A printing apparatus includes a fixing unit configured to fix an image onto a printing medium by heating the printing medium on which the image is printed, a measuring unit configured to measure a length of the printing medium after heating of the printing medium in the fixing unit, a deriving unit configured to derive a characteristic of a deformation amount of the printing medium with respect to temperature based on the measured length, a receiving unit configured to receive a specification of a deformation amount threshold, and a determining unit configured to determine a fixation temperature in fixation of the image onto the printing medium by the fixing unit, based on the derived characteristic and the received deformation amount threshold.

A printing apparatus, having a container to store a printing medium therein, an acquisition device to acquire image data, a printing device to print an image on the printing medium, a cutter assembly to cut the printing medium, and a controller, is provided. In a case where a size of the image contained in the image data acquired by the acquisition device is smaller than a size of the printing medium stored in the container, the controller generates rotated image data containing a rotated image, which is an image rotated from an original posture of the image in the image data acquired by the acquisition device, controls the printing device based on the generated rotated image data to print the rotated image on the printing medium, and controls the cutter assembly to cut the printing medium having the rotated image printed by the printing device thereon.

A printing device includes an input tray in which sheets of media are loadable and a media guide movably adjustable along a dimension of the input tray and positionable against the sheets. The printing device includes a drive conductor electrically exposed parallel to the dimension of the input tray, detect conductors differently electrically exposed parallel to the dimension of the input tray, and a cross-conductor disposed on the media guide. The cross-conductor selectively electrically connects the drive conductor with the detect conductors according to a current media guide position to permit detection of the current media guide position.

The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.

The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.

The present invention embraces a method and apparatus for providing feedback to a user on the status of media or ribbon of a printer. The feedback may be provided by incorporating a feedback mechanism in a hanger of a printer. The printer may be a thermal printer, but may be another type of printer. The feedback mechanism of the printer may be designed to work with one or more sensors to provide a feedback loop so that without an input from a user, the printer is able to detect the presence/absence of media or ribbon, as well as determine the width of the loaded media or ribbon. In another embodiment, the feedback mechanism is able to determine the weight of the roll of media or ribbon and hence determine the quantity of media or ribbon available on the hanger.

A paper management system setting a paper information piece of paper stored in a sheet feeding unit in an image forming apparatus from a list of paper information pieces registers the paper information pieces with a favorite group, displays a list of the paper information pieces for each favorite group, and enables the list of the paper information pieces to be associated with a paper feed unit through the screen displaying the list.

A printing apparatus includes a print head configured to perform printing on a print medium line by line based on print data, a drive motor configured to convey the print medium in accordance with printing of the print data on the print medium, a processor, and a width detecting unit configured to detect a width information of the print medium. In a case where printing is restarted after printing on the print medium by the print head is paused, the processor controls a rotation direction of the drive motor to be a reverse direction opposite to a direction before the pause of the printing and determines a rotation amount of the reverse rotation according to the width information of the print medium detected by the width detecting unit.

A paper type identification apparatus includes a passage configured to allow a sheet to be manually inserted thereinto, a reading sensor configured to read a surface of the sheet inserted into the passage and a controller configured to output a notification after reading a first surface of the sheet by the reading sensor. The notification is a notification to urge a user to read a second surface opposite to the first surface of the sheet by the reading sensor, and determine a type of the sheet based on a reading result of the first surface by the reading sensor and a reading result of the second surface by the reading sensor.

When discharging a sheet onto a discharge tray, a control unit sets position of the discharge tray in an up and down direction to a predetermined discharge position. When loading the sheet onto a processing tray, the control unit sets the position of the discharge tray in the up and down direction to a loading position lower than the discharge position.