Method and apparatus for digital color printing

Claim 2

The process of recording a color image on a color-sensitive emulsion comprising the steps of placing a mask over the emulsion in which there is a slit corresponding to a line in the image to be recorded; exposing the film through the slit, a first color filter transmitting light of a first color, and a first mask bearing a row of transmissive regions each corresponding to an occurrence of light of the color transmitted by the first filter in the image to be recorded; exposing the film through the slit, a second color filter transmitting a second color and a second mask comprising a row of transmissive regions one for each occurrence of the second color in the image to be recorded; moving the film relative to the first mask; and recording another line by repeating the steps by which the first line was recorded with different masks corresponding to the distribution of colors in that line in the image to be recorded.

Claim 3

In the process of recording a color image on a color sensitive emulsion, the steps of masking the emulsion by covering it with a mask having a slit positioned to expose a first line on the emulsion, recording an image on the first line by distributing a first sequence of light signals of a first color over the exposed line, and distributing at least a second sequence of light signals of a second color over the exposed line, moving the mask to expose a second line on the emulsion, and recording an image on the second line by repeating the steps by which the image on the first line was recorded using different sequences of light signals of said first and at least said second color.

Claim 4

In the process of recording a color image on a color sensitive emulsion, the steps of masking the emulsion by covering it with a mask having a slit positioned to expose a first line on the emulsion, recording an image on the first line by distributing a first sequence of light signals of a first color over the exposed line, and distributing at least a second sequence of light signals of a second color over the exposed line, moving the mask to expose a second line on the emulsion, and recording an image on the second line by repeating the steps by which the image on the first line was recorded using different sequences of light signals of said first and at least said second color.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing a color image recorded on a record medium as a rectangular array of regions each being opaque or transparent in accordance with the binary value of a data bit, there being a predetermined number of linear rows of said regions in said array, each row corresponding to a different color in the image to be recorded and each row comprising a digital encoding of the distribution of the color associated with the rows along a line in the image to be recorded, said apparatus comprising a color filter comprising an array of parallel filter strips each corresponding in shape and arrangement with a different one of the rows on said record medium and each selectively transmitting light of the color associated with its corresponding row, a light source, means for mounting said light source and said composite filter in spaced relation, whereby when the record medium is placed between the source and the composite filter the filter will transmit a series of light signal sequences determined by the record medium, a filmholder, a mask provided with a slit and adapted to cover a sheet of film in said filmholder except for a line exposed by the slit, means mounting the filmholder and mask for relative movement over a range in which the slit sweeps the surface of a sheet of film in said filmholder, and light-diverting means rotatably mounted adjacent said filter to sequentially direct images of the light signal sequences from said filter onto said slit.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing a color image recorded on a record medium as a rectangular array of regions each being opaque or transparent in accordance with the binary value of a data bit, there being a predetermined number of linear rows of said regions in said array, each row corresponding to a different color in the image to be recorded and each row comprising a digital encoding of the distribution of the color associated with the rows along a line in the image to be recorded, said apparatus comprising a color filter comprising an array of parallel filter strips each corresponding in shape and arrangement with a different one of the rows on said record medium and each selectively transmitting light of the color associated with its corresponding row, a light source, means for mounting said light source and said composite filter in spaced relation, whereby when the record medium is placed between the source and the composite filter the filter will transmit a series of light signal sequences determined by the record medium, a filmholder, a mask provided with a slit and adapted to cover a sheet of film in said filmholder except for a line exposed by the slit, means mounting the filmholder and mask for relative movement over a range in which the slit sweeps the surface of a sheet of film in said filmholder, and light-diverting means rotatably mounted adjacent said filter to sequentially direct images of the light signal sequences from said filter onto said slit.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising motor means actuable to rotate said light diverting means, a shutter mounted between said color filter and said light-diverting means, detecting means for producing a signal when a record medium is in position between said light source and said color filter, and means controlled by said motor means and said detecting means for opening said shutter when said light-diverting means is in a predetermined range of rotated positions and said signal is present.

Claim 8

A digital color printer, comprising a set of color filters each transmitting light of a different color, a light source, means mounting said light source and said filter in spaced relation, means for mounting an optically coded mask between said filters and said light source to limit the light passing through each filter to a coded distribution determined by the mask, sheet-holding means, a mask provided with an aperture and adapted to cover a sheet of light-responsive material in said sheet-holding means except for a region exposed by said aperture, means mounting said sheet-holding means and said mask for relative movement over a range in which the aperture sweeps the surface of a sheet of light-responsive material in said sheet-holding means, and light-diverting means movably mounted adjacent said filters for movement over a range in which images of the coded light distributions transmitted by said filters are sequentially directed onto said aperture.

Claim 9

A digital color printer, comprising a set of color filters each transmitting light of a different color, a light source, means mounting said light source and said filter in spaced relation, means for mounting an optically coded mask between said filters and said light source to limit the light passing through each filter to a coded distribution determined by the mask, sheet-holding means, a mask provided with an aperture and adapted to cover a sheet of light-responsive material in said sheet-holding means except for a region exposed by said aperture, means mounting said sheet-holding means and said mask for relative movement over a range in which the aperture sweeps the surface of a sheet of light-responsive material in said sheet-holding means, and light-diverting means movably mounted adjacent said filters for movement over a range in which images of the coded light distributions transmitted by said filters are sequentially directed onto said aperture.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising motor means connected to said light-diverting means and actuable to move said light-diverting means over a path including said range of movement, a shutter mounted between said filters and said light-diverting means, detecting means responsive to an optically coded mask between said filters and said light source for producing a signal, and means controlled by said motor means and said detecting means for opening said shutter when said light-diverting means is in said range of movement and said signal is present.