Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of image recording and image erasing, wherein a light irradiation intensity at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording is controlled; in the image recording, a first auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from a start point of each of image lines constituting an image in the opposite direction from the scanning direction and a second auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from an end point of each of the image lines in the scanning direction are prepared, and when the first and second auxiliary lines including an image line are continuously scanned, the image line is scanned with irradiating the laser beam, and the first and the second auxiliary lines are scanned without irradiating the laser beam to thereby record the image.

Abstract: A surface-condition-information obtaining unit obtains information on a surface condition of a rewritable display medium on which information is reversely displayed visually. A write-laser output unit outputs a write laser to irradiate the rewritable display medium with the write laser, to perform a drawing on the rewritable display medium. A control unit performs a write process for displaying an image on the rewritable display medium by adjusting a laser output condition based on the information obtained by the surface-condition-information obtaining unit and controlling the write-laser output unit based on an adjustment of the laser output condition.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a semiconductor laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.20?I1/I2?1.29 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 95% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of image recording and image erasing, wherein a light irradiation intensity at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording is controlled; in the image recording, a first auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from a start point of each of image lines constituting an image in the opposite direction from the scanning direction and a second auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from an end point of each of the image lines in the scanning direction are prepared, and when the first and second auxiliary lines including an image line are continuously scanned, the image line is scanned with irradiating the laser beam, and the first and the second auxiliary lines are scanned without irradiating the laser beam to thereby record the image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of an image recording step and an image erasing step, wherein a light irradiation intensity I1 at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording step and a light irradiation intensity I2 on an 80% light energy bordering surface to the total light energy of the irradiated laser beam satisfy the expression, 0.40?I1/I2?2.00, and in the image recording step, at an overlap portion where a first image line among a plurality of image lines constituting an image is overlapped with a second image line, any one of the first image line and the second image line is not to be recorded.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a semiconductor laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.20?I1/I2?1.29??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 95% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.

Abstract: An image processing method including calculating a density of a character to be recorded based on information of a type, size and line width of the character; adjusting an irradiation energy of a laser beam for recording the character based on the density of the character; and irradiating a recording medium with the laser beam whose irradiation energy is adjusted so as to record the character thereon.

Abstract: An image processing method which contains: delivering laser light to a thermoreversible recording medium to heat the medium and record an image thereon, the medium reversibly changing a transparency or tone thereof depending on a temperature thereof; and heating the medium to erase the image recorded thereon, wherein the delivering is carried out using an image processing device containing: a laser light emitting unit; a light scanning unit disposed on a plane onto which laser light emitted from the laser light emitting unit is delivered; a light intensity distribution adjusting unit to change a light intensity distribution of the laser light; and a f? lens to condense the laser light, and wherein energy of the laser light passing through a peripheric portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium is lower than energy of the laser light passing through a center portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium.

Abstract: To provide a thermosensitive recording medium including: a support; an image recording layer on the support; and an inorganic material in particle form as a light-heat conversion material, wherein the inorganic material has a ratio of Y to X, represented by Y/X, of 2 or greater, where X denotes an average value of absorption intensities with respect to light having wavelengths in the range of 400 nm to 700 nm, and Y denotes a maximum value among absorption intensities with respect to light having wavelengths greater than 700 nm but smaller than or equal to 1,200 nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes recording an image by irradiating a recording medium with laser beams which are arrayed in parallel at predetermined intervals to heat the recording medium, so that the image is composed of a plurality of lines written with the laser beams on the recording medium, and wherein in the image recording, the plurality of lines written with the laser beams include a line written first and an overwritten line, a part of which is overlapped with the line written first; and the irradiation energy for the overwritten line is smaller than the irradiation energy for the line written first.

