Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Image stitching from multiple line scanners may be provided by selecting, at a plurality of times while progressing a film roll from a supply reel to a take-up reel, overlap areas on the film roll between first and second field of views of a first and second line scan sensors that read first and second data streams from the film roll; calculating, at each time, a difference measure between the first and second data streams in a current overlap area for a current time; adjusting, based on the difference measure, a size or a position of the overlap area for use at a subsequent time as the film roll progresses such that the current overlap area has a first number of pixels and a subsequent overlap area has a second number of pixels; and blending the first and second data streams at the current time at the current overlap area.

Abstract: Methods and systems for blending line image data streams from a film scanner are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is provided including receiving multiple data streams from line scan sensors. An overlap position may then be initially selected, which forms an overlap position between two of the data streams. A difference measure may then be calculated between the two data streams within the overlap area. The overlap positions may then be iteratively altered between a plurality of overlap positions, and additional difference measures may be computed for each overlap position. A blending position may then be selected from the plurality of overlap positions, which may correspond to the overlap position with the smallest difference measure. The data streams may then be blended at the selected blending position.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: Methods and systems for blending line image data streams from a film scanner are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is provided including receiving multiple data streams from line scan sensors. An overlap position may then be initially selected, which forms an overlap position between two of the data streams. A difference measure may then be calculated between the two data streams within the overlap area. The overlap positions may then be iteratively altered between a plurality of overlap positions, and additional difference measures may be computed for each overlap position. A blending position may then be selected from the plurality of overlap positions, which may correspond to the overlap position with the smallest difference measure. The data streams may then be blended at the selected blending position.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Abstract: A light source, suitable for use in a high-speed, continuous transport microfilm imaging system, includes an LED emitter element thermally coupled to a heat sink and is mounted within a light source housing. A light output opening in the light source housing, further defined by a narrow width light transfer channel, defines a narrow width active illumination area on the microfilm media. An optical diffusion plate, providing for a randomized directional distribution of light emitted by the LED emitter element, is mounted within the light source housing in an optical path extending between the light output opening and the LED emitter element. A switched current source is coupled to the LED emitter element to enable strobed operation synchronous with the periodic operation of a line imaging camera. The LED emitter element can be construed as a linear micro-strip array of LED elements.

Abstract: A stable, continuous, high-speed roll film media path is established between supply and take-up film reels. Supply and take-up path segments isolate a core transport path section from significant non-linear forces, thereby enabling continuous, high-speed, high-accuracy scan line imaging of the media. The supply and take-up path segments each operate to continuously maintain open decoupling loops in the film media while accurately controlling the speed, tension and alignment of the film media as transported through the core transport path section. A microcontroller operates two motor driven capstans to establish the film media speed and tension within the core transport path section. Optical sensors provide feedback to the microcontroller in managing two additional motor driven capstans to maintain the decoupling loops. The film media within the core transport path section is thereby isolated from frictive, inertial, and skewing forces that could otherwise degrade the media imaging.

Abstract: A stable, continuous, high-speed roll film media path is established between supply and take-up film reels. Supply and take-up path segments isolate a core transport path section from significant non-linear forces, thereby enabling continuous, high-speed, high-accuracy scan line imaging of the media. The supply and take-up path segments each operate to continuously maintain open decoupling loops in the film media while accurately controlling the speed, tension and alignment of the film media as transported through the core transport path section. A microcontroller operates two motor driven capstans to establish the film media speed and tension within the core transport path section. Optical sensors provide feedback to the microcontroller in managing two additional motor driven capstans to maintain the decoupling loops. The film media within the core transport path section is thereby isolated from frictive, inertial, and skewing forces that could otherwise degrade the media imaging.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for scanning multiple images located on a first medium so that they can be automatically stored on a second medium with a high degree of accuracy and reliability, without the need for highly skilled operators to relocate and rescan images of the first medium which were improperly scanned or missed entirely. According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, multiple images are scanned from a first medium as a block of image data so that cut, cropped or missed images, as detected by the user at the quality assurance station, need not be rescanned.