Abstract: Cassette centering device for an X-ray cassette loading and unloading device using two parallelly movable guides engageable with the side edges of the cassette, the guides being movable by a lever arrangement driven by a motor, the lever arrangement including a link having two telescoping parts and biasing means constituting force absorbing means for cushioning the engagement of the guides with the cassette and compensating for motor overdrive.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool rotatable about an axis to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool out of the cassette shell, and an exposure status indicator rotatable about the axis from an unexposed position to an exposed position for providing respective indications that the filmstrip is unexposed or is exposed. According to the invention, the shell and the status indicator include respective engagable means at least one of which is supported for movement relative to the other substantially radially of the axis in opposite directions for engagement to secure the status indicator in its unexposed and exposed positions and for disengagement to permit rotation of the status indicator from the unexposed to the exposed position.

Abstract: An image processing method is described for the hierarchical storage and display of high resolution digital images in a multiuse environment. The method makes reduced resolution versions of the original image available for quick display on video monitors while providing access to the full resolution image for photographic quality hardcopies. This multiresolution method also provides for the efficient storage of this data via a hybrid coding scheme based on residuals. Several embodiments of this approach are described.

Abstract: A convenient method for the quantitative determination of a DNA polymerase includes contacting an aqueous test specimen suspected of containing the enzyme with the following: a single-stranded DNA template present in a concentration of at least about 10.sup.-8 molar bases, a DNA primer complementary to the template, a source of a metal polymerase cofactor, sufficient deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates to synthesize double-stranded DNA in the presence of the polymerase, and a colorimetric or fluorescent dye which is capable of providing a detectable signal when a primed single-stranded nucleic acid is converted to double-stranded DNA by the polymerase. The rate of signal generation is then measured and can be correlated with the level of DNA polymerase in the specimen using graphical or mathematical means. The results of this method are precise, having a covariance of less than about 10%. A test kit includes the reagents needed for carrying out this method.

Abstract: In a photographic camera which includes a chamber for receiving endwise, i.e. axially, a film cassette capable of automatically thrusting a non-protruding film leader to the exterior of the cassette shell responsive to unwinding rotation of a film spool within the shell, an ejecting member pops the film cassette at least part way out of the chamber end first when a cover door for the chamber is manually opened.

Abstract: The width of each stroke in a character image is reduced one pixel at a time over a series of repetitive cycles until the number of cycles exceeds a predetermined number proportional to the thinnest character stroke observed in the character image. The process is then continued until the character has been skeletonized, but with the added constraint that the existing end point pixels of character strokes are retained.

Abstract: A package has a light tight pouch that encloses a stack of rectangular sheets of film. The package can be loaded in either of two different kinds of equipment which have means for removing the pouch from the film stack so that the sheets can be fed seriatim from the stack. One kind of equipment requires the package to be oriented so that the pouch can be removed from a narrow side of the package while the second kind of equipment requires the package to be loaded therein so that the pouch can be removed from a long side of the stack of film. The pouch has flaps extending from one long side and one narrow side of the package, and the flaps are engageable by the pouch removing mechanism in the different kinds of equipment.

Abstract: A photographic silver halide material is chemically sensitized with a soluble gold(I) compound of the formula:AuL.sub.2.sup.+ X.sup.- or AuL(L.sup.1).sup.+ X.sup.-wherein L is a mesoionic compound; X is an anion; and L.sup.1 is a Lewis donor ligand. The novel gold(I) compounds possess properties which are advantageous compared to the properties of previously known gold compounds.

Abstract: A novel process for producing 2-chloro-1,3-diketo compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein Q is an amino, substituted amino or hydrocarbyloxy group, e.g., --OCH.sub.3, wherein the 1,3-diketo precursor in solution in a low boiling alcohol is neulized in a special chlorinator with chlorine or a mixture of nitrogen and chlorine, and wherein the chlorination of the nebulized precursor solution takes place extremely rapidly at relatively high temperatures in a chlorination zone, the product being recovered by condensation on the cooled chlorinator walls and stripping of the alcohol solvent. A representative product is 2-chloro-N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide (2CDMAA), a useful intermediate for the production of insecticides, drugs, dyes and other complex compounds.

Abstract: An aqueous solution useful as a coating composition to form a fire-retardant protective overcoat on a surface requiring such protection, such as one or both surfaces of a photographic element, comprises (1) a water-soluble film-forming cross-linkable copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, (2) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which serves to cross-link the copolymer when a coating of the composition is applied over the surface to be protected and dried, and (3) a water-soluble ammonium polyphosphate which reacts with the polyhydric alcohol to form a fire-retardant composition when the protective overcoat is exposed to the heat of a fire.