Abstract: An image erasing apparatus including: a semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of semiconductor laser light sources are linearly aligned; a width direction collimating unit provided on an output surface of the semiconductor laser array, and configured to collimate, in a width direction, broadening of laser beams emitted from the semiconductor laser array so as to form a linear beam; and a length direction light distribution controlling unit configured to control a length of a major axis of the linear beam to be longer than a length of a major axis of an emission part of the semiconductor laser array, and to attain uniform light distribution in the length direction of the linear beam; wherein the linear beam, which has the major axis whose length is longer than the length of the major axis of the emission part of the semiconductor laser array and uniform light distribution in the length direction thereof, is to be applied to and heat a thermoreversible recording medium, in which any of transparency and

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording medium including a support; a layer containing a photothermal conversion material, formed over a surface of the support; and an oxygen blocking layer formed over a surface of the layer opposite to a surface thereof over which the support is formed, wherein the layer further contains a resin, which is in a cross-linked state, and the photothermal conversion material absorbs a light having a specific wavelength and converts the light into heat, and wherein the oxygen blocking layer has an oxygen permeability of 0.5 mL/(m2·24 hr·atm) or less at 25° C. and 80% RH.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for image processing and an image processing apparatus which are capable of performing repetitive forming and erasing of high-contrast images at high speeds by forming high-density, uniform images and uniformly erasing images in a short period of time, and in addition, suppressing the degradation of the thermoreversible recording medium due to repetitive forming and erasing is possible.

Abstract: A method for erasing an image including irradiating an image formed on a thermoreversible recording medium with a laser light having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1,500 nm so as to erase the image, wherein an energy density of the laser light is in a range of the energy density which can erase the image and more than a center value of the range, wherein the thermoreversible recording medium includes a support, and a thermoreversible recording layer on the support, and wherein the thermoreversible recording layer contains a leuco dye serving as an electron-donating color-forming compound and a reversible developer serving as an electron-accepting compound, in which color tone reversibly changes by heat, and at least one of the thermoreversible recording layer and a layer adjacent to the thermoreversible recording layer contains a photothermal conversion material, which absorbs the light and converts the light into heat.

Abstract: A method for erasing an image including irradiating an image formed on a thermoreversible recording medium with a laser light having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1,500 nm so as to erase the image, wherein an energy density of the laser light is in a range of the energy density which can erase the image and a center value or less of the range, wherein the thermoreversible recording medium includes a support, and a thermoreversible recording layer on the support, and wherein the thermoreversible recording layer contains a leuco dye serving as an electron-donating color-forming compound and a reversible developer serving as an electron-accepting compound, in which color tone reversibly changes by heat, and at least one of the thermoreversible recording layer and a layer adjacent to the thermoreversible recording layer contains a photothermal conversion material, which absorbs the light and converts the light into heat.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for image processing and an image processing apparatus which are capable of performing repetitive forming and erasing of high-contrast images at high speeds by forming high-density, uniform images and uniformly erasing images in a short period of time, and in addition, suppressing the degradation of the thermoreversible recording medium due to repetitive forming and erasing is possible.

Abstract: An image processing method which contains: delivering laser light to a thermoreversible recording medium to heat the medium and record an image thereon, the medium reversibly changing a transparency or tone thereof depending on a temperature thereof; and heating the medium to erase the image recorded thereon, wherein the delivering is carried out using an image processing device containing: a laser light emitting unit; a light scanning unit disposed on a plane onto which laser light emitted from the laser light emitting unit is delivered; a light intensity distribution adjusting unit to change a light intensity distribution of the laser light; and a f? lens to condense the laser light, and wherein energy of the laser light passing through a peripheric portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium is lower than energy of the laser light passing through a center portion of the f? lens and traveling onto the medium.

Abstract: The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to the present invention comprises a support, a thermosensitive layer and a protective layer in order, the thermosensitive layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound and reversibly changes the color depending on temperatures, and the protective layer comprises a reactive heterocyclic compound, and inorganic fine particles of which surface is at least partially treated into hydrophobic, alternatively the protective layer comprises inorganic fine particles of which number-average particle size is 100 nm or less and of which surface is at least partially coated with organic silane compounds.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a semiconductor laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.20?I1/I2?1.29 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 95% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a CO2 laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.59<I1/I2?2.00 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 80% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.