Exposure Head Memory Allocation for Staggered LED Chip Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-photographic image-forming apparatuses face challenges in balancing flexibility in light-emitting chip arrangement with manufacturing cost, as large-capacity memory requirements constrain design flexibility while minimizing costs.
Innovation Solution
An exposure head with K light-emitting chips arranged in a staggered manner, utilizing a control unit to divide image data into partial data sets and dynamically allocate memory resources based on chip position and orientation, allowing for flexible chip arrangement without increasing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large-capacity memory is associated with all light-emitting chips to ensure flexibility in chip arrangement, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost is significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light-emitting chips into two groups: odd-numbered chips and even-numbered chips. Each group is assigned a dedicated memory unit with capacity proportional to the number of chips in that group. This segmentation allows the system to achieve flexibility in chip arrangement while minimizing total memory capacity requirements, thereby reducing manufacturing cost compared to providing large-capacity memory for all chips.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements differential memory allocation where odd-numbered chips receive memory from a first memory unit and even-numbered chips receive memory from a second memory unit. This local quality approach ensures that each chip group has appropriate memory resources for its specific arrangement position, optimizing both adaptability and cost-efficiency without requiring uniform large-capacity memory across all chips.
2Ease of manufacture
If minimum memory capacity is implemented to minimize manufacturing cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but flexibility in chip arrangement is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic memory resource allocation where the control unit can flexibly assign memory resources from either the first or second memory unit to different chip groups based on their arrangement positions. This dynamic allocation enables the system to adapt to various chip arrangement configurations while maintaining cost-effective minimum memory capacity implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal memory allocation system where two memory units can serve multiple purposes: the first memory unit serves odd-numbered chips in various positions, the second memory unit serves even-numbered chips in various positions, and either unit can be allocated to different groups based on arrangement configuration. This multi-functionality achieves both cost minimization and arrangement flexibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables flexible chip arrangement while maintaining cost-effectiveness by optimizing memory resource allocation, enhancing design versatility without increasing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the K light-emitting chips includes at least a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged along the first direction. The plurality of light-emitting elements of the K light-emitting chips emit light whereby a latent image for each line of an input image is formed on a surface of the photosensitive body.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus having an exposure head including K light-emitting chips arranged along a rotation axis of a photosensitive body. Light-emitting elements to form a latent image are arranged in each light-emitting chip. The apparatus includes: a dividing unit that divides image data into K pieces of partial image data for the K light-emitting chips that are temporarily stored in memory resources; and a control unit that controls output of the K pieces of partial image data from the memory resources to the K light-emitting chips. The control unit controls allocation of the memory resources to the K light-emitting chips based on information indicating which ones of odd-numbered and even-numbered light-emitting chips of the K light-emitting chips are arranged on downstream side with respect to the photosensitive body which rotates.