Retrieving Image Made Using Radiation Imagery Patents (Class 430/21)
  • Patent number: 5750293
    Abstract: An optical recording medium composed of a transparent substrate, with an organic dye-containing layer and a light reflection layer formed on the substrate in that order, which recording medium performs recording and reproducing operations by the application of light beams used for the recording and reproducing operations respectively to the side of the transparent substrate, the organic dye-containing layer showing a light absorption ratio of 20% or more with respect to a light beam with a wavelength of 500 to 750 nm used in a recording operation, and showing a light absorption ratio of 20% or less with respect to a light beam with a wavelength of 760 to 830 nm used in a reproducing operation. In addition, the method of recording and reproducing information using the above-mentioned optical recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 5738960
    Abstract: An irradiation method of applying a light spot or a light pattern to an object with high resolution is performed by disposing, in close vicinity to the object, a light-absorbing contrast-increasing layer whose transmittance or reflectivity with respect to an incident light thereto increases as the intensity of the incident light or the exposure thereof to the incident light increases; and applying light to the object through the light-absorbing contrast-increasing layer. This method is applied to an optical information recording and reproducing method using an optical information recording medium including an optical information recording layer and an auxiliary layer whose transmittance or reflectance increases in a real time manner correspondingly to the energy of an incident light thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 5733693
    Abstract: A data processing form for use with photo-sensing apparatus that detect the presence of indicia at indicia-receiving locations on the form. The form is composed of a sheet of carrier material and plurality of indicia-receiving locations. The indicia-receiving locations are defined by a mutable colored composition including a mutable colorant and an ultraviolet radiation transorber such that the indicia-receiving locations are adapted to become substantially undetectable by photo-sensing apparatus upon irradiating the colored composition with ultraviolet radiation at a dosage level sufficient to irreversibly mutate the colorant. The colored composition may be irradiated with radiation in the ultraviolet region of the ultraviolet spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Sinclair Nohr, John Gavin MacDonald, Michael Wilfred Mosehauer
  • Patent number: 5718994
    Abstract: There is provided a silver halide photographic, black-and-white medical hard copy material, comprising an opaque reflecting polymeric support and at least one hydrophilic colloid outermost layer, characterized in that:(i) the material comprises a silver halide emulsion layer A and a silver halide emulsion layer B, coated on the same side of said support, the emulsion layer B being closest to said support and(ii) the silver halide emulsion layer A is faster than the silver halide emulsion layer B.Emulsion layer A is preferably between 1.25 and 3.20 times faster than emulsion layer B.A method is also provided for printing radiological images in combination with the protocol describing said radiological images onto a single sheet of hard-copy film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Rudi Goedeweeck, Peter Kempenaers
  • Patent number: 5645964
    Abstract: A digital information recording media which includes a recording layer comprising a light-stable colored composition which composition is mutable or decolorizable upon exposure to a specific wavelength of ultraviolet radiation. The light-stable colored composition includes a colorant and an ultraviolet radiation transorber. The colorant, in the presence of the radiation transorber, is adapted, upon exposure of the transorber to specific, narrow bandwidth ultraviolet radiation, to be mutable. The radiation transorber also imparts light-stability to the colorant so that the colorant does not fade when exposed to sunlight or artificial light. The ultraviolet radiation transorber is adapted to absorb radiation and interact with the colorant to effect the irreversible mutation of the colorant. Especially useful radiation is incoherent, pulsed ultraviolet radiation produced by a dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamp or coherent, pulse radiation produced by an excimer laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Sinclair Nohr, John Gavin MacDonald
  • Patent number: 5641596
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of operating on a stored digital image produced by scanning the photographic element to smooth film-grain noise. The method includes extracting and storing a set of statistics of the grain pattern of the film type carrying the image, such statistics being representative of local, spatial, and spectral properties of a photographic grain pattern of that type of film; and using the stored set of statistics to operate upon the stored digital image to change such stored digital image so as to smooth film-grain noise when an image is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert T. Gray, David R. Cok
  • Patent number: 5635319
