Diffraction grating color imaging

Claim 3

The method as set forth in Claim 1 further comprising illuminating said photosensitive plate or said replicas so as to reveal the original colors in the original scene or picture.

Claim 4

The method as set forth in Claim 2 further comprising placing the illumination source at a predetermined angle to said photosensitive plate or to said replica and viewing said diffracted light at a second predetermined angle so as to reproduce the colors in the original color picture, image or scene.

Claim 5

A multiple diffraction grating comprising a plurality of areas on a single substrate, each of said areas having one of a plurality of diffraction grating frequencies, in a predetermined pattern such that the substrate appears white when viewed in white light.

Claim 6

A multiple diffraction grating comprising a plurality of areas on a single substrate, each of said areas having one of a plurality of diffraction grating frequencies, in a predetermined pattern such that the substrate appears white when viewed in white light.

Claim 7

The multiple diffraction grating as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said plurality of grating areas comprises a first pattern of diffraction grating areas with a first grating spatial frequency representative of a first primary color, a second pattern of diffraction grating areas with a second grating spatial frequency representative of a second primary color, and a third pattern of diffraction grating areas with a third grating spatial frequency representative of a third primary color.

Claim 8

The multiple diffraction grating as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said substrate comprises a photosensitive plate upon which the plurality of diffraction gratings has been recorded and developed to reveal said diffraction gratings.

Claim 9

The multiple diffraction grating as set forth in Claim 4 or 5 wherein said diffraction gratings are arranged in contiguous horizontal or vertical rows of first, second, and third diffraction gratings on said substrate.

Claim 10

The multiple diffraction grating as set forth in Claim 4 or 5 wherein said diffraction gratings are arranged in contiguous hexagonal arrays of first, second, and third diffraction gratings on said substrate.

Claim 11

Apparatus for full-color reproduction of continuous-tone color pictures, images or scenes by the use of diffraction grating techniques comprising: means for creating individual separation masks which delineate areas or zones dedicated to the reproduction of each of the primary colors, means for exposing a single photosensitive plate with an interference pattern representative of a primary color through each of said individual separation masks to form multiple diffraction grating latent images on said photosensitive plate, means for developing said photosensitive plate to convert said multiple diffraction grating latent images into surface relief diffraction gratings, means for replicating said photosensitive plate where the replicas exhibit the same diffraction effects of said plate, and means for selectively causing gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica to be masked in order to leave the gratings or portions thereof all or partially diffracting so as to further render said plate or said replica into a unique pattern of active and inactive diffraction gratings reproducing the original colors in the original scene, image or picture.

Claim 12

Apparatus for full-color reproduction of continuous-tone color pictures, images or scenes by the use of diffraction grating techniques comprising: means for creating individual separation masks which delineate areas or zones dedicated to the reproduction of each of the primary colors, means for exposing a single photosensitive plate with an interference pattern representative of a primary color through each of said individual separation masks to form multiple diffraction grating latent images on said photosensitive plate, means for developing said photosensitive plate to convert said multiple diffraction grating latent images into surface relief diffraction gratings, means for replicating said photosensitive plate where the replicas exhibit the same diffraction effects of said plate, and means for selectively causing gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica to be masked in order to leave the gratings or portions thereof all or partially diffracting so as to further render said plate or said replica into a unique pattern of active and inactive diffraction gratings reproducing the original colors in the original scene, image or picture.

Claim 13

Apparatus for exposing a photosensitive plate with interference patterns which can be converted into diffraction gratings in a configuration to allow for uniform color reproduction of the primary colors comprising: monochromatic laser illumination means (48) for providing a beam of light at a wavelength capable of exposing said photosensitive plate (70), means for supporting said photosensitive plate and for placing said plate in a position to receive part of said laser light, mirror means (62) in the path of the laser light for reflecting part of said laser light toward the photosensitive plate, such that the light reaching said photosensitive plate is a pattern of light and dark regions resulting from the interference between the direct and reflected laser light beams, different separation mask means (60) for each primary color to be reproduced positioned in contact with said photosensitive plate, each of said mask means comprising transparent and opaque repeating patterns representative of the primary colors to be reproduced on said photosensitive plate, and means for changing the angle between the interfering beams arriving at said plate through said separation masks and supporting means.

Claim 14

Apparatus for exposing a photosensitive plate with interference patterns which can be converted into diffraction gratings in a configuration to allow for uniform color reproduction of the primary colors comprising: monochromatic laser illumination means (48) for providing a beam of light at a wavelength capable of exposing said photosensitive plate (70), means for supporting said photosensitive plate and for placing said plate in a position to receive part of said laser light, mirror means (62) in the path of the laser light for reflecting part of said laser light toward the photosensitive plate, such that the light reaching said photosensitive plate is a pattern of light and dark regions resulting from the interference between the direct and reflected laser light beams, different separation mask means (60) for each primary color to be reproduced positioned in contact with said photosensitive plate, each of said mask means comprising transparent and opaque repeating patterns representative of the primary colors to be reproduced on said photosensitive plate, and means for changing the angle between the interfering beams arriving at said plate through said separation masks and supporting means.

Claim 15

A method of full-color reproduction of continuous-tone color pictures, images or scenes on a substrate upon which is formed multiple diffaction gratings representative of the primary colors as claimed in claim 5, comprising: de-composing a color picture, image or scene into its primary color components, represented by electronic video signals, re-processing said electronic video signals into a format consistent with the particular configuration of said multiple diffraction grating substrate, and creating an array of marks from said electronic video signals which selectively causes gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica to be rendered non-functional.

Claim 16

The method as set forth in Claim 11 wherein the step of creating comprises: recording said electronic video signals as an electrostatic latent image on a xerographic photoreceptor, developing said latent image to leave opaque toner areas representative of said re-­processed electronic video signals on said xerographic photoreceptor, transfering said opaque toner areas in such a manner as to render the multiple diffaction gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica non-functional and thereby produce the full color reproduction of the original color image, picture or scene.

Claim 17

The method as set forth in Claim 11 wherein the step of creating comprises: recording said electronic video signals as a latent image on a conventional photographic media, developing said latent image to leave opaque areas representative of said re-­processed electronic video signals on said photographic media, transfering said opaque areas in such a manner as to render the multiple diffaction gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica non-functional and thereby produce the full color reproduction of the original color image, picture or scene.

Claim 19

Apparatus for full-color reproduction of continuous-tone color pictures, images or scenes on a substrate upon which is formed multiple diffaction gratings representative of the primary colors, comprising: means (84) for de-composing a color picture, image or scene into its primary color components, represented by electronic video signals, means (90) for re-processing said electronic video signals into a format consistent with the particular configuration of said multiple diffraction grating substrate, and means for creating an array of marks from said electronic video signals which selectively causes gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica to be rendered non-­functional.

Claim 20

Apparatus for full-color reproduction of continuous-tone color pictures, images or scenes on a substrate upon which is formed multiple diffaction gratings representative of the primary colors, comprising: means (84) for de-composing a color picture, image or scene into its primary color components, represented by electronic video signals, means (90) for re-processing said electronic video signals into a format consistent with the particular configuration of said multiple diffraction grating substrate, and means for creating an array of marks from said electronic video signals which selectively causes gratings or portions thereof on the plate or a replica to be rendered non-­functional.