US4099862A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for evaluating developed photographic films preparatory to reproduction
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert AG
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Filing: 1976-11-08
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Granted: 1978-07-11
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Expires: 1996-11-08
Abstract
Abstract An automatic prereader for exposed and developed frames of a web of spliced-together photographic color films is preceded by a first station and followed by a second station at the first of which groups of successive frames are subjected to a first subjective examination by an attendant and at the second of which some of the frames are subjected to renewed subjective examination by the same attendant. The attendant actuates one or more pushbuttons upon examination of frames at the first station to produce signals which denote improperly oriented frames, frames which were exposed in artificial light and/or frames which are unfit for copying. Such signals are used to modify signals which are furnished by the automatic prereader. The modified and unmodified signals which are furnished by the prereader are examined for intensity, and those signals whose intensity is outside of a preselected range are displayed at the second station so that the attendant can observe such signals simultaneously with observation of the respective film frames and is in a position to initiate the generation of additional signals which are used to modify or erase the corresponding signals from the prereader before the signals are transmitted to the exposure controls of a copying machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Horst Bickl
- 👤 Gunter Findeis
- 👤 Helmut Treiber
- 👤 Wolfgang Zahn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:49
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/72; G03B27/73
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine having adjustable exposure control means, comprising the steps of subjecting said portions of information first to a subjective examination to thus enable the person performing such subjective examination to produce at least one first signal when the reproduction of a portion of information necessitiates an adjustment of the exposure control means, said first signals including signals denoting the orientation of said portions of information on said carrier; thereupon subjecting the portions of information to an objective evaluation and producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective evaluation; and utilizing said first signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine having adjustable exposure control means, comprising the steps of subjecting said portions of information first to a subjective examination to thus enable the person performing such subjective examination to produce at least one first signal when the reproduction of a portion of information necessitiates an adjustment of the exposure control means, said first signals including signals denoting the orientation of said portions of information on said carrier; thereupon subjecting the portions of information to an objective evaluation and producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective evaluation; and utilizing said first signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said portions of information are frames of an exposed and developed photographic color film and at least said step of objective evaluation includes producing color and/or density correction signals for reproduction of at least some film frames.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of subjective examination includes illuminating at least one portion of information at a time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of subjective examination includes simultaneously examining a plurality of successive portions of information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of subjective examination further includes producing said first signals in the same sequence as the sequence of portions in each of said pluralities of portions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 5, further comprising the step of transporting successive pluralities of portions of information into a predetermined position for subjective examination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first signals include signals denoting the lack of fitness of said portions of information for reproduction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said portions of information are film frames and said first signals include signals denoting those film frames which were exposed with artificial illumination of the subject or scene.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
207 words
A method of processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine having adjustable exposure control means, comprising the steps of subjecting said portions of information first to a subjective examination to thus enable the person performing such subjective examination to produce at least one first signal when the reproduction of a portion of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means; thereupon subjecting the portions of information to an objective evaluation and producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective evaluation; utilizing said first signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means; displaying at least some of said second signals; subjecting the portions of information to which the displayed second signals pertain to a second subjective examination to thus enable the person performing said second subjective examination to determine the accuracy of the displayed second signals and to produce third signals when the displayed second signals require modification; and utilizing said third signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
207 words
A method of processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine having adjustable exposure control means, comprising the steps of subjecting said portions of information first to a subjective examination to thus enable the person performing such subjective examination to produce at least one first signal when the reproduction of a portion of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means; thereupon subjecting the portions of information to an objective evaluation and producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective evaluation; utilizing said first signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means; displaying at least some of said second signals; subjecting the portions of information to which the displayed second signals pertain to a second subjective examination to thus enable the person performing said second subjective examination to determine the accuracy of the displayed second signals and to produce third signals when the displayed second signals require modification; and utilizing said third signals to modify the corresponding second signals prior to transmission of second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of comparing said second signals with a predetermined range of signals, said displaying step including exhibiting for visual observation only those second signals which are outside of said predetermined range.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 9, wherein said displaying step includes exhibiting said second signals for visual observation in the form of alphanumeric values.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 9, wherein said displaying steps comprises exhibiting said second signals for visual observation in qualitative form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