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of successively forming and/or erasing images selectively in different portions of a recording layer of a recording medium which comprises a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of recording images and erasing the same by reversibly changing the transparency or the color tone of the portions of the recording layer with the application of heat thereto, depending upon the temperature thereof, in such a manner that the same portion of the recording layer is not continuously used for image formation and/or erasure in excess of a predetermined number of times, thereby repeating the use of the recording medium for an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hotta, Kunichika Morohoshi, Fumihito Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 5633106
    Abstract: There is provided with an optical recording medium comprising at least a dye-containing recording layer and a reflective layer laminated on a transparent substrate in this order which has a reflectance of 65% or higher, measured through the substrate, to a light beam having a selected wavelength (.lambda.1) of from 770 to 830 nm and has a reflectance of 15% or higher to a light beam having a selected wavelength (.lambda.2) of from 630 to 690 nm and which is recordable and reproducible with a laser beam having the wavelength of .lambda.1 and being reproducible with a laser beam having the wavelength of .lambda.2. In addition, the recording layer has a dye A having the absorption maximum at the wavelength shorter than 630 nm mixed with a dye B having the absorption maximum at the wavelength of from 630 to 900 nm. Alternatively, an interference layer is provided along with the recording and reflective layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Shin Aihara, Hideki Umehara, Masatoshi Yanagimachi, Yoshiteru Taniguchi, Sumio Hirose
  • Patent number: 5629125
    Abstract: A photostimulable phosphor, wherein said phosphor is within the scope of the following empirical formula (A):Ba.sub.1-x-y-p-z Sr.sub.x M.sub.y.sup.II Cs.sub.2p F.sub.2-a-b Br.sub.a X.sub.b :zEuwherein:X is at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of Cl and I,M.sup.II is at least one alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ca and Mg;x is in the range 0.10.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.55;a is in the range 0.70.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.0.96;y is in the range 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.10;b is in the range 0.ltoreq.b<0.15;p is in the range 10.sup.-4 .ltoreq.p.ltoreq.10.sup.-1 ; andz is in the range 10.sup.-6 .ltoreq.z.ltoreq.10.sup.-2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Paul Leblans, Albert D. Adriaensens, Melvin Tecotzky
  • Patent number: 5624603
    Abstract: A stimulable phosphor panel is provided comprising a bariumfluorohalide phosphor characterized in that in said phosphor at least 1 mole % of the Ba-ions are replaced by Ca-ions and at least 10% of the total amount of Ca-ions are located closely to the surface of the phosphor particles.A method for producing said phosphor is also provided. The use of said phosphor in a method for recording and reproducing a radiation image is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Paul Leblans, Lodewijk Neyens
  • Patent number: 5601956
    Abstract: The present invention provides a film unit with a lens in which data such as a taking date can be taken at a low price. The IC substrate is put together while the film unit with lens is assembled. The timer in the IC times the current date and time. The date mode selector outputs the information, which is selected by the mode select switch, to the memory. The release sensor switches in synchronous with the release of the shutter button and outputs the current frame number information, which is counted by the frame number counter, to the memory so as to increase the frame number of the frame number counter. Moreover, the release sensor writes the information outputted from the timer and the information outputted from the date mode selector in the addresses 1-36 so as to correspond to the frame number information from the frame number counter in interlocking with the release of the shutter. Therefore, the taking date and time information of the film are written in the addresses 1-36 of the memory in turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Inuiya
  • Patent number: 5576128
    Abstract: A color negative photographic film with at least one color record thereof having a mid-scale contrast less than or equal to 0.45, wherein the mid-scale contrast for the color record is defined as the slope of a straight line connecting a point C and and a point D on the characteristic curve of density versus log Exposure for the color record, where points C and D are located by defining a point A on the characteristic curve at a density level 0.1 above minimum density, a point B is located on the characteristic curve at an exposure value +1.0 Log Exposure beyond point A, and points C and D are located at exposure values -0.45 log Exposure and +0.45 log Exposure with respect to point B, respectively. Use of such a color negative film is particularly advantageous in making telecine transfers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John T. Keech, John C. Brewer
  • Patent number: 5561012
