US5988896A — Method and apparatus for electronic film developm…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 145 words

A method of obtaining a digital representation of an image, the image corresponding to a previous exposure of a color film containing a silver halide emulsion to light that results in a latent image thereon, comprising the steps of: aerially depositing a developer onto the color film while the color film is moving past a depositing area so that substantially all of the aerially deposited developer adheres to the emulsion of the color film as a substantially uniform thickness developer film and a monochromatic development process is performed as a result of the adherence to develop the latent image; irradiating the latent image on the color film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied at the substantially uniform thickness to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image; and sensing the light image to obtain the digital representation of the image.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 145 words

A method of obtaining a digital representation of an image, the image corresponding to a previous exposure of a color film containing a silver halide emulsion to light that results in a latent image thereon, comprising the steps of: aerially depositing a developer onto the color film while the color film is moving past a depositing area so that substantially all of the aerially deposited developer adheres to the emulsion of the color film as a substantially uniform thickness developer film and a monochromatic development process is performed as a result of the adherence to develop the latent image; irradiating the latent image on the color film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied at the substantially uniform thickness to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image; and sensing the light image to obtain the digital representation of the image.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of aerially depositing expels droplets from a nozzle.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of aerially depositing expels droplets of the developer that come from a plurality of nozzles.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the components contains a developing agent.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of nozzles expel several components, and at least one of the components contains an activating agent.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of nozzles expel several components, and at least one of the components contains a hardening agent.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of nozzles expel several components, and at least one of the components contains a thicksotropic agent.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of nozzles expel several components, and at least one of the components contains an accelerating agent.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising a subsequent aerial deposition of a modifying solution to the emulsion.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 9 wherein the developer includes a retainer.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 9 wherein the modifying solution contains a development modifier.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 11 wherein the development modifier accelerates the development speed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method claim 13 wherein the developer modifier solution increases the sensitivity of the emulsion to the image.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of processing a latent image that exists on film comprising selecting a film developing fluid; forming an aerial droplet stream from the fluid; applying the aerial droplet stream to the film as the film moves past the aerial droplet stream under application conditions such that the development fluid adheres to the film, thus resulting in a developer film obtained as a result of the fluid substantially remaining in the area of the film to which it was applied to perform a monochromatic development of the film; irradiating the film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the film; and sensing the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of processing a latent image that exists on film comprising selecting a film developing fluid; forming an aerial droplet stream from the fluid; applying the aerial droplet stream to the film as the film moves past the aerial droplet stream under application conditions such that the development fluid adheres to the film, thus resulting in a developer film obtained as a result of the fluid substantially remaining in the area of the film to which it was applied to perform a monochromatic development of the film; irradiating the film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the film; and sensing the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 14 wherein the application conditions of the aerial droplet stream include velocity and volume selected to be compatible with the adherence of the fluid with the film.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 14 wherein the adherence characteristics of the fluid include viscosity and absorbability into the film selected to be compatible with the adherence of the fluid to the film.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 14 wherein the aerial droplet stream forming step comprises forming a series of droplets that are substantially uniformly spaced and uniformly sized.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 14 wherein the movement relative to the film is along a line.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 14 further comprising the following steps performed before the aerial droplet stream forming step: storing a first component of the processing fluid in a first reservoir, and storing a second component of the processing fluid in a second reservoir.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the second component includes a developer enabling agent.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the second component includes a developer modifying agent.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 19 further comprising enabling a confluence of the first and second components prior to forming the aerial droplet stream.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 19 further comprising forming a first aerial droplet stream from the first component and a second aerial droplet stream from the second component, and wherein the first and second aerial droplet streams mix on the film.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 23 wherein the second droplet stream is applied to a point of film delayed in time relative to a time the first droplet stream is applied to the point of film.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 24 wherein the first and second droplet streams impinge on the film with functional simultaneity.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 24 wherein the first and second droplet streams are delayed in time sufficient to permit predetermined interstitial chemical reactions with the film.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 26 wherein the interstitial chemical reactions include an expansion of an emulsion on the film.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 26 wherein the interstitial chemical reactions include initiation of development of a latent image on the film through the deposition of a developer agent first droplet stream, and wherein the deposition of the second droplet stream accelerates development of the latent image.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 128 words

A digital film processing apparatus for digitally processing a latent image that exists on a color film comprising: means for forming an aerial stream of film developer fluid having predetermined adherence characteristics with respect to the color film; means for applying the aerial stream to the color film as the color film moves past the aerial droplet stream under application conditions compatible with the adherence characteristics of the fluid so that there is obtained a developer film of substantially uniform thickness; means for irradiating the color film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the film; and means for sensing the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 128 words

