Abstract: An apparatus for suitable for obtaining an image of a dental structure has an illuminator member placed proximate the area to be imaged. The illuminator member has a support structure (30) for retaining the illuminator member in position proximate the area to be imaged. A reference (22) is coupled to the support structure (30) of the illuminator member and disposed within the area to be imaged. At least one light source (24) is coupled to the support structure (30) of the illuminator member for directing imaging illumination toward the area to be imaged. A camera (12) records an image from within the area to be imaged using the imaging illumination from the illuminator member, wherein the image comprises the reference (22).

Abstract: A method for correcting the color balance of an input digital color image in an input color space captured under a capture illuminant to produce a balanced digital color image includes transforming the input digital color image to a balancing color space, wherein the balancing color space has three color channels corresponding to three color space primaries, the color space primaries being chosen so that minimal color errors can be produced when correcting the color balance for a set of one or more capture illuminants relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions; and correcting the color balance of the input digital color image in the balancing color space to produce a balanced digital color image having minimal color errors relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions.

Abstract: A method for determining visual calorimetric values for an object having particular spectral reflectance characteristics comprises the steps of: (a) photographing an object with an electronic image capture device to form device image values; (b) selecting a transform from a plurality of transforms for converting device image values to visual colorimetric values, wherein the selection of the transform is based on the particular spectral reflectance characteristics of the object; and (c) applying the selected transform to the device image values to determine the visual colorimetric values for the object.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing calibration of photographic media. More particularly, the method and apparatus are based on measurements of areas of minimum optical density of a given photographic medium. Such measurements, when combined with reference optical density vs. exposure calibration data for related photographic media, provide an estimate of the optical density vs. exposure relationship of the given photographic medium. The method and apparatus of this invention are especially applicable for the calibration of photographic media used in hybrid imaging applications.

Abstract: A method for determining visual calorimetric values for an object having particular spectral reflectance characteristics comprises the steps of: (a) photographing an object with an electronic image capture device to form device image values; (b) selecting a transform from a plurality of transforms for converting device image values to visual colorimetric values, wherein the selection of the transform is based on the particular spectral reflectance characteristics of the object; and (c) applying the selected transform to the device image values to determine the visual colorimetric values for the object.

Abstract: A method for processing an extended color gamut digital image so as to represent the extended color gamut digital image in a storage color space having a limited color gamut digital image and for paying for such processed digital image including a user sending or authorizing the sending of an extended color gamut digital image to a processing site where the extended color gamut digital image is to be processed. Processing such extended color gamut digital image at the processing site can be accomplished by adjusting the color values of the extended color gamut digital image to fit within the limited color gamut to form a limited color gamut digital image, and representing the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space.

Abstract: A method for constructing a transform for a predetermined display or printer, such printer or display being adapted to form a color image, on a particular medium, with extended chroma values while maintaining existing luminance values, the input to the transform including an input color digital image produced by a particular image capture device, the method includes providing a luminance reproduction curve in response to the input color digital image which, for any input luminance value, will produce an output luminance value, the luminance reproduction curve being selected to preserve highlight and midtone contrast, and shadow detail from the input color digital image; providing a plurality of selective luminance independent chromatic reproduction curves in response to the input color digital image which, for any input chroma value, will produce an output chroma value; and the chromatic reproduction curves being selected so that each curve is a function of the visual density range of the display or medium an

Abstract: A method for correcting the color balance of an input digital color image in an input color space captured under a capture illuminant to produce a balanced digital color image includes transforming the input digital color image to a balancing color space, wherein the balancing color space has three color channels corresponding to three color space primaries, the color space primaries being chosen so that minimal color errors can be produced when correcting the color balance for a set of one or more capture illuminants relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions; and correcting the color balance of the input digital color image in the balancing color space to produce a balanced digital color image having minimal color errors relative to aim colors that would be produced if the digital color image were captured under reference conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing calibration of photographic media. More particularly, the method and apparatus are based on measurements of areas of minimum optical density of a given photographic medium. Such measurements, when combined with reference optical density vs. exposure calibration data for related photographic media, provide an estimate of the optical density vs. exposure relationship of the given photographic medium. The method and apparatus of this invention are especially applicable for the calibration of photographic media used in hybrid imaging applications.

Abstract: A method of digital photofinishing comprising the steps of: producing a digital color image having colorimetric tristimulus values describing a color transparency media from a color image captured on color transparency photographic media; first transforming the digital color image having colorimetric tristimulus values describing color transparency media to a digital color image having colorimetric tristimulus values describing a reflection print; second transforming the digital color image having colorimetric tristimulus values describing a reflection print into digital code values representative of the color image for printing by a digital color printer using a combination of 1D and 3D look up tables; sharpening the transformed digital code values representative of the color image with a sharpening algorithm optimized to avoid unacceptable artifacts; and digitally printing the sharpened digital color image onto reflection media.

