Apparatus for optically resolving the light derived from the scanning of a tonal image into color components

Claim 2

In a color analyzer in which two neutral beam splitters divide an input light beam into a plurality of secondary light beams in which different beams impinge on different respective ones of a plurality of photoresponsive devices, the improvement comprising, a dichroic filter disposed in each of said secondary beams following each of said splitters and ahead of said devices to transmit different wavelength ranges of the light in such beams so as to render of different colors the beams impinging on said devices.

Claim 3

An analyzer as in claim 1 in which said dichroic filters are the only color filter means in said secondary beams.

Claim 4

An analyzer as in claim 1 in which the angle of incidence between each of said dichroic filters and the axis of the beam in which such filter is disposed is an angle of less than 45 percent.

Claim 5

An analyzer as in claim 3 in which said angle is 20* at most.

Claim 6

An analyzer as in claim 1 further comprising, means permitting adjustment over a range of the angle of incidence between each of said dichroic filters and the beam in which such filter is disposed, and means to retain each of said filters at a selected setting in its range of adjustment.

Claim 7

An analyzer as in claim 1 in which said input beam is originally of light having a wavelength-energy distribution curve characterized by a peak energy value at a wavelength corresponding to the color green, said curve being multiplicative with the wavelength-energy transmission curves of said filters to define for said impinging beams a respectively corresponding plurality of wavelength band-pass curves which are sequentially overlapping in wavelength and intersect at points which, when such curves are normalized, each have an energy value less than 50 percent of the peak energy value of said normalized band-pass curves.

Claim 8

An analyzer as in claim 6 in which each of said wavelength band-pass curves has at least one edge which is adjustable in wavelength position.

Claim 9

An analyzer as in claim 7 in which said sequentially overlapping band-pass curves are at least three in number, the middle one of such three curves has opposite edges which are each independently adjustable in wavelength position, and the two outer ones of such three curves each intersect said middle curve by an edge which is adjustable in wavelength position.

Claim 10

A color analyzer for an input light beam comprising, a first neutral beam splitter disposed in the path of said input beam to divide it into first and second beams, a second neutral beam splitter disposed in the path of said second beam to divide it into third and fourth beams, and first, second and third dichroic filters disposed in, respectively, said first, third and fourth beams to each transmit a range of wavelengths of the light in the corresponding beam, each of said filters being transmissive of a different range of wavelengths.

Claim 11

A color analyzer for an input light beam comprising, a first neutral beam splitter disposed in the path of said input beam to divide it into first and second beams, a second neutral beam splitter disposed in the path of said second beam to divide it into third and fourth beams, and first, second and third dichroic filters disposed in, respectively, said first, third and fourth beams to each transmit a range of wavelengths of the light in the corresponding beam, each of said filters being transmissive of a different range of wavelengths.

Claim 12

An analyzer as in claim 9 further comprising a fourth dichroic filter disposed in said second beam and transmissive both of wavelengths transmitted by said second filter and of wavelengths transmitted by said third filter.

Claim 13

In a color analyzer in which an input light beam is divided into a plurality of secondary beams by neutral beam splitters in which different beams impinge on different respective ones of a plurality of photoresponsive devices, the improvement comprising, a dichroic filter disposed in each of said secondary beams to transmit different wavelength ranges of the light in such beams so as to render of different colors the beams impinging on said devices, means permitting adjustment over a range of the angle of incidence between each of said filters and the beam transmitted therethrough to thereby permit selective variation in the range of wavelengths transmitted by that filter, and means to retain each of said filters at a selected setting in said range of angular adjustment of that filter.

Claim 14

In a color analyzer in which an input light beam is divided into a plurality of secondary beams by neutral beam splitters in which different beams impinge on different respective ones of a plurality of photoresponsive devices, the improvement comprising, a dichroic filter disposed in each of said secondary beams to transmit different wavelength ranges of the light in such beams so as to render of different colors the beams impinging on said devices, means permitting adjustment over a range of the angle of incidence between each of said filters and the beam transmitted therethrough to thereby permit selective variation in the range of wavelengths transmitted by that filter, and means to retain each of said filters at a selected setting in said range of angular adjustment of that filter.

Claim 15

A scanning and color analyzing system for a colored original comprising, cathode-ray tube means adapted by deflection of at least one electron beam thereof to provide a raster pattern scanning of said original by light from a spot formed by said beam on the screen of said tube means and scanning in a raster pattern over said screen, optical means disposed to form light derived from said scanning of said original into a primary beam, a plurality of neutral beam splitters disposed to divide said primary beam into a plurality of secondary beams, a plurality of photoresponsive devices each responsive to a different one of said secondary beams impinging thereon to derive from that beam an electric signal, and a dichroic filter disposed in each of said secondary beams to transmit different rages of wavelengths of the light in such beams so to render of different colors the beams impinging on said devices, each of said filters being characterized by an angle of incidence of less than 45* with the secondary beam passing through that filter.

Claim 16

A scanning and color analyzing system for a colored original comprising, cathode-ray tube means adapted by deflection of at least one electron beam thereof to provide a raster pattern scanning of said original by light from a spot formed by said beam on the screen of said tube means and scanning in a raster pattern over said screen, optical means disposed to form light derived from said scanning of said original into a primary beam, a plurality of neutral beam splitters disposed to divide said primary beam into a plurality of secondary beams, a plurality of photoresponsive devices each responsive to a different one of said secondary beams impinging thereon to derive from that beam an electric signal, and a dichroic filter disposed in each of said secondary beams to transmit different rages of wavelengths of the light in such beams so to render of different colors the beams impinging on said devices, each of said filters being characterized by an angle of incidence of less than 45* with the secondary beam passing through that filter.

Claim 17

A system as in claim 12 in which said spot is developed on the screen of said tube means by a phosphor imparting to the light from said spot a wavelength-energy curve multiplicative with the wavelength-energy transmission curves of said filters to define for said beams impinging on said devices a respectively corresponding plurality of wavelength band-pass curves which are sequentially overlapping in wavelength and intersect at points which, when such curves are normalized, each have any energy value less than 50 percent of the peak energy value of said normalized band-pass curves.

Claim 18

A system As in claim 13 further comprising means permitting adjustment over a range from a lower limit not less than 0* to an upper limit less than 45* of the angle of incidence between each of said dichroic filters and the beam passing therethrough so as to thereby permit adjustment of the wavelength position of at least one edge of each of said wavelength band-pass curves, and means to retain each of said dichroic filters at a selected setting in the range of angular adjustment of that filter.

Claim 19

A system as in claim 14 in which said dichroic filters are the only color filter means in said secondary beams.

Claim 20

A system as in claim 12 in which said dichroic filters are the only color filter means in said secondary beams.