1222551 五、 發明說明（ 1 ) 發 明 之頜域 本 發明是關 於一 種印刷 控制裝置及印 刷方法 > 用來控制 輸 送 到印刷機 構之 熱感應 H( thermal h e ad)之 熱 能，使其 依 照 施加熱能之量 而依順 序地將顏色顯 影到媒 體 上，或者 使用 一種介入 熱轉 移軟片 或昇華轉移之 融合轉 移 的影像轉 移 而 進行印刷 0 先 -Λ m 之枝術說 明 傳 統上，用 來控 制熱能 施加到熱敏性 記錄媒 體 上之熱能 之 方 法，通常 使用 丨一種稱爲「熱履歷控制（he at history con t r 〇 1 )」之 方法 ，其中 在熱感應頭上 之固定 電 阻加熱元 件的 溫度，根 據過 去印刷 履歷資訊而被 估計， 因 而可控制 由 固 定電阻加 熱元件所產 生在熱感應頭. 上之熱彳 能: 之量。 此 方法使用 一個 估計而 執f了，因爲不 同的熱 發 散條件施 加在 進行於一 個冷 區域中 之印刷與一個 熱區域 中 之印刷之 間 ， 並且因爲 紙媒 體之表 面上的溫度也 會變化 因而有一 個 控 制錯.誤容 易產 生之問 題。從而，因 爲控制 是 依照一個 根 據 估計而計 算所 進行， 故難以達到高 的精度 及 穩定之印 刷 控 制。 另 外有一個 方法 ，其中 一種可視其溫 度而改 變 其電阻如 鉻 或 鋁等之合 金， 被使用 丨做爲加熱元件以構成熱感應頭， 並 且 在印刷時 ，其 溫度被 測量，因而不必依靠 印 刷履歷以 進 行 印刷控制 。但 是，即使在此方法中 ，控制 標 的並非由 加 熱 元件所產 生之 熱能的 値，而是使用 -3- 檢測溫 度 資料進行 1222551 五、發明說明（2 ) 控制，故有一個問題：在熱記錄媒體上達成之顏色顯影密 度無法精確地控制。 另外，必須應付形成的印刷密度錯誤問題，因爲由熱敏 性記錄媒體之顏色顯影特徵被稱爲a -屬性（P r ope r t y )之事 實所反應，在輸送之熱能與顏色顯影密度之間並非直線正 比的關係。 除此之外，有一個問題，即使在可能傷害發生而影響到 印刷控制之可靠度時，亦無法檢測熱感應頭之過熱。例如， 若熱控制在當熱感應頭不與紙媒體表面接觸時之狀態下進 行，熱感應頭加熱件之溫度升高到異常高之程度，而使加 熱件燃燒並且破壞。 發明之扼要說明 本發明之目的在解決傳統裝置及方法中固有的上述問題， 並且提供一種印刷控制裝置及印刷方法，可達成高精度及 穩定之印刷控制。 亦即，依照本發明，其提供有一種印刷控制裝置，其 特徵爲包括有：一熱感應頭，其裝設有一組微小加熱件被 用來做爲加熱元件及溫度檢測器，以及一驅動電路，用來 輸送電流以驅動加熱件；一控制電路，用來使流到各個加 熱件之電流在加熱驅動狀態與溫度檢測狀態之間切換；一 電路，用來轉換從每一個加熱件之溫度値到電壓値，以及 用來使用在溫度檢測狀態時之電流檢測電壓値；一類比/ 數位轉換電路，用來轉換電壓成爲數位値；一加法器，用 1222551 五、 發明說明 ( 3； ) 來 累 積 地加 入 由 加 熱 開 始 數 位 轉 換 所 得之 數 位 値 9 一 比 較 器 ， 用 來 比 較 由 加法 器 所 獲 得 之 累 積 値， 對 -- 個 印 刷 待 執 行並 且 從 一 個 較 高 之 裝 置 送 來 之 已 知 點提 刖 設 定 之 -* 個 目 標 印 刷 密 度 値 因 而 確 定何 者 較 大 以及 一 電 路 用 來在 比 較 器 檢 測 到 巨 標 印 刷 密 度 已 經 到 達 之時 9 阻止加 熱 件之 加 熱 驅 動 〇 另 外 ， 依 照 本 發 明 爲 了 對 顏 色 顯 影媒 體 進 行 適 當 之加 熱 控 制而 獲 得 優 異 影 像 品 質 之 印 刷 影 像， 加 熱 之 熱 感 應 頭 中 之 每 — 個 加 熱 元件所 產 生 熱 之 溫 度 進行 測 量 9 並 且 產 生 的 熱 能 以 恆 定 時 間 間距 進 行反 覆 計 算 ，而 產 生 了 所 要 顏 色 頸 影 密 度 在 顏 色 顯 影 媒 體 之 每 — 個 顏 色顯 影 點 上 達 到 之 結 果 0 本 發 明 之 另 — 方 面在 提 供 一 種 印 刷 方法 包括的 步 驟 有 提/ 供_ 種 印 刷 控 制 裝 置 ， 其 :包 *有一 •組微小加熱件， 每 一 組 該 微 小加 熱 件 被 用 來做 爲 加 熱 元件及 溫 度 檢 測 器 f 以 及 輸 送 電 流 以 驅 動 加 熱 件 f 使 輸 送 到各 個 加 熱 件 之 電 流 在加 熱 驅 動 狀 態 與 溫 度 檢 測 狀 態 之 間 切換 9 使 每 一 個 加 熱 件 之 溫 度 値 轉 換 到 電 壓 値 > 根 據 在 溫 度檢 測 狀 態 時 之 電 流 確 定 電 壓 値 轉 換 電 壓 成 爲 數 位 値 > 加入 數 位 値 以 獲 得 累 積 値 比 較 具 有 巨 標 印 刷 密 度 値 之 累 積値 以 確 定何 者 最 大 > 以 及在 已 到達 巨 標 印 刷 密 度 時 ， 中斷 對 加 熱 件 之 電 流 輸 送 〇 圖 面 之 簡 單 說 明 -5 垂 1222551 五、發明說明（4) 第1圖爲顯示施加到一般熱敏性記錄紙之熱能與顏色顯 影密度之間的關係之特性曲線圖。 第2圖之曲線圖爲用來解釋，若加熱操作控制被執行相 同的時距時，當熱顏色顯影在不同的起初溫度下開始，施 加能量發展便會不同。 第3圖爲用來解釋一個方法之曲線圖，其中加熱件之溫 度反覆地被測量，並且累積地被加入，因而檢測施加熱能 的大小。 第4圖爲顯示用來解釋由本發明所達成之增加能量保持 及增加印刷速度之曲線圖。 第5圖爲顯示本發明一個實施例之電路圖。 第6圖爲該實施例之時序圖。 元件符號對照表 1〇〇微小加熱件 I 〇 1資料登錄器 102輸入端子 109變頻器 111線性放大器電路 112類比/數位轉換器 II 3加法器 11 7大小比較電路 120驅動電晶體 發明.之較佳實施例之詳細說明 1222551 五、發明說明（5) 隨後將詳細地說明本發明。本發明可被應用之裝置的例 子，包括融合熱轉移式印刷機，及昇華式熱轉移式印刷機 。但是，除了這些裝置之外，亦可使用一種所謂之熱記錄 媒體熱印刷機。 一種使用熱敏性記錄媒體之熱印刷機之例子將敘述於下 〇 · 同時也將對使用一種具有微小加熱件被配置成每英吋 200或3 00點密度之陣列的熱感應頭之例子而說明。 在點之密度爲200點/英吋之情況下，當由此熱感應頭 進行印刷之時，感應頭在進行印刷時以每英吋1 / 200之節 距移動通過媒體。 隨後，在印刷操作以一次進行一個節距時，將對一個節 距之熱控制操作進行解釋。本發明與稱爲履歷控制方法的 傳統印刷控制方法不同，其中對一個節距之印刷控制中， 並非一定必須對已經被執行印刷之那些節距上進行加熱控 制，並且僅如每次在印刷在每個個別節距被執行時被測量 之熱感應頭溫度被使用來達成印刷控制。 亦即，在本發明中，控制永遠獨立於每個節距而進行， 與過去履歷無關。 對此實施例之熱敏性記錄媒體，一顏色顯影媒體，如所 謂之單色熱敏性記錄紙，或雙色熱敏性記錄紙或熱自動彩 色照相底板紙，例如由富士公司產銷之一般稱爲TA媒體 可被使用。 1222551 五、發明說明（6) 關於在任何一種熱敏性記錄媒體中每一色之顏色顯影特 徵方面，如第1圖所示，例如D :印刷時之顏色顯影密 度是由E ··由加熱元件施加到熱感應頭上之熱能所決定。 此特徵曲線是由每一個熱敏性記錄紙製造商針對每一種熱 記錄紙公開發布。 須提及者，在此必須記住，特徵曲線中之水平軸代表在 熱感應頭上產生之熱的値，其爲輸送到媒體上之熱能的値 。如此，其並不代表溫度値。故，爲了在第丨圖之媒體上 之已知微小顏色顯影點達到所要的顏色顯影密度”dl，，， 必須足夠地進行一項控制，使由對應之微小加熱元件在熱 感應頭上產生之熱能變成等於“e 1，，。但是，在先前技術 章節中敘述使用固定電阻加熱元件之熱感應頭的情況中， 所產生熱能的量最後是由根據過去印刷結果所得之印刷履 歷而計算所「估計」。故，例如當許多張媒體接連地被印 刷時，熱感應頭會累積熱並且其溫度上升。因而，當印刷 頁數增加時，在紙表面上之顏色顯影密度亦成不利地增加 。此問題乃根源於一項誤差之產生，因爲估計計算乃根據 爲了獲得密度d 1而必須產生之熱能e 1被決定，而被用來 決定熱感應頭本身之目前溫度。換言之，在傳統方法中， 加熱件之溫度在其被加熱之前並不淸楚，並且當根據估計 而決定加熱件之加熱量時，當估計溫度並未正確地反應真 實溫度時，就會產生錯誤。 另外，如先前技術中所述，近年來已出現一種方法， 1222551 五、發明說明（7) 其中使用一個熱感應頭，.其被使用做爲加熱元件，其材料 之電阻値可依照所產生熱之溫度而變化，並且其溫度在印 刷進行時被測量，因而可影響印刷控制，而不必依賴印刷 履歷。 此方法，其中控制是由溫度測量所達成，爲一種方法， 其中當加熱元件產生熱，並且其溫度因而上升，溫度tl 被測量，因而顏色顯影密度之控制在假設此t1正比於印 刷密度dl時變成可能。但是，以此方法會產生一個錯誤， 因爲當實際印刷進行時，溫度變化會隨著時間經過而反覆 進行，因而與最初溫度不同。 換言之，在第2圖中垂直軸代表溫度，而水平軸代表時 間，並且熱感應頭之微小加熱件的溫度增加在加熱及時間 經過時之關係被檢知，當在兩中情況進行比較時，其一爲 最初溫度” t a”增加並且到達目標控制溫度“ t 〇”，並且驅動 在時間“Td”時停止，其另一個爲溫度“tb”增加到目標控制 溫度“to”，並且驅動在“Td”停止，當加熱從溫度tb開始 時所產生之熱量較大，其量正比於斜線部份。此爲產生錯 誤之原因。 亦即，相當於每一次時間變化TD之溫度變化總量（t a -tb)爲誤差E。換言之，能量被表示爲E=K0(ta-tb).Td 爲誤差。在此，K爲包含有隨後將敘述之比熱量q之正比 例常數。 上述在實際印刷中被證實，並且亦被證實在兩種情況之 1222551 五、發明說明（8) 間有印刷密度程度上之差異。 操作 在此，本發明人進行一項測量如第3圖中所示者，其中 加熱元件溫度之測量，在媒體上之微小加熱件加熱開始之 後，以恆定時間間距被反覆地進行。此每次測量溫度之値 爲“ t X”並且被累積，並且加熱持續進行，直到其到達一 個被設定爲目標値“sO”爲止。然後，進行一項控制以在累 積値到達s 0之點時停止加熱驅動。在此點，被證實顏色 顯影密度永遠相同，與最初溫度無關。 