US4416538A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image enhancement
Assignee: Aerodyne Research Inc
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Filing: 1981-12-07
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2001-12-07
Abstract
Abstract Image enhancement is achieved to increase the ability to distinguish details otherwise difficult to discern in bright and dark areas of a photorecord by reflecting light off surface perturbations on the record and displaying the reflected light by means of schlieren optics.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter F. Mueller
- 👤 H. John Caulfield
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:06
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/54; G03B27/542
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
Image enhancement apparatus adapted to display increased detail in greatly lighter and greatly darker areas of a photographic film which has surface perturbations in areas of density gradations comprising a light source, a means to direct light from said source to a photographic film at an object plane for specular reflection from said plane, a spatial filter, a means to focus reflected light from said plane to a focal position substantially at said spatial filter and to direct light from said filter to an image plane, whereby scattered light from said surface perturbation and specularly reflected light from said object plane are differentiated by said spatial filter to project at said image plane an image corresponding to said surface perturbations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
Image enhancement apparatus adapted to display increased detail in greatly lighter and greatly darker areas of a photographic film which has surface perturbations in areas of density gradations comprising a light source, a means to direct light from said source to a photographic film at an object plane for specular reflection from said plane, a spatial filter, a means to focus reflected light from said plane to a focal position substantially at said spatial filter and to direct light from said filter to an image plane, whereby scattered light from said surface perturbation and specularly reflected light from said object plane are differentiated by said spatial filter to project at said image plane an image corresponding to said surface perturbations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said spatial filter is adapted and positioned to preferentially block specularly reflected light from said object plane and to preferentially pass scattered reflected light from said object plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said spatial filter is adapted and positioned to preferentially pass specularly reflected light from said object plane and to preferentially block scattered reflected light from said object plane.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of image enhancement wherein a photographic image on a photographic film is caused to display increased detail in greatly lighter and greatly darker areas, comprising forming a latent photographic image on a photographic film by exposure to activating radiation including strong contrast between bright and dark areas, developing said latent image to form an image layer having dark image areas and light image areas and, in addition to said dark and light areas, having substantial surface perturbations in areas of varying contrast, reflecting from the surface of said image layer light containing information imparted thereto by said surface perturbations, and displaying said reflected light by schlieren optics whereby the image information imparted to the reflected light by the surface perturbations is visible to display said varying contrast.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of image enhancement wherein a photographic image on a photographic film is caused to display increased detail in greatly lighter and greatly darker areas, comprising forming a latent photographic image on a photographic film by exposure to activating radiation including strong contrast between bright and dark areas, developing said latent image to form an image layer having dark image areas and light image areas and, in addition to said dark and light areas, having substantial surface perturbations in areas of varying contrast, reflecting from the surface of said image layer light containing information imparted thereto by said surface perturbations, and displaying said reflected light by schlieren optics whereby the image information imparted to the reflected light by the surface perturbations is visible to display said varying contrast.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said light containing information imparted by surface perturbations is selectively passed by schlieren optics to a display location and light specularly reflected from said image layer is selectively blocked by schlieren optics.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said light containing information imparted by surface perturbations is selectively blocked by schlieren optics and light specularly reflected from said image layer is selectively passed to a display location.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the photoreceptor is a photographic film having thereon an X-ray image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3912386A
Cited
US4153336A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |