Digital image processing system

A digital processing system for producing photographic prints, the system comprising:

• a light source configured to direct a light beam along an optical path toward an exposure target area configured to receive a light sensitive medium;
• a spatial light modulator coupled with a source of virtual negative images, wherein a selected virtual negative image comprises a plurality of pixels that are arrayed in a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, and wherein the selected virtual negative image is subdivided into a plurality of sub-images, including a first sub-image comprising pixels of uneven columns and uneven rows, a second sub-image comprising pixels of even columns and uneven rows, a third sub-image comprising pixels of uneven columns and even rows, and a fourth sub-image comprising pixels of even columns and even rows;
• a pixel rounding-off device in the optical path such that the light beam passes therethrough;
• a displacement actuator coupled with the spatial light modulator, the displacement actuator adapted to move the spatial light modulator with respect to the exposure target area by a distance that is less than one of the pixels into a number of positions corresponding to the plurality of sub-images;
• and
• a controller configured to sequentially expose the plurality of sub-images in correspondence to the relative motion of the displacement actuator.

A digital processing system for producing photographic print, comprising:

• a light source adapted to direct a light beam along an optical path toward an exposure target area configured to receive a light sensitive medium;
• a spatial light modulator coupled with a source of virtual negative images and comprising a plurality of pixels;
• a displacement actuator coupled with the spatial light modulator, the displacement actuator adapted to move the spatial light modulator with respect to the exposure target area by a distance of less than one pixel;
• and
• a processor configured to provide a first sub-image of a selected virtual negative image to the spatial light modulator and a second sub-image of the selected virtual negative image to the spatial light modulator, wherein the first sub-image is shifted by at least one pixel with respect to the second sub-image.

A method of a producing a photographic print from a virtual negative image stored in a source of virtual negative images, the method comprising:

• illuminating a light source included in a mini-lab, thereby directing a light beam along an optical path including therein a spatial light modulator coupled with the source of virtual negative images and comprising a plurality of pixels;
• forming an image of the plurality of pixels on an exposure target area;
• disposing light-sensitive medium at said exposure target area;
• positioning the spatial light modulator in a first position;
• providing a first sub-image to the spatial light modulator, wherein the first sub-image corresponds to a first portion of the virtual negative image;
• exposing the exposure target area to the first sub-image using the light beam from the light source;
• providing relative motion between the spatial light modulation and the exposure target area, wherein the relative motion is less than one pixel;
• exposing the exposure target area to the second sub-image using the light beam from the light source.

A digital image processing system for producing photographic prints, comprising:

• a light source adapted to direct a light beam along an optical path toward an exposure target area configured to receive a light sensitive medium;
• a spatial light modulator coupled with a source of virtual negative images and comprising a plurality of pixels;
• a displacement actuator coupled with the spatial light modulator, the the displacement actuator adapted to laterally translate the spatial light modulator with respect to the exposure target area;
• and
• processing logic in communication with said displacement actuator and said spatial light modulator, said processing logic configured to cause the translation of the displacement actuator a distance correspondence to at least one pixel on said spatial light modulator;
• wherein said processing logic is further configured to provide a first sub-image of a selected virtual negative image to the spatial light modulator and a second sub-image of the selected virtual negative image to the spatial light modulator, wherein the first sub-image is shifted with respect to the second sub-image by an amount larger than said distance that said displacement actuator is translated.