148 words
Apparatus for processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine of the type having adjustable exposure control means, comprising manually actuatable means for producing first signals when a person performing a subjective examination of said portions determines that proper reproduction of selected portions of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means, including means for producing signals which denote the orientation of said portions of information on said carrier; evaluating means for thereupon subjecting successive portions of information to an objective examination, including means for producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective examination; and means for modifying said second signals as a function of the corresponding first signals prior to transmission of said second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
148 words
Apparatus for processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine of the type having adjustable exposure control means, comprising manually actuatable means for producing first signals when a person performing a subjective examination of said portions determines that proper reproduction of selected portions of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means, including means for producing signals which denote the orientation of said portions of information on said carrier; evaluating means for thereupon subjecting successive portions of information to an objective examination, including means for producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective examination; and means for modifying said second signals as a function of the corresponding first signals prior to transmission of said second signals to the exposure control means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising means for transporting successive portions of information along a predetermined path having a first portion wherein said portions of information are subjected to subjective examination and a second portion in the range of said evaluating means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for illuminating said portions of information in said first portion of said path.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said first portion of said path has a length which is sufficient to accommodate a plurality of successive portions of information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16, further comprising means for storing said first signals including a plurality of stages, one for each portion of information in said first portion of said path, and means for connecting said means for producing said first signals with selected stages of said signal storing means, said signal storing means being connected with said means for modifying said second signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said portions of information are film frames and said means for producing said first signals includes means for producing signals denoting those film frames which were exposed with artificial illumination of a subject or scene.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising data carrier means operatively connected with said modifying means and arranged to store said second signals in the form of encoded information.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine of the type having adjustable exposure control means, comprising manually actuatable means for producing first signals when a person performing a subjective examination of said portions determines that proper reproduction of selected portions of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means; evaluating means for thereupon subjecting successive portions of information to an objective examination, including means for producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective examination; means for transporting successive portions of information along a predetermined path having a first portion wherein said portions of information are subjected to subjective examination and a second portion in the range of said evaluating means; means for modifying said second signals as a function of the corresponding first signals prior to transmission of said second signals to the exposure control means; means for displaying at least some of said second signals; and means for producing third signals for modification of displayed second signals based on a second subjective examination of corresponding portions of information in a third portion of said path downstream of said second portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for processing discrete portions of information on a web-like carrier, particularly discrete frames of an exposed and developed photographic film, prior to reproduction of such information in a copying machine of the type having adjustable exposure control means, comprising manually actuatable means for producing first signals when a person performing a subjective examination of said portions determines that proper reproduction of selected portions of information necessitates an adjustment of the exposure control means; evaluating means for thereupon subjecting successive portions of information to an objective examination, including means for producing second signals for adjustment of exposure control means based on said objective examination; means for transporting successive portions of information along a predetermined path having a first portion wherein said portions of information are subjected to subjective examination and a second portion in the range of said evaluating means; means for modifying said second signals as a function of the corresponding first signals prior to transmission of said second signals to the exposure control means; means for displaying at least some of said second signals; and means for producing third signals for modification of displayed second signals based on a second subjective examination of corresponding portions of information in a third portion of said path downstream of said second portion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said modifying means includes means for comparing said second signals with a predetermined range of signals and for transmitting to said displaying means only those second signals which are outside of said range.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising means for arresting said transporting means for a predetermined interval of time whenever said displaying means exhibits a second signal so as to enable the person performing said second subjective examination to observe the respective portion of information and the exhibited second signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said third portion of said path constitutes the copying station of the copying machine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-07-10 | 1982-01-09 | 1982-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-10 | 1986-01-09 | 1986-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-10 | 1990-01-09 | 1990-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |