US4905023A — Image forming apparatus including digital image s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 147 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; image forming means for forming an image for each of predetermined elements by scanning a recording medium in response to the digital image signal entered through said input means, said image forming means being capable of scanning said recording medium in first and second scanning directions for image formation, said image forming means including means for forming a pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of the level of the digital image signal entered through said input means; and means for correcting the size of at least one of the predetermined elements formed on said recording medium in first and second modes in relation to the first and second scanning directions, said first and second modes being different from each other, wherein in said first mode said correcting means corrects the pulse width of the pulse-width modulated signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 147 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; image forming means for forming an image for each of predetermined elements by scanning a recording medium in response to the digital image signal entered through said input means, said image forming means being capable of scanning said recording medium in first and second scanning directions for image formation, said image forming means including means for forming a pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of the level of the digital image signal entered through said input means; and means for correcting the size of at least one of the predetermined elements formed on said recording medium in first and second modes in relation to the first and second scanning directions, said first and second modes being different from each other, wherein in said first mode said correcting means corrects the pulse width of the pulse-width modulated signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising discriminating means for discriminating whether the digital image signal entered through said input means represents a thin line image or an edge image, wherein said correcting means corrects the size of the predetermined elements at plural steps in accordance with the discrimination result produced by said discrimination means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 82 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said correcting means includes a plurality of tables, wherein said correcting means receives the digital image signal entered through said input means, converts the characteristics of the digital image signal based on one of said plurality of tables, and selects one of the tables in accordance with the result produced by said discriminating means, and wherein the converted digital image signal output from said correcting means is supplied to said image forming means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 62 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image forming means comprises: means for generating a recording beam for scanning the recording medium, wherein said pulse-width modulated signal forming means forms the pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of the converted digital image signal; and modulating means for modulating the recording beam on the basis of the pulse-width modulated signal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 49 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said correcting means further comprises means for selecting a value of a drive current applied to said recording beam generating means to change the intensity of the recording beam in accordance with the discrimination result produced by said discrimination means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 65 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said discriminating means performs discrimination of the digital image signal entered for each pixel of the digital image signal, and wherein each of the predetermined elements formed on the recording medium corresponds to a pixel, and wherein the size of the predetermined elements change on the basis of a level of the input digital image signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 100 words

A beam recording apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; means for generating a recording beam to irradiate a recording medium for image formation; modulating means for modulating the recording beam in response to the digital image signal entered from said input means, wherein said modulating means includes means for forming a pulse-width modulated signal in accordance with the level of the digital image signal entered through said input means, and for modulating the recording beam on the basis of the pulse-width modulated signal; and correcting means for correcting the intensity of said recording beam and the irradiation duration thereof.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 100 words

A beam recording apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; means for generating a recording beam to irradiate a recording medium for image formation; modulating means for modulating the recording beam in response to the digital image signal entered from said input means, wherein said modulating means includes means for forming a pulse-width modulated signal in accordance with the level of the digital image signal entered through said input means, and for modulating the recording beam on the basis of the pulse-width modulated signal; and correcting means for correcting the intensity of said recording beam and the irradiation duration thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 107 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said correcting means includes converting means for converting characteristics of the digital image signal entered through said input means in accordance with a table and for outputting the converted digital image signal, and wherein said converting means includes a plurality of tables employed in the conversion of the characteristics of the input digital image signal, one of the plurality of tables being selectively used, and wherein the converted digital image signal converted by a selected one of the plurality of tables and output from said converting means is supplied to said modulating means to modulate the recording beam.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said correcting means includes means for selecting a value of a drive current applied to said recording beam generating means to change the intensity of said recording beam.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 60 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for discriminating whether the digital image signal entered through said input means represents a thin line image or an edge image, and wherein said correcting means selects a value of the drive current and one of the tables in accordance with the discrimination result produced by said discriminating means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said PWM signal forming means forms the pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of a level of the converted digital image signal, and modulating the recording beam on the basis of the pulse-width modulated signal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said discriminating means performs a discrimination operation thereof in association with at least the first and second scanning directions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said correcting means corrects the pulse-width of the pulse-width modulated signal to correct the irradiation duration of the recording beam.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 120 words

An image processing apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; conversion means for converting characteristics of the digital image signal entered through said input means and for outputting the converted digital image signal, said converting means including a plurality of tables employed to convert the characteristics of the input digital image signal; processing means for processing the converted digital image signal output from said converting means and for generating a pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of the level of the converted digital image signal; and discriminating means for discriminating image contents of the input digital image signal, said discriminating means selecting one of the plurality of tables to be used in the conversion in accordance with the discrimination result.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 120 words

An image processing apparatus comprising: digital image signal input means; conversion means for converting characteristics of the digital image signal entered through said input means and for outputting the converted digital image signal, said converting means including a plurality of tables employed to convert the characteristics of the input digital image signal; processing means for processing the converted digital image signal output from said converting means and for generating a pulse-width modulated signal on the basis of the level of the converted digital image signal; and discriminating means for discriminating image contents of the input digital image signal, said discriminating means selecting one of the plurality of tables to be used in the conversion in accordance with the discrimination result.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 40 words

An image processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising beam generating means for generating a beam to irradiate a recording medium for image formation, and modulating means for modulating the beam on the basis of the pulse-width modulated signal.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 52 words

An image processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising selecting means for selecting a value of a drive current applied to said beam generating means to change the intensity of the beam, said selecting means performing a selecting operation thereof in accordance with the discrimination result produced by said discriminating means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 47 words

An image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said discriminating means includes memory means for storing a plurality of pixels of the digital image signal entered for each pixel, and performs a discrimination operation thereof on the basis of the contents stored in said memory means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

An image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said discriminating means discriminates whether the digital image signal represents a thin or edge image or not in association with plural directions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 31 words

A beam recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said discriminating means discriminates whether the digital image signal represents a thin or edge image or not in association with plural directions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-26	1993-08-28	1994-02-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-26	1997-08-28	1998-02-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-26	2001-08-28	2002-02-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image forming apparatus including digital image signal input means

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