而且本身很明顯地，伴隨溫度變化所產生之總熱能sO 可由下面所述計算。 亦即，若微小加熱件之比熱量爲q，並且在某一點之溫 度爲tx，則在該時間所產生之熱能Ex可成爲：Ex=QXtx 〇 故，當進行測量時之周期被設定爲很短的時距Td，然 後總熱値sO變成整個時距長度之總累積値，使sO=0Ex •Td=qX0tx*Tdo 在此，Td爲常數，因此sO=q*TdX0tx，並且然後當 K = q · Td時，總熱値s 0最終成爲s 0 = K X 0 t X。 從此公式中很明顯地，施加到媒體上之總熱値s 0正比 於以恆定時間間距被反覆地進行測量之溫度累積値。 從而，可了解每次測量之溫度値被加算在一起，直到 s0 = KX0tx，並且加熱被持續到累積値與正比例常數k之 -10- 1222551 五、發明說明（9) 乘積等於目標密度値s 0爲止。 換言之，此意即第3圖中之溫度變化曲線下方的面積正 比於印刷密度。 在此，正比例常數k爲由一個依照溫度測量結果信號之 電壓放大因素，及後述之印刷控制電路之類比/數位轉換 器之轉換範圍而決定之常數。 依照本發明，可使用上述公式計算產生之熱能，並且顏 色顯影密度之高精度控制可依照如第1圖由紙製造商公開 之能量/顏色密度特徵曲線而進行。 在傳統單色熱顏色產生之情況中，當印刷以黑白之情形 下進行時，例如在第4圖中，白色之印刷不必在加熱而進 行，因此沒有熱能被施加，如點 “A”所示。另一方面， 黑色是以最大顏色顯影密度顯影，並且熱被增加直到能量 値e 1到達爲止，其乃深入到飽和顏色顯影密度區域S， 因而從飽和顏色顯影密度區域之偏離不會產生，即使在當 控制造成黑色顯影時過度或不足量之熱能時亦然。 與此比較時，本發明控制中少有此誤差變動，故例如可 以高精度在飽和顏色顯影密度區域S之邊緣之能量値el 時停止加熱操作。因此，能量値之差異，即el-e2變成不 需要，並且因而能量保持爲可能。在使用電池做爲電源之 印刷機之情況中，其優點爲必須更換電池之時間長度變成 較長，並且在印刷操作時，印刷可提早一個等於斜線部份 之量完成。因而使高速印刷成爲可能。 -11- 1222551 五、發明說明（1〇) 〔實施例〕 隨後，將更詳細地解釋本發明之一個實施例。第5圖爲 顯示本發明一個實施例之曲線圖。 首先，有許多加熱件排列在熱感應頭上成一個陣列，並 且依照產生之熱的溫度而改變其電阻値，並且當熱在每一 條線上同一時刻被啓動時，印刷被達成。若熱感應頭有 300dp i之點狀節距時，然後副掃瞄或同時印刷之線節距 亦在300dpi下進行也是很通常的。由熱感應頭在紙表面 上之熱印刷在此節距下反覆循環地進行。 對在第5圖中之微小加熱件100，使用有一般稱爲熱敏 電阻之電阻件，並且其依照以產生之熱的溫度而變化其電 阻値。熱敏電阻之金屬成分應該從在加熱之溫度變化與電 阻値變化之間具有線性關係之成分中選擇。一種可以使用 之成分的例子爲鋁，鉻，硼等之合金。隨後，將解釋電 路之操作。從在資料登錄器101之上位裝置之一個資料 “ 1”，其對應於微小加熱件中之一個已知元件，被依照計 時信號105而寫入一個輸入端子1〇2中。 在此之後，當信號“0”從上位裝置被輸入到輸入端子 108之時，一個變頻器1〇9將信號變頻，並且信號被輸入 到一個 AND閘1 10做爲 “1”。 上述資料登錄器1 0 1之輸出信號1 06被輸入到閘1 1 0之 另一個端子做爲“1” ，因而閘110之一個邏輯產出（ logical product)可被產生，其可使驅動電晶體120進 -12- 1222551 五、發明說明（11 ) 入ON狀態。須提及者，一個電晶體！ 2丨在〇FF狀態，因 爲控制信號1 08在加熱驅動時爲。因此，一個電流 流到加熱件1 00及電晶體1 20。如上述，當加熱件1 〇〇接 受電流時，其開始產生熱能，並且其電阻値改變。依照本 實施例，使用有一個元件，當溫度上升時其電阻値減少。 因而當溫度上升時，流經電晶體1 20之電流値增加。 下面將討論用來檢知加熱件1 〇〇之溫度上升狀態的裝置 。當溫度上升時，電晶體1 20爲ON，其可使電流流過。 但是，在溫度檢測時段，控制信號108變成 “1”，因 而電晶體120變成“OFF”，並且另一個電晶體121從OFF 切換成ON。因此，電流流到一個電流檢測電阻，其在本 實施例中爲一個具有約70歐姆之固定電阻値的固定電阻 器 122。 當加熱件1 00產生熱且其溫度上升時，其電阻値降低且 電流値增加。由於此現象，流到固定電阻器1 22之電流增 加且電阻器1 22端子之間的電壓增加。電阻器1 22之輸出 電壓被一個線性放大器電路丨丨丨所放大，並且放大之信號 被輸入到一個下一階之類比/數位轉換器1 1 2。因而，轉 換器1 1 2之輸出値被轉換成數位値具有約8個位元數，以 做爲熱感應頭之加熱件1 〇〇的溫度値，並且然後被檢測。 依照本實施例，檢測資料被累積地以約20微秒之間隔 而周期性地連續輸入到加法器1 1 3，並且在每次加熱開始 之後測量被進行時被累積。因此，可在加熱開始之後，由 -13- 五、發明說明（12) 加法器1 1 3之數位輸出而檢測產生之熱能値。隨後，產生 之熱能値被縮寫爲檢測能量値“A”。此“A”正比上述操 作章節部份中解釋之s 0 = K · 0 t X。此檢測値“ A”被輸入 到大小比較電路1 1 7，因而可被比較。須提及者，加法器 113在每一條線之印刷控制被啓動之前被一組信號103淸 除爲0，並且每次信號1 08在每一條線之印刷控制時從 切換到“1”，類比/數位轉換器112之數位輸出由一 個被延遲電路所稍延遲之信號128而被加算到加法器113 〇 同時，在此點，關於正被控制之微小加熱件之印刷密度 的指疋値資料從上位裝置，以256層（Gradation)之8位元 資料形式而送到輸入端子11 6。此資料預先根據第1圖所 示之密度與能量之間的關係被計算，並且密度資料値由產 生之資料轉換表114而被轉換能量値。 此目的之轉換表被構成爲密度資料値與能量値之間相應 之曲線圖。例如，當等級指示爲數値1 28從上位裝置被送 到信號線116之情況時，此數値會轉換成2.56之能量値 〇 換言之，其爲一個考量到被使用之紙的顏色顯影特性所 產生之轉換表，.如第1圖所示。在此表中，印刷密度爲輸 入資料，並且檢測能量目標値爲輸出資料。 在此轉換表中之轉換値2 . 5 6在印刷中爲小顏色產生部 份之印刷控制時被儲存在登錄器1丨5中，並且以目標能量 -14- 1222551 五、發明說明（13) 控制値“B”而被輸入到大小比較電路1 1 7中，並且與上 述檢測値 “A”比較。 只要檢測値“A”小於目標値“B”時，加熱被持續進 行，因爲控制線11 8爲“0”。但是，累積能量値一點一 點地增加，並且檢測値“A”變成大於目標値“B”，在此 點上，比較電路1 1 7之輸出所用之控制線1 1 8從“0”變 成“1”。因此，邏輯加算閘125及126之輸出變成“1”。 從而，登錄器101被重置，並且邏輯產出110輸出變成 “0”。故，驅動電晶體120變成OFF，電流停止流動到熱 敏電阻加熱件1 00而使加熱停止。亦即，能量被施加到預 定之密度，使加熱之產生驅動停止。此種加熱操作在排列 熱感應頭上之陣列中之所有微小加熱件上，此操作是以獨 立執行上述控制且以相同方式而進行。但是，這些以低顏 色顯影密度而被指定到顯影顏色之加熱件被設定小的目標 能量控制値“B”，故這些加熱件之加熱操作自然地比被指 定爲較黑之色顯影之加熱件的加熱操作較早結束。 隨後，即使溫度檢測信號1 0 8從上位裝置輸入時，信號 106爲0，因爲登錄器101已被重置。故，邏輯產出閘 129保持其爲“0”，此產生一個結果使電晶體121變成 OFF，使熱敏電阻加熱件1 00不再被驅動以產生熱。 做爲一種保護裝置以防止熱感應頭過熱，且當操作失效 在印刷操作中產生時被破壞，下列方法被執行：即，當印 刷啓動時，最高可能溫度之値從上位裝置被送到輸入端子 -15- 1222551 五、發明說明（14 ) 200，依照設定時程201而被設定到登錄器123中，並且 被比較器124而與類比/數位轉換器112之輸出比較。然 後，在類比/數位轉換器1 1 2之輸出値大於設定到登錄器 123中之値時，輸出從“0”變成 “1”，經由邏輯加算閘 125，126而輸入做爲登錄器101之重置信號，並且印刷 操作如上述般被停止，此可產生一個結果使不規則之過熱 被防止，並且裝置之可靠度被改善。 若所有加熱件之加熱已完成，並且熱感應頭位置已移動 在紙表面一個節距之距離，然後一個隨後之顏色顯影操作 立即地再度啓動，並且上述操作隨後反覆地在媒體上進行 。根據這些解釋之一個時序圖被繪出在第6圖中。 例如在單色熱敏記錄紙之情況中，上述操作必須每張媒 體一個顏色地進行。但是，在三色熱敏記錄紙之情況中， 依照三個不同顏色性質之熱控制，在每個不同能量區域總 共執行三次。 在任何一個情況中，施加到表面之每一條線的熱能之累 積値被一而再地由檢測表面溫度而獲得，故可在熱敏記錄 紙上進行極端高精度顏色顯影管理。 例如，在先前技術中很難控制的將256層多色密度印刷 到單色熱敏記錄紙，可以成爲可行。因而，可在高速度下 進行與照相影像品質無異之印刷。而且，在傳統上僅使用 模子稱爲熱壓印，且需要在高溫區域以非常小溫度範圍內 加熱才能進行之全息軟片印刷（hologram film printing), -16- 1222551 五、發明說明（15) 亦成爲可行。而且，使用自由印刷圖案而不必使用固定模 •子之印刷方法亦成爲可行。 -17-1222551 V. Description of the invention (1) The invention of the jaw field The present invention relates to a printing control device and printing method > used to control the thermal energy of the thermal induction H (thermal he ad) delivered to the printing mechanism so that it conforms to the thermal energy applied. Colors are sequentially developed onto the media, or printed using an image transfer that involves a thermal transfer film or a fusion transfer of sublimation transfer. The first-Λm branch technique has traditionally been used to control the application of thermal energy to heat sensitivity. The method of recording the thermal energy on the medium usually uses a method called "he at history con tr 〇1", in which the temperature of the fixed resistance heating element on the thermal sensor head is based on the historical printing history information. It is estimated that the amount of thermal energy generated by the fixed resistance heating element on the thermal head can be controlled. This method is implemented using an estimate because different thermal divergence conditions are applied between printing performed in a cold area and printing in a hot area, and because the temperature on the surface of the paper medium also changes, there are A wrong control problem. Therefore, since the control is performed according to a calculation based on an estimate, it is difficult to achieve high precision and stable print control. There is another method, in which an alloy whose resistance can be changed depending on its temperature, such as chromium or aluminum, is used as a heating element to form a thermal sensor head, and its temperature is measured during printing, so there is no need to rely on printing history For print control. However, even in this method, the target of control is not the plutonium generated by the thermal energy generated by the heating element, but the use of -3- detection temperature data for 1222551. V. Description of the Invention (2) Control, so there is a problem: in the thermal recording medium The color development density achieved above cannot be precisely controlled. In addition, it is necessary to deal with the problem of the formation of the printing density error, because the color development characteristic of the thermosensitive recording medium is called a-property, which is not directly proportional to the thermal energy conveyed and the color development density. Relationship. In addition, there is a problem that even when a possible injury occurs that affects the reliability of the printing control, the overheating of the thermal head cannot be detected. For example, if the thermal control is performed while the thermal head is not in contact with the surface of the paper medium, the temperature of the heating element of the thermal head rises to an abnormally high level, causing the heating element to burn and destroy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems inherent in conventional devices and methods, and to provide a printing control device and printing method, which can achieve high-precision and stable printing control. That is, according to the present invention, there is provided a printing control device, which is characterized by comprising: a thermal induction head, which is provided with a set of micro heating elements used as heating elements and temperature detectors, and a driving circuit To transmit current to drive the heating element; a control circuit to switch the current flowing to each heating element between the heating driving state and the temperature detection state; a circuit to convert the temperature from each heating element 値To the voltage 値, and to use the current detection voltage 値 in the temperature detection state; an analog / digital conversion circuit to convert the voltage into a digital 値; an adder, using 1222551 V. Description of the invention (3;) to accumulate Add the digital digits obtained from the digital conversion of the heating start 値 9 a comparator to compare the accumulated 値 obtained by the adder, to a known point where printing is to be performed and sent from a higher device Set-* target print densities and thus determine which And a circuit is used to prevent the heating drive of the heating element when the comparator detects that the printing density of the giant mark has been reached. In addition, according to the present invention, a printed image with excellent image quality is obtained for proper heating control of the color developing medium. The temperature of the heat generated by each heating element in the heated thermal head was measured9 and the heat energy generated was repeatedly calculated at a constant time interval, resulting in the desired color neck shadow density in each color development medium Results achieved on point 0 Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a printing method including the steps of providing / providing a printing control device, which includes: * a set of micro heating elements, each of which is used As the heating element and temperature detector f, The heating element f switches the current supplied to each heating element between the heating driving state and the temperature detection state. 9 The temperature of each heating element 値 is converted to a voltage 値 > The voltage is determined based on the current in the temperature detection state 値 converted voltage. Become digital 値 > Add digits 値 to get the accumulation 値 Compare the accumulation with the printing density of the giant mark 値 to determine which is the largest > and when the printing density of the giant mark has been reached, interrupt the current delivery to the heating element. The simplicity of the drawing Explanation-5 1221222551 V. Description of the Invention (4) The first graph is a characteristic curve diagram showing the relationship between the thermal energy applied to general thermosensitive recording paper and the color development density. The graph in Figure 2 is used to explain that if the heating operation control is performed at the same time interval, when the thermal color development starts at different initial temperatures, the development of applied energy will be different. Fig. 3 is a graph for explaining a method in which the temperature of a heating member is repeatedly measured and added cumulatively, thereby detecting the amount of applied thermal energy. Fig. 4 is a graph showing the increase in energy retention and increase in printing speed achieved by the present invention. Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a timing chart of the embodiment. Component symbol comparison table 100 micro heating element I 00 data register 102 input terminal 109 inverter 111 linear amplifier circuit 112 analog / digital converter II 3 adder 11 7 size comparison circuit 120 driving transistor invention. Better Detailed description of the embodiments 1222551 V. Description of the invention (5) The invention will be described in detail later. Examples of devices to which the present invention can be applied include fusion thermal transfer printers and sublimation thermal transfer printers. However, in addition to these devices, a so-called thermal recording medium thermal printer may be used. An example of a thermal printer using a thermosensitive recording medium will be described below. Also, an example of using a thermal head having an array of minute heating elements arranged at a density of 200 or 300 dots per inch will be described. In the case where the dot density is 200 dots / inch, when printing is performed by the thermal sensor head, the sensor head moves through the medium at a pitch of 1/200 per inch during printing. Subsequently, when the printing operation is performed one pitch at a time, the thermal control operation of one pitch will be explained. The present invention is different from the conventional printing control method called the history control method, in which the printing control of one pitch does not necessarily have to perform heating control on those pitches on which printing has been performed, and only The thermal head temperature measured as each individual pitch is executed is used to achieve printing control. That is, in the present invention, control is always performed independently of each pitch, regardless of past history. In this embodiment, a heat-sensitive recording medium, a color developing medium, such as a so-called single-color heat-sensitive recording paper, or a two-color heat-sensitive recording paper, or a thermo-automatic color photographic backing paper, such as those produced and sold by Fuji Corporation, generally called TA media can be used. . 1222551 V. Description of the invention (6) Regarding the color development characteristics of each color in any kind of thermosensitive recording medium, as shown in Figure 1, for example, D: the color development density during printing is applied by E ·· by a heating element to Determined by the thermal energy on the thermal sensor head. This characteristic curve is publicly released by each thermal recording paper manufacturer for each type of thermal recording paper. It must be mentioned that it must be remembered here that the horizontal axis in the characteristic curve represents the heat generated by the thermal head on the thermal head, which is the thermal energy transmitted to the medium. As such, it does not represent temperature 値. Therefore, in order to achieve the desired color development density "dl" at the known micro-color development points on the media in Fig. 