    Abstract: Color negative photographic films having red, green and blue color sensitive records, wherein the ratio of the toe area contrast to the mid-scale contrast for each of the red, green and blue color records is less than or equal to 0.80, and either at least two color records having a toe-area contrast less than or equal to 0.42 or a mid-scale contrast less than or equal to 0.55, or the film having a speed rating of ISO 200 or greater. The mid-scale contrast for a color record is defined as the slope of a straight line connecting a point C and and a point D on the characteristic curve of Status M density versus log Exposure for the color record, where points C and D are located by defining a point A on the characteristic curve at a density level 0.1 above minimum density, a point B is located on the characteristic curve at an exposure value +1.0 Log Exposure beyond point A, and points C and D are located at exposure values -0.45 log Exposure and +0.45 log Exposure with respect to point B, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John C. Brewer, John T. Keech, John F. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 5549996
    Abstract: A method for representing radiological images on a recording medium comprising an image recording layer and an opaque reflecting support is provided comprising the steps of:(i) recording said image directly in an digital form or recording said image as an analog image and transforming said analog image into a digital image,(ii) determining a raw image histogram of said digital image(iii) determining from said histogram the width of said diagnostically useful window(iv) dividing said useful window into several smaller windows, the width of said smaller windows being adapted to the dynamic range of said recording medium(v) feeding digital image data of each of said smaller windows to an imager(vi) printing the information content of each of said smaller windows onto said image recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventor: Romain Bollen
  • Patent number: 5547807
    Abstract: A photostimulable phosphor of which the emission intensity at the stimulation wavelength of 550 nm is higher than the emission intensity at the stimulation wavelength of 600 nm, characterized in that said phosphor is a divalent europium activated barium fluorobromide containing as codopant samarium, and wherein the terminology barium fluorobromide stands for an empirical formula wherein (1) a minor part of the barium (less than 50 atom %) is replaced optionally by at least one metal selected from the group consisting of a monovalent alkali metal, a divalent alkaline earth metal other than barium, and a trivalent metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, Tl, Sb, Bi, Y, and a rare earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu, (2) a minor part (less than 50 atom %) of the bromine is replaced by chlorine, and/or iodine, and (3) wherein fluorine is present stoichiometrically in a larger atom % than bromine taken alone or bromine combined with chlorin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Paul Leblans, Albert D. Adriaensens, Melvin Tecotzky, Jan A. Van den Bogaert
  • Patent number: 5541046
    Abstract: An accurate digital representation of a color photograph can be obtained by proper registration of blue, green, and red images taken from a black-and-white photographic film having a unique structure including an antiabrasion layer, a first silver halide emulsion layer with silver grains which are sensitive to blue light, a filter layer being transmissive to a band of wavelengths corresponding to a given color other than blue, a timing layer for delaying penetration of processing fluids, a second silver halide emulsion layer with silver grains which are sensitive to the given color, and a base. The film excludes image dyes, dye developers or dye forming materials. The film also excludes components for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength different than a received wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: F. Richard Cottrell
  • Patent number: 5527661
    Abstract: An optical recording medium according to the present invention includes a substrate, and a recording film formed on the substrate, when receiving a laser beam for recording, the recording film taking either a first structural state or a second structural state according to the intensity of the laser beam; when receiving a laser beam for reproducing, the recording film partially changing the optical phase of the laser beam for reproducing according to the structural state, thereby changing the intensity of the laser beam for reproducing, wherein the optical absorbance of the recording film in the first structural state is substantially equal to that of the recording film in the second structural state, and the refractive index of the recording film in the first structural state is substantially different from that of the recording film in the second structural state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Akahira, Eiji Ohno, Kenichi Nishiuchi, Kenichi Nagata, Yoshitaka Sakaue, Noboru Yamada
  • Patent number: 5512396
    Abstract: A methodology for handling photographic film in which a video image of each frame of film is acquired on a diskette as the frames are originally being processed in the photographic laboratory, the diskette is transmitted to the photographer's studio, along with the proof prints, for viewing by the photographer/subject, the photographer/subject makes further desired corrections or adjustments of each frame by viewing the video image of each frame on a computer monitor, the further corrections or adjustments are recorded on the diskette for each frame, and the revised diskette is returned to the photographic laboratory where it is used in conjunction with the film to produce final photographic prints. The final photographic prints thus graphically and objectively reflect the precise desires of the photographer/subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Inventor: Ray Hicks
