Abstract: The present image sensor mounting system is particularly adapted to the mounting of a linear sensor array, of the type having a transparent window on a front surface and a thermal and electrically conductive back surface. The system provides superior electrical and thermal transfer characteristics. A heat sink having at least one flat surface is positioned to make thermal contact with the back surface of the image sensor. A multilayer circuit board having layers of conductive material separated by layers of insulating material and having an opening therethrough sufficient in size to accept the heat sink provides the system support. A metal plating extends from one surface of the board through the opening in the board to the opposite surface of the board with selected ones of the layers of conductive material making electrical contact with the metal plating. The heat sink is mounted in the multilayer circuit board opening in thermal and electrical contact with the metal plating.

Abstract: The invention is an exposure metering system particularly adapted for use with an electronic camera. The exposure meter is responsive to the electrical signals formed by the image capturing electronics of the camera. Using these electrical signals, a pseudocolored image is formed and displayed based on the exposure of individual image sub-areas. A full tonal original image may thus be modified to provide an image having zones each with one selectable tonal value. Each zone thus formed represents a range of tones appearing in the original image.

Abstract: The synthesizer of the present invention is a multiple clock synthesizer for generating multiple clock signals with improved clock width and position accuracy. Within the synthesizer an oscillator provides a train of pulses corresponding to a base signal. A plurality of delay devices, formed of differing lengths of cables, are coupled to the oscillator with each cable providing a different delay to the train of pulses to in turn provide a plurality of delayed clocking signals. A plurality of registers, each having, a clocking input, a plurality of output taps, and load inputs and corresponding in number to the plurality of delay devices receive on their clocking inputs a delayed clocking signal from an associated one of the plurality of delay devices.

Abstract: Blurring along edges between regions of different color characteristics in interpolated color images is avoided by a signal processing technique that segments the fully sampled channel into a plurality of contiguous image regions of respectively different image characteristics. The segmentation mechanism is such that, within a respective region, the fully sampled signal values are associated with a common image characteristic. A boundary between adjacent regions occurs where the segmentation mechanism has inferred the presence of an edge between sub-sampled locations and has assigned signal values for successive sampling locations of the fully sampled channel on opposite sides of the edge in accordance with different image characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and an associated method for determining the dominant scene illuminant which apparatus is more reliable and accurate than previous illuminant detectors. Mixed illuminant detection has been added to the choice of illuminant categories, to take care of the cases where one illuminant is not dominant and color correction is best handled by printing algorithms. A new boundary condition has been devised to eliminate detection errors seen when fluorescent illumination mixes with certain quantities of daylight causes a tungsten reading. The apparatus incorporates a thresholding technique to improve over existing art. The apparatus is comprised of a means for converting illuminate light into corresponding electrical signals. The electrical signals are then directed to a log amplifier wherein they are compressed to approximately form a signal having one term equal to the log of the DC term plus a ratio of the dominant AC components to the DC components.

Abstract: Color fringing of edges between regions of different color in an interpolated image is effectively avoided by a signal processing technique that infers the existence of a color edge in response to prescribed changes in image characteristics at sample points for which data is available, and then interpolates intermediate values that are associated with a color edge using a linear equation. A first signal value, associated with a first band containing information of a first image characteristic (e.g. the green component) is fully sampled at a first spatial frequency, and a second signal value, associated with a second band containing information of a second characteristics (e.g. a red-green differential) is sampled at a second spatial frequency, lower than the first spatial frequency, so that interpolation of the second signal values is required. Differences between first sampled signal values, associated with sampling locations of the second sampled signal values, are measured.

Abstract: In this method and apparatus, motion is detected by sensing the change in luminance, over time, between sequential images at each image pixel site along with the changes in luminance at neighboring pixel sites. These changes are then used to compute the displacement of the entire image as well as a direction independent degree of image change. With the total displacement computed and represented by signals the signals may then be used to control in real time; camera shutter speed, aperture opening, and/or the movement of the film in a direction that tracks with the motion so as to minimize the blur on the recorded image. These same signals may be stored for later use in, for example, a restoration process.

Abstract: An exposure balance arrangement for a film or electronic camera employs a matrix metering full frame CCD which looks at an image and bit maps pixel locations of high light intensity. This information is used to selectively darken areas on an X-Y addressable electronic shutter through which the image passes.

Abstract: The present invention is an autofocus chip which produces reference levels or voltages from CCD charge sources rather from voltage sources chip. The CCD sensor of the chip has normal photodiodes and bright diodes. A high voltage reference is produced from the maximum charge or full well level of one of the bright diodes of the sensor, stored and used as the high reference of an A/D converter in the chip. The reference traverses the same path as the image values produced by the photodiodes. A low voltage reference for the A/D converter is produced by storing the reset level voltage of the bright diode or of each pixel. Correlated double sampling for each pixel is accomplished when the low reference level in the A/D converter is updated with the reset value of each pixel. The reset level also traverses the same path as the image signals.

Abstract: In a preferred system a light source provides a light beam which illuminates a film image. A lens is placed in the path of the light beam to focus the image from the film on to a tri-linear color sensor. The length of each of the image sensors and spacing between sensor elements is selected in order to correct for distortions lateral chromatic aberrations in the line scan direction. Longitudinal chromatic aberrations are corrected by tilting the tri-linear sensor in the image plane to align the center of focus for the red, green and blue sensors with the center of focus for the red, green and blue components of the beam, respectively.

