Two-sided thermal print sensing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for identifying a type of media installed in a two- or dual-sided thermal printer is provided. In one embodiment, one or more functions of the dual-sided thermal printer may be enabled or disabled depending on the identified media type.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a schematic of a dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer useable for dual-sided printing of thermal media such as transaction receipts or tickets.

FIG. 1B shows a schematic of a dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer with one or more sensors for determining media type.

FIG. 1C shows an alternate schematic of a dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer with one or more sensors for determining media type.

FIG. 1D shows a further schematic of a dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer with one or more sensors for determining media type.

FIG. 1E shows a method of performing a print media check by a dual-sided imaging thermal printer.

FIG. 2A shows single-sided thermal media having a warning message printed on a first, thermal side, after a failed attempt to thermally image a second, non-thermal side.

FIG. 2B shows two-sided thermal media having a message printed on a second side after a successful attempt to thermally image a first side.

FIG. 2C shows non-thermal media after a failed attempt to thermally image first and second non-thermal sides.

FIG. 2D shows two-sided thermal media after an image in the form of a logo is thermally printed on a first and a second side thereof.

FIG. 3A shows a two-sided receipt with transaction detail printed on the front side.

FIG. 3B shows the receipt of FIG. 3A with supplemental information printed on the reverse side, such as variable stored information selected on the basis of the transaction detail.

FIG. 3C shows a two-sided receipt with a portion of the associated transaction detail printed on the front side of the receipt.

FIG. 3D shows the reverse side of the receipt of FIG. 3C on which the remaining portion of the associated transaction data is printed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an exemplary dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer for retail Point of Sale (POS) application.

FIG. 5 schematically shows a partial centerline cross-sectional view of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a partial gear plane cross-sectional view of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a partial centerline cross-sectional view of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4, with a cover in an open position.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a partial centerline cross-sectional view of a variation of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a partial gear plane cross-sectional view of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a partial centerline cross-sectional view of a variation of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 schematically shows a partial gear plane cross-sectional view of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 schematically shows a partial centerline cross-sectional view of a further variation of the dual-sided direct thermal receipt printer of FIG. 4.

FIG. 13 schematically shows a further variation in a dual-sided direct thermal printer print head and platen orientation, and media feed path.

FIG. 14 schematically shows a further variation in a dual-sided direct thermal printer print head and platen orientation, and media feed path.

Claims

1. A dual-sided direct thermal printer comprising: a first thermal print head on a first side of a media feed path;a second thermal print head on a second side of the media feed path; andone or more media type sensors adapted to sense a type of media in the printer.

2. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 1, further comprising: a first platen;a second platen;a first arm; anda second arm,wherein the first thermal print head and the first platen are coupled to the first arm, and the second thermal print head and the second platen are coupled to the second arm.

3. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 2, further comprising: a pivot,wherein the first arm is pivotable about the pivot with respect to the second arm.

4. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more media type sensors comprises a thermal print sensor adapted to produce a signal indicative of thermal printing on one or both sides of the media.

5. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 4, wherein the thermal print sensor comprises an optical sensor.

6. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 4, further comprising a first memory adapted to store one or more media type check print data blocks.

7. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 6, further comprising a controller adapted to initiate an attempt to print at least one of the one or more media type check print data blocks by at least one of the first and the second thermal print heads.

8. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 7, further comprising a second memory adapted to store one or more expected sensor signal blocks.

9. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 8, wherein the controller is further adapted to compare a signal from the thermal print sensor to at least one of the one or more expected sensor signal blocks in response to an attempt to print the at least one or the one or more media type check print data blocks by at least one of the first and the second thermal print heads.

10. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to provide an indication of a type of media in the printer in response to the comparison.

11. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the type of media comprises one of single-sided thermal media, double-sided thermal media and non-thermal media.

12. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to disable one or more functions of the dual-sided direct thermal printer in response to the comparison.

13. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to enable one or more functions of the dual-sided direct thermal printer in response to the comparison.

14. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to set a printing mode in response to the comparison.

15. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 14, wherein the set printing mode comprises one of a single-sided mode, a double-sided mode with single-side command, a double-sided mode with double-side command, and a double-sided mode with predefined data.

16. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 10, wherein providing an indication of a type of media in the printer comprises printing an indication of a type of media in the printer on one or more sides of the media.

17. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 10, wherein providing an indication of a type of media in the printer comprises producing at least one of an audible, visual and tactile signal.

18. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 10, wherein providing an indication of a type of media in the printer comprises sending a signal indicating a type of media in the printer to a computer in communication with the printer.

19. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 18, wherein the computer comprises one of a point-of-sale terminal, an automated teller machine, and a self-checkout system.

20. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further adapted to initiate the attempt to print upon receipt of a media check command.

21. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 21, wherein the media check command comprises one or more escape sequences.

22. The dual-sided direct thermal printer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further adapted to initiate the attempt to print upon receipt of at least one of a printer closed signal, a media installed signal, and a power-on signal.

23. A method of operating a two-sided direct thermal printer, the method comprising: attempting to thermally image one or both sides of installed media;obtaining a signal from one or more thermal print sensors;comparing the obtained thermal print sensor signal with an expected sensor signal; andproviding an indication of a type of media installed on the basis of the comparison.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: providing an indication that one of single-sided thermal media, double-sided thermal media and non-thermal media is installed on the basis of the comparison.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein providing an indication of a type of media installed comprises printing one or more indications of a type of media installed on one or both sides of the media.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein providing an indication of a type of media installed comprises producing at least one of an audible, visual and tactile signal.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein providing an indication of a type of media installed comprises sending a signal indicating a type of media installed to a computer in communication with the printer.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising: setting a printing mode for the two-sided thermal printer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the set printing mode comprises one of a single-sided mode, a double-sided mode with single-side command, a double-sided mode with double-side command, and a double-sided mode with predefined data.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising: overriding the set printing mode on the basis of the comparison.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising: receiving a print media check start command; andinitiating the attempt to thermally image one or both sides of installed media upon receipt of the print media check start command.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the print media check start command comprises one or more escape sequences.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the print media check start command comprises at least one of a printer closed signal, a media installed signal, and a power-on signal.

34. A method of operating a two-sided thermal printer, the method comprising: attempting to print a first pattern on a first side of media installed in the two-sided thermal printer;determining that the first pattern is printed; andproviding an indication that the media comprises single-sided thermal media by the two-sided thermal printer.

35. The method claim 34, further comprising: attempting to print a second pattern on a second side of the installed media;determining that the second pattern is printed; andproviding an indication that the media comprises double-sided thermal media by the two-sided thermal printer.