Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Photographic medium or cartridge sensing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2001-06-19
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Photographic medium or cartridge sensing
C396S311000, C396S511000, C396S515000, C396S208000, C396S599000, C355S018000, C355S027000, C352S072000, C352S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247857
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to a multistage system for processing of photographic film (including, e.g., exposure, development, modification, and printing steps), and more particularly relates to a system for and method of recording, accessing and transmitting information during various steps in such a multistage system. In a particular embodiment, this invention specifically relates to multistage motion picture and television film production systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many stages in the conventional production process or “imaging chain” that begins with the manufacture of motion picture and television film and culminates in the production of feature films, television programs, and commercials. Apparatus that handle film at various stages of this process include numerous types of cameras, film magazines, photoprocessing equipment, editing equipment (including special effects), telecine machines, and intermediate and final film printing apparatus. The production process also requires, at several stages throughout the imaging chain, the input of creative and technical individuals who add value to the film content throughout the entire pre-production, production, and post-production process. Consequently, there is a desire to provide improved methods for communication between the people involved in various stages of the film production process, whereby useful information for film processing may be conveniently exchanged.
Scene information is initially recorded in a photographic film by exposing an origination film (e.g., a camera color negative film). Color negative films are a class of photosensitive materials that (after photographic development) map the luminance (neutral) and chrominance (color) information of a scene to complementary tonal and hue polarities in the negative film. Light areas of the scene are recorded as dark areas on the color negative film, and dark areas of the scene are recorded as light areas on the color negative film. Colored areas of the scene are recorded as complementary colors in the color negative film: red is recorded as cyan, green is recorded as magenta, blue is recorded as yellow, etc. In order to render an accurate reproduction of a scene, a subsequent process is necessary to reverse the luminance and chrominance information back to those of the original scene. This subsequent process may or may not require another photosensitive material. In the motion picture industry, there are two common subsequent processes. One such subsequent process is to optically print (by contact or optics) the color negative film onto another negative working photosensitive material, such as Eastman Color Print Film 5386™, to produce (after photographic development) a color positive image suitable for projection, or an intermediate film to produce a master positive, which may be used to subsequently produce a duplicate negative by again printing on an intermediate film. Another subsequent process in the motion picture industry is to transfer the color negative film information directly into a video signal using a telecine transfer device, or indirectly by first making a positive photographic print and then transferring the print film information into a video signal using such a device. Various types of telecine transfer devices are described in Engineering Handbook, E. O. Fritts, Ed., 8th edition, National Association of Broadcasters, 1992, Chapter 5.8, pp. 933-946, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The most popular of such devices generally employ either a flying spot scanner using photomultiplier tube detectors, or arrays of charged-coupled devices, also called CCD sensors. Telecine devices scan each negative or positive film frame transforming the transmittance at each pixel of an image into voltage. The signal processing then inverts the electrical signal in the case of a transfer made from a negative film in order to render a positive image. The signal is carefully amplified and modulated, and fed into a cathode ray tube monitor to display the image reproduction, or recorded onto magnetic tape for storage. Prior to or after such subsequent processes, films with recorded scene images may be subjected to various additional processing steps, including editing and special effects addition.
There are a number of conventional methods for communicating between different individuals who are responsible for film processing at various stages in the imaging chain. Traditionally, an assistant cameraman (AC) prepares a written camera report that includes production information such as footage counts for scenes and takes, identification of acceptable takes, framing, film type and emulsion, lighting temperature, filtration, T-stop, camera frame rate, special processing requests, color balance, telecine transfer preferences and similar related information. The written camera report is typically provided in duplicate, with a copy retained by the AC as a backup record, and a copy or copies attached to the film canister that contains the exposed, but undeveloped film. This written camera report is ultimately used by the processing lab. This report typically goes to a color timer if the negative is printed after processing and may alternately go to a colorist if the negative is to be transferred using a telecine device.
Conventional hand-written camera reports of this type are widely used and provide the basic information needed for efficient processing of the film. However, there are a number of disadvantages to these reports. Legibility and clarity can easily vary from one report to another. More importantly, a report can become separated from the film canister to which it is originally attached. This could mean loss of valuable information or even the wrong information provided for a particular reel of film. Furthermore, report information is typically limited to camera and capture (exposure) information. Other data typically not provided in the report could be useful in subsequent film processing, such as film sensitometry, film manufacture ID, and emulsion data.
As another alternative method for communication of film and processing data, some motion picture camera manufacturers offer a laptop camera controller (LCC) for remote control of camera operation such as exposure control, shutter angle transport speed and accounting report generation. The LCC can be used to generate manual or automatic camera report information in an electronic file (e.g. ASCII, Windows NT) which can then be printed, faxed or electronically transferred to processing and post production facilities. In many ways, this system provides a good alternative to hand-written camera reports. However, with this alternate method, the digitally encoded information is not attached to the film, but takes a different path to arrive at the film processing facility. Moreover, the electronic file that is provided gives information up to the point where the film is exposed in the camera. Relative to the overall imaging chain, there is no further modification of this file data after it is transferred to the production lab.
Film manufacturers provide yet another alternative method for communicating information relevant to film processing using a “keycode”. Written near the edge of the film, a human- and machine-readable alphanumeric and barcode system provides information on film code and emulsion identification, and provides footage and frame counts corresponding to the images on the film. An industry standard for this keycode system exists and this system is conventionally used in the motion picture production chain. The keycode information is written in the photosensitive layers near the edge of the film according to SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and TV Engineers) specification using a laser or light emitting diode (LED) device. The latent keycode image is developed during film processing into either an optical human-readable or machine-readable barcode. This keycode information can then be used in the editing, color timing and telecine transfer p
Spurr Robert W.
Wheeler Christopher E.
Adams Russell
Anderson Andrew J.
Eastman Kodak Company
Fuller Rodney
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