Patent ID: 8194107
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a dual-sided direct thermal printer comprising a first thermal print head on a first side of a media feed path and a second thermal print head on a second side of the media feed path opposite the first side, the method comprising: receiving a select thermal printing mode command directing operation of the dual-sided direct thermal printer in one of (i) a single-sided printing mode wherein the dual-sided direct thermal printer is operative to print data using only one of the first and the second thermal print heads, and (ii) a dual-sided printing mode wherein the dual-sided direct thermal printer is operative to print data using both the first and the second thermal print heads; and operating the dual-sided direct thermal printer according to the received select thermal printing mode command; wherein receiving a select thermal printing mode command directing operation of the dual-sided direct thermal printer in a dual-sided printing mode comprises receiving a select thermal printing mode command directing the dual-sided direct thermal printer to operate in one of (i) a double-sided with single-side command mode, wherein the dual-sided direct thermal printer is operative to print a first portion of received print data using one of the first and the second thermal print heads and a second portion of the received print data using the other of the first and the second thermal print heads, (ii) a double-sided with double-side command mode, wherein the dual-sided direct thermal printer is operative to print received print data using one or both of the first and the second thermal print heads according to received print location data, and (iii) a double-sided with predefined data command mode, wherein the dual-sided direct thermal printer is operative to print received print data using one of the first and the second thermal print heads and predefined print data stored in one or more memories associated with the dual-sided direct thermal printer using the other of the first and the second thermal print heads.