US5221848A — High dynamic range film digitizer and method of o…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for digitizing an image comprising: a charge-coupled device image sensor comprising a body of a semiconductor material and at least two linear arrays of a charge-coupled devices on the body; means for setting the response of each of the arrays so that each of the arrays is sensitive to a different optical density and with one of the arrays being sensitive to a lower optical density than the other array; means for passing the image across the image sensor so that the image passes across all of the arrays in one pass; and means for illuminating the image so that light from the image is directed onto the image sensor.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for digitizing an image comprising: a charge-coupled device image sensor comprising a body of a semiconductor material and at least two linear arrays of a charge-coupled devices on the body; means for setting the response of each of the arrays so that each of the arrays is sensitive to a different optical density and with one of the arrays being sensitive to a lower optical density than the other array; means for passing the image across the image sensor so that the image passes across all of the arrays in one pass; and means for illuminating the image so that light from the image is directed onto the image sensor.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of the linear arrays of charge-coupled devices comprises a row of spaced photodetectors, a charge-coupled shift register extending along the row of photodetectors, and means for transferring charge from the photodetectors to the shift register.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which each of the arrays of charge-coupled devices further comprises antiblooming means for the photodetectors.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for setting the response of the arrays comprises having the photodetectors of one of the arrays narrower in the cross-scan direction than the photodetectors of the other array.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for setting the response of the arrays comprises neutral filter means on the photodetectors of one of the arrays.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for setting the response of the arrays comprises separate color filters over the photodetectors of each array, and the means for illuminating the image provides a light with a spectral distribution such that different arrays receive different integrated signals.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for setting the response of the arrays comprises a color filter over the photodetectors of one of the arrays.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for setting the response of the arrays comprises control means on the image sensor to increase the integrated exposure received by one of the arrays compared to that received by the other array.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the image sensor comprises at least three linear arrays of charge-coupled devices, and the means for setting the response of the arrays sets the third array so that it is sensitive to an optical density between the densities of the other two arrays.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 91 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: the image sensor comprises at least three linear arrays of charge-coupled devices; the means for setting the response of the arrays sets two of the arrays to be sensitive to one optical density level and the third array to a different optical density level; and computing means to which outputs of the arrays are coupled for averaging output signals from the two arrays and combining the average signal to an output signal of the third array to achieve a signal corresponding to the image.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a computer for receiving the signals from the arrays, and a separate analog-to-digital converter between each array and the computer to convert the signal from the array to a digital signal which is fed to the computer.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 101 words

A method of digitizing an image comprising the steps of: passing the image in a single pass once across a body of a semiconductor material having at least two linear arrays of a charge-coupled device sensor on the body; adjusting the sensor so that each of the arrays is sensitive to a different optical density and with one of the arrays being sensitive to a lower optical density than that of the other array; converting an output signal from each of the arrays to a digital signal; and combining the digital signals to obtain a single signal corresponding to the image.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 101 words

A method of digitizing an image comprising the steps of: passing the image in a single pass once across a body of a semiconductor material having at least two linear arrays of a charge-coupled device sensor on the body; adjusting the sensor so that each of the arrays is sensitive to a different optical density and with one of the arrays being sensitive to a lower optical density than that of the other array; converting an output signal from each of the arrays to a digital signal; and combining the digital signals to obtain a single signal corresponding to the image.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of directing a beam of light from the image onto the linear arrays.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of forming each of the arrays of a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a row and a charge-coupled device shift register extending along the row of photodetectors.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 14 in which the arrays are adjusted to be sensitive to different optical densities by making the photodetectors of one array narrower in the cross-scan direction than the photodetectors of the other array.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 14 in which the arrays are adjusted to be sensitive to different optical densities by covering the photodetectors of one of the arrays with a neutral filter.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 14 in which the arrays are adjusted to be sensitive to different optical densities by covering the photodetectors of the arrays with color filters and providing the beam of light with a spectral distribution such that different arrays receive different integrated signal.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 14 in which the arrays are adjusted to be sensitive to different optical densities by covering the photodetectors of only one of the arrays with a color filter.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 14 in which the arrays are adjusted to be sensitive to different optical densities by providing exposure control means for the arrays and adjusting the control means to increase the integrated exposure received by one array compared with that received by the other array.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 11 in which there are at least three linear arrays, and adjusting the sensitivity of the third array so that it is sensitive to a level of optical density between that of the other two arrays.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 77 words

The method of claim 11 in which there are at least three linear arrays, and comprising the step of adjusting the arrays so that two of the arrays are sensitive to one level of the optical density and the third array is sensitive to another level of optical density, averaging the signals from the two arrays and combining the averaged signal with the signal from the third array to obtain a single signal corresponding to the image.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 118 words

Apparatus for digitizing an image comprising: a charge-coupled device image sensor having at least two linear arrays of charge-coupled devices on a single body of a semiconductor material; means for setting the response of each of the arrays so that one of the arrays is sensitive to a first range of optical densities and the other of the arrays is sensitive to a second range of optical densities which is different from the first range of optical densities; means for passing the image across the image sensor so that the image passes across all of the arrays in one pass; and means for illuminating the image so that light from the image is directed onto the image sensor.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 118 words

Apparatus for digitizing an image comprising: a charge-coupled device image sensor having at least two linear arrays of charge-coupled devices on a single body of a semiconductor material; means for setting the response of each of the arrays so that one of the arrays is sensitive to a first range of optical densities and the other of the arrays is sensitive to a second range of optical densities which is different from the first range of optical densities; means for passing the image across the image sensor so that the image passes across all of the arrays in one pass; and means for illuminating the image so that light from the image is directed onto the image sensor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-06-21	1996-12-21	1997-06-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-06-21	2000-12-21	2001-06-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-06-21	2004-12-21	2005-06-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

High dynamic range film digitizer and method of operating the same

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