Abstract: An EL device includes a control unit that controls a driving circuit so that a plurality of EL elements emits light several times per driving cycle. Specifically, when a driving voltage is applied to the plurality of EL elements, the plurality of EL elements emits several times per driving cycle. As a result, since the amount of light integrated per time increases, the plurality of EL elements obtains high luminous power even if a plurality of El elements having a very short emission decay time is used.

Abstract: If an abnormal current is applied to a laser diode at the rise time and fall time of a power voltage, a laser diode's life may be shortened. In a laser diode drive, circuits monitoring a current voltage are set up in two systems. At the same time, the monitor voltage of one system that controls the on/off operation of the internal bias voltage is set high relative to a monitor voltage of the other system controlling an output current; until the internal bias voltage becomes stable when power is on and before the internal bias voltage cuts off and makes the circuit operation unstable when power is off, by giving another reference voltage in lieu of a reference voltage as the reference voltage of the voltage-current conversion circuit, the output status of the voltage-current conversion circuit is controlled in the direction of decreasing a current that is applied to the laser diode, so that the laser diode is prevented from receiving an abnormal current at the rise time of the power voltage.

Abstract: A laser printer using a single frequency resonant mirror for providing the beam sweep for printing at a multiplicity of printing speeds. According to a first embodiment, a pair of torsional hinges 54a and 54b provides the resonant beam sweep. The number of line images per unit of measurement is changed as a function of printer speeds to achieve the desired image proportions.

Abstract: A device for spotwise imaging printing surfaces includes a laser light source producing at least one laser beam movable relative to a printing surface, the laser beam defining an image spot on the printing surface, the laser beam having a laser power. A laser control varies the laser power or an exposure time as a function of a distance of the laser light source from the image spot.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a plurality of holding units that holds data of pixels around a target pixel, a weight generating unit that generates a weight for each holding unit, a plurality of weight applying units that applies a corresponding weight to the data held by each holding unit, and a control unit that determines an exposing energy for the target pixel in accordance with an output of each weight applying unit.

Abstract: A frequency modulation device for use in an image forming apparatus. The image formation apparatus includes an image carrier and a laser device for scanning the image carrier along a plurality of scan lines. Each scan line is divided into segments having segment boundaries in which the same segment boundary in adjacent scan lines are offset. The frequency modulation device generates frequency data for use in modulating the input image data, which is utilized by the laser device to scan the image carrier, which permits output of an electrophotograph of high image quality by suppressing segment boundaries caused by moiré fringes or color shifting to below a level at which such boundaries are not visually detectable.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of securing required printing quality by properly correcting a main scanning scale. In a pixel division modulating process, for each of one or more correction points (at l-th, m-th, and n-th pixels) on each of lines along which scanning is carried out on a photosensitive drum 11 by laser light, the final bit data of pixel-division-modulated pixel data of a pixel immediately preceding each correction point is added to the pixel data of a pixel located at the correction point as the leading bit data of the pixel-division-modulated pixel data of this pixel. The same processing as above is sequentially performed on pixel data of pixels located subsequently to the correction point to sequentially shift predetermined bit data of pixel data of pixels to pixel data of the respective following pixels, to thereby generate pixel data of a new pixel. The generated pixel data of the new pixel is outputted in synchronism with an image clock of a fixed frequency.

Abstract: In a laser printer which uses a scanning mirror 12 with torsional hinges 36A, 36B driven by electrical coils 30A, 30B to provide resonant pivoting, at least one sensor 84, 88 is located proximate each end of a resonant sweep or scan. Pulses or signals from the sensor indicating the passing of a sweeping or scanning light beam are connected to computational circuitry 92 in a feedback loop. This information is used to determine the center of the beam sweep. The center of the beam sweep is then aligned with the center of the photosensitive medium, such as a rotating drum 44, by adjusting the DC current provided to the drive coils.

Abstract: A pixel clock pulse generating apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes high frequency clock pulse and pixel clock pulse generators. The high frequency clock pulse generator generates relatively high frequency clock pulses. The pixel clock pulse generator generates pixel clock pulses based on the phase data for instructing a transition time of pixel clock pulses and the high frequency clock pulses.

