Real-time calibration of processless writer
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsArnold Lungershausen, Stephen C. Arnold, Timothy M. Enders, John R. Cardone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A real-time calibration instrument on a processless writing device reads a pattern of marks produced by the device and adjusts writing parameters in real time through feed back mechanisms to modify the characteristics of the marks and their pattern. The calibration instrument includes a photoelectronic camera defining an optical axis perpendicular to the recording medium, and the marks are illuminated coaxially along the same axis to capture an image of the marks without distortion. According to other features, the recording medium is rotated on a drum relative to the recording head and the illumination is provided by a stroboscopic source synchronized with rotation of the drum.
Claims8
Apparatus for writing an image having desired characteristics on a recording medium, the medium producing visible marks when exposed to radiation above a threshold level;
- said apparatus comprising:
- a communication channel for carrying an information signal representing the image being written;
- a writing head coupled to said channel and modulated by the signal for making marks representing the image on the recording medium in response to the signal, the image having the characteristics of line frequency, spatial resolution and tonal information and the marks having parameters of size, relative position and density, said writing head having means for adjusting the parameters for modifying the characteristics of the image represented by the marks;
- a drive for producing relative movement in a direction between the recording medium and said writing head to establish a pattern of marks on the recording medium in the direction of the relative movement;
- a calibration instrument mounted relative to said writing head for reading the marks directly after they have been written, analyzing the characteristics of the image produced by the pattern of marks continuously while the image is recorded and adjusting the parameters of the marks in real-time to cause the image to have the desired characteristic.
Apparatus for writing an image having desired characteristics on a recording medium, the medium producing visible marks when exposed to radiation above a threshold level;
- said apparatus comprising:
- a writing head including means for applying modulated energy to the medium to mark the medium to produce an image, the image having the characteristics of line frequency, spatial resolution and tonal information and the marks having parameters of size, relative position and density, said writing head having means for adjusting the parameters for modifying the image characteristics;
- means for producing relative movement between the medium and the writing head for producing a pattern of said marks defining parallel raster lines on the medium;
- and
- a calibration instrument including a photoelectric camera and an illumination source for reading the pattern of marks continuously after they have been written while the image is being recorded, analyzing the characteristics of the image produced by the pattern of marks, and producing an output signal for adjusting the parameters of the marks in real time to cause the image to have the desired characteristics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.