Patent · US Expired

Printer and projector equipped with micromirror device

US6900825B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 2000
Grant dateMay 31, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 30, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B26/0841
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A printer includes an image area sensor for picking up a picture frame in photo film to output image data. A printing projecting lens focuses and records a print frame to color photographic paper. Three LED light sources generate light. A digital micromirror device (DMD) is disposed in a traveling path of the light, includes plural micromirrors arranged in at least one array. The plural micromirrors are individually shiftable between first and second positions different in a direction, and when in the first position, direct the light to the photo film by reflection, and when in the second position, direct the light to the printing projecting lens by reflection. A controller initially sets the plural micromirrors in the first position, to illuminate the picture frame in the photo film while the image area sensor is operated. According to the image data, the controller sets micromirrors in one first group in the DMD to the first position, and sets micromirrors in a second group in the DMD to the second position except for the first group, to modulate the light by reflection on the second group. Thus, the print frame is printed with the printing projecting lens.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.