US6069714A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for reducing noise in electronic film development
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1997-11-26
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Granted: 2000-05-30
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Expires: 2017-11-26
Abstract
Abstract In electronic film development, a film is scanned, using light, multiple times during development. The light is reflected from an emulsion containing milky undeveloped silver halide embedded with developing grains. The undeveloped halide layer has a finite depth over which photons from a light source scatter backward. This depth is within the range of the coherency length of infrared sources commonly used in electronic film development, causing coherency speckle noise in the scanned image. A prescan made after the emulsion swells, but before the silver grains develop, normalizes subsequent scans, pixel by pixel, to cancel coherency speckle and other defects.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert D. Edgar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/38; H04N1/00795; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00249; H04N1/40; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0404; H04N2201/0416
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for reducing noise in electronic film development of a substrate bearing a latent image comprising: applying a first solution to said substrate to expand said substrate to a predetermined degree; allowing said substrate to expand to said predetermined degree; scanning said expanded substrate to generate a first scan; inducing development of said substrate; scanning said substrate after the development inducing step to generate a second scan; and combining said first scan and said second scan to generate an image with reduced noise.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for reducing noise in electronic film development of a substrate bearing a latent image comprising: applying a first solution to said substrate to expand said substrate to a predetermined degree; allowing said substrate to expand to said predetermined degree; scanning said expanded substrate to generate a first scan; inducing development of said substrate; scanning said substrate after the development inducing step to generate a second scan; and combining said first scan and said second scan to generate an image with reduced noise.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first solution comprises a developing agent and an activating agent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first solution comprises a non-alkaline pH solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first solution comprises an alkaline solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first solution comprises an alkaline activating agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first solution comprises a developing agent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises an emulsion containing particles that cause speckle interference.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined degree represents a terminal expansion of said substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said first scan occurs after said terminal expansion is substantially reached but before substantial development of said substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said first solution causes both emulsion expansion and induction of development.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the development inducing step comprises applying a second solution to said substrate prior to said second scan.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the second solution comprises a developing agent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the second solution comprises an activator agent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said predetermined degree represents a terminal expansion of said substrate and said first scan occurs before the end of an induction time and after said terminal expansion is reached.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second scanning step comprises generating a plurality of scans during development.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising combining said plurality of scans into a single post-development scan.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second scans read quantitative pixel information representing radiance received from said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said combining step comprises differencing said pixel information from said first and second scans.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said differencing step comprises dividing said pixel information from said second scan by said corresponding pixel information from said first scan.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first scanning step occurs before an induction time has ended and after said allowing step.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for reducing noise in electronic film development of a substrate bearing a latent image comprising: means for applying a first solution to said substrate and allowing said substrate to expand to a predetermined degree; means for scanning said substrate to generate a first scan; means for inducing development of said substrate; means for scanning said substrate after development induction to generate a second scan; and means for combining said first scan and said second scan to generate an image with reduced noise.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for reducing noise in electronic film development of a substrate bearing a latent image comprising: means for applying a first solution to said substrate and allowing said substrate to expand to a predetermined degree; means for scanning said substrate to generate a first scan; means for inducing development of said substrate; means for scanning said substrate after development induction to generate a second scan; and means for combining said first scan and said second scan to generate an image with reduced noise.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first solution comprises a developing agent and an activating agent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said noise arises from speckle interference caused by particles contained within an emulsion deposited on said substrate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said predetermined degree represents a terminal expansion of said substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first solution comprises a developer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein a second solution is applied to said substrate to induce development prior to said second scan.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said second solution comprises a developing agent.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said second solution comprises an activating agent.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein a plurality of scans are generated during development.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first and second scans read quantitative pixel information representing radiance received from said substrate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said combining means is a means for differencing said pixel information from said first and second scans.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said differencing means is a means for mathematically dividing said pixel information from said second scan by said corresponding pixel information from said first scan.
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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) | 2003-05-30 | 2003-11-29 | 2004-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-30 | 2007-11-29 | 2008-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-30 | 2011-11-29 | 2012-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |