Method of recording color image information

Abstract: Color image information is recorded on a recording medium. The recording medium includes a color stripe filter having different-color filter stripes. Marks are provided on the recording medium in correspondence with the filter stripes of the color stripe filter. A detection is given of the marks on the recording medium. During the recording of the color image information, color line sequential signals are recorded on the recording medium. The recording of the color line sequential signals is synchrohized with the detection of the marks on the recording medium.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of recording color image information according to the precharacterising portion of claim 1. Some of information recording mediums are provided with a color stripe filter having different-color filter stripes. During a reproducing process, recorded color image information is read out from the recording medium via the color stripe filter so that the color image information can be reproduced. In cases where color-separated line segments of a color image are sequentially recorded on such a recording medium, it is important to accord the colors of the line segments of the color image with the colors of the stripes of the color stripe filter for a good color quality and a high resolution of a corresponding reproduced image. Such an accordance needs to be more accurate for a better color quality and a higher resolution of the reproduced image. EP 0 368 316 A2 discloses an apparatus for recording and reproducing a color image via a charge latent image, which comprises an optical filter including a color separation section and an index section, the color separation section including recurrent groups each having stripes of at least three different colors, the index section including a pattern related to a period of the recurrent groups in the color separation section, a photoconductive member, a recording member, means for focusing an optical image on the photoconductive member via the filter, means for forming a charge latent image on the recording member in response to the optical image on the photoconductive member, the charge latent image having a color information region corresponding to the color separation section of the filter and an index region corresponding to the index section of the filter, means for detecting the charge latent image on the recording member, means for generating a color information signal in accordance with the detected charge latent image related to the color information region, means for generating an index signal in accordance with the detected charge latent image related to the index region, and means for demodulating color information from the generated color information signal on the basis of the generated index signal. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a good method of recording color image information. According to the invention, this object is solved by the features in the characterising portion of claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a recording medium. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing recording mediums. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a recording medium. Fig. 4 is a diagram of an information reproducing apparatus. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the electric-field responsive characteristics of a recording medium. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the electric-field and temperature responsive characteristics of a recording medium. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a recording medium. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a recording medium. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a recording medium. Fig. 10 is a diagram of a recording head. Fig. 11 is a diagram of a recording head. Fig. 12 is a diagram of a recording head. Fig. 13 is a diagram of an information recording apparatus. Fig. 14 is a diagram of an information recording apparatus. An image forming apparatus (an information recording apparatus) includes a recording medium 2 which is wound around a drum or which is placed on a flat carriage. A method of manufacturing a recording medium 2 is of the following two types. In the first type, a recording medium 2 is made as a flat plate as shown in Fig. 1, and then the recording medium 2 is wound around the drum or placed on the carriage. In the second type, a recording medium 2 is formed integrally with the drum or the carriage. There is no difference between the two types in the basic design of the recording medium 2, and the principles of erasing, recording, and reproducing processes. With reference to Fig. 1, in the recording medium 2, a base plate 3, an electrode 4, a color stripe filter 5, and a scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 are formed in a laminated structure in the shown order by a known technique. The base plate 3 is made of transparent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material. The electrode 4 which is composed of an ITO (indium tin oxide) film is superposed on the base plate 3. The color stripe filter 5 is superposed on the electrode 4. The color stripe filter 5 includes recurrent groups each having filter stripes of colors which correspond to color components of an information signal fed to a thermal head. The recurrent groups of the filter stripes are arranged along a longitudinal direction L of the recording medium 2. In the case where the color components of the information signal fed to the thermal head correspond to a red signal component, a green signal component, and a blue signal component, the colors of the filter stripes in one group correspond to red, green, and blue. In this case, as shown in the drawing, the red filter stripes R, the green filter stripes G, and the blue filter stripes B are formed linearly along a width direction W of the recording medium 2. In addition, the filter stripes R, G, and B extend along a main