Method and apparatus for optical writing capable of writing a wide format image using a plurality of light emitting devices

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of light-emitting element array units configured to cover an area with a predetermined width, each one of the light-emitting element array units comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting element array units being arranged in an at-least-two-rows staggered manner in a main scanning direction with overlapping portions overlapping in a sub-scanning direction to include a plurality of light-emitting elements continuously adjacent one to another in the at-least-two-rows staggered manner in the main scanning direction with an adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• means for controlling light intensity of the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements and other of the plurality of light-emitting elements around the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements, based on an overlapping degree of the adjacent two light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• and
• means for dividing an input image data and transferring the respective image data divided for each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units to the each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units.

A method of image writing by using an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• installing a plurality of light-emitting element array units configured to cover an area with a predetermined width, each one of the light-emitting element array units comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting element array units being arranged in an at-least-two-rows staggered manner in a main scanning direction with overlapping portions overlapping in a sub-scanning direction to include a plurality of light-emitting elements continuously adjacent one to another in the at-least-two-rows staggered manner in the main scanning direction with an adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• controlling light intensity of the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements and other of the plurality of light-emitting elements around the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements, based on an overlapping degree of the adjacent two light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• inputting image data to the image forming apparatus;
• dividing the input image data;
• and
• transferring the respective image data divided for each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units to the each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units.

An optical-writing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of light-emitting element array units configured to cover an area with a predetermined width, each one of the light-emitting element array units comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting element array units being arranged in an at-least-two-rows staggered manner in a main scanning direction with overlapping portions overlapping in a sub-scanning direction to include a plurality of light-emitting elements continuously adjacent one to another in the at-least-two-rows staggered manner in the main scanning direction with an adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• at least one light intensity control unit configured to control light intensity of the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements and other of the plurality of light-emitting elements around the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements, based on an overlapping degree of the adjacent two light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• and
• an image data transfer unit configured to divide an input image data and transfer the respective image data divided for each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units to the each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units.

An optical-writing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of light-emitting element array units configured to cover an area with a predetermined width, each one of the light-emitting element array units comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting element array units being arranged in an at-least-two-rows staggered manner in a main scanning direction with overlapping portions overlapping in a sub-scanning direction to include a plurality of light-emitting elements continuously adjacent one to another in the at-least-two-rows staggered manner in the main scanning direction with an adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• means for controlling light intensity of the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements and other of the plurality of light-emitting elements around the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements, based on an overlapping degree of the adjacent two light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• and
• means for dividing an input image data and transferring the respective image data divided for each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units to the each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units.

A method of image writing by using an optical-writing apparatus, comprising:

• installing a plurality of light-emitting element array units configured to cover an area with a predetermined width, each one of the light-emitting element array units comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-emitting element array units being arranged in an at-least-two-rows staggered manner in a main scanning direction with overlapping portions overlapping in a sub-scanning direction to include a plurality of light-emitting elements continuously adjacent one to another in the at-least-two-rows staggered manner in the main scanning direction with an adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• controlling light intensity of the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements and other of the plurality of light-emitting elements around the adjacent two overlapping light-emitting elements, based on an overlapping degree of the adjacent two light-emitting elements at each of the overlapping portions;
• inputting image data to the optical-writing apparatus;
• dividing the input image data;
• and
• transferring the respective image data divided for each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units to the each one of the plurality of light-emitting element array units.