Abstract: A transaction card is described in which data representing an identifiable image can be stored in a limited amount of storage space. The image to be stored is converted to an associated matrix of pixel values. The matrix of pixel values is partitioned into a plurality of ordered image portions corresponding to a like partitioning of the image. The partitioning is generally related to feature locations in the image. Each image portion is compared with a reference set of image portions represented by pixel groups. Associated with each pixel group is a signal group. For each image portion, a signal group is chosen for the associated reference pixel group that most closely matches with the pixel image portion. The signal groups representing the matrix of pixel values or the image to be stored are stored as bit patterns on the storage space of a transaction card. The bit patterns may then be read and converted to the signal groups.

Abstract: A portfolio photo compact disc visual/audio display system for displaying images and any associated audio stored on a photo compact disc. The system includes first and second photo compact disc players for playing the photo compact disc and a control device. Each photo compact disc player has an output representative of one image and any associated audio stored on the photo compact disc. The control device has a display output and an internal switch coupled to the outputs of the first and second photo compact disc players and to the display output. The control device is able to control the switch to selectively change the display output between the images and any associated audio from the outputs of the first and second photo compact disc players without a noticeable transitional delay.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing real-time computer animation of data used to simulate physical phenomena is disclosed. The animation system generates floating point geometrical element simulation data and byte width variable simulation data with a processing unit. The floating point geometrical simulation data is supplied to a graphics processor which generates element transformation matrices. The variable simulation data is applied to each of the element transformation matrices by the graphics processor to generate a plurality of layer transformation matrices. The layer transformation matrices are then applied to a stock piece-wise polygonal surface to generate a plurality of layer elements. The layer elements are displayed on a graphics display unit in real-time in the form of glyphs which animate the physical phenomena.

Abstract: An integral, autostereoscopic three-dimensional image suitable for lenticular display is generated from a plurality of image perspectives by interpolating additional images from hypothetical perspectives, as follows. Initially, actual image signals are generated from a plurality of actual images obtained from a plurality of actual image perspectives. The additional images are obtained by operating upon the actual image signals and forming interpolated image signals from hypothetical image perspectives. Finally, an integral three-dimensional image is generated from the combination of images obtained from the actual image perspectives and the hypothetical image perspectives, and is suitably displayed. According to one suitable display, the integral image may be exposed upon a photosensitive sheet that is attached to a lenticular faceplate for subsequent viewing.

Abstract: A method of improving image quality when using block transform image compression algorithms by applying a variable lowpass filter (blur) operation on block boundaries that is based on the coefficients of the transformed data. The method of reducing block artifacts results from adaptively blurring the block boundaries based on the frequency content of the blocks. Low frequency blocks are heavily blurred, while high frequency blocks should have very little blur.

Abstract: Methods and means are described for producing intermediary color image processing and/or data storage metrics that are independent of the input image origins. These methods and means produce intermediary metric images that can be output onto any of a plurality of image-receptive media or image-forming devices such that the reproduced images appear appropriately rendered for the output medium or device chosen regardless of the input image origin. The intermediary metric images may also be stored for later use without requiring documentation of their origin, images or portions thereof from various media and devices may be merged together to produce composite images of homogeneous and appropriate appearance, and images may be balanced and otherwise manipulated without requiring references to their origin.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus is implemented in a halftone printing system that permits a halftone dot of the type that is represented by an envelope that is formed from a combination of straight lines that are drawn from tangent points to be position modulated by a displacement engine to introduce noise into the screener.

Abstract: A storage and retrieval mechanism for a digital image processing system employs a reduced capacity frame store in the playback device. A plurality of photographic images captured on a photographic recording medium are digitized for processing and subsequent display. Digitized images are stored on a compact disc. When the disc is inserted into a playback device for driving a color TV monitor, the playback device decodes header information representative of image orientation, so that the image will be read from the disc and stored in the reduced capacity frame store for subsequent read out and display in an upright orientation. A memory control mechanism employs a decimation/interpolation operator to interface the imagery data from the disc to the frame store.

Abstract: Methods and means are described for enhancing the visibility of small errors in color balance and color adjustments of images previewed for subsequent production. The visibility of color differences is enhanced by varying the color reproduction of a system in such a way that, for each color, the luminance and hue remain constant while the chroma is increased. The size of the increase in chroma is related to the magnitude of the initial chroma. This increase in chroma enhances the visibility of small color deviations and makes it much easier for an operator to decide whether an image is correct with respect to color balance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are implemented in a halftone printing system utilizing logic blocks that permit a halftone elliptical dot to be represented by an elliptical envelope that is formed from a combination of straight lines that are drawn from tangent points, on the outer periphery of the elliptical dot, through reference axis for the elliptical dot. The intersection points of the tangent lines on the reference axis define the size (density) of the elliptical dot. Storing the intersect points as sets of values for each size elliptical dot provides a unique representation set that is used to reconstruct a selected elliptical dot size for printing a halftone image.

