Laser recording system

In a laser recording system in which a beam of laser light is modulated with digital signals and deflected by a rotating mirror onto a recording surface and wherein the recording surface is flat over the area exposed to said modulated beam of laser light, the improvement comprising:

• (a) means for providing a continuous beam of light rotating in synchronization with said modulated beam of laser light;
• (b) a curved timing plate positioned to receive said continuous beam of light, said curved timing plate having a series of unevenly spaced reflective markings representative of linearly spaced spot positions on said recording surface,
• (c) sensing means for detecting said light reflected off said reflective markings of said curved timing plate and producing signals in accordance therewith, and
• (d) means for regulating the flow of said digital signals to said modulating means in response to said signals,
• (e) whereby, said light spots formed on said recording surface from said digitized beam are evenly spaced.

A laser recording system comprising:

• (a) a laser for generating a beam of light,
• (b) means for splitting said beam of light into first and second beams,
• (c) a light sensitive recording surface,
• (d) a curved timing plate having alternating reflective and non-reflective portions,
• (e) optical scanning means for receiving said first and second beams and causing said first beam to scan across said light sensitive recording surface and said second beam to scan across said target simultaneously,
• (f) said recording surface being substantially flat over the area exposed to said first light beam,
• (g) a modulator for modulating said first light beam,
• (h) a source of modulating signals for controlling said modulator,
• (i) gating means for controlling said flow of signals to said modulator, and
• (j) photodetector means positioned to receive light reflected from said timing plate produce electrical signals in response thereto for controlling said gating means,
• (k) said reflective portions on said timing plate being spaced so as to provide even spacing of the light pulses impinging on said light sensitive recording surface by said first beam.

Apparatus for generating timing signals for compensating for changes in the angular velocity of a rotating modulated laser beam as it is swept across a flat recording surface comprising:

• (a) means providing a continuous beam of light,
• (b) a curved timing plate having a series of unevenly spaced reflective markings representative of evenly spaced spot positions on said recording surface,
• (c) optical scanning means for causing said continuous beam of light to be swept across said curved timing plate in synchronization with said modulated laser beam,
• (d) means for sensing the light reflected off said reflective markings on said curved timing plate and producing electrical timing signals in response thereto.