Abstract: A thermal processor for thermally developing an image in an imaging material. The thermal processor includes an oven and a plurality of rollers positioned to form a transport path and, through contact with the imaging material, configured to move the imaging material through the oven along the transport path. Each roller has an initial contact point and a final contact point with the imaging material as the imaging material moves along the transport path. A spacing between the rollers is varied such that a distance between a final contact point and an initial contact point of at least a first pair of rollers along the transport path is different from a distance between a final contact point and an initial contact point of at least a second pair of consecutive rollers along the transport path.

Abstract: A digital image processing method for locating eyes and mouth in a digital face image. The method includes the steps of detecting iris colored pixels in the digital face image; grouping the iris colored pixels into clusters; detecting eye positions using the iris colored pixels; identifying salient pixels relating to a facial feature in the digital face image; generating a signature curve using the salient pixels; and using the signature curve and the eye positions to locate a mouth position. In a preferred embodiment, a summation of squared difference method is used to detect the eye positions. In another preferred embodiment, the eyes and mouth positions are validated using statistics.

Abstract: A thermal processor including an oven for thermally developing an image in a media. The oven includes an entrance and a guide positioned at the entrance. The guide includes a receiver having a major surface configured to contact and receive the media and a separator configured to lift and separate the media from at least a portion of the major surface and to direct the media into the oven.

Abstract: A storage phosphor cassette including a shell having a cavity and a storage phosphor assembly having a substantially rigid plate. The rigid plate is adapted to be removably contained within the cavity of the shell and is also comprised of a material which is optically and/or radiographically transparent. A single storage phosphor screen is supported on one side of the substantially rigid plate such that both surfaces of the storage phosphor screen are optically and/or radiographically visible. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid plate can be comprised of one or more layers of clear acrylic, or at least one layer of glass disposed intermediate two layers of clear acrylic.

Abstract: A mechanical element having a slot adapted to receive a shaft. The slot comprises a circular portion; a planar portion; and two reliefs. Each relief is disposed intermediate the circular portion and the planar portion. In addition, each relief comprises a circular section and extends at least about 90 degrees. Each relief is coupled to the planar portion by a radius tangential to the planar portion.

Abstract: An intraoral x-ray film packet having non-lead radiation shielding for shielding scattered radiation. The packet includes a film chip and a radiation shielding member. The film chip has two sides and the radiation shielding element is disposed on one side of the film chip to provide radiation shielding when the film packet is exposed to radiation. The radiation shielding element is made of a material including a thermoplastic and a non-lead metal powder and/or non-lead metal compound. In one configuration, the film chip and the radiation shielding element are disposed within a light-tight envelope. In another configuration, the radiation shielding element is one side of the envelope, wherein the envelope has two opposing sides, and the chip is disposed within the envelope.

Abstract: A thermal processor including a heated drum assembly for thermally developing an image in an imaging media. Thermal processor includes an enclosure spaced from and forming an oven around heated drum assembly, enclosure having a media entrance, a media exit, and a vent. Thermal processor further includes a condensation trap and a duct positioned external to enclosure and coupled between vent and condensation trap, duct configured to communicate air from oven to condensation trap.

Abstract: A method for detecting and attenuating grid artifacts in a digital radiographic image comprising; providing an input digital radiographic image; processing the input digital radiographic image with a detection algorithm based on 2-D dynamic correlation in both spatial and frequency domains to determine whether the input digital radiographic image has a grid artifacts; and if it does detecting the grid orientation, frequency, and signal-to-noise ratio of the grid artifacts, designing a frequency bandstop (notch) digital 1-D filter as a function of the grid frequency and attenuation level; and suppressing the grid artifacts by further processing said input digital radiographic image with said designed filter to produce an output digital radiographic image of improved image quality.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing digital images having eye color defects. In one method for detecting and correcting eye color defects of a subject in a digital image, the steps comprise: (a) processing the digital image to automatically detect one or more candidate positions of eye color defects in the digital image; (b) automatically applying an eye color defect algorithm to the digital image at the detected candidate positions to automatically correct for the eye color defect; (c) displaying, on a display, at least a portion of the digital image comprising at least one of the corrected eye color defects; and (d) displaying, on the display, an indicator located proximate the at least one of the corrected eye color defects indicative of the at least one of the corrected eye color defects.

Abstract: A method of configuring a storage phosphor reader. The method comprises the steps of: providing a database of user-selectable image processing parameters wherein the image processing parameters are grouped by geographical region; allowing an operator of the storage phosphor reader to select one of the groups of geographical regions; and applying the image processing parameters of the selected group to the storage phosphor reader to configure the reader with the image processing parameters of the selected group.

Abstract: A method of orienting a digital image for viewing on a display of a digital imaging device. The method comprises the steps of: accessing the digital image, the digital image being defined by a plurality of sides, each of the plurality of sides being substantially linear; displaying the digital image in a first orientation on the display of the digital imaging device, the display having a top edge; providing a selection member for selecting one of the plurality of sides; and automatically displaying the digital image in a second orientation responsive to the selecting of the one of the plurality of sides, the second orientation configured such that the selected one of the plurality of sides is disposed in a substantially horizontal orientation and is disposed closer to the top edge of the display than the other of the plurality of sides.

Abstract: A method of producing a matted image which is usable in a scrapbook. The method comprises the steps of displaying a digital image having a mat area; displaying a plurality of color selections from which a user can select at least one of the plurality of color selections; automatically applying the at least one selected color selection to the mat area to generate a colored mat; and displaying the matted image comprised of the digital image and the colored mat. In a preferred embodiment, the color selections are comprised of colors disposed in the digital image.

Abstract: A method of purchasing image bearing products, including the steps of providing a plurality of network connected kiosks having image input and product output capability; generating an identifier; inputting an image at one of the plurality of network connected kiosks; storing the image at a network accessible location; notifying a recipient of the identifier after providing payment for the image bearing product; and using the identifier to retrieve the image from any one of the plurality of network connected kiosks.

Abstract: Scanner density values of a digitized image of an original film are processed so that a projection of the digitized image closely matches that image which a film projector would produce when projecting the original film. A method comprises the steps of transforming the scanner density values to printing density values; digital color balancing by writing the printing density values and a LAD patch onto film; printing the film is printed to LAD; transforming the images from device dependent color space values into device independent color space values; carrying out a relationship between the device independent color space and a display device output to obtain RGB code values; adjusting any non-linearity between the RGB code values and the display device output; and scaling the adjusted RGB code values to an appropriate bit depth.

Abstract: A preheat chamber for conditioning an imaging material having a conditioning threshold temperature and a developing threshold temperature. The preheat chamber includes a chamber housing and a heating system. The heating system is configured to heat imaging material to a desired conditioning temperature above the conditioning threshold temperature and below the developing threshold temperature as the imaging material is moved through the chamber housing.

Abstract: A method and system for reconstructing a three-dimensional image of an object from cone beam projection data. The method comprising the steps of: acquiring the projection data, wherein the projection data comprises a set of cone beam projection images; selecting at least one cone beam projection image; identifying a region of interest within each selected cone beam projection image; defining a three-dimensional lattice of points, wherein the projection into each selected cone beam projection image of the points in the three-dimensional lattice provides a sampling of the identified region of interest in the corresponding selected cone beam projection image; and, reconstructing an image of the object at each point in the three-dimensional lattice to form a three-dimensional image of the object.

Abstract: An intra-oral film packet holder. The packet holder comprises an arm and a holder portion disposed at one end of the arm. The holder portion comprises a first and second receiving area adapted to receive a intra-oral film packet. Each receiving area is defined by a pair of spaced opposing grooves. The first and second receiving areas are disposed adjacent each other, substantially parallel, and of differing lengths such that the first and second receiving areas are adapted to receive intra-oral film packets of different sizes.

Abstract: A method for improving disease diagnosis using contrast enhancement presentation comprising: providing an input digital diagnostic image; applying a decomposition filter bank to the input digital diagnostic image; constructing a tone scale curve from the input digital diagnostic image; applying said tone scale curve to the input digital diagnostic image to produce a tone-scaled image; applying a decomposition filter bank to the tone-scaled image; generating the contrast weight control signals from the input digital diagnostic image by extracting the high contrast edge signals at the coarse scale; adjusting the decomposition outputs from both the input image and the tone-scaled image according to the contrast weight control signals; and applying a reconstruction filter bank to the adjusted signals to produce a contrast enhancement presentation output image.

Abstract: Sheet media package system includes a cartridge or other packaging for containing a plurality of sheet media; and a radio-frequency identification transponder which stores relevant digital data associated with the cartridge or other packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the uniformity of a liquid curtain in a coating system comprising a lip of a slide die wherein the lip includes a front surface on which a liquid composition flows by gravity. The apparatus comprises a ledge having a first, second, and third surface portion. The first surface portion is disposed intermediate the second and third surface portions, and is substantially horizontal. The second surface portion is contiguous with the first surface portion and upwardly inclined. The third surface portion is contiguous with the first surface portion and downwardly inclined away from the first and second surface portions.