Automated photographic apparatus

• US 4,862,200 A
• Filed: 03/28/1988
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Ray Hicks
• Inventors: Hicks, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US07/172,805
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 354/75, 354/76, 354/105, 354/106, 354/109, 354/202, 354/266, 354/289.1, 355/28, 355/29, 355/40, 358/906, 358/93, 358/102, 358/903
• 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 27/462 in enlargers, e.g. roll film printers
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/091 Digital circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 15/001 Counting; Classifying; Marking

Abstract

An apparatus and method for correlating development instructions with individual photographic exposures as disclosed. Also disclosed is an integrated method of viewing, editing, printing and cutting individual photographic exposures based on previously stored data. The apparatus and method includes a device for the manual entry of information regarding the ultimate development and exposure of a photographic image, a memory device for storing the information, a shutter operating circuit for operating a camera shutter during the information storage phase. Thereafter, the information stored during the photographic phase may be transferred to the commercial photographic studio where the data can be used for a variety of processes, including commercial printing, editing, sorting, accounting, reporting, correlating and physical storage. The stored information produced at the time the photographic exposure is made is used to control all of the foregoing steps in a variety of combinations.

Claims

1. A method of storing, retrieving and utilizing data regarding the development of one or more photographic exposures of one or more photographic subjects, comprising:

(A) entry of said data in a temporary storage register;

(B) simultaneously (1) transferring said data from said temporary storage register to self-contained, removable non-volatile storage media and (2) operating the shutter of a photographic camera, exposing photographic film contained therein;

(C) retaining said data in said non-volatile storage media for an indefinite period of time;

(D) developing said film;

(E) transferring said developed film to an automated photographic printer; and

(F) utilizing said data to operate said automated printer, thereby exposing a section of photographic paper.

2. The method of claim 1 which further comprises the additional steps of:

(A) developing said photographic paper;

(B) transferring said paper to an automated paper cutting device; and

(C) utilizing said data to operate said automated paper cutting device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said temporary storage register comprises a micro-controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said nonvolatile storage media further comprises erasable programmable read only memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said non-volatile storage media further comprises magnetic storage media.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said simultaneous transfer and operation further comprises:

(A) latching a storage address by means of an address latch;

(B) sending an electronic signal in the form of a short duration AC voltage to said camera shutter; and

(C) simultaneously with the sending of said electronic signal, writing said data at said storage address in an erasable non-volatile storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said data entry further comprises manual depression of keys on an electronically readable key pad matrix.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said utilization of said data to operate said automatic printer further comprises:

(A) converting said data to RS232 compatible format;

(B) electrically transferring said data to the operating console of said automated printer by means of an RS232 compatible interface;

(C) converting said RS232 compatible data to instructions for the operation of said automated printer; and

(D) operating said automated printer based on said instructions.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said utilization of said data further comprises:

(A) converting said data to RS232 compatible format;

(B) electrically transferring said data to the operating console of an automated paper cutting device;

(C) converting said RS232 compatible data to instructions for the operation of said automated paper cutting device; and

(D) operating said automated paper cutting device based on said instructions.

10. A method of storing and retrieving data regarding the parameters of exposure development of one or more photographic exposures of one or more photographic subjects comprising:

(A) entry of said data in a temporary storage register;

(B) simultaneously (1) transferring said data from said temporary storage register to self-contained, removable, non-volatile storage media and (2) operating the shutter of a photographic camera, exposing photographic film contained therein;

(C) retaining said data in said non-volatile storage media for an indefinite period of time;

(D) converting said data to RS232 compatible format; and

(E) transferring said data in said RS232 compatible format to a visually readable medium.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said visually readable medium is a line printer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said visually readable medium is a peripheral display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said peripheral display device is a liquid crystal display.

14. An apparatus for storing, retrieving and utilizing data regarding the development of one or more photographic exposures of one or more photographic subjects comprising:

(A) a key pad for entry of said data;

(B) a display;

(C) a micro-controller electrically connected to said keypad and said display for the temporary storage of said data;

(D) a read only memory contained within said micro-controller;

(E) an RS 232 compatible interface connected to said micro-controller;

(F) data transmitting means for transmitting said data to and from said micro-controller through said RS 232 interface;

(G) a self-contained, removable, non-volatile memory electrically connected to said keyboard and display;

(H) a circuit for simultaneously generating an electrical pulse connected to the shutter operating mechanism of photographic camera containing film and operating said data transmitting means to transfer said data from said micro-controller to said self-contained, removable, non-volatile memory; and

(I) a power supply for supplying electrical current to said micro-controller, said memory, said keypad, said display and said circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, which further comprises:

(A) means for non-destructive removal of said non-volatile memory from said connections to said keyboard and said display;

(B) a second RS232 compatible interface remotely located from said apparatus;

(C) means for electrically connecting said non-volatile memory to said second RS232 interface;

(D) means for transferring said data from said non-volatile memory to said RS232 interface; and

(E) means for transferring said data from said RS232 interface to an automated photographic printer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, which further comprises means for manual entry of additional data to said second RS232 interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for manual entry is a keyboard.

18. The invention of claim 15, which further comprises:

(A) a third RS232 compatible interface, remotely located from said first and second interfaces;

(B) means for electronically connecting said non-volatile memory to said third RS232 interface;

(C) means for transferring said data from said non-volatile memory to said RS232 interface; and

(D) means for transferring said data from said third interface to an automated paper cutting device.

19. A method of storing, retrieving and utilizing data regarding the development of one or more photographic exposures of one or more photographic subjects comprising:

(A) entry of said data in a temporary storage register;

(B) simultaneously (1) transferring said data from said temporary storage register to self-contained, removable, non-volatile storage media and (2) operating the shutter of a photographic camera, exposing photographic film contained therein;

(C) retaining said data in said non-volatile storage media for an indefinite period of time;

(D) developing said film;

(E) transferring said developed film to a device for transporting said film before the lens of a video camera;

(F) using said video camera to image said film, and transfer said image to a video display screen;

(G) simultaneously converting said data to format suitable for display on said video display screen;

(H) simultaneously displaying the image of said photographic negative and said data on said screen;

(I) selective modification of said data based on the appearance of said photographic negative image displayed on said screen;

(J) storing said modified data in said non-volatile storage media; and

(K) imprinting on the each negative from said film a coded mark, correlating each exposure on said film to particular data stored in said non-volatile storage media.

20. The invention of claim 19, which further comprises:

(A) transferring said data to an automated photographic printer;

(B) transferring said film to said automated photographic printer;

(C) utilizing said data to operate said automated photographic printer to print pursuant to said data a photographic image from said film;

(D) creating a series of said exposures in a continuous roll;

(E) developing said exposed photographic paper; and

(F) utilizing said data to separate individual photographs from said continuous roll.

21. The method of claim 20, which further comprises the additional steps of:

(A) creating a visual image of each said exposures;

(B) simultaneously viewing said data corresponding to each said exposure;

(C) simultaneously viewing the print produced from each said exposure;

(D) selectively editing said data based on said comparison; and

(E) creating a printed report of said comparison.