Image output device with an injector

• US 20060119634A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vista Peak Ventures LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Otose, Tomohiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,665,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04581 controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/102 using ink jet print heads

Abstract

The invention provides a semiconductor device of low power consumption and low cost. A semiconductor device 50 is basically constituted of a semiconductor substrate 1 and an external signal processing substrate 8. The semiconductor substrate 1 is provided with a memory unit 3, a data driver 4, an element array 2, a scanning circuit 35 and a clock generator 36. When successively outputting an identical data signal to the element array 2 over a plurality of times, the data signal retained in the memory unit 3 is utilized.

Claims

1. An image output device provided with an injector for firing a droplet for printing, comprising:

a memory unit for temporarily storing a data signal to be provided to said injector;

a driving unit for reading out said data signal stored in said memory unit, generating a control signal for controlling said injector and driving said injector based on said control signal; and

a data-update control unit for causing a data signal providing unit to suspend outputting said data signal to said memory unit when successively providing an identical control signal to said injector over a plurality of times, so that said memory unit does not update said data signal stored therein.

4. The image output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit may constitute a combined unit.

7. The image output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit constitute a combined unit.

10. The image output device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal to said memory unit from a host device that provides said data signal to the image output device;

a second signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal from said memory unit to said driving unit;

wherein

said second signal transferring unit is shorter than said first transferring unit.

13. The image output device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a level converter for converting an amplitude of said data signal input into the image output device to a desired amplitude.

16. The image output device as set forth in claim 1, to which said data signal is to be input in a form of a serial signal, further comprising:

an S/P converter for converting said input serial data signal into a parallel signal.

19. The image output device as set forth in claim 16, provided with a transference route of an O-phase parallel signal, further comprising:

a phase expanding unit for converting an O-phase parallel signal to a P-phase parallel signal.

23. The image output device as set forth in claim 19, wherein at least one of said driving unit, said first signal transferring unit, said memory unit and said second signal transferring unit is constituted of a thin film transistor.

26. The image output device as set forth in claim 23, wherein a semiconductor layer of said thin film transistor is constituted of polycrystalline silicon.

2. An image output device provided with an injector for firing a droplet for printing, comprising:

a memory unit for temporarily storing a data signal for selecting a driving waveform to be provided to said injector;

a driving unit for reading out said data signal stored in said memory unit, selecting said driving waveform input from outside based on said data signal and driving said injector based on said selected driving waveform; and

a data-update control unit for causing a data signal providing unit to suspend outputting said data signal to said memory unit when successively providing an identical control signal to said injector over a plurality of times, so that said memory unit does not update said data signal stored therein.

5. The image output device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit may constitute a combined unit.

8. The image output device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit constitute a combined unit.

11. The image output device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a first signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal to said memory unit from a host device that provides said data signal to the image output device;

a second signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal from said memory unit to said driving unit;

wherein

said second signal transferring unit is shorter than said first transferring unit.

14. The image output device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a level converter for converting an amplitude of said data signal input into the image output device to a desired amplitude.

17. The image output device as set forth in claim 2, to which said data signal is to be input in a form of a serial signal, further comprising:

an S/P converter for converting said input serial data signal into a parallel signal.

20. The image output device as set forth in claim 17, provided with a transference route of an O-phase parallel signal, further comprising:

a phase expanding unit for converting an O-phase parallel signal to a P-phase parallel signal.

24. The image output device as set forth in claim 20, wherein at least one of said driving unit, said first signal transferring unit, said memory unit and said second signal transferring unit is constituted of a thin film transistor.

25. The image output device as set forth in claim 20, wherein a semiconductor layer of said thin film transistor is constituted of polycrystalline silicon.

27. The image output device as set forth in claim 24, wherein a semiconductor layer of said thin film transistor is constituted of polycrystalline silicon.

3. An image output device provided with an injector for firing a droplet for printing, comprising:

a memory unit for temporarily storing a data signal for selecting a driving waveform to be provided to said injector;

a first driving unit for reading out said data signal stored in said memory unit, and outputting to said injector a signal for selecting based on said data signal said driving waveform input from outside

a second driving unit for providing said selected driving waveform to said injector; and

a data-update control unit for causing a data signal providing unit to suspend outputting said data signal to said memory unit when successively providing an identical control signal to said injector over a plurality of times, so that said memory unit does not update said data signal stored therein.

6. The image output device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit may constitute a combined unit.

9. The image output device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said driving unit and said memory unit constitute a combined unit.

12. The image output device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a first signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal to said memory unit from a host device that provides said data signal to the image output device;

a second signal transferring unit for transferring said data signal from said memory unit to said driving unit;

wherein

said second signal transferring unit is shorter than said first transferring unit.

15. The image output device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a level converter for converting an amplitude of said data signal input into the image output device to a desired amplitude.

18. The image output device as set forth in claim 3, to which said data signal is to be input in a form of a serial signal, further comprising:

an S/P converter for converting said input serial data signal into a parallel signal.

21. The image output device as set forth in claim 18, provided with a transference route of an O-phase parallel signal, further comprising:

a phase expanding unit for converting an O-phase parallel signal to a P-phase parallel signal.

22. The image output device as set forth in claim 18, wherein at least one of said driving unit, said first signal transferring unit, said memory unit and said second signal transferring unit is constituted of a thin film transistor.