Method and apparatus for printing images in multiple formats using a spatial light modulator
US6580490B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 17, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 30, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B27/72
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A printer (100) able to print in a plurality of output formats depending on width of media (160) loaded in the printer (100) is disclosed. The printer (100) provides high resolution and grayscale imaging capability for monochromatic applications. Illumination optics (11) receive a source light beam, from one or more LEDs, uniformize and polarize the beam and direct the beam through a polarization beamsplitter (50). The polarization beamsplitter (50) directs one polarization state of light to one or more LCD spatial light modulators (52), which modulate the polarization of the polarized beam to provide output exposure energy suitable for image marking on media (160). An optional sensor (234) allows printer (100) to automatically detect the width of a given type of media (160) in order to select from a set of compatible output format. Multiple segments of media (160) at the image plane (150) simultaneously.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.