Patent Application
20100044556
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a oscillating member device having a oscillating member supported to be swingable. More specifically, the present invention relates to a oscillating member device, a light-beam deflection apparatus employing the oscillating member, and a method of driving the oscillating member device by adjusting the control loop gain. The light deflection apparatus is useful as an optical instrument containing an imaging device such as a scanning type display, a laser beam printer, and digital copying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional resonance type light deflection apparatuses are advantageous in comparison with optical scanning system employing a rotary polygonal mirror in that the size of the apparatus can be made smaller, the power consumption is less, and no mirror face fluctuation is caused theoretically. However, this resonance type light deflection apparatus is disadvantageous in that the oscillating amplitude is less stable due to disturbance by the air. A method is disclosed for canceling this disadvantage (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-45603).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-45603 discloses a constitution of an oscillation system, wherein the time at which the scanning beam passes a certain scanning point or the time at which the scanning beam passes a certain deflection angle is measured by a means for detecting the position of the scanning beam deflected or scanned by the oscillating member or a means for detecting the deflecting angle of the oscillating member, and the oscillating movement of the oscillating member is controlled to be equal to a predetermined reference time.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,124 discloses control of driving signals of a light beam deflection device by a deflection angle, or the maximum thereof, of the reflection mirror of a light deflector. Specifically with this system, the variable resistance element constituting the differential circuit for the PID calculation is controlled for adjusting to be optimum the amplitude or oscillation state of the reflection mirror of the resonance type deflection.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,943 discloses a micro-oscillating member comprising torsion springs and movable elements having a plurality of isolated characteristic oscillation modes. In this micro-oscillating member, there exist a reference oscillation mode which is characteristic oscillation mode of a reference frequency, and an even-numbered oscillation mode which is a characteristic oscillation mode of a frequency oscillation being approximately even-number times the reference frequency. A saw-teeth wave drive is realized by oscillation of the micro-oscillating member.
However, resonance type light deflection apparatus has the driving sensitivity of the oscillation system (the ratio of the change of oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member to the change of amplitude control mentioned later) which can vary greatly owing to deviation between the resonance frequency and the drive frequency and variation in production of the oscillation system and the driving system. Such a great variation cannot readily be corrected by the control circuit for a fixed control loop gain.
In particular, in the resonance type light deflection apparatus having plural oscillating members as disclosed by the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,943, the ratio of the plural resonance frequencies in the oscillation system is not in an integer ratio due to variation in the production process, so that the resonance frequency and the driving frequency cannot readily be made to coincide with each other, and the variation of the driving sensitivity is considerable.
The present invention is directed to a oscillating member device comprising: an oscillation system containing of a oscillating member and an elastic support, a driver unit for supplying a driving force to the oscillation system according to a driving signal, a waveform generator for generating periodic signals at a prescribed frequency, a driving signal generator for generating the driving signals in accordance with the periodic signals and an amplitude control level, and a oscillating amplitude detector for detecting a oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member; and practicing a control loop for controlling the amplitude control level according to a difference between a target oscillating amplitude and a detected oscillating amplitude detected by the oscillating amplitude detector, and the gain thereof; the oscillating member device further comprising a gain adjuster for adjusting a gain of the control loop, and the gain of the gain adjuster being set based on the amplitude control level in a state that the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is equal to a target oscillating amplitude.
In the oscillating member device, in practicing the control loop, the gain of the gain adjuster can be set in accordance with the amplitude control level in a state that the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by the oscillating amplitude detector comes to be within a predetermined range.
In the oscillating member device, wherein a control level memory can be provided for memorizing the amplitude control level, the amplitude control level in the state in which the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member becomes equal to the target oscillating amplitude is memorized in the control memory at a first timing, and the gain is set in the gain adjuster according to the amplitude control level stored in the control level memory at a second timing.
In the oscillating member device, a gain memory can be provided for memorizing the gain to be set in the gain adjuster, a gain for the gain adjuster is derived according to the amplitude control level in the state that the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is nearly equal to the target oscillating amplitude, and the gain is memorized in a gain memory at a first timing; and the gain stored in the control level memory is set in the gain adjuster at a second timing.
In the oscillating member device, a filter can be provided for suppressing high-range variation of the amplitude control level, and the gain is set in the gain adjuster successively in accordance with the output of the filter.
In the oscillating member device, a conversion equation which converts the amplitude control level to the gain to be set in the gain adjuster and necessary for obtaining the target oscillating amplitude can be defined.
