System and Apparatus for Increasing Quality and Efficiency of Film Capture and Methods of Use Thereof

• US 20070160360A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 54 Essential Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Mediapod LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Mowry, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/311
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/23 Reproducing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

A system, apparatus, or method is provided for imaging and for capturing visuals to provide image manipulation options for increasing resolution of subject images. A system, apparatus or method for increasing resolution of subject images using a camera to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion or a digital image and to generate images of greater resolution by modifying digital images or modifying digital and emulsion images.

Claims

1. A system for concurrently capturing and storing two distinct information records of a single visual scene to generate one or more final images comprising,

a camera comprising an image capture assembly for capturing and recording aspects of said visual scene within a photographic emulsion as high resolution image captures,

an electronic imaging module within said camera for capturing and recording aspects relating to said visual scene operating concurrently with said image capture assembly, said capturing and recording by said electronic imaging module and said image capture assembly occurring sequentially or simultaneously, said module at least capturing aspects related to said visual scene that are not recorded within said emulsion by said assembly,

an image data management component comprising a computer readable medium to generate final images from image data derived from visual information recorded within said emulsion, said final images including modified versions of said visual information from said emulsion., said modified versions modified in part in accordance with information captured by said electronic imaging module, wherein one or more of said final images simulate high resolution image captures by said image capture assembly that said assembly did not in fact capture.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said high resolution image captures occur as sequential partial visual captures, said sequential partial visual captures covering in tandem an entirety of said single visual scene with regard to selected visual framing.

3. A system for generating final images of greater resolution from originally captured images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within the camera for exposure to light related to a subject visual, said zone being of a selected size and dimension, said emulsion being exposed within at least said image capture zone to said light,

an electronic imaging module operable to record aspects of said subject visual,

an image data management component comprising a computer readable medium to apply information related to said emulsion exposed to said subject visual and information related to aspects of said subject visual captured by said electronic imaging module to create one or more final images.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said electronic imaging module is operable to record aspects of said subject visual resulting in exposure of said emulsion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said electronic imaging module is operable in tandem with said camera to expose said emulsion, said electronic imaging module is further operable to record aspects of said subject visual including non-image data.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said image data management component creates said one or more final images in part from images captured by said electronic imaging module, said final images including more image data than images originally captured by said electronic imaging module, said more image data is derived in part by said image data management component from images stored within said emulsion as a result of said exposure.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said electronic imaging module is operable in tandem with said camera to expose said emulsion, said electronic imaging module operable to record aspects of said subject visual including aspects not available within image information related to images resulting from exposure of said emulsion.

8. An apparatus for concurrently capturing and storing two distinct information records of a single visual scene to generate one or more final images comprising,

a camera comprising an image capture assembly for capturing and recording aspects of said visual scene within a photographic emulsion as high resolution image captures,

an electronic imaging module within said camera for capturing and recording aspects relating to said visual scene operating concurrently with said image capture assembly, said capturing and recording by said electronic imaging module and said image capture assembly occurring sequentially or simultaneously, said module at least capturing aspects related to said visual scene that are not recorded within said emulsion by said assembly,

an image data management component comprising a computer readable medium to generate final images from image data derived from visual information recorded within said emulsion, said final images including modified versions of said visual information from said emulsion, said modified versions modified in part in accordance with information captured by said electronic imaging module, wherein one or more of said final images simulate high resolution image captures by said image capture assembly that said assembly did not in fact capture.

9. An apparatus for generating final images of greater resolution from originally captured images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within the camera for exposure to light related to a subject visual, said zone being of a selected size and dimension, said emulsion being exposed within at least said image capture zone to said light,

an electronic imaging module operable to record aspects of said subject visual,

an image data management component comprising a computer readable medium to apply information related to said emulsion exposed to said subject visual and information related to aspects of said subject visual captured by said electronic imaging module to create one or more final images.

10. A method for transforming image data on a computer readable medium operable by a computer comprising,

identifying corresponding image zones from image data provided by a first electronic imaging module and a second electronic imaging module,

modifying said image data captured by said first module to provide final images, said first module providing more data per image at capture than said second module,

repositioning selected image information related to said image zones from said image data provided by said first module, based on image information provided by said second module, said second module providing a plurality of image captures for each image capture by said first module.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said final images embody a quantity of image data limited only by the quantity of data per image captured by said first module, and wherein at least some image data of said final images further comprise positional aspects of image zones provided by said second module.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first electronic imaging module involves image capture on photographic emulsion.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said second module involves electronic data captures relating directly to selected aspects of a desired visual, said desired visual reflected in part within image information related to captures by said first modules.