Abstract: A motion picture telecine scanner interposes a motion picture negative or print film (10) in an optical light path (12) between a light source (14) and a pickup stage (16) that develops a plurality of separate color output signals (R, G, B). By balancing the scanner so that the pickup stage provides substantially equivalent output levels in the respective colors for color transmissions substantially equivalent to like transmissions through the base density of a negative film, substantial signal-to-noise performance is realized during negative scanning. The base density is provided during a calibration mode by an optical filter (44) that is inserted into the light path with the motion picture film removed. In addition, the optical filter (44) is kept in the light path (12) during motion picture print scanning without any loss in signal-to-noise performance.

Abstract: A self-aligning configuration for establishing precisely where each of any number of tracks is to be recorded on a magnetic tape, utilizes therefor a photosensitive element (of perhaps even coarser structure than that of a given track), the signal output of which constitutes a measure of the location of the track(s). Thereafter, tracking control, say during playback, is pursuant to such signal, which is memorized.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the hardware implementation of an algorithm for a run length limited (1,7) block code of rate 2/3, wherein 2 unconstrained bits are mapped onto 3 constrained bits. The encoded data stream has a minimum of 1 "zero" between adjacent "ones", and a maximum of seven "zeros" between adjacent "ones". Unlike earlier (1,7) block encoders, the encoder of the present invention is a 4 state machine whose internal state description requires only 2 bits, rather than the 3 bits as taught in the prior art. The 4 state encoder combines the 2 incoming data bits with present state information to generate the output encoded sequence, and the next state designation. Error propagation due to a single channel bit error is limited to 5 bits.The decoder of the invention utilizes three, 3 bit shift registers which hold 9 bits of the encoded data; each group of three bits is decoded into 2 bits corresponding to the original input bits by means of a logic array fed from the three shift registers.

Abstract: Silicic acid heteropolycondensates containing a luminescent compound, whose luminescence is quenchable by oxygen, form suitable sensors for measuring oxygen content in an oxygen-containing gaseous, liquid, or solid sample.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a pair of flanges are coaxially arranged along a spool core to normally radially confine a filmstrip coiled about the spool core to prevent the filmstrip from uncoiling against an interior curved wall of the cassette shell. When the spool core is rotated to unwind the filmstrip, a stripper is received between a leading film section and the next-inward convolution of the filmstrip to induce the leading section to flex the flanges farther apart to escape the confinement of the flanges and be thrust through a lighttight passageway to the exterior of the cassette shell. According to the invention, several film supporting ribs severely limit the extent to which the leading film section will be uncoiled from between the flanges to assure the leading section maintains sufficient longitudinal rigidity to facilitate its being thrust through the lighttight passageway.

Abstract: Character images which are to be sent to a neural network trained to recognize a predetermined set of symbols are first processed by an optical character recognition pre-processor which normalizes the character images. The output of the neural network is processed by an optical character recognition post-processor. The post-processor corrects erroneous symbol identifications made by the neural network. The post-processor identifies special symbols and symbol cases not identifiable by the neural network following character normalization. For characters identified by the neural network with low scores, the post-processor attempts to find and separate adjacent characters which are kerned and characters which are touching. The touching characters are separated in one of nine successively initiated processes depending upon the geometric parameters of the image.

Abstract: A threshold free algorithm is used to extract text in a region which has been circled with any hand drawn shape of any size that consitutes a closed curve. Use of this technique allows an operator to select intensity regions in text material in a paper-based document and automate the extraction of the enclosed text in the digitized image of the document.

Abstract: Apparatus, for preventing false recognition of one or more address marks arranged at predetermined locations in a stream of information-bearing bits played back from a record storage medium, such as a disk, includes a timer, synchronized with the bit stream, for defining a corresponding series of intervals or "windows" relating, respectively, to when each of the address marks is expected to occur in the bit stream. An decoder, responsive to the timer, signals which address mark is expected to occur during each interval defined by the timer. Validation circuitry, responsive to the bit stream, the timer and the decoder, determines whether each address mark expected actually occurs in the bit stream within the corresponding time interval defined by the timer.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a film spool comprises a spool core supported for rotation in an unwinding direction to thrust a leader section of a filmstrip coiled about the spool core from the cassette and in a winding direction to return the leader to the cassette, and a pair of flanges positioned along the spool core to overlie opposite sides of the film roll. The flanges have respective central openings through which the spool core axially extends to normally permit each of the flanges to be independently rotated relative to the spool core in the unwinding and winding directions.