Patent US4060323A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4060323A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image information handling method and device
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1975-08-25
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Granted: 1977-11-29
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Expires: 1995-08-25
Abstract
Abstract This specification discloses a method and apparatus for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements which in turn form a particular character or other image information. A plurality of light beams are formed and are modulated by information signals and then the light beams are deflected by scanning means to scan a medium, the beams being modulated in such a manner that the same modulation is applied to a predetermined number of the light beams in accordance with a desired size of the information elements formed on the medium, and wherein the size of the information elements, defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots, is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuhiro Hirayama
- 👤 Yasushi Sato
- 👤 Taisuke Tokiwa
- 👤 Fujio Iwatate
- 👤 Kazuo Kawakubo
- 👤 Hisashi Nakatsui
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/002; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/1204; G06K15/1223; G06K15/1228; G06K15/1238; G06K15/1257; G06K15/1261; G06K15/1271
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, said method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of light beams; modulating said plurality of light beams by image information signals in such a manner that the same modulation is applied to each of a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, said number being selected in accordance with a desired size of the information elements formed on said medium: and deflecting each of said modulated light beams toward said medium to scan said medium and form thereon the predetermined number of rows of light spots having the same modulation; wherein the size of the information elements, defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots, is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, said method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of light beams; modulating said plurality of light beams by image information signals in such a manner that the same modulation is applied to each of a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, said number being selected in accordance with a desired size of the information elements formed on said medium: and deflecting each of said modulated light beams toward said medium to scan said medium and form thereon the predetermined number of rows of light spots having the same modulation; wherein the size of the information elements, defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots, is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the modulation step includes: detecting a signal corresponding to the size of the information elements to be recorded; and controlling the operation of a light modulator in accordance with the detected signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming said plurality of light beams includes: splitting a light beam generated from a single light beam generator to simultaneously form a plurality of light beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming a plurality of light beams includes: deflecting a single light beam by a light deflector element to form a plurality of light beams each having a different angle of deflection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming a plurality of light beams includes: forming a plurality of light beams deflected in a first direction and a plurality of light beams deflected in a second direction by an element for deflecting the light beams in response to a plurality of high-frequency signal inputs, whereby said light beams are made into a composite light beam having a greater beam diameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method accroding to claim 1, wherein said medium is a light-sensitive medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
An arrangement for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a medium for receiving image information; means for forming a plurality of light beams; means for modulating said plurality of light beams by image information signals; means for deflecting said plurality of modulated light beams toward said medium in order that said light beams will scan said medium and form a plurality of rows of light spots on the surface of said medium; and means for controlling said modulating means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams receive the same modulation to thereby produce the predetermined number of identical rows of light spots on said medium, said predetermined number being selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements to be recorded; wherein the size of the information elements, defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots, is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
An arrangement for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a medium for receiving image information; means for forming a plurality of light beams; means for modulating said plurality of light beams by image information signals; means for deflecting said plurality of modulated light beams toward said medium in order that said light beams will scan said medium and form a plurality of rows of light spots on the surface of said medium; and means for controlling said modulating means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams receive the same modulation to thereby produce the predetermined number of identical rows of light spots on said medium, said predetermined number being selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements to be recorded; wherein the size of the information elements, defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots, is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said control means includes: means for detecting a signal corresponding to the size of the information elements to be recorded; and means for controlling the input signal of said light modulator means in accordance with the detected signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said means for forming a plurality of light beams includes: means for splitting a single light beam into a plurality of light beams having different paths of travel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said means for forming a plurality of light beams includes: input means for applying a plurality of high-frequency signal inputs having different wavelengths; and a light deflector element forming a plurality of light beams having different paths of travel in accordance with the input signals from said input means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said medium is a light-sensitive medium.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
152 words
A device for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a light beam generator; a medium for receving image information; means for forming a plurality of light beam modulated by information signals; deflector means for deflecting said modulated light beams in a first direction; means for moving said medium in a second direction different from said first direction; optical means for imaging said light beams, after modulation, on said medium; and means for controlling said forming means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams receive the same modulation to thereby produce the predetermined number of identical rows of light spots on said medium wherein the size of the information elements is defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots and wherein said predetermined number is selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements to be recorded.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
152 words
A device for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a light beam generator; a medium for receving image information; means for forming a plurality of light beam modulated by information signals; deflector means for deflecting said modulated light beams in a first direction; means for moving said medium in a second direction different from said first direction; optical means for imaging said light beams, after modulation, on said medium; and means for controlling said forming means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams receive the same modulation to thereby produce the predetermined number of identical rows of light spots on said medium wherein the size of the information elements is defined by adjacent rows of identical light spots and wherein said predetermined number is selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements to be recorded.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said means for forming a plurality of light beams includes: an ultrasonic wave light modulator to which a plurality of high-frequency signals somewhat different in wavelength is applied as input; whereby a plurality of light beams corresponding to the high-frequency signals may be provided from a single light beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said means for forming a plurality of light beams includes: splitter means for splitting the path of said light beam; and means for adjusting the inter-beam spacings so that spots of light beams closely adjacent to one another may be provided on said medium for respective ones of said light paths split by said splitter means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said deflector means includes means for finely scanning the modulated light beams.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said medium is a light-sensitive medium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein an array of information elements of a predetermined size forms at least one character.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
169 words
A device for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a light beam generator; a medium for receiving image information; first means for deflecting said light beam in a predetermined direction with respect to said medium to form a plurality of light beams; means for modulating said plurality of light beams by information signals; second means for deflecting said plurality of modulated beams to scan said medium in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined direction; means for providing signal corresponding to the desired size of the information elements; and means for imparting to said modulating means a signal for selectively varying the mode of modulation of said modulating means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements formed on said medium, are modulated by the same information signals in order to form rows of correlated light spots on said medium which define the information elements.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
169 words
A device for imaging light on a medium to form a plurality of information elements, comprising: a light beam generator; a medium for receiving image information; first means for deflecting said light beam in a predetermined direction with respect to said medium to form a plurality of light beams; means for modulating said plurality of light beams by information signals; second means for deflecting said plurality of modulated beams to scan said medium in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined direction; means for providing signal corresponding to the desired size of the information elements; and means for imparting to said modulating means a signal for selectively varying the mode of modulation of said modulating means in such a manner that a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, selected in accordance with the desired size of the information elements formed on said medium, are modulated by the same information signals in order to form rows of correlated light spots on said medium which define the information elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein said means for imparting a signal for selectively varying the mode of modulation includes: means for varying the number of light beams deflected in said predetermined direction and subjected to the same modulation, in accordance with the size of the information elements to be recorded.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
A recording according to claim 18, wherein said means for imparting a signal for selectively varying the mode of modulation includes: means for varying the modulation time for each of said plurality of beams, in accordance with the size of the information elements to be recorded.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein said medium is a light-sensitive medium.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein said first deflecting means and said modulating means is a modulator-deflector element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a method of imaging light on a medium to form information elements comprising the steps of modulating a light beam with an image information signal, deflecting the modulated light beam in a first direction by deflection means having mirror faces rotatable or pivotable at a predetermined velocity, moving a medium in a second direction intersecting said first direction and imaging the modulated light beam on said medium, the improvement comprising the steps of: modulating a plurality of light beams by image information signals in such a manner that the same modulation is applied to each of a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, said number being selected in accordance with a desired size of the information elements, and deflecting each of the modulated light beams toward said medium to scan said medium and form thereon the predetermined number of rows of light spots having the same modulation and wherein the size of the information elements is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a method of imaging light on a medium to form information elements comprising the steps of modulating a light beam with an image information signal, deflecting the modulated light beam in a first direction by deflection means having mirror faces rotatable or pivotable at a predetermined velocity, moving a medium in a second direction intersecting said first direction and imaging the modulated light beam on said medium, the improvement comprising the steps of: modulating a plurality of light beams by image information signals in such a manner that the same modulation is applied to each of a predetermined number of said plurality of light beams, said number being selected in accordance with a desired size of the information elements, and deflecting each of the modulated light beams toward said medium to scan said medium and form thereon the predetermined number of rows of light spots having the same modulation and wherein the size of the information elements is changed by varying the number of light beams receiving the same modulation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 23, the improvement residing in the step of: providing from a single light beam the plurality of light beams by a light deflector element to which is applied a plurality of high-frequency signals somewhat different in wavelength, said plurality of light beams corresponding to said high-frequency signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-11-28 | 1981-05-30 | 1981-11-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-11-28 | 1985-05-30 | 1985-11-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-11-28 | 1989-05-30 | 1989-11-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |