Importance

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Abstract

A printer which performs accurate ink detection even if its operational environment has changed, and a facsimile apparatus using the printer. When printing of one page of print sheet has been completed, printhead is moved to a position opposite to ink detection position sensor and ink detection is performed. If it is determined that ink is exhausted, the printhead is moved in a printhead-moving direction by a slight amount (.+-..DELTA.L) from a normal detection position, and the ink detection is performed again. Printing is controlled based on the result of the retried detection. Print control may be performed such that upon estimating a residual ink amount (x), a value obtained from the result of ink detection is compared with two threshold values (TH1, TH2), and if TH1.ltoreq.x (sufficient ink remains) holds, the printing is performed; if TH2.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.TH1 (residual ink amount is small) holds, alarm processing such as displaying a warning message on LED, turning LED on, and emitting an alarm sound from speaker is performed. If x

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First Claim