The oscillation system can have a plurality of oscillating members and a plurality of elastic supports; the resonance frequencies include a primary resonance frequency and a secondary resonance frequency of n-times the primary resonance frequency (n: an integer of 2 or more); the waveform generator outputs a fundamental periodic signal of the prescribed frequency and an n-th wave periodic signal of n-times the frequency of the prescribed frequency; the driving signal generator generates a fundamental wave driving signal based on the fundamental wave periodic signal and the fundamental wave amplitude control level, and generates also an n-th wave driving signal based on the n-th periodic signal and n-th wave amplitude control level; the driver unit supplies a driving force to the oscillation system based on the fundamental wave driving signal and the n-th wave driving signal; the oscillating amplitude detector detects oscillating amplitudes of the oscillation system corresponding to the fundamental wave driving signal and/or the n-th wave driving signal; the control loop of the control of the fundamental wave amplitude control level and/or the n-th wave amplitude control level is practiced based on the difference of the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by the oscillating amplitude detector and the fundamental wave control loop gain and/or the n-th wave control loop gain; the gain adjuster adjusts the fundamental wave control loop gain and/or the n-th wave control loop gain of the control loop; and the fundamental wave control loop gain and/or the n-th wave control loop gain are set in the gain adjuster based on the fundamental wave amplitude control level and/or the n-th wave amplitude control level in the state that the oscillating amplitude corresponding to the fundamental wave driving signal and/or the n-th wave control signal is nearly equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
The present invention is directed to a light deflection apparatus employing the oscillating member device, having an optical deflection element placed in at least one oscillating member for deflecting a light beam introduced to the optical deflection element.
The present invention is directed to an optical instrument, employing the light deflection apparatus, a light source, and a light irradiation object, which deflects a light beam emitted from the light source, and projects at least a part of the light beam onto the light irradiation object.
The present invention is directed to a driving method of an oscillation system of a oscillating member device having an oscillation system constituted of a oscillating member and an elastic support, and a driver unit for applying a driving force to the oscillation system in accordance with a driving signal, comprising steps of: controlling an amplitude control level based on an error instruction level obtained by multiplying the difference between a target oscillating amplitude and a oscillating amplitude to be detected of the oscillating member by the gain and practicing a control loop for producing a driving signal based on the controlled amplitude control level and a periodic signal of a prescribed frequency, and adjusting the gain of the control loop based on the amplitude control level in the state that the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is nearly equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
According to the present invention, the gain of the control loop is adjusted as mentioned above. Thereby the control loop gain is suitably set by the same control unit to drive the oscillation system stably even when the driving sensitivities are different greatly.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings. In the oscillating member device and the driving method of the present invention, it is important that, in the control loop for controlling the level of the amplitude based on the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude and the gain thereof, the gain is adjusted based on the amplitude control value in a state in which the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member becomes equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
In this description, the wording “the state in which the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member becomes equal to the target oscillating amplitude” includes the state of the oscillating amplitude practically equal to the target oscillating amplitude. In the present invention, the oscillating amplitude practically equal to the target oscillating amplitude may be defined suitably in a range in accordance with the specification of the employed oscillating member device. For example, the range may be defined within ±10% of the target amplitude.
Accordingly, a basic embodiment of the oscillating member device of the present invention comprises an oscillation system, a driver unit, a waveform-generator, a driving signal generator, and a oscillating amplitude detector. The oscillation system comprises a oscillating member and an elastic support. The driver unit supplies a driving force to the oscillation system according to a driving signal. The waveform generator generates periodic signals at a prescribed frequency. The driving signal generator generates driving signals in accordance with the periodic signals and the amplitude control level. The oscillating amplitude detector detects the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member. The control loop operation is practiced for adjusting the amplitude control on the basis of the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the oscillating amplitude detected by the oscillating amplitude detector, and the gain thereof. For example, the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is multiplied by the gain to obtain an error instruction level, and based on this error instruction, the amplitude control level is adjusted. The oscillating member device comprises further a gain adjuster which sets the gain of the gain adjuster according to the aforementioned amplitude control level in the state in which the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is substantially equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
In the above-mentioned basic constitution in a state of practicing the control loop, for example, when the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by a oscillating amplitude detector comes to be within the predetermined range, the gain is set in the gain adjuster based on the amplitude control level.
