Direct thermal media and registration sensor system and method for use in a color thermal printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035365-B2
Application number	US-201615170489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2009
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

An example disclosed media processing device includes an image processing unit; a first optical registration sensor; and a second optical registration sensor spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a first axis by a first distance associated with a gap between media units on a web.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A media processing device comprising:
an image processing unit;
a first optical registration sensor; and
a second optical registration sensor spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a first axis by a first distance associated with a gap between media units on a web, wherein the image processing unit is configured to:
switch control between a first registration system including the first optical registration sensor and a second registration system including the second optical registration sensor; and
provide control to the second registration system when less than a threshold number of registration units are within a field of view of the first optical registration sensor.

2. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit is configured to provide control to the first registration system when the threshold number of registration units are within the field of view of the first optical registration sensor.

3. A media processing device as defined in claim 2 , wherein the registration units are fluorescent stripes.

4. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the distance is greater than the gap.

5. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second optical registration sensor is spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

6. A media processing device as defined in claim 5 , further comprising a processor configured to determine a media skew based on first data from the first optical registration sensor and second data from the second optical registration sensor.

7. A media processing device as defined in claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to generate a printhead firing delay based on the media skew.

8. A media processing device as defined in claim 6 , further comprising an actuator to rotate a print line based on the media skew.

9. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second optical registration sensors are configured to detect a stripe carrying a fluorophore.

10. A method, comprising:
sensing, via a first optical sensor, a number of registration marks within a first field of view of the first optical sensor;
providing, via a processor, control to a first registration system including the first optical sensor when the number of registration marks within the first field of view meets a threshold number; and
providing, via the processor, control to a second registration system including a second optical sensor when the number of registration marks within the first field of view does not meet the threshold number, wherein the second optical sensor is spaced apart from the first optical sensor by a distance associated with a gap between media units on a web.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the distance is greater than the gap.

12. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the second optical sensor is spaced apart from the first optical sensor along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 , further comprising determining a media skew based on first data from the first optical sensor and second data from the second optical sensor.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising generating a printhead firing delay based on the media skew.

15. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein sensing the number of registration marks comprises detecting a stripe carrying a fluorophore.

16. A media processing device comprising:
an image processing unit;
a first optical registration sensor; and
a second optical registration sensor spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a first axis by a first distance associated with a gap between media units on a web, wherein the image processing unit is configured to switch control between a first registration system including the first optical registration sensor and a second registration system including the second optical registration sensor based on a number of registration units within a field of view of the first optical registration sensor, wherein the registration units are fluorescent stripes.

17. A media processing device comprising:
an image processing unit;
a first optical registration sensor; and
a second optical registration sensor spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a first axis by a first distance associated with a gap between media units on a web, wherein the first and second optical registration sensors are configured to detect a stripe carrying a fluorophore.

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Hohberger Clive
• Womack David
• Alleshouse Bruce N
• Clark James
• Strobel Wolfgang

Classifications

• G09F3/0297

  including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code (digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00) · CPC title

• G09F3/0294

  where the change is not permanent, e.g. labels only readable under a special light, temperature indicating labels and the like · CPC title

• B41M5/34 Primary

  Multicolour thermography · CPC title

• B41M5/48 Primary

  combined with other image registration layers or compositions; Special originals for reproduction by thermography · CPC title

• G09F2003/0202

  printed before use · CPC title