Abstract: A blur filter for use with a multi-element electro-optical sensor is formed with a plurality of diffractive elements positioned adjacent each other with each of the elements being comprised of uniformly spaced concentric diffractive features. The plurality of diffractive elements are secured in a plane near the sensing surfaces of a multi-element electro-optical sensor. Each element of the multi-element sensor has a plurality of sensing surfaces for receiving incident light from a plurality of diffractive features.

Abstract: Multiple validations of printed documents incorporating image information and authorizing data on a printed document assist in the printed document validation process. This technique requires the authorized document holder to have an image identification accompany the application or production of the document. Image information is converted to a storable image that is used in one of a plurality of validating schemes that assures that the presenter of the printed document is not a substitute. Such schemes included visual comparison of the printed document presenter and extracted image information and validation that the data has not been altered. Non-reversible encryption of the data, as it is read from the document at the document presentation site is used to formulate encoded authorization data that is then compared against like encoded authorized document holder data stored at a centrally located data base.

Abstract: A method for producing photographic images from a photographic film strip, of the type that uses density values of the photographic film strip to determine the density values of the produced photographic images, the improvement comprising the steps of:a) forming at least two reference patches of differing exposure conditions onto an otherwise unexposed portion of the photographic film strip prior to photographic processing, each reference patch falling within the total scale of the photographic film strip;b) photographically processing the photographic film strip to form densities corresponding to the photographic images and said reference patches;c) scanning said processed photographic film strip to form density representative digital signals for the photographic images and said reference patches;d) obtaining standard film density values representative of the photographic film strip;e) calculating gamma correction values from said density representative digital signals corresponding to said reference patches

Abstract: In a camera having, a viewfinder, a microcontroller, and a laser pointer for providing a visible pointer, incorporated therein for aiding in the pointing of the camera the improvement comprising:means for forming a like image of the visible pointer, viewable in the viewfinder; andmeans for controlling the presence of the like image in the viewfinder as a function of ambient light level.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in an automatic film winding camera for determining, during film loading, the presence of a film leader portion having a notch therein. First and second film perforation sensors positioned apart along a film advancing path of the film in first and second sensor positions are enabled and disabled in a sequence in which the first and second sensors successively detect the advancement of the film's leading edge at the first and the second sensor positions. The first sensor is then enabled for sensing the film perforations when the notch in the film leader portion is positioned between the first and second sensor positions.

Abstract: A generalized grain ruler incorporating a plurality of uniform patches representing a range of granularities, each patch being a perceptually distinct representation of graininess spaced at perceptually uniform intervals and recorded in an increasing sequence of graininess. A method for producing a generalized grain ruler for the measurement, by comparison of, grain in a reference imaging system generated image, comprising, the steps of:a) generating a set of random numbers for each image component;b) filtering each set of random numbers to alter the Wiener spectrum to result in a filtered set of random numbers that look as if they were generated by the reference photographic system; andc) delivering the filtered set of random numbers to an output device that renders them into an image which is the generalized grain ruler.

Abstract: An improved hard stop for use with an aperture mechanism is comprised of at least one blade moveable along a path between a closed position and at least one open position, and at least one hard stop that is moveable between a first position, out of the blade path, and a second position, in the blade path, to position the blade in the open position when an edge of the blade contacts a hard stop piston. The improved hard stop is comprised of a magnetic piston, an electromagnet that is positioned proximate the magnetic piston for causing the magnetic piston to move to the first position when current is applied to the electromagnet in a first direction and for causing the magnetic piston to move to the second position when current is applied to the electromagnet in a second direction. A first ferromagnet is positioned at the first position to maintain the magnetic piston at the first position when current ceases to be applied to the electromagnet in the first direction.

Abstract: An electromagnetic camera shutter including an electrically conductive shutter blade and electrically conductive springs for urging the shutter blade into a first or a second position from a compressed position between the first and the second position. A permanent magnet is associated with said shutter blade and a control device applies a current through the springs and the shutter blade in a first direction to generate an electromagnetic field between the shutter blade and the permanent magnet so as to move the shutter blade from the first position to the second position and alternately, applies a current through the springs and the shutter blade in a second direction so as to move the shutter blade from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: An improved electromagnetic camera shutter incorporating an electrically conductive shutter blade having a hole there through that is connected in series to a pair of electrically conductive springs to urge the shutter blade into a first or a second position from a compressed position between the first and the second positions.A permanent magnet having a hole there through is positioned in proximity to the shutter blade such that the shutter covers the hole in the permanent magnet when the shutter is in the first or the second position.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for forming a personalized video game by combining personalized images that may be taken of the game player(s) with for example the head of a game character so as to provide a video game wherein the game player(s) can see themselves as the main character The image of the player(s) may be formed using an electronic camera which provides as an output a digital representation of the player(s). The digital image is then accessed by the game software whenever the character is to be displayed. A plurality of different poses may be accommodated along with a plurality of different characters, each optionally represented by a different person's image.

Abstract: A method for organizing and addressing memory of a digital video image is provided for one and two dimensional image processing using fast page mode accessing of memory, and also for displaying composite digital video images. A DRAM (12) is mapped to address locations storing segmented memory, non-segmented memory, line pointer tables, and horizontal description tables. The lines of a digital image are organized in DRAM (12) in either segmented memory or non-segmented memory. For segmented memory, each line of the image is broken up into equal line segments of pixels. Vertically aligned columns of line segments in the image are then stored in one or more rows of the DRAM (12). For non-segmented memory, each line is stored in a format where rows of DRAM (12) each represent a line of image data.

Abstract: A technique involving the standardization of the subject matter of an image and the compression of the image using features of the standardization can provide for a high compression ratio. This technique can be used to improve the quality of a restored image for a predetermined amount of storage space.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for calibrating a photographic media requiring only a minimal area of the media by producing a pattern of exposure patches utilizing the steps of forming an exposure area on a portion of unexposed photographic media as a plurality of abutted test patches wherein the width of all the test patches is substantially constant and the width is less than 100 .mu.m. Each test patch is then exposed at a substantially constant log illumination increment over the previous test patch.

Abstract: Method and associated apparatus for positioning a thermal donor media, having a plurality of transfer panels, each having a transfer area that is greater than the total area of a number of receiving media, such that a single transfer panel can provide an area of donor exclusively to each of the number of receiving media. The dimensions of unused areas of the thermal donor media are matched with the dimensions of the next to-be-printed image to enable a transfer printing to take place at an area that has dimensions that are equal to or greater than that required for the printed image. When an available area is identified the thermal donor media is moved into alignment and the transfer takes place. In one embodiment of the invention the thermal donor media is in the form of a ribbon that is wound between driven spools to bring unused areas into vertical printing alignment with the receiving media and the receiving media is displaced transverse to the ribbon to provide a horizontal alignment.

Abstract: A system that determines the integration time periods for the channels of a color scanner. The slowest channel or longest time period is used to set a line scan clock period or transfer clock period of the scanner. The exposure start times for the other channels, which are charged faster than the slowest channel, are set relative to the transfer clock. The transfer clock and exposure start time of all channels is adjusted if necessary for the density of the film being scanned.

Abstract: A new class of methods for characterizing particles is described along with associated apparatuses. These methods are called modulated dynamic light scattering (MDLS) methods because they utilize time and space modulations of the incident or scattered light as well as modulations caused by random Brownian motions of the particles, for example, to measure particular properties. The autocorrelation function of the scattered light signal from a particle is measured to provide a highly resolved signature even when the signal is buried in noise. The dynamics of the scattered light signal from a suspended particle undergoing random Brownian translations and rotations is analyzed to obtain the relationship of the particle's properties to its autocorrelation function signature. By comparison of the theoretical and measured functions, properties of a particle suspended in a (1) liquid, (2) gas, or (3) rarefied gas can be determined.

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 associated apparatus is implemented for utilization in a halftone printing system to permit a halftone dot to be written with multiple density levels. These multiple density levels are used to from a variable density dot edge profile. This implementation is particularly adapted for use with systems that represent halftone dots with an envelope that is formed from a combination of straight lines that are drawn from tangent points, on the outer periphery of the dot, through reference axis for the dot. The intersection points of the tangent lines on the reference axis define the size (density) of the dot. The intersect points are stored as sets of digital values for each size dot to provide a unique representation set that is used to reconstruct a selected dot size for the printing of a halftone image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which provides alignment lines adjacent to a lenticular image. The alignment lines are projected through a lenticular overlay and used to align the overlay to the image. The alignment apparatus uses a light sensor and a computer to detect either changes in brightness or changes in a Moire pattern of the lines to effect rotational alignment and to detect either centeredness of the lines or brightness changes in the lines to effect translational alignment as the overlay is rotationally or translationally moved with respect to the print by the computer. An increase in brightness indicates motion toward either rotational or translational alignment. A constant brightness along the lines indicates rotational alignment while a peak in brightness indicates translational alignment.

Abstract: In a string of characters on a storage medium in which a normally reserved character can appear in an inappropriate position, the field of characters is examined for a character which is not used in the field. The inappropriate reserved character is replaced by the permissible character. A field in the character string is reserved to permit the permissible character to be translated into the reserved character after the decoding of the character string.