US4390778A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Calculator for determining optimum tone reproduction
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-10-07
•
Granted: 1983-06-28
•
Expires: 2001-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A mid-tone calculator for determining density reproduction to maximize color reproduction in a lithograph tone process. The calculator includes a base having a longitudinal guideway therein, an original density scale thereon and a density compression scale thereon. A lower slide is reciprocally shiftable in the guideway. An upper transparent slide is reciprocally shiftable in the guideway and overlies the lower slide with the slides being shiftable in the guideway with respect to one another. One of the slides has a high density indicator and the other of the slides has a low density indicator thereon. One of the slides has a plurality of tone reference number curves and the other of the slides has a tone intersect line thereon. A transparent cursor is longitudinally shiftably mounted on the base, overlies the slides and is shiftable with respect thereto, and has a half tone placement indicator thereon. Shifting of the slides to produce alignment of the high density indicator with a predetermined high density reading and the low density indicator with a predetermined low density reading on the original density scale will cause the tone intersect line to intersect the tone reference number curves. Thereafter, shifting of the cursor to a chosen point of intersection of the tone intersect line with a tone reference curve will bring the half tone placement indicator into alignment with a reading on the density compression scale to indicate a density for optimum half tone position.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas N. Toivonen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06G; G06G1/00; G06G1/0005; G06G1/0047
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A mid-tone calculator for determining optimum tone reproduction to maximize color reproduction comprising; a base having a longitudinal guideway therein and an original density scale and a density compression scale thereon, a lower slide reciprocally shiftable in the guideway, an upper transparent slide reciprocally shiftable in the guideway and overlying the lower slide and the upper and lower slides being shiftable in the guideway with respect to one another, one of the upper and lower slides having a high density indicator and the other of the upper and lower slides having a low density indicator, one of the upper and lower slides having a plurality of tone reference number of curves and the other of the upper and lower slides having a tone intersect line, a transparent cursor longitudinally shiftably mounted on the base, overlying the upper and lower slides and shiftable with respect thereto, and having a half tone placement indicator thereon, and the base, lower slide, upper slide, and cursor being sequentially shiftable with respect to one another so that shifting of the upper and lower slides to produce alignment of the high density indicator with a predetermined high density reading and the low density indicator with a predetermined low density reading on the original density scale will cause the tone intersect line to intersect the tone reference number curves and thereafter shifting of the cursor to a chosen point of intersection of the tone intersect line with a tone reference curve will bring the half tone placement indicator into alignment with a reading on the density compression scale to indicate a density for optimum half tone position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A mid-tone calculator for determining optimum tone reproduction to maximize color reproduction comprising; a base having a longitudinal guideway therein and an original density scale and a density compression scale thereon, a lower slide reciprocally shiftable in the guideway, an upper transparent slide reciprocally shiftable in the guideway and overlying the lower slide and the upper and lower slides being shiftable in the guideway with respect to one another, one of the upper and lower slides having a high density indicator and the other of the upper and lower slides having a low density indicator, one of the upper and lower slides having a plurality of tone reference number of curves and the other of the upper and lower slides having a tone intersect line, a transparent cursor longitudinally shiftably mounted on the base, overlying the upper and lower slides and shiftable with respect thereto, and having a half tone placement indicator thereon, and the base, lower slide, upper slide, and cursor being sequentially shiftable with respect to one another so that shifting of the upper and lower slides to produce alignment of the high density indicator with a predetermined high density reading and the low density indicator with a predetermined low density reading on the original density scale will cause the tone intersect line to intersect the tone reference number curves and thereafter shifting of the cursor to a chosen point of intersection of the tone intersect line with a tone reference curve will bring the half tone placement indicator into alignment with a reading on the density compression scale to indicate a density for optimum half tone position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the guideway is formed with two opposing longitudinal spaced edges with the original density scale positioned along one longitudinal edge of the guideway and the density compression scale positioned along the other longitudinal edge of the guideway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lower slide contains the high density indicator and a plurality of tone reference curves and the upper slide contains the low density indicator and the tone intersect line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the high density indicator and the low density indicator are transverse lines with respect to the longitudinal guideway and the half tone placement indicator is a line transverse to the longitudinal guideway.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the longitudinal guideway is formed by forming a longitudinal rectangular opening in one face of the base and a recess in each of the opposing longitudinal edges of the base adjacent to the longitudinal opening to form a pair of longitudinal recesses in which the upper and lower slides are slidably mounted, the cursor being rectangular in configuration and having a central aperture therethrough in which the base is slidably mounted to permit relative shifting between the cursor and the base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein the base and upper and lower slides are rectangular in configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the calculator is used for determining density reproduction to maximize color reproduction in a lithographic tone process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the density indicated on the density compression scale by the half tone placement indicator is for density midtone position on the gray scale.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
