Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Identifying – composing – or selecting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2001-09-11
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Identifying, composing, or selecting
C396S311000, C396S319000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288770
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for feeding photographic film and, particularly to a film feeding apparatus and method for unwinding or rewinding a film, compatible with the APS (advanced photo system) in a cartridge in order to read magnetic data recorded on the film.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Magnetic data are written on an APS film by a photo processing apparatus or camera, and the written magnetic data are subsequently read by a magnetic head during the scanning of the film image.
At this time, the magnetic data may fail to be read due to the amount of magnetic data to be recorded by a camera used for photographing, treatment liquids used to develop film, the condition of the magnetic reading device when the magnetic data are read, and other factors. When data is incorrectly read, the operator is notified of the error via a monitor. If the operator gives a command to reread the image data in response to the notification, scanning is performed again to reread the magnetic data.
Since only one chance to read the magnetic data is provided only during scanning in prior art devices, there is a high probability of failing to read the magnetic data. If the magnetic data are not read, scanning needs to be performed again. Thus, a longer amount of time is needed to read the magnetic data properly, and these devices have poor operability.
When the magnetic data are reread, they are read under the same conditions (i.e., at the same speed) at every scanning. Accordingly, if the film data was poorly recorded and/or the recording density of the magnetic data was very high or very low, the magnetic data may not be read despite repeated attempts to reread. This leads not only to poor operability, but also to a reduction in the reliability of the apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a film feeding apparatus and method having improved operability and reliability.
In order to accomplish the above and other objects and advantages, the present invention is directed to a photographic film feeding apparatus for feeding film having magnetic data recorded on the film comprising a storage means for storing the magnetic data for each frame, a first reading means for reading the magnetic data of each frame while the film is being fed and then storing the read magnetic data in the storage means, a first judging means for judging, based on the information stored in the storage means, whether there is a frame whose magnetic data was not read, and a second reading means for changing a reading condition if there is a frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet, reading the magnetic data again and then storing the read magnetic data in the storage means.
In the present film feeding apparatus, the magnetic data are read again after changing the reading condition if it was judged, based on the information on the magnetic data of the a respective frames which were read while the film was being unwound, that there was a frame whose magnetic data had not been read yet or was not properly read. By changing the reading condition, there is a higher probability of reading the magnetic data which was not read while the film was unwound. As a result, the reading rate of the magnetic data can be improved.
In a preferred embodiment, the second reading means comprises means for reading the magnetic data while the film is being rewound. With this construction, the magnetic data are read again while the film is rewound to its leading end if the magnetic data failed to be read during the unwinding of the film. Thus, this reading condition is different from when the film was unwound (the film feeding direction is reversed), and the chance of successfully reading the magnetic data is increased. Therefore, the reading rate of the magnetic data is greatly improved.
The first reading means preferably reads the magnetic data by intermittently feeding the film frame by frame, and the second reading means preferably reads the magnetic data by continuously feeding the film. Thus, the reading condition of the magnetic data when the film is rewound is different from when the film is unwound.
Preferably, a rereading means is also provided for changing the reading condition again if there is a frame whose magnetic data has not been read even after rewinding the film, rereading the magnetic data, and storing the read magnetic data in the storage means. With this construction, the possibility of reading the magnetic data increases, and thus the reading rate of the magnetic data is further improved.
Preferably, the reading means comprises means for notifying an operator that there is a frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet even after rewinding the film, and means for changing the feeding speed of the film based upon a command from the operator to reread the magnetic data again. Thereafter, the magnetic data is reread by the apparatus. By rereading the magnetic data again after changing the feeding speed of the film in response to a command from the operator, the magnetic data can be read to conform to its recording density, if necessary. As a result, the reading rate of the magnetic data is improved even more.
Preferably, the storage means stores flags indicative of the magnetic data of each frame and the presence or absence of the magnetic data for each frame. The judging means comprises a second judging means for judging, based on the flags stored in the storage means, whether there is any frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet. For example, the second judging means refers to the flags and judges that a reading error occurred in reading the magnetic data for a frame, for which no magnetic data has been read, and if the presence/absence of the magnetic data between adjacent or successive frames has changed twice or more. Thus, the judgment as to whether there is any frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet can be made in the case where no magnetic data is recorded on the film, the case where the film is exposed from its intermediate frame, and the case where the film is exposed to its intermediate frame.
Further, if there is still a frame whose magnetic data has not been read by the magnetic data reading during the unwinding of the film, the second reading means may change the feeding speed of the film after the film is rewound and may reread the magnetic data. By changing the feeding speed of the film and the reading condition during the second film reading (i.e., rewinding), the probability of reading the magnetic data which could not be read during the first film unwinding increases, and the reading rate of the magnetic data can be improved.
The present invention is also directed to a feeding method for feeding a film so that magnetic data recorded on the film can be read, comprising reading magnetic data frame by frame while the film is being fed and storing the read information as magnetic data for each frame in a storage means, judging base on the information stored in the storage means whether there is any frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet, reading the magnetic data during the rewinding of the film if there is a frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet and storing the information as magnetic data in the storage means, judging based on the information stored in the storage means whether there is any frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet, notifying an operator that there is some frame whose magnetic data has not been read yet, changing the feeding speed of the film and rereading the magnetic data.
According to this method, the magnetic data are read frame by frame during the unwinding of the film. If there is any frame whose magnetic data has not been correctly read yet, the magnetic data are read again during the rewinding of the film. If there is still a frame whose magnetic data has not been read even after the film was rewound, the operator is notified. If the operator gives a command to reread the magnetic data ag
Hida Keiji
Koyama Yoshihiro
Naka Yukimasa
Mathews Alan A.
Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd.
Smith Patent Office
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