Universal printing controller

1. A method for universal printing control comprising a single print controller for use in an industrial printing environment configured to control several types of print-heads, the method comprising:

receiving multiple print requests, a combination of the print requests including at least two different formats;

for each of multiple print-heads connected to the single print controller, determining a print-head type configuration from a variety of different print-head type configurations, wherein the determining of the print-head type configuration comprises:

receiving a voltage reading associated with a print-head connection; and

determining the print-head type configuration based on a value of the voltage reading;

for each of the received print requests:

choosing a print technology format from a variety of different print technology formats based on the print-head type configuration, wherein the variety of different print technology formats include at least two of laser, thermal transfer, direct thermal transfer, valve jet, continuous ink jet, bubble jet, or piezoelectric; and

translating the received print request to a print instruction based on the chosen print technology format;

transmitting simultaneously by the single print controller the print instructions to at least two of the connected print-heads.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the choosing a print technology format further comprises receiving the print technology format from a connecting print-head.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the choosing a print technology format further comprises retrieving the print technology format from a format source, the retrieve being based on the print-head type configuration.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the format source is a format database.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the format database is a specific database associated with a specific print-head type.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the format source is a user-provided source.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variety of different print-head type configurations comprises at least one of a vector, raster, and/or RFID type of print technology.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print technology format comprises print imaging parameters and/or print technology specific parameters.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of determining, choosing, and transmitting occur simultaneously for different print-head types.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to transmitting the print instructions, generating the print instructions having a data format dependent upon the chosen print technology format.

11. A universal printing controller comprising:

a single print controller for use in an industrial printing environment configured to control one or several types of print-head and to receive multiple print requests, a combination of the print requests including at least two different formats;

a print-head manager configured to, for each of multiple print-heads connected to the single print controller, determine a print-head type configuration from a variety of different print-head type configurations;

a print format unit configured to, for each of the received print requests:

choose a print technology format from a variety of different print technology formats, wherein the variety of different print technology formats include at least two of laser, thermal transfer, direct thermal transfer, valve jet, continuous ink jet, bubble jet, or piezoelectric; and

translate the received print request to a print instruction based on the chosen print technology format; and

a communication port configured to transmit simultaneously printing instructions to at least two of the connected print-heads;

wherein the communication port is further configured to receive a voltage reading associated with a print-head connection; and

wherein the print-head manager is further configured to determine the print-head type configuration based on a value of the voltage reading received by the communication port.

12. The universal printing controller of claim 11 wherein the communication port is further configured to receive the print technology format from a connecting print-head and the print format unit is configured to choose the print technology format based on the received print technology format.

13. The universal printing controller of claim 11 , wherein the print format unit is further configured to retrieve the print technology format from a format source based on the print-head type configuration, and the print format unit is further configured to choose the print technology format based on the retrieved print technology format.

14. The universal printing controller of claim 13 , wherein the format source is a format database.

15. The universal printing controller of claim 14 , wherein the format database is a specific database associated with a specific print-head type.

16. The universal printing controller of claim 13 , wherein the format source is a user-provided source.

17. The universal printing controller of claim 11 , wherein the variety of different print-head type configurations comprises at least one of a vector, raster, and/or RFID type of print technology.

18. The universal printing controller of claim 11 wherein the print technology format comprises print imaging parameters and/or print technology specific parameters.

19. The universal printing controller of claim 11 , wherein the print-head manager, the print format unit and the communication port are configured to operate simultaneously for different print-head types.

20. The universal printing controller of claim 11 , wherein the printing instructions having a data format dependent upon the chosen print technology format.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a universal printing controller comprising a single print controller for use in an industrial printing environment configured to control several types of print-head, perform a method comprising:

receiving multiple print requests, a combination of the print requests including at least two different formats;

for each of multiple print-heads connected to the single print controller, determining a print-head type configuration, from a variety of different print-head type configurations, wherein the determining of the print-head type configuration comprises:

receiving a voltage reading associated with a print-head connection; and

determining the print-head type configuration based on a value of the voltage reading;

for each of the received print requests:

choosing a print technology format from a variety of different print technology formats based on the print-head type configuration, wherein the variety of different print technology formats include at least two of laser, thermal transfer, direct thermal transfer, valve jet, continuous ink jet, bubble jet, or piezoelectric; and

translating the received print request to a print instruction based on the chosen print technology format;

transmitting simultaneously the print instructions to at least two of the connected print-heads.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

prior to transmitting the print instructions, generating the print instructions having a data format dependent upon the chosen print technology format.