A thermal transfer sheet which can be produced with enhanced working efficiency and is identifiable, and a thermal transfer printing device which uses the thermal transfer sheet are provided. A thermal transfer sheet 5 includes a substrate 50, and a yellow dye layer 51, a magenta dye layer 52 and a cyan dye layer 53 disposed on the substrate 50. An interval between the yellow dye layer 51 and the magenta dye layer 52 is different from an interval between the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53. Alternatively, the yellow dye layer 51 and the magenta dye layer 52 overlap partially, and the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53 overlap partially. The transfer printing device identifies the type of the thermal transfer sheet 5 based on the interval between the dye layers or the widths of the overlaps.

Systems and methods where multi-color graphics on a substrate are printed at a first resolution, and single color data is printed at a second, higher resolution using the same print head. The multi-color graphics can be a printed photograph of a person, a printed logo, or any printed feature that is printed using multiple colors. The single color data can be printed alphanumeric text such as a person's name, address, account number or any other data that is printed using a single color.

Systems and methods where multi-color graphics on a substrate are printed at a first resolution, and single color data is printed at a second, higher resolution using the same print head. The multi-color graphics can be a printed photograph of a person, a printed logo, or any printed feature that is printed using multiple colors. The single color data can be printed alphanumeric text such as a person's name, address, account number or any other data that is printed using a single color.

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 retransfer printing method and system where the peel-off of the print receptive material from the retransfer film is improved. The peeling-off or removal of the print receptive material from the retransfer film is improved by adhering the peel-off adhesive material to the print receptive material along a non-straight, non-linear leading edge and/or a non-straight, non-linear trailing edge along which the print receptive material is to be removed from the retransfer film. The use of the non-straight, non-linear leading edge and/or trailing edge helps to manage mechanical and thermal stresses and eliminates tears that may occur in the ribbon when the print receptive material is peeled from the retransfer film by the ribbon.

A retransfer printing method and system where the peel-off of the print receptive material from the retransfer film is improved. The peeling-off or removal of the print receptive material from the retransfer film is improved by adhering the peel-off adhesive material to the print receptive material along a non-straight, non-linear leading edge and/or a non-straight, non-linear trailing edge along which the print receptive material is to be removed from the retransfer film. The use of the non-straight, non-linear leading edge and/or trailing edge helps to manage mechanical and thermal stresses and eliminates tears that may occur in the ribbon when the print receptive material is peeled from the retransfer film by the ribbon.

A printer performs printing on a thermosensitive medium including a plurality of color developing layers including a first layer developing a first color and a second layer developing a second color. The printer includes a head and a control device performing a printing control including outputting a signal pattern based on post-conversion image data converted from pre-conversion image data to cause a plurality of heat generation elements of the head to selectively generate heat while controlling conveyance of the thermosensitive medium. In the converting, when target dots containing the second color is included in the plurality of dots in the pre-conversion image data, the control device converts a color of conversion dots to a conversion color containing the color developed by any one of the plurality of color developing layers.

A printer performs printing on a thermosensitive medium including a plurality of color developing layers including a first layer developing a first color and a second layer developing a second color. The printer includes a head and a control device performing a printing control including outputting a signal pattern based on post-conversion image data converted from pre-conversion image data to cause a plurality of heat generation elements of the head to selectively generate heat while controlling conveyance of the thermosensitive medium. In the converting, when target dots containing the second color is included in the plurality of dots in the pre-conversion image data, the control device converts a color of conversion dots to a conversion color containing the color developed by any one of the plurality of color developing layers.

Systems and methods where multi-color graphics on a substrate are printed at a first resolution, and single color data is printed at a second, higher resolution using the same print head. The multi-color graphics can be a printed photograph of a person, a printed logo, or any printed feature that is printed using multiple colors. The single color data can be printed alphanumeric text such as a person's name, address, account number or any other data that is printed using a single color.