US 7,746,366 B2Granted

Multi-beam image output apparatus and method using a small number of pixel clock generation units

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorMasanao Motoyama

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Abstract

An image output apparatus which outputs a high quality image by using a small number of pixel clock generation units, for use with a printing engine which has a plurality of laser beam control units. The image output apparatus includes a plurality of output units which output video signals based on print data to the respective laser beam control units in synchronization with a clock signal; and a plurality of clock control units which are arranged in correspondence with respective groups, that are prepared by grouping the plurality of output units, so as to decrease an optical path difference between laser beams controlled by the corresponding laser beam control unit. Each of the clock control units generates the clock signal on the basis of a synchronizing signal generated in the printing engine, and outputs the generated clock signal to output units belonging to a corresponding group.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An image output apparatus which is connected to a printing engine, wherein the printing engine includes a plurality of laser beam control units for controlling a plurality of laser outputs to a single photosensitive drum on the basis of input video signals, said image output apparatus comprising:

a plurality of output units which output video signals based on print data to the respective laser beam control units for the single photosensitive drum in synchronization with a clock signal;
and
a plurality of clock control units which are arranged in correspondence with respective groups of plural ones of said output units, wherein each group is prepared by grouping plural ones of said plurality of output units so as to decrease a difference in optical paths to the single photosensitive drum between laser beams controlled by the corresponding laser beam control unit,
wherein optical path lengths of the laser beams are inconsistent in a direction orthogonal to a main scan direction for the single photosensitive drum,
wherein the difference in the optical paths is caused at least in part by the fact that the single photosensitive drum is cylindrical, and at least in part by the fact that the optical path lengths of the laser beams are inconsistent in the direction orthogonal to the main scan direction for the single photosensitive drum, and
wherein each of said clock control units generates the clock signal on the basis of a synchronizing signal generated in an image forming operation of the printing engine, and outputs the generated clock signal to all output units belonging to a corresponding group.

3 more elements

A control method for controlling an image output apparatus which is connected to a printing engine, wherein the printing engine includes a plurality of laser beam control units for controlling a plurality of laser outputs to a single photosensitive drum on the basis of input video signals, and wherein the image output apparatus includes a plurality of output units which output video signals based on print data to the respective laser beam control units for the single photosensitive drum in synchronization with a clock signal, the method comprising:

a generation step of generating a clock signal for each of groups of plural ones of the output units, wherein the clock signal is generated on the basis of a synchronizing signal generated in an image forming operation of the printing engine;
and
an output step of outputting the generated clock signal for the corresponding group to output units belonging to said corresponding group,
wherein each group is formed by grouping plural ones of said plurality of output units based on a difference in optical paths to the single photosensitive drum between laser beams controlled by the corresponding laser beam control units,
wherein optical path lengths of the laser beams are inconsistent in a direction orthogonal to a main scan direction for the single photosensitive drum, and
wherein the difference in the optical paths is caused at least in part by the fact that the single photosensitive drum is cylindrical, and at least in part by the fact that the optical path lengths of the laser beams are inconsistent in the direction orthogonal to the main scan direction for the single photosensitive drum.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/272,707Filed 15 Nov 2005
Priority: JP 2004-33325517 Nov 2004
Published: US 2006/0103712 A118 May 2006
Granted: 29 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H04N 1/053
Detection, control or error compensation of scanning velocity or position: in main scanning direction, e.g. synchronisation of line start or…
H04N 2201/04781
By controlling the timing of the signals, e.g. by controlling the frequency o phase of the pixel clock: controlling the phase of the signals
H04N 2201/04789
Control or error compensation of scanning position or velocity: in the main-scan direction
H04N
Pictorial communication

Family

US 2006/0103712 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 May 2006
US 7,746,366 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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