Dual film image and electronic image capture camera capable of combining captured electronic images in a single multi-(index-) image

• US 6,385,404 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Malloy Desormeaux, Stephen G., Fields, Roger A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US09/643,783
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 396/429, 396/410, 396/413, 396/387, 396/311, 348/64, 348/231, 348/232, 348/233
• US Class Current: 396/311
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual image capture camera captures successive film images on a filmstrip and captures successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images. The camera has a memory that individually stores captured electronic images, a film drive motor that is actuated to rewind an exposed film length with the respective film images into a film cartridge, and a print quantity selector that is capable of being manually operated to provide various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective film images. The print quantity selector can designate that no print is to be made for a particular film image. The memory is connected to the print quantity selector to store designations of numbers of prints in association with the respective electronic images individually stored in the memory and is connected to the film drive motor to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “1” when the exposed film length with the respective film images is rewound into the film cartridge.

Claims

1. A dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, including a memory that stores captured electronic images and a film drive motor that is actuated to rewind an exposed film length with the respective film images into a film cartridge, is characterized in that:

said memory is connected to said film drive motor to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image composed of the successive electronic images when the exposed film length with the respective film images is rewound into the film cartridge.

2. A dual image capture camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said memory stores captured electronic images individually when the respective film images are captured on the filmstrip, and a multi-image creator is connected to said memory and said film drive motor to create the single multi-image from electronic images individually stored in said memory when the exposed film length with the respective film images is rewound into the film cartridge.

3. A dual image capture camera as recited in claim 1, wherein a magnetic head records a magnetic representation of the single multi-image on a transparent magnetic overlay on the filmstrip.

4. A dual image capture camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said memory has a plurality of single-image addresses and a multi-image address to store captured electronic images individually at the respective single-image addresses and to store the single multi-image at said multi-image address.

5. A dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, including a memory that stores captured electronic images, is characterized in that:

a print quantity selector is capable of being manually operated to provide various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective film images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image; and

said memory is connected to said print quantity selector to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

.

6. A dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, including a memory that individually stores captured electronic images and a film drive motor that is actuated to rewind an exposed film length with the respective film images into a film cartridge, is characterized in that:

a print quantity selector is capable of being manually operated to provide various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective film images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image; and

said memory is connected to said print quantity selector to store designations of numbers of prints in association with the respective electronic images individually stored in said memory and is connected to said film drive motor to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

when the exposed film length with the respective film images is rewound into the film cartridge.

7. A dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, including a memory that individually stores captured electronic images and a film drive motor for unwinding a film length of the filmstrip from a film cartridge and rewinding the same film length into the film cartridge, is characterized in that:

said film drive motor is actuated to rewind a film length with captured film images into the film cartridge a first time, then to unwind the same film length from the film cartridge, and finally to rewind the same film length into the film cartridge a second time;

said memory is connected to said film drive motor to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image composed of the successive electronic images when the film length with captured film images is rewound into the film cartridge the first time; and

a magnetic head magnetically records a magnetic representation of the single multi-image on a transparent magnetic overlay on the filmstrip when the film length with captured film images is unwound from the film cartridge.

8. An image storing method in a dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, comprises the steps of:

rewinding an exposed film length with the respective film images into a film cartridge; and

storing captured electronic images as a single multi-image composed of the successive electronic images when the exposed film length images is rewound into the film cartridge.

9. An image storing method in a dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, comprises the steps of:

providing various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective film images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image; and

storing captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

.

10. An image storing method in a dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, comprises the steps of:

providing various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective film images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image;

rewinding an exposed film length with captured film images into a film cartridge; and

storing captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

when the exposed film length is rewound into the film cartridge.

11. A camera comprising an electronic image sensor that captures successive electronic images and a memory that stores captured electronic images, is characterized in that:

a print quantity selector is capable of being manually operated to provide various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective electronic images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image; and

said memory is connected to said print quantity selector to store captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

.

12. An image storing method in a camera for capturing successive electronic images, comprises the steps of:

providing various print quantity designations of how many prints are to be made for the respective electronic images, including the designation that no print is to be made for a particular film image; and

storing captured electronic images as a single multi-image which combines only those electronic images for which the designated number of prints is at least “

1”

.