Claims
- 1. In a printer system, a method of substantially maximizing print quality comprising at least the following steps:a) measuring at least one external condition at the printer locality; b) setting the printer with at least one substantially optimal printer operating condition according to said measured external condition; and c) setting a print time control to achieve substantially minimal acceptable print time for the printer at said substantially optimal printer operating condition.
- 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the external condition is an environmental condition from the group of environmental conditions comprising: Temperature, Barometric Pressure, Atmospheric Pressure, and Dew Point.
- 3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the external condition is measured by an end user.
- 4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the external condition is measured by a computer communicatively coupled to the printer system.
- 5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the external condition is measured by the printer system.
- 6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the printer system is a printer from the group of printers comprising: a contact printer, a dot matrix printer, an ink jet printer, and a laser printer.
- 7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the printer operating condition is an operating condition from the group of operating conditions comprising: printer impact force, printer temperature of operation, and printer power consumption.
- 8. In a printer system, a method of substantially maximizing print quality and substantially minimizing print time comprising at least the following steps:a) measuring at least one external condition at the printer locality, b) setting the printer with at least one substantially optimal printer operating condition according to said measured external condition, c) setting a print time control to achieve substantially minimal acceptable print time for the printer at said substantially optimal printer operating condition, and d) setting a paper feed time control to achieve substantially minimum acceptable paper feed time at the setting of the print time control for given input print data.
- 9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the external condition is an environmental condition from the group of environmental conditions comprising: Temperature, Barometric Pressure, Atmospheric Pressure, and Dew Point.
- 10. A method as in claim 8 wherein the external condition is measured manually by an end user.
- 11. A method as in claim 8 wherein the external condition is measured by a computer communicatively coupled to the printer system.
- 12. A method as in claim 8 wherein the external condition is measured by the printer system.
- 13. A method as in claim 8 wherein the printer system is a printer from the group of printers comprising: a contact printer, a dot matrix printer, an ink jet printer, and a laser printer.
- 14. A method as in claim 8 wherein the printer operating condition is an operating condition from the group of operating conditions comprising: printer impact force, printer temperature of operation, and printer power consumption.
- 15. In a printer system, a method of substantially maximizing print quality and substantially minimizing print time, comprising at least the following steps:a) measuring an environmental condition at the printer locality, b) setting the printer at a substantially optimal printer operating condition according to said measured environmental condition, and c) setting a print time control to achieve substantially minimal acceptable print time for the printer at said substantially optimal printer operating condition, and setting a paper feed time control to achieve substantially minimum acceptable paper feed time at the setting of the print time control, for given input print data, wherein the settings of the paper feed time control and of the print time control are adjusted to result in substantial overlap of printing drive times and paper feed times.
- 16. A printing system, comprising:printer housing; a printing mechanism, located in said printer housing; a paper feed mechanism; a memory component storing a printer configuration computer program; and a printer control system communicatively coupled with said printing mechanism, said paper feed mechanism, and said memory component; wherein said printer configuration computer program comprises instructions executable by said printer control system to configure a print time control setting a print time for said printing mechanism based on a condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 17. The printing system of claim 16, further comprising an external condition sensing component.
- 18. The printing system of claim 17, wherein said external condition sensing component is communicatively coupled with said printer control system.
- 19. The printing system of claim 18, wherein said instructions of said printer configuration computer program cause configuration of the printing system to be based on a condition existing externally of said printer mechanism that is sensed by said external condition sensing component.
- 20. The printing system of claim 17, further comprising:a user interface, communicatively coupled with said printer control system; wherein said instructions of said printer configuration computer program cause configuration of the printing system to be based on an externally existing condition sensed by said external condition sensing component and input via said user interface.
- 21. The printing system of claim 17, wherein said external condition sensing component is located within said printer housing and wherein said external condition sensing component is communicatively coupled with said printer control system.
- 22. The printing system of claim 17, further comprising a communication system, said communication system communicatively coupled with said printer control system.
- 23. The printing system of claim 22, wherein said external condition sensing component is located externally of said printer housing and wherein said external condition sensing component is communicatively coupled with said printer control system via said communication system.
- 24. The printing system of claim 16, wherein said instructions of said printer configuration computer program cause configuration of the printing system to be based on an environmental condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 25. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the environmental condition is temperature.
- 26. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the environmental condition is atmospheric pressure.
- 27. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the environmental condition is dew point.
- 28. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the environmental condition is a climatic condition.
- 29. The printing system of claim 16, wherein said instructions of said printer configuration computer program cause configuration of the printing system to be based on a plurality of environmental conditions existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 30. The printing system of claim 16, wherein operation of said printing mechanism is adjusted via said printer control system and said printer configuration computer program based on a condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 31. The printing system of claim 16, wherein an impact force parameter of said printing mechanism is set via said printer control system based on a condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 32. The printing system of claim 16, wherein an operating temperature parameter of said printing mechanism is set via said printer control system based on a condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 33. The printing system of claim 16, wherein said memory component further comprises a look-up table, and wherein said instructions of said printer configuration computer program cause said printer control system to reference the look-up table to determine a proper configuration of the printing system for the condition existing externally of said printer mechanism.
- 34. A printing system, comprising:a printer housing; a user interface; a printing mechanism, located in said printer housing; a paper feed mechanism; an external condition sensing component; a memory component storing a printer configuration computer program; and a printer control system communicatively coupled with said user interface, said printing mechanism, said paper feed mechanism, said external condition sensing component, and said memory component; wherein said printer configuration computer program comprises instructions executable by said printer control system to configure a print time control to set a print time for said printing mechanism based on an environmental condition sensed by said external condition sensing component.
- 35. A printing system, comprising:means for housing a printing system; means for printing, located in said means for housing; means for feeding paper into said means for printing; means for storing a printer configuration computer program; and means for controlling, communicatively coupled with said means for printing, said means for feeding paper, and said means for storing; wherein said printer configuration computer program comprises instructions executable by said means for controlling to configure a print time control to set a print time for said means for printing based on a condition existing externally of said means for printing.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to the following U.S. provisional patent applications:
Provisional Application No. 60/081,412, filed Apr. 10, 1998,
Provisional Application No. 60/081,372, filed Apr. 10, 1998,
Provisional Application No. 60/081,381, filed Apr. 10, 1998, and
Provisional Application No. 60/084,435, filed May 6, 1998,
The above identified applications are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. The two microfiche appendices of Provisional Application No. 60/084,435 are also hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
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