281 words
A method for determining optimum tone reproduction ot maximize color reproduction by use of a mid-tone calculator comprising positioning an original density scale and density compression scale on a base having a longitudinal guideway therein, shiftably mounting a lower slide and an upper transparent slide in the guideway with the upper slide overlying the lower slide and the upper and lower slides being relatively shiftable, placing a high density indicator on one of the upper and lower slides and a low density indicator on the other of the upper and lower slides and a plurality of tone reference number curves on one of the upper and lower slides and a tone intersect line on the other of the upper and lower slides, shiftably mounting a transparent cursor on the base, overlying the upper and lower slides and shiftable with respect thereto and having a half tone placement indicator thereon, arranging the base, lower slide, upper slide and cursor to be sequentially shiftable with respect to one another, determining a predetermined high density reading and a predetermined low density reading and shifting the upper and lower slides to produce alignment of the high density indicator and the low density indicator in accordance with the respective predetermined high and low density readings on the original density scale thereby causing the tone intersect line to intersect the tone reference number curves, and shifting of the cursor to a chosen point of intersection of the tone intersect line with a tone reference curve to bring the half tone placement indicator into alignment with a reading on the density compression scale to indicate a density for optimum half tone density position on the stand-in gray scale.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
281 words
A method for determining optimum tone reproduction ot maximize color reproduction by use of a mid-tone calculator comprising positioning an original density scale and density compression scale on a base having a longitudinal guideway therein, shiftably mounting a lower slide and an upper transparent slide in the guideway with the upper slide overlying the lower slide and the upper and lower slides being relatively shiftable, placing a high density indicator on one of the upper and lower slides and a low density indicator on the other of the upper and lower slides and a plurality of tone reference number curves on one of the upper and lower slides and a tone intersect line on the other of the upper and lower slides, shiftably mounting a transparent cursor on the base, overlying the upper and lower slides and shiftable with respect thereto and having a half tone placement indicator thereon, arranging the base, lower slide, upper slide and cursor to be sequentially shiftable with respect to one another, determining a predetermined high density reading and a predetermined low density reading and shifting the upper and lower slides to produce alignment of the high density indicator and the low density indicator in accordance with the respective predetermined high and low density readings on the original density scale thereby causing the tone intersect line to intersect the tone reference number curves, and shifting of the cursor to a chosen point of intersection of the tone intersect line with a tone reference curve to bring the half tone placement indicator into alignment with a reading on the density compression scale to indicate a density for optimum half tone density position on the stand-in gray scale.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein the guideway is formed with two opposing longitudinal spaced edges with the original density scale positioned along one longitudinal edge of the guideway and the density compression scale positioned along the other longitudinal edge of the guideway.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein the lower slide contains the high density indicator and a plurality of tone reference curves and the upper slide contains the low density indicator and the tone intersect line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention in accordance with claim 11 wherein the high density indicator and the low density indicator are transverse lines with respect to the longitudinal guideway and the half tone placement indicator is a line transverse to the longitudinal guideway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein the longitudinal guideway is formed by forming a longitudinal rectangular opening in one face of the base and a recess in each of the opposing longitudinal edges of the base adjacent to the longitudinal opening to form a pair of longitudinal recesses in which the upper and lower slides are slidably mounted, the cursor being rectangular in configuration and having a central aperture therethrough in which the base is slidably mounted to permit relative shifting between the cursor and the base.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention in accordance with claim 13 wherein the base and upper and lower slides are rectangular in configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein the calculator is used for determining optimum tone reproduction to maximize color reproduction in a lithographic process.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein the density indicated on the density compression scale by the half tone placement indicator is for optimum halftone density position on the gray scale.
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) | 1986-06-27 | 1986-12-27 | 1987-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-27 | 1990-12-27 | 1991-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-27 | 1994-12-27 | 1995-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |