Methods and apparatus for supplying power to a printer

• US 10,241,733 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Poole, David L., Fox, Douglas A., Ehrhardt, Robert A., Brown, Eugene K., DeMay, Rod, Ham, John, Lynch, Gary F., Thielen, Donald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abad, Farley
• Application Number:
  US15/655,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20170315761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1215 achieving increased printing speed, i.e. reducing the time between printing start and printing end
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1221 with regard to power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/4055 Managing power consumption, e.g. standby mode computer driven power saving management for a printer G06F3/1221; power saving in a data processing device in general G06F1/32

Abstract

An example disclosed method includes providing power transmissions from a power storage unit to a power converter of a printing device, the power converter to supply an available amount of power to a print mechanism, the print mechanism having separately controllable print elements; determining a required amount of power for an upcoming print operation that involves energizing the print elements, the print elements including a first group of the print elements and a second group of the print elements; when the required amount of power is less than or equal to the available amount of power, performing the print operation by simultaneously energizing the print elements; and when the required amount of power is greater than the available amount of power, performing the print operation by alternately energizing the first group of the print elements at first times and the second group of the print elements at second times.

Claims

1. A printing device capable of obtaining power from a power storage unit, the printing device comprising:

print elements configured to generate indicia on media, the print elements including a first group of the print elements and a second group of the print elements separately controllable from the first group of the print elements;

a power converter configured to be coupled with a power storage unit, the power converter to supply an available amount of power from the power storage unit to the print elements;

a controller configured to determine a required amount of power for an upcoming print operation that involves energizing the print elements; and

a printer control and image generating circuit in communication with the power converter, the printer control and image generating circuit configured to;

when the required amount of power is less than or equal to the available amount of power, performing the print operation by simultaneously energizing the first and second groups of the print elements; and

when the required amount of power is greater than the available amount of power, performing the print operation by alternately energizing the first group of the print elements at first times and energizing the second group of the print elements at second times.

2. A printing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the print elements are dots of a thermal printhead.

3. A printing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the required amount of power based on print density information associated with the print operation.

4. A printing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the required amount of power based on print speed information associated with the print operation.

5. A print device as defined in claim 1, wherein power supplied to the print elements is limited to power being supplied by the power storage unit.

6. A print device as defined in claim 1, wherein the power converter is to transform power storage potential to required voltages for a print mechanism including the print elements.

7. A method for providing power to a printing device, the method comprising:

providing power transmissions from a power storage unit to a power converter of the printing device, the power converter to supply an available amount of power to a print mechanism, the print mechanism having separately controllable print elements;

determining, using a logic circuit, a required amount of power for an upcoming print operation that involves energizing the print elements, the print elements including a first group of the print elements and a second group of the print elements;

when the required amount of power is less than or equal to the available amount of power, performing the print operation by simultaneously energizing the print elements; and

when the required amount of power is greater than the available amount of power, performing the print operation by alternately energizing the first group of the print elements at first times and the second group of the print elements at second times different than the first times.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the print elements are dots of a thermal printhead.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the determining of the required amount of power is based on print density information associated with the print operation.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the determining of the required amount of power is based on print speed information associated with the print operation.

11. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein power supplied to the print elements is limited to power being supplied by the power storage unit.

12. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising transforming power storage potential to required voltages for the print mechanism.

13. A controller in communication with a print mechanism having print elements, the controller comprising:

memory including machine-readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to cause a printing device to;

determine a required amount of power for an upcoming print operation that involves energizing the print elements, the print elements including a first group of the print elements and a second group of the print elements;

determine an available amount of power from a power storage unit;

when the required amount of power is less than or equal to the available amount of power, cause the print mechanism to perform the print operation by simultaneously energizing the print elements; and

when the required amount of power is greater than the available amount of power, cause the print mechanism to perform the print operation by alternately energizing the first group of the print elements at first times and the second group of the print elements at second times different than the first times.

14. A controller as defined in claim 13, wherein the print elements are dots of a thermal printhead.

15. A controller as defined in claim 13, wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to cause the printing device to determine the required amount of power based on print density information associated with the print operation.

16. A controller as defined in claim 13, wherein the processor is to execute the instructions to cause the printing device to determine the required amount of power based on print speed information associated with the print operation.

17. A controller as defined in claim 13, wherein power supplied to the print elements is limited to power being supplied by the power storage unit.