimal charging is performed, i.e., charging is performed until the battery level reaches sufficient power for printing one screen each of Y, M, C, and OC. This reduces the waiting time for battery 221 charging after a print command is issued to the printer 100 from an external device. In other words, in this embodiment, even if there is insufficient battery power for printing one page during the first battery check, printing is not prevented and the printing operation begins, thus improving user convenience.

[0071] Furthermore, the second threshold is not limited to the above value. For example, if the power required for the processing from steps S610 to S617 is set to use only power supplied from the battery 221, the second threshold will be set to a value that allows such use.

[0072] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment will now be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the printing process when the battery level is low during external power supply, as shown in step S521 of Figure 5. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same configuration and steps as in the first embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0073] Figure 7 is a flowchart of the printing process in step S521 of Figure 5 when the battery level is low while external power is being supplied, according to the second embodiment. In other words, this process is executed when the first battery level check did not detect enough remaining battery power to print one page (NO in step S502), but the printer 100 is being powered externally via the USB connector 104 (step S518).

[0074] First, when this process starts in step S700, the main control unit 204 first uses the USB control unit 219 to determine whether the power supplied externally via the USB connector 104 is equal to or greater than a specified value (step S701). Here, the specified value is the power value that allows the battery 221 to be charged and the surplus power to drive the main control unit 204, the motor driver unit 214, and various sensors, enabling preparatory operations before driving the thermal head 207 and performing printing.

[0075] If the power supplied from the external power source is less than the specified value (NO in step S701), the main control unit 204 determines that there is insufficient surplus power and proceeds to step S600 in Figure 6 (step S702). This initiates the printing process for when the battery level is low while the external power source is being supplied, according to the first embodiment.

[0076] On the other hand, if the power supplied externally is equal to or greater than the specified value above (YES in step S701), proceed to step S703.

[0077] In step S703, the main control unit 204 controls the battery control unit 222 to start charging the battery 221 using power supplied externally via the USB connector 104. Next, unlike step S504 in Figure 5, since the battery 221 is charging, the main control unit 204 uses the externally supplied power to drive the head position drive motor 215 to move the thermal head 207 to the intermediate position (step S704).

[0078] Once the thermal head 207 has finished moving, the main control unit 204 starts feeding paper 113 from the paper storage unit 117 (step S705), similar to step S505 in Figure 5. Similar to the paper feeding operation described above, the main control unit 204 stops transporting paper 113 when it detects that the paper 113 has passed the leading edge of the switching plate 123. However, unlike step S505, this paper feeding operation uses externally supplied power instead of power supplied from the battery 221.

[0079] Next, the main control unit 204 transports the paper 113 in the reverse direction, similar to step S506 in Figure 5, and stops the paper 113 at the printing start position shown in Figure 4(c) (step S706).

[0080] Once the paper feeding operation is complete and the paper 113 stops at the printing start position, the main control unit 204 performs the lead-out operation of the ink ribbon 114, similar to step S507 in Figure 5 (step S707). Once the lead-out operation of the ink ribbon 114 is complete, the main control unit 204 determines whether or not the detection of the marker 114-1Y, which consists of the two black stripe-shaped prints, was successful, similar to step S508 in Figure 5 (step S708). If the detection of the marker 114-1Y was not successful (NO in step S708), the main control unit 204 controls the display unit 102 to blink to indicate an abnormality (error) in the cassette 300, similar to step S509 in Figure 5 (step S709). Furthermore, the main control unit 204, similar to step S510, notifies the external device that transmitted the print instruction information to the printer 100 in step S501 via the wireless communication unit 217 that an abnormality has occurred in the ink ribbon 114 (step S710), and terminates this process.

[0081] On the other hand, once marker 114-1Y is successfully detected (YES in step S708) and the yellow (Y) indicator is revealed, unlike in the first embodiment, charging of battery 221 is stopped before performing the second battery check (step S711). Subsequently, the main control unit 204 performs the second battery check, similar to step S608 in Figure 6 of the first embodiment, and determines whether the detected battery level is above the second threshold (step S712). However, in this embodiment, the battery level detection unit 223 stores not only the battery level from the first battery check and the power consumption in each subsequent operation, but also the charging time performed in steps S703 to S711 as data. In other words, in the second battery check, the power charged during the above charging time is added to the battery level from the first battery check, and the power consumption in each operation is subtracted from that to obtain a calculated value which is detected as the battery level. In this way, since the battery level is detected using a calculated value even in the second battery check in this embodiment, power consumption from battery 221 can be suppressed as much as possible.

[0082] If the battery level detected in the second battery check is equal to or greater than the second threshold (YES in step S712), the process proceeds to step S714.

[0083] In step S714, the main control unit 204 controls the battery control unit 222 to start the printing operation using power supplied from the battery 221, and then proceeds to step S715.

[0084] In step S715, the main control unit 204 moves the thermal head 207 to the printing position, similar to step S511 in Figure 5.

