Multi-user digital laser imaging system

Claim 2

The digital imaging system according to claim 1 further characterized in that: - the transfer function memory stores the transfer functions as data characterizing the relationship between a range of expected transmittance values of an image and associated image values, - the film model memory stores the film models as data characterizing the relationship between the range of expected transmittance values of an image and associated film exposure values, and - the digital processor further includes means for: - accessing the film model memory as a function of transmittance values to determine associated film exposure values, - computing laser drive values as a function of the determined film exposure values, - generating, and storing in RAM, index tables of data characterizing relationships between laser drive values and corresponding transmittance values, and - generating the lookup tables by accessing the index tables as a function of desired transmittance values from selected transfer functions to create lookup tables of data characterizing relationships between the laser drive values and the image input values.

Claim 3

The digital imaging system according to claim 1 or 2 further characterized by having: - a film processor for developing the imaged film, - a densitometer for providing information representative of the density of portions of the developed film, - test wedge memory for storing test wedge data characteristic of test wedges, the test wedge data representative of a range of laser drive values associated with expected film density values characterized by the film models, and wherein - the digital processor is coupled to the film processor, densitometer and test wedge memory, and further comprises test wedge calibration means having: - test wedge print initiation means for accessing the test wedge memory and initiating the imaging of test wedges on film as a function of the laser drive values, - test wedge processing means for causing the test wedges on the imaged film to be developed, and for causing the densitometer to provide information representative of the actual densities of the developed test wedges, - wedge comparison means for comparing the actual densities of the test wedges to the associated expected film density values and - film model modification means for modifying the film model data as a function of the comparison so the film model corresponds to the actual characteristics of the film.

Claim 4

The digital imaging system according to any one of the claims 1 to 3 characterized in that: - the laser scanning means further comprises an attenuator for adjusting the intensity of the scanned laser beam in response to attenuator control signals, - the system further comprises density patch memory for storing data characteristic of a density patch, the density patch data representative of a digital laser drive value associated with an expected predetermined imaged and developed film density and - the digital processor is coupled to the attenuator and density patch memory and further comprises density patch calibration means having: - density patch calibration initiation means for accessing the density patch memory and initiating the imaging of a density patch on each film as a function of the laser drive data, - density patch processing means for causing the density patch on the imaged film to be developed by the film processor, and for causing the densitometer to provide information representative of the actual density of the developed patch, - patch comparison means for comparing the actual density of the patch to the associated expected film density value and - attenuator control means for generating attenuator control signals as a function of the patch comparison.

Claim 5

The digital imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the film receiving mechanism comprises a mechanism for receiving cartridges of film bearing the film information in machine readable form, and the film information input means comprises a reading mechanism for reading the film information on the cartridge.

Claim 6

A digital laser imaging system for imaging film as a function of digital image values representative of an image, characterized by having: - image data input means for receiving said digital image values, - film receiving means for receiving cartridges of film bearing film information in machine readable form, - film information reading means for reading the film information from cartridges loaded into the film receiving means, - laser scanning means responsive to digital laser drive values, said scanning means capable of scanning a laser beam to image said film, - a film processor for developing imaged film, - a densitometer for providing information representative of the density of portions of the developed film, - lookup table memory for storing lookup table data, the lookup table data representative of the relationship between the laser drive values and the digital image values, - density calibration memory for storing data representative of one or more laser drive values associated with expected film density values and - a digital processor coupled to the image data input means, film information reading means, laser scanning means, film processor, densitometer, lookup table memory and density calibration memory, and including means for: - accessing the density calibration memory and initiating the printing of one or more density calibration patches on said film, - causing the calibration patches on the film to be developed by the processor, - causing the densitometer to provide information representative of the actual density of the calibration patches, - comparing the actual densities of the calibration patches to the associated expected film density values, - generating the lookup table data as a function of the film information read from the cartridges and the comparison between the actual and expected densities of the calibration patches and - accessing laser drive values in the generated lookup tables as a function of the image values, and providing the accessed drive values to the laser scanning means to image the film.