14. A method for simulating high resolution image captures comprising,

capturing visuals on a photographic emulsion utilizing an image capture assembly in a camera to relay said visuals to a selected exposure area,

creating data related to said visuals by way of an electronic data generating module of said camera, said data created concurrently with said emulsion image capture, said module creating a plurality of data files related to said emulsion visuals for each visual capture,

photochemically processing said photographic emulsion image data and converting said emulsion image data to electronic image data provided on a computer readable medium,

generating one or more final image on a computer providing said readable medium from image data derived from said emulsion, wherein said one or more final images have as much image information as any one of said visuals on said photographic emulsion,

wherein said final images represent one or more modified versions of image data derived from said emulsion, said one or more modified versions incorporate variations informed in part by data derived from said electronic data generating module, and wherein said electronic data derived from said module informs a repositioning of selected image zones related to said emulsion image capture, said module generating information related to said visuals on said photographic emulsion between available captures provided by said emulsion.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said data created concurrently with said emulsion capture occurs sequentially or simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said electronic data generating module is a video generating component.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said electronic data generating module is a digital video capture device.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said camera including operability to sequentially alter the portion of a provided visual for capture, said emulsion capturing at least an entire intended full visual within a plurality of distinct image captures;

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said plurality of data files created by said module relate to a single intended full visual.

20. A method for simulating high resolution image captures comprising,

recording images as electronically generated image data in an image capture assembly of a camera, said assembly having distinct positions of an intended capture visual in a selected sequence for individual capture,

creating electronic data related to said intended capture visual in an electronic data generating module of the camera concurrently with captures by said image capture assembly, said module creating electronic data not available from image data provided by said assembly, and

generating one or more final images on a computer readable medium from image data derived from said assembly,

wherein said final images are modified versions of images captured by said image capture assembly, said final images incorporating variations informed by data derived from said electronic data generating module, said variations incorporated into said final images on a computer readable medium, said final images seamlessly reflect said distinct portions as assembled into a composite picture representative of said intended capture visual,

and wherein said one or more final images simulate captures by said assembly that did not occur.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said electronic data relates to shifting image zone positions distinguished according to selective image zone isolation criteria.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein each of said one or more final images has as much image information as the combination of total image information related to said portions provided by said camera for individual capture minus any overlapping image zones duplicated between said portions.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein creating electronic data concurrently with captures by said assembly occurs sequentially or simultaneously.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said module is a video generating component.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said video generating component is a digital video capture device.

26. A system for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within the camera to record visuals on said emulsion, said zone being of a variable size and dimension, and

an electronic imaging module in said camera operable to record aspects of said visuals recorded by said camera on said emulsion.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising an image data modification program for generating final images from visual information recorded within said emulsion and from aspects of visual information captured and stored by said electronic imaging module.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said program generates data related to more than one final image from information related to a single visual recorded within said emulsion.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein a single visual recorded within said emulsion contains more image information than any single image generated by said module.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the number of final images is at least equal to the number of visuals or aspects of visuals recorded originally by said module.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein said aspects of visuals recorded by said module provide at least one type of image information for modifying information derived from visuals originally recorded within said emulsion.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said image information in said module relates to positioning information of at least a single selectively distinguished image zone.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said image data modification program provides at least two final images generated, said at least two final images with an equivalent amount of image information greater than any single image generated by said module though not greater than information derived from any single visual stored within said emulsion.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein the camera is operable to intermittently deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

35. The system of claim 26 wherein the camera is operable to continuously deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein said emulsion is provided on a containment strip as photographic film.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein said containment strip comprises celluloid.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein said film is provided and exposed horizontally to a lens image, limiting the recorded image size on said emulsion by the image height as recorded on said film, said lens image parallel with the film edges and any existing sprocket hole row relative to the image horizon line or equivalent framing aspect indicating correct positioning of at least any one side of said lens image.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said film stock with emulsion is provided without sprocket holes providing an entire width of the film stock strip for vertical image information, said entire width of said film stock defining the maximum vertical image size recordable on said emulsion with the image width and ratio remaining selectable and unrestricted by any film stock perimeter.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein a selectable length of the film stock strip restricts image width recordable size.

41. The system of claim 27 wherein said entire recordable emulsion width is the width of the film gauge size, and the stock is provided without sprockets or other emulsion interruptions.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the entire recordable emulsion is the width of the uninterrupted vertical emulsion distance between interruptions in the recordable emulsion, including sprocket holes and the perimeter of the strip as determined by the stock gauge size.

43. The system of claim 26 further comprising said unexposed photographic emulsion in an unfixed state wherein independent recordable media portions of said medium are repositioned relative to each other, said independent recordable media portions capable of storing image data pertaining to a single pixel of displayable image information;

a dispersal of said image recording medium intermittently over a selectively large image exposure area prior to exposure to a stimulus, secondary non image information recorded on said independent recordable media portions of said medium, a secondary stimulus applied to said medium affecting at least one aspect of said secondary non image information recorded on said media portions during a period of time said medium is stationary within said exposure area, and a containment area for storing said recordable media portions of said medium after exposure to light separate from a containment area for storing said unexposed image recording medium.