  • Patent number: 5500316
    Abstract: The process for forming a video image with a telecine transfer device typically comprises (a) exposing a color negative photographic film comprising red, green and blue color sensitive records which generate image dyes upon exposure and processing of the film, (b) processing the exposed film to form a developed image, and (c) converting the developed image into video signals representative of the developed image with a telecine transfer device, wherein the peak spectral absorbance wavelength of the image dyes generated by the red color record of the film is substantially more offset from the red peak spectral response of the telecine transfer device than the peak spectral absorbance wavelength of the image dyes generated by the green color record of the film is offset from the green peak spectral response of the the telecine transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mitchell J. Bogdanowicz, Christopher L. DuMont
  • Patent number: 5489494
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of successively forming and/or erasing images selectively in different portions of a recording layer of a recording medium which comprises a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of recording images and erasing the same by reversibly changing the transparency or the color tone of the portions of the recording layer with the application of heat thereto, depending upon the temperature thereof, in such a manner that the same portion of the recording layer is not continuously used for image formation and/or erasure in excess of a predetermined number of times, thereby repeating the use of the recording medium for an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hotta, Kunichika Morohoshi, Fumihito Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 5486437
    Abstract: An optical recording medium wherein a recording layer capable of optically recording and reproducing the information is formed on a substrate, and wherein the information is recorded with a light beam having a wavelength shorter than that of a replay light beam. A film thickness d of the recording layer is set so as to satisfy the relation d.ltoreq.1.75.lambda./n, where .lambda. is the wavelength of the replay light beam and n is the real part of the complex index of refraction of the recording layer with respect to the replay light beam. The real part of the complex index of refraction of the recording layer with respect to the replay light beam is not less than 2.55, while the absolute value of the imaginary part of the complex index of refraction of the recording layer with respect to the recording light beam is not less than 1.0. The organic dye may be enumerated by a cyanine compound and a porphyrin compound. If the porphyrin compound is used, blue-hued laser recording becomes possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Iwamura, Yoko Matsuzawa, Shin-Ichiro Tamura
  • Patent number: 5472815
    Abstract: A coated material comprising a substrate which is coated with a layer of a pyrrolopyrrole of formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be 4-pyridyl and X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are O, said compound of formula I being at least partially in the form of a salt of a strong acid, is suitable for use as an optical recording material and, owing to its electrical conductivity and photoconductivity, as antistatically treated material, as sensor, photoreceptor and solar battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Ciba-Geigy Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Mizuguchi, Gerald Giller, Alain C. Rochat
  • Patent number: 5470690
    Abstract: A stable, image-retaining, optically switchable film produced from a purple membrane in a high-pH polyvinyl alcohol solution forms an optical memory for data storage. The film, when dry, can be exposed to light to convert BR molecules to their M state, which is stable, and which allows long-term image storage. The image can be erased by exposing the film to yellow light to thereby switch all the molecules to the M state, and then a reverse image can be obtained using blue light. By controlling the location and wavelength of the incident light, pixels can be selected and exposed for information storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Lewis, Zhongping Chen, Hiroyuki Takei
  • Patent number: 5449586
    Abstract: A novel method and apparatus is disclosed for electronically sensing a negative and a positive in a novel integral film structure of the instant development type using light of different wavelengths so as to produce reflected light from the negative and the positive which are indicative of the luminance characteristics and the chrominance characteristics of the image. The novel integral film structure has a filter which allows the negative to be scanned. Specifically, the filter transmits incident infrared radiation to which silver halide emulsion layers are sensitive and blocks the transmission of radiation in the range of wavelengths to which the silver halide emulsion layers are sensitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: F. Richard Cottrell, Andrew K. Juenger, Hugh R. Mackenzie, William J. McCune, Jr., William T. Plummer
