Exposure device and exposure method for exposing a photosensitive medium to light on the basis of image data containing multiple pixels
View Patent ↗In an exposure device according to the present invention, a plurality of exposure bands each containing multiple dots is formed on photographic paper by repeating main scanning in a main scanning direction based on image data that contains multiple pixels and the transfer of the photographic paper in a sub scanning direction. Of the multiple dots contained in each of two continuous exposure bands, the mean value of the pixel levels of two pixels corresponding to two dots with the same positional relationship for the main scanning direction is calculated to derive interpolation data. Thus, the region between the two dots neighboring in the sub scanning direction on the photographic paper is exposed on the basis of the interpolation data.
1. An exposure device for exposing a photosensitive medium to light on the basis of image data containing multiple pixels, comprising:
a light source;
a scanning mechanism for scanning on a photosensitive medium light emitted from the light source in a main scanning direction and transferring the photosensitive medium along a sub scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
deriving unit deriving a pixel level between the pixel levels of two neighboring pixels contained in the image data;
first control unit controlling the light source and the scanning mechanism so as to form an exposed region on the photosensitive medium by exposing the photosensitive medium to the light emitted from the light source according to the pixel level of each pixel contained in the image data; and
second control unit controlling the light source and the scanning mechanism so as to expose the photosensitive medium to the light emitted from the light source according to the pixel level derived by the deriving unit in the region between the centers of two exposure regions corresponding to the two neighboring pixels being substantially in the sub scanning direction that are responsible for the derivation of the pixel level by the deriving unit.
2. An exposure device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source emits a micro-diameter light beam.
3. An exposure device according to claim 2 , wherein the deriving unit derives the mean value of the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels as the pixel level between the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels being substantially in the scanning direction.
4. An exposure device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source emits a line light beam extending in the main scanning direction.
5. An exposure device according to claim 4 , wherein the deriving unit derives the mean value of the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels as the pixel level between the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels being substantially in the sub scanning direction.
6. An exposure device according to claim 1 , wherein the deriving unit derives the mean value of the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels as the pixel level between the pixel levels of the two neighboring pixels being substantially in the sub scanning direction.
7. An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive medium on the basis of image data including multiple pixels, comprising the steps of:
exposing the photosensitive medium to light emitted from a light source according to the pixel level of each pixel contained in the image data to form an exposed region on the photosensitive medium; and
exposing the photosensitive medium to the light emitted from the light source according to a pixel level between the pixel levels of two neighboring pixels being substantially in the sub scanning direction that are contained in the image data, in the region between the centers of two exposed regions corresponding to the two neighboring pixels.