Printer, printing system including the same, and computer-readable medium therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549546-B2
Application number	US-201815938578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A printer includes a controller configured to perform a first printing process to control a thermal head to print a first image with a first density, store first print data for identifying the first image and first density data for identifying the first density into a first memory device attached to an attachment holder, when a second memory device storing second print data and second density data is attached to the attachment holder, acquire from the second memory device the second print data and the second density data stored into the second memory device by another printer, and perform a second printing process to control the thermal head to print a second image with a second density, the second image being identified based on the acquired second print data, the second density being identified based on the acquired second density data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a thermal head configured to, when heated, print a particular image on a print medium with a particular density;
an attachment holder configured to hold a memory device detachably attached thereto, the memory device storing print data for identifying the particular image and density data for identifying the particular density; and
a controller configured to:
perform a first printing process to control the thermal head to print a first image on the print medium with a first density;
after the first printing process, store first print data for identifying the first image and first density data for identifying the first density into a first memory device attached to the attachment holder;
when a second memory device storing second print data and second density data is attached to the attachment holder, acquire the second print data and the second density data from the second memory device, the second print data and the second density data having been stored into the second memory device by another printer; and
perform a second printing process to control the thermal head to print a second image on the print medium with a second density, the second image being identified based on the acquired second print data, the second density being identified based on the acquired second density data.

2. The printer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
specify a first heating condition for the thermal head to print the first image with the first density, based on a parameter representing at least one of a usage state and a type of the printer;
heat the thermal head under the specified first heating condition, thereby performing the first printing process;
specify a second heating condition for the thermal head to print the second image with the second density, based on the acquired second density data and the parameter;
heat the thermal head under the specified second heating condition, thereby performing the second printing process.

3. The printer according to claim 2 ,
wherein the parameter represents the usage state of the printer for each of a plurality of sections of the thermal head.

4. The printer according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
heat an ink ribbon by the thermal head heated under the first heating condition, thereby performing the first printing process; and
heat the ink ribbon by the thermal head heated under the second heating condition, thereby performing the second printing process, and

wherein the parameter represents the usage state of the printer associated with a specific width of the ink ribbon.

5. The printer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to receipt of an instruction to store the first print data and the first density data, store the first print data and the first density data into the first memory device attached to the attachment holder.

6. The printer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the memory device is included in a cassette housing an ink ribbon,
wherein the attachment holder is further configured to hold the cassette detachably attached thereto, and
wherein the controller is further configured to control the thermal head to heat the ink ribbon housed in the cassette attached to the attachment holder, thereby performing the first printing process and the second printing process.

7. The printer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the memory device is included in a cassette housing the print medium,
wherein the attachment holder is further configured to hold the cassette detachably attached thereto, and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
perform the first printing process to control the thermal head to print the first image on the print medium housed in the cassette attached to the attachment holder, with the first density; and
perform the second printing process to control the thermal head to print the second image on the print medium housed in the cassette attached to the attachment holder, with the second density.

8. The printer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller comprises:
a processor; and
a memory storing processor-executable instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
perform the first printing process;
after the first printing process, store the first print data and the first density data into the first memory device attached to the attachment holder;
when the second memory device storing the second print data and the second density data is attached to the attachment holder, acquire the second print data and the second density data from the second memory device; and
perform the second printing process.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that are executable by a processor coupled with a printer, the printer comprising:
a thermal head configured to, when heated, print a particular image on a print medium with a particular density; and
an attachment holder configured to hold a memory device detachably attached thereto, the memory device storing print data for identifying the particular image and density data for identifying the particular density, the instructions being configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
perform a first printing process to control the thermal head to print a first image on the print medium with a first density;
after the first printing process, store first print data for identifying the first image and first density data for identifying the first density into a first memory device attached to the attachment holder;
when a second memory device storing second print data and second density data is attached to the attachment holder, acquire the second print data and the second density data from the second memory device, the second print data and the second density data having been stored into the second memory device by another printer; and
perform a second printing process to control the thermal head to print a second image on the print medium with a second density, the second image being identified based on the acquired second print data, the second density being identified based on the acquired second density data.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Yukinori

Classifications

• B41J32/02

  for endless ribbons · CPC title

• B41J2/325

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title

• B41J15/044

  Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices · CPC title

• B41J2/3555

  Historical control · CPC title

• B41J2/362 Primary

  Correcting density variation · CPC title