System, apparatus, and method for increasing media storage capacity

• US 20070037102A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mediapod LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mediapod LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Mowry, Craig
• Application Number:
  US11/492,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20070037102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/495.100
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 3/00 Packages of films for inserting into cameras, e.g. roll-films, film-packs; Wrapping materials for light-sensitive plates, films or papers, e.g. materials characterised by the use of special dyes, printing inks, adhesives wrapping materials in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 7/22 Subtractive cinematographic processes; Materials therefor; Preparing or processing such materials

Abstract

A system, an apparatus, or a method is provided for increasing media storage capacity of an image-recording material. A system, an apparatus, or a method is further provided for increasing media storage capacity and for increasing emulsion bearing surface area of an image-recording material.

Claims

1. A system for increasing media storage capacity comprising,

a container for storing and providing image-recording material to a camera, said image-recording material having a first surface, an opposite surface, a head end and a tail end, and

a material repositioning mechanism for delivering the first surface of the image-recording material to at least one camera film gate for exposure and the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the at least one camera film gate for exposure.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the image-recording material is emulsion-bearing image-recording material.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the image-recording material is photographic film stock.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the material repositioning mechanism rotates the image-recording material longitudinally approximately 180 degrees for delivery of the opposite surface of the image-recording material through the gate for exposure.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising the head end joined to the tail end, said joining providing a loop for continual delivery of the image-recording material to a camera film gate for exposure of the first surface.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the material repositioning mechanism further comprising a turnable splicing device contacting the image-recording material and disposed between the joined ends of the continuous loop of the image-recording material.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises a ball joint.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises a roller mechanism.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises an elastic member.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the image-recording material further comprises photographic emulsion on at least the first surface and the opposite surface.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the container is a motion picture film camera magazine.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the film gate selectively repositions the image-recording material for exposure of emulsion on the opposite surface of the image-recording material.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the container further comprises film managing components for providing the image-recording material to the film gate of the camera without interruption of the film transport function of the camera.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the container is a reusable film magazine loaded with the image-recording material prior to delivery to a camera operator.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the reusable film magazine is loaded with the image-recording material by a manufacturer.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the container is unloaded prior to processing the image-recording material by a manufacturer.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the material repositioning mechanism is within the container.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the material repositioning mechanism positions the container to provide the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the material repositioning mechanism is within the camera.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the material repositioning mechanism is within the camera and the container.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising a movable gate mechanism to rotate the image-recording material and provide the opposite surface of the image-recording material for exposure.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the stock repositioning mechanism further comprises an optical diversion device for selectively staggered exposure of emulsion bearing surfaces.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the exposure of the emulsion bearing surfaces is on opposite sides of the image-recording material.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the exposure of the emulsion bearing surfaces is alternately on opposite sides and adjacent sides of the image-recording material.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the gates are opposite relative to each other.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the stock repositioning mechanism is offset with respect to the lens.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the gates are offset relative to each other.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein an intermittent film advancement speed is reduced.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein a camera frame rate is reduced.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein a film stock plane is perpendicular to a lens plane.

31. The system of claim 22 wherein image-recording material exposure is vertical prior to intermittent advancement.

32. The system of claim 22 further comprising an optical diversion device providing a majority of the light related to a lens image to each respective side of the image-recording material

33. The system of claim 22 further comprising a beam splitting device providing a partial image to each side.

34. The system of claim 17 wherein the material repositioning mechanism within the container rotates the image-recording material selectively 180 degrees prior to the image-recording material being returned again to the camera, wherein the material repositioning mechanism provides the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein an emulsion-bearing surface of the image-recording material is at least doubled.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the material repositioning mechanism rotates the image-recording material longitudinally 180 degrees.

37. The system of claim 17 wherein the material repositioning mechanism repositions the image-recording material within the container to provide the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the material repositioning mechanism provides the tail end of the image-recording material to the camera.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the material repositioning mechanism reverses the transport direction of the image-recording material.

40. An apparatus for increasing media storage capacity comprising,

a container for storing and providing image-recording material to a camera, said image-recording material having a first surface, an opposite surface, a head end and a tail end, and

a material repositioning mechanism for delivering the first surface of the image-recording material to a camera film gate for exposure and the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera film gate for exposure.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the image-recording material is emulsion-bearing image-recording material.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the image-recording material is photographic film stock.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the material repositioning mechanism rotates the image-recording material longitudinally approximately 180 degrees for delivery of the opposite surface of the image-recording material through the gate for exposure.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 further comprising the head end joined to the tail end, said joining providing a loop for continual delivery of the image-recording material to a camera film gate for exposure of the first surface.

45. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the material repositioning mechanism further comprising a turnable splicing device contacting the stock and disposed between the joined ends of the continuous loop of image-recording material.

46. A method for increasing media storage capacity comprising

providing a container for storing image-recording material, said image-recording material having a first surface, an opposite surface, a head end and a tail end,

delivering the image-recording material to a camera for exposure of the first surface, and

delivering the image-recording material to the camera, following exposure of the first surface, for exposure of the opposite surface.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising contacting the image-recording material with a material repositioning mechanism for delivering the image-recording material to the camera for exposure of the first surface and for exposure of the opposite surface.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein the image-recording material is delivered to a camera film gate within the camera.

49. The method of claim 46 wherein the image-recording material is emulsion-bearing image-recording material.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the image-recording material is photographic film stock.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the camera is operable to provide the stock from the take up spool to the film gate for exposure of the opposite surface, the camera further providing the stock, following exposure of the opposite surface, for respooling onto the feed spool, such that selectively all of the stock will occur on the feed spool after exposure of the entire length of the opposite surface of the stock.

52. The method of claim 48 further comprising rotating the image-recording material longitudinally approximately 180 degrees by the material repositioning mechanism for delivery of the opposite surface of the image-recording material through the gate for exposure.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising joining the head end to the tail end of the image-recording material, said joining providing a loop for continual delivery of the image-recording material to the camera film gate for exposure of the first surface.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the material repositioning mechanism further comprising a turnable splicing device contacting the image-recording material and disposed between the joined ends of the continuous loop of stock.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises a ball joint.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises a roller mechanism.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein the turnable splicing mechanism further comprises an elastic member.

58. The method of claim 49 wherein the image-recording material further comprises photographic emulsion on at least the first surface and the opposite surface.

59. The method of claim 50 wherein the container is a motion picture film camera magazine.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the film camera magazine further comprises spools for containing and turning the film stock, the spools including a feed spool on which unexposed stock is initially provided and a take up spool where the stock is provided to as a function of the magazine and camera, as the first surface is exposed by the camera.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the film camera magazine is operable to provide the stock from the take up spool to the film gate for exposure of the opposite surface, the magazine further providing the stock, following exposure of the opposite surface, for respooling onto the feed spool, wherein all of the stock will occur on the feed spool after exposure of the entire length of the opposite surface of the stock.

62. The method of claim 60 wherein the camera and magazine are operable to provide the stock from the take up spool to the film gate for exposure of the opposite surface, the camera and magazine further providing the stock, following exposure of the opposite surface, for respooling onto the feed spool, such that selectively all of the stock will occur on the feed spool after exposure of the entire length of the opposite surface of the stock.

63. The method of claim 46 further comprising contacting the image-recording material with the film gate, and repositioning the image-recording material for exposure of emulsion on the opposite surface of the image-recording material.

64. The method of claim 46 further comprises providing the image-recording material to the film gate of the camera without interruption of the film transport function of the camera through film managing components in the container.

65. The method of claim 46 wherein the container is opened and the image-recording material unloaded by a selected processing facility following exposure.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the container is a reusable film magazine, said reusable film magazine loaded with the image-recording material by a manufacturer.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein the container is unloaded prior to processing the image-recording material by a manufacturer.