Abstract: A method for representing a digital image having color values with an extended color gamut in a storage color space having a limited color gamut including providing a color adjustment function; adjusting the color values of the extended color gamut digital image to fit within the limited color gamut to form a limited color gamut digital image using the color adjustment function; representing the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space; and associating information about the color adjustment function with the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space such that the associated information and the limited color gamut digital image are adapted to produce a reconstructed extended color gamut digital image.

Abstract: A method for modifying a digital image having color values with an extended color gamut comprising the steps of representing the extended color gamut digital image with a limited color gamut digital image and one or more associated residual image(s) representing a difference between the extended color gamut digital image and the limited color gamut digital image; specifying one or more desired image modification(s) to be applied to the extended color gamut digital image; and modifying the limited color gamut digital image and the residual image(s) to form a modified limited color gamut digital image and one or more modified residual image(s) in response to the specified desired image modification(s).

Abstract: A method for representing a digital image having color values with an extended color gamut in a storage color space having a limited color gamut includes adjusting the color values of the extended color gamut digital image to fit within the limited color gamut to form a limited color gamut digital image; representing the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space; determining a set of residual images representing a difference between the extended color gamut digital image and the limited color gamut digital image; and associating the set of residual images with the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space such that the associated residual images and the limited color gamut digital image is adapted to be used to form a reconstructed extended color gamut digital image.

Abstract: A digital image processing system includes one or more opto-electronic image digitization device(s) which digitize still photographic images and produce an extended color gamut digital image corresponding to each still photographic image, and an image processing unit, coupled with said image digitization device(s), which is operative to receive a plurality of extended color gamut digital images from the image digitization device(s).

Abstract: A method for representing a digital image having color values with an extended color gamut in a storage color space having a limited color gamut includes adjusting the color values of the extended color gamut digital image to fit within the limited color gamut to form a limited color gamut digital image; representing the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space; determining a residual image representing a difference between the extended color gamut digital image and the limited color gamut digital image; and associating the residual image with the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space such that the associated residual image and the limited color gamut digital image in the storage color space are adapted to be used to form a reconstructed extended color gamut digital image.

Abstract: A color negative silver halide photographic element is disclosed that is capable of producing images that, when converted to electronic form and then converted to a viewable form, exhibit reduced granularity. The photographic elements contain blue, green and red recording layer units capable of forming spectrally differentiated dye images. The layer units are substantially free of masking coupler, each exhibit a dye image gamma of less than 1.5 and an exposure latitude of at least 2.7 log E. Greater than 50 mole percent of development inhibitor compound in at least one of the layer units exhibits a diffusion factor of less than 0.4.

Abstract: A method for achieving color-appearance matching for an image viewed in different surround conditions, the method comprises the steps of forming signals representing an original image; and mapping the original image signals through a transformation that alters image luminance contrast by a factor of substantially 1.01 to 1.15 for an original image viewed in a light surround to a reproduced image to be viewed in an average surround; substantially 1.01 to 1.22 for an original image viewed in a light surround to a reproduced image to be viewed in dim surround; substantially a range of 1.01 to 1.29 for an original image viewed in a light surround to a reproduced image to be viewed in an dark surround; substantially a range of 1.01 to 1.11 for an original image viewed in an average surround to a reproduced image to be viewed in an dim surround; substantially a range of 1.01 to 1.

Abstract: A photographic element, is disclosed which includes a support and at least three silver halide emulsion layers, that records exposure information. The exposure information is recorded in three image-recording units and wherein the spectral sensitivities of said image-recording units are chosen such that the average color error, .DELTA.E*.sub.ab, is less than or equal to 3.1. .DELTA.E*.sub.ab is computed for a specified set of test colors of known spectral reflectance, and the light source is specified as D.sub.65. .DELTA.E*.sub.ab is the average CIE 1976 (L*a*b*) .DELTA.E*.sub.ab between the CIE 1976 (L*a*b*)-space coordinates of said test colors and the CIE 1976 (L*a*b*)-space coordinates corresponding to transformed exposure signals.

Abstract: A photographic element, is disclosed which includes a support and at least three silver halide emulsion layers, that records exposure information. The exposure information is recorded in three image-recording units and wherein the spectral sensitivities of said image-recording units are chosen such that the average color error, .DELTA.E*.sub.ab, is less than or equal to 3.1. .DELTA.E*.sub.ab is computed for a specified set of test colors of known spectral reflectance, and the light source is specified as D.sub.65. .DELTA.E*.sub.ab is the average CIE 1976 (L*a*b*) .DELTA.E*.sub.ab between the CIE 1976 (L*a*b*)-space coordinates of said test colors and the CIE 1976 (L*a*b*)-space coordinates corresponding to transformed exposure signals.

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.