Patent ID: 6726383
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A color printer comprising:an ink ribbon comprising a plurality of dye regions and a plurality of dividing sections for dividing said plurality of dye regions, each dye region comprising a plurality of dye frames for carrying dye of different colors, the ink ribbon further comprising a plurality of dividing sections for dividing said plurality of dye frames; a print head for transferring said dye on the ink ribbon onto an object to form a desired pattern; a ribbon driving device for moving said ink ribbon in a predetermined direction; a single optical sensing system positioned adjacent to said ink ribbon for illuminating said ink ribbon and thereby producing an associated output signal comprising a first status and a second status; and a controller for controlling said color printer, said controller being capable of detecting a position of a dye frame of a first color according to a duration of a status of said output signal, and detecting positions of subsequent dye frames of second and third colors only according to changes of the status of the output signal.