Abstract: A driving circuit drives an image sensing device by a plurality of driving schemes. A memory stores pixel defect information as information about a pixel defect in the image sensing device in correspondence with each driving scheme. A signal processing circuit corrects the pixel defect by referring to the pixel defect information in the memory in accordance with the driving scheme with which the driving circuit drives the image sensing device.

Abstract: A label printer system includes a disk storage medium including a thermally-sensitive layer formed on at least a portion of an upper surface. A rotational drive rotates the disk storage medium and a transverse drive moves a laser substantially transversely with respect to the disk storage medium. A memory includes a symbol set and a label printer driver. A processor uses the label printer driver to control the rotational drive and the transverse drive in order to thermally write the symbol set to the thermally-sensitive layer of the disk storage medium, using the laser.

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: The invention concerns a clock-generating circuit, which generates dot clock pulses for driving a light-emitting element employed in an optical-writing section of an image-forming apparatus and has a function of canceling unevenness of scanning-light amount caused by variations of transmittances and reflectances in the optical-writing section when a polygon mirror scans a laser beam.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a pixel clock for use in scanning a laser beam includes a high-frequency-clock generating circuit which generates a high-frequency clock having a higher frequency than the pixel clock, and a control circuit which generates the pixel clock while shifting a phase of the pixel clock by a shift step proportional to a clock cycle of the high-frequency clock in response to phase data indicative of timing and amounts of phase shifts.

Abstract: Print data is resolved into pixels that each include a corresponding placement parameter. A nonlinear transfer function is applied to a width parameter for each pixel, and data is generated based on transformed width parameters and the corresponding placement parameters.

Abstract: A photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention exposes photographic papers using a laser beam modulated based on image data and includes a laser beam emitting device. A changeover part changes the level of a driving signal to any one of a plurality of discrete levels according to a coloring characteristic of the photographic paper. The level of the driving signal determines the intensity of the laser beam outputted from the laser beam emitting device in a plurality of levels (for example, three levels consisting of a high level, a middle level and a low level). A filter is also provided to reduce the intensity of the laser beam outputted from the laser beam emitting device.

Abstract: A method and device for managing and controlling a scanning system that incorporates multiple oscillating scanners is provided by the present invention. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a resonant frequency is determined for each of the scanners. A drive signal for driving the oscillating scanners is generated based upon the determined resonant frequencies. An amplitude adjustment circuit determines the difference between the drive signal frequency and the resonant frequency of each oscillating scanner and adjusts the amplitude of the drive signal provided to that particular oscillating scanner such that scan amplitude of each oscillating scanner is approximately equal. The offset from the resonant frequency is also used to calculate a phase adjustment for the drive signal to insure that the oscillating scanners are operating in tandem.

Abstract: Uniformity of light output from an LED printbar is achieved by current sensing or image sensing of auxiliary LEDs on the LED printbar. A photodetector measures the light output from the auxiliary LEDs and a comparator will compare the auxiliary LED data to determine if the entire LED printbar has to be compensated to make the light output more uniform.

Abstract: An optical printer head with a plurality of light-emitting devices arranged in two dimensions is capable of providing a desired amount of exposure using light-emitting devices having even small luminance, ease of corrections to a sensitivity of a photosensitive body and to a positional displacement of an object to be printed, performing printing on multiple gray scales and implementing high density and miniaturization. The optical printer head is so configured that a picture element array including picture elements containing light-emitting devices arranged in line and string directions in two dimensions, a horizontal scanning circuit to feed data signals to each picture element string in the picture element array and a vertical scanning circuit to sequentially select and activate each picture element in the picture element array are formed on a same insulating substrate to support production of the above effects.

Abstract: An optical writing head in which the number of bus lines to be derived may be decreased by using a self-scanning light-emitting element array is provided. A &PHgr;1 bonding pad of each SLED chip is connected to &PHgr;1 bus line via a resistor R1, and a &PHgr;2 bonding pad of each SLED chip is connected to &PHgr;2 bus line via a resistor R2. &PHgr;S bonding pad is connected to a &PHgr;S bus line via resistor RS, and VGA bonding pad is connected to VGA bus line. &PHgr;I bonding pad of each SLED chip is connected to a corresponding one of terminal &PHgr;I(1)-&PHgr;I(56) of a connector.

