Abstract: A method for performing optical adjustments of an exposure apparatus is based on an exposure apparatus having a light source for generating illumination light for exposure, and illumination optics for irradiating a mask with the illumination light generated from the exposure light source so as to imprint a mask pattern on a substrate base.

Abstract: A multi-state light modulating system having grayscale based on a series of time intervals includes an arrangement that establishes the duration of each time interval such that the time intervals in the series have progressively varying duration. The arrangement also determines a drive signal for each time interval that causes the light modulator to assume a specific light modulating state. The arrangement also causes the light modulator to produce a desired time-averaged light level over the series of time intervals by in part driving the light modulator using the drive signal that corresponds to a particular time interval for a duration that is longer than the duration of the time interval. The arrangement also or alternatively arranges the series of time intervals such that the light modulator is in the same state immediately prior to the particular time interval as the light modulator is in immediately after the time interval.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording device which is compact and free of waste materials, which has a completely dry system and a simplified exposure system, and which can carry out high speed image recording. The image recording device includes, within a housing of the image recording device, an accommodating section for accommodating a light and heat sensitive recording material; a light recording section for exposing the light and heat sensitive recording material, which is supplied from the accommodating section, with light to record a latent image; a heat developing section for developing the latent image by applying heat; a light fixing section for irradiating light to fix the developed image; and a discharging section for discharging the light and heat sensitive recording material having an image recorded thereon. Exposure is carried out by a plurality of LEDs provided at a light source section of an exposure unit of the light recording section.

Abstract: A device having a substrate and a pattern structure formed on the substrate in accordance with plural processes including a multiple exposure process having (i) a step for photoprinting a fine stripe pattern on the substrate and (ii) a step for photoprinting a predetermined mask pattern on the substrate, such that the fine stripe pattern and the mask pattern are printed superposedly, wherein, in the pattern structure, a particular structural portion of the device is disposed in a portion where the fine stripe pattern and the mask pattern are printed superposedly.

Abstract: There is described a thermal development apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent generation of density variations caused by changes of the processing temperature during the thermal developing operation when the thermal developing photosensitive material is continuously processed, without increasing the cost of the apparatus so much. The thermal development apparatus includes a thermal developing processor to apply a thermal development processing to the thermal developing photosensitive material, a detector to detect the thermal developing photosensitive material to be conveyed into the thermal developing processor and a controller to control the thermal developing processor in a feed forward controlling mode based on a processing condition of the thermal developing processor. The processing condition is established in advance, corresponding to a load of processing the thermal developing photosensitive material detected in advance by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for sequentially superimposes images formed by a plurality of image forming stations for forming images of different colors, respectively, on a transferring material born and transported by a transferring material transporting member, which forms a misregister detection mark on the transferring material transporting member, illuminates to read the mark, calculates a misregister amount of the read misregister detection mark, and corrects the misregister of an image based on calculated results, wherein the apparatus adjusts an illuminating light amount according to a color of a misregister detection mark.

Abstract: In exposing a photocurable resin to light, the light is irradiated on the photocurable resin while a base material to which the photocurable resin is applied is immersed in a liquid. An apparatus for carrying out the exposure includes an exposure tank in which a liquid does not dissolve the photocurable resin is reserved and a light source irradiating light to the photocurable resin is immersed in the liquid reserved in the tank. The exposure tank has two opposite side walls which have exposure windows closed by transparent plates respectively. The apparatus may include a plurality of light sources disposed so as to correspond to the representative exposing window. A temperature of the liquid in which the base material is immersed is controlled.

Abstract: A printing cartridge is releasably engageable with a printing device having a linear reader for reading a barcode and a central processor capable of interpreting data carried on a barcode. The printing cartridge includes a housing. Media and media colorant supply arrangements are positioned within the housing and contain a supply of media and a supply of media colorant, respectively. Feed mechanisms are positioned in the housing for feeding the media and the media colorant to a printing mechanism. A barcode is depicted on the housing, the barcode being readable by the linear reader and defining a code representing data relating to the media and the media colorant.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for compensating for light falloff in a film master frame of a photographic image. A masking unit is positioned between the master frame and copy material in an optical printer. The masking unit may be an LCD panel. A controller calculates a light falloff compensation function to produce a light falloff correction parameter that is used to control the transmittance values of a plurality of pixels in the masking unit. When a photographic copy is made, the masking function serves to counteract light falloff that existed in the master frame to produce a copy with reduced effect from light falloff. Control and selection of the light falloff compensation function can be based on a number of factors related to the camera type, lens type, film type, flash type, and other factors that created the light falloff on the master frame. In addition, one or more of the master frames from a roll of film may be scanned to generate data to drive the light falloff compensation function.

