Patent US4725891A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4725891A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Film image digitizer
Assignee: MILES INC. A CORP. OF INDIANA
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Filing: 1987-01-27
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Granted: 1988-02-16
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Expires: 2007-01-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for digitizing an image on a film material using a plurality of movable equally spaced light detectors. Light sources direct light through a sheet of the material disposed on a transparent drum. The light which is transmitted is imaged onto light detectors through apertures in a mask. As the drum rotates, the mask and light detectors move in unison longitudinally at a rate of one pixel width per drum revolution. One embodiment of a scanning module comprises only light detectors and mask, while another embodiment also includes a pair of lens arrays that image the sheet onto the detectors. There are an integral number of pixel widths between adjacent detectors. A plurality of parallel lines on the mask and a scanner fixed relative to the drum sense the relative position between the mask and the drum for providing corrective feedback information to a motor moving the mask and light detectors. Color recording may be provided with a mask having three rows of apertures in which each row transmits a different one of red, green, and blue light. The film image is represented by a mosaic of pixels with each pixel mapping to an element of memory.
Inventors
- 👤 Bala S. Manian
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:42
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/06; H04N1/08; H04N1/0891; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/1911; H04N1/1912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for digitizing an image contained on a sheet comprising, a transparent drum revolvable about a longitudinal axis and capable of supporting a sheet containing an image about the drum, at least one light source inside said drum emitting light onto the back of said sheet, a plurality of spaced apart light detectors receiving light of variable intensity transmitted through said sheet, said detected light representing pixels of a characteristic width on said sheet, said detectors being equally spaced apart relative to said sheet by an integral number of pixel widths, said detectors being responsive to said light to produce bytes of digital image data, means for moving said light detectors longitudinally parallel to the drum axis an integral number of pixel widths per drum revolution, and a memory device having a number of storage locations, said memory device in electrical communication with said detectors for storing said bytes of digital image data in said storage locations.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for digitizing an image contained on a sheet comprising, a transparent drum revolvable about a longitudinal axis and capable of supporting a sheet containing an image about the drum, at least one light source inside said drum emitting light onto the back of said sheet, a plurality of spaced apart light detectors receiving light of variable intensity transmitted through said sheet, said detected light representing pixels of a characteristic width on said sheet, said detectors being equally spaced apart relative to said sheet by an integral number of pixel widths, said detectors being responsive to said light to produce bytes of digital image data, means for moving said light detectors longitudinally parallel to the drum axis an integral number of pixel widths per drum revolution, and a memory device having a number of storage locations, said memory device in electrical communication with said detectors for storing said bytes of digital image data in said storage locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said variable intensity light is distinguished by said detectors in a plurality of discrete intensities.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said memory device has storage locations equal in number to the pixels defined on the sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising servo means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said light detectors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said servo means comprises position measuring means for detecting the relative position between said detectors and said drum, including a plurality of parallel circumferential position encoder lines fixed relative to either said detectors or said drum, the separation between adjacent lines being equal to said pixel width, and means fixed relative to the other of said detectors or said drum for reading said position encoder lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an opaque mask positioned over at least a portion of said drum and having a plurality of equally spaced apertures therein, said detectors being directed toward said sheet through said apertures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a pair of lens arrays, a first of said arrays positioned between said light detectors and said mask, a second of said arrays positioned between said mask and said medium, said first lens array imaging said mask onto said detectors, said second lens array imaging said sheet onto said mask.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apertures are arrayed in a single line parallel to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apertures are arranged in three rows parallel to said longitudinal axis, each of said rows of apertures transmitting light beams having a different color than adjacent rows of apertures.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for digitizing an image on a film medium comprising, a transparent cylindrical drum revolvable about a longitudinal axis and capable of supporting a sheet of film image material about said drum, at least one light source in said drum for illuminating the back of said sheet, an opaque mask positioned over at least a portion of said drum and slightly spaced apart therefrom, said mask having a plurality of apertures thereon, a plurality of light detectors receiving light of variable intensity transmitted through said sheet, said light being directed from said sheet through said apertures onto said detectors, said detectors responsive to said received light to produce bytes of digital image data, there being a one-to-one correspondence between a byte of image data and a pixel on the sheet, means for moving said mask and said light detectors in unison, while the drum is revolving, said light detectors imaging pixels on the sheet of film material having a single pixel width, said mask and detectors moving longitudinally one pixel width per drum revolution, there being an integral number of pixel widths between adjacent detectors, the aggregate of all pixels forming a mosaic image, and a memory device having a number of storage locations in electrical communication with said detectors for storing said bytes of digital image data.