Abstract: A laser diode in a recorder is thermally stabilized. The laser diode is used to produce a light beam, which is modulated by superimposing a basic current and a modulation current derived from an image signal, and exposes a recording material point by point and line by line. Between the exposure periods, wherein in each case one line is exposed, there are return periods, wherein the light beam is guided to the start of the next line, and wherein the laser diode is modulated for the purpose of thermal stabilization. In the return period, the laser diode is modulated with the basic current during a stabilization period, the sum of the modulation times during the exposure period and during the stabilization period being constant. In addition, during the return period, the laser diode can be modulated with a modulation current, which is derived from the inverted image signal from the preceding or the following line.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an image printing apparatus which can print images without any halfway offset or obverse/reverse pixel offset at a low cost. An image printing apparatus includes a clock generating section which generates a dot clock as the basis of each pixel forming an image, an image printing section which prints a one-line image in a main scanning direction in accordance with image data with reference to the dot clock output from the clock generating section, and prints a one-page image by repeating in the sub-scanning direction one-line image printing performed in the main scanning direction, and a clock control section which changeably controls the frequency of the dot clock during scanning of one line in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An electronic circuit is utilized to correct scan non-linearity of a raster output scanner. The circuit modulates a clock frequency to match a scan linearity error profile. Because it is a separate circuit, the exiting closed-loop clock generator does not need to be modified. The correction circuit synchronizes itself with the clock signal using a counter/subtractor phase detector, which ensures that the phase and frequency of the internal clock matches the phase and frequency of the master.

Abstract: Printhead structured such that printing elements are divisionally driven in unit of plural blocks, comprises: an input terminal to which printing data and encoded block data are serially inputted; a shift register sequentially shifting and storing one bit at a time the data serially inputted from the input terminal; a latch temporarily storing the data stored in the shift register; a decoder decoding the block data stored in the latch; and an AND circuit. The decoder outputs a signal in which encoded block data is partially decoded, and the AND circuit determines blocks to be driven based on the partially decoded signal. This structure enables to reduce an area of a printhead substrate, thereby enabling cost reduction of a printhead.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser driving apparatus has a laser diode that emits a laser beam, a laser driving circuit that drives the laser diode by feeding a driving current in pulses to the laser diode, a conductor that conducts the driving current from the laser driving circuit to the laser diode, and an inductance adjuster that has a conductor-pattern for conducting the driving current and adjusting the magnitude of inductance in the conductor. A part of the conductor-pattern that makes the magnitude of the inductance a proper magnitude for emitting the laser beam in generally rectangular pulses, is selectively defined and conducts the driving current as a part of the conductor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image by modulating laser light in correspondence with an image signal. A pulsewidth modulation signal is generated in correspondence with input image data. A laser drive control circuit has a photosensor PD which detects laser light emitted from a laser diode LD and generates a detection current, a resistor which generates a detection voltage corresponding to the detection current outputted from the photosensor PD, a buffer in which the generated detection voltage is inputted, an amplifier which amplifies an output from the buffer, and a constant current source and a switch to add a predetermined current to the detection current for compensation for reduction of output voltage due to offset voltages of the buffer and the amplifier. Control data for controlling maximum and minimum pulsewidths in the pulsewidth modulation signal are obtained based on the detection voltage, and generation of the pulsewidth modulation signal is controlled.

Abstract: A plurality of beams scan the photosensitive body or the like so that a high quality image whose streak is not recognized by a human eye can be formed. 2m lines are formed simultaneously in Nth time, (N+1)-th time, and (N+2)-th time scannings respectively. At this point, the m lines are fed in a sub-scanning direction at each termination of one-time scanning, and the next scanning is performed. Accordingly, a region which is exposed twice between the scannings is generated at an m-line period.

Abstract: A label printer system includes a disk storage medium including a thermally-sensitive layer formed on at least a portion of an upper surface. A rotational drive rotates the disk storage medium and a transverse drive moves a laser substantially transversely with respect to the disk storage medium. A memory includes a symbol set and a label printer driver. A processor uses the label printer driver to control the rotational drive and the transverse drive in order to thermally write the symbol set to the thermally-sensitive layer of the disk storage medium, using the laser.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus provides improved image quality by changing the amount of writing scale compensation for a pixel clock during a scanning cycle. A pixel clock generation unit of the optical scanning apparatus divides the scanning cycle into multiple division periods. A phase change of the pixel clock is carried out for each of the division periods. The phase change can also be different from scanning cycle to scanning cycle.

Abstract: A fluorescent print head driving method is provided wherein an operational lifetime is improved by reducing the evaporation amount of Ba contained in an electron emitter material of a filament cathode and suppressing the deterioration of the luminous efficiency. In the pre-luminous period T1 during which luminous dots glow before forming an image on a recording medium, a grid voltage is controlled to be a predetermined voltage of a rated value or less and a filament voltage is controlled to a predetermined voltage of a rated value or less. In the print luminous period T2 during which luminous dots glow before forming an image on a recording medium, a grid voltage blank period is created corresponding to a luminous blank period between glow states during which an anode voltage is written for one line on the recording medium. The anode voltage and the grid voltage are controlled to be a rated voltage with a duty ratio corresponding to a blank period.

Abstract: An input value Y of digital data with respect to a D/A conversion unit for coarse adjustment and an input value X of digital data with respect to a D/A conversion unit for fine adjustment are controlled so as to allow a galvano-mirror to rotate in a direction in which a setting position of a laser beam B is within a predetermined position.

Abstract: An optical writing apparatus including a semiconductor laser having plural light emitting elements and a single light-receiving element and plural semiconductor laser drive controlling devices. The plural light emitting elements in the semiconductor laser array are driven such that an optical writing operation at a same time per each of plural lines is performed. A commonly used LD drive controlling circuit drives the LD array. An output timing-determining device outputs a switch changing-over signal to either one of respective changing-over switches in a changing-over switch circuit. After an operational delay time of the changing-over switch elapses, an APC signal is output to an APC control section of the LD drive controlling circuit connected to a negative feedback loop formed by a changing-over operation of the changing-over switch circuit. After the completion of the APC operation, the outputting of the switch changing-over signal to the changing-over switch is stopped.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing a laser marking device with a lead scanner is disclosed. The laser marking device includes an unloader coupled to the lead scanner and is for marking each of a plurality of semiconductor packages including a plurality of leads. The lead scanner performs a test on the plurality of leads for the plurality of semiconductor packages. The unloader is for containing a portion of the plurality of semiconductor packages that passed the test. The method and system include providing an input receiving circuit, a reset circuit and an output relay. The input receiving circuit is coupled with the unloader and is for receiving an indication of a particular number of the plurality of semiconductor packages received by the unloader.

Abstract: A pulse emitting laser is constantly controlled while recording data continuously to a desired power level without using test emissions or a high speed sample hold filter. The laser drive method detects beam emission power from a light source and generates a monitor wave; receives data and generates an expected wave for the beam power based on the received data; calculates the difference between the generated monitor wave and the expected wave; controls current flow from the bias current source based on the calculated waveform difference; and finally emits a beam from the light source based on the controlled current flow of the bias current source.

Abstract: An optical printer head usable in an optical printer with a line light source and suitably utilizing an organic electroluminscence (EL) element and the like as its light-emitting element that includes a pixel array including pixels arranged two-dimensionally in row and column directions, each of the pixels including a light-emitting element, a memory array including memory cells arranged two-dimensionally in row and column directions for holding printing data input thereto, a horizontal scanning circuit for supplying a data signal to each memory cell column, a first vertical scanning circuit for sequentially selecting memory cell rows to write data to each memory cell, a circuit for arbitrarily selecting the memory cell rows to read data from each memory cell, a second vertical scanning circuit for sequentially selecting pixel rows, and a buffer located between the memory array and the pixel array.