[0085] Thus, in this embodiment, a second battery check is performed after leading out the ink ribbon 114 and before moving the thermal head to the print start position. If the second battery check is performed after moving the thermal head 207 to the print position, and the battery level is low, charging will be initiated, causing the ink ribbon 114 and paper 113 to remain in contact for a while. In such a case, if the thermal head 207 is still hot, there is a possibility that unintended dye transfer may occur.

[0086] Returning to Figure 7, in step S716, the main control unit 204 prints one yellow (Y) image, similar to step S512 in Figure 5. Here, in order to ensure print quality during the printing process, the thermal head 207, which is the printing means, is always driven by power supplied from the battery 221. At this time, in order to minimize power consumption, the power used for various sensors and system control may be supplied from an external power source. In addition, the paper transport motor 216, the head position drive motor 215, and the motor driver unit 214 may also be driven by power supplied from an external power source. After that, once the printing of the yellow image onto the printing area of ​​the paper 113 is complete (NO in step S717), the process proceeds to step S718.

[0087] On the other hand, if the battery level detected in the second battery check is less than the second threshold (NO in step S712), the main control unit 204 puts each mechanism of the printer 100 into standby mode and the battery control unit 222 starts charging the battery 221 (step S713). After that, the process returns to step S713 and continues charging the battery 221 until the battery level detected in the second battery check becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold (NO in step S712).

[0088] In step S718, the main control unit 204 controls the battery control unit 222 to restart charging of the battery 221 using power supplied externally via the USB connector 104. Next, unlike step S514 in Figure 5, since the battery 221 is charging, the externally supplied power is used to drive the head position drive motor 215 to move the thermal head 207 to the intermediate position (step S719).

[0089] Once the thermal head 207 has finished moving, the main control unit 204 transports the paper 113 in the opposite direction to the printing operation and stops it at the printing start position (step S720), returning to step S707. The power required at this time is also power received from an external source, not power supplied from the battery 221. Subsequently, printing of magenta (M), cyan (C), and overcoat (OC) is performed in the same way as the yellow (Y) printing operation. Once printing up to the overcoat is completed (YES in step S717), the main control unit 204 starts charging the battery 221 using the externally supplied power, as in step S718 (step S721). Next, using the externally supplied power, the head position drive motor 215 is driven to move the thermal head 207 to the standby position so that it is retracted from the paper 113 (step S722). Next, the paper 113 is further transported using externally supplied power in the direction of ejection from the paper output slot 101-3, and ejected so that the rear end of the paper 113 passes through the transport roller 124 (step S723). Once paper ejection is complete, printing and charging of the battery 221 using externally supplied power are terminated, and this process ends (step S724).

[0090] In this embodiment, as shown in steps S703, S718, and S721 of the flowchart in Figure 7, charging of the battery 221 using externally supplied power is started while printing is being performed by the printer 100 but when printing is not actually taking place. While the battery 221 is charging in this manner, the movement of the thermal head 207 and the transport of the paper 113 are performed using external power. This reduces the power consumption of the battery 221 during printing and increases the battery level through this charging. Furthermore, as a result, the battery level detected in the second battery check in step S712 is more likely to be sufficient to print one screen each of Y, M, C, and OC, and even if it is not, the time required for charging in step S713 can be reduced. In addition, during printing in Figure 7, the thermal head 207 and platen roller 115, which perform operations that would affect print quality if externally supplied power were used, are switched to using power supplied from the reliable battery 221. On the other hand, other necessary power continues to be supplied from the external power. This allows for reduced power consumption of the battery 221 while ensuring the reliability of print quality. Furthermore, during the printing process shown in Figure 7, if the power supplied to the main control unit 204 is also utilized from the battery 221, the reliability of the image quality can be further ensured.

[0091] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist. For example, it can also be used in a device incorporating a printer 100.

[0092] (Other embodiments) In this embodiment, the system can also be implemented by supplying a program that implements one or more functions to a computer of a system or device via a network or storage medium, and the system control unit of that system or device reads and executes the program. The system control unit has one or more processors or circuits and may include a plurality of separate system control units or a network of a plurality of separate processors or circuits in order to read and execute executable instructions.

[0093] A processor or circuit may include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Alternatively, a processor or circuit may include a digital signal processor (DSP), a dataflow processor (DFP), or a neural processing unit (NPU).

[0094] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its essence. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 100 Printers 101-1 Main unit top case 101-2 Main unit bottom case 101-3 Paper output slot 101-4 Cassette Cover 101-5 Tray Cover 101-6 Cassette Lever 102 Display section 103 Power switch 104 USB connectors 110 Chassis 113 sheets 114 Ink Ribbon 114-1Y~1OC Marker 115 Platen Roller 117 Paper storage section 118 Coil spring 119 Thermal head pivot shaft 120 Pressure Plate 121 Paper feed roller 122 Separation embankment section 123 Switching plate 124 Conveyor Rollers 125 Conveyor-driven rollers 127 Guide Wall 128 Paper storage section wall 129 Release plate 201 CPU 202 Flash ROM 203 SDRAM 204 Main Control Unit 205 Image Processing Unit 206 Thermal Head Control Unit 207 Thermal Head 208 Head Temperature Sensor 209 Ambient temperature sensor 210 Head position sensor 211 Paper detection sensor 212 Ink Ribbon Detection Sensor 213 Marker detection sensor 214 Motor driver unit 215 Head position drive motor 216 Paper transport motor 217 Wireless Communication Section 218 Operation section 219 USB Control Unit 220 Display Control Unit 221 Battery 222 BT Control Unit 223 Battery level detection unit 300 Ink Ribbon Cassettes 301 Winding shaft 302 Supply shaft 303 Guide axis

Claims

1. A printing apparatus that prints by thermal transfer by layering multiple colors of ink coated on an ink ribbon onto a recording medium, An interface that supplies power from an external source to the printing device, Battery and A transport means for transporting the recording medium to the printing start position using power supplied from the battery or the I / F, Equipped with control means, The control means is Before the transport of the recording medium by the transport means is started, a first battery level determination is performed to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than a first threshold. If, as a result of the first battery level determination, the battery level is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the recording medium is transported by the transport means using the power of the battery. A printing apparatus characterized in that, as a result of the first battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is less than the first threshold and there is power supply from the I / F, the battery is charged using the power from the I / F, the recording medium is transported by the transport means, the recording medium is transported to a predetermined position, a second battery level determination is performed to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold, and as a result of the second battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the printing apparatus is controlled to start a printing process to transfer the multiple color inks onto the recording medium.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first threshold is the amount of ink remaining that is sufficient to print one sheet, completing printing for all of the multiple inks.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined position is the printing start position.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the printing apparatus to perform the printing process without performing the second battery level determination, after the storage medium has been transported by the transport means using the power of the battery if, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, as a result of the first battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control means does not charge the battery with power supplied from the I / F, even if power is supplied from the I / F, and instead uses the battery's power to transport the recording medium by the transport means.

6. The control means is If, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the recording medium is transported by the transport means using the power of the battery, and the ink ribbon is transported using the power of the battery to bring the ink ribbon to the front. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the first battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is less than the first threshold and power is supplied from the I / F, the battery is charged using the power from the I / F, the recording medium is transported by the transport means using the battery power, the ink ribbon is transported using the battery power to lead out the ink ribbon, the recording medium is transported to the predetermined position, and after the lead out of the ink ribbon is completed, the second battery level determination is performed, and in accordance with the determination that the result of the second battery level determination is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the printing process is started.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second battery level determination is performed for each single-color print of the plurality of colors.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second threshold is a threshold set for each of the multiple colors.

9. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second threshold is the amount of power required for each of the multiple colors of the image to be printed.

10. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the remaining battery level at the time of the second battery level determination is calculated from the remaining battery level at the time of the first battery level determination and the power consumption during each subsequent operation.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the second battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is less than the second threshold, charging is performed using power supplied from the I / F until the remaining battery level reaches the second threshold.

12. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing process is performed by a printing means comprising a thermal head and a platen roller, and the second battery level determination is performed when the thermal head and the platen roller are separated.

13. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that when printing one screen of at least one color, the printing means is driven by power supplied from the battery, and other necessary power is supplied from the I / F.

14. The printing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that when the printing process performs printing of at least one color for one screen, the control means is also driven by power supplied from the battery.

15. The printing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that, in the first battery level determination, if the remaining battery level is less than the first threshold and printing is performed when power is supplied from the I / F, the battery is charged by power supplied from the I / F at a time when printing is not being performed.

16. The printing apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the remaining battery level at the time of the second battery level determination is calculated from the remaining battery level at the time of the first battery level determination, the power consumption during each subsequent operation, and the charging time during which power was supplied from the I / F when printing was not being performed.

17. The system further comprises a first driving means for controlling the position of the recording medium and the ink ribbon, and a second driving means for controlling the position of the printing means. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that when the printing process performs printing of at least one color for one screen, only the printing means and the first and second drive means are powered by power supplied from the battery, and other necessary power is supplied from the I / F.

18. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, when performing the printing of at least one color for one screen, the setting is to use only the power supplied from the battery, the second threshold is set to a value that allows such use.

19. A control method for a printing apparatus that performs printing by thermal transfer by layering multiple colors of ink applied to an ink ribbon onto a recording medium, The aforementioned printing apparatus, An interface that supplies power from an external source to the printing device, Battery and A transport means for transporting the recording medium to the printing start position using power supplied from the battery or the I / F, Equipped with, A first determination step is performed to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than a first threshold, before the transport of the recording medium by the transport means begins, If, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the transport means transports the recording medium using the power of the battery; If, as a result of the first battery level determination, the remaining battery level is less than the first threshold and there is power supply from the I / F, the second determination step involves performing a second battery level determination to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold, after the recording medium has been transported to a predetermined position, and the second determination step involves performing a second battery level determination to determine whether the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold. A control method characterized by comprising a control step of controlling the system to start a printing process that transfers the multiple color inks to the recording medium if, as a result of the second battery level determination, the remaining battery level is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

20. A computer-readable program for causing a computer to perform each step of the control method for a printing apparatus described in Claim 19.

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