Abstract: Improvements in thermal printing are described. Print energy absorbers are arranged so as not to alter printed characteristics of colorant. Pre-heaters lessen the amount of print energy necessary to effect printing. D2T2 printing with a laser print energy source is disclosed.

Abstract: A solid state laser, comprising (a) a resonator, (b) at least one laser diode array for side pumping said resonator, and (c) at least one fan-out-covering optical system, between said resonator and said at least one laser diode array, does not suffer from thermal problems and provides a high quality beam. The solid state laser may be air cooled.

Abstract: Direct dye thermal transfer printing, sublimation dye printing and thermal wax printing may be effected by impinging the energy modulated zero order beam of a laser print energy source on an image forming substance such as a direct dye thermal transfer printing medium, a sublimation dye printing medium, and a thermal wax printing medium. Printing may also be effected by a method involving providing an original electronic color data set, which contains pixels which contain intensity information in the time domain optionally increasing the optical resolution of the data set, dividing one or more of the pixels in the time domain, to obtain a data set containing one or more time-sliced pixels, and printing the data set containing one or more time-sliced pixels.

Abstract: A solid state laser, comprising (a) a resonator, (b) at least one laser diode array for side pumping said resonator, and (c) at least one fan-out-covering optical system, between said resonator and said at least one laser diode array, does not suffer from thermal problems and provides a high quality beam. The solid state laser may be air cooled.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a pixel clock to control the timing of data pulses in an optical scanning device. A VCO is utilized to generate the pixel clock. The control voltage for the VCO is provided by a digital-to-analog converter ("DAC") which converts the count generated by a pixel reference location counter driven by a reference clock. The output of the DAC is fed back as the reference voltage for the DAC. The effect is to either increase or decrease the DAC reference voltage depending on whether positive or negative feedback is implemented, thereby varying the pixel clock frequency for the image data stream as a function of pixel position. By selecting the appropriate feedback and feedback gain, the pixel placement can be made uniform across the scan line.

Abstract: A scanner system includes a light source for producing a light beam and a multifaceted polygon for scanning the light beam in a scan plane along a scan line a predetermined distance from the polygon, such as at the surface of a photoreceptor or a document to be read. The system also includes a post-facet lens system that includes first and second elements configured to compensate for field curvature and wobble without compensating for scanner non-linearity. Preferably, the first element and second elements are so disposed that the light beam passes first through the first element and then through the second element. In addition, the first element preferably includes first and second surfaces such that the light beam passes from the first surface to the second surface, the first surface being spherical and the second surface being cylindrical with curvature in the scan plane and essential no curvature in the cross-scan plane.

Abstract: A scanner includes a light source for producing a light beam and a multifaceted polygon for directing the light beam to a spot on a surface to be scanned, such as at the surface of a photoreceptor or a document to be read, that is located at a predetermined location relative to the polygon and for moving the spot across the surface along a scan line or predetermined length. The scanner also includes a post-facet lens system with first and second elements configured to compensate for field curvature and wobble without compensating for scanner non-linearity. They are composed of plastic, the surfaces of the elements having curvature in both the scan plane and the cross-scan plane as well as less magnification than existing post-facet lens systems.

Abstract: A scanner system includes a light source for producing a light beam and a scanner for directing the light beam to a spot on a surface to a be scanned and for moving the spot across the surface along a scan line of predetermined length in a series of scan cycles. A reference clock produces a train of M reference pulses during each of the scan cycles such that each of the reference pulses represents the occurrence of a respective one of M segments of the scan cycle. An oscillator produces a train of clock pulses for use in controlling the light beam at a predetermined number of desired pixel positions along the scan line while a frequency control circuit responsive to the reference pulses varies the frequency of the oscillator during the occurrence of each of the M segments of the scan cycle in order to approximate an ideal frequency variation curve the entire scan cycle.

Abstract: A scanner system includes a light source for producing a light beam and a director that directs the light beam to a spot on a surface to be scanned moving the spot across the surface along a scan line of predetermined length in a series of scan cycles. The scanner system has a pixel clock for producing a train of clock pulses during each of the scan cycles configured so that some of the clock pulses are spaced apart by a first time interval and others are spaced apart by a longer second time interval in order to maintain timing of the clock pulses according to spot position along the scan line in a manner that compensates for scanner non-linearity in order to reduce pixel position distortion.

Abstract: A scanner system includes a light source for producing a light beam and scanning components for directing the light beam to a spot on a surface to be scanned that is located at a predetermined location relative to the scanning means, moving the spot across the surface along a scan line of predetermined length in a series of scan cycles. The system includes a pixel clock that produces a train of clock pulses during each of the scan cycles using a VCO circuit for producing the train of clock pulses and a control circuit for varying the timing of the clock pulses. The control circuit includes an waveshaping circuit for causing the control signal to have a waveform such that the timing of the clock pulses varies according to the position of the spot along the scan line in order to compensate for scanner non-linearity in a manner reducing pixel position distortion.