Television – Special applications – Film – disc or card scanning
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-04
2001-06-12
Kelley, Chris (Department: 2713)
Television
Special applications
Film, disc or card scanning
C348S097000, C315S134000, C358S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246433
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a film image capturing method, and more particularly to a film image capturing method of capturing frame images on a developed film with a line sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 8-336071 discloses a conventional film image capturing method in which image data is captured with a line sensor from each of a plurality of frames on a continuous developed film, which is transported at a preset speed and is illuminated with a light source.
This film image capturing method includes the steps of performing a pre-scanning process for determining exposed conditions such as the brightness and white balance state of each frame before capturing fine image data from the frame, and performing a main scanning process for capturing fine image data from a desired frame under capturing conditions which are adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame determined in the pre-scanning process.
The method can include an index scanning process for capturing rough image data from each frame on the film under the capturing conditions which are adjusted according to the exposed conditions of each frame determined in the pre-scanning process, and thereby producing an index image showing the frames on the film. The index image, which is produced by the index scanning, is displayed on a screen of a TV monitor for example, and is used to interactively enter print order information with respect to each frame and information which is necessary for displaying a fine image of one frame at a time on the TV monitor, or the like.
The method can include a set-up process for capturing an image signal with the line sensor from a negative base area, which is not exposed at all, on the film, and adjusting a gain of an analog amplifier, etc. so that the image signal of the negative base area, which is output from the line sensor, can be a preset reference value.
A long time elapses before the intensity and spectral characteristics of light emitted from the light source (e.g. a fluorescent lamp) illuminating the film are stable after the light source is switched on. In the conventional image capturing method, the set-up process, the pre-scanning process and the index scanning process are performed after the light source reaches a predetermined stable state. For this reason, there is a problem in that the index image cannot be displayed rapidly, and thus, a variety of editing operations using the index image cannot be performed immediately.
There is another problem in that satisfactory image data cannot be captured if there are variations in the output level of the line sensor and/or the intensity of the light emitted from the light source.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a film image capturing method which makes it possible for an index image to be displayed at an early stage, and is able to capture satisfactory image data even if there are variations in the output level of the line sensor and/or the intensity of light emitted from the light source.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a film image capturing method of the present invention in which image data is captured with a line sensor from each of a plurality of frames on a continuous developed film being transported at a preset speed and being illuminated with a light source, comprises the steps of: pre-scanning for determining exposed conditions, including brightness, of each of the plurality of frames on the film; index scanning for capturing rough image data from each of the plurality of frames on the film under capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the frame which are determined in the pre-scanning, and producing an index image showing all or selected frames of the plurality of frames on the film; main scanning for capturing fine image data from a desired frame of the plurality of frames on the film under the capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame which are determined in at least one of the pre-scanning and the index scanning; and this method is characterized in that the index scanning is enabled before the light source reaches a predetermined stable state required for the main scanning, such that the producing of the index image is performed at an early stage.
According to the present invention, the index scanning is performed before the light source reaches the predetermined stable state required for the main scanning (for instance, when the intensity of light emitted from the light source reaches a preset level), since the rough image data captured in the index scanning can permit a lower picture quality than the fine image data captured in the main scanning. Thus, the index image can be displayed at an early stage.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a film image capturing method of the present invention in which image data is captured with a line sensor from each of a plurality of frames on a continuous developed film being transported at a preset speed and being illuminated with a light source, comprises the steps of: pre-scanning for determining exposed conditions, including brightness, of each of the plurality of frames on the film; main scanning for capturing fine image data from a desired frame of the plurality of frames on the film under capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame which are determined in the pre-scanning; and this method is characterized in that if a preset time elapses before performance of the main scanning after performance of the scanning for determining the exposed conditions of the desired frame, rescanning is performed for determining the exposed conditions of the desired frame, and the main scanning is performed under the capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame which are determined in the rescanning.
According to another mode of the present invention, the rescanning is performed to determine the exposed conditions of a selected frame instead of the frame subject to the main scanning. The exposed conditions of each frame are corrected according to respective differences between the exposed conditions of the selected frame which are determined in the rescanning and the exposed conditions of the selected frame which are previously determined, and the main scanning is performed under the capturing conditions being adjusted according to the corrected exposed conditions of the desired frame.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a film image capturing method of the present invention in which image data is captured with a line sensor from each of a plurality of frames on a continuous developed film being transported at a preset speed and being illuminated with a light source, comprises the steps of: performing a set-up step including capturing image data with the line sensor from a negative base area on the film, being illuminated with the light source, and adjusting capturing conditions so that the image data of the negative base area is preset reference data; pre-scanning for determining exposed conditions, including brightness, of each of the plurality of frames on the film; main scanning for capturing fine image data from a desired frame of the plurality of frames on the film under the capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame which are determined in the pre-scanning; and performing the set-up step again, if a preset time elapses before performance of the main scanning after performance of the scanning for determining the exposed conditions of the desired frame.
According to another mode of the present invention, after the performance of the pre-scanning, the set-up step is repeatedly performed in intermission of the main scanning, instead of performing the set-up step again under the predetermined condit
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Kelley Chris
Wong Allen
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