Abstract: An optical storage disk for use in an optical storage system includes a storage layer which is capable of being disrupted when a laser beam of sufficient intensity is focused thereon. The optical storage disk has a transparent substrate layer on one side of the storage layer and a lacquer layer on the other side of the storage layer. The disruptions provided by the laser beam are selected to provide human readable and/or machine readable patterns. To reduce the damage to portions of the optical disk other than the storage layer, the storage layer is exposed to the laser beam prior to curing, or prior to applying and curing the lacquer layer. The optical disk can be of the type with data written thereon during fabrication, or the disk can be of the type in which data can be impressed thereon after fabrication of the optical disk. The patterns on the optical disk can be in the form of optical bar codes.

Abstract: A digital image processing system digitizes and stores photographic film images in their captured orientation on film, in order to obviate the need to physically rotate the film scanner relative to the film for vertical images, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the scanner. Instead, each stored image file has an associated presentation control file, which contains orientation and aspect ratio information, so that the image playback device will know how each image has been stored on the digital image database, such as a compact disc. When the disc is inserted into a playback device for driving an output display such as a color TV monitor, the playback device is readily able to decode the playback control information in the course of reading out the digitized image, so that the image will be displayed in an upright orientation and at the correct aspect ratio for the display.

Abstract: A digital image processing system digitizes and stores photographic film images in their captured orientation on film, in order to obviate the need to physically rotate the film scanner relative to the film for vertical images, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the scanner. Instead, each stored image file has an associated presentation control file, which contains orientation and aspect ratio information, so that the image playback device will know how each image has been stored on the digital image database, such as a compact disc. When the disc is inserted into a playback device for driving an output display such as a color TV monitor, the playback device is readily able to decode the playback control information in the course of reading out the digitized image, so that the image will be displayed in an upright orientation and at the correct aspect ratio for the display.

Abstract: A thermal printer is disclosed which is particularly suitable for making slide transparencies. The printer includes a laser which provides the necessary thermal energy to effect a transfer of dye from a donor element to a receiver element. A beam from the laser passes through suitable optics and is scanned onto the receiver element by a galvonometer. In order to insure the transfer of dye from the donor at a suitable resolution and with sufficient speed, a relatively high-powered single transverse mode coherent laser is used.

Abstract: A thermal paste or other thermal resistance material is placed between the ceramic substrate and heat sink of a thermal print head. By selecting the thermal resistance of the material to be sufficiently low, print contrast is improved.

Abstract: A continuous tone thermal printer having a print head with a plurality of heating elements is disclosed. Each heating element is energized during first and second halves of a line print time interval to more uniformly distribute heat during such interval.

Abstract: A dye-forming electrically activatable recording (EAR) element which is capable of forming at least two dye images comprises an electrically conductive support bearing on one side of the support at least a dye-forming layer (A) responsive to negative polarity charge exposure and at least one dye-forming layer (B) responsive to positive polarity charge exposure and, optionally, other dye-forming layers. A multicolor dye image can be formed in the dye-forming electrically activatable recording element by multistep imagewise charge exposure in which the exposure steps are reversed in electrical polarity at each step. The reversal of polarity of exposure at differing charge density levels enables formation of a dye image in at least one layer without formation of a dye image in another layer. Processing of the exposed dye-forming electrically activatable recording element is carried out by thermal processing or by means of processing solutions or baths.

Abstract: A continuous tone temperature compensated thermal printing apparatus is described which uses a thermistor that produces a signal representative of the average temperature of a print head. This signal is used to control the pulse width of constant current pulses which are used to energize heating elements of a print head in printing an image pixel.

Abstract: Adjacent heating elements are energized during different time slots of an address cycle to produce dye portions in adjacent image pixels which are staggered. The area of the dye portion being proportional to image pixel density.

Abstract: A thermal printer apparatus is disclosed which includes a print head having a plurality of groups of thermal pixels. The thermal pixels in each group are simultaneously addressed in parallel. Each group is addressed a plurality of times. The apparatus selectively energizes the thermal pixels of each group when they are addressed until each thermal pixel is at a temperature where it can supply energy to a carrier member which delivered an amount of dye to a receiver which corresponds to a desired dye density in an image pixel.

Abstract: A film video player/printer provides for cropping a photographic film by displaying the film image on a video monitor, the display consisting of not only the image to be included in an optical print but the image to be excluded, just off the print. Reticle-generating circuitry serves to display and to rotate a given rectangular reticle centered within the border of the image displayed, the perimeter and the orientation of the reticle defining respectively the portion of the image to be printed and the format of the print to be made. To further facilitate cropping, border logic and control circuitry, operable prior to a photographic printing operation, serves for blanking-out the portion of the image displayed outside of the reticle, so that the video image temporarily corresponds exactly to the print to be made.

Abstract: A film video player for sensing photographic images having a given resolution to produce a standard video signal having a lower resolution, includes a zoom lens for selectively varying the magnification of the film image with respect to the image sensor and means for selectively translating the film image vertically and horizontally with respect to the image sensor, whereby the available resolution of the film image is more effectively utilized by the film video player.

Abstract: Photographic film having an image and means for receiving coded indicia is viewed in a film video player to produce a television signal for displaying the film image. The film video player includes cropping means for selectively varying the magnification of the displayed image and for selectively translating a magnified displayed image vertically and/or horizontally, and recording means for applying coded indicia to the film, specifying a selected magnification and vertical and horizontal translation. A printer for making reflection prints from the photographic film includes reading means for reading the coded indicia on the film and cropping means for varying the magnification of the printed image, and translating a magnified image vertically and/or horizontally, in response to the coded indicia.

Abstract: Electronic strobe flash apparatus includes a first energizable flashtube arranged to project light for reflection from a surface to illuminate a scene indirectly, and a second energizable flashtube arranged to illuminate the scene directly. A sequencing circuit controls the energization of both flashtubes so that the ratio of the indirect flash to the direct flash reflected from the scene is constant in instances where the reflected flash is above a minimum level. For this purpose, a light-sensitive circuit, arranged to sense light reflected from the scene, is coupled to the sequencing circuit. The sequencing circuit causes the indirect flash to be produced first. The light-sensitive circuit causes the sequencing circuit to (1) quench the first flashtube to extinguish the indirect flash, and (2) fire the second flashtube to produce the direct flash, when the light-sensitive circuit senses that a predetermined fraction of a desired total amount of light has been reflected from the scene.

Abstract: A quenchable electronic strobe flash unit has a light-responsive integrating circuit for causing the light emitted by a flashtube to be terminated when the integrating circuit senses a predetermined amount of light. A light-level sensing circuit measures the intensity of the ambient light. A threshold-setting circuit, responsive to the sensing circuit, causes the amount of light needed to be sensed by the integrating circuit for terminating the flash in bright ambient light to be, for example, twenty-five percent of the amount of light required to be sensed for terminating the flash in low ambient light. Thus, for subjects within the maximum range of the flash, when ambient light is relatively low, a desired exposure is due primarily to flash light, and when ambient light is relatively high, a selected portion of the desired exposure is attributable to flash light which is, for example, twenty-five percent of the full-flash light output.