Continuous tone recording system.

摘要

An image recording system comprises:
a. means including a solid state laser diode (12) for generating an analog signal-controlled, intensity-modulated beam of light,
b. a feedback circuit (4;fig.3) responsive to the instantaneous intensity of the light beam for continuously providing a feedback control signal coupled to said generating means for adjusting the laser diode to stabilize its light output, allowing virtually instantaneous changes in output intensity in response to an input signal while maintaining the output constant regardless of changes in the characteristics of the laser diode,
c. means (18,20,22,30,32) for at least one of collimating, focusing, and controlling the path of said beam of light,
d. means (28) for scanning said light beam across the width of an image plane at which a photosensitive recording medium (26) having a sensitivity and exposure range matched to the intensity-modulated light beam may be positioned, said means providing scan lines on said recording medium,
e. means for positioning said scanned lines consecutively and accurately along the length of said image plane, whereby the combination of the recited elements enables the formation at the image plane of a continuous tone image, said elements being capable of creating at least (64) gray levels when imaged onto a transparent medium or at least (32) gray levels when imaged onto an opaque medium.