Abstract: An optical printer including a fluorescent light-emitting tube equipped with an anode in a form of dot and a rotatable rotating filter part equipped with filters R, G, B. A film is moved relative to the optical printer set at a given position. A controlling means rotates the rotating filter part, and, in synchronization with that, the fluorescent light-emitting tube is made to emit light by the image signal of every color of red, green and blue. The image can be formed by moving the film one time relative to irradiation with the light in a state of a dot transmitted selectively through each filter of red, green and blue. Since the head is fixed and the film is moved, room for the movement of the head which has been conventionally required is not required. Spatial room for the slide of the filter is not required differently from the slide-switching type-filter of the conventional art.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and a method which make it possible to enhance the fineness of pattern in spite of the trend to enlarge the size of the photosensitive substrate and device. In this apparatus, a mask and the photosensitive substrate are allowed to synchronously scan, and the optical projecting system thereof is provided with a scanning direction adjusting means which is designed to adjust the position of scanning direction of a projected image to be projected onto the substrate, wherein a non-linear component of error is determined in advance and the result thus determined is stored as a correction value for the apparatus, thereby enabling the pattern exposure to be performed while continuously controlling the image-adjusting mechanism on the basis of the correction value.

Abstract: The emission level of a laser source at the non-imaging time when image data “0” is input and the emission level at the imaging time when image data “1” is input are controlled so that each of them becomes a desired level. The light output intensity is stabilized at all times regardless of variations in ambient temperature. As a result, images uniform in density can be obtained.

Abstract: The invention is an illumination unit for point illumination of a medium where at least one light emitter is arranged to illuminate at least one illumination face via a first lens arrangement and a microshutter arrangement. The lens arrangement has at least one microlens arranged with respect to each microshutter so that light emitted from the light emitter is focused on or in the vicinity of the optical axis of the light channel of the individual microshutters. The fed coherent light from the light emitters is modulated by the microshutters onto the illumination face.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is arranged to project one unit of a circuit pattern onto the surface of a resist on a substrate to be manufactured and to expose it over the surface of this resist. The exposure apparatus includes a processing unit that enables forming a high-resolution circuit pattern image on the substrate by the use of an image display which is able to ensure a wide display region without deteriorating the resolution, and that when dividing the one unit of circuit pattern into a plurality of regions in order to ensure an inexpensive, reliable exposure operation, divides it so that adjacent ones of the divided regions may partly overlap each other. An exposure device includes a plurality of optical systems each of that projects one of a plurality of the divided regions onto the surface of the resist on the substrate.

Abstract: An optical arrangement, in particular a microlithographic projection printing installation, has in particular a slot-shaped image field or rotationally non-symmetrical illumination. An optical element (1) is therefore acted upon in a rotationally non-symmetrical manner by the radiation of the light source. A compensating light supply device (11, 14 to 19) is optically coupled via the peripheral surface (13) of the optical element (1) to the latter. It supplies compensating light (16, 12) to the optical element (1) in such a way that the temperature distribution in the optical element (1), which arises as a result of cumulative heating of the optical element (1) with projection light (2) and compensating light (12), is at least partially homogenized. In said manner image defects induced by the projection light are corrected.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium capable of providing on the market an image input apparatus which greatly reduces the time before actual reading starts and which can be easily used in a manner based upon the energy saving standard. To achieve this object, the image input apparatus includes internal and external light sources for irradiating an original, an internal light source light amount controller for turning on/off the internal light source, an external light source light amount controller for turning on/off the external light source, a CCD for reading an original irradiated with light, a RAM for temporarily storing the read data, an interface circuit for transferring the data stored in the RAM to an external apparatus, and a CPU for turning on the light sources when an application program is enabled by the OS of the external apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of image frames are exposed onto a photosensitive material at an exposure device, and the photosensitive material is superposed with image receiving materials of same sizes as the image frames on a heat drum, such that a plurality of image frames can be heat transferred all at once onto the image receiving materials. Image receiving materials of different sizes are readied in a plurality of magazines, and an image receiving material (magazine) of an appropriate size is selected in accordance with an exposure pattern and sizes of the image frames. Various types of prints can be formed by merely setting one photosensitive material. Further, because the plurality of image frames are heat transferred onto the image receiving materials all at once, printing processing efficiency can be improved.

Abstract: A line exposure type image forming apparatus having a micromirror device 40 with numerous micromirrors 41 tiltable for reflecting light incident from a light source to a predetermined exposure position on a photosensitive material 2, and a sub-scan moving mechanism 8a for moving the photosensitive material relative to the exposure position. The micromirror device is disposed such that an imaginary line linking imaging positions on the photosensitive material of the micromirrors in a predetermined line is at an angle to a direction of relative movement of the photosensitive material. As a result, an exposure dot line is produced on the photosensitive material in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the direction of relative movement by a main scanning mirror set formed of micromirrors selected in a direction at an angle to a direction of the columns of the micromirror device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of computing a defocus amount in lithography and lithographic process using the method. A first step executes plural double-exposure operations each including a pattern exposure for forming a pattern of a predetermined line width and a full-area exposure over an area covering the pattern, employing different dosages employed in the full-area exposures for different double-exposure operations. A developing operation is performed. subsequent to the double-exposure, whereby a plurality of resist patterns are obtained. In a second step, the edge roughness and the line width are measured on each resist pattern. In a third step, a Gaussian function is fitted to the edge roughnesses and the line widths. The distribution width of the Gaussian curve is determined as the defocus amount of a pseudo-profile of the beam which indicates a change in lithographic factors that affect the accuracy of lithography.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern formed on a mask to a photosensitive substrate is provided with an illumination optical system for illuminating a local area on the mask with a light beam, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the mask to the photosensitive substrate and a scanning device for scanning synchronously the mask and the photosensitive substrate, and a device for setting a width of an exposure area in a scan direction of the photosensitive substrate conjugate with an illumination area on the mask with respect to the projection optical system, to integer times as large as a distance which the photosensitive substrate moves during an interval between pulse emissions from the light source.

Abstract: A plurality of LEDs are used as a light source for projecting light onto a film negative recording an original image. The LEDs have different respective spectral characteristics, and are provided so as to incline with respect to a light axis, so that light emitted thereby has directivity toward a light axis. By this means, the light emitted by each LED has directivity, thus increasing the light quantity of light projected onto peripheral areas of photographic paper. Accordingly, density unevenness and color unevenness on the photographic paper can be easily distinguished without scattering the light from each LED more than necessary, as was done conventionally. As a result, there is no need for control which attempts to obtain sufficient scattered light by increasing the exposure time or brightness of each LED. Further, there is no need to provide a large number of LEDs, thus simplifying control of the emitted light quantities of the respective LEDs.

Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus are provided. The exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a discontinuous exposure unit which discontinuously exposes the scan-end point in a first field to be scanned on an exposure substrate, and also discontinuously exposes the scan-start point in a second field to be scanned on the exposure substrate. The exposure substrate is moved so that the scan-end point in the first field and the scan-start point in the second field overlap with each other to form an intermediate area to be exposed. In the intermediate area, the exposure of the first field and the exposure of the second field are averaged to prevent a difference in width of the intermediate area. This effect can be achieved without prolonging the exposure time.

Abstract: A timing data recording device that prevents imprinting of incorrect timing data on a recording medium, such as a film loaded in a camera. The timing data recording device operates by power supply voltage from a detachable battery. When the battery of the timing data recording device is changed, a flag is automatically set so that imprinting of timing data on the film is inhibited. While this flag is set, there is no recording of incorrect timing data on the film. Moreover, when the battery is changed, until a data correction mode has been performed in order to correct the date and time, the flag remains set such that imprinting is inhibited. Thus, a user of the camera does not forget to reset the date and time after a battery change. Furthermore, the data correction mode is set only in the case that the usual select switch is actuated continuously for a predetermined time.

Abstract: An apparatus for calibrating a printer of a photofinishing system includes a reference film strip carrying at least one reference image; a reference chart carrying multiple renderings of the reference image representing different printer exposures; and a substrate carrying printer correction factors needed to change a photographic print obtained from the reference image on the reference film strip, to match any desired rendering on the reference chart. A method of producing the above reference chart, and a method of calibrating a printer of a photofinishing system, are also provided.

