US Patent 7101007 Printhead, printhead driving method, and data output apparatus

The disclosed printhead can speed up transfer of image data and driving of printing elements without increasing the number of signal lines and connection terminals. An image data signal supplied to the printhead has a 4-bit bus format containing block selection data in its head. This signal is separated by a selection signal, and only the block selection data contained in the head is held in a latch and supplied to a decoder. The 4-bit image data corresponding to the four subsequent segments are respectively held in the four latches of a first printing control unit.