Abstract: A system that permits the plotting of any combination of several colors in one pass. Three differently colored light sources are provided, and thus one, two or three colors may be plotted at the same time. An apparatus is provided for causing relative movement between the scanning head and the substrate along each of the two axes of the substrate. Preferably, the first axis is disposed circumferentially about a cylinder, on which the substrate is situated, the cylinder having a central axis, and the second axis is disposed approximately parallel to the central axis. The system includes deflection means, preferably acousto-optical modulators, for deflecting along a path a portion of each beam of light by an amount dependent upon the frequency of a signal that is present at the deflection means' input.

Abstract: A system that permits the plotting of any combination of several colors in one pass. Three differently colored light sources are provided, and thus one, two or three colors may be plotted at the same time. An apparatus is provided for causing relative movement between the scanning head and the substrate along each of the two axes of the substrate. Preferably, the first axis is disposed circumferentially about a cylinder, on which the substrate is situated, the cylinder having a central axis, and the second axis is disposed approximately parallel to the central axis. The system includes deflection means, preferably acousto-optical modulators, for deflecting along a path a portion of each beam of light by an amount dependent upon the frequency of a signal that is present at the deflection means' input.

Abstract: A scanning system, having a fixed platen and optical imaging system and a translated reference scale, is provided for scanning of a modulated light beam (or a set of parallel, independently modulated light beams) onto an object surface. The optical system provides a combined light beam including the modulated light beam and a reference light beam. An optical imaging device moves the combined light beam along a scan line, and a translatably mounted beam splitter splits the combined light beam to direct at least some of the reference light beam onto a reference scale and a sensor. The reference scale sensor, which is rigidly attached to the beam splitter, and is responsive to reference beam position in two directions, provides a clocking signal indicative of beam position along the scan line and a vernier position signal indicative of beam position in a direction transverse to the scan line.

Abstract: A system for scanning or plotting a graphic image. The system deflects (10) a portion of the beam of light (18) by an amount dependent upon the value of a characteristic of a signal (12). A plurality of signals is generated (12), each having a different value of the characteristic. Portions of the beam are deflected along paths (15), such that the pixels created by one portion are disposed along one scan line, while pixels of the other portion are disposed along a successive scan line.