Abstract: A method for the control of wafer surface temperatures during post exposure bake on hot plates of wafers which carry integrated circuits. Also disclosed is a method of maximizing image size uniformity for integrated circuits through the zonal control of temperatures of hot plates during post exposure bake processes for effectively modulating the wafer surface temperatures. Images within a semiconductor wafer integrated circuit line pattern are repeated to process a wafer through the photolithographic patterning process, including post exposure baking, to measure the image linewidths and compare these with an experimentally derived correlation chart; for instance, PEB temperature vs. linewidth for a given or specified photomasking process.

Abstract: The image recording method and apparatus focus or image a two-dimensional image formed by a group of two-dimensionally disposed light source elements through an optical system on a recording medium which is moving in a relative relation to the group two-dimensionally disposed light source elements. The method and apparatus deflect light from the group of two-dimensionally disposed light source elements to move the image focused on the recording medium in synchronism with a movement of the recording medium such that the image can remain stationary at least in a main scanning direction in a relative relation to the recording medium. The group of two-dimensionally disposed light source elements can be produced by a two-dimensional spatial light modulator illuminated with an illumination light flux.

Abstract: A paper classification apparatus includes a heater for heating paper or a solvent supply unit for supplying a solvent to the paper, a detector, a computer, and a selector guide. The detector detects the reflection density of the paper after being heated or supplied with the solvent. The computer compares the detected reflecting density of the paper with a predetermined reference value stored in a memory. The selector guide classifies the paper on the basis of a comparison result of the reflection density. This apparatus can classify plain paper having an image formed with an ordinary image forming material, plain paper having an image formed with an erasable image forming material, and thermosensible paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus providing precise image forming is disclosed. A timer is provided to measure a scan time required for a laser beam to move from a first end position to a second end position on a photosensitive belt, the frequency of the timing signal is adjusted depending on the scan time to keep a scan velocity of the laser beam with respect to the frequency of the timing signal at a predetermined constant pixel interval.

Abstract: At the time of transferring the pattern image of a mask onto a substrate, an exposure apparatus overlays peripheral portions of exposure areas with respect to a pattern image, which has previously been transferred onto the substrate, with each other, and transfers a predetermined pattern onto the substrate. This exposure apparatus comprises a dose adjusting device capable of adjusting the dose of exposure light at the overlying portion, a shape measuring unit for measuring the shape of the pattern image of the overlying portion formed on the substrate, and a control section for controlling the dose adjusting device based on the result of measurement by the shape measuring unit in such a way that the shape of the pattern image of the overlying portion formed on the substrate becomes an intended shape.

Abstract: There is disclosed a light guide for guiding light from a light source in a longitudinal direction and radiating the light to illuminate an object to be illuminated, which comprises a diffuser for diffusing the light from the light source along the longitudinal direction of the light guide, and a radiator for radiating the light diffused by the diffuser in a predetermined direction. By arranging the diffuser and the radiator so that a normal line passing through the center of the width of the diffuser is different from the predetermined direction at least in the vicinity of the light source when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the light guide, the illuminance distribution of the longitudinal direction of the light guide is uniformed.

Abstract: An optical printer including a fluorescent light-emitting tube equipped with an anode in a form of dot and a rotatable rotating filter part equipped with filters R, G, B. A film is moved relative to the optical printer set at a given position. A controlling device rotates the rotating filter part, and, in synchronization with that, the fluorescent light-emitting tube is made to emit light by the image signal of every color of red, green and blue. The image can be formed by moving the film one time relative to irradiation with the light in a state of a dot transmitted selectively through each filter of red, green and blue. Since the head is fixed and the film is moved, room for the movement of the head which has been conventionally required is not required. Spatial room for the slide of the filter is not required differently from the slide-switching type-filter of the conventional art.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for sequentially superimposes images formed by a plurality of image forming stations for forming images of different colors, respectively, on a transferring material born and transported by a transferring material transporting member, which forms a misregister detection mark on the transferring material transporting member, illuminates to read the mark, calculates a misregister amount of the read misregister detection mark, and corrects the misregister of an image based on calculated results, wherein the apparatus adjusts an illuminating light amount according to a color of a misregister detection mark.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus in which it is determined whether comment information exists inside a frame image entered from a photographic film, and in the event that the presence of the comment information is confirmed, a pixel value of the comment information is replaced by another pixel value.

Abstract: A system is provided for adjusting a photo-exposure time of a manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor devices. The system for adjusting the photo-exposure time includes a photo-exposure unit whose photo-exposure time is adjustable according to one or more adjustment signals, a pre-exposure step influence prediction unit that obtains pre-exposure step processing information and extracts parameters that may influence a resulting pattern during photo-exposure, and provides this information as feed forward data, an inspection unit that checks processed steps during a certain period after photo-exposure and provides an inspection value as a feed back data, and a central processing unit that receives the feed forward and feedback data and, by means of a predetermined calculation method, generates the one or more adjustment signals, which are used to adjust the photo-exposure time.

Abstract: The pattern of a spatial frequency filter including a liquid crystal element (1031-103n) is controlled without removing the filter from a projection lens system. Specifically, a spatial frequency filter (103) is disposed at the pupil surface in a projection lens system (10). A means for controlling the spatial frequency filter (103) includes a liquid crystal element controller (15b) and a filter information storage (16b). A pattern required for the spatial frequency filter (103) is transferred from the filter information storage (16b) to the liquid crystal controller (15b). The transmittance and phase shift of the spatial frequency filter (103) are previously designed by simulation, for example. Based on these data, an aspect of applying a voltage to the liquid crystal element (1031-103n) is stored in the filter information storage (16b).

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.

Abstract: The invention is a seamless projection lithography system that eliminates the need for masks through the use of a programmable Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) with high parallel processing power. Illuminating the SLM with a radiation source (1), which while preferably a pulsed laser may be a shuttered lamp or multiple lasers with alternating synchronization, provides a patterning image of many pixels via a projection system (4) onto a substrate (5). The preferred SLM is a Deformable Micromirror Device (3) for reflective pixel selection using a synchronized pulse laser. An alternative SLM is a Liquid Crystal Light Valve (LCLV) (45) for pass-through pixel selection. Electronic programming enables pixel selection control for error correction of faulty pixel elements. Pixel selection control also provides for negative and positive imaging and for complementary overlapping polygon development for seamless uniform dosage.

Abstract: A polarizing plate and a double refracting plate, which are allowed to rotate around an optic axis, are provided to the light-exit side of a liquid crystal layer. The double refracting plate splits incident light into an ordinary ray which travels along a straight optic axis and an extraordinary ray which travels along a refracted optic axis, and supplies the same to a printing paper. The double refracting plate is laminated to the polarizing plate in such a manner that the splitting direction of the former matches with the polarizing plate of the latter, thereby allowing only the extraordinary ray to exit from the double refracting plate. By rotating the two plates together as one body by, for example, 90 degrees around the optic axis and exposing the printing paper each time, resolution attained without displacing the liquid crystal layer or printing paper with respect to the other is nearly as high as the one obtained by displacing the liquid crystal layer or printing paper.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a photographic picture on a copy material, whereby an exposure arrangement with a projection optics is provided for the production of the photographic picture which includes a mirror matrix with individually movable mirrors, whereby the exposure arrangement includes a wide-band light source, for example a halogen light source, whereby a filter arrangement is positioned in the light beam between the light source and the mirror matrix in order to filter out or let pass specific spectral regions or specific amounts of light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on both of a first side and a second side which are the right side and the back side of recording material, which comprises an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a transfer member for forming a transfer part between the transfer member and the image carrier to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the recording material, a transfer voltage applying section for applying transfer voltage to the transfer member, a fixing member for heating the recording material, on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer member, passed therethrough to fix the toner image on the recording material, a reversing path for reversing the two sides of the recording material passed through the fixing member and returning the reversed recording material to the transfer part again, a timer section for measuring elapsed time since the recording material, on the first side of which a toner image is transferred, passes through the fixing me

Abstract: The invention intends to match the image writing start positions for different color components, even in case of the rotation speed of the photosensitive member etc. fluctuates by the variation in the load or by the backlash of the driving gears. For attaining this object, the invention is featured by a configuration of detecting and retaining the phase difference between the ITOP signal and the BD signal at a predetermined timing, also detecting the phase difference between the ITOP signal and the BD signal for each formation of the color component image, comparing the phase difference detected at the predetermined timing with that detected for each formation of the color component image, and controlling the timing of starting the image formation by changing, by an image writing tart timing control circuit, the number of BD signal to be counted after the generation of ITOP signal and before the start of image formation.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus that records an image through selective heat and pressure application has an ink ribbon and a film disposed between a driving head and a flat platen. Color dyes of the ink ribbon are transferred to the film as the image. The image on the film is thus conveyed to a position for transferring the image to a recording sheet. The film and the recording sheet are pressed between a transfer roller and a conveyor roller with a pressure that sufficiently smooths unevenness in the surface of the recording sheet. A high quality image is thus recorded on the recording sheet regardless of the surface condition of the recording sheet.

Abstract: A device for exposing image information which is recorded on a photographic original (10) and is to be exposed onto a light sensitive medium (16; 12). An exposure assembly (25; 26; 31) is provided for outputting optical radiation which includes a plurality of adjustable area segments (44A, 44B) for adjusting the light intensity in certain local adjustment regions. A beam path (24; 33) is defined which directs the light to the light sensitive medium (16; 12). The exposure assembly (25; 26; 31) is arranged at a fixed location in the beam path (24; 33). An imaging sensor (12) capture a format of a region of the photographic original (10) containing to the image information to be copied. The device further includes a controller (14; 28) for setting a local adjustment region of the exposure assembly (25; 26; 31) depending on the format of the region to be copied.

Abstract: A method for detecting a degraded light source is provided. An exposure time associated with the light source is monitored. The exposure time is compared to at least one control limit. A degraded condition is identified based on the exposure time violating the control limit. A processing tool includes a stepper and an automatic process controller. The stepper has a light source and is adapted to illuminate a wafer for an exposure time. The automatic process controller is adapted to monitor the exposure time, compare the exposure time to at least one control limit, and identify a degraded condition based on the exposure time violating the control limit.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprising an energy source which outputs a pulse exposure beam, a detector which detects energy of the exposure beam output from the energy source for every pulse, and a controller which controls energy of a pulse to be output next based on the energy of a pulse output prior to a latest output pulse detected by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can reduce the appearance of a vertical regist shift in a multiple beam writing system. A time interval detector is provided and is configured to detect a time interval between a start signal for scanning in a sub-scanning direction and a synchronous signal for scanning in a scanning direction. Further, this time interval is compared with at least first and second threshold values. Writing by the multiple beam sources is then controlled based on the results of the comparison. By utilizing such an operation the appearance of a vertical regist shift can be reduced.

Abstract: An optical printer apparatus exposes a sensitized sheet (500) to light from a light source (110), which is movable relatively to the sensitized sheet (500), with given timing in accordance with image data composed of pixels having a plurality of gradations that are linearly changeable from a minimum gradation of low color density to a maximum gradation of high color density. The distance for the exposure is adjusted for area gradation, whereby a gradated image is formed on the sensitized sheet (500). Further, change of the exposure distance, compared to change of the gradation, is not uniform throughout the range, and a non-linear relation is established between the changes.

Abstract: An image frame selector system for a photographic printing apparatus includes an image processing unit (5d) for reading image frames from a photographic film (2) and displaying a plurality of simulated image frames in a particular multiple frame display pattern on a monitor (50), and a keyboard (60) for inputting commands to handle the simulated image frames displayed. The monitor is switched to a view including next simulated image frames unless commands are inputted through the keyboard within a predetermined time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus records an image on a recording medium by scanning the recording medium with a plurality of beams modulated according to individual information signals. A beam detect device detects the plurality of beams arriving at respective predetermined positions and generates a plurality of beam detect signals corresponding to the plurality of beams, respectively, and a beam detect signals separating device separates the plurality of beam detect signals into individual beam detect signals. An image formation start timing for each beam is controlled according to each beam detect signal separated from others by the beam detect signals separating device.

Abstract: A light valve has a pair of rotating vanes for controlling the cross section of a light beam passing between the vanes. The vanes rotate on corresponding shafts, each controlled by its own integral motor. Separate feedback control systems produce electrical control signals to each motor for rotating each shaft independently of the other to control the desired phase angles of the vanes. Error signals fed to variable gain amplifiers control the positions of the vanes. Whenever new commands are input to the variable gain amplifiers, amplifier gain is temporarily switched to a high gain mode, and after the phase angle of the shaft has stabilized, the amplifier gain is switched back to a low gain mode. The vanes are aligned on a common plane, and the vanes both rotate in an angular direction of rotation toward or away from the axis to reduce or enlarge the light opening between the vanes.