Color negative scanning and transforming into colors of original scene

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 , wherein said transforming step is done by generating a separate tone curve for each colour component, each tone curve converting electrical colour values corresponding to one of the colour components into digital colour values of the same colour component, said tone curves being selected such that digital colour values corresponding to said at least one neutral colour area are substantially identical for each of the colour components.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of corresponding digital colour values established according to said relation are further transformed according to a colour correction matrix such that digital colour values corresponding to said at least one neutral colour area remain substantially identical for each of the colour components while the relative proportions between the colour components corresponding to a non-neutral colour area of the scene may be rendered substantially non-identical.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of adjusting the tone curve generated for each colour component according to a density of a fog level of the image carrier corresponding to each colour component.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of adjusting the tone curve generated for each colour component according to a density of the at least one neutral colour area corresponding to each colour component.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of corresponding digital colour values established according to said relation are further transformed according to a colour correction matrix such that digital colour values corresponding to said at least one neutral colour area remain substantially identical for each of the colour components while the relative proportions between the colour components corresponding to a non-neutral colour area of the scene may be rendered substantially non-identical.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of establishing a relation between the plurality of electrical colour values of each colour component and a luminance of the at least one neutral colour area further comprises the step of: establishing a linear relation according to the equation; k=sL v +t wherein k is a constant digital colour value, Lv is the luminance of the at least on neutral colour area; and, wherein s and t are constant values relating to a maximum global subject brightness value and a minimum global subject brightness value of the scene.

Claim 9

A colour image scanner for scanning a colour negative image of an original scene recorded onto a transparent image carrier, wherein the scene includes at least one neutral colour area, the scanner comprising: an illuminating lamp emitting light in a broad spectrum for passing through the transparent image carrier such that the illuminating light is filtered by the colour negative image recorded thereon; a plurality of colour filters for filtering the illuminating light after it has passed through the image carrier thereby separating the illuminating light into a plurality of colour components, one colour component corresponding to each of the plurality of colour filters; a photosensitive member illuminated by the filtered illuminating light from each of the plurality of colour filters, said photosensitive member providing an electrical signal in proportion to an illuminance level of the filtered illuminating light falling thereon; and, a processing system for generating a plurality of electrical colour values according to the electrical signal received from the photosensitive member, each electrical colour value corresponding to a portion of the colour negative image, said processing system being configured to establish a relation between the plurality of electrical colour values of each colour component and a luminance of the at least one neutral colour area.

Claim 10

A colour image scanner for scanning a colour negative image of an original scene recorded onto a transparent image carrier, wherein the scene includes at least one neutral colour area, the scanner comprising: an illuminating lamp emitting light in a broad spectrum for passing through the transparent image carrier such that the illuminating light is filtered by the colour negative image recorded thereon; a plurality of colour filters for filtering the illuminating light after it has passed through the image carrier thereby separating the illuminating light into a plurality of colour components, one colour component corresponding to each of the plurality of colour filters; a photosensitive member illuminated by the filtered illuminating light from each of the plurality of colour filters, said photosensitive member providing an electrical signal in proportion to an illuminance level of the filtered illuminating light falling thereon; and, a processing system for generating a plurality of electrical colour values according to the electrical signal received from the photosensitive member, each electrical colour value corresponding to a portion of the colour negative image, said processing system being configured to establish a relation between the plurality of electrical colour values of each colour component and a luminance of the at least one neutral colour area.

Claim 11

A colour image scanner according to claim 8 , wherein said processing system is further configured to generate a tone curve for each colour component, each tone curve being used to convert an electrical colour value into digital colour value, said tone curves being selected such that digital colour values corresponding to said at least one neutral colour area are substantially identical for each of the colour components.

Claim 12

The colour image scanner according to claim 8 wherein the processor system is configured to establish the relation between the plurality of electrical colour values of each colour component and the luminance of the at least one neutral colour area according to the equation; k=sL v +t wherein k is a constant digital colour value, Lv is the luminance of the at least on neutral colour area; and, wherein s and t are constant values relating to a maximum global subject brightness value and a minimum global subject brightness value of the scene.