Photocopying – Including fiber optics
Patent
1992-10-09
1994-05-24
Gellner, Michael L.
Photocopying
Including fiber optics
355 71, G03B 2700
Patent
active
053153464
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to scanners and is more particularly concerned with scanners for scanning 35 mm film in a photofinishing operation.
Various scanning devices are known for use in scanning 35 mm film in photofinishing operations but they devices have a limited range of functions or are very bulky.
FR-A-2 621 710 discloses a scanning device for scanning 35 mm film in a photofinishing operation in which a bundle of optical fibres are linearly arranged and are divided into two sets. The first set of optical fibres are arranged to scan frames of the film to sense frame content information, and the second set of optical fibres are arranged to sense film reference information adjacent to at least one edge of the film.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a scanning device as described above, characterized in that the second set of optical fibres comprises a portion arranged to sense illumination level information off the film.
Such a scanner may be used to produce a variety of different types of information, eg to control the position of a film in a printing gate (framing), to obtain the necessary dye density information to control printer exposure and to enable photographic film control strips to be measured (control strip densitometry), with a single, low cost, simple device. This can allow design of a very simple printer, use of existing exposure control algorithms, walk-away printing with high quality results, and possible retrofit to existing mini-labs.
The same scanner, with all these advantages, can further be adapted to be able to read at the same time the film DX code and frame numbers. For the latter purpose, the second set of optical fibres comprises a portion arranged to sense DX barcode information.
The second set of optical fibres may also comprise a portion arranged to sense occurrence of sprocket holes so that the densities in the film can be related in position to these.
The second set of optical fibres may further enhance the usefulness of the scanner by comprising a portion arranged to sense illumination level information off the film so as to provide a reference standard with which to compare the responses obtained by means of other parts of the scanner.
The first set of optical fibres may comprise means to provide colour information regarding a frame and the scanner may comprise means connected to this set to receive such information and to derive, from this colour information, frame position information, thereby obtaining two kinds of information from one set of signals and hence reducing the complexity of the scanning means, eg by using suitable back up circuitry.
In a preferred arrangement, successive fibres (or groups of fibres) of the linear arrangement in the first set are connected up optically to colour filters of correspondingly different colours, which enables a particularly simple and useful arrangement to result.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a scanner embodying the present invention with its optical face facing the reader;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the scanner shown FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the scanner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic representations of alternative embodiments of optical fibre channels connections for the scanner shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to the FIGS. 1 to 3, a linear scanning device 10 is shown. Such a device 10 is used for scanning 35 mm film (referenced 12 in FIGS. 1 and 3) in a photofinishing operation. The device 10 comprises a bundle of optical fibres 14 arranged linearly so that the fibres scan through slits 1 to 5 as shown in FIG. 1. The bundle of optical fibres 14 is divided into at least two sets 16, 18 (as shown in FIG. 2). One set 16 of fibres is arranged for scanning frames 20 of the film 12 through slit 1 to sense frame content information. A second set 18 of fibres is arranged to sense film reference information adjacent to at least
REFERENCES:
patent: 4290688 (1981-09-01), Call
patent: 5087937 (1992-02-01), Frick et al.
Graebe Christopher M.
Ward Paul C.
Boos, Jr. Francis H.
Eastman Kodak Company
Gellner Michael L.
Malley D. P.
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