Patent Document ID: 8237981
Application ID: 12416917
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. Process for tracing a computer-stored grid image on a flat photosensitive carrier, where the grid image consisting of grid dots is generated in x/y coordinate alignment by exposure of a light-controlling unit receiving control patterns from a computer program, the light-controlling unit consisting of light-controlling elements arranged in a matrix to which grid dot positions of the grid image are assigned, a controlled beam of light for tracing an image dot on the tracing carrier is guided by each light-controlling element to a position assigned to it on a tracing surface in an exposure station, the tracing carrier moves with reference to the light-controlling unit (or vice versa) with the distance remaining constant between the levels at which said tracing carrier and the light-controlling unit lie, said tracing carrier executes a continuous or gradual movement in a straight line in y direction with reference to the light-controlling unit (or vice versa), for every moment of exposure the light-controlling unit is loaded with a control pattern for tracing one partial image derived from this control pattern on the tracing carrier in the exposure station, where all the image dots of a partial image are traced at the same time, where the exposure station always assumes the same position with reference to the light-controlling unit, the exposures take place at the moments at which the tracing carrier has travelled an equal y distance with reference to the light control unit (or vice versa), comprising the steps of: moving said tracing carrier ( 1 ) successively in an equal y distance in y direction with reference to the light control unit (or vice versa), the y distance including a fraction of the length (L) of the side of an image dot (R), for each moment of exposure (t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 ,. .. ) said tracing carrier ( 1 ); assigning light-controlling elements of the light-controlling unit ( 4 ) to imaginary horizontal strip areas (ST 1 , ST 2 , ST 3 ,. .. ; STk for k=1 to m and for m=2, 3, 4,. .. ) arranged beneath one another, where each strip area (ST 1 , ST 2 , ST 3. .. ) contains the same number of light-controlling elements and the same number of rows of light-controlling elements; tracing, certain image dots with an optical deflection distance of x in x direction (with reference to imaginary undeflected image dots) where said x deflection distance is smaller than the length of the side (L) of an image dot (R) and the amount dx or (i) times dx=i multiplied by dx, for dx=(1/m) L=(1/m) multiplied by L for an integral number m=2, 3, 4. .. as a fraction of the length (L) of the side of an image dot (R), or for (i) dx=(i) multiplied by dx as an integral multiple of dx for i=1, 2, 3,. .. (m−1), in partial images (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 ); activating, in the first upper strip area (ST 1 ) in the light-controlling unit, the light-controlling elements for the image dots to be traced without deflection in the x direction; activating, in the second strip area (ST 2 ) under the first strip area (ST 1 ) the light-controlling elements for the image dots to be traced in the x direction which are deflected by the x deflection distance=1×dx; activating, in the third strip area (ST 3 ) which may lie under the second strip area (ST 2 ), the light-controlling elements for the image dots to be traced in the x direction which are deflected by the x deflection distance=2×dx; activating, in the fourth strip area (ST 4 ) which may lie under the third strip area (ST 3 ), the light-controlling elements for the image dots to be traced in the x direction which are deflected by the x deflection distance=3×dx. .. etc; increasing said x deflection distance for said image dots traced from strip area to strip area (ST 1 /ST 2 , ST 2 /ST 3 , ST 3 /ST 4 ,. .. ) by 1×dx in each case; and, deflecting, together, beams of light emitted by the light-controlling elements in a strip area of the light-controlling matrix for tracing deflected image dots in the x direction.