Image positioning apparatus

Claim 2

Automatic film positioning and scanning apparatus, responsive to supplied address signals representative of the location of an information image on a film, including a plurality of image frames each having a marker image, at least one of said frames comprising a reference frame and having only said marker image, comprising: image illuminating and detecting means, responsive to supplied horizontal and vertical deflection signals, for generating a video signal representative of an image in an operative position with respect to said detecting means; mechanical positioning means, responsive to position control signals, for moving portions of said film into said operating position; a deflection signal generator, responsive to supplied deflection timing signals and raster position signals for generating said horizontal and vertical deflection signals; means for generating said deflection timing signals; an analog to digital converter for digitizing said video signal to form a digitized video signal; means, responsive to said deflection timing signals and said digitized video signals, for generating marker position signals representative of the timing of marker representative portions of said digitized video signals with respect to said deflection timing signals; and data processing means, including a control program, for: (a) generating first position control signals to cause said positioning means to position said reference frame in said operative position; (b) generating second position control signals, in accordance with said address signals, to position a selected frame in said operative position; (c) generating nominal raster position signals; (d) generating first raster position signals in response to said marker position signals when said reference frame is in said operative position and said nominal raster position signals are supplied to said deflection signal generator; (e) generating second raster position signals in response to said marker position signals when said selected frame is in said operative position and said first raster position signals are supplied to said deflection signal generator; said first and second raster position signals being computed from the deviation of said marker position signals from ideal marker position signals; whereby said deflection signal generator can generate horizontal and vertical deflection signals using said second raster position signals and cause said image detecting means to generate a video signal representative of an image frame corresponding to said address signals.

Claim 3

Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said marker position signal generating means includes means for analyzing said digitized video signal thereby to distinguish video signal portions corresponding to said marker images from other video signal portions.

Claim 4

Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said marker position signal generating means generates said marker position signals by counting the output of an oscillator thereby to determine the timing of said marker video signal portions with respect to said deflection timing signals.

Claim 5

Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said data processing means generates said first raster position signals to be appropriate signal to relocate said operative position so as to cause said marker position signals of said reference frame to correspond to said ideal marker position signals.

Claim 6

Apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein said data processing means generates said second raster position signals to be appropriate signals to relocate said operative position so as to cause said marker position signals of said selected frame to correspond to said ideal marker position signals.

Claim 7

Apparatus as specified in claim 1 for positioning and scanning one of a plurality of said films, further comprising means, responsive to said address signals, for selecting one of said films in accordance with said address signals, and for supplying said selected film to said mechanical positioning means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as specified in any of claims 1 through 6 wherein said marker position signal generating means is responsive only to selected time portions of said digitized video signal, said selected time portions corresponding to the probable timing of said marker representative video signal portions.

Claim 9

Automatic film positioning and scanning apparatus, responsive to supplied address signals representative of the location of a selected image on a film, including a plurality of image frames, each frame having a marker image and a plurality of information image spaces, comprising: image illuminating and detecting means, responsive to supplied horizontal and vertical deflection signals, for generating a video signal representative of an image in an operative position with respect to said detecting means; mechanical positioning means, responsive to position control signals for moving portions of said film into said operative position; a deflection signal generator, responsive to supplied deflection timing signals, raster size signals and raster position signals, for generating said horizontal and vertical deflection signals; means for generating said deflection timing signals; an analog to digital converter for digitizing said video signal to form a digitized video signal; means, responsive to said deflection timing signals and said digitized video signals, for generating marker position signals representative of the timing of marker representative portions of said digitized video signals with respect to said deflection timing signals; and data processing means, including a control program for: (a) generating said position control signals in accordance with said address signals, to cause said positioning means to position the frame containing said selected image in said operative position; (b) generating nominal raster position signals; (c) generating image raster position signals, in response to said marker position signals, when the frame containing said selected image is in said operative position and said nominal raster position signals are supplied to said deflection signal generator, and in response to said address signals; (d) generating first raster size signals simultaneous with said nominal raster position signals said first raster size signals causing said deflection signal generator to generate deflection signals corresponding to the size of said frame; and (e) generating second raster size signals simultaneous with said image raster position signals, said second raster size signals causing said deflection signal generator to generate deflection signals corresponding to an area smaller than said frame; said image raster position signals being computed from the deviation of said marker position signals from selected ideal marker position signals corresponding to marker position signals which would be generated by a correctly positioning frame and marker, and computed from portions of said address signals representing the frame location of said selected image; whereby said deflection signal generator generates horizontal and vertical deflection signals using said image raster position signals and causes said image detecting means to generate a video signal representative of said selected image.

Claim 10

Automatic film positioning and scanning apparatus, responsive to supplied address signals representative of the location of a selected image on a film, including a plurality of image frames, each frame having a marker image and a plurality of information image spaces, comprising: image illuminating and detecting means, responsive to supplied horizontal and vertical deflection signals, for generating a video signal representative of an image in an operative position with respect to said detecting means; mechanical positioning means, responsive to position control signals for moving portions of said film into said operative position; a deflection signal generator, responsive to supplied deflection timing signals, raster size signals and raster position signals, for generating said horizontal and vertical deflection signals; means for generating said deflection timing signals; an analog to digital converter for digitizing said video signal to form a digitized video signal; means, responsive to said deflection timing signals and said digitized video signals, for generating marker position signals representative of the timing of marker representative portions of said digitized video signals with respect to said deflection timing signals; and data processing means, including a control program for: (a) generating said position control signals in accordance with said address signals, to cause said positioning means to position the frame containing said selected image in said operative position; (b) generating nominal raster position signals; (c) generating image raster position signals, in response to said marker position signals, when the frame containing said selected image is in said operative position and said nominal raster position signals are supplied to said deflection signal generator, and in response to said address signals; (d) generating first raster size signals simultaneous with said nominal raster position signals said first raster size signals causing said deflection signal generator to generate deflection signals corresponding to the size of said frame; and (e) generating second raster size signals simultaneous with said image raster position signals, said second raster size signals causing said deflection signal generator to generate deflection signals corresponding to an area smaller than said frame; said image raster position signals being computed from the deviation of said marker position signals from selected ideal marker position signals corresponding to marker position signals which would be generated by a correctly positioning frame and marker, and computed from portions of said address signals representing the frame location of said selected image; whereby said deflection signal generator generates horizontal and vertical deflection signals using said image raster position signals and causes said image detecting means to generate a video signal representative of said selected image.

Claim 11

Apparatus as specified in claim 8 wherein said data processing means generates said second raster size signals in response to supplied image size signals.

Claim 12

Apparatus as specified in any of claims 8 or 9 wherein said image detecting means includes blanking means responsive to blanking control signals and wherein said data processing means is responsive to said address signals for generating said blanking control signals, thereby to blank portions of said video signal not corresponding to said selected image.