High resolution imaging system and method of imaging using the same
US5684620A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K15/1238
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An imaging apparatus modulates or gates pluralities of light beams through individual light valves, thereby providing a greater number and finer resolution of modulated light beams without increasing the number of light valves or decreasing the spacing between adjacent light valves. A two-step modulation process is used, the first step being performed by a light generator incorporating a polygon mirror that selectively illuminates selected bundles of fiber optic strands. One strand from each bundle is routed to illuminate one of the cells in a light valve array, such that when a bundle is illuminated, every cell is illuminated by a strand from the illuminated bundle. The second step of the modulation process involves controlling the light valve array to modulate the light beams formed by the illuminated strands at each cell. Further, by ganging together multiple light valve arrays, a composite scan line may be created which spans across the width of several scan lines generated by the individual light valve arrays. The result is finer resolution and greater imaging speed utilizing far fewer light valves.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.