Abstract: An imagery data mechanism for controllably merging separate, digitally formatted and arbitrarily shaped images eliminates overlap-edge artifacts by gradually blending a paste image (40) along its border (44) with a base image (30), regardless of the shape of the paste image. The mechanism employs a `feathering` window (50) containing a plurality of neighboring pixel locations over which the pixel values of the paste image are controllably modified to achieve a tapered blending of the two images. Whether the data value for any pixel within the display is to be modified from a given database value will depend upon whether or not that pixel location is both within the paste image and a prescribed distance to the border (44) of the paste image. If the pixel location is not even part of the image, it is effectively masked, so that not only does no feathering take place, but neither the base image nor the paste image contributes to its data value.

Abstract: Methods to reduce the quantization error in the higher spatial resolution digital image signals of a hierarchical decomposition and reconstruction scheme are disclosed. The quantization errors in the high spatial resolution digital image signals are reduced by modifying the low spatial resolution digital image signals in a way that can produce only small errors in the low spatial resolution digital image signal. The small errors in the low spatial resolution digital image signal are reduced by utilizing an improved reconstruction method.

Abstract: A focus acquisition servo system and method which speeds the acquisition process by focusing on the recording media of an optical disk while the disk is coming up to speed. Focus is accomplished by jumping the focus actuator from a start position close to the focus position and by ramping the focus actuator away from the surface of the disk while monitoring focus gain. When the focus gain reaches a peak amplitude the disk is in rough focus, ramping is stopped and the focus servo system is activated to lock the focus actuator onto a fine focus on the disk's recording media.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a substrate having formed therein a plurality of optical waveguides. The waveguides are formed in a fanned out pattern with each alternate waveguide having a different width. At the fanned out ends of each of the waveguides there is coupled an optical fiber for transmitting light to the optical waveguide. In another embodiment of the invention, a substrate block is formed of glass, plastic, or X-cut LiNbO.sub.3 material and each waveguide in LiNbO.sub.3 is formed by diffusing strips of Ti or other suitable optical waveguide material into the substrate in a desired fan pattern and by forming an overcoat with a material, such as MgO for LiNbO.sub.3, which has an index of refraction that causes the output beam to be symmetrically formed.

Abstract: The present circuit incorporates a latch which latches an asynchronous input signal and provides a latched output signal to the first stage of a two stage synchronizer. An AND gate receives the latched output signal and the output from the first stage such that the output signal from the AND gate follows the output of the first synchronizer and is presented as an input to a second stage of the two stage synchronizer. The second stage is clocked, as is the first stage, with the system clock signal to provide the synchronized output signal. An asynchronous reset of the latch causes the output of the AND gate to go low which in turn causes the output of the second stage to go low asynchronously.

Abstract: An interactive dynamic range adjustment method for printing digital images, and an implementation system, are disclosed. The method is based on experimental findings about visual photoreceptor adaption and human visual contrast sensitivity. The system adjusts the contrast of the low-frequency component only of the image, preserving (or if one wishes, enhancing) the high-frequency image component in its contrast. The adjustment is controlled by a mapping curve which the user manipulates interactively. The simulated optical print image and the dynamic range adjusted image are displayed side by side on a monitor screen so that the user can make proper selection of parameters to achieve the desired effect. For many images, the system automatically computes good parameters and no further adjustment is needed.

Abstract: An overlay driven display system incorporating a digitizer tablet and a stylus for providing coordinate signals to a computer which signals are representative of the coordinates of any point on the tablet selected by the position of the stylus on the tablet. The computer is coupled to a display device, such as a CRT, for displaying addressed data, such as graphic information. An overlay, randomly positionable on the digitizer tablet, contains areas relating to the position of tablet coordinate signals that correspond to the addresses of the data stored in the computer. Three triangularly positioned points on the overlay identify a unique triangle which relates the overlay to the unique angular relationship of the computer file.

Abstract: A method for assuring that a multi-layer circuit board has been assembled in a selected order which method incorporates the step of forming a label on each layer of the multi-layer circuit board, with each of the labels having a unique indicia thereon indicative of that layers position in a correctly assembled multi-layer circuit board. Additionally, there is provided the step of forming a transparent area in each layer above the last layer to be viewed, with the size of each transparent area limited to that necessary to view only the indicia of the following correctly assembled layers, such that an incorrectly ordered layer prevents the viewing of at least one indicia. A replication of the labels, commencing from the last ordered layer to the first ordered layer, provides for a doubling in the number of layers that can be checked for correct assembly order.

Abstract: A clock generator for producing a pulse that can be adjusted in width and position. The positive edge of an incoming clock signal is slowed by an adjustable rise time inverter with a selected bias voltage until a selected threshold voltage level is met by a Schmitt trigger. The output from the Schmitt trigger is directed through a similar delay circuit to establish the pulse width of the pulse.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for indicating an improper operating condition of a camera prior to use of the camera utilizes a motion detector which detects handling of the camera by the photographer when the camera is turned off. The motion detector provides an output to activate analyzing circuitry which analyzes an operating condition of the camera such that when an improper operating condition is indicated, an alarm is issued to advise the photographer of the improper operating condition.