scanning direction in which heating resistors of the thermal head are arranged. The filter stripes R, G, and B have filter stripe widths 5a comparable to the size of the heating resistors of the thermal head. The colors of the color stripe filter 5 are not limited to red, green, and blue, and may be other colors. The sequence of the layers in the lamination is not limited to the previously-mentioned sequence. For example, it is good to use the structure in which the uppermost layer is the color stripe filter 5 and the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 is formed below the color stripe filter 5. Furthermore, it is good to use a recording medium 2' which has no electrode as shown in Fig. 2(B). In this case, an erasing electric field is applied from the exterior. The scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 is superposed on the color stripe filter 5, and is the uppermost layer in the drawing. The scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 is made of scatter-type photo-modulation material which exhibits the following characteristics. By heating the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6, the optical characteristics of the photo-modulation member 6 change to opaque conditions where it scatters light. In addition, the scattering conditions (the opaque conditions) remain after the photo-modulation member 6 cools down. Furthermore, by applying an electric field to the photo-modulation member 6, the photo-modulation member 6 is changed to a transparent state. After the electric field is removed, the transparent state remains. The material constituting the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 is selected from a material containing a complex film of high molecular material and liquid crystal material, a material containing a liquid crystal film, a material containing a ferroelectric liquid crystal film, a PLZT ceramics, a BaTiO 3 ferroelectric crystal, a LiNiO 3 ferroelectric crystal, a polyvinylidene fluoride ferroelectric material, and a trifluoride ethylene copolymer. In addition, the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 and the material constituting the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 may be those shown in United States Patent Application Serial Number 542,213 filed on June 22, 1990 (published US 5,124,183). During an erasing process, a recording process, or a reproducing process, the recording medium 2 is changeable between an opaque state where the recording medium 2 scatters light and a transparent state where the recording medium 2 transmits light. A description will be given of the case where the scatter mode photo-modulation member 6 is composed of a complex film of high molecular material and liquid crystal material. The high molecular material in the photo-modulation complex film 6 is selected from various substances such as methacrylic resin, polyester resin, vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polystyrene resin, and silicone resin. The high molecular material has pores or small holes 6a filled with nematic liquid crystal. The photo-modulation complex film 6 may be a mixture of acrylic resin and smectic liquid crystal. The small holes 6a in the photo-modulation complex film 6 have diameters equal to or smaller than about 0.5 micrometers, so that image information can be recorded at a high resolution. When the photo-modulation complex film 6 is heated, the photo-modulation complex film 6 is changed to an opaque state where the photo-modulation complex film 6 scatters light. When an electric field is applied to the photo-modulation complex film 6, the photo-modulation complex film 6 is changed to a transparent state where the photo-modulation complex film 6 transmits light. The upper surface of the photo-modulation complex film 6 is separated into a recording surface 6b and color stripe filter detecting surfaces 6c and 6d. The recording surface 6b is subjected to a recording process by the thermal head. The color stripe filter detecting surfaces 6c and 6d extend in the direction of the length L of the photo-modulation complex film 6 and along the opposite sides of the photo-modulation complex film 6 with respect to the direction of the width W of the photo-modulation complex film 6. The color stripe filter detecting surfaces 6c and 6d are formed with detection marks 7a and 7b which lie in positions corresponding to the positions of the filter stripes R, G, and B of the color stripe filter 5. The detection marks 7a and 7b are formed in a known printing technique by which black inks are printed symmetrically on the opposite sides, that is, printed on equal-shape and equal-position regions in correspondence with the positions of the filter stripes R, G, and B. The pitch of the detection marks 7a and 7b corresponds to the pitch of the filter stripes R, G, and B. The pitch of the detection marks 7a and 7b may correspond to the pitch of groups each having a filter stripe R, a filter stripe G, and a filter stripe B. The detection marks 7a and 7b may be set arbitrarily. The color of the detection marks 7a and 7b may be set arbitrarily. A description will be given of the principle of an erasing process, a recording process, and a reproducing process in connection with the recording medium 2. As shown in Fig. 2(A), an electrode 8 is located above the recording medium 2 and is opposed to the recording medium 2. A power supply 9 is connected between the electrode 8 and the electrode 4 of the recording medium 2 so that an electric field is applied to the recording medium 2. The following design may be used. As shown in Fig. 2(B), the recording medium 2' does not have an electrode 4 and the electrode 4 is replaced by an electrode 10 which is provided below the base plate 3, and an electric field is applied between the electrode 8 and the electrode 10. When the electric field is applied to the recording medium 2, the liquid crystal in the small holes 6a of the photo-modulation complex film 6 is oriented in the direction of the