Patent ID: 6423964
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: G03F,H04N

Abstract:
A method of adjusting an amount of light in an image exposure recording system which scans a recording medium with a light beam to record an image on the recording medium by exposure to the light beam, comprising the steps of:(a) measuring the relationship between a plurality of coarse adjustment quantities for the light beam to be adjusted by means for coarsely adjusting an amount of light which is disposed in a light path of the light beam, and detected values of the amount of light of the light beam which has been coarsely adjusted; (b) calculating a plurality of detected values of a target amount of light with respect to respective sets amounts of light for exposure; (c) determining said coarse adjustment quantities capable of obtaining said detected values of the amount of light closest to the respective detected values of a target amount of light from the relationship which has been measured in said step (a); (d) setting said means for coarsely adjusting an amount of light to the respective coarse adjustment quantities determined in said step (c), finely adjusting the amount of light with means for finely adjusting an amount of light which is disposed in a light path of the light beam, and determining fine adjustment quantities for said means for finely adjusting an amount of light to equalize the detected values of the amount of light of the light beam to the respective detected values of a target amount of light with respect to the set amounts of light for exposure; (e) setting said means for coarsely adjusting an amount of light to the respective coarse adjustment quantities determined in said step (c), and setting said means for finely adjusting an amount of light to the respective fine adjustment quantities determined in step (d); (f) applying said light beam to said recording medium at the respective set adjustment quantities to record respective test patterns on said recording medium by exposure to the light beam; and (g) select one of said test patterns recorded on said recording medium in a given recorded state, and setting said means for coarsely adjusting an amount of light and said means for finely adjusting an amount of light to the coarse adjustment quantity and the fine adjustment quantity relative to the selected one of the test patterns.