Parallel LED exposure control system
AssigneePolaroid Corporation
InventorsMartin A. Agulnek, Joseph M. Canter, Michael L. Reisch
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Abstract
An electronic imaging system includes a linear LED array for recording on a photosensitive medium an image defined by electronic signal information in binary word format by simultaneously controlling the energization of all the LED's at a constant energy level in a series of intervals, each of which is timed differently to correspond to a different one of the data bits in the binary words which comprise the image defining electronic signal information. Each LED is energized during each interval as a direct function of the state of the data bit corresponding to that interval for that LED.
Claims14
Apparatus for recording on a photosensitive medium an image defined by electronic signal information in binary word format comprising:
- an array of spaced apart discrete light sources each corresponding to a different pixel of the image to be recorded on the photosensitive medium;
- and
- means for simultaneously controlling the energization of all of said discrete light sources at a substantially constant energy level in a series of intervals wherein each interval is timed differently to correspond to a different one of the data bits in the binary words which comprise the image defining electronic signal information and each said light source is energized during each said interval as a function of the state of the data bit corresponding to that interval for that light source.
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control means comprises:
- first memory means for storing first binary words each corresponding to a determinate exposure value for a respective pixel of the image to be recorded on the photosensitive medium and comprising a plurality of data bits arranged in an ordered sequence from the least significant data bit to the most significant data bit;
- processing means for reorganizing said first binary words stored in said first memory means to provide second reorganized binary words sequentially ordered such that a first plurality of said reorganized binary words comprise the least significant data bit from all of said first binary words and each succeeding reorganized plurality of binary words comprises the next most significant data bit from all of said first binary words until the last of said reorganized plurality of binary words comprises the most significant data bits from all of said first binary words;
- and
- second memory means for storing said reorganized binary words.
A method for recording on a photosensitive medium an image defined by electronic signal information in binary word format comprising the steps of:
- positioning an array of discrete light sources each corresponding to a different pixel of the image and a photosensitive medium relative to each other such that energization of the array will operate to expose the photosensitive medium;
- and
- simultaneously controlling the energization of all of said discrete light sources at a substantially constant energy level in a series of intervals such that each interval is timed differently to correspond to a different one of the data bits in the binary words which comprise the image defining electronic signal information and each said light source is energized during each said interval as a function of the state of the data bit corresponding to that interval for that light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.