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Abstract

A color image copying system (10) includes a light modulator (12) that receives incident light rays emanating from a source (14) of light. The light modulator comprises a light dispersing apparatus (54) that disperses different wavelengths of the incident light rays to different locations on a focal surface (60). A filter mask (68) aligned with the focal surface transmits preselected wavelengths of the ultraviolet light and blocks light of all other wavelengths. Each of a set of light valves (86, 88, 90) receives a different wavelength of light transmitted by the filter mask and intensity modulates it in accordance with image pixel information provided by an information source (16). An optical focusing apparatus (56) focuses the intensity-modulated wavelengths of light to a relatively small location (20) on an image focal surface (22) which is aligned with a light-sensitive medium (24). The light focused at the location exposes the light-sensitive medium to each of the wavelengths of light for a particular period of time determined by the image pixel information. The location to which the intensity-modulated light is focused is sequentially aligned with adjacent regions of the light-sensitive medium in synchronism with the delivery of image pixel information corresponding to the adjacent regions. This process continues in pixel-by-pixel fashion across the surface of the light-sensitive medium to form a color image copy in a single exposure pass over such surface.

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First Claim