US 12,466,208 B2
Non-linear power control of a thermal print head in a plastic card printer
Wade Kragtorp, Shakopee, MN (US)
Assigned to ENTRUST CORPORATION, Shakopee, MN (US)
Filed by Entrust Corporation, Shakopee, MN (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/636,657.
Application 18/636,657 is a continuation of application No. 17/808,196, filed on Jun. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,981,154.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/222,616, filed on Jul. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253382 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B41M 5/00 (2006.01); B41J 2/525 (2006.01); B41M 5/26 (2006.01)
CPC B41M 5/0052 (2013.01) [B41J 2/525 (2013.01); B41M 5/267 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of printing a multi-color image on a non-vinyl plastic identification card, having an integrated circuit chip, in a print station of an identification card printing system, comprising:
generating modified pixel density data by adjusting pixel density data that is associated with print data corresponding to the multi-color image using a non-linear pixel density adjustment curve; and
printing the multi-color image on the non-vinyl plastic identification card using a multicolor print ribbon and a thermal print head of the print station by controlling the thermal print head using the modified pixel density data.
 
12. A non-vinyl plastic identification card printing system, comprising:
a card input configured to input a non-vinyl plastic identification card having an integrated circuit chip;
a print station having a multicolor print ribbon and a thermal print head;
a card transport mechanism configured to transport the non-vinyl plastic identification card from the card input to the print station;
a printer controller connected to and controlling operation of the thermal print head, the printer controller is programmed to include a non-linear pixel density adjustment curve to adjust pixel density data of a multi-color image to be printed onto the non-vinyl plastic identification card.