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for digitizing an image on a film medium comprising, a transparent cylindrical drum revolvable about a longitudinal axis and capable of supporting a sheet of film image material about said drum, at least one light source in said drum for illuminating the back of said sheet, an opaque mask positioned over at least a portion of said drum and slightly spaced apart therefrom, said mask having a plurality of apertures thereon, a plurality of light detectors receiving light of variable intensity transmitted through said sheet, said light being directed from said sheet through said apertures onto said detectors, said detectors responsive to said received light to produce bytes of digital image data, there being a one-to-one correspondence between a byte of image data and a pixel on the sheet, means for moving said mask and said light detectors in unison, while the drum is revolving, said light detectors imaging pixels on the sheet of film material having a single pixel width, said mask and detectors moving longitudinally one pixel width per drum revolution, there being an integral number of pixel widths between adjacent detectors, the aggregate of all pixels forming a mosaic image, and a memory device having a number of storage locations in electrical communication with said detectors for storing said bytes of digital image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a pair of lens arrays, a first of said arrays positioned between said light detectors and said mask, the second of said arrays positioned between said mask and said sheet on said drum, said first lens array imaging said sheet onto said mask, said second lens array imaging said mask onto said detectors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said apertures are arranged in a single row parallel to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said apertures are arranged in three rows parallel to said longitudinal axis, each of said rows of apertures transmitting light beams having a different color than adjacent rows of apertures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said light detectors are photodiodes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said at least one light source is a light emitting diode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said variable intensity is distinguishable by said light detectors into a plurality of discrete intensities.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further defined by a memory device having a number of storage locations equal in number to the pixels produced on the sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising servo means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said light beams.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said servo means comprises (a) means for measuring the relative position between said detectors and said drum, the position sensing means having a resolution at least as small as said pixel width, (b) means for commanding said detectors to a desired position, (c) means for comparing the desired position to the sensed position and deriving an error signal, and (d) means for applying corrective feedback through said servo means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said position measuring means comprises, a plurality of parallel circumferential position encoder lines on one of said mask and said drum, the separation between adjacent lines being equal to said pixel width, and means on the other of said mask and said drum for reading said position encoder lines.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
224 words
A method for digitizing an image on a film medium comprising, (a) placing a sheet of film image medium around the surface of a drum, said drum being transparent and having at least one light source within, (b) positioning a mask over a portion of said sheet on said drum, said mask having plurality of apertures thereon, an aperture at one end of said mask being positioned initially at an edge of said film, (c) rotating said drum about a longitudinal axis of said drum, while illuminating the back of said sheet with said light source, (d) detecting with a plurality of light detectors light transmitted through said sheet and through said apertures of said mask, said light having a variable intensity, the light detectors imaging pixels on said sheet having a width, (e) moving said mask and said light detectors in unison longitudinally at a rate of one pixel width per drum revolution, the apertures in said mask being equally spaced at a distance equal to an integral number of pixel widths, and (f) converting said detected variable intensity light to bytes of image data and storing said bytes in storage cells of a memory array, said bytes of image data representing an image on said sheet, each storage cell of the array containing a byte representing a pixel of a monochrome image.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
224 words
A method for digitizing an image on a film medium comprising, (a) placing a sheet of film image medium around the surface of a drum, said drum being transparent and having at least one light source within, (b) positioning a mask over a portion of said sheet on said drum, said mask having plurality of apertures thereon, an aperture at one end of said mask being positioned initially at an edge of said film, (c) rotating said drum about a longitudinal axis of said drum, while illuminating the back of said sheet with said light source, (d) detecting with a plurality of light detectors light transmitted through said sheet and through said apertures of said mask, said light having a variable intensity, the light detectors imaging pixels on said sheet having a width, (e) moving said mask and said light detectors in unison longitudinally at a rate of one pixel width per drum revolution, the apertures in said mask being equally spaced at a distance equal to an integral number of pixel widths, and (f) converting said detected variable intensity light to bytes of image data and storing said bytes in storage cells of a memory array, said bytes of image data representing an image on said sheet, each storage cell of the array containing a byte representing a pixel of a monochrome image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 21 further defined by: (a) measuring the relative position errors between said light detectors and said drum with a resolution at least as small as said pixel width, (b) correcting any position errors sensed so as to prevent adjacent pixels from overlapping.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 21 further defined by arranging said apertures in three rows parallel to said longitudinal axis, with light being directed through said apertures, in step (d) being of three different colors, each row of aperture transmitting a different color of light beam from the other said rows.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 21 wherein sensing the position comprises reading a plurality of parallel circumferential encoder lines on one of said mask and said drum, the separation between adjacent lines being equal to said pixel width, a new line being encountered each drum revolution.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-15 | 1991-08-17 | 1992-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-15 | 1995-08-17 | 1996-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-15 | 1999-08-17 | 2000-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |