Abstract: A clamping arrangement essentially comprising two lever arms driven at one end by a solenoid and having a resilient clamp pad mounted on a flexure member at the other end thereof. The clamp pad is made of a resilient material such as, for example, urethane and has four non-parallel side walls defining an upper face which is complementary to the radial face of the scanning apparatus gate. The sloping side walls of the clamp pad act as a light baffle to prevent reflected light from entering the imaging lens, and the pad is gimballed so that any variations between the upper surface of the clamp pad and the radial surface of the gate will be eliminated attain as perfect a match therebetween as is possible. In another embodiment of the clamping arrangement, a single arm can be utilized in place of the dual arm arrangement described above. The single arm has a Y-shape in which the clamp pad is supported on the branched end of the arm and the solenoid drives the single member.

Abstract: A digital image processing system digitizes and stores photographic film images in their captured orientation on film, in order to obviate the need to physically rotate the film scanner relative to the film for vertical images, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the scanner. Instead, each stored image file has an associated presentation control file, which contains orientation and aspect ratio information, so that the image playback device will know how each image has been stored on the digital image database, such as a compact disc. When the disc is inserted into a playback device for driving an output display such as a color TV monitor, the playback device is readily able to decode the playback control information in the course of reading out the digitized image, so that the image will be displayed in an upright orientation and at the correct aspect ratio for the display.

Abstract: A vertical semiconductor radiation detector structure is described in which a suction diode, formed by deposition of p+ on a substrate or epitaxial layer and subsequent up-diffusion during epitaxial layer deposition, surrounds the active area of the radiation detector. The suction diode removes the slow diffusion currents thereby reducing the settling time of the radiation detector to an acceptable level.

Abstract: A gimballed roller automatically positions itself with regards to a moving web of material to minimize misalignment forces on the web material and additionally incorporates a feature of being quickly adjusted by an operator to accommodate different widths of web material.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and an associated method for achieving alignment between an image on a film and a lenticular material that is to be bonded to the film to permit the image to be viewed in 3D. The apparatus imparts a controlled bending of the lenticular material over the film such that the slight differences in length between the lenticular material and the film, caused by the bending, adjusts for changes in the line spacing of the lenticular material and or in the spacing of the image segments. Other embodiments of the invention provide for a controlled stretching of the film along its length and from side-to-side to again compensate for variations in the line spacing of the lenticular material or spacing of the image segments.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for storing or generating images has a processor that receives digital information representing an image or scene, where the digital information includes at least two different image units of the image, each image unit containing different information regarding the image. The processor links the different image units of the image for storage in a database such that the different image units of the image are automatically accessed when the image is accessed. A storage device stores the different image units of the image in a database. An output device produces an output image from the different image units of the image stored in the database. The database is contained on a photographic CD, for example. The linkage of the different image units allows three-dimensional images to be generated, or other manipulations to be performed by a computer graphics processor.

Abstract: A mechanism for facilitating metric conversion of digitized images intended for use with a multi-resolution, multi-application environment is integrated into the encoding and decoding mechanisms of the hierarchical data base, such that stored residual image files contain metric change information. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the metric conversion operator is executed upon a relatively low spatial resolution file, thereby resulting in a substantial reduction in processing overhead, as advantage is taken of the availability of the reduced size of the lower spatial resolution base file within the hierarchical database, so that a metric conversion may be performed on the relatively small number of pixels within the base file, prior to up-converting the image to a relatively high spatial resolution image, such as a 2048.times.3072 pixel image for driving a high resolution digital thermal color printer.

Abstract: An method and associated apparatus for mapping received bits in a progressive bit plane scheme to output values which are derived by combining all previously received bits with the most recently received bits and appending additional bits to provide output values that are distributed across the output display range so as to improve recognizability of reconstructed images when only a few bit planes have been received.

Abstract: The present invention is a system that uses a single channel light meter to measure the actual red, green and blue light output response curves of a CRT monitor to the range of possible input monitor code values for each color. A computer is used to transform a desired corresponding tone scale through the corresponding response curve to obtain a look-up table or video shaper that calibrates the monitor to the desired corresponding tone scale. The transformation includes obtaining a tone scale intensity value for each possible input value and searching the actual response values for a closest match. The input monitor code value used to obtain the actual response matching intensity for the possible input value is the calibrated value displayed by the monitor when an image includes the possible input value. The system is used throughout the life of the monitor to bring the monitor back to calibration as it changes.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a scanning gate of a photographic film scanning apparatus utilizes a reversible m s , stepping motor, and a system driven by the motor for moving the gate in a pendulum-like manner. The means comprises a shaft, a gear sector fixedly connected on the shaft and a crank arm fixedly connected on the shaft so as to operatively engage the scanning gate, and a worm configured to be driven by the motor. A biasing device is arranged between the gear sector and a chassis of the scanning apparatus to maintain a positive engagement between the worm and the gear sector. Additional biasing devices are connected between the crank arm and the gate to provide for adjustment of the gate about two axes.

