Photographic and video image system

• US 6,088,544 A
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Akira, Toshikage, Hideki, Saito, Takahiko, Obayashi, Shunzi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/420,404
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 396/311, 396/429, 355/40, 348/96, 348/107, 358/506
• US Class Current: 396/311
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 1/50 adjustable or interchangeable, e.g. for different film widths
• 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 17/245 Optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/004 using markings on the photographic material, e.g. to indicate pseudo-panoramic exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/006 of the bar-code type
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/243 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/244 Magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/246 Details of the markings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/247 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/248 with means for masking
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/462 in enlargers, e.g. roll film printers
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/6285 Handling strips G03B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00265 with a photographic printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0027 Reading or writing of non-image information from or to a photographic material, e.g. processing data stored in a magnetic track
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0402 : Scanning different formats; Scanning with different densities of dots per unit length, e.g. different numbers of dots per inch (dpi); Conversion of scanning standards H04N1/00283 takes precedence; picture signal circuits for modification of image resolution H04N1/3935, H04N1/40068
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0405 : Different formats, e.g. A3 and A4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0458 : using different portions of the scanning elements for different formats or densities of dots
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1017 : the main-scanning components remaining positionally invariant with respect to one another in the sub-scanning direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 : using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 : the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 : by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0404 : Scanning transparent media, e.g. photographic film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0408 : Scanning film strips or rolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 : Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 : The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A photographic and video image system for transforming an image on a frame of a photographic film includes a structure in the overall form of a photographic printer having an image transformation element that transforms an optical image from the film into a video signal. A frame position indicator, which can be a hole or an optical or magnetic signal, is recorded on the film along with aspect information relating to the size of the frame exposed on the film. The frame position indicator and aspect information are detected and used to control a film feeding operation in the optical image to video signal transformation operation. The user of the system can record order information on the film that is used to specify the aspect of the resultant photographic print, as well as the quantity of prints to be made. Such order information can be superimposed as a menu on a displayed video signal at the time the video signal is reviewed prior to producing a photographic print.

Claims

1. A photographic image storage system comprising:

image transforming means for transforming an image on a photographic film into an image signal;

detecting means for non-mechanically detecting an aspect signal recorded on the photographic film and for detecting a hole located on the photographic film;

display means for displaying the image signal and the aspect signal on a display monitor;

selecting means for selecting an order information and for generating a print order information signal;

storage means for recording at least the image signal on a storage medium;

recording means for recording the print order information signal on the photographic film; and

control means having a memory for controlling the detecting means, the display means, the storage means, and the recording means in accordance with control sequences of an operating process,

wherein said hole is substantially 0.75 mm away from one edge of the photographic film, and

said print order information is located on a marginal area of another edge of the photographic film.

2. The photographic image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the print order information signal includes a number of prints and a size of a print.

3. The photographic image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means includes switch means for selecting at least one of a JPEG type format and a TIFF type format, and

the storage means records the image signal in accordance with the format selected by the switch means.

4. The photographic image storage system according to claim 1, wherein a center of said hole is 1.25 mm away from said one edge of the photographic film, and said hole is 1 mm in diameter.

5. A photographic image storage system comprising:

a photographic image apparatus including;

film feeding means for feeding a photographic film,

image transforming means for transforming an image on the photographic film into an image signal,

detecting means for non-mechanically detecting an information signal recorded on the photographic film and for detecting a hole located on the photographic film and generating a hole signal;

processing mean for processing the image signal and the information signal to generate an output signal, and

control means for controlling the image transforming means and the processing means and for controlling the film feeding means in accordance with said hole signal, wherein said hole is substantially 0.75 mm away from one edge of the photographic film; and

a computer system connected to said photographic image apparatus for generating the control signal to control the film feeding means, the image transforming means, and the processing means on the photographic image apparatus, the computer system including;

an internal bus connected to said photographic image apparatus via an interface circuit means, the interface circuit means further being connected to selecting means,

storage means connected to an internal bus for recording an image signal in a storage device,

a display connected to the internal bus via display control means,

a memory connected to the internal bus, and

a central processing unit connected to the internal bus for transfer of a control signal via the internal bus and interface circuit means to control the control means on the photographic image apparatus in accordance with control sequences of an operating process,

wherein the computer system receives the image signal and the information signal to display the image signal and the information signal on the display and to record at least the image signal into the storage device, and said control means controls the storage means to record an index information when the operating process is started to be shut down, whereby said index information is temporarily stored in the memory.

6. The photographic image storage system according to claim 5, wherein said information signal is at least an aspect information, and the central processing unit displays the image signal, the aspect information, and a menu on the display.

7. The photographic image storage system according to claim 5, wherein the photographic image apparatus has a cartridge housing for accommodating a cartridge and a film housing for accommodating the photographic film drawn from the cartridge, and

the film feeding means feeds the photographic film between the cartridge housing and the film housing.

8. The photographic image storage system according to claim 5, wherein a center of said hole is 1.25 mm away form said one edge of the photographic film, and said hole is 1 mm in a diameter.

9. A photographic image storage system comprising:

a photographic image apparatus including;

film feeding means for feeding a photographic film,

image transforming means for transforming an image on the photographic film into an image signal,

detecting means for non-mechanically detecting an information signal recorded on the photographic film and for detecting a hole located on the photographic film and generating a hole signal;

processing means for processing the image signal and the information signal to generate an output signal, and

control means for controlling, the image transforming means and processing means and for controlling the film feeding means in accordance with said hole signal, wherein said hole is substantially 0.75 mm away from one edge of the photographic film; and

a computer system connected to said photographic image apparatus for generating the control signal to control the film feeding means, the image transforming means and the processing means on the photographic image apparatus, the computer system including;

an internal bus connected to said photographic image apparatus via an interface circuit means, the interface circuit means further being connected to selecting means,

storage means connected to an internal bus for recording an image signal in a storage device,

a display connected to the internal bus via display control means,

a memory connected to the internal bus, and

a central processing unit connected to the internal bus for transfer of a control signal via the internal bus and interface circuit means to control the control means on the photographic image apparatus in accordance with control sequences of an operating process,

wherein the computer system receives the image signal and the information signal to display the image signal and the information signal on the display and to record at least the image signal into the storage device, and wherein operating software controls said control system to mange a storage area of the storage means, and wherein said storage area is bigger than at least 10 G byte.

10. The photographic image storage system according to claim 9, wherein said information signal is at least aspect information, and the central processing unit displays the image signal, the aspect information and a menu on the display.

11. The photographic image storage system according to claim 9, wherein the photographic image apparatus has a cartridge housing for accommodating a cartridge and a film housing for accommodating the photographic film drawn from the cartridge, and

the film feeding means feeds the photographic film between the cartridge housing and the film housing.

12. The photographic image storage system according to claim 9, wherein a center of said hole is 1.25 mm away from said one edge of the photographic film, and said hole is 1 mm in a diameter.

13. A method of management for controlling storage of an image signal and information signal on a storage disc, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) feeding a photographic film;

(b) transforming an image on the photographic film into the image signal;

(c) detecting the information signal recorded on the photographic film;

(d) storing the image signal and the detected information signal on said storage disc;

(e) managing the step of storing to control management of a storage area on the storage disc, wherein said storage area is bigger than 10 G byte.

14. The method of management according to claim 13, wherein the step of storing further includes storage of management information in accordance with the step of managing when the step of managing is started to be shut down.

15. The method of management according to claim 13, wherein the step of detecting further includes detecting a hole on the photographic film and generating a hole signal, said hole being substantially 0.75 mm away from an edge of the photographic film, and wherein said step of feeding further includes feeding the photographic film in accordance with said hole signal.

16. The method of management according to claim 15, wherein said hole is substantially 1 mm across in a diameter, and a center of the hole is substantially 1.25 mm away from the edge of the photographic film.