Abstract: A light emitting element array is provided with a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a row, field-effect transistors connected in series with the respective light emitting diodes, shift registers for individually turning the respective field-effect transistors on by individually supplying drive signals to gates of the respective field-effect transistors, and an emission controller for driving the light emitting diodes by supplying the emission signals, whose levels are so differed as to correspond to the respective light emitting diodes, to the light emitting diodes connected with the field-effect transistors when these field-effect transistors are individually turned on.

Abstract: A method for driving an optical write device, in which a time for formation of a pixel is divided into a plurality of periods, and tone level control based on multi-tone image, data is performed in each of the periods. For example, the time for formation of a pixel is divided by applying a train of pulses with widths weighted in the ratio of 4:2.1, and in each duration of the pulses, a clock signal for 64 tone levels is given.

Abstract: In an image exposing apparatus and an image exposing method, a deterioration of an image quality caused by stray light is suppressed, while both a sensitive level and a non-sensitive level are properly set in accordance with a type of photosensitive material. In the image exposing apparatus, a recording level setting unit calculates a recording level corresponding to a light amount level stored in a recording level light amount memory and sets the calculated recording level. A non-recording level setting unit calculates a non-recording level from an extinction ratio, which corresponds to a type of photosensitive material stored in a photosensitive material information memory, and the recording level. An output voltage setting unit sets an output voltage such that a detected voltage becomes equal to one of the recording level and the non-recording level.

Abstract: To prevent an electrical short due to ion movement in a semiconductor chip and improve the reliability. In a predetermined period T2 in which light-emitting or transfer operation is not performed by light-emitting elements, control signals &phgr;1, &phgr;2, &phgr;I, and &phgr;S and a signal &phgr;m of a negative-electrode-side power-supply input unit are set to a potential or high-impedance state same as that of a positive-electrode-side power-supply input unit.

Abstract: An EL device includes a control unit that controls a driving circuit so that a plurality of EL elements emits light several times per driving cycle. Specifically, when a driving voltage is applied to the plurality of EL elements, the plurality of EL elements emits several times per driving cycle. As a result, since the amount of light integrated per time increases, the plurality of EL elements obtains high luminous power even if a plurality of El elements having a very short emission decay time is used.

Abstract: A printer head for computer-to-plate printing includes a linear array of individually addressable diode-lasers and a linear array of photodetectors. The number and spacing of the photodetectors is the same as the number and spacing of the diode-lasers. The diode-lasers emit in forward and reverse directions. The diode-lasers and photodetectors are aligned parallel to each other such that reverse-emitted light output of each diode-laser is incident on a corresponding photodetector. Each photodetector output is monitored by a dedicated controller/driver sub-circuit that regulates drive current supplied to the diode-laser. The drive current is regulated according to a comparison of the monitored photodetector output with a reference current individually calibrated in each sub-circuit. Calibration data for each sub-circuit is obtained from a measurement of forward-emitted output power of its corresponding diode-laser compared with a desired target forward-emitted power.

Abstract: A label printer system includes a disk storage medium including a thermally-sensitive layer formed on at least a portion of an upper surface. A rotational drive rotates the disk storage medium and a transverse drive moves a laser substantially transversely with respect to the disk storage medium. A memory includes a symbol set and a label printer driver. A processor uses the label printer driver to control the rotational drive and the transverse drive in order to thermally write the symbol set to the thermally-sensitive layer of the disk storage medium, using the laser.

Abstract: In a method for multi-beam exposure of a printing form, preferably with laser beams, a computer transmits printing form data to a distributor via a data line as a sequence of recording lines and the distributor cyclically distributes the recording lines onto the input stages of an optics head where N parallel laser beams are generated and modulated with the printing form data of the recording lines. The laser beams are subdivided into active and inactive laser beams, recording lines of the printing form are transmitted via the data line for the active laser beams, and empty lines are inserted into the transmitted sequence of the recording lines for the inactive laser beams. The empty lines contain data values with which the inactive laser beams are driven dark.

