Image processing method and image processing apparatus

An image processing method using an image processing apparatus configured to perform by itself image erasing and image recording to a thermally reversible recording medium by irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating it, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a laser light emitting unit configured to emit the laser light;
• a laser light scanning unit configured to scan the laser light over a laser light irradiation surface of the thermally reversible recording medium;
• a focal length control unit that comprises a position-shiftable lens system between the laser light emitting unit and the laser light scanning unit and is configured to control focal length of the laser light by adjusting a position of the lens system;
• and
• an information setting unit configured to receive and set image erasing information, image recording information, and distance information representing a distance between the thermally reversible recording medium and a laser light emitting surface of the laser light emitting unit, which are input thereto,
• wherein during image erasing, the focal length control unit performs control to defocus at a position of the thermally reversible recording medium,
• wherein during image recording, the focal length control unit controls the position of the thermally reversible recording medium to be at a focal length,
• wherein immediately after image erasing based on the image erasing information set by the information setting unit is completed, image recording is performed based on the image recording information, and
• wherein the image processing method performed by the image processing apparatus comprises:
• performing image recording by at least any of irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating the thermally reversible recording medium to thereby record thereon, a single-line drawn image to be formed by a single laser light drawn line, and irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light beams having certain intervals therebetween in parallel and heating the thermally reversible recording medium to thereby record thereon, a plural-line drawn image to be formed by a plurality of laser light drawn lines;
• and
• performing image erasing by irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating the thermally reversible recording medium to thereby erase at least any of the single-line drawn image and the plural-line drawn image,
• wherein in the image recording after the image erasing is performed, the single-line drawn image is at least partially recorded before the plural-line drawn image is recorded.

An image processing method using an image processing apparatus configured to perform by itself image erasing and image recording to a thermally reversible recording medium by irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating it, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a laser light emitting unit configured to emit the laser light;
• a laser light scanning unit configured to scan the laser light over a laser light irradiation surface of the thermally reversible recording medium;
• a focal length control unit that comprises a position-shiftable lens system between the laser light emitting unit and the laser light scanning unit and is configured to control focal length of the laser light by adjusting a position of the lens system;
• and
• an information setting unit configured to receive and set image erasing information, image recording information, and distance information representing a distance between the thermally reversible recording medium and a laser light emitting surface of the laser light emitting unit, which are input thereto,
• wherein during image erasing, the focal length control unit performs control to defocus at a position of the thermally reversible recording medium,
• wherein during image recording, the focal length control unit controls the position of the thermally reversible recording medium to be at a focal length,
• wherein immediately after image erasing based on the image erasing information set by the information setting unit is completed, image recording is performed based on the image recording information, and
• wherein the image processing method performed by the image processing apparatus comprises:
• performing image recording by at least any of irradiating a thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating the thermally, reversible recording medium to thereby record thereon, a single-line drawn image to be formed by a single laser light drawn line, and irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light beams having certain intervals therebetween in parallel and heating the thermally reversible recording medium to thereby record thereon, a plural-line drawn image to be formed by a plurality of laser light drawn lines;
• and
• performing image erasing by irradiating the thermally reversible recording medium with laser light and heating the thermally reversible recording medium to thereby erase at least any of the single-line drawn image and the plural-line drawn image,
• wherein in the image erasing before the image recording is performed, a region to which a plural-line drawn image is to be recorded in the image recording is completely erased, and after this, a region to which a single-line drawn image is to be recorded in the image recording is at least partially erased.