1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor for detecting an image and outputting image signals corresponding to the detected image; and
an image processor for processing the image signals outputted from the image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises:
a charge multiplying photoconversion layer; and
a pixel array having a plurality of pixels,
wherein each pixel comprises:
a charge storage element electrically connected to the charge multiplying photoconversion layer at a first node, and
a protection circuit electrically connected to the charge storage element and the charge multiplying photoconversion layer at the first node and to a reference potential at a second node for limiting a voltage which accumulates at the charge storage element.
2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protection circuit comprises a protection diode electrically connected to the storage element at the anode thereof and connected to the reference potential at a cathode thereof, whereby voltage accumulating at the storage element in excess of the reference potential is transferred away from the storage element through the protection diode.
3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protection circuit comprises: an n-MOS transistor having a drain and a gate both electrically connected to the storage element, and a source electrically connected to the reference potential, whereby voltage accumulating at the storage element in excess of the reference potential is transferred away from the storage element through the n-MOS transistor.
4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protection circuit comprises a resistor electrically connected to the charge multiplying photoconversion layer and the storage element.
5. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a differential amplifier for receiving at an input thereof an output from the protection circuit.
6. A processing system, comprising:
a processor for receiving and processing image data; and
an image data generator for supplying image data to the processor, the image data generator comprising:
an image sensor for obtaining an image and outputting an image signal;
an image processor for processing the image signal; and
a controller for controlling the image sensor and the image processor,
wherein the image sensor comprises:
a charge multiplying photoconversion layer, and
a pixel array having a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising:
a charge storage element electrically connected to the charge multiplying photoconversion layer, and
a protection circuit electrically connected on a first side to the charge storage element and to a reference voltage on a second side for limiting a voltage which accumulates at the charge storage element.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for drying printed material, the method comprising the following steps:
driving a one dimensional or two dimensional array of UV radiation sources individually or in groups for drying the printed material;
transforming high resolution image data, describing a printing image or a content of printing forms for individual color separations, into image data of lower resolution matched to a grid of the UV radiation source array;
obtaining position data describing a position of the printed image in a transport direction from a device for transporting the printed material;
generating control data for modulation of an intensity of the UV radiation sources or group of UV radiation sources of the array from the image data of lower resolution and position data; and
irradiating the printing material with time modulated UV radiation points each including a plurality of image points of a higher resolution printed image.
2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises printing the printed image with ink curing under UV radiation, and forming the one-dimensional or two-dimensional radiation source array of end faces of UV waveguides or semiconductor UV radiation sources emitting UV radiation.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a resolution of control data for modulation of the intensity of the UV radiation sources is coarser in the transport direction of the printing material than transverse thereto.
4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises checking UV radiation sources of the array or groups of UV radiation sources with regard to UV radiation output thereby.
5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing a multi-dimensional array or a plurality of linear arrays of UV radiation sources disposed individually one after another, and driving UV radiation sources disposed one after another in the transport direction of the printing material in such a way that they each irradiate the same image points of the printed image.
6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises drying the printed image in a printing press and providing the printing press with a plurality of individual printing units for various colors and dryer devices each being disposed after or in a respective one of the individual printing units.
7. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises providing one or more further dryers being primarily used for integral drying of varnish layers placed over the printed image.
8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller of a dryer device with data being a measure of a layer thickness of the printed image or the printed color separations.
9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller with data describing a contrast or a local variation in a layer thickness of the printed ink.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a removable radiation window and encapsulation of the one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of UV radiation sources.
11. The method according to claim 10, which further comprises filling or flushing at least one of a space within the encapsulation or a space between the array and the printing material, with inert gas.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resolution of the lower-resolution image data is between 5 and 100 dpi.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UV radiation sources have a grid spacing lying in a range between 0.2 millimeters and 8 millimeters.
14. A method for drying printed material, the method comprising the following steps:
driving a one dimensional or two dimensional array of IR radiation sources individually or in groups for drying the printed material;
transforming high resolution image data, describing a printing image or a content of printing forms for individual color separations, into image data of lower resolution matched to a grid of the IR radiation source array;
obtaining position data describing a position of the printed image in a transport direction from a device for transporting the printed material;
generating control data for modulation of an intensity of the IR radiation sources or group of IR radiation sources of the array from the image data of lower resolution and position data; and
irradiating the printing material with time modulated IR radiation points each including a plurality of image points of a higher resolution printed image.
15. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises printing the printed image with ink curing under infrared radiation, forming the one-dimensional or two-dimensional radiation source array of end faces of infrared waveguides or semiconductor IR radiation sources emitting infrared radiation, and matching a wavelength of the infrared radiation to IR absorbers present in the printing ink.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a resolution of control data for modulation of the intensity of the IR radiation sources is coarser in the transport direction of the printing material than transverse thereto.
17. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises checking IR radiation sources of the array or groups of IR radiation sources with regard to radiation output thereby.
18. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises providing a multi-dimensional array or a plurality of linear arrays of IR radiation sources disposed individually one after another, and driving IR radiation sources disposed one after another in the transport direction of the printing material in such a way that they each irradiate the same image points of the printed image.
19. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises providing one or more dryers being primarily used for integral drying of varnish layers placed over the printed image.
20. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller of a dryer device with data being a measure of a layer thickness of the printed image or the printed color separations.
21. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller with data describing a contrast or a local variation in a layer thickness of the printed ink.
22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the resolution of the lower-resolution image data is between 5 and 100 dpi.
23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the IR radiation sources have a grid spacing lying in a range between 0.2 millimeters and 8 millimeters.
24. A method for drying printed material, the method comprising the following steps:
driving a one dimensional or two dimensional array of visible light sources individually or in groups for drying the printed material;
transforming high resolution image data, describing a printing image or a content of printing forms for individual color separations, into image data of lower resolution matched to a grid of the visible light source array;
obtaining position data describing a position of the printed image in a transport direction from a device for transporting the printed material;
generating control data for modulation of an intensity of the visible light sources or group of visible light sources of the array from the image data of lower resolution and position data; and
irradiating the printing material with time modulated visible light points each including a plurality of image points of a higher resolution printed image.
25. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises printing the printed image with ink curing under visible light, forming the one-dimensional or two-dimensional visible light source array of end faces of waveguides emitting visible light or semiconductor light sources emitting visible light, and matching a wavelength of the light to pigments of the printed ink.
26. The method according to claim 24, wherein a resolution of control data for modulation of the intensity of the visible light sources is coarser in the transport direction of the printing material than transverse thereto.
27. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises checking light sources of the array or groups of visible light sources with regard to visible light output thereby.
28. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises providing a multi-dimensional array or a plurality of linear arrays of visible light sources disposed individually one after another, and driving visible light sources disposed one after another in the transport direction of the printing material in such a way that they each irradiate the same image points of the printed image.
29. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller of a dryer device with data being a measure of a layer thickness of the printed image or the printed color separations.
30. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises additionally feeding a controller with data describing a contrast or a local variation in a layer thickness of the printed ink.
31. The method according to claim 24, wherein the resolution of the lower-resolution image data is between 5 and 100 dpi.
32. The method according to claim 24, wherein the visible light sources have a grid spacing lying in a range between 0.2 millimeters and 8 millimeters.