In some examples, dithering based color conversion may include ascertaining an input color value. Based on conversion of the input color value to an output color space representation, a set of nodes that are to be analyzed to control operation of a printer may be determined. Based on a position of the input color value from each node of the set of nodes, a corresponding probability associated with each node of the set of nodes may be determined. Further, the operation of the printer may be controlled based on the determined probability associated with each node of the set of nodes.

According to one embodiment, in a barcode printer (printer device), if a sleep mode transition detection unit (first state transition detection unit) detects that a barcode printer transitions to a sleep mode (first state), or if a power state control unit detects an instruction to turn off the power of the barcode printer, a head position control unit pulls the thermal head (print head) away from the platen roller and holds the thermal head in the state of being pulled away from the platen roller.

An image processing apparatus that generates overcoat transfer data for transferring an overcoat onto an image formed on a recording sheet, generates a line image to be added to the overcoat, and converts the line image into a drawing part to be added to the overcoat. The drawing part includes an outline part and an area inside the outline part, the outline part is formed from pixels having a first glossiness, the area inside the outline part is formed as a mixed pattern part in which pixels having the first glossiness and pixels having a second glossiness higher than the first glossiness are mixed, and the area outside the outline part is formed from pixels having the second glossiness.

An image processing apparatus that generates overcoat transfer data for transferring an overcoat onto an image formed on a recording sheet, generates a line image to be added to the overcoat, and converts the line image into a drawing part to be added to the overcoat. The drawing part includes an outline part and an area inside the outline part, the outline part is formed from pixels having a first glossiness, the area inside the outline part is formed as a mixed pattern part in which pixels having the first glossiness and pixels having a second glossiness higher than the first glossiness are mixed, and the area outside the outline part is formed from pixels having the second glossiness.

A data processing apparatus includes a plurality of heat-generating elements configured to apply different heating energies to a print medium in which a plurality of color development layers which develop colors different from each other upon receipt of the different heating energies are laminated. In addition, a printing apparatus includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain a heat-generating characteristic of each of the plurality of heat-generating elements; and a deriving unit configured to derive a correction value for correcting print data based on a color development heating characteristic of each of the plurality of color development layers and the heat-generating characteristic of each heat-generating element, the print data causing each heat-generating element to generate the heating energy based on image data corresponding to a pixel.

To stabilize image quality of a printed image. A thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a thermal head and a platen roll and forms an image on printing paper by causing the thermal head to heat an ink ribbon including a plurality of consecutive ink layers, each of which includes sequential panels of a yellow layer, a magenta layer, and a cyan layer and thereby transfer ink while transporting, between the thermal head and the platen roll, the ink ribbon and the printing paper that are superimposed on each other. The thermal transfer printing apparatus includes a sensor that detects ink content of the ink layers and a controller that controls energy applied to the thermal head during image formation on a basis of a result of the detection of the sensor.

To stabilize image quality of a printed image. A thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a thermal head and a platen roll and forms an image on printing paper by causing the thermal head to heat an ink ribbon including a plurality of consecutive ink layers, each of which includes sequential panels of a yellow layer, a magenta layer, and a cyan layer and thereby transfer ink while transporting, between the thermal head and the platen roll, the ink ribbon and the printing paper that are superimposed on each other. The thermal transfer printing apparatus includes a sensor that detects ink content of the ink layers and a controller that controls energy applied to the thermal head during image formation on a basis of a result of the detection of the sensor.

A high speed tabletop and industrial printer is disclosed with integrated high speed RFID encoding and verification at the same time. The industrial printer simultaneously prints on and electronically encodes/verifies RFID labels, tags, and/or stickers attached to a continuous web. The industrial printer comprises a lighted sensor array for indexing the printing to the RFID tags; and a cutter powered from the industrial printer for cutting the web that the RFID tags are disposed on. The industrial printer comprises two RFID reader/writers that are individually controlled. Specifically, one of the RFID reader/writers comprises the ability to electronically encode the RFID tags while the web is moving; and the second RFID reader/writer uses an additional RFID module and antenna on the printer for verifying the data encoded to the RFID tags. The printer provides for successive writes to various memory blocks and optimizes the communication sequence between the interrogator and tag.

A method for printing includes analyzing print quality requirements for a printing area; adjusting settings for heater elements (e.g., energy and/or firing durations) of strobe lines based on the requirements analysis; and providing a plurality of individual strobe signals to the strobe lines. The strobe signals can be transmitted simultaneously, for example with a field-programmable gate array. Analyzing print quality requirements can include separating the printing area into one or more areas of interest, such as rows and/or columns. For each area of interest individual print quality settings (e.g., darkness, contrast, and/or media sensitivity) may be selected.

A method for printing includes analyzing print quality requirements for a printing area; adjusting settings for heater elements (e.g., energy and/or firing durations) of strobe lines based on the requirements analysis; and providing a plurality of individual strobe signals to the strobe lines. The strobe signals can be transmitted simultaneously, for example with a field-programmable gate array. Analyzing print quality requirements can include separating the printing area into one or more areas of interest, such as rows and/or columns. For each area of interest individual print quality settings (e.g., darkness, contrast, and/or media sensitivity) may be selected.