A digital film processing apparatus for digitally processing a latent image that exists on a color film comprising: means for forming an aerial stream of film developer fluid having predetermined adherence characteristics with respect to the color film; means for applying the aerial stream to the color film as the color film moves past the aerial droplet stream under application conditions compatible with the adherence characteristics of the fluid so that there is obtained a developer film of substantially uniform thickness; means for irradiating the color film with an infrared light while the developer film is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the film; and means for sensing the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein: the application conditions of the aerial stream include rate and force; and the predetermined adherence characteristics of the fluid include absorbability of the fluid into the film and viscosity of the fluid with respect to the film.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising means for laterally displacing the aerial stream relative to the film.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising means for maintaining the aerial stream flow rate constant relative to the rate of film advancement.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising: means for forming at least one additional aerial stream from at least one additional film processing fluid having predetermined adherence characteristics with respect to the film; and means for applying an additional aerial stream to the film under application conditions compatible with the adherence characteristics of the fluid.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising: means for coordinating the aerial stream applying means and the additional aerial stream applying means so that the aerial stream and the additional aerial stream trajectories are delivered to a mixing point; and means for maintaining the film substantially at the mixing point.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 163 words

A digital film processing apparatus for processing a latent image that exists on a silver halide color photographic film comprising: a source of photographic film developing fluid; a chamber coupled to the fluid source; a pressure pulse generator coupled to the chamber; a nozzle coupled to the chamber, capable of producing a stream of droplets for controlled aerial deposition of the developer fluid on a surface of the silver halide color photographic film as the color film moves past the nozzle so that the deposited developer fluid substantially remains in the area of the color film to which it was applied and thereby performs a monochromatic development of the color film; an infrared light source that irradiates the color film with an infrared light while the developer fluid is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the color film; and a sensor that senses the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 163 words

A digital film processing apparatus for processing a latent image that exists on a silver halide color photographic film comprising: a source of photographic film developing fluid; a chamber coupled to the fluid source; a pressure pulse generator coupled to the chamber; a nozzle coupled to the chamber, capable of producing a stream of droplets for controlled aerial deposition of the developer fluid on a surface of the silver halide color photographic film as the color film moves past the nozzle so that the deposited developer fluid substantially remains in the area of the color film to which it was applied and thereby performs a monochromatic development of the color film; an infrared light source that irradiates the color film with an infrared light while the developer fluid is applied to obtain a light image corresponding to the latent image that exists on the color film; and a sensor that senses the light image to obtain a digital representation of the latent image.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 74 words

The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a means for positioning the photographic film a predetermined distance from the nozzle, wherein: the film developer fluid has predetermined adherence characteristics with respect to the photographic film; and the pressure generator and nozzle are configured for maintaining an aerial droplet stream over the predetermined distance under application conditions such that the fluid applied to the photographic film results in the developer film of substantially uniform thickness.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 36 wherein: the application conditions of the aerial droplet stream include rate and force; and the predetermined adherence characteristics of the fluid include absorbability of the fluid into the film and viscosity of the fluid with respect to the film.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a film handling mechanism having a fluid application station, the nozzle having a predetermined relationship relative to the fluid application station.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the film handling mechanism further comprises: a film dispensing station; and a film advance mechanism for advancing the film from the film dispensing station through the fluid application station.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the fluid application station comprises a planar surface region in space, the film advance mechanism being disposed for advancing film from the film dispensing station through the planar surface region.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a linear drive coupled to the nozzle, the linear drive being parallel to the planar surface region.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the fluid application station comprises an arced surface in space, the film advance mechanism being disposed for advancing film from the film dispensing station through the arced surface region.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising a linear drive coupled to the nozzle, the linear drive capable of moving the nozzle in a line parallel to the arced surface region.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the source of photographic film developing fluid comprises a reservoir for storing the fluid.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the source of photographic film developing fluid comprises: a first reservoir storing a first constituent of the fluid; and a second reservoir storing a second constituent of the fluid.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising: at least one additional source of an additional photographic film processing fluid; an additional chamber coupled to the additional fluid source; an additional pressure pulse generator coupled to the additional chamber; and an additional nozzle coupled to the chamber; wherein the nozzle and the additional nozzle are capable of producing a stream of droplets directed to a mixing point.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-11-22	2003-05-24	2003-11-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-11-22	2007-05-24	2007-11-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-11-22	2011-05-24	2011-11-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for electronic film development

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