The device may have a constitution, as in First Embodiment described later, in which a control level memory is provided for memorizing the amplitude control level; an amplitude control level in the state in which the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member becomes equal to the target oscillating amplitude is memorized in a control level memory at a first timing; and the gain is set in the gain adjuster according to the amplitude control level stored in the control level memory at a second timing. In the present invention, the term “timing” signifies “a time or a time length for conducting the respective treatment”.
Otherwise the device may have another constitution, as in Second Embodiment described later, in which a gain memory is provided for memorizing the gain to be set in the gain adjuster; a gain for the gain adjuster is derived according to the amplitude control level in the state that the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is approximately equal to the target oscillating amplitude, and the gain is memorized in a gain memory at a first timing; and the gain stored in the control level memory is set in the gain adjuster at a second timing.
Further the device may have a constitution, as in Third Embodiment described later, in which a filter is provided for suppressing high-range variation of the amplitude control level, and the gain is set in the gain adjuster successively in accordance with the output from the filter.
For example, from the amplitude control level necessary for obtaining the target oscillating amplitude and from the gain for the gain adjuster necessary for obtaining the target control region for the amplitude control levels, a conversion equation can be defined for converting the amplitude control level to the gain to be set in the gain adjuster. That is, as is described with reference to
Further, the device may have still another constitution as in Fourth Embodiment described later. In the device, the oscillation system has a plurality of oscillating members and a plurality of elastic supports. The resonance frequencies include a primary resonance frequency and a secondary resonance frequency of n-times the primary resonance frequency (n: an integer of 2 or more). The waveform generator outputs a fundamental periodic signal of the set frequency and an n-th wave periodic signal of n-times the frequency of the set frequency. The driving signal generator generates the fundamental wave driving signal based on the fundamental wave periodic signal and the fundamental wave amplitude control level, and generates also an n-th wave driving signal based on the n-th periodic signal and n-th wave amplitude control level. The driver unit gives a driving force to the oscillation system based on the fundamental wave driving signal and the n-th wave driving signal. The oscillating amplitude detector detects oscillating amplitudes of the oscillation system corresponding to the fundamental wave driving signal and/or the n-th wave driving signal. The loop of the control of the fundamental wave amplitude control level and/or the n-th wave amplitude control level is practiced based on the difference of the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by the oscillating amplitude detector. The gain adjuster adjusts the gain of the fundamental wave driving signal of the oscillation system and/or the n-th wave driving signal thereof. Further, the fundamental wave control loop gain and/or the n-th wave control loop gain are set in the gain adjuster based on the fundamental wave amplitude gain level and/or the n-th wave amplitude control level in the state that the fundamental wave driving signal and/or the n-th wave control signal are nearly equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
The basic driving method of the oscillation system of the present invention which has an oscillation system constituted of a oscillating member and an elastic support, and a driver unit for applying a driving force to the oscillation system in accordance with a driving signal, further comprises steps below. In the first step, the amplitude control level is controlled based on the error instruction obtained from the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member multiplied by the gain, and the control loop for generating driving signal is practiced based on the controlled amplitude level and the periodic signal of the set frequency. In the second step, the gain of the control loop is adjusted based on the amplitude control level in the state that the oscillating amplitude of the oscillating member is nearly equal to the target oscillating amplitude.
A light deflection apparatus can be constituted by employing a oscillating member device, placing an optical deflection element in at least one oscillating member for deflecting a light beam introduced to the optical deflection element.
An optical instrument can be constituted by employing the light deflection apparatus, a light source, and a light irradiation object for projecting at least a part of the light beam emitted from the light source and deflected by the light deflection element onto the light irradiation object. An image-forming apparatus as an example of the optical instrument forms an electrostatic latent image by deflecting the light beam by the light beam deflection element and at least projecting a part of the light beam on a photosensitive member as the light irradiation object.
According to the present invention, even with a great difference in the driving sensitivity, an oscillation system can be driven stably by setting suitably the control gain by one and the same control assembly. Thus even with a great difference in the driving sensitivity, the control loop gain can be set within a target control region. Therefore the undesired accident can be avoided in which the oscillation system is not suitably driven and cause undesired high frequency oscillation. The term “high frequency oscillation” herein signifies uncontrollable continuation of amplification of high frequency oscillation. In a oscillating member device of MEMS scanner, for example, the undesired amplification of the high frequency oscillation can destroy a part of the MEMS scanner (e.g., a torsion spring).
The embodiments of the present invention are described specifically with reference to drawings.
Oscillating member 101 has a light beam deflection element like a reflection mirror, reflects and deflects light beam 132 from light source 131 for scanning. Scanning light beam 133 passes twice over light receiving element 140 as the detecting means in one scanning cycle period. Control assembly 150 generates driving signals in accordance with the time at which scanning light beam 133 passes light receiving element 140, and sends the driving signal to driver unit 120.