  • Patent number: 5441848
    Abstract: In an optical recording medium comprising an organic dye base recording layer and a reflective layer on a resin substrate having a groove of 1,100 to 2,300 .ANG. deep formed in one surface thereof, signals are written by directing recording light to the recording layer within the groove from the back side of the substrate at a relative linear velocity of at least 3.6 m/s whereby record marks are formed in the recording layer as a result of partial decomposition of the dye while deforming the groove bottom surface. The deformation of the groove bottom surface is minimized to less than 18% of the groove depth. The medium requires a short time for recording and offers reduced jitter on reproduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiki Aoi, Atsuko Motai, Akio Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5432032
    Abstract: A method of writing and reading or writing, reading and erasing information in an optical recording medium is provided in which in an optical recording medium an optically active compound which is an inherently chiral dissymmetric olefinic chromophore is subjected to the action of circularly polarized light or is caused to undergo cis-trans isomerization during writing, is subjected to linearly polarized light during reading, and is subjected to linearly or circularly polarized light or light of a wavelength suitable to effect cis-trans isomerization for erasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Egbert W. Meijer, Bernard L. Feringa, Wolter F. Jager, Ben De Lange
  • Patent number: 5391443
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of extracting independent spectral image records from an imagewise exposed photographic element that contains superimposed silver halide exposure recording layer units each containing a latent image derived from a selected region of the spectrum. The photographic element contains N+1 superimposed silver halide exposure recording units. Photographic processing is conducted to produce a silver image in N+1 of the exposure recording units and a dye image distinguishable from other dye images in at least N exposure recording layer units. The photographic element is in one instance scanned in a spectral region of silver absorption and minimal image dye absorption to provide a first image density record, and the photographic element is also in N spectral regions wherein maximum density of a different image dye occurs to provide N additional image density records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Simons, James E. Sutton
  • Patent number: 5382485
    Abstract: A process for the optical recording and storage of information in the form of bits by irradiating a recording material comprising a substrate coated with at least one layer of a pigment selected from the group of the dithiopyrrolopyrroles, dithioquinacridones, phthalocyanines or mixtures of several of these pigments as recording layer dotwise or linearly with laser light in the near infrared range (NIR range), which pigment (a) has a crystal modification having an absorption band in the NIR range, and (b) is in contact with a solid organic compound that changes the crystal modification of the pigment upon irradiation with laser light, so that (c) after irradiation the absorption in the NIR range is reduced, while the organic compound exhibits no absorption in the NIR range before and after irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Ciba-Geigy Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Mizuguchi, Gerald Giller
  • Patent number: 5376484
    Abstract: A method for photographically recording an information pattern on a photographic film is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of (1) writing an information pattern at an area outside the picture taking area of a silver halide color photographic film with a red-light having an intensity peak at a wavelength of 620 nm or more emitted from a photoemission diode, (2) processing the color photographic film, and (3) optically reading an image of the pattern formed on the color photographic film with red-light having a intensity peak a wavelength of 620 nm or above. In the method, a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer of the color photographic film contains a coupler represented by the following Formula CU; ##STR1## wherein X is a substituent capable of splitting-off upon reaction with the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent; R.sup.1 is an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; R.sup.2 is a an aliphatic group or an aryl group; and the above groups represented by R.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Iwagaki
  • Patent number: 5350650
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of obtaining from an imagewise exposed photographic element separate records of the imagewise exposure to each of the blue, green and red portions of the spectrum comprising photographically processing an imagewise exposed photographic element comprised of a sequence of superimposed blue, green and red recording silver halide emulsion layer units that produce images of the same hue upon processing (e.g., units lacking a dye-forming coupler). A first interlayer unit overlies the emulsion layer unit nearest the support and is capable of transmitting to it imagewise exposing radiation this emulsion layer unit is intended to record. A second interlayer unit underlies the emulsion layer unit farthest from the support and is capable of transmitting to the emulsion layer units lying nearer the support imagewise exposing radiation these emulsion layer units are intended to record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John Gasper, Gareth B. Evans, Christopher B. Rider, Michael J. Simons