丨, it is necessary to sufficiently control the thermal energy generated by the corresponding micro-heating element on the thermal head. Becomes equal to "e 1,". However, in the case of the thermal head using a fixed resistance heating element described in the prior art section, the amount of thermal energy generated is finally "estimated" calculated from the printing history obtained from the past printing results. Therefore, for example, when many sheets of media are printed one after another, the thermal sensor head accumulates heat and its temperature rises. Therefore, as the number of printed pages increases, the color development density on the paper surface also unfavorably increases. This problem is caused by an error because the estimation calculation is based on the thermal energy e 1 which must be generated in order to obtain the density d 1 and is used to determine the current temperature of the thermal head itself. In other words, in the traditional method, the temperature of the heating element is not illusory before it is heated, and when the heating amount of the heating element is determined based on the estimation, when the estimated temperature does not correctly reflect the real temperature, an error will occur . In addition, as described in the prior art, a method has emerged in recent years, 1222551 V. Description of the Invention (7) In which a thermal induction head is used. It is used as a heating element, and the resistance of the material can be determined according to the heat generated. The temperature changes, and its temperature is measured while printing is in progress, so it can affect printing control without having to rely on printing history. This method, in which the control is achieved by temperature measurement, is a method in which when the heating element generates heat and its temperature rises, the temperature t1 is measured. Therefore, the color development density is controlled assuming that t1 is proportional to the printing density d1 Become possible. However, this method produces an error, because when the actual printing is performed, the temperature change will be repeated over time and thus different from the original temperature. In other words, in Figure 2, the vertical axis represents temperature and the horizontal axis represents time, and the relationship between the temperature increase of the tiny heating element of the thermal sensor head during heating and the passage of time is detected. When the two conditions are compared, One is that the initial temperature "ta" increases and reaches the target control temperature "t0", and the driving stops at time "Td", and the other is that the temperature "tb" increases to the target control temperature "to", and the drive is at " Td "stops, and the amount of heat generated when heating starts from temperature tb is greater than the amount of the diagonal line. This is the cause of the error. That is, the total temperature change (t a-tb) corresponding to each time change TD is the error E. In other words, the energy is expressed as E = K0 (ta-tb). Td is the error. Here, K is a proportional constant including a specific heat quantity q to be described later. The above has been confirmed in actual printing, and it has also been confirmed that there is a difference in the degree of printing density between the two cases of 1222551 V. Invention Description (8). Operation Here, the present inventors performed a measurement as shown in Fig. 3, in which the measurement of the temperature of the heating element was repeatedly performed at a constant time interval after the heating of the minute heating element on the medium was started. The temperature 値 of each measurement is "t X" and is accumulated, and heating is continued until it reaches a target 値 "sO" which is set. Then, a control is performed to stop the heating drive when the accumulated volume reaches the point of s 0. At this point, it was confirmed that the color development density was always the same regardless of the