Abstract: A spatial light modulator assembly is disclosed which adapts a conventional photographic printer to generate photographic images from electronic image signal such as that created by an electronic still image camera. The spatial light modulator assembly comprises a spatial light modulator ("SLIM") which is connected to a computer for imprinting electronic image signal thereon where the electronic image signal is communicated from the computer. The SLM is secured within an adapter which is formed to fit in a negative carrier of the photographic printer such that an image imprinted on the SLM is positioned over a light source thereby projecting the image onto photographic paper held within the conventional photographic printer.

Abstract: A defect correction apparatus for a solid state imaging device employs a frame buffer responsively coupled to the imaging device for storing digital values of shuttered dark pixel data from image locations of the imaging device. A register responsively coupled to the imaging device and having an output coupled to the buffer sequentially clocks digital values of image pixel data of the imaging device into the frame buffer. A comparator having an output operatively coupled to the register and being responsively coupled to the dark pixel data of the frame buffer produces enable and inhibit outputs. When any selected element of dark pixel data is less than a threshold, indicative of an operative pixel element in the imaging device, data stored in the register corresponding to the pixel is stored in the frame buffer in response to the enable signal. When the value of the dark pixel data in the frame buffer is greater than the threshold the comparator produces an inhibit signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing bit operations on a plurality of sample value numbers arranged in binary format to derive a select rank-order number. The bit operations are performed first on all the most significant bits of the sample value numbers to derive the most significant bit of the rank-order number. All bits of like significance of the sample value numbers are grouped and each succeeding group of less significant bits is sequentially processed to derive the corresponding bits of the rank-order number with the least significant bit of the rank-order number being lastly derived.