electric field so that the photo-modulation complex film 6 is changed to the transparent state. This process is used in erasing the recorded information from the recording medium 2. Another erasing process described hereinafter may be used. A corona charger (not shown) substituting for electrodes is located above the photo-modulation complex film 6 of the recording medium 2, and the corona charger is driven to scan the recording medium 2. As shown in Fig. 3, a heating member 11 is located above the recording medium 2 and is opposed to the recording medium 2 so that the recording medium 2 can be heated. When the recording medium 2 is heated, the liquid crystal in the small holes 6a of the photo-modulation complex film 6 is moved into an isotropic phase state. Then, the liquid crystal is cooled while remaining in the isotropic phase state. As a result, the liquid crystal becomes in the opaque state. This process is used in recording information on the recording medium 2. The heating resistors in the thermal head are used as the heating member 11. Fig. 4 shows a process of reproducing previously-recorded information from the recording medium 2. As shown in Fig. 4, a light source 13 emits a reading light beam, which is applied via a reflector 12 to the recording medium 2 from the rear of the base plate 3. The reading light beam passes through the recording medium 6, being projected onto a screen 15 via a lens 14 provided at a side of the photo-modulation complex film 6. This process is based on the operation of a transmission-type projector. In the case where the base plate 3 of the recording medium 2 is made of opaque material, the reproducing process is based on the operation of a reflection-type projector. An embodiment of this invention will be further described. With reference to Fig. 7, a recording medium 201A includes a base plate 202, an electrode 203, a scatter mode photo-modulation member 204, and a color stripe filter 205a. With reference to Fig. 8, a recording medium 201B includes a base plate 202, an electrode 203, a scatter mode photo-modulation member 204, and a color stripe filter 205b. In Figs. 7 and 8, the base plate 202 is made of transparent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material, being formed into a flat plate. In addition, the electrode 203 is composed of an ITO (indium tin oxide) film superposed on the base plate 202. In Figs. 7 and 8, the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204 is made of scatter-type photo-modulation material which exhibits the following characteristics. By heating the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204, the optical characteristics of the photo-modulation member 204 change to opaque conditions where it scatters light. In addition, the scattering conditions (the opaque conditions) remain after the photo-modulation member 204 cools down. Furthermore, by applying an electric field to the photo-modulation member 204, the photo-modulation member 204 is changed to a transparent state. After the electric field is removed, the transparent state remains. The material constituting the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204 is selected from a material containing a complex film of high molecular material and liquid crystal material, a material containing a liquid crystal film, a material containing a ferroelectric liquid crystal film, a PLZT ceramic, a BaTiO 3 ferroelectric crystal, a LiNiO 3 ferroelectric crystal, a polyvinylidene fluoride ferroelectric material, and a trifluoride ethylene copolymer. In addition, the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204 and the material constituting the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204 may be those shown in United States Patent Application Serial Number 542,213 filed on June 22, 1990 (published US 5,124,183). During an erasing process, a recording process, or a reproducing process, the recording medium 201A or 201B is changeable between an opaque state where the recording medium 201A or 201B scatters light and a transparent state where the recording medium 201A or 201B transmits light. A description will be given of the case where the scatter mode photo-modulation member 204 is composed of a complex film of high molecular material and liquid crystal material. The high molecular material in the photo-modulation complex film 204 is selected from various substances such as methacrylic resin, polyester resin, vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polystyrene resin, and silicone resin. The high molecular material has pores or small holes 204a filled with nematic liquid crystal. The photo-modulation complex film 204 may be a mixture of acrylic resin and smectic liquid crystal. The small holes 204a in the photo-modulation complex film 204 have diameters equal to or smaller than about 0.5 micrometers, so that image information can be recorded at a high resolution. When the photo-modulation complex film 204 is heated, the photo-modulation complex film 204 is changed to an opaque state where the photo-modulation complex film 204 scatters light. When an electric field is applied to the photo-modulation complex film 204, the photo-modulation complex film 204 is changed to a transparent state where the photo-modulation complex film 204 transmits light. In Fig. 7, the color stripe filter 205a is layered between the electrode 203 and the photo-modulation complex film 204. In Fig. 20, the color stripe filter 205b is layered between the electrode 203 and the photo-modulation complex film 204. In Fig. 7 or 8, the color stripe filter 205a or 205b may be superposed on the photo-modulation complex film 204. In Figs. 7 and 8, the color stripe filters 205a and 205b include recurrent groups each having filter stripes of colors which correspond to color components of an information signal fed to a recording head 210A and 210B (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11) described later. The recurrent groups of the filter stripes are arranged along a longitudinal direction L of the recording medium 201A or 201B. In the case where the color components of the information signal fed to the recording head 210A or 210B correspond to a red signal component, a green signal component, and a blue signal component, the colors of the filter stripes in one group correspond to red, green, and blue. In this case, as shown in the drawings, the red filter stripes R, the green filter stripes G, and the blue filter stripes B are formed linearly along a width direction W of the recording medium 201A or 201B. In addition, the filter stripes R, G, and B extend along a main scanning direction in which an electrode 212 (see Fig. 10) of the recording head 210A or separated electrodes 214 (see Fig. 11) of the recording head 210B are arranged. Thus, the longitudinal direction of the filter stripes R, G, and B agrees with the longitudinal direction of the recording heads 210A and 210B. The filter stripes R G, and B have filter stripe widths K comparable to the width of the electrode 212 of the recording head 210A and the size of the separated electrodes 214 of the recording head 210B. In general, the width of the electrode 212 or the size of the separated electrodes 214 is chosen so as to correspond to a density or resolution of about 8 dot/mm to 16 dot/mm. The colors of the color stripe filters 205a and 205b are not limited to red, green, and blue, and may be other colors. The recording medium 201A and the recording medium 201B will be further described. In Fig. 7, the recording medium 201A has the flat base plate 202 on which the uniformly flat electrode 203 in the form of a very thin film is superposed. In addition, the color stripe filter 205a is superposed on the electrode 203. Furthermore, the photo-modulation complex film 204 is superposed on the color stripe filter 205a. As described previously, the color stripe filter 205a includes recurrent groups each having filter stripes R, G, and B. During a recording process, in the case where color components R, G, and B of an information signal are sequentially and periodically fed to the recording head 210A or 210B (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11), the color components R, G, and B are recorded on the line regions of the recording medium 201A which align with the filter stripes R, G, and B respectively. As a result, high-quality color image information can be recorded on the recording medium 201A. In Fig. 8, the recording medium 201B has the flat base plate 202 on which the uniformly flat electrode 203 in the form of a very thin film is superposed. In addition, the color stripe filter 205b is superposed on the electrode 203. Furthermore, the photo-modulation complex film 204 is superposed on the color stripe filter 205b. As described previously, the color stripe filter 205b includes recurrent groups each having filter stripes R, G, and B. During a recording process, in the case where color components R G, and B of an information signal are sequentially and periodically fed to the recording head 210A or 210B (see Fig. 10 and Fig. 11), the color components R, G, and B are recorded on the line regions of the recording medium 201B which align with the filter stripes R, G, and B respectively. As a result, high-quality color image information can be recorded on the recording medium 201B. In the color stripe filter 205b, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. the filter stripes R, G, and B are separated by opaque or black segments 205b 1 . During a reproducing process, as shown in Fig. 9, the black segments 205b 1 prevent each one-color portion of the reproduced image information from diffusing out of the corresponding filter stripe into adjacent unrelated filter stripes. As a result, high-quality color image information can be reproduced from the recording medium 201B. A further description will be given of the recording heads 210A and 210B with reference to Figs. 10, 11, and 12. The recording heads 210A and 210B execute the recording of information by generating an electric field. In Fig. 10, the recording head 210A includes a base plate 211 made of ceramics or other materials. An electrode 212 is fixed to and layered below the base plate 211. In addition, a photoconductive layer 213 is fixed to and layered below the electrode 212. The photoconductive layer 213 is made of known photosensitive material. The electrode 212 has a uniform thickness and extends along the main scanning direction. The photoconductive layer 213 includes sub-layers, that is, a charge generating layer 213a, a charge transfer layer 213b, and a charge generating layer 213c. As shown in Fig. 10, during a recording process, recording light is applied to the base plate 211 from above, and changing light is applied to the photoconductive layer 213 from below. In the photoconductive layer 213, the charge generating layer 213a generates charges in response to the recording light, and the charge generating layer 213c generates charges in response to the changing light. The generated charges cause an electric field depending on the information represented by the recording light. The information represented by the electric field is recorded on the recording medium 201A or 201B by the operation of the electrode 212. The charge transfer layer 213b serves to increase a contrast voltage. In Fig. 10, the recording light includes an optical information signal separated into a plurality of color components. The amount of charges generated in the charge generating layer 213a depends on the optical information signal, and the electric field also depends on the optical information signal. Thus, the information represented by the optical information signal is recorded on the recording medium 201A or 201B. The changing light is applied to the recording head 210A via the color stripe filter 205a or 205b of the recording medium 201A or 201B. Thus, the different-color beams of the changing light are incident to the recording head 210A. The different-color components of the information are recorded