High speed adaptive thermal printhead interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561646-B2
Application number	US-201514670969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for providing a high speed adaptive thermal printhead interface. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program instructions, the computer program instructions being configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine identifier information for a connected printhead; retrieve printhead interface configuration data for a configurable printhead interface based at least in part on the identifier information; configure printhead interface circuitry in accordance with the printhead interface configuration data; and enable communication with the printhead through the configurable printhead interface.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program instructions, the computer program instructions being configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
determine identifier information for a connected printhead;
retrieve printhead interface configuration data for a configurable printhead interface based at least in part on the identifier information;
configure printhead interface circuitry for differential electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a first type of printhead;
configure the printhead interface circuitry for single-ended electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a second type of printhead; and
enable communication with the printhead through the configurable printhead interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connected printhead comprises a thermal printhead.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the identifier information for the connected printhead at least in part by querying the connected printhead for the identifier information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the identifier information is stored in a memory of the connected printhead.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the identifier information is queried from the connected printhead using a dedicated signal bus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine whether the connected printhead is a valid printhead based in part on the identifier information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to retrieve printhead configuration data from the connected printhead.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein configuring the printhead interface circuitry comprises one or more of:
selecting one or more of pre-defined input/output and configurable input/output;
selecting the active signal lines for the printhead interface;
defining inputs and outputs for the printhead interface;
selecting input/output voltage for each signal line;
selecting driver/receiver type;
selecting synchronization domain or type;
selecting switching thresholds;
selecting differential paring;
selecting pre-emphasis;
selecting data rates; and
selecting on chip termination.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the configurable printhead interface is configured to provide for serialization and deserialization of multiple data streams.

10. A system comprising:
a printhead comprising:
printhead circuitry; and
at least one printhead memory;

a configurable printhead interface comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one memory including computer program instructions; and
configurable printhead interface circuitry;

the computer program instructions being configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the configurable printhead interface at least to:
query the printhead for identifier information stored in the at least one printhead memory;
retrieve printhead interface configuration data based at least in part on the identifier information;
configure the configurable printhead interface circuitry for differential electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a first type of printhead;
configure the configurable printhead interface circuitry for single-ended electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a second type of printhead; and
enable communication with the printhead using the configured configurable printhead interface circuitry.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the printhead comprises a thermal printhead.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the configurable printhead interface at least to retrieve printhead configuration data from the at least one printhead memory of the printhead.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to, when executed by at least one processor, cause the configurable printhead interface to determine whether the printhead is a valid printhead based in part on the identifier information.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein configuring the printhead interface circuitry comprises one or more of:
selecting one or more of pre-defined input/output and configurable input/output;
selecting the active signal lines for the printhead interface;
defining inputs and outputs for the printhead interface;
selecting input/output voltage for each signal line;
selecting driver/receiver type;
selecting synchronization domain or type;
selecting switching thresholds;
selecting differential paring;
selecting pre-emphasis;
selecting data rates; and
selecting on chip termination.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identifier information is queried from the printhead and transmitted to the configurable printhead interface using a dedicated signal bus.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the configurable printhead interface is configured to provide for serialization and deserialization of multiple data streams.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the printhead further comprises printhead safety circuitry, the printhead safety circuitry configured to, in association with the printhead circuitry, detect a defined safety condition, and cause the printhead to be de-energized as a result of the detected safety condition.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the printhead safety circuitry is further configured to transmit a signal to provide notification of the detected safety condition.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein one or more of the printhead circuitry, the printhead safety circuitry, or the configurable printhead interface circuitry is configured to perform error correction on received signals enabling recovery from signal errors.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein one or more of the printhead circuitry, the printhead safety circuitry, or the configurable printhead interface circuitry further comprises redundant circuitry to provide fault tolerance.

21. A method comprising:
determining, by a processor, identifier information for a connected printhead;
retrieving printhead interface configuration data for a configurable printhead interface based at least in part on the identifier information;
configuring, by the processor, printhead interface circuitry for differential electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a first type of printhead;
configuring, by the processor, the printhead interface circuitry for single-ended electrical signaling when the printhead interface configuration data corresponds to a second type of printhead; and
enabling communication with the connected printhead through the configurable printhead interface.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the printhead comprises a thermal printhead.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein determining identifier information for the connected printhead comprises querying t

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Dipert Dwight D
• Charles Ashok K
• Donato Daniel
• Ehrhardt Robert
• Schmitt David

Classifications

• B41J2/14072

  Electrical connections, e.g. details on electrodes, connecting the chip to the outside... · CPC title

• B41J2/355

  Control circuits for heating-element selection · CPC title

• B41J2/04551

  using several operating modes · CPC title

• B41J2/32

  using thermal heads · CPC title

• B41J2/04541 Primary

  Specific driving circuit · CPC title