Flat panel image to film transfer method and apparatus

• US 7,463,821 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pixar (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Pixar (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: DiFrancesco, David, Sanii, Babak
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang; Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US10/637,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20040184765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/130, 386/127, 386/128
• US Class Current: 386/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/843 on film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/846 the film moving intermittently

Abstract

A method for forming an image transfer apparatus includes providing first image data to a flat-panel display, displaying a first output image on the flat-panel display in response to the first image data, wherein the first output image includes an optical distortion associated with a film disposed onto a front transparent media of the flat-panel display, recording the first output image onto film media with a film recorder movably coupled to the flat-panel display, producing a complementing image in response to the first output image as recorded on the film media, and disposing the complementing image on an optical path of the film recorder.

Claims

1. A method for forming an image transfer apparatus comprising:

providing first image data to an electronically addressable flat-panel display;

displaying a first static output image on the flat-panel display in response to the first image data, wherein the first static output image includes an optical distortion associated with a film disposed onto a front transparent media of the flat-panel display;

recording the first output image onto film media with a film transport coupled to the flat-panel display;

producing a static complementing image in response to the first static output image as recorded on the film media;

disposing the static complementing image on the optical path of the film recorder;

providing second image data to the flat-panel display;

displaying a second static output image on the flat-panel display in response to the second image data, wherein the second static output image includes said optical distortions; and

recording a final output image onto film media with the film recorder through the complementing image, wherein the static complementing image optically reduces the optical distortions included on the second output image.

2. The method of claim 1

wherein the film is a polarizing film;

and

wherein the optical distortion is associated with an adhesive layer disposed between the polarizing film and the front transparent media of the flat-panel display.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein disposing the complementing image on the optical path of the film recorder comprises disposing the complementing image adjacent to a location selected from the group:

focal plane, image plane.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the flat-panel display is selected from the group:

liquid crystal, organic light-emitting diode, plasma.

5. The method of claim 1

wherein the optical distortion comprises a distortion selected from the group:

bright distortion, dark distortion, streaking distortion; and

wherein the optical distortion may be up to one-third of the flat-panel display.

6. The method of claim 1

producing a static complementing driver image in response to the first output image as recorded on the film media;

receiving second image data for the flat panel display;

combining the second image data and the complementing driver image to form third image data for the flat panel display;

providing the third image data to the flat-panel display;

displaying a second static output image on the flat-panel display in response to the third image data, wherein the second static output image includes optical distortions; and

recording the final image onto film media disposed at the focal plane with the film recorder through the complementing image, wherein the complementing image optically reduces optical distortions in the second output image.

7. An apparatus comprises:

an electronically addressable flat-panel display configured to display a first static output image in response to first image data, and configured to display a second static output image in response to second image data;

an optical image film recorder optically coupled to the flat-panel display, wherein the optical image recorder includes an optical path between the flat-panel display and where optical media is to be exposed, wherein the optical image recorder is configured to expose the first output image onto a first optical medium, and wherein a static compensating image is disposed on the optical path;

wherein the compensating image is formed in response to the first output image being recorded onto the first optical medium, and wherein the compensating image is associated with optical distortions of the flat-panel display; and

wherein the optical image recorder is also configured to expose the second output image through the compensating image and onto a second optical medium, wherein optical distortions are reduced.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the optical distortions may span up to one-third the flat-panel display.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the compensating image includes portions that have unequal intensity values for component colors.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the flat-panel display comprises a display selected from the group:

liquid crystal display, organic light-emitting diodes.

11. The apparatus of claim 10

wherein the electronically addressable flat-panel display comprises a front transparent layer and a protective layer of material disposed to cover the front transparent layer;

and

wherein the optical distortions are caused by the protective layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the protective layer comprises a layer selected from the group:

anti-glare layer, anti-scratch layer, anti-reflective coating layer, contrast enhancing layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the compensating image is disposed adjacent to a location selected from the group:

focal plane of the optical image recorder, image plane of the optical image recorder.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a flat-panel display driver configured to drive the flat-panel display with the first image data, wherein the flat-panel display driver is configured to drive the flat-panel display with the second image data, and wherein the second image data comprises third image data and compensating driver image data;

wherein the compensating driver image data is also determined in response to the first output image being recorded onto the first optical medium, and wherein the compensating driver image data is also associated with optical distortions of the flat-panel display.

15. A method for recording images onto an optical media comprises:

driving a an electronically addressable flat panel display with control image data;

displaying a static control image on the flat panel display in response to the control image data, wherein the control image includes optical distortions associated with the flat panel display;

recording the control image onto film media with a film recorder;

digitizing the control, image as recorded on the film media;

processing the control image as recorded on the film media to form a static compensating image;

receiving first image data for the flat panel display;

combining the first image data with the compensating image to form second static image data; and

driving the flat panel display with the second image data, wherein the second image data includes a reduced amount of optical distortions associated with the flat panel display;

recording the second image;

forming a static complementing image in response to the control image as recorded;

positioning the complementing image on the optical path adjacent to a location on the optical path of the recorded image and selected from the group;

focus plane and image plane.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the optical distortions are introduced by a layer on the flat panel display selected from the group:

anti-glare layer, anti- reflection layer, polarization layer, adhesive layer.

17. The method of claim of claim 15 wherein images selected from the group:

the compensating image, the complementing image, includes portions that are biased towards at least one component color.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the flat-panel display comprises a display selected from the group:

liquid crystal display, organic light-emitting diode, plasma, DLP pumped LCD.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein spatial dithering techniques are used to determine pixel values in the first image data.