Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Identifying – composing – or selecting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-09-18
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Identifying, composing, or selecting
C355S038000, C355S039000, C355S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to photographic processing equipment, and in particular to systems for creating index prints.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The majority of photographs taken by amateurs are processed at large film processing centers that can print thousands of photographs per hour. Here, the rolls of film are received, spliced together on large spools, and developed before the individual photographs are printed on a high speed printing machine.
Most high speed photographic printers are programmed to print an area of film that is marked with a notch. To mark the location of each frame on a film, the spools of film are loaded on a frame notching machine that scans the film, determines the position of each frame and places a notch in the correct position. Once the entire spool of film has been notched, the spool is then loaded onto a high speed printer that exposes a continuous web of photographic paper with the area of film marked by the individual notches. After the prints are developed and dried, they are cut into individual photographs and packaged for a customer.
In addition to creating a set of prints from a roll of film, many film processing companies are now offering to provide their customers with an index print. An index print is a single print that contains a small image of each frame on the film. Each image is printed with its corresponding frame number so that a user can quickly view the entire set of prints in order to facilitate ordering copies of selected prints.
Presently, the creation of index prints requires additional equipment and processing steps to be performed by the film developer. Because of variations in the exposure of each frame on the film as well as the different color characteristics of various film types, the printing of the individual frames on the index print had to be carefully monitored in order to produce the best quality picture. This not only increases the cost to produce an index print, but reduces the overall rate at which film can be processed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system for creating in-line index prints. A supply of film is wound over a set of guide rollers and a capstan to a take-up reel. A prescan sensor is programmed to compute the average density of an individual frame on the film as the film is advanced by the capstan. The average density value is transmitted to a computer system that controls a programmable light source to produce light that compensates for variations in the exposure of the frame and the color characteristics of the film. A video camera is positioned over the programmable light source. As the frame for which the average density value has been computed is passed between the programmable light source and the video camera, an image of the frame is captured by the computer system. The image can be printed on a color laser printer, a CRT printer, or stored in the computer system for later retrieval.
The programmable light source preferably comprises a plurality of red, green, and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are driven with a current that is selected by the computer system. The light source is capable of color and brightness changes much faster than conventional light sources. In one embodiment of the invention, the exposure time of the video camera remains fixed and the intensity of the light source is varied to correct for differences in the exposure of the individual picture frames as well as the color characteristics of the film. Alternatively, the LEDs can be driven with a current that is selected by the computer system to compensate for the color characteristics of the film and the drive time of the LEDs can be altered to compensate for variations in the exposure of the film.
In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the index printing system of the present invention works in conjunction with a film notching mechanism that operates by placing notches on the film at the location of each individual frame. The programmable light source and video camera are disposed in-line with a film notcher so that additional photographic processing equipment is not needed to produce the index print.
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Aldrich Virginia Lee
Reed William George
Renn John Oliver
Adams Russell
Covington & Burling
Digital Now, Inc.
Kim Peter B.
Reister Andrea G.
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