Helmut Wahl

Title: Helmut Wahl and His Patent for Selecting Originals for Copying.

Introduction

Helmut Wahl is an inventor associated with Unterhaching, Germany, and Agfa-Gevaert AG. His recorded patent concerns a system for selecting photographic originals for copying by analyzing the transparency of images on a strip of negatives.

Latest Patents

Wahl’s listed patent, “Apparatus for Selecting Originals for Copying,” describes transporting a strip of negatives across a transverse slit and projecting successive slit-like portions of each image onto a row of photosensitive zones in a CCD image sensor. A photodetector measures the average transparency of each portion and produces a signal used to control the CCD’s clocking frequency. The system can adjust that frequency for each sensor readout or once for each original, using a peak detector in the latter arrangement to identify the portion with the greatest transparency. Depending on the CCD design, the clock signal can determine both the readout rate and charge-accumulation interval, or only the charge-accumulation interval. Wahl is credited with 1 patent.

Career Highlights

The available information associates Wahl’s patent work with Agfa-Gevaert AG. The invention addresses image sensing and exposure-related control in the process of selecting photographic originals for copying.

Collaborations

Bernhard Knor and Bernd Payrhammer are identified as Wahl’s coworkers. The available details do not specify their roles in the patent or their particular contributions.

Conclusion

Helmut Wahl’s recorded invention combines CCD image sensing with transparency measurements to support the selection of photographic originals for copying.