  • Patent number: 5350664
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of obtaining from an imagewise exposed photographic element separate records of the imagewise exposure to each of the blue, green and red portions of the spectrum comprising photographically processing an imagewise exposed photographic element comprised of a sequence of superimposed blue, green and red recording silver halide emulsion layer units at least two of which produce images of the same hue upon processing (e.g., lacking an incorporated dye-forming coupler), and obtaining separate blue, green and red exposure records from the photographic element. The photographic element is additionally comprised of, interposed between the two emulsion layer units, an interlayer unit for transmitting to the emulsion layer unit of the two units which is nearer the support, electromagnetic radiation that this emulsion layer unit is intended to record and capable, after processing, of reflecting electromagnetic radiation within at least one wavelength region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Michael J. Simons
  • Patent number: 5350651
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of obtaining from an imagewise exposed photographic element separate records of the imagewise exposure to each of the blue, green and red portions of the spectrum comprising photographically processing an imagewise exposed photographic element comprised of a sequence of superimposed blue, green and red recording silver halide emulsion layer units that produce images of the same hue upon processing (e.g., lacking an incorporated dye-forming coupler). A first interlayer overlies the emulsion layer unit nearest the support for transmitting to it imagewise exposing radiation this emulsion layer unit is intended to record and for absorbing after photographic processing scanning radiation within at least one wavelength region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gareth B. Evans, Christopher B. Rider, Michael J. Simons
  • Patent number: 5346789
    Abstract: A stable, image-retaining, optically switchable film produced from a purple membrane in a high-pH polyvinyl alcohol solution forms an optical memory for data storage. The film, when dry, can be exposed to light to convert BR molecules to their M state, which is stable, and which allows long-term image storage. The image can be erased by exposing the film to yellow light to thereby switch all the molecules to the M state, and then a reverse image can be obtained using blue light. By controlling the location and wavelength of the incident light, pixels can be selected and exposed for information storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Lewis, Zhongping Chen, Hiroyuki Takei
  • Patent number: 5342714
    Abstract: The optical data recording media is provided on a substrate with a recording layer changing its optical characteristic dependent upon difference in the heat history, or processes of temperature elevation due to laser beam irradiation and the following cooling. The media is composed of layered structure not only varying its own reflectance or transmittance as an integrated media, but also changing the optical phase of the reflected light or transmitted light, when the optical characteristic of the recording layer is changed. In the method of recording, erasing and reproducing data using this optical data recording media, when the variations of the reflectance is to be detected, recording and erasing are effected after temporarily setting the recording layer in a state having a higher reflectance. On the other hand, when the variations of the transmittance is to be detected, recording and erasing are effected after temporarily setting the recording layer in a state having a higher transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsunori Ide
  • Patent number: 5334469
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of extracting two or more spectral image records from an imagewise exposed multicolor photographic element containing a plurality of tabular grain emulsions for individually recording imagewise exposure in at least two different regions of the visible spectrum. In each of the tabular grain emulsions tabular grains exhibiting a mean equivalent circular diameter of greater than 0.4 micrometer and a mean thickness of less than 0.2 micrometer account for greater than 90 percent of total grain projected area. No more than one of the tabular grain emulsions exhibits a mean tabular grain thickness of less than 0.07 micrometers, and each of tile remaining tabular grain emulsions exhibit a coefficient of variation of tabular grain thickness of less than 15 percent. The mean tabular grain thickness of emulsions for recording imagewise exposure to different regions of the visible spectrum differs by at least 0.02 micrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James E. Sutton, John Gasper, Allen K. Tsaur, Ann Tarn
  • Patent number: 5326677
