US 6,856,426 B1 · Solid state scanning type optical recording device

Abstract

An 8-bit (256 gradient) image is represented using a driver IC of 6-bit (64 gradient) construction to drive a plurality of arrayed optical shutter elements. The image data are divided into 64 gradient sections, synchronized by shift clock signals, and transmitted in four cycles to the shift register. The optical shutter element is not turned OFF at the 64th pulse, but is continuously driven without transmitting to the comparator the standard clock signal of the 64th pulse, which controls the ON time of the optical shutter element. In this way, an image of a higher number of gradient levels can be represented using a driver IC of a low number of bits, thereby providing a solid state scanning type optical recording device which suppresses noise generation by reducing the load on the driver IC when driving at multi-level gradient.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A solid state scanning type optical recording device comprising:

optical shutter elements having an electro-optic effect;
and
a driver for dividing one line into a plurality of sections in the subscan direction and modulating the ON time of said optical shutter elements based on the image data of each section by a predetermined number of bits fewer than the number of bits of the image data, and driving said optical shutter elements at a gradient exceeding a maximum gradient corresponding to the predetermined number of bits;
wherein the driver includes a shift register for forwarding image data synchronously with a shift clock;
a latch register for latching image data of one section within said shift register in response to a strobe signal;
a counter for counting standard clock signals;
and
a comparator for turning ON each optical shutter element, comparing the value latched in the latch register with the count value of the counter, and turning OFF each optical shutter element when both values match.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solid state scanning type optical recording device

Life of this patent

Solid state scanning type optical recording device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13