Colorscanner

Claim 2

The process of producing a colorscan which comprises: a. sequentially displaying on a screen, a series of individual isocounts corresponding to certain ranges in levels of radioactivity; b. locating a camera in position to photograph said screen; c. interposing between said camera and said screen a color code means having sections of different characteristic color as well as a section of neutral color; d. operatively positioning the sections and operatively controlling camera exposure in accordance with a program coordinated with the displaying of said isocounts to provide a color code for each isocount fixed in accordance with the three variables of hue, saturation and brilliance.

Claim 3

The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step (a) comprises: storing in a computer memory array counts specifying nuclear radiation levels detected at positional coordinates corresponding to locations of storage cells in said array, and illuminating the elemental areas of said screen corresponding in location to memory storage cells containing counts within a selected range, thereby producing an isocount corresponding to a certain range of radioactivity levels.

Claim 4

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. a device having the characteristics of an oscilloscope screen for displaying spots of illumination; b. a camera having means for holding color film and positioned to photograph said screen; c. a movable code member having a plurality of sections may one of which may be operatively positioned between said screen and said film, each section having a different color characteristic, and at least one of said sections being of neutral characteristic; and d. programmed means for displaying on said screen, isocounts of an area distributed function, for controlling the exposure of the camera and for positioning various sections of said code member of predetermined times whereby a color coded composite is produced controlled as to hue, saturation and brilliance.

Claim 5

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. a device having the characteristics of an oscilloscope screen for displaying spots of illumination; b. a camera having means for holding color film and positioned to photograph said screen; c. a movable code member having a plurality of sections may one of which may be operatively positioned between said screen and said film, each section having a different color characteristic, and at least one of said sections being of neutral characteristic; and d. programmed means for displaying on said screen, isocounts of an area distributed function, for controlling the exposure of the camera and for positioning various sections of said code member of predetermined times whereby a color coded composite is produced controlled as to hue, saturation and brilliance.

Claim 6

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. a device having an electronically controlled display area; b. means for sequentially producing on said display area, a series of individual isocounts corresponding to certain ranges in levels of radioactivity; c. a camera having means for holding a color photosensitive sheet and positioned to photograph said display area; d. color code means interposed between said sheet holding means and said display, said means having sections of different characteristic color as well as a section of neutral color; e. means for shifting the color code means relative to the camera and the display area for operatively positioning any one of said sections; and f. programmed computer means for controlling said means for shifting and for establishing the time of exposure through each operatively positioned color section during the display of each isocount, whereby a colorscan is provided the color code of which is controlled as to hue, saturation and brilliance without physical alteration of said color code means.

Claim 7

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. a device having an electronically controlled display area; b. means for sequentially producing on said display area, a series of individual isocounts corresponding to certain ranges in levels of radioactivity; c. a camera having means for holding a color photosensitive sheet and positioned to photograph said display area; d. color code means interposed between said sheet holding means and said display, said means having sections of different characteristic color as well as a section of neutral color; e. means for shifting the color code means relative to the camera and the display area for operatively positioning any one of said sections; and f. programmed computer means for controlling said means for shifting and for establishing the time of exposure through each operatively positioned color section during the display of each isocount, whereby a colorscan is provided the color code of which is controlled as to hue, saturation and brilliance without physical alteration of said color code means.

Claim 8

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said isocount producing means is selected from the group consisting of a non-traversing scintillation camera divided digitally into an array of elemental areas and a machine record of the output of such scintillation camera.

Claim 9

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said color code means is a color wheel in which said sections are filters angularly spaced about the wheel.

Claim 10

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a shaft coupled to said shifting means; a motor for operating said shaft; a plurality of parallel control circuits for said motor, each control circuit including a logic gate and each corresponding to one of the sections of said color coded means; each gate being operative to complete an energization circuit for said motor upon reception of a logic signal from said computer means; and means responsive to arrival of the shaft at corresponding section position for resetting the corresponding gate and interrupting the energization of said motor.

Claim 11

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 together with solenoid means for operating the shutter of said camera in response to reception of a logic signal from said computer means.

Claim 12

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said means for sequentially producing comprises: a computer memory having an array of storage addresses corresponding to like coordinate locations of said display area, radiation detection means for providing control pulses and coordinate signals in response to detected nuclear radiation, said control pulses being stored by said computer memory at the storage addresses identified by said coordinate signals, and means for reading out said computer memory and for illuminating the coordinate locations of said display area corresponding to storage addresses containing counts within a selected range.

Claim 13

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. an oscilloscope having a screen; b. a camera having means for holding a color photo-sensitive sheet and positioned to photograph said oscilloscope screen; c. a color code disc interposed between said holding means and said screen, and having a plurality of sections of different color characteristics as well as a section of neutral density; d. a shaft; e. means coupling said shaft to said disc; f. a motor for operating the shaft and having a non-coast characteristic; g. a plurality of parallel control circuits for the motor, each control circuit including a bistable logic gate having two inputs for respectively determining alternate logic gate output; h. means operable upon logic gate output resulting from one input for completing an energization circuit for said motor, and means operable upon logic gate output resulting from the other input for interrupting the energization circuit so established; i. means responsive to movement of the sections into operative position for applying a signal to the said other input of the logic gate of the corresponding control circuit; j. radiation detection means fOr providing signals indicative of nuclear radiation levels detected at identified locations of a detection field, and k. a computer responsive to the signals provided by said detection means for controlling said oscilloscope to display selected isocounts on said screen, said computer containing means programmed to expose color film of said camera for predetermined time periods and at predetermined time sequences during display of said isocounts, and to position said sections by application of pulses to the one input circuits of said control circuits whereby a colorscan is produced in which the color code is determined as to all of the variables of hue, saturation and brilliance.

Claim 14

In apparatus for producing a colorscan: a. an oscilloscope having a screen; b. a camera having means for holding a color photo-sensitive sheet and positioned to photograph said oscilloscope screen; c. a color code disc interposed between said holding means and said screen, and having a plurality of sections of different color characteristics as well as a section of neutral density; d. a shaft; e. means coupling said shaft to said disc; f. a motor for operating the shaft and having a non-coast characteristic; g. a plurality of parallel control circuits for the motor, each control circuit including a bistable logic gate having two inputs for respectively determining alternate logic gate output; h. means operable upon logic gate output resulting from one input for completing an energization circuit for said motor, and means operable upon logic gate output resulting from the other input for interrupting the energization circuit so established; i. means responsive to movement of the sections into operative position for applying a signal to the said other input of the logic gate of the corresponding control circuit; j. radiation detection means fOr providing signals indicative of nuclear radiation levels detected at identified locations of a detection field, and k. a computer responsive to the signals provided by said detection means for controlling said oscilloscope to display selected isocounts on said screen, said computer containing means programmed to expose color film of said camera for predetermined time periods and at predetermined time sequences during display of said isocounts, and to position said sections by application of pulses to the one input circuits of said control circuits whereby a colorscan is produced in which the color code is determined as to all of the variables of hue, saturation and brilliance.

Claim 15

The combination as set forth in claim 10 in which said responsive means for each logic gate includes a trigger circuit having a normal input, a switch controlled by the position of said shaft for shifting the input to said trigger circuit, and a pulse generator interposed between the output of said trigger circuit and said other input of said logic gate of said control circuit.

Claim 16

The combination as set forth in claim 10 together with means for changing the program of said programmed means to change the color code of said isocounts.