Abstract: A spatial light modulation element having a plurality of plotting element groups is moved in a scan direction and frame data is inputted into the spatial light modulation element according to the movement so as to form an image. A device creates the frame data used here. When the frame data is created according to image data having pixel data arranged in two-dimensional way in the sub-scan direction corresponding to the scan direction and the main scan direction orthogonally intersecting the sub-scan direction, each of the positions of the plotting points obtained by at least some plotting elements of the plotting element group (circles 1 to 24) is detected and the frame data is created according to the position of each of the plotting points detected.

Abstract: A method for creating frame data used when forming an image by moving a spatial light modulation device including a plurality of plotting element arrays in a scanning direction which forms an inclination angle ? with an arrangement direction of the plotting element arrays, and sequentially inputting the frame data to the spatial light modulation device according to the movement of the device in the scanning direction. The method is based on image data in which pixel data are disposed two-dimensionally in a sub-scanning direction corresponding to the scanning direction, and a main scanning direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction, and the frame data are created after performing a deformation process on the image data such that the pixel data corresponding to each of the plotting element arrays (e.g., circled numbers 1 to 6) are disposed in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image recording method of recording an image onto an image recording surface by dot patterns by scanning a recording head having recording element units arranged in a direction intersecting a scanning direction, the recording element units having a light source and an optical system which receives light from the light source, forms light beams which are arranged two-dimensionally, and focuses the light beams on the image recording surface. The method includes: measuring displacement amounts of positions of light beam spots on the image recording surface generated due to a change in optical magnification of the optical system; changing a light-emitting timing at a time of start of scanning in the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the scanning direction; and changing a resolution in the direction intersecting the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the direction intersecting the scanning direction.

Abstract: Light modulated by a spatial light modulator is projected onto photosensitive material and the photosensitive material is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern. The action of the spatial light modulator is controlled so that the amount of the light projected onto the photosensitive material is changed in at least two stages according to the part of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus scans a heat mode recording material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information, to thereby record an image on the heat mode recording material. The apparatus includes an unit for generating a modulated signal, an unit for generating an additional signal at a timing of at least one of rising and falling of the modulated signal and a unit for generating a drive signal by adding the additional signal to the modulated. The image forming method and apparatus scan a photosensitive material with the light beam to record an image, and a power of the light beam is set to a power of a level at which a recording line width or a recording dot size, which is determined depending upon a threshold value for the photosensitive material to blacken, is substantially fixed even if defocus occurs.

Abstract: In an image drawing apparatus and an image drawing method for forming a desired two-dimensional pattern on an image drawing surface by using a plurality of image drawing heads, uneven density and resolution caused by errors in relative positions of the heads and installation angles thereof and by an effect of pattern distortion can be reduced. A rectangular two-dimensional pixel array is installed in each of exposure heads in an exposure apparatus (image drawing apparatus) so as to make a predetermined angle with the direction of scanning, facing an exposure surface of a photosensitive material. Combinations of slits and photo detectors detect positions of light spots in the exposure surface comprising inter-head relay areas. Pixels in the pixel arrays are selected so as to realize N-overlay exposure ideally by causing overexposure and underexposure to be minimal in the inter-head relay areas.

Abstract: A light quantity adjusting method is used for driving a light emitting device with two drive current levels. The drive current levels are controlled by the first set data and the second set data, respectively. First, a resolution ratio and light quantity characteristics are stored. The resolution ratio represents a ratio between a drive current setting resolution of the first set data and a drive current setting resolution of the second set data. The light quantity characteristics represents a relationship between the first set data and a light emission quantity of the light emitting device. A value in the first set data is obtained as a first set value through adjustment for a quantity of light. Next, a change amount, from the first set value in the first set data is calculated using the light quantity characteristics. The calculated change amount is converted into a value in the second set data as a second set value using the resolution ratio.

Abstract: A light quantity adjusting method is used for driving a light emitting device with two drive current levels. The drive current levels are controlled by the first set data and the second set data, respectively. First, a resolution ratio and light quantity characteristics are stored. The resolution ratio represents a ratio between a drive current setting resolution of the first set data and a drive current setting resolution of the second set data. The light quantity characteristics represents a relationship between the first set data and a light emission quantity of the light emitting device. A value in the first set data is obtained as a first set value through adjustment for a quantity of light. Next, a change amount, from the first set value in the first set data is calculated using the light quantity characteristics. The calculated change amount is converted into a value in the second set data as a second set value using the resolution ratio.

Abstract: In a system for irradiating a recording medium with combined laser light which is generated by combining laser beams emitted from laser-light sources: a fraction of the laser-light sources are selected when a target value of the optical output power of the combined laser light determined in correspondence with the photosensitivity of the recording medium is smaller than a predetermined reference value. Then, each laser-light source in the fraction of the laser-light sources is driven with a driving current within a range from the oscillation threshold current to the maximum rated current of each laser-light source, and the remaining fraction of the laser-light sources which are not selected above are stopped, so that the optical output power of the combined laser light is equalized with the target value.

Abstract: In an image drawing apparatus and an image drawing method for forming a desired two-dimensional pattern on an image drawing surface by using a plurality of image drawing heads, uneven density and resolution caused by errors in relative positions of the heads and installation angles thereof and by an effect of pattern distortion can be reduced. A rectangular two-dimensional pixel array is installed in each of exposure heads in an exposure apparatus (image drawing apparatus) so as to make a predetermined angle with the direction of scanning, facing an exposure surface of a photosensitive material. Combinations of slits and photo detectors detect positions of light spots in the exposure surface comprising inter-head relay areas. Pixels in the pixel arrays are selected so as to realize N-overlay exposure ideally by causing overexposure and underexposure to be minimal in the inter-head relay areas.