Abstract: A reel-locking device comprised of a spindle shaft that has flat elongated surfaces onto which is mounted one or more leaf springs that are compressed as a reel is forced onto the shaft. The force exerted by the leaf spring holds the reel in position with a friction force. Different widths of reels may be accommodated without modifications.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the manner in which digitized image data files are stored on a digital data storage medium, such as a compact disc, in an opto-electronic image digitizing system in which a plurality of images that have been captured on an image storage medium, such as 35 mm film, are converted into a digital image representation and stored as respective high resolution image-representative data files. For each high resolution image-representative data file, an associated low resolution digitized image is stored within a low resolution index image data file. Selected ones or all of the low resolution image-representative data files within the index file may be read out and displayed as corresponding low resolution portions of a montage image to facilitate rapid viewing of the images.

Abstract: Improved rise and fall times for the driving pulses used to drive the laser in a laser writer are achieved by incorporating the sources of the READ, WRITE, and BOOST pulses in one ASIC chip and by having the pulses driving only one laser current driver stage which is held on by a READ signal, but which can be turned on harder when a WRITE and/or BOOST signal is applied, thus the delay associated with turning on the laser current driver stage is eliminated permitting higher writing speeds.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for detecting the amount, size, shape, and location of anomalies, such as dirt and scratches, on the surface of a test photographic element after the application of a cleaning procedure and for objectively determining the effectiveness of the film cleaning devices and procedures at removing dirt from photographic negatives and slides and the scanner's sensitivity to the artifacts on the test photographic element's surface. The test photographic element is scanned and the scanned image is digitized and converted to color digital count values. The count values are corrected for systematic errors and a set of context dependent threshold values on the corrected data is computed. If the corrected data passes any of the series of threshold tests it classified as anomalous otherwise it is considered to be background or clean. A series of statistics are calculated for the detected anomalies and are reported to the operator.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method that produces an internegative 60 from a digitally processed image or images that are originally captured on film or digitally. The digital processing by a computer 58 allows digital operations to be performed such as filtering, image overlay and stereo image creation. The internegative 60 is reduction printed using an enlarger apparatus 70 and developed, thereby increasing the resolution of the printed image. A lenticular cover can be attached to a stereo picture produced in this way to mass produce a high angular resolution, three dimensional photograph 8. The internegative can also be enlarged allowing digital processing to be applied to poster and billboard type images.

Abstract: A method for aligning a lenticular material for the printing of an image onto a printing surface of a lenticular material for the purpose of forming a 3-D image is disclosed comprising the steps of:a) directing a radiation beam to the lenticular material such that at least one of the lenticules focuses the radiation beam at the printing surface of the lenticular material;b) positioning a radiation sensitive array at a reference position that will yield a maximum sensed radiation when the position of the focused radiation beam on the printing surface of the lenticular material is in correct printing alignment; andc) adjusting the position of the lenticular material to maximize the radiation sensed by the radiation sensitive array.

Abstract: An integrated laser module is formed with a laser having an input for receiving power and an output for emitting light being positioned so as to pass through a thermally conductive lower module body such that laser emitted light passes from the lower module body, and the lower housing acts as a heat sink. An HFI shielding substrate assembly is positioned in the lower module body adjacent to the laser with the laser input passing through the shielding substrate. A laser driver circuit is connected to the input of the laser, and an injection circuit is connected to the input to the laser and EMI shielded from the driver circuit. A top module body is fixed to the lower module body to form an EMI shield package around all of the components.

Abstract: This invention is a system and associated method for monitoring and controlling independently the supersaturation and halide ion concentration, during the precipitation of a silver halide emulsion in a precipitation vessel. The introduction of a silver salt is controlled in accordance with a predetermined program, which in turn is responding to the supersaturation signal measured in the vessel by a supersaturation sensor. The sensor is comprised of a true silver ion electrode and a silver-silver halide electrode. The introduction of the halide salt is controlled in accordance with the predetermined program, which in turn is responding to the halide ion concentration signal measured in the vessel by a silver-silver halide electrode and a reference electrode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using composite transforms to efficiently produce intermediary image data metrics that are independent of the input image origins. The method and apparatus produce intermediary image data metrics that can be used to drive the output of any of a plurality of image-receptive media or image-forming devices such that the reproduced images appear appropriately rendered for the output medium or device chosen regardless of the input image origin. The intermediary image data metrics may also be stored for later use without requiring documentation of their origin; images or portions thereof from various media and devices may be merged together to produce composite images of homogeneous and appropriate appearance; and images may be balanced and otherwise manipulated without requiring references to their origin.

Abstract: Instead of trying to minimize some cost function of color errors, the present invention exploits physical models of scene-image relations. An image is first segmented into regions corresponding to objects in the physical world. Each object is then painted with a few levels of shades of the same chromaticity. This is motivated by the observation that physical objects are the basic units for human visual perception. Chromatic variations within an object surface tend to be grossly discounted by our color vision, and therefore, it is not necessary to render those variations accurately. Furthermore, since the shading across an object surface spans a much smaller dynamic range as compared to the whole scene, the limited number of color shades can be more effectively used within a segmented image region.