Patent ID: 6530704
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A printing device comprising:a print head for printing on a recording medium; a detector for reading information on the recording medium; a sheet transporting mechanism to transport the recording medium past said print head and said detector; a guide wall for guiding the recording medium transported by said transporting mechanism to said print head; a platen confronting said print head and disposed so as to be movable to a first position where said platen is projected from said guide wall to support the recording medium to said print head, and to a second position where said platen is substantially continuous to said guide wall to smoothly guide the recording medium; a platen drive mechanism for driving said platen to selectively move to one of said first and second positions; a controller to selective control said platen drive mechanism so as to: (1) move said platen to said first position at least when printing by said print head, and (2) move said platen to said second position at least when reading the information by said detector; and a command interpreter to interpret a control command received from a host device connected to said printing device, wherein said controller controls said platen drive mechanism to move said platen to said second position at least when said command interpreter interprets a predetermined command requiring said detector to read the information.