Image processing apparatus employing a spatial light modulator
First Claim
1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
- a liquid modulator having a photoconductive material including an image-writing plane, a liquid crystal layer laminated on said photoconductive material, a pair of electrodes sandwiching said photoconductive material and said liquid crystal layer, and a spacer inserted between said photoconductive material and one of said electrodes surrounding said liquid crystal layer;
an analog writing system for analogously writing an original image in said liquid modulator;
a digital reading system for digitally reading the image written in said liquid modulator by emitting a laser beam for scanning said light modulator in two dimensions;
a processing section for image-processing the read image data;
a digital writing system for digitally writing processed image data in said light modulator by applying said laser beam for scanning on said light modulator in two dimensions; and
an analog reading system for analogously reading an image written in said light modulator,wherein said liquid crystal layer comprises a liquid crystal which is selected from a group consisting of;
(1) a phase-transition type liquid crystal providing a storage function,(2) a p-type smectic A liquid crystal providing a storage function, and(3) a ferroelectric liquid crystal providing a storage function;
wherein the phase-transition type liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of;
a p-type cholesteric liquid crystal,a mixture of p-type cholesteric liquid crystal and p-type nematic liquid crystal, andwherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of;
a chiral smectic C liquid crystal,a mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and non-chiral smectic C liquid crystal, anda mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and a photoactive material.
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Abstract
An image processing apparatus comprises a liquid modulator having a photoconductive material including an image-writing plane, a liquid crystal layer laminated on the photoconductive material, a pair of electrodes sandwiching the photoconductive material and the liquid crystal layer, and a spacer inserted between the photoconductive material and one of the electrodes. Also provided are an analog writing system for analogously writing an original image in the light modulator; a digital reading system for digitally reading the image written in the light modulator; a processing section for image-processing the read image data; a digital writing system for digitally writing processed image data in the light modulator; and, an analog reading system for analogously reading an image written in the light modulator. The liquid crystal layer is either a phase-transition type liquid crystal, a p-type smectic A liquid crystal providing a storage function, or a ferroelectric liquid crystal providing a storage function. The phase-transition type liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of (1) a p-type cholesteric liquid crystal and (2) a mixture of p-type cholesteric liquid crystal and p-type nematic liquid crystal. The ferroelectric liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of (1) a chiral smectic C liquid crystal, (2) a mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and non-chiral smectic C liquid crystal, and (3) a mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and a photoactive material.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
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a liquid modulator having a photoconductive material including an image-writing plane, a liquid crystal layer laminated on said photoconductive material, a pair of electrodes sandwiching said photoconductive material and said liquid crystal layer, and a spacer inserted between said photoconductive material and one of said electrodes surrounding said liquid crystal layer; an analog writing system for analogously writing an original image in said liquid modulator; a digital reading system for digitally reading the image written in said liquid modulator by emitting a laser beam for scanning said light modulator in two dimensions; a processing section for image-processing the read image data; a digital writing system for digitally writing processed image data in said light modulator by applying said laser beam for scanning on said light modulator in two dimensions; and an analog reading system for analogously reading an image written in said light modulator, wherein said liquid crystal layer comprises a liquid crystal which is selected from a group consisting of; (1) a phase-transition type liquid crystal providing a storage function, (2) a p-type smectic A liquid crystal providing a storage function, and (3) a ferroelectric liquid crystal providing a storage function; wherein the phase-transition type liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of; a p-type cholesteric liquid crystal, a mixture of p-type cholesteric liquid crystal and p-type nematic liquid crystal, and wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal is selected from a group consisting of; a chiral smectic C liquid crystal, a mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and non-chiral smectic C liquid crystal, and a mixture of chiral smectic C liquid crystal and a photoactive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification