Patent attributes
Selectively printing full and fractional sized images with a donor ribbon. A first print order and indicia are printed while the donor ribbon is advanced through the printer. Printing is performed using donor material on a first fraction of the patch set when the print order requests a fractional sized image, or on a full patch when the print order requests a full sized image. When a second print order requests a fractional sized image, a determination is made whether the second fraction of the patch set is available for printing. An image based upon the second print order is printed using donor material from the second fraction of the patch set when it is available, or the donor ribbon is advanced to the next patch set when it is determined that the second fraction of the patch set is not available.