initial temperature. It is also obvious that the total thermal energy sO accompanying the temperature change can be calculated as described below. That is, if the specific heat of the tiny heating element is q and the temperature at a certain point is tx, the thermal energy Ex generated at that time can become: Ex = QXtx 〇 Therefore, when the measurement is performed, the period is set to be very The short time interval Td, then the total heat 値 sO becomes the total accumulation of the entire time interval length, so that sO = 0Ex • Td = qX0tx * Tdo Here, Td is constant, so sO = q * TdX0tx, and then when K = At q · Td, the total heat 値 s 0 eventually becomes s 0 = KX 0 t X. It is obvious from this formula that the total heat 値 s 0 applied to the medium is proportional to the temperature accumulation 値 which is repeatedly measured at a constant time interval. Therefore, it can be understood that the temperature 値 of each measurement is added together until s0 = KX0tx, and the heating is continued until the cumulative 値 and the proportional constant k are -10- 1222551. 5. Description of the invention (9) The product is equal to the target density 値 s 0 until. In other words, this means that the area under the temperature change curve in Fig. 3 is proportional to the printing density. Here, the proportional constant k is a constant determined by a voltage amplification factor according to a signal of a temperature measurement result and a conversion range of an analog / digital converter of a printed control circuit described later. According to the present invention, the thermal energy generated can be calculated using the above formula, and the high-precision control of color development density can be performed according to the energy / color density characteristic curve disclosed by the paper manufacturer as shown in FIG. In the case of traditional monochrome thermal color generation, when printing is performed in black and white, for example, in Figure 4, the printing of white does not have to be performed with heating, so no thermal energy is applied, as shown by point "A" . On the other hand, black is developed at the maximum color development density, and heat is increased until the energy 値 e 1 is reached, which penetrates into the saturated color development density region S, so deviation from the saturated color development density region does not occur, even if The same is true when controlling excessive or insufficient amounts of thermal energy when causing black development. In comparison with this, the error in the control of the present invention rarely changes, so that, for example, the heating operation can be stopped when the energy at the edge of the saturated color development density region S is high. Therefore, the difference in energy, i.e., el-e2 becomes unnecessary, and thus energy retention is possible. In the case of a printer using a battery as a power source, there are advantages in that the length of time that the battery must be replaced becomes longer, and in the printing operation, printing can be completed by an amount equal to the slash portion earlier. This makes high-speed printing possible. -11- 1222551 V. Description of the Invention (10) [Example] Subsequently, an example of the present invention will be explained in more detail. Fig. 5 is a graph showing an embodiment of the present invention. First, there are many heating elements arranged in an array on the thermal sensing head, and its resistance is changed according to the temperature of the generated heat, and when the heat is activated at the same time on each line, printing is achieved. If the thermal head has a dot pitch of 300dpi, then it is also common for the subscanning or simultaneous printing line pitch to be performed at 300dpi. The thermal printing on the paper surface by the thermal head is repeated in cycles at this pitch. For the minute heating element 100 in Fig. 5, a resistance element generally called a thermistor is used, and its resistance is changed in accordance with the temperature of the generated heat. The metal component of the thermistor should be selected from components that have a linear relationship between the change in temperature of the heating and the change in resistance. An example of a component that can be used is an alloy of aluminum, chromium, boron, and the like. Subsequently, the operation of the circuit will be