Non-impact printer apparatus and method for recording on a moving medium
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsKenneth H. Loewenthal, Steven M. Bryant, Thomas F. Powers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-impact printer apparatus and method for recording on a medium that is moving at a variable rate. A plurality of recording elements arranged transverse to movement of the medium records respective pixels. Each pixel is formed by enabling each recording element a plurality of times during a pixel recording period. To maintain uniformity in pixel recording a duration for recording a sub-pixel and the number of sub-pixels per pixel are adjusted in accordance with the speed of the recording medium. The sum of the sub-pixel recording durations during a pixel recording period comprises the pixel exposure time.
Claims8
A non-impact printer apparatus for recording on a moving recording medium, which apparatus comprises:
- a plurality of recording elements;
- first means for generating a first signal having information representing a speed of movement of the recording medium;
- second means for generating an image data signal representing a pixel to be recorded by one of said plural recording elements during a pixel recording period;
- third means, responsive to said first signal, for generating a plural number of first pulses used to enable the said one recording element during recording of the pixel;
- and
- fourth means, responsive to said first pulses and said image data signal, for energizing the said one recording element to record the pixel in a series of spaced sub-pixel recording periods with a duration of one of said sub-pixel recording periods being dependent upon the information in said first signal;
- and
- wherein said first means includes
- (a) fifth means for generating a series of second signals representing equal increments in displacement of the recording medium;
- (b) sixth means for counting said second signals to generate third signals, each third signal providing synchronization for recording a new column of pixels by the recording elements;
- (c) seventh means for providing a series of second pulses at a first predetermined clock frequency;
- and
- (d) eighth means responsive to each third signal for counting said second pulses to generate said first signal as a count of a number of second pulses counted between two adjacent third signals.
A method for non-impact recording on a moving recording medium, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) generating a first signal having information representing a speed of movement of the recording medium and a second signal representing image data for a pixel to be recorded;
- (b) driving a recording element for recording said pixel on the recording medium by energizing the recording element to record during a plural number of spaced sub-pixel exposure periods, a duration of a sub-pixel recording period being related to said first signal and wherein the number of said sub-pixel recording periods for recording of said pixel is dependent upon the speed of movement of the recording medium.
An apparatus for non-impact recording on a moving recording medium, said apparatus comprising:
- a recording element;
- first means for generating a first signal having information representing a speed of movement of the recording medium;
- second means for generating a second signal representing image data for a pixel to be recorded;
- third means for driving a recording element for recording said pixel on the recording medium by energizing the recording element to record during a plural number of spaced sub-pixel exposure periods with a duration of a sub-pixel recording period being related to said first signal and wherein the number of said sub-pixel recording periods for recording of said pixel is dependent upon the speed of movement of the recording medium.
A non-impact printer apparatus for recording on a moving recording medium, which apparatus comprises:
- a recording element;
- first means for generating a first signal having information representing a speed of movement of the recording medium;
- second means for generating an image data signal representing a pixel to be recorded during a pixel recording period;
- third means, responsive to said first signal, for generating a plural number of first pulses used to enable the recording element during recording of the pixel;
- and
- fourth means, responsive to said first pulses and said image data signal, for energizing the recording element to record the pixel in a series of spaced sub-pixel recording periods with a duration of one of said sub-pixel recording periods being dependent upon the information in said first signal and
- wherein said third means includes fifth means for determining a number of sub-pixel recording periods during the period for recording of a pixel, the number of sub-pixel recording periods being automatically adjusted in accordance with speed of movement of the medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.