Patent ID: 7394479

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a laser operable to produce a pulsed printing beam; an optics assembly operable to focus and direct the pulsed printing beam; and electronics communicatively coupled with the laser and the optics assembly, the electronics being operable to control the laser and the optics assembly to generate power pulses of the pulsed printing beam in synchronization with a series of moves that steer the pulsed printing beam in a non-raster scanning pattern to predefined locations on a material to alter an optical characteristic of the material at the predefined locations, which are arranged to form at least a portion of a symbol; wherein the electronics are operable to deliver the power pulses in synchronization with arrival at the predefined locations; wherein the electronics are configured to receive feedback in a closed loop, the feedback indicating arrival at the predefined locations, and use the feedback to control timing of power pulse delivery; and wherein the electronics are further configured to base the timing of power pulse delivery at least in part on a recovery period of the laser and initiate the moves of the pulsed printing beam from the predefined locations during delivery of pulse-tail portions of the pulsed printing beam.