Abstract: A laser beam pattern generator has a substrate support capable of supporting a substrate, the substrate support having a support motor capable of moving the substrate support. A laser beam source is provided that is capable of generating a laser beam. A beam modulator is also provided that is capable of modulating the intensity of the laser beam according to a pattern. A rotating scanner is provided that has a plurality of mirror facets capable of rotating at a spinning frequency to scan the laser beam across the substrate. The laser beam pattern generator also has a rotating scanner compensator to deflect the laser beam according to a rotating scanner correction signal containing a harmonic of the spinning frequency to compensate for errors in the scanning of the laser beam arising from the rotating scanner.

Abstract: A laser driving apparatus which includes a plurality of laser emitting elements, a light receiving element for monitoring amounts of light from the plurality of laser emitting elements, and a current-voltage converter for converting a light amount monitor current outputted from the light receiving element to a light amount monitor voltage. The laser driving apparatus also includes a control circuit for controlling a drive current of each of the plurality of laser emitting elements, based on the light amount monitor voltage outputted from the current-voltage converter. The current-voltage converter includes a common resistor and a plurality of non-common resistors, wherein the common resistor is connected to said light receiving element, and each of the plurality of non-common resistors is connectable to the common resistor through a respective switch and is connected to the control circuit.

Abstract: A print data loading circuit receives N bits of serial data on a serial input data line, and provides the input data to a data bus in an addressing circuit for addressing one or more image-forming elements in a printing device. The data loading circuit includes an N-bit serial shift register having N number of serially-coupled single-bit storage registers. The data loading circuit also includes N−1 number of data latches, each having a data input coupled to a data output of a corresponding one of the single-bit storage registers. The data outputs of the data latches are coupled to N−1 number of selection lines that are coupled to the data bus. Each data latch has a clock input that is coupled to the data output of the Nth storage register. Based on this configuration, a bit provided at the Nth-register data output acts as a load trigger bit to cause the other data bits in the other single-bit storage registers to be loaded into the N−1 number of data latches.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a plurality of driven elements has a memory for storing driving data on each of the driven elements for driving the driven elements, and a computing unit that reads, from the memory, driving data on a driven element corresponding to a dot of interest and driving data on at least one driven element corresponding to at least one dot included in an area of predetermined dimensions in which the dot of interest is included, and produces corrected printing data based on the driving data read from the memory and on printing data on the dot of interest input from a higher control unit. The image forming apparatus performs printing by driving the driven element corresponding to the dot of interest by use of the corrected printing data.

Abstract: A structure in which first to third diodes cause signal beams which are produced by modulating image signals to be incident upon corresponding first to third light deflection scanning sections. The first to third light deflection scanning sections perform line scanning operations using the incident light signal beams. First to third light amplifiers amplify the light signal beams used for the line scanning to necessary brightnesses. A light-wave synthesizer synthesizes the amplified light signal beams into one light beam. A light post scanning section performs frame scanning using the synthesized light beam in order to project it onto a screen. Accordingly, it is possible to display a highly bright image at a low cost on a large screen that realizes high definition and color reproducibility.

Abstract: A light-emitting device is disclosed which includes a light-emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light-emitting elements, a driving unit for driving the light-emitting element array to emit light from each of the light-emitting elements, a memory unit for storing the number of light emissions for each light-emitting element of the light-emitting element array, and a control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the information stored in the memory unit so that the amount of light emitted from each light-emitting element is held constant. An exposure device employing the light-emitting device, and an image forming apparatus employing the exposure device are also disclosed.

Abstract: In an optical printing apparatus, an image having a high image quality is desirably produced under stable condition, even when variations occur and exposure conditions are different from each other, which are caused by differences in response speeds of a light source and a liquid crystal shutter element, and also by differences in element driving conditions. The optical printing apparatus is arranged by including: image data input for inputting image data; reference level generator producing a reference level; comparator for comparing multi-value data outputted from the image data input with the reference level so as to convert the multi-value data into binary data; data transferring element for transferring the binary data outputted from the comparator as head data to the print head; latch controller for latching data of the print data; and strobe controller capable of causing the print head to expose the light therefrom.