44. A method for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

delivering unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within a camera to record visuals on said emulsion, said zone being of a variable size and dimension, and

recording aspects of said visuals with an electronic imaging module working in tandem with aspects of said camera.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising generating final images with an image data modification program at least in part from information derived from visuals recorded by said emulsion and from information recorded in aspects of visuals by said electronic imaging module.

46. The method of claim 44 further comprising delivering unexposed photographic emulsion intermittently to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

47. The method of claim 44 further comprising delivering unexposed photographic emulsion continuously to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

48. The method of claim 44 further comprising providing independent recordable media portions of an unexposed photographic emulsion in an unfixed state, repositioning said recordable media portions relative to each other, storing image data pertaining to a single pixel of displayable image information on said independent recordable media portions, dispersing said unexposed photographic emulsion over a selectively large image exposure area prior to exposure to a stimulus, recording secondary non-image information on said recordable media portions of said photographic emulsion, applying a secondary stimulus to said photographic emulsion to affect at least one aspect of said secondary non image information recorded on said media portions during a period of time said emulsion is stationary within said exposure area, and storing said recordable media portions of said photographic emulsion after exposure to light in a containment area separated from a containment area for storing said unexposed photographic emulsion.

49. An apparatus for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within the camera to record visuals, said zone being of a variable size and dimension, and

an electronic imaging module in said camera operable to record information related to aspects of said visuals recorded by said camera within said emulsion, at least some of said information related to aspects not provided by said emulsion.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said image capture zone receives photographic emulsion as a fixed aspect of recordable media, including film stock, wherein said zone positions said recordable media to receive image stimuli related to said visual for vertical or offset recording of said stimuli, relative to at least a horizontal image framing indicator, including a horizon line or top edge of the image.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 further comprising an image data modification program for generating final images from visual information recorded within said emulsion and from aspects of visual information captured and stored by said electronic imaging module.

52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the camera is operable to intermittently deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

53. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the camera is operable to continuously deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

54. A system for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within a camera, said zone being of a selectable size and dimension,

an image data modification program for generating final images from intonation recorded within said emulsion, said program being computer operable to generate a selected number of simulated emulsion image captures, of selectable equivalent total per image information, between available images recorded within said emulsion.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein the camera is operable to intermittently deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

56. The system of claim 54 wherein the camera is operable to continuously deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

57. The system of claim 54 further comprising said unexposed photographic emulsion in an unfixed state wherein independent recordable media portions of said medium are repositioned relative to each other, said independent recordable media portions capable of storing image data pertaining to a single pixel of displayable image information;

a dispersal of said image recording medium intermittently over a selectively large image exposure area prior to exposure to a stimulus, secondary non image information recorded on said independent recordable media portions of said medium, a secondary stimulus applied to said medium affecting at least one aspect of said secondary non image information recorded on said media portions during a period of time said medium is stationary within said exposure area, and a containment area for storing said recordable media portions of said medium after exposure to light separate from a containment area for storing said unexposed image recording medium.

58. A method for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

delivering unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within a camera to record visuals said zone being of a selectable size and dimension,

receiving said emulsion into said image capture zone from the top or bottom of said zone with the emulsion exiting through the top or bottom of said zone following exposure, or receiving said emulsion from any side of said zone to exit said zone from the other side following exposure of said emulsion, and

generating final images from information recorded within said emulsion using an image data modification program, said program being operable to infer a selected number of images, of selectable equivalent total image information, between available images recorded within said emulsion.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising delivering unexposed photographic emulsion intermittently to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

60. The method of claim 58 further comprising delivering unexposed photographic emulsion continuously to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

61. The method of claim 58 further comprising providing independent recordable media portions of an unexposed photographic emulsion in an unfixed state, repositioning said recordable media portions relative to each other, storing image data pertaining to a single pixel of displayable image information on said independent recordable media portions, dispersing said unexposed photographic emulsion intermittently over a selectively large image exposure area prior to exposure to a stimulus, recording secondary non-image information on said recordable media portions of said photographic emulsion, applying a secondary stimulus to said photographic emulsion to affect at least one aspect of said secondary non image information recorded on said media portions during a period of time said emulsion is stationary within said exposure area, storing said recordable media portions of said photographic emulsion after exposure to light in a containment area separated from a containment area for storing said unexposed photographic emulsion.

62. An apparatus for increasing resolution of subject images comprising,

a camera operable to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to at least one image capture zone within a camera, said zone being of a selectable size and dimensions

said image capture zone receiving said emulsion from the top or bottom of said zone with the emulsion exiting through the top or bottom of said zone following exposure, or receiving said emulsion from any side of said zone to exit said zone from the other side, following exposure of said emulsion, and

an image data modification program for generating final images from information recorded within said emulsion, said program being operable to infer a selected number of images, of selectable equivalent total image information, between available images recorded within said emulsion.

63. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the camera is operable to intermittently deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.

64. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the camera is operable to continuously deliver unexposed photographic emulsion to said at least one image capture zone within the camera.