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:
Jul. 17, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 24, 1999
Gregory E. Mueller, Encinitas, CA (US);
Daniel John Whittle, Bellingham, WA (US);
Other;
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there are provided apparatus and methods useful for efficiently subjecting photosensitive materials to a relatively low energy pre-exposure using the electromagnetic energy during the non-imaging portion of the exposure process (i.e., a backscan beam exposure) prior to subjecting such materials to the main imaging exposure (i.e., an imagewise exposure). In a further aspect of the present invention, there are provided combinations and improvements useful for the enhanced imagewise exposure of photosensitive materials. In additional aspects of the present invention, there are provided methods of enhancing the imagewise exposure of photosensitive materials, imagewise exposed photosensitive material made according to such methods, methods for enhancing sensitivity of a photosensitive material for imagewise exposure, and photosensitive materials having enhanced sensitivity for imagewise exposure made according to these methods.