explained. From a data "1" on the upper register of the data register 101, which corresponds to a known element in the minute heating element, is written into an input terminal 102 according to the timing signal 105. After that, when the signal "0" is input from the host device to the input terminal 108, an inverter 109 converts the signal, and the signal is input to an AND gate 1 10 as "1". The output signal 1 06 of the data register 1 0 1 is input to the other terminal of the gate 1 1 0 as “1”, so a logical product of the gate 110 can be generated, which can drive the electric The crystal 120 enters -12-1222551 V. Description of the invention (11) The ON state. To be mentioned, a transistor! 2 丨 is in the 0FF state because the control signal 108 is at the time of heating driving. Therefore, a current flows to the heating element 100 and the transistor 120. As described above, when the heating element 1000 receives an electric current, it starts to generate thermal energy, and its resistance 値 changes. According to this embodiment, an element is used, and its resistance decreases when the temperature rises. Therefore, when the temperature rises, the current 値 flowing through the transistor 120 increases. The device for detecting the temperature rise of the heating element 1000 will be discussed below. When the temperature rises, the transistor 120 is ON, which can cause a current to flow. However, in the temperature detection period, the control signal 108 becomes "1", so that the transistor 120 becomes "OFF", and the other transistor 121 is switched from OFF to ON. Therefore, the current flows to a current detecting resistor, which in this embodiment is a fixed resistor 122 having a fixed resistance 値 of about 70 ohms. When the heating member 100 generates heat and its temperature rises, its resistance 値 decreases and the current 値 increases. Due to this phenomenon, the current flowing to the fixed resistor 1 22 increases and the voltage between the terminals of the resistor 1 22 increases. The output voltage of the resistor 1 22 is amplified by a linear amplifier circuit, and the amplified signal is input to a next-order analog / digital converter 1 1 2. Thus, the output 値 of the converter 1 12 is converted into digital digits, having a number of about 8 bits, as the temperature 加热 of the heating element 1000 of the thermal head, and then detected. According to this embodiment, the detection data is cumulatively input to the adder 1 1 3 periodically and continuously at intervals of about 20 microseconds, and is accumulated when the measurement is performed after each heating start. Therefore, after the heating is started, the thermal energy generated by the digital output of the adder 1 1 3 can be detected. Subsequently, the generated heat energy is abbreviated as the detection energy "A". This "A" is proportional to s 0 = K · 0 t X as explained in the above section. This detection "A" is input to the size comparison circuit 1 1 7 and thus can be compared. It must be mentioned that the adder 113 is divided by a set of signals 103 to 0 before the printing control of each line is activated, and each time the signal 08 is switched from "1" to the printing control of each line, analogy The digital output of the digital-to-digital converter 112 is added to the adder 113 by a signal 128 delayed slightly by the delay circuit. At the same time, at this point, the reference data on the printing density of the tiny heating element being controlled is from The upper device is sent to the input terminal 116 in the form of 8-bit data of 256 layers (Gradation). This data is calculated in advance based on the relationship between density and energy shown in Fig. 1, and the density data (energy is converted from the generated data conversion table 114). The conversion table for this purpose is constructed as a graph corresponding to the density data 値 and the energy 値. For example, when the level indication is a case where the number 1 28 is sent to the signal line 116 from a higher-level device, the number will be converted into an energy of 2.56. In other words, it is a consideration of the color development characteristics of the used paper The resulting conversion table is shown in Figure 1. In this table, the print density is the input data, and the detection energy target is not the output data. The conversion in this conversion table 値 2. 