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US4737858A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Intensity controlled and aperature defining image generating system

Assignee: ECRM Inc
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Filing: 1986-05-23
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Granted: 1988-04-12
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Expires: 2006-05-23
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Abstract

Abstract Process, methods and apparati for improving accuracy and appearance of graphics scanner output. The term "scanner" is used generically to denote an output device (plotter), an input device (scanner), or a hybrid device (scanner-plotter) utilized to transfer optical data to or from a surface. A position correction system is employed to compensate for systematic position errors, or deliberately to introduce position distortions; a beam forming system is employed to reduce illumination power requirements and to compensate partially for motions of a pixel shaping apparatus transverse to the beam optical axis; an optimally chosen aperture shape is employed to form pixels which robustly eliminate or, under the tradeoffs possible for practical operation, minimize the jaggedness of lines and edges.

Inventors

  • 👤 P. G. DeBaryshe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 18:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/06; H04N1/0671; H04N1/0678; H04N1/024; H04N1/032; H04N1/036; H04N1/047; H04N1/40; H04N1/409; H04N1/4092; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/024; H04N2201/02406; H04N2201/02416; H04N2201/02425; H04N2201/02439; H04N2201/028; H04N2201/03; H04N2201/031; H04N2201/03104; H04N2201/0315; H04N2201/03162; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/047; H04N2201/04701; H04N2201/0471; H04N2201/04715; H04N2201/04724; H04N2201/04731; H04N2201/04734; H04N2201/04753; H04N2201/04755; H04N2201/04758; H04N2201/04767; H04N2201/04781; H04N2201/04786; H04N2201/04787; H04N2201/04789; H04N2201/04791; H04N2201/04793; H04N2201/04794

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 141 words
A system for producing images as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining the shape of a spot on said surface, said spot defined by said beam of radiation at a point of application to said surface; said defining means defining said spot to have a periphery with a generally straight side parallel to the path direction of said beam on said surface and in at least three distinct directions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 141 words
A system for producing images as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining the shape of a spot on said surface, said spot defined by said beam of radiation at a point of application to said surface; said defining means defining said spot to have a periphery with a generally straight side parallel to the path direction of said beam on said surface and in at least three distinct directions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes means for generating optical radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said generating means includes a laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said laser is a pulsed laser operative to produce a series of connected spots from said beam of radiation in the path direction of said beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 10 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said surface is photosensitive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said photosensitive surface is chemically photosensitive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said photosensitive surface is electronically photosensitive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for applying said beam of radiation to said surface includes means for providing a raster scan of said surface with said beam of radiation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for providing an intensity shift includes means for modulating said generating means to provide said intensity shift in said radiation beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said triggering means includes means for providing a series of spots from said radiation on said surface which are substantially in edge to edge adjacency.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said triggering means includes means for providing a series of spots from said beam of radiation on said surface with substantial spot overlap.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for defining said spot includes an optical aperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 12 further including means for focussing said beam to a point and illuminating said aperture at a point removed from said point to over-illuminate said aperture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said defining means includes means for producing dither on said beam to trace out desired spot shape on the surface without use of a defining aperture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 36 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said means for applying the radiation beam to said surface includes means for establishing a table of positional offsets corresponding to each of a plurality of positions on said surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system of claim 14 including means for determining postional errors in said means for applying and means for producing an intensity shift in creating said image according to a predetermined desired image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 16 wherein said controlling means corrects said errors in response to the determination thereof.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 118 words
A system for producing image as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining said spot shape; means for controlling said applying means and said means for producing an intensity shift to introduce a predetermined distortion into the image created on said surface by said beam of radiation.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 118 words
A system for producing image as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining said spot shape; means for controlling said applying means and said means for producing an intensity shift to introduce a predetermined distortion into the image created on said surface by said beam of radiation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 44 words
The system of claim 18 wherein said array of positional offsets corrects for system errors in producing an image on said surface corresponding to a predetermined desired image whereby the corrected, distorted image corresponds more precisely to said desired image than the undistorted image.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 151 words
A system for producing images as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means, including an optical aperture having an octogonal peripheral shape, for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining the shape of a spot on said surface, said spot defined by said beam of radiation at a point of application to said surface; said defining means for defining said spot to have a periphery with a generally straight side parallel to the path direction of said beam on said surface and in at least three distinct directions.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 151 words
A system for producing images as a sequence of spots projected onto a two dimensional surface comprising: means for generating a beam of radiation; means, including an optical aperture having an octogonal peripheral shape, for applying the radiation beam to said surface to expose a predetermined two dimensional region of said surface in a path across said surface at different locations; means for applying an intensity shift to said radiation beam whereby the pattern of said beam of radiation creates a predetermined image on the exposed region of said surface; means for defining the shape of a spot on said surface, said spot defined by said beam of radiation at a point of application to said surface; said defining means for defining said spot to have a periphery with a generally straight side parallel to the path direction of said beam on said surface and in at least three distinct directions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said octoagonal shape has unequal length facets.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 47 words
The system of claim 21 wherein a first set of nonadjacent facets of said octagonal shape are of a first range of lengths and the other nonadjacent facets of the octagonal shape of the aperture are in a second range of lengths less than said first range.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4468706A Cited
US4486788A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-04-12 1991-10-12 1992-04-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-04-12 1995-10-12 1996-04-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-04-12 1999-10-12 2000-04-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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