Incremental printing of symbolic information – Light or beam marking apparatus or processes – Scan of light
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-18
2001-07-17
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Light or beam marking apparatus or processes
Scan of light
C347S235000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262759
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a method thereof, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for forming an image by, for example, scanning with an optical beam.
A video controller of an image forming apparatus generates a main scanning synchronization signal and a sub-scanning synchronization signal according to a signal indicating the start of main scanning and the signal indicating the leading edge of a sheet of recording paper which are received from a printer engine, then sends image signals based on the these two synchronization signals to the printer engine to form an image on a recording paper.
The art described above poses a problem in that the video controller must generate two synchronization signals, namely, one for main scanning and the other for sub-scanning, in accordance with the signal indicative of the start of main scanning and the signal indicative of the leading edge of recording paper in addition to performing the image processing for converting the image signal received from an external device to an image signal for printing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made with a view toward solving the problems mentioned above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for forming an image which reduce the processing load on a video controller.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image by optical beam scanning, the image forming apparatus having: first detecting means for detecting the scanning position of an optical beam; instructing means which instructs counting means to start counting the signals issued from the first detecting means; determining means which determines whether the count value issued from the counting means lies within a predetermined range; and output means which issues the signal received from the first detecting means as a synchronization signal for forming an image.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus forms an image by repeatedly scanning an image bearing member by an optical beam, the image forming apparatus having generating means for generating a synchronization signal which synchronizes with the scanning of the optical beam, and masking means for partly masking the synchronization signal to issue the synchronization signal only during an image forming period.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming method for an image forming apparatus whereby to form an image by scanning with an optical beam, the image forming method including: a detecting step for detecting the scanning position of the optical beam; an instructing step for instructing counting means to start counting the signals issued in the first detecting step; a determining step for determining whether the count value issued from the counting means lies within a predetermined range; and an output step for issuing the signal issued in the first detecting step as the synchronization signal for forming an image.
In a preferred form, the image forming method forms an image by repeatedly scanning an image bearing member with an optical beam, and it partly masks the synchronization signal to issue the synchronization signal only during an image forming period.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Akiyama Satoshi
Hori Kenjiro
Kishida Tetsuo
Kuramochi Yoshimi
Shibata Akihiro
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Le N.
Pham Hai C.
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