The constitution and operation of control assembly 150 illustrated in
Gain adjuster 153 derives an error instruction by multiplying the predetermined gain Gv by the difference Δt1 of the time intervals between target time 152 of detection at the target oscillating amplification and detected time interval t1. The gain adjuster outputs the error instruction signal to drive controller 154. Drive controller 154 controls the amplitude correction level based on the error instruction. On the other hand, waveform generator 156 generates predetermined periodic signal 160. Driving signal generator 157 generates driving signals based on the amplitude control level 161 (a sum of the amplitude correction and initial amplitude 155) and the periodic signal 160, and transmits the driving signal to driver unit 120. Typically, driving signals are generated which have amplitude proportional to amplitude control level 161 and proportional to the period of periodic signals 160. One amplitude and one frequency (period) of the driving signal can be decided according to the output from oscillating amplitude detector 151. Thus the detecting means is constituted simply one light-receiving element 140 for measuring of the time intervals of t1 and t2.
Control level memory 158 memorizes amplitude control level 161 of a predetermined scanning, and outputs the average of the memorized amplitude control levels 162. Gain setter 159 sets the gain GvA of gain adjuster 153 based on the memorized amplitude control level 162.
Drive controller 154 starts the drive control on detection of scanning light (light beam) 133 by the light receiving element 140 and receiving the error instruction. To prevent premature oscillation, the gain Gv of gain adjuster 153 is preferably set to be lower than the optimum gain, for example to be about half of the optimum gain.
Control memory 158 starts to memorize amplitude control level 161 when the difference between the target oscillating amplitude (target time interval) and the oscillating amplitude (detected time interval) detected by oscillating amplitude detector 151 comes in a prescribed control range. The allowable difference may be, for example, about ±1%. Control level memory 158, which has memorized amplitude control level 161 for prescribed scanning cycles, outputs the average 162 thereof to gain setter 159. The number of the memorized scanning cycles is preferably in the range 50 to 200 cycles, but need not be average of the amplitude control levels of a plurality of amplitude control levels. An amplitude control level of one scanning cycle may be memorized and output.
In this Embodiment, gain setter 159 which has received the amplitude control level A from control level memory 158, derives the gain GvA from the amplitude control level A according to Equation (1) below, and set the derived gain in gain adjuster 153:
Gv
A
=K
A
×A+S
n (1)
The coefficient KA and the intercept SA in Equation (1) can be derived preliminarily from measurements with several light deflection apparatus having different driving sensitivity. Specifically, as illustrated in
In this Embodiment, the approximate equation is derived by actual measurement, but is not limited thereto. The approximate equation may be derived by simulation. Further, in this Embodiment, Equation (1) is a linear function, but is not limited thereto, and may be of an n-order function or other multinomial expression. Otherwise, the gain GvA of gain adjuster 153 may be set with reference to a table which is equivalent to the above equations.
As described above, this embodiment employs a gain adjuster 153 for adjusting the gain in the control loop. Thereby amplitude control level 161 is memorized in the state in which the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the amplitude detected by amplitude detector 151 is within a predetermined range. Thereby gain setter 159 sets the gain in gain adjuster 153 based on the memorized amplitudes control level 162.
In this Embodiment, the oscillating amplitude of oscillating member 101 is detected by scanning light beam 133 and light-receiving element 140. However, the oscillating amplitude may be detected by any detector capable of detecting the oscillating amplitude, such as a piezo-electric element. For example, the oscillating amplitude of oscillating member 101 may be detected by a piezo sensor provided on elastic support 111, by an electrostatic capacitor, or by a magnetic sensor.
In this Embodiment, the gain of the control loop is adjusted once at the start of the driving, but is not limited thereto. The gain may be adjusted, for example, during image formation, or an interim between image formation processes with an image-forming apparatus.
In this Embodiment, since the gain can be adjusted as described above, the control loop gain can be set suitably by the same one control assembly to realize stable drive of an oscillation system, even when the driving sensitivity varies greatly. Thus the control loop gain can be set within a target control band region even with great variation of the driving sensitivity.
For gain setter 159, gain GvA is derived from amplitude control level 161 according to the aforementioned Equation (1). Gain memory 170 starts to memorize gain Gv, when the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the amplitude detected by amplitude detector 151 comes to fall within a predetermined range. Gain memory 170, after memorizing the gain GvA for the intended scanning, inputs the average of the gain in gain adjuster 153. The input gain need not be an average of the amplitude control levels of a plurality of amplitude control level. An amplitude control level of one scanning cycle may be memorized and output.
