Film image input system

Details Film image input system Film image input system

1999-10-13

2001-08-21

Ho, Tuan (Department: 2612)

Television

Special applications

Film, disc or card scanning

C348S207110

Reexamination Certificate

active

06278484

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film image input system and, in particular, to a film image input system which picks up the image of a long roll of developed film for a still camera by use of image pickup means, converts the image into a image signal, and outputs the image signal to a video monitor to thereby reproduce the film image on the video monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a film image input system which is adapted to reproduce the image of a roll of developed film for a still camera on a video monitor is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,924, U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,406, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,300, WO90/04301 and the like.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 61
, a conventional film image input system
36
includes a film feed system comprising a supply reel
38
for feeding a long roll of developed film
37
for a still camera and a take-up reel
40
, an image pickup optical system
41
comprising an illumination unit
41
A and a taking lens
41
B, an image sensor
48
A formed of a CCD, and an image signal process circuit
48
B.
The above-mentioned film
37
is fed frame by frame between the illumination unit
41
A and taking lens
41
B. The image of the film
37
is illuminated by an illuminating light from the illumination unit
41
A, and the illuminated image is picked up by the taking lens
41
B and is then formed on the image sensor
48
A. By means of this, the image on the film
37
is converted by the image sensor
48
A into an image signal and is then signal processed by the image signal process circuit
48
B. After then, the signal is output to the video monitor
49
as a video signal and is displayed on the video monitor
49
. Also, some of this type of conventional film image input systems include a zoom mechanism, a film scan mechanism (X-Y moving mechanism), an image sensor rotating mechanism and other mechanisms.
However, according to the above-mentioned film image input system, due to the fact that, after the developed photo film
37
is directly rolled round the supply reel
38
and take-up reel
40
within the system, the film is fed, it is complicated to handle the photo film
37
and also there is a danger that the film
37
may be damaged or stained.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 61
, when using the supply reel
38
round which the photo film
37
is wound, the supply reel
38
is loaded in a film loading part
39
, and with one end of the outer-most roll of the film being extended manually, the film
37
is inserted through the image pickup system
41
and is wound round the take-up reel
40
, and the image surface of the film
37
is set to the focal surface of the image pickup optical system
41
, which completes preparation for reproduction. Also, when taking out the film after the reproduction of the whole picture is completed, with one end of the outer-most roll of the film wound the take-up reel
40
being extended manually, the film is wound round the supply reel
38
, and a switch for rewinding is depressed to thereby rewind the film. And, after completion of the rewinding of the whole film, a stop button is pressed down to take out the supply reel
38
from the loading part
39
. The above-mentioned conventional film image input system requires the troublesome operations mentioned above.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Tokkai) No. 1-289948, there is disclosed a film image input system using a film cartridge. However, this publication teaches no description of a film cartridge having a single spool and of an interface to the film image input system. For example, as shown in
FIG. 62
, when using a film cartridge
46
in which one end of a photo film
43
is fixed to a supply spool
44
, the other end is fixed to a take-up spool
45
, and these two spools
44
and
45
are spaced at a given distance from each other and are supported rotatably, the following problems arise:
That is, due to the fact that the design of a film image input system
42
is limited because the distance between the two spools
44
and
45
of the film cartridge
46
and also that the film cartridge
46
is constructed in such a manner to stretch over the image pickup optical system and thus the film image input system
42
must be larger in size in order to guarantee its loadability, a great space is necessary for storing the film image input system
42
. Also, since the film surface is exposed by at least 1 frame on the front and rear sides thereof, there is a possibility that dust may enter from the exposed film surface. Further, the film cartridge
46
includes a picture frame
47
which makes it impossible to design freely a mechanism to coincide the focal surface of the image pickup optical system with the image surface of the film.
Also, in the case where the above-mentioned film has a magnetic recording layer, the arrangement of a recording/reproducing magnetic head with respect to the magnetic recording layer is limited by the shape of the film cartridge.
Further, the film is formed of acetate or polyester base material with a photosensitive emulsion coated thereon. For this reason, when compared with a magnetic tape such as an audio tape, a video tape and the like, the film is wider, easier to curl and has a greater rigidity, which gives rise to the following problems:
In other words, as shown in
FIG. 63
, the film (especially, the developed film) is heavily curled (see
FIG. 63
(A)) and, if such curled film is to be stretched, it will be curved in the width direction thereof, as shown in
FIG. 63
(B). Also, when one end of the film is wound automatically round the take-up reel, the leading end of the heavily curled film gets into the opposite side of the take-up reel to the winding side thereof, which makes it impossible for the film to be taken up. Further, since the great rigidity of the film provides a great restoring force for the film that has been taken up, the film is easy to flex or come loose in winding. Moreover, since the film has a broad width but has a limited number of frames, the film has a relatively small winding diameter, with the result that the film cartridge is different in shape from a tape cassette. For this reason, when loading the film cartridge into the cartridge loading part, there is required a cartridge loading mechanism which is different from a tape cassette loading mechanism.
Further, in order that the film image input system can always reproduce the film image in an excellent manner, it is necessary to take measures to prevent damage of the film and to correct the fading of the film image.
A film includes negative and positive films and, therefore, it is necessary to check whether a film is a negative film or a positive film. It is troublesome that, after whether the film is positive or negative is confirmed visually, the image signal processings in the film image input system are manually switched according to the kinds of the film. Also, it may happen that nothing is taken when the film image input system is started. In this case, it cannot be decided whether this is because the film is not set or because a frame in which nothing is taken is picked up.
When the winding and rewinding of the film is performed by use of a single reel motor, it is considered that a driving force is transmitted from the reel motor through a swing gear mechanism to a supply reel or to a take-up reel. However, the swing gear mechanism swings its head portion according to the directions of rotation of the reel motor and transmits the driving force to the supply or take-up reel only in the film winding direction thereof and, therefore, in the film loading (that is, when the film is sent out from the film cartridge), it is not possible to drive the supply reel in the film sending direction by use of the swing gear mechanism.
Also, when the film and image pickup means are moved relatively to each other to execute the X-direction and Y-direction scans of the film image, it is considered that the X-direction scan is carried out by sending the film. In this case, a

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Film image input system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Film image input system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Film image input system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2501318