Abstract: A protection device for a lens used in a scanning apparatus for imaging data on photographic film, comprises a plate and having a finger gripping portion, a member slidably retained in the plate, a glass piece removably carried by the member, and a biasing member operatively associated with the member for selectively permitting secure holding of the glass piece on the member and easy removal of the glass piece from the member. The plate is provided with a biasing device for securely retaining the member in a desired location such that the glass piece is in a predetermined lens protecting position. A switch is associated with the plate such that the switch is moved to an open position upon movement of the member away from the plate. The biasing member is a pivotally mounted spring configured to hold the glass piece in a desired location on the member and has V-shaped portions to engage portions of the member for positive locking of the spring in the member.

Abstract: A chassis for mounting components in a photographic film scanning apparatus cabinet includes a planar base member, and bearing mounts integral with the base member. The mounts sized and configured to hold bearings against which an arcuate wear plate of a gate of the scanning apparatus registers. The gate is configured to move in a pendulum-like manner across the bearings, with an aperture in the planar member for rotatably accommodating a shaft of a drive system for moving the gate in the pendulum-like manner. Mounts integral with the planar base member are provided for holding an optical system of the scanning apparatus. A continuous integral rib is arranged on the rear surface of the planar member is tuned to a higher natural frequency than that of the scanning frequency for vibrationally isolating the planar base member from other components in the cabinet.

Abstract: An arc-segment-shaped gate for a photographic film scanning apparatus has a six inch radius from a pivot shaft of the gate to the outermost surface at which the scanning of the film is to occur. The gate is pivoted around a pivot axis through an optical chassis of the scanning apparatus and is driven by a worm-gear segment arrangement via a reversible electric motor. The gate swings through an arc of approximately 61/2.degree. on each side of a vertical initializing position of the gate and has an aperture at which a frame of the film can be held against the gate by a clamping arrangement which is moved with the gate. The gate of the present invention is that the gate is mounted to be adjusted about a spherical bearing by the use of bearings mounted on eccentric shafts against which a wear plate on the gate is registered. Pins and biasing springs mounted on the gate and the gate system drive allow adjustment of the gate in .THETA. X and .THETA. Z directions for obtaining precise optical alignment.

Abstract: An improved method and associated mechanism for facilitating the transformation of digitized images intended for use in a multi-resolution, multi-application environment by performing complex transformations on low resolution image components and approximate transformations on the high level image components so as to reduce computational complexity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transformation operator is executed upon a relatively low spatial resolution file, thereby resulting in a substantial reduction in processing overhead. Advantage is thus taken of the availability of the reduced size of the lower spatial resolution base file within the hierarchical database, so that a relatively complex conversion may be performed on a small number of pixels within the base file, prior to up-converting the image to a relatively high spatial resolution image, such as a 2048.times.3072 pixel image for driving a high resolution digital thermal color printer.

Abstract: A system and method that determines a number of scan lines for each image of a view using a resolution of the recording media, a pitch of the lenticules and a number of views needed to minimize angular transitions between views. The viewing range is also increased by allowing the primary visual field to be offset with respect to the projection field of the lenticules such that the image lines can be positioned under lenticules adjacent to the lenticule projecting the image lines as the distance from a central viewing position increases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing the image elements of a lenticular image. The lenticular image includes a plurality of composite images of the same scene where each composite image includes image lines. The image lines of one composite view are interleaved with the image lines forming the other composite images to create image line sets. The sets include one image line from each composite image. The sets of image lines are aligned with the lenticules of a lenticular overlay by adjusting the spacing between the image line sets, so that the sets are in optimum alignment or phase relationship with each lenticule of the lenticular overlay. The spacing between image lines and/or between scan lines and/or image line sets can be adjusted to correct phase errors. The scan lines are printed in a fast scan direction of a printer in alignment with the lenticules.

Abstract: A digital image processing system digitizes and stores photographic film images in their captured orientation on film, in order to obviate the need to physically rotate the film scanner relative to the film for vertical images, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the scanner. Instead, each stored image file has an associated presentation control file, which contains orientation and aspect ratio information, so that the image playback device will know how each image has been stored on the digital image database, such as a compact disc. When the disc is inserted into a playback device for driving an output display such as a color TV monitor, the playback device is readily able to decode the playback control information in the course of reading out the digitized image, so that the image will be displayed in an upright orientation and at the correct aspect ratio for the display.

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: Clamping of different format sizes of film is achieved by aperatured inserts of the required size being insertable in a base member and a platen. The base member is provided with a relatively flat surface and an aperature therein over which a film strip is positioned. The platen is provided with an aperture therethrough and a gripping strips positioned around the periphery of the aperature with the gripping strips being angled away from the aperture. A clamping of the platen to the base member, with said apertures in alignment, provides a tension in the film along all sides of the aperture as the gripping strips are urged outward from the aperture. A two degree of freedom gimbal is formed in the platen to insures that the gripping strips clamp parallel to the aperture plate. Also the design will apply an equal and even clamping force and tension around the film because the two degrees of fredom of rotations are about the center of the clamping plate inserts.

Abstract: This abstract describes an apparatus for providing accurate white balance for images from a color sequential image scanner while minimizing the object illumination level. A shutter synchronized to the phase of a fluorescent light source allows for different exposure times for the red, green and blue image captures, in order to achieve proper white balance while maximizing the signal to noise ratio. By synchronizing the shutter with the AC voltage supplied to the illumination source, light level variations from one image capture to another are minimized.