    Abstract: There is disclosed an optical retrieval apparatus which uses a laser for illuminating an optical element. A sensor responds to modulated light from the optical element to produce electrical signals. The optical element has a substrate and on the surface of the substrate, a dye containing recording layer and a light reflecting layer. The improvement is that the dye is a leuco dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James C. Fleming, Michael R. Detty
  • Patent number: 5304440
    Abstract: An optical disk having a greatly improved recording density. The disk has a transparent substrate provided with phase pits. A layer of a phase changeable material is formed on the substrate. This phase changeable material is a chalcogen or chalcogenide such as Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3 or Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3. When reading light is directed onto the disk, a part of the layer of the phase changeable material is melted within the spot of the reading light beam, and the reflectivity changes and a phase pit is read through the melted part. After the reading, the melted portion recrystallizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masumi Ono, Atsushi Fukumoto, Kouichi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 5301044
    Abstract: Taggants are incorporated into marking materials used to create images. Reproduction systems detect the taggants, and use the resulting information to control reproduction. The invention is particularly applicable to color correction, enhancement and translation; document identification; image preservation and highlighting; and document control and security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph D. Wright
  • Patent number: 5281501
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording/reproducing method for an optical recording medium comprising a step of heating a recording layer containing a photochromic material and a polymer which are so combined with each other that a photostationary state attained upon irradiation with light of a specific wavelength is varied with temperatures, and a step of applying the light of a specific wavelength to the heated recording layer for bringing the same into a photostationary state and recording information. In order to reproduce the information, a portion of the recording layer which is in a photostationary state is selectively heated, and reproducing light is applied to reproduce recorded and unrecorded states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignees: Masahiro Irie, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Tatezono, Irie Masahiro, Toshio Tanuma, Toshio Harada, Koutaro Matsuura
  • Patent number: 5194349
    Abstract: A process for preparing a multiple level logic optical memory disks which are erasable upon heating when ion-beam hydrogenation is used for writing informatin on the disk.The process comprises depositing an amorphous film selected from the group consisting of silicon hydride, silicon carbon hydride and silicon nitrogen hydride on a glass substrate using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures sufficient to ensure good adhesion and high film quality and an optical bandgap of between aboout 1.55 and about 2.0 eV; writing information on these disks by using a laser beam to selectively heat spots of the film to expel hydrogen and change the bandgap and optical absorption of the film; and using a laser beam at a sufficient nm wavelength in order to detect information stored on these disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Y. Simon Tsuo, Jack L. Stone
  • Patent number: 5180648
    Abstract: In processing photographic picture-taking film having picture information born on itself or on a container for the film, the picture information on the film itself or the container is read for determining a processing condition, for example, an amount of processing solution to be replenished on the basis of the read picture information. Then the film is processed under the determined or optimum condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5173381
    Abstract: A novel series of azo polymers, copolymers and polymer blends for reversible optical storage devices are described. Various azobenzenes can be bound in the side chain or within the main chain of long chain polymers such as polyester, polystyrene and poly methacrylates with very short or no spacers to a form amorphous polymers which as a film or deposited on a transparent substrate can be used to record optical information using a linearly polarized laser beam which induces optical anisotropy in the film. The information can be erased thermally by heating above the glass transition temperature, or optically by overwriting with light polarized in a predefined zero direction or with circularly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Queen's University
    Inventors: Almeria L. Natansohn, Paul L. Rochon, Shuang Xie
  • Patent number: 5049462
    Abstract: Information stored in a thin polymer layer is read out in a process wherein information introduced into a thin polymer layer on a metallic or semiconductor layer by electromagnetic or particle rays which produce a permanent change in the properties of the polymer layer in the irradiated areas is read out using surface plasmons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Funhoff, Harald Fuchs, Ulrike Licht, Wolfgang Schrepp, Werner Hickel, Wolfgang Knoll, Gerhard Wegner, Gisela Duda
  • Patent number: 5039583
