The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1997
Nobuyuki Hori, Tokyo, JP;
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The optical intensity of laser light from a laser diode of a laser scanning apparatus having a polygonal mirror is detected with a monitoring photodiode. The detected output is delivered to a first switching end of a selector. The optical intensity of laser light reflected from the polygonal mirror is detected with a photosensor and the detection output is delivered to a second switching end of the selector. The selector selects either one of the switching ends in accordance with the timing of a laser scan. The associated detection signal is fed to a comparator, where it is compared with a reference voltage to produce a comparison voltage, which in turn is fed to a laser drive circuit to control the emission output of the laser diode. Despite variation in the reflectance of laser light from each reflecting surface of the polygonal mirror, a constant optical intensity is obtained on the basis of the reference voltage. In addition, even if the photosensor fails to detect the laser light, laser power control is ensured by the monitoring of the photodiode to prevent the laser diode from being overdriven.