Apparatus and method for acousto-optic character generation
AssigneeIsomet Corporation
InventorLeon Bademian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Acoustic energy column segments having predetermined frequencies and representing associated portions of a character are produced in one or more of a set of acoustic energy columns within a body of acousto-optic material in order to form an acoustic energy representation of the character within the body. A pulse of light is flashed through the character representation to create a plurality of diffracted light beams. The diffracted beams are directed to corresponding locations in a character reproduction plane to form an optical representation of the character in the reproduction plane.
Claims20
An acousto-optic character generator system, comprising:
- (a) multi-channel frequency generator means,
- (b) a body of acousto-optic material,
- (c) means conneted to said frequency generator means for sequentially producing within said body, in one or more of a set of acoustic energy columns, a plurality of traveling acoustic energy column segments each having a different predetermined acoustic frequency and representing an associated portion of a character to be generated,
- (d) means for flashing a discrete pulse of light through said body containing said acoustic energy column segments to create a plurality of pulsed diffracted light beams, and
- (e) means for directing said pulsed diffracted light beams to a corresponding plurality of fixed locations in a character reproduction plane to create in said plane optical representations of the portions of the character to be generated.
A method of acousto-optic character generation, comprising:
- (a) sequentially producing in one or more of a set of acoustic energy columns within a body of acousto-optic material, a plurality of traveling acoustic energy column segments each having a different predetermined acoustic frequency and representing an associated portion of a character to be generated,
- (b) flashing a discrete pulse of light through said acousto-optic body containing said acoustic energy column segments to create a plurality of pulsed diffracted light beams, and
- (c) directing said pulsed diffracted light beams to a corresponding plurality of fixed locations in a character reproduction plane to create in said plane optical representations of the portions of the character to be generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.