Abstract: A printer or copier has an optical character generator for reproducing raster image data in grey-scale displays. Integrated light sources in the form of LEDs arranged in arrays are aligned to form a print line. A control IC is provided for each LED array. Groups of the control ICs are formed in which information is shifted for the switch on time of all LEDs of a group starting with the first control IC to the next IC. The ICs are connected together by bonding. A ramp circuit is provided to prevent current surges when the LEDs are switched on. A flat unit that extends along the character generator is used to transmit information and power to the control ICs. Busbars ensure that power is provided to the LEDs.

Abstract: A plurality of light-emitting diode chips (2) densely packed in the form of rows is associated with driver chips (34) and associated drive chips (3) on both sides. The printing information is supplied from a printer control (6) via a bus system (4, 4' and 5, 5'). Each light-emitting diode chip is subdivided into n groups of light-emitting diodes (for example LED1, LED3, LED5 . . . LED31 and LED98, LED100 . . . LED128), which are arranged geometrically offset with respect to one another transversely to the main direction of the diode row. Each drive chip contains a switching unit (32) for generating internal sequence control signals (for example SWE1, SWE2, I-CLK) and n part-circuits (33/0 to 33/3) associated with the n groups of light-emitting diodes for the simultaneous processing of the printing information into temporally staggered drive signals (DS).