Patent ID: 6031560
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: G06K,H04N

Abstract:
A high resolution continuous tone medical image printer for printing a high resolution medical image on at least first and second different sized media, comprising:means for providing a digital medical image including a page of m.times.n pixels, wherein m equals the number of pixels per line, n equals the number of lines in a page, and each pixel has a pixel clock rate;a source of a beam of light which is modulated by said pixels;a media drive for driving a media in a page direction at a constant page scan speed;a scanner for scanning said modulated beam of light in a line direction perpendicular to said page direction at a constant line scan speed;a variable pixel clock coupled to said source of a beam of light to vary the clock rate of each pixel;an interpolator coupled between said means for providing and said source of a beam of light for increasing the number of lines of pixels printed on media; anda controller for controlling said variable pixel clock and said interpolator in at least a first mode wherein a medical image of m.times.n pixels provided by said means for providing is printed on a first sized media, such that said pixel clock is operated at a first pixel clock rate, and in a second mode wherein a medical image of m.times.n pixels provided by said means for providing is printed on a second sized media larger than said first sized media in either or both the line scan direction and the page scan direction, such that when the second sized media is larger in said line scan direction, said pixel clock is operated at a pixel clock rate that is less than said first pixel clock rate and a function of said media size in said line scan direction, but such that m pixels are printed per line wherein the pixel size is larger in said line scan direction for said larger size media, and such that when the second sized media is larger in the page scan direction, said interpolator adds lines of pixels so that more than n lines of pixels are printed in said page scan direction and such that the beam of light size, the scanner speed, and said page scan speed are held constant no matter what size media is being printed.