Optical printer with micromirror device
AssigneeFuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
InventorEiichi Kito
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical printer has a DMD as a spatial light modulator. An optical image corresponding to a picture frame is projected from the DMD onto a photographic paper in a variable size to print the picture frame in a designated print size. When a maximum print size is designated, image data stored in three color image memories is entirely converted into mirror drive data for driving all micromirrors of the DMD in accordance with the image data. When a smaller print size is designated, the image data is thinned to reduce the image data size in correspondence with the smaller print size. Also a smaller area of the DMD is selected as an active area in which micromirrors are driven in accordance with the thinned image data, to print a picture in the smaller print size.
Claims7
An optical printer comprising:
- a spatial light modulator having an array of micromirrors arranged in a row or in a matrix, said micromirrors being able to tilt each individually between an effective reflecting position and an ineffective reflecting position;
- a light source section illuminating said micromirror array;
- an image projecting optical system for projecting printing light beams from those ones of said micromirrors which are in said effective reflecting position, as an optical image onto a photosensitive material;
- a paper advancing device for advancing said photosensitive material;
- an active area determining device for determining an active area of said micromirror array of said spatial light modulator in accordance with a selected print size;
- and
- a driving device for driving each of those micromirrors included in said active area to tilt either to said effective reflecting position or to said ineffective reflecting position in accordance with image data, thereby to project said optical image on said photosensitive material in a size according to said selected print size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.