into the regions of the recording medium 201A or 201B which align with the corresponding-color filter stripes respectively. The recording head 210B of Fig. 11 is similar to the recording head 210A of Fig. 10 except for the following design change. In Fig. 11, the recording head 210B includes separated electrodes 214 which extend between a base plate 211 and a photoconductive layer 213. The separated electrodes 214 are arranged along the main scanning direction (the longitudinal direction). The separated electrodes 214 correspond to respective pixels for an image information signal to be recorded. The density of information dots recorded by the separated electrodes 214 is set to about 8 dot/mm to 16 dot/mm. A recording process executed by the recording head 210B is of two types. During a first-type recording process, recording light is applied to the base plate 211 from above, and changing light is applied to the photoconductive layer 213 from below. During a second-type recording process, an information signal is fed to the recording head 210B, and changing light is applied to the photoconductive layer 213 from below. In this case, the charge generating layer 213a remains virtually inactive. As shown in Fig. 12, the width M of the separated electrodes 214 and the width N of the photoconductive layer 213 are set greater than the interval (the width) K of filter stripes of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. Thus, even when the recording head 210B moves out of parallel with the color stripe filter 205a or 205b, the agreement between the information color components and the filter stripes R, G, and B can be maintained. With reference to Fig. 13, an information recording apparatus 220 includes a recording medium 201A or 201B, above which a recording head 210A is provided. The recording head 210A is fixed by a suitable holding device (not shown). The recording medium 201A or 201B can be moved in a sub scanning direction by a drive means (not shown). The recording head 210A receives an optical information signal. A suitable device (not shown) separates the optical information signal into red components R, green components G, and blue components B. The color components R, G, and B of the optical information signal are sequentially and periodically fed to the recording head 210A. The colors of the optical information signal may be different from red, green, and blue. A changing light means 221 is located below the recording medium 201A or 201B. The changing light means 221 includes a light source 222 and a disc-shaped color separation filter 223. The color filter 223 is located above the light source 222. The color filter 223 has equal-size sectors forming a red filter section 223a, a green filter section 223b, and a blue filter section 223c respectively. The color filter 223 can be rotated in the arrow direction about its center by a drive mechanism (not shown). The changing light means 221 may include LEDs or laser devices for emitting red light, green light, and blue light. In this case, the color filter 223 may be omitted. The rotation of the color filter 223 is controlled in synchronism with the change of the color components R, G, and B of the optical information signal, so that the following processes will be realized. When the color components R of the optical information signal are fed to the recording head 210A, the color filter 223 assumes a position at which the light emitted from the light source 222 is applied via the R section 223a of the color filter 223 to the recording medium 201A or 201B as changing light. When the color components G of the optical information signal are fed to the recording head 210A, the color filter 223 assumes a position at which the light emitted from the light source 222 is applied via the G section 223b of the color filter 223 to the recording medium 201A or 201B as changing light. When the color components B of the optical information signal are fed to the recording head 210A, the color filter 223 assumes a position at which the light emitted from the light source 222 is applied via the B section 223c of the color filter 223 to the recording medium 201A or 201B as changing light. A detailed description will be given of an erasing process and a recording process executed by the information recording apparatus 220. During the erasing process, an erasing head (not shown) including a heating member heats the recording medium 201A or 201B and thereby erases the recorded information from the recording medium 201A or 201B. After the heating process, the recording medium 201A or 201B cools down into a scattering state (an opaque state) defined in the electric-field dependent characteristics of Fig. 5. The scattering state corresponds to a state where the recorded information is completely erased from the recording medium 201A or 201B. As understood from Fig. 5, when an electric field stronger than a threshold value V0 is applied to the recording medium 201A or 201B, the recording medium 201A or 201B is changed to a transparent state. In addition, when a predetermined electric field is applied to the recording medium 201A or 201B, the recording medium 201A or 201B is changed to a completely transparent state. As shown in Fig. 5, the transmission/scatter conditions of the recording medium 201A or 201B vary with the applied electric field along an S-shaped characteristic curve. Thus, the recording medium 201A or 201B can be changed among an opaque state, semitransparent states, and a completely transparent state by adjusting the strength of the applied electric field. In this case, image information having a variable tone level can be recorded. During the recording process which is started after the erasing process, the color components R, G, and B of the optical information signal are sequentially and periodically applied to the recording head 210A from above, and variable-tone color image information corresponding to the color components R, G, and B is recorded on the recording medium 201A or 201B. Thus, the recorded color image information depends on the optical information signal. The color stripe filter 205a or 205b of the recording medium 201A or 201B, and the changing light means 221 are operative in the recording of the color image information. The color components R, G, and B of the optical information signal are recorded on the line regions of the recording medium 201A or 201B which align with the filter stripes R, G, and B of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. During an initial stage of this recording, the recording medium 201A or 201B is set so that the recording head 210A will be directly above one of the filter stripes R, G, and B of the color stripe Alter 205a or 205b which corresponds to the firstly-recorded color components of the optical information signal. Subsequently, as the color- components of the optical information signal are changed from ones to others, the recording medium 201A or 201B is moved so that the recording head 210A will be sequentially above the filter stripes R G, and B of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. In more detail, during the R component recording process, the recording medium 201A or 201B is set so that the recording head 210A will be directly above a filter stripe R of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. Simultaneously, the color filter 223 of the changing light means 221 is set so that the light emitted from the light source 222 will be applied via the R section 223a of the color filter 223 to the recording medium 201A or 201B as changing light. Thus, the R light is incident to the recording medium 201A or 201B. The R light successively passes through the base plate 202, the electrode 203, the filter stripe R of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b, and the photo-modulation complex film 204. Then, the R light is incident to the recording head 210A. The charge generating layer 213c within the recording head 210A generates charges in response to the R light. At the same time, the charge generating layer 213a within the recording head 210A generates charges in response to the color components R of the optical information signal. The generated charges cause an electric field dependent on the color components R of the optical information signal. The electric field acts on the line region of the recording medium 201A or 201B which aligns with the filter stripe R of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. As a result, the information of the color components R of the optical information signal is recorded on the line region of the recording medium 201A or 201B which aligns with the filter stripe R of the color stripe filter 205a or 205b. Similar processes are executed for the color components G and B of the optical information signal. By sequentially and periodically executing the above-mentioned processes, a frame of color image information can be recorded on the recording medium 201A or 201B. Fig. 14 shows an information recording apparatus 230 which is similar to the information recording apparatus 220 of Fig. 13 except for the following design changes. In Fig. 14, the information recording apparatus 230 includes a recording head 210B located above a recording medium 201A or 201B. As described previously, the recording head 210B includes separated electrodes 214. During a first-type recording process, the recording head 210B operates similarly to the operation of the recording head 210A of Fig. 13 and records an optical information signal on the recording medium 201A or 201B. During the-first type recording process, the separated electrodes 214 are kept at a common potential. During a second-type recording process, different-color components of an information signal are sequentially and periodically fed to the recording head 210B, and a changing light means 221 is controlled in accordance with a change between the color components of the information signal. Specifically, the color components R, G, and B of the information signal are sequentially and periodically fed to the separated electrodes 214 of the recording head 210B. A charge generating layer 213c within the recording head 210B generates charges in response to changing light applied from the changing light means 221. Thus, an electric field depending on the color components R, G, and B of the information signal occurs between the separated electrodes 214 and the charge generating layer 213c. The electric field acts on the recording medium 201A or 201B, so that color image information represented by the information signal is recorded on the recording medium 201A or 201B.

Claims: Method of recording color image information on a recording medium (201A; 201B) including a color stripe filter (205a; 205b) having different-color filter stripes (R, G, B) characterized by the steps of applying light to a recording head (210A; 210B) via the recording medium (201A; 201B), sequentially feeding different-color components of image information to the recording head (210A; 210B), and changing a color of the light in accordance with a change between the different-color components of the image information. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the further step of providing opaque segments (205b 1 ) between the different-color filter stripes (R, G, B). Method according to claim 1, characterized by the further steps of providing marks (7a, b) on the recording medium (201A; 201B) in correspondence with the filter stripes (R, G, B) of the color stripe filter (205a; 205b), detecting the marks (7a, b) on the recording medium (201A; 201B), and changing the color of the light in response to said detecting of the marks (7a, b) on the recording medium (201A; 201B).

Inventors: ASAKURA TSUTOU, FURUYA MASATO, KOYAMA YOSHIHISA, NAKAGAKI SHINTARO, TAKANASHI ITSUO, UCHIYAMA YUJI, ASAKURA, TSUTOU, FURUYA, MASATO, KOYAMA, YOSHIHISA, NAKAGAKI, SHINTARO, TAKANASHI, ITSUO, UCHIYAMA, YUJI
Applicants: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H04N1
IPC codes: H04N1