Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Stereoscopic
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-07-31
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Stereoscopic
C359S463000, C396S532000, C396S071000, C396S091000, C347S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06268899
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to lenticular imaging and more particularly to means for identifying the characteristics of lenticular material used in lenticular image printers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lenticular image products include a lenticular lens element through which an associated composite image is viewed. The lenticular lens element includes an array of parallel lenticules having cylindrical lenses. The associated composite image includes a number of images which have been decomposed into image strips which are interleaved. Under each lenticule is a set of image strips, one strip from each image, the number of adjacent sets being equal to the number of lenticules. Relative motion between the lenticular image product and a viewer can produce any one of several image effects, including depth imaging, dynamic imaging, flip imaging, etc., depending upon the content of the composite image.
The manufacture of high quality lenticular image products involves the selection of a number of key parameters. These parameters often depend on the desired application and include variables such as:
Lenticular pitch.
Image type.
Refractive index of the material to be printed.
Size of the image sheet to be printed.
Method of illuminating final image.
Focal point position.
For example, if the image is to be illuminated from behind, a transparency is required. If the image is to be illuminated from the front, a reflection image is required. Images may also be illuminated from both behind and in front requiring yet another image type. These changes also involve the selection of different image receiving layers for the imaging material.
Desired lenticular image viewing effect:
For images to produce a smooth sensation of depth, a larger number of unique views is required compared to those lenticular images producing the sensation of motion. This requirement may also require a change in lenticular pitch.
Viewing distance.
Number of image scan lines per unit pitch.
As a result of these requirements, a lenticular image printer has to be able to handle different types of material. Furthermore, these different types of material require different responses from the printer. For example, for a change in lenticular pitch, the printer has to adapt to the required scan line spacing and spot size as well as a possible change in thickness of the material. For a change in image receiving layer characteristics, the printer must change parameters which could include writing speed, image processing changes, such as peaking, color correction, energy profiles, and spot size, to mention a few. It is therefore desirable to ensure that the printer can adapt to the type of material on which it has to write. It is also desirable that there be a means of communicating to the printer the type of lenticular material being fed to it.
The following patents disclosing techniques for aligning lenticular lens elements which do not solve these problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,190, inventors Young et al., issued Dec. 16, 1997.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,038, inventors Slater et al., issued Oct. 13, 1998.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,194, inventor Morton, issued Nov. 10, 1998.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,335, inventor Street, issued Dec. 13, 1994.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,270, inventor Taylor, issued Dec. 26, 1995.
The following patents disclosing techniques for providing coded holes or other indicia to identify one or more conventional film characteristics do not solve these problems either.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,740, inventors Stuber et al., issued Jul. 19, 1942.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,742, inventor Taniguchi, issued March 20, 1984.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a solution to the problems of the prior art.
According to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a lenticular imaging product comprising: a lenticular lens element having an array of lenticules; and means for encoding characteristics of the lenticular lens element for use in processing the lenticular lens element.
According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided a lenticular imaging system comprising: a lenticular lens element having an array of lenticules; means associated with the lenticular lens element for encoding characteristics of the lenticular lens element; and apparatus for processing the lenticular lens element as a function of the encoded characteristics.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention has the following advantages.
1. Equipment using the lenticular lens element are provided with information useful in processing the element. Such equipment includes a photographic printer for exposing and printing the lenticular lens element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5697006 (1997-12-01), Taguchi et al.
patent: 5850580 (1998-12-01), Taguchi et al.
patent: 5959718 (1999-09-01), Morton
Edwards James L.
Morton Roger A.
Adams Russell
Brown Khaled
Eastman Kodak Company
Noval William F.
LandOfFree
Identification of lenticular material characteristics in... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Identification of lenticular material characteristics in..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Identification of lenticular material characteristics in... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2515183