5 6 is stored in the register 1 丨 5 when printing control for the small color generating part in printing, and with the target energy -14- 1222551 V. Description of the invention (13) The control signal “B” is input to the size comparison circuit 1 1 7 and compared with the detection signal “A” described above. As long as the detection "A" is smaller than the target "B", the heating is continued because the control line 118 is "0". However, the cumulative energy 增加 increases little by little, and the detection 値 "A" becomes larger than the target 値 "B". At this point, the control line 1 1 8 used by the output of the comparison circuit 1 1 7 changes from "0" to "1". Therefore, the outputs of the logic addition gates 125 and 126 become "1". Thus, the registrar 101 is reset, and the output of the logical output 110 becomes "0". Therefore, the driving transistor 120 is turned OFF, and the current stops flowing to the thermistor heating element 100 to stop the heating. That is, the energy is applied to a predetermined density to stop the drive for heating. This heating operation is performed on all the minute heating elements in the array on the thermal head, and this operation is performed independently in the same manner as above. However, the heating elements designated to the development color at a low color development density are set with a small target energy control "B", so the heating operation of these heating elements is naturally more than that of the heating element designated as a darker color development The heating operation ends earlier. Subsequently, even when the temperature detection signal 108 is input from the host device, the signal 106 is 0 because the register 101 has been reset. Therefore, the logic output gate 129 keeps it at "0", which results in a result that the transistor 121 is turned OFF, so that the thermistor heating member 100 is no longer driven to generate heat. As a protection device to prevent the thermal head from overheating and being destroyed when the operation failure occurs in the printing operation, the following methods are performed: that is, when printing is started, the highest possible temperature is sent from the upper device to the input terminal -15- 1222551 V. Description of the invention (14) 200 is set in the register 123 according to the setting time period 201, and is compared with the output of the analog / digital converter 112 by the comparator 124. Then, when the output 値 of the analog / digital converter 1 1 2 is larger than the value set in the register 123, the output changes from "0" to "1", and the input is used as the register 101 by the logical addition gates 125, 126. The reset signal and the printing operation are stopped as described above, which may have a result that irregular overheating is prevented and the reliability of the device is improved. If the heating of all the heating elements has been completed and the position of the thermal sensor head has been moved a pitch distance from the paper surface, then a subsequent color development operation is immediately restarted, and the above operation is then repeatedly performed on the media. A timing diagram based on these interpretations is drawn in Figure 6. In the case of a monochrome thermal recording paper, for example, the above operation must be performed one color per sheet. However, in the case of a three-color thermal recording paper, a total of three times are performed in each of different energy regions in accordance with thermal control of three different color properties. In either case, the accumulated heat energy of each line applied to the surface is repeatedly obtained by detecting the surface temperature, so that extremely high-precision color development management can be performed on the thermal recording paper. For example, it is possible to print 256 layers of multi-color density onto a single-color thermal recording paper, which was difficult to control in the prior art. As a result, printing at a high speed can be performed at the same quality as photographic images. Moreover, hologram film printing, which traditionally uses only a mold called hot stamping, and requires heating in a very small temperature range in a high temperature region, -16- 1222551 V. Description of the invention (15) also Become feasible. Furthermore, a printing method using a freely printed pattern without using a fixed mold is also possible. -17-