Abstract: An image recording device has: a recording head which has plural channels arranged rectilinearly, and which can illuminate light beams; a line memory storing image data, which is based on a number of main scan lines of one main scan by the recording head, as one unit; and a buffer storing, for each of the respective channels, data stored in the line memory. At a look up table, channel reshuffling control is executed, and pixel offset amounts of lines corresponding to channels of reshuffle destinations are added, and data is transferred to the buffer. When a channel order is reshuffled due to movement of the recording head, reshuffling control is carried out at the table in accordance with an order at a time of reshuffling, and at a time of transferring the image data from the line memory to the buffer.

Abstract: A light quantity adjusting method is used for driving a light emitting device with two drive current levels. The drive current levels are controlled by the first set data and the second set data, respectively. First, a resolution ratio and light quantity characteristics are stored. The resolution ratio represents a ratio between a drive current setting resolution of the first set data and a drive current setting resolution of the second set data. The light quantity characteristics represents a relationship between the first set data and a light emission quantity of the light emitting device. A value in the first set data is obtained as a first set value through adjustment for a quantity of light. Next, a change amount, from the first set value in the first set data is calculated using the light quantity characteristics. The calculated change amount is converted into a value in the second set data as a second set value using the resolution ratio.

Abstract: Light modulated by a spatial light modulator is projected onto photosensitive material and the photosensitive material is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern. The action of the spatial light modulator is controlled so that the amount of the light projected onto the photosensitive material is changed in at least two stages according to the part of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A light quantity adjusting method is used for driving a light emitting device with two drive current levels. The drive current levels are controlled by the first set data and the second set data, respectively. First, a resolution ratio and light quantity characteristics are stored. The resolution ratio represents a ratio between a drive current setting resolution of the first set data and a drive current setting resolution of the second set data. The light quantity characteristics represents a relationship between the first set data and a light emission quantity of the light emitting device. A value in the first set data is obtained as a first set value through adjustment for a quantity of light. Next, a change amount, from the first set value in the first set data is calculated using the light quantity characteristics. The calculated change amount is converted into a value in the second set data as a second set value using the resolution ratio.

Abstract: In an image exposure apparatus, a scanning movement of an exposure head exposes a sensitive member of a recording medium. The image exposure apparatus comprises: an optical fiber holding member that movably holds a part of the optical fiber up to the exposure head; a photo detector that detects light quantity of emitted light from the exposure head during a movement of the optical fiber by the optical fiber holding member; a control means that drives the semiconductor laser in a state that the exposure head is fixed, while the optical fiber holding member is moved; and an operating means that operates average light quantity in accordance with the light quantity detected by the photo detector, and operates a value of current to drive the semiconductor laser in accordance with a difference between the average light quantity and a target light quantity necessary for exposure.

Abstract: A recording material is angled and wound on a rotating drum. Distortion (inclination) of an image can be eliminated with a comparatively simple control system, and the occurrence of distortion when there is a change in image recording specifications can be prevented. For standard specifications, although image recording lines have helical movement tracks during image-recording, a peripheral end of a printing plate and a peripheral end of an image region can be made to be parallel with one another without distortion of the image region. In contrast, when instructed specifications differ from the standard specifications, a conventional image region becomes distorted because an inclination angle of the printing plate cannot be varied. Accordingly, in a case in which instructed specifications differ from the standard specifications thus, image data is shifted in a sub-scanning direction by soft processing, and the distortion is alleviated.

Abstract: When an image forming material is exposed to light beams to form an image, the image forming method and apparatus set a first light quantity level and a second light quantity level that is higher than the first light quantity level, adjusts a pixel recording time period of a pixel signal to be subjected to pixel recording, and generates a first signal and a second signal for driving the first light quantity level and the second light quantity level based on the pixel signal, respectively. In this method and apparatus, the pixel recording time period of the pixel signal is adjusted in accordance with a combination of the first signal and the second signal, and the image forming material is exposed to light beams in the first light quantity level and in the second light quantity level based on this combination. The method and apparatus are capable of improving the reproducibility of small points and fine lines and enhancing the image quality.

Abstract: An image recording method of recording an image onto an image recording surface by dot patterns by scanning a recording head having recording element units arranged in a direction intersecting a scanning direction, the recording element units having a light source and an optical system which receives light from the light source, forms light beams which are arranged two-dimensionally, and focuses the light beams on the image recording surface. The method includes: measuring displacement amounts of positions of light beam spots on the image recording surface generated due to a change in optical magnification of the optical system; changing a light-emitting timing at a time of start of scanning in the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the scanning direction; and changing a resolution in the direction intersecting the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the direction intersecting the scanning direction.

Abstract: An AOD is switched between a state capable of outputting 0th-order light and a state capable of outputting 1st-order light according to a switching signal, and a second delay signal which is produced by delaying the switching signal a given time is generated by a first delay unit and a second delay unit. 0th-order or 1st-order image data is supplied to a laser diode according to the second delay signal to record an image highly accurately on a recording film at a time selected in view of a response delay of the AOD.

Abstract: For dividing an image and recording divided images on a photosensitive film with a plurality of laser beams, an auxiliary scanning speed is reduced in the vicinity of junctions between adjacent ones of the divided images to adjust the intervals between main scanning lines, and each of the main scanning lines is divided into divided main scanning lines in a main scanning direction, and the divided main scanning lines are formed separately in an auxiliary scanning direction. With such a correcting process, a high-quality image free of striped artifacts and inclination differences of main scanning lines can be recorded on the photosensitive film.