Claim 7

The digital laser imaging system according to claim 6 characterized in that the film receiving means is configured to receive cartridges of film bearing film type information in machine readable form, and the digital processor means for generating the lookup table data generates the lookup table data as a function of the film type information read from the cartridges and the comparison between the actual and expected densities of the calibration patches.

Claim 8

The digital laser imaging system according to claim 6 or 7 further characterized in that: - the density calibration memory stores test wedge data characteristic of a plurality of test wedges, the test wedge data representative of a range of laser drive values associated with expected film density values, - the digital processor means for accessing the density calibration memory initiated the printing of the test wedges on the film, - the digital processor means for comparing densities compares the actual densities of the test wedges to the associated expected film density values and - the digital processor means for generating the lookup table data generates the lookup table data as a function of the film information read from the cartridges and the comparison between the actual and expected densities of the test wedges.

Claim 9

The digital laser imaging system according to any one of claims 6 to 8 characterized in that: - the laser scanning means further comprises an attenuator for adjusting the intensity of the scanned laser beam in response to attenuator control signals, - the system further includes density patch memory for storing data characteristic of a density patch, the density patch data representative of a digital laser drive value associated with an expected predetermined imaged and developed film density and - the digital processor is coupled to the attenuator and density patch memory and further comprises density patch calibration means having: - density patch calibration initiation means for accessing the density patch memory and initiating the imaging of a density patch on each film as a function of the laser drive data, - density patch processing means for causing the density patch on the imaged film to be developed by the film processor, and for causing the densitometer to provide information representative of the actual density of the developed patch, - patch comparison means for comparing the actual density of the patch to the associated expected film density value and - attenuator control means for generating attenuator control signals as a function of the patch comparison.

Claim 10

The laser imager according to any one of claims 6 to 9 characterized in that: - the density calibration memory stores test wedge data characteristic of a plurality of test wedges, the test wedge data representative of a range of laser drive values associated with expected film density values, - the digital processor means for accessing the density calibration memory initiates the printing of the test wedges on the film, - the digital processor means for comparing densities compares the actual densities of the test wedges to the associated expected film density values, - the digital processor means for generating the lookup table data generates the lookup table data as a function of the film information read from the cartridges and the comparison between the actual and expected densities of the test wedges and - the digital processor accesses the density calibration memory, initiates the printing of the test wedges on the film, compares the densities of the test wedges to the expected film density values and generates the lookup table data as a function of the comparison between the actual and expected densities of the density patch.

Claim 11

A digital laser imaging system capable of imaging film as a function of digital image values representative of an image, user commands, and film information characteristic of said film, characterized by having: - image data input means for receiving said digital image values, - user command means for receiving said user commands, - film receiving means for receiving cartridges of said film bearing the film information in machine readable form, - film information reading means for reading the film information from cartridges loaded into the film receiving means, - laser scanning means responsive to digital laser drive values, said scanning means capable of scanning a laser beam to image said film, - a film processor for developing imaged film, - a densitometer for providing information representative of the density of portions of the developed film, - transfer function memory for storing data characteristic of a plurality of transfer functions, each transfer function representative of the relationship between expected imaged film densities and associated image values, - film model memory for storing data characteristic of a plurality of film models, each film model representative of the relationship between expected imaged film densities for a particular type of film and associated laser drive values, - test wedge memory for storing test wedge data characteristic of test wedges, the test wedge data representative of a range of laser drive values associated with expected film density values characterized by the film models, - RAM for storing digital data and - a digital processor including means for: - accessing the transfer function memory as a function of said user commands to select user-desired transfer functions, - accessing said film model memory as a function of film information read from cartridges to select film models for film to be imaged, - accessing said test wedge memory and initiating the imaging of test wedges on film, - causing test wedges on the imaged film to be developed by said film processor, - causing said densitometer to provide information representative of the actual density of the developed test wedges, - comparing the actual densities of the test wedges to the associated expected film density values, - modifying data in said film model memory as a function of the comparison so the film model corresponds to the actual characteristics of the film, - generating, and storing in the RAM, lookup tables of data characterizing relationships between laser drive values and image values as a function of the selected transfer functions and film models and - accessing laser drive values in the generated lookup tables as a function of the image values, and providing the accessed drive values to the laser scanning means to image the film.