In this Embodiment also, similarly as in First Embodiment, the gain GvA can be derived not only by the above Equation (1) but may be derived by another approximate equation or a polynomial equation, or from a table equivalent to the equations.
As described above, in this Embodiment, gain adjuster 153 is employed for adjusting the gain in the control loop. The gain for gain adjuster 153 is derived from amplitude control level 161 in the state that the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by oscillating amplitude detector 151 is kept within a prescribed range. The derived gain is stored in gain memory 170, and the gain of gain adjuster 153 is set. Otherwise this Embodiment is the same as First Embodiment.
The operation of setting of the gain in the control loop in this Embodiment is described below. The driving is started by a driving signal based on initial amplitude level 155 and periodic signal 160 from waveform generator 156. Initial amplitude level 155 is set so that scanning light beam 133 can be detected by light-receiving element 140. The frequency to be set in waveform generator 156 is selected based on the resonance frequency during production, and driving frequency in the preceding driving, and so forth. Drive controller 154 controls the driving when scanning light beam 133 is detected by light-receiving element 140 and the error instruction is obtained. In this Embodiment also, the gain Gv in gain adjuster 153 is set lower to prevent undesired premature oscillation.
When the difference between the target oscillating amplitude and the detected oscillating amplitude detected by the awing amplitude detector 151 comes to be within the predetermined range, filter 171 starts suppression of high-range variation of amplitude control level 161 to pass filter output 164 excluding the high-range variation of the amplitude control level. For obtaining stable filter output 164, the cutoff frequency of filter 171 is preferably not more than 1/10 of the set frequency in waveform-generator 156. Gain setter 159 derives gain GvA from filter output 164 of filter 171 according to the above Equation (1), and sets the gain in gain adjuster 153.
In this Embodiment also, similarly as in First Embodiment, the gain GvA can be derived not only by the above Equation (1) but may be derived by another approximate equation or a polynomial equation, or from a table equivalent to the equations.
In this Embodiment, the amplitude control level after suppression of high-range variation by filter 171 is input to gain setter 159. This constitution may be modified as shown in
In this Embodiment, first oscillating member 101 has a reflection mirror on the surface thereof, allowing light beam 132 from light source 131 to scan. The function of driver unit 120 and the operation of control assembly 150 are basically the same as in First embodiment. This Embodiment is different from First Embodiment in that drive controllers 184, 194; initial amplitude levels 185, 195; gain adjusters 183, 193; control level memories 188, 198; and gain setters 189, 199 are respectively provided in the control loops for the fundamental wave and the n-th wave in control assembly 150, and is different also in that, target times 152 are provided for the first oscillation movement of first oscillating member 101 and the second oscillation movement of first oscillating member 101 excited by the n-th wave. Thereby, from the detected times measured by light-receiving elements 141, 142, oscillating amplitude detector 151 detects the times for oscillating amplitudes corresponding to the first and second oscillation movements excited by the basic wave and n-th wave. Thus, gain adjusters 183, 193 output the error instructions derived respectively by multiplying the installed gain by the difference between the detected time and the target time to drive controllers 184, 194 for the fundamental wave and n-th wave. Thereafter, the control operations for the first and second oscillation movements are conducted respectively in the same manner as in First Embodiment. Further, in this Embodiment, waveform generator 156 adjusts the phase difference between the periodic signals of the basic wave and the n-th wave to allow the scanning light beam to scan a predetermined orbital based on the difference relating to the basic wave and the n-th wave.
In this Embodiment, oscillation system 100 has a constitution capable of causing simultaneously a first oscillation movement excited by a fundamental wave of fundamental frequency and a second oscillation movement excited by an n-th wave having an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency. Thus, the deflection angle θ of scanning light beam 133 of the light deflection apparatus of this Embodiment is represented as a function of the amplitude B1, the frequency (angle frequency) ω1, and the phase φ1 of the first oscillation movement; and the amplitude B2, the frequency (angle frequency) ω2, and the phase φ2 of the second oscillation movement; and the time t from a suitable original or reference time by Equation (2) below. The oscillation state of first oscillating member 101 and deflection angle θ of scanning light beam 133 are in one-to-one correspondence. Therefore, the oscillation state of first oscillating member 101 is represented substantially by this equation. Incidentally, in this Embodiment, the term “nearly integral multiple” signifies that the following relation is satisfied, when the resonance frequency of the fundamental wave is f1 (=ω1/2π) and the resonance frequency of the n-th wave is f2 (=ω2/2π): 0.98N≦f2/f1≦1.02N (N is an integer of 2 or more).
θ(t)=B1 sin(ω1t+φ1)+B2 sin(ω2t+φ2) (2)
To realize such an oscillation state of first oscillating member 101, the driving signal of the oscillating member device having two inherent oscillation modes of this Embodiment drives the oscillation system 100 in the oscillation state of first oscillating member 101 as represented by the above equation containing two sine-wave terms. This driving signal is not limited insofar as the signal allows first oscillating member 101 to oscillating in such an oscillation state. For example, the signal may be a driving signal synthesized from the fundamental wave and n-th sine wave, or may be a pulse driving signal. The desired driving signal can be obtained by adjusting the amplitudes and phases of the sine waves. In the driving by a pulsed signal, a desired driving signal can be obtained by changing the pulse number, pulse interval, the pulse width, and so forth with time by treating the synthesized sine waves by a predetermined conversion principle. For the driving signals, selection of the driving frequency of the fundamental wave of the driving signal decides the n-th wave driving frequency can be decided automatically from the driving frequency of the fundamental frequency by multiplication by the factor n. Therefore, first and second light-receiving elements 141, 142 are placed for deciding the two amplitudes and phase difference of driving signals.
The operation for setting the gain of the control loop in this Embodiment is described below. The driving is started by a driving signal according to fundamental initial amplitude 185, n-th wave initial amplitude 195, and the fundamental-wave periodic signal and n-th wave periodic signal emitted from waveform-generator 156. The driving signal is a synthesis product obtained from the fundamental wave, and components generated by n-th wave driving signal generators 187, 197.
When scanning light beam 133 is detected by light-receiving elements 141, 142, and a fundamental wave error instruction and an n-th wave error instruction are obtained, fundamental wave drive controller 184 and n-th wave drive controller 194 controls the drive, in the same manner as in First Embodiment. When the difference between the target oscillating amplitude of the first or second oscillation and the detected oscillating amplitude of the first or second oscillation derived by the oscillating amplitude detector comes within a prescribed range, control level memory 188,198 for the fundamental wave or n-th wave starts the memorization of the amplitude control level of the fundamental wave or the n-th wave. The control level memories 188, 198, after amplitude control levels 186,196 of the fundamental wave or the n-th wave, input the averages of the levels to gain setters 189, 199 for the fundamental wave or the n-th wave. The averaging of the amplitude control levels is not essential similarly as in First Embodiment.
Fundamental wave gain setter 189 derives the fundamental wave gain GvB1 from the fundamental wave amplitude control level B1 emitted form fundamental wave control level memory 188 according to Equation (3) below, and set it as the gain in fundamental wave gain adjuster 183. n-Th wave gain setter 199 derives n-th wave gain GvB2 from the n-th wave amplitude control level B2 emitted from n-th wave control level memory 198 according to Equation (4) below and set it as the gain in n-th gain adjuster 193.
Gv
B1
=K
B1
×B
1
+S
B1 (3)
Gv
B2
=K
B2
×B
2
+S
B2 (4)
The coefficients KB1 and KB2, and the intercepts SB1 and SB2 in Equations (3) and (4) can be derived preliminarily from measurements with several light deflection apparatuses having different driving sensitivities similarly as in First Embodiment. In this Embodiment also, Equations (3) and (4) are respectively a linear function, but are not limited thereto, and may be of an n-order function or other polynomial expression. Otherwise, the fundamental wave gain GvB1 of fundamental wave gain adjuster 183 and the n-th wave gain GvB2 of fundamental wave gain adjuster 193 may be set with reference to a table which is equivalent to the above equations.
In the constitution of this Embodiment, both of the gains of fundamental wave gain adjuster 183 and n-th wave gain adjuster 193 are adjusted. However, the constitution may be designed for adjusting either one of the gains. For example, the gain is not adjusted for the oscillation movement of driving frequency approximate to the resonance frequency.
The level emitted from the gain adjuster based on the amplitude control level may be stored in the gain memory and may be set as the gain in the gain adjuster as in Second Embodiment. Or a filter may be employed as in Third Embodiment. Other parts of the constitution are the same as in First Embodiment.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-211608, filed on Aug. 20, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-211608 | Aug 2008 | JP | national |
