Abstract: An apparatus for registering film in a drum scanner assembly including: a horizontally oriented concave curved film platen having first and second horizontal edge regions and third and fourth curved side edge regions connected between first and second edge regions, the concave, curved film platen having a curved surface defining a curved film path from the first edge region to the second edge region; a plurality of slider assemblies having film engagement members mounted relative to the platen to engage film fed into the film platen, the film engagement members being independently slidable within the slider assemblies; and means for simultaneously moving the slider assemblies according to the size of film to be fed onto the film platen such that all of the film engagement members are aligned across the platen in a direction perpendicular to the film path; wherein as film is fed onto the film platen from the first edge region along the curved film path toward the second edge region, the leading edge of the fil

Abstract: In an internal drum scanner assembly having a curved platen for supporting media during exposure by a laser image scanner, media positioning apparatus comprising: a media feed device for feeding media onto the curved platen; and an assembly for pushing the media out of the feed device into the scanning region of the platen so that a borderless image can be produced on the media.

Abstract: A thermal processor having a contaminant removal system. The system includes a heated drum for heat developing exposed heat developable media which emit airborne contaminants during the development; a plurality of rollers located about a circumferential segment of the drum to hold an exposed media in contact with the drum; an enclosure for enclosing the heated drum and plurality of rollers, the enclosure including a first upper curved member spaced from and enclosing the rollers and the upper portion of the drum and a second lower curved member spaced from and enclosing the lower portion of the drum, the first and second curved members having first ends spaced from each other and defining a film entrance region, and further having second ends spaced from each other and defining a film exit region; wherein the first upper curved member includes a curved duct having a first opening above the rollers and a second opening configured to direct gaseous fluids away from the film exit from the drum.

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: A method for acquiring a radiographic image of an elongated object, comprising: positioning an elongated object between a source of x-rays and a digital image capture device having an imaging dimension which is less than a like dimension of said elongated object; wherein said image source is stationary and said source projects an x-ray pattern which encompasses said elongated object; moving said digital image capture device in a direction parallel to said known imaging dimension to sequential contiguous stationary positions to acquire a sequence of radiographic images of said elongated object; and moving an assembly of x-ray opaque material which is positioned between said source of x-rays and said elongated object, and which has an opening for allowing passage of x-rays, such that said opening is synchronized with the movement of said digital image capture device to facilitate acquisition of said sequence of radiographic images at said stationary positions.

Abstract: A digital image processing method for reducing the noise of a color digital image having pixel values, includes the steps of: identifying one or more color regions in color space; identifying a pixel of interest in the color digital image; calculating a color weighting factor for the pixel of interest; using the color weighting factor and the values of pixels sampled from a local neighborhood of pixels about the pixel of interest to calculate a noise reduced pixel value; replacing the original value of the pixel of interest with the noise reduced pixel value; and repeating the steps for other pixels in the digital image.

Abstract: A thermal processor for heat processing exposed thermographic media comprising: a heated drum for heating thermographic media brought into contact with the drum; a centrally located assembly for supporting the drum for rotation; a plurality of spaced rollers located around a segment of the drum for holding media into contact with the drum; and a plate assembly for mounting the plurality of rollers for movement between a first position in contact with the drum and a second position out of contact with the drum, the plate assembly having first and second spaced alignment plates having circular features that align with the bearing assembly when the plate assembly is in the first position, whereby the rollers are aligned with the drum.

Abstract: A method for automatic arrangement determination of partial radiation images for reconstructing a stitched full image. At least two radiation sub-images of an elongated object are acquired and converted to digital images. A hypothesis list is constructed and overlap regions for consecutive sub-images pair in each hypothesis are detected. A plurality of different measurements are conducted on consecutive sub-image pair of each hypothesis. The correlation function is calculated to find the function maximum and the horizontal displacement between the sub-image pair. The magnitude of the horizontal displacement is checked and an overall figure-of-merit is established. The hypothesis of maximum figure-of-merit for best candidate is selected. The sub-images are processed based on selected hypothesis for stitching to produce an output image.

Abstract: A method of processing a digital color image comprising the steps of: providing a digital color image having pixels and a plurality of color channels; processing the image to provide a channel independent restored digital image; determining at least one predictor derived from the channel independent restored digital image or the digital color image; determining a channel interdependent color boost relationship from the at least one predictors; and applying the color boost relationship on a pixel by pixel basis to the respective channels of the digital color image to produce a processed digital color image.

Abstract: A temperature controlled apparatus comprising: an object having a surface and being rotatable about an axis; an electrical heater assembly thermally coupled to the surface of the object; a temperature sensor assembly mounted on the object for sensing the temperature of the object surface and for producing temperature signals representative of the sensed temperatures; a microprocessor non-rotatably mounted with respect to the rotatable object; an optical communication link for transmitting the temperature signal to the microprocessor; and a temperature control assembly, non-rotatably mounted with respect to the rotatable object for controlling the flow of electrical power to the heater in response to control signals from the microprocessor as a function of the transmitted temperature signals.

Abstract: Apparatus for radiographically imaging elongated objects comprising: a vertical main frame; a base mounted on said main frame; a first support on said base for supporting a first cassette containing a first storage phosphor imaging plate; a door hingedly mounted on said base for movement between open and closed positions; said door having a light-tight enclosure for supporting a second cassette containing a second storage phosphor imaging plate removably mounted within a cassette shell; and a first mechanism for removing said cassette shell from said second storage phosphor imaging plate which remains supported within said light-tight enclosure; such that, when said door is in said closed position, said second storage phosphor imaging plate overlaps said first storage phosphor imaging plate, whereby an elongated object can be radigraphically imaged onto said overlapping first and second storage phosphor imaging plates.

Abstract: A digital camera comprising; a user controlled camera system; an orientation sensor for sensing whether the camera is in one of a horizontal or vertical positions; a user actuated switch located on the side of the camera when the camera is in the horizontal position; and means for selectively enabling/disabling said user controlled camera system as a function of the orientation of said orientation sensor.

Abstract: A computed radiography cassette comprising: a shell including upper and lower panels joined to first and second side members and a front end member to form a five sided cavity having an open end; a storage phosphor assembly including a back end member, an insert plate having an upper face and being cantilevered from said back end member, and an x-ray storage phosphor disposed on said upper face of said insert plate, wherein said storage phosphor assembly is removably contained in said shell such that said back end member closes off said open end of said shell; wherein said upper panel is of x-ray transmissive material; and wherein said insert plate and said lower panel are made of x-ray opaque material having aligned sections thereof of x-ray transmissive material which allow x-rays to pass through said sections to an x-ray detector adapted to be located adjacent to said cassette.

Abstract: A method for automatically modifying the rendering of an image based on an analysis of pixel values within a selected region of interest comprising: providing a digital input image of digital pixel values and tone scale look-up table; creating a default rendered image by applying the tone scale look-up table to the input image; displaying the default rendered image; selecting a region of interest from the input image; computing the histogram of the pixel values within the region of interest; creating a bright light image by remapping the pixel values within the region of interest based on an analysis of the histogram and the tone scale look-up table; and overlaying the bright light image on the default rendered image.

Abstract: A method of sensing the pitch or relative location of a lenticular lens on a sheet of transparent lenticular material of the type having a repeating pattern of cylindrical lenses on one side and a flat opposite side, comprising the steps of: forming a beam of light; focusing the beam of light into a spot smaller than the pitch of the cylindrical lenses onto the lenticular material; moving the lenticular material relative to the beam in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the cylindrical lenses to modulate the angle of reflection or refraction of the beam of light; and sensing the position of the modulated beam of light to determine the pitch or relative location of lenticular material to the focused spot.

Abstract: An electrical heater control system reduces flicker. The system includes an electrical heating system; an AC (alternating current) power source for supplying AC current to the electrical heating system; an AC power control device connected between the electrical heating system and the AC power source for controlling the supply of AC current to the electrical heating system; and a controller unit coupled to the AC power control device for activating the device at zero crossings of the AC power to minimize flicker in AC current supplied to the electrical heating system from the AC power source.

Abstract: A method of sensing the pitch or relative location of a lenticular lens on a sheet of transparent lenticular material of the type having a repeating pattern of cylindrical lenses on one side and a flat opposite side, comprising the steps of: forming a beam of light; focusing the beam of light into a spot smaller than the pitch of the cylindrical lenses onto the lenticular material; moving the lenticular material relative to the beam in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the cylindrical lenses to modulate the angle of reflection or refraction of the beam of light; and sensing the position of the modulated beam of light to determine the pitch or relative location of lenticular material to the focused spot.

Abstract: A method for enhancing a digital image channel, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a digital image channel having image pixels; (b) providing interpolation parameter values; (c) generating an interpolated digital image channel using the interpolation parameter values and the digital image channel; (d) generating edge shaper parameter values from the interpolation parameter values; and (f) generating an enhanced digital image channel from the interpolated digital channel by applying an edge shaping algorithm controlled by the edge shaper parameter values.

Abstract: A sheet media system comprising an apparatus for utilizing sheet media; and a radio-frequency identification transceiver associated with said apparatus for communicating with a transponder associated with sheet media utilized by said apparatus.