Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A light beam scanning apparatus comprising: (i) a scanning means for scanning a material, which is to be scanned, by a light beam in accordance with a scanning means control signal, (ii) a single photodetector positioned within a scanning region of said light beam for detecting said light beam and generating a pulse, (iii) a start point detecting means for detecting a start point of each scanning by said scanning means and generating a signal corresponding to said start point, (iv) a means for receiving said signal corresponding to said start point and an output pulse of said photodetector and calculating the time between said signal and said pulse, and (v) a control means for adjusting an initial level of said scanning means control signal on the basis of the calculated time and controlling the start point of scanning by said light beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A light beam scanning apparatus comprising: (i) a scanning means for scanning a material, which is to be scanned, by a light beam in accordance with a scanning means control signal, (ii) a single photodetector positioned within a scanning region of said light beam for detecting said light beam and generating a pulse, (iii) a start point detecting means for detecting a start point of each scanning by said scanning means and generating a signal corresponding to said start point, (iv) a means for receiving said signal corresponding to said start point and an output pulse of said photodetector and calculating the time between said signal and said pulse, and (v) a control means for adjusting an initial level of said scanning means control signal on the basis of the calculated time and controlling the start point of scanning by said light beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for calculating the time between said signal corresponding to said start point and said output pulse of said photodetector is provided with a counter for receiving pulses from an oscillator which generates digital pulses of a predetermined period, receiving said signal corresponding to said start point and said output pulse of said photodetector, and counting said pulses of the predetermined period which are input between said signal and said output pulse.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said control means comprises a comparison circuit for comparing an output of said counter with a predetermined value, and a means for adjusting the initial level of said scanning means control signal on the basis of an output of said comparison circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for adjusting said initial level adjusts said initial level so that the difference between the output of said counter and the predetermined count is minimized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the calculating means produces a long time duration output pulse having a time duration corresponding to the time between said start point signal and said photodetector output pulse, the counter is a digital counter which counts said pulses of said oscillator during said long time duration output pulse, to produce a digital output signal representative of the number of oscillator pulses counted, and the comparison means is of a digital type.