Distinguishing positive and negative films system and method

• US 20030011827A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Applied Science Fiction, Inc.
• Inventors: Iglehart, David C., Ford, Gordon D., Lester, Leland A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00806 According to type of the original, e.g. colour paper or transparency, or reading a plurality of different types of original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00819 Self-calibrating reading means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6094 depending on characteristics of the input medium, e.g. film type, newspaper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0404 Scanning transparent media, e.g. photographic film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0416 Performing a pre-scan

Abstract

A system and method for scanning a photographic film using a scanner automatedly identifies the film as either a positive or negative and controls the scanner settings to perform the scan accordingly. The method includes performing a pre-scan of the film, sampling a color density of at least one location of the film, comparing the color density to a standard range indicating an orange bias for the at least one location, and setting the scanner to treat the film as a negative if the color density is within the standard range and to otherwise treat the film as a positive.

Claims

1. A method for scanning a photographic film using a scanner, comprising the steps of:

performing a pre-scan of the film;

sampling a color density of at least one location of the film;

comparing the color density to a standard range indicating an orange bias for the at least one location; and

setting the scanner to treat the film as a negative if the color density is within the standard range and to otherwise treat the film as a positive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard range is a mix of red, green, and blue in relative proportions, in an 8-bit system, the red is greater than approximately 150;

the green is greater than approximately 75; and

the blue is less than approximately 50.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the color density is determined for each of red, green and blue.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the color density for each of the red, green and blue is averaged for the red, green and blue, respectively, for each of the at least one locations and the average is employed in the step of comparing.

5. A method of scanning a photographic film using a scanner, comprising the step of determining, automatedly, whether the film is a positive or a negative.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of controlling the scanner to properly scan the film based on the determination of the positive or negative.

7. A system for distinguishing between positive film and negative film, the films exhibit a red, a green, and a blue illumination characteristic, comprising:

a scanner, including a sensor operable to detect the red, the green, and the blue;

an analog output from the sensor indicative of the red, the green, and the blue;

an analog-to-digital converter, connected to the sensor, for receiving the analog output;

a digital output from the analog-to-digital converter, connected to the analog-to-digital converter;

a microprocessor system, including a microprocessor and a memory, connected to the digital output;

a logic module, connected to the microprocessor system, wherein the logic module determines relative densities of the red, the green, and the blue; and

a control connection, connected to the microprocessor system and the scanner, reactive to relative densities determination by the logic module in order to control the scanner.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic module compares the relative densities to determine that the film is negative film, if the relative densities in an 8-bit system are:

red greater than approximately 150;

green greater than approximately 75; and

blue less than approximately 50; and

the control connection signals the scanner to treat the film as negative film.

9. A scanner system for digitizing a film, comprising:

a sensor system operable to detect a characteristic of the film;

a control system operable to set control functions in response to the characteristic.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

positive and negative.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic is an orange bias.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic comprises a film identification tag.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the characteristic is indicative of a type of the film and the step of adjusting varies the step of scanning to conform to the type.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an optical digitizer, connected to the controller;

wherein the optical digitizer is controlled by the controller.

13. A method for digitizing a film, comprising the steps of:

detecting, automatedly, a characteristic of the film;

scanning the film; and

adjusting, automatedly, the step of scanning based on the characteristic.

15. A system for digitizing a film having a characteristic, comprising:

an automated detector of the characteristic; and

a controller, connected and responsive to the automated detector.