A system and method for sensing the positioning the printhead in one or
more of a standby position, a wipe position, and a printing position uses
electrical signals from a drive motor as an indicator of whether the
printhead has properly moved to a desired position. As the printhead is
tilted to a print position, a first position electrical signal is
detected by sampling a resistance on the torque motor at a first time. A
second position electrical signal is determined by sampling another
resistance on the motor at a second time. A slope is calculated between
the first position sample and the second position sample. The calculated
slope is analyzed to determine whether the printhead is operating
properly. Thus, the need for standalone sensors to determine the
positioning of the printhead is eliminated.