Laser triggered inkjet firing

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a printhead having at least one print element;
• a photosensitive member electrically coupled to said at least one print element;
• and
• an optical scanner for directing light toward the photosensitive member to selectively activate said at least one print element during a printing operation.

A printing system for applying markings to media comprising:

• advance means for transporting media through a print zone;
• a print bar having a plurality of ink firing elements extending across the print zone;
• photosensitive means operatively coupled to said print bar for selectively activating certain of said ink firing elements;
• and
• optical scanning means for directing light toward said photosensitive means in accordance with a pattern of dots to be applied to the media by said ink firing elements.

A method for printing an image on media comprising:

• positioning media in a print zone;
• providing a plurality of ink ejectors with respect to the media such that an image is formed on the media when an ink ejector is selectively activated;
• coupling a plurality of photodetectors respectively to the plurality of ink ejectors such that the ink ejector is activated upon light activation of the photodetector;
• and
• directing a modulated laser beam to scan across the photodetectors to cause a pattern of ink dots to be applied to the media from the ink ejectors.

A method of printing comprising:

• periodically advancing media through a print zone;
• holding the media in a stationary position during a printing operation;
• mounting a plurality of printing elements on a print bar over the print zone;
• connecting individual print elements through an electrical conductive path to a photosensitive member having an array of photodetectors;
• scanning a laser beam across the array of photodetectors to sequentially target individual photodetectors in accordance with a pattern of dots to be printed on the media, thereby causing selective print elements to be activated during a printing operation.