    Abstract: An erasable optical information storage apparatus is disclosed and the process for making such an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus utilizes the photoabsorption and electrochemical absorption characteristics of the polyaniline class to polymers to provide an easily accessible and erasable information storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Ohio State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Arthur J. Epstein, John M. Ginder, Richard P. McCall
  • Patent number: 5032489
    Abstract: An optically functional element comprising an aromatic vinylene sulfide polymer as an optically changing element is disclosed. The optically functional element undergoes optical changes with low energy at a high rate to provide high contrast before and after the optical changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignees: Eiichi Kobayashi, Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Kobayashi, Toyoshi Ohashi, Mitsutaka Miyabayashi
  • Patent number: 4950469
    Abstract: Receptor blocking technology using proteins conjugated to polymers of D-glutamic acid and D-lysine for treatment of antibody-mediated autoimmune disease, membrane and tumor disorders is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company
    Inventor: David H. Katz
  • Patent number: 4946261
    Abstract: A recording medium comprises a recording layer formed on a substrate. The recording layer comprises a solid solution of a guest compound in a matrix polymer. The guest compound, such as a para-di-substituted benzene derivative, has a substantial second order micro-nonlinear optical constant .beta. but shows substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystalline form. The matrix polymer is preferably a polyoxyalkylene. A part of the recording layer is caused to have a nonlinear optical effect when it is supplied with a combination of an external field such as an electric or magnetic field and heating followed by cooling for solidification, and is caused to lose its nonlinear optical effect when it is subjected to heating followed by cooling for solidification in the absence of such an external field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisao Yaegashi, Hideaki Mitsutake, Kazuo Yoshinaga, Masashi Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 4935336
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical recording member including a thin film photosensitive layer provided on a base. The thin film photosensitive layer may vary between a low optical density state and a high optical density state when optical energy is applied thereto. This thin film photosensitive layer contains a first element which may be a metal or semimetal, a second element which is at least one selected from Te, Ge, Sn, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Ta, W, Pt, Au, Tl, Pb, Si, Sb, Bi, and an oxygen element. Part of the oyxgen element is bonded with the first element to form its oxide. The ratio x of the total number of atoms of the oxygen element to that of the first element, when the maximum valence of the first element in a stable oxide state is n, is according to the relation of 0<x>n/2. At least part of the second element exists in a non-oxide state. This thin film photosensitive layer is formed by a vacuum deposition or sputtering method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Yamada, Kenichi Nishiuchi, Mutsuo Takenaga
  • Patent number: 4916048
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical recording member including a thin film photosensitive layer provided on a base. The thin film photosensitive layer may vary between a low optical density state and a high optical density state when optical energy is applied thereto. This thin film photosensitive layer contains a first element which may be a metal or semimetal, a second element which is at least one selected from Te, Ge, Sn, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Ta, W, Pt, Au, Tl, Pb, Si, Sb, Bi, and an oxygen element. Part of the oxygen element is bonded with the first element to form its oxide. The ratio x of the total number of atoms of the oxygen element to that of the first element, when the maximum valence of the first element in a stable oxide state is n, is according to the relation of 0<x<n/2. At least part of the second element exists in a non-oxide state. This thin film photosensitive layer is formed by a vacuum deposition or sputtering method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventors: Noboru Yamada, Kenichi Nishiuchi, Mutsuo Takenaga
  • Patent number: 4910107
    Abstract: An optical recording-reproducing method comprising the step of irradiating a radiation for polymerization on an optical recording medium having a recording layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of azulenium salt compounds, pyrylium dyes, diene compounds, croconic methine dyes and polymethine compounds (hereinafter called the group B) and a diacetylene derivative compound; the step of irradiating a radiation corresponding to a recording information to thereby change the color at the irradiated portion of the recording layer; and the step of reading the recorded information by irradiating a reading light with a shorter wavelength than said radiation on said recording layer. Also, an optical recording-reproducing device utilizes the above-mentioned method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruki Kawada, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Nakagiri, Yoshinori Tomida, Kenji Saito, Toshiaki Kimura, Toshihiko Miyazaki, Ken Eguchi, Yukuo Nishimura, Kunihiro Sakai