An asymmetric thermal print head includes a print head body and a plurality of print elements supported on the print head body. The print elements are aligned along a first axis. Each print element includes a heater portion having a burn width measured along the first axis corresponding to a first print resolution, and a burn length measured along a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, corresponding to a second print resolution. The second print resolution is higher than the first print resolution. One or more control circuits are configured to individually activate the print elements.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a first heating unit, a second heating unit, and a print controller. The first heating unit includes a first heat source that generates heat with alternating current power. The second heating unit includes a second heat source that generates heat with direct current power. The print controller is configured to control printing using either the first heating unit or the second heating unit.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a first heating unit, a second heating unit, and a print controller. The first heating unit includes a first heat source that generates heat with alternating current power. The second heating unit includes a second heat source that generates heat with direct current power. The print controller is configured to control printing using either the first heating unit or the second heating unit.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head that prints printing data on a printing medium by electric power supplied from a battery, and a processor. The processor is operable to estimate, on the basis of first printing data indicating information on a first printing content to be printed on the printing medium and a remaining battery level of the battery, a first printing executable range which is a range in the first printing content that can be printed on the printing medium, and transmit information indicating the first printing executable range to an external terminal.

A printing apparatus includes a thermal head and a processor. The thermal head prints an image on lines in a medium. The thermal head includes heat-generating elements to generate heat when a voltage is applied thereto in an application time, and the thermal head is controlled to sequentially on print each line. The processor is configured to: determine a specific line among lines based on printing data for printing lines, the specific line being a line estimated to have a possibility of sticking; and adjust the application time of an adjustment target line so as to be shorter than a reference application time, the adjustment target line having at least one line among lines, the at least one line being a line which is to be printed immediately before the specific line, the reference application time being set based on a temperature of the thermal head.

A printing device, includes a printer that prints onto a printing medium that is conveyed along a reference direction by a conveyer; and a controller that controls the printer to print a print pattern onto the printing medium along the reference direction. The controller controls to forbid the printer to execute printing when a temperature of the printer is projected to become equal to or higher than a set temperature if the printer prints onto the printing medium using a printing length of the print pattern along the reference direction, the printing length being a length of at least a portion of the print pattern along the reference direction.

A printing device, includes a printer that prints onto a printing medium that is conveyed along a reference direction by a conveyer; and a controller that controls the printer to print a print pattern onto the printing medium along the reference direction. The controller controls to forbid the printer to execute printing when a temperature of the printer is projected to become equal to or higher than a set temperature if the printer prints onto the printing medium using a printing length of the print pattern along the reference direction, the printing length being a length of at least a portion of the print pattern along the reference direction.

In a printing device, a thermal head has heating elements and prints an image made up of line images. A memory stores sets of parameters, each set including one of first parameters and corresponding one of second parameters. The controller calculates an average consumed power with respect to a line image subject to calculation by dividing a total amount of consumed power by a period of time set in each first parameter, thereby providing average consumed powers for the sets of parameters. The total amount of consumed power is an accumulated consumed power consumed in the heating elements energized during printing in the period of time including a print timing of the line image subject to calculation. The controller sets a cycle time for printing the line image subject to calculation so that each average consumed power does not exceed an upper limit specified by corresponding one of second parameters.

In a printing device, a thermal head has heating elements and prints an image made up of line images. A memory stores sets of parameters, each set including one of first parameters and corresponding one of second parameters. The controller calculates an average consumed power with respect to a line image subject to calculation by dividing a total amount of consumed power by a period of time set in each first parameter, thereby providing average consumed powers for the sets of parameters. The total amount of consumed power is an accumulated consumed power consumed in the heating elements energized during printing in the period of time including a print timing of the line image subject to calculation. The controller sets a cycle time for printing the line image subject to calculation so that each average consumed power does not exceed an upper limit specified by corresponding one of second parameters.

Various embodiments disclose a method for operating a printer apparatus. The method comprising monitoring a utilization rate of each heating element in a first set of heating elements defined by a print head arrangement. Further, the method comprises generating a utilization dataset based upon monitoring of the utilization rate of each heating element in the first set of heating elements print head arrangement. Furthermore, the method includes analyzing the utilization dataset to identify one or more overutilized heating elements of the first set of heating elements. Additionally, the method includes identifying a second set of heating elements defined by the print head arrangement. The second set of heating elements comprises a portion of the first set of heating elements exclusive of the one or more overutilized heating elements. The method further includes processing a print job. The processed print job utilized the second set of heating elements during printing.