68. The method of claim 46 wherein the material repositioning mechanism is within the container.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the material repositioning mechanism positions the image-recording material within the container to provide the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

70. The method of claim 46 wherein the material repositioning mechanism is within the camera.

71. The method of claim 46 wherein material repositioning mechanism is within the camera and the container.

72. The method of claim 70 further comprising rotating the image-recording material by a movable gate mechanism to and providing an opposite surface of the image-recording material for exposure.

73. The method of claim 70 further comprising staggering exposure of emulsion bearing surfaces by an optical diversion device within the material repositioning mechanism.

74. The method of claim 73 further comprising exposing the emulsion bearing surfaces on alternately on the first surface and the opposite surface of the image-recording material.

75. The method of claim 73 further comprising exposing the emulsion bearing surfaces alternately on the first surface and the opposite surface and adjacent surfaces of the image-recording material.

76. The method of claim 67 wherein the gates are opposite relative to each other.

77. The method of claim 73 wherein the stock repositioning mechanism is offset with respect to the lens.

78. The method of claim 73 wherein the gates are offset relative to each other.

79. The method of claim 73 wherein an intermittent film advancement speed is reduced.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein a camera frame rate is reduced.

81. The method of claim 73 wherein a image-recording material plane is perpendicular to a lens plane.

82. The method of claim 73 wherein image-recording material exposure is vertical prior to intermittent advancement.

83. The method of claim 73 further comprising providing a full lens image through an optical diversion device to each respective side of the image-recording material.

84. The method of claim 68 further comprising providing a partial image to each side by a beam splitting device.

85. The method of claim 68 further comprising rotating the image-recording material selectively 180 degrees prior to the image-recording material being returned again to the camera, providing the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein an emulsion-bearing surface of the image-recording material is at least doubled.

87. The method of claim 85 wherein the material repositioning mechanism rotates the image-recording material longitudinally 180 degrees.

88. The method of claim 68 wherein the material repositioning mechanism repositions the image-recording material within the container to provide the opposite surface of the image-recording material to the camera for exposure.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the material repositioning mechanism provides the tail end of the image-recording material to the camera.

90. The method of claim 85 wherein the material repositioning mechanism reverses the transport direction of the image-recording material.

91. A system for increasing visual information storage capacity comprising,

an image storage media for recording visual image information,

an image receptive component receiving light input and providing visual image information to the storage media, and

a visual image information partitioning component to relay at least two identical portions of the visual information to one or more image capture elements of the image receptive component.

92. The system of claim 91 wherein the image receptive component is a camera.

93. The system of claim 91 wherein visual image information related to the image is relayed through a single lens.

94. The system of claim 91 wherein the image receptive component is a digital camera or film camera.

95. The system of claim 91 wherein the visual image information is electromagnetic, visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, x-ray, nuclear magnetic, or digital image information.

96. An apparatus for increasing visual information storage capacity comprising,

an image storage media for recording visual image information,

an image receptive component receiving light input and providing visual image information to the storage media, and

a visual image information partitioning component to relay at least two identical portions of the visual information to one or more image capture elements of the image receptive component.

97. The apparatus of claim 96 wherein the image receptive component is a camera.

98. The apparatus of claim 96 wherein visual image information related to the image is relayed through a single lens.

99. The apparatus of claim 96 wherein the image receptive component is a digital camera or film camera.

100. The apparatus of claim 96 wherein the visual image information is electromagnetic, visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, x-ray, nuclear magnetic, or digital image information.

101. A method for increasing visual information storage capacity comprising

receiving light input to an image receptive component,

converting the light input to visual image information, and

relaying by a visual image information partitioning component at least two identical portions of the visual image information to one or more image capture elements of the image receptive component.

102. The method of claim 101 wherein the image receptive component is a camera.

103. The method of claim 101 wherein visual image information related to the image is relayed through a single lens.

104. The method of claim 101 wherein the image receptive component is a digital camera or film camera.

105. The method of claim 101 wherein the visual image information is electromagnetic, visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, x-ray, nuclear magnetic, or digital image information.