Patent US4814799A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4814799A
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Method and apparatus for creating a photomask for projecting an image
Assignee: Cycolor Imaging Inc
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Filing: 1988-04-15
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Granted: 1989-03-21
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Expires: 2008-04-15
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for creating a photomask corresponding to an image utilizes a planar disc having at least a portion of its surface formed from a photosensitive material. The disc is mounted for rotation. A laser beam source is supported at a spaced relationship with respect to the disc. One or more laser beams from the source are focused onto the disc. The laser source is moved radially with respect to the disc, whereby the laser beams scan the surface of the disc. The beams are modulated in accordance with information corresponding to the image to cause the image to be written onto the photosensitive material on the rotating disc by the laser beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Sun Lu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:38
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/24; G11B7/26; G01; G01D; G01D15/00; G01D15/14; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/10; H04N1/23; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0424
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of creating a photomask, comprising the steps of: mounting for rotation a planar disc having at least a portion of the surface area of said disc defined by a photosensitive material; rotating said disc; supporting a laser beam source at a spaced relationship with respect to said disc; focusing at least one laser beam from said source onto said disc; simultaneously with rotating said disc, moving said source radially with respect to said disc to cause said laser beam to scan the surface area of said disc; and modulating said laser beam during said scanning in accordance with information corresponding to an image to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of creating a photomask, comprising the steps of: mounting for rotation a planar disc having at least a portion of the surface area of said disc defined by a photosensitive material; rotating said disc; supporting a laser beam source at a spaced relationship with respect to said disc; focusing at least one laser beam from said source onto said disc; simultaneously with rotating said disc, moving said source radially with respect to said disc to cause said laser beam to scan the surface area of said disc; and modulating said laser beam during said scanning in accordance with information corresponding to an image to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said planar disc includes a plurality of discrete regions defined by said photosensitive material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as defined in claim 2, wherein said discrete regions are substantally rectangular, and wherein three of said discrete regions are provided on said disc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as define in claim 1, wherein said photosensitive material is a liquid crystal cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as defined in claim 4, wherein said liquid crystal cell is reflective.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as defined in claim 4, wherein said liquid crystal cell is transmissive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said disc is rotated such that said laser beam scans the surface of said disc at a constant linear velocity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of laser beams are focused simultaneouly onto said disc, each of said beams being independently modulated to cause each beam to write a separate portion of said image onto said disc.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for creating a photomask corresponding to an image, comprising: a planar disc having discrete portions of the surface area of said disc defined by a liquid crystal material; means for mounting and rotating said disc; and scanning means for scanning at least one laser beam over the surface area of said disc during rotation to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for creating a photomask corresponding to an image, comprising: a planar disc having discrete portions of the surface area of said disc defined by a liquid crystal material; means for mounting and rotating said disc; and scanning means for scanning at least one laser beam over the surface area of said disc during rotation to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said planar disc includes a plurality of discrete regions defined by said photosensitive material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said discrete regions are substantally rectangular, and wherein three of said discrete regions are provided on said disc.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said discrete regions are square, said three regions being arranged symmetrically on said disc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said photosensitive material is a liquid crystal cell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said liquid crystal cell is reflective.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said liquid crystal cell is transmissive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said rotation means rotates said disc such that said laser beam scans the surface of said disc at a constant linear velocity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said scanning means scans a plurality of laser beams over said disc to write said image onto said disc.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for creating a photomask corresponding to an image, comprising: a planar disc having at least a portion of the surface area of said disc defined by a photosensitive material; means for mounting and rotating said disc; a laser beam source; means for supporting said laser beam source at a spaced relationship with respect to said disc; means for focusing a laser beam from said source onto said disc; means for moving said laser source mounting means radially wtth respect to said disc, whereby said laser beam is caused to scan the surface area of said disc; and means fo modulating said laser beam in accordance with information corresponding to said image to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for creating a photomask corresponding to an image, comprising: a planar disc having at least a portion of the surface area of said disc defined by a photosensitive material; means for mounting and rotating said disc; a laser beam source; means for supporting said laser beam source at a spaced relationship with respect to said disc; means for focusing a laser beam from said source onto said disc; means for moving said laser source mounting means radially wtth respect to said disc, whereby said laser beam is caused to scan the surface area of said disc; and means fo modulating said laser beam in accordance with information corresponding to said image to cause said image to be written onto said photosensitive material by said laser beam.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said planar disc includes a plurality of discrete regions defined by said photosensitive material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said discrete regions are substantally rectangular, and wherein three of said discrete regions are provided on said disc.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said discrete regions are square, said three regions being arranged symmetrically on said disc.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said photosensitive material is a liquid crystal cell.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said liquid crystal cell is reflective.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said liquid crystal cell is transmissive.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said rotation means rotates said disc such that said laser beam scans the surface of said disc at a constant linear velocity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said laser beam source produces a plurality of laser beams, each of said beams being focused simultaneouly onto said disc, and wherein said modulating means modulates each of said beams independently to cause each beam to write a separate portion of said image onto said disc.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein said laser beam source includes a plurality of laser emitting diodes.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein said means for focusing said beams includes a plurality of optical fibers, each of said fibers receiving one of said beams from one of said laser emitting diodes, said fibers being arranged into an array for focusing said beams onto said disc.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4761046A
Cited
US4768046A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-03-20 | 1992-09-19 | 1993-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-03-20 | 1996-09-19 | 1997-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-03-20 | 2000-09-19 | 2001-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |