Spatial light modulator array

• US 5,510,824 A
• Filed: 07/26/1993
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reinhart, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US08/097,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 347/255, 347/239, 359/245, 359/248, 359/254, 359/251, 359/259, 359/290, 359/291, 359/295
• US Class Current: 347/239
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/465 using masks, e.g. light-switching masks
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/52 Arrangement for printing a discrete number of tones, not covered by group B41J2/205, e.g. applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking process B41J2/525 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1257 on more than one main scanning line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00015 Reproducing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00031 Testing, i.e. determining the result of a trial H04N1/00029 takes precedence; using test signals for transmission mode changing H04N2201/33371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00047 using an image not specifically designed for the purpose
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0005 in service, i.e. during normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00063 using at least a part of the apparatus itself, e.g. self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00082 Adjusting or controlling interrupting an operation H04N1/00915; inhibiting an operation H04N1/00925
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/04 Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versaH04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19 using multi-element arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40025 Circuits exciting or modulating particular heads for reproducing continuous tone value scales H04N1/401, H04N1/407 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40031 for a plurality of reproducing elements simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0458 Additional arrangements for improving or optimising scanning resolution or quality

Abstract

Higher quality printing is difficult in implementation in spatial light modulator printers. The two major problems are accomplishing gray scale within the line time constraints, and eliminating staircasing artifacts within the images printed (81). It can be improved by using an alternate way of resetting cells on the spatial light modulator when data is being loaded onto the cells, timing delay (86), horizontal offset (84), and differently sized pixels (80, 82).

Claims

1. A spatial light modulator array with and optically active level and an electrically active level comprising:

a. spatial light modulator cells of a standard size centered about an x-y grid;

b. spatial light modulator cells of fractions of the standard size centered about an x-y grid;

c. spatial light modulator cells of fractions of the standard size horizontally offset from said cells centered about said x-y grid; and

d. spatial light modulator cells of standard size horizontally offset from said cells centered about said x-y grid.

2. The modulator of claim 1 wherein said modulator is a digital micromirror device.

3. The modulator of claim 1 wherein said modulator is a double-level micromirror device.

4. The modulator of claim 1 wherein optically active level and said electrically active level are separate levels.

5. The modulator of claim 1 wherein all of said cells, regardless of size, can be uniformly deflected to substantially the same deflection angle.