Eastman-Kodak Company

Carl N Schauffele

Roger J Greenwald

Lawrence Allen Ray

Scott A Brownstein

Hans-Peter Baumeister

Brett Vansprewenburg

Lawrence J Matteson

Edward J Brooks

A technique of capturing a stereoscopic panoramic photographic image of a scene, includes capturing a first 360.degree. panoramic image of a scene from a first point on a vertical axis; and capturing a second 360.degree. panoramic image of the scene from a second point on the vertical axis, the second point being displaced from the first point by a stereoscopic baseline distance.

Method and apparatus for capturing panoramic images with range data

A video tape reproduction apparatus is operable in a conventional mode in which a field of video information is recorded in a single track on magnetic tape, and in a high quality mode in which a field of video information is recorded in two adjacent tracks. In the high quality mode, in order to minimize skew errors (which may occur during playback when switching in mid-field from track to track), the second half of the field is delayed before it is recorded in the second track. Preferably the first half of each field is recorded with an integral number of horizontal lines so that switching is effected during a horizontal blanking interval.

Apparatus for eliminating midfield skew error by delaying the lower half

Video reproduction apparatus such as a video cassette recorder which is operable in either a first conventional mode or a second high resolution mode. The apparatus includes processing circuitry for selectively processing video signals either of a first conventional format of reduced bandwidth, or of a second time-division-multiplex (TDM) format of higher bandwidth than the first format. A capstan is provided for moving magnetic tape along a path at a first speed and at a second speed greater than the first speed. A magnetic transducer carried on a drum is located along the tape path and is rotated at a first rotational speed and at a second rotational speed, greater than the first rotational speed for recording and playing back video signals in parallel tracks on the magnetic tape. Control structure and circuitry are provided for controlling the processing circuitry, the capstan, and the magnetic transducer drum so that they are operable in at least first and second modes. In the first mode, the processing circuitry processes video signals of the first format, the capstan moves the tape along the path at the first speed and the maganetic transducer drum is rotated at the first rotational speed to record and/or playback video signals of said first format on the magnetic tape. In the second mode, video signals of the second format are processed by the processing circuitry, the capstan moves the tape at the second tape speed and the magnetic transducer drum is rotated at the second rotational speed to record and/or playback video signals of the second format on the magnetic tape.

Video recording apparatus having low and high resolution operational

A video disk player is provided for playing back a series of still pictures prerecorded on a plurality of video disks. The disks are contained in a magazine that is inserted into the player. The magazine includes an erasable, non-volatile memory for containing data related to the pictures. The player includes an editing feature for generating picture file data prescribing an organized arrangement for viewing the pictures, including data pertaining to the assignment of pictures into one or more albums, the arrangement of the viewing order, the establishment of automated viewing times, the addition of text, and the like. The picture file data is put into the non-volatile magazine memory and remains there though the magazine is removed from the player. To view an album, the magazine is inserted into the player and the magazine memory is connected into the player circuit. An album is chosen by reference to the picture file data.

Video disk apparatus providing organized picture playback

Exposure control apparatus adapted for use with a computer having an inexpensive, uncalibrated clock includes a pair of covariant, internal reference signal sources, an integrator and a comparator that produces a time interval signal when an electrical parameter of the integrator reaches a threshold level established by the comparator. With the covariant reference signal sources connected to the integrator, the computer calculates an initial clock correction factor that is stored in the computer's memory. A standard light source of known intensity, which is used only once, is then coupled to the integrator through a photoresponsive device and the initial clock correction factor is used by the computer to provide compensation for the computer clock during an exposure operation. In the field, the computer, prior to each exposure operation, connects the covariant reference signal sources to the integrator and calculates an updated clock correction factor. When the apparatus is measuring luminance of unknown intensity, for example ambient light, the updated clock correction factor is used by the computer to control a desired exposure parameter.

Exposure control apparatus

Automatic control apparatus for a photographic camera is responsive to a set of measured scene parameter inputs, representing at least subject distance and subject brightness, to produce signals representing the desired setting of one or more of the following camera control functions: aperture size, shutter time, flash output, and lens extension. The desired camera settings are determined by a mapping function defining the settings that optimize picture quality by minimizing the total reduction in picture quality due to the combined effects of blur, smear and exposure error. The mapping function is obtained by maximizing a Composite Quality Factor comprising one or more Subjective Quality Factors representing blur, smear, and exposure, evaluated at the subject distance and at a plurality of background distances.

Apparatus for automatic control of a photographic camera

A quenchable electronic strobe flash unit has a light-responsive integrating circuit for causing the light emitted by a flashtube to be terminated when the integrating circuit senses a predetermined amount of light. A light-level sensing circuit measures the intensity of the ambient light. A threshold-setting circuit, responsive to the sensing circuit, causes the amount of light needed to be sensed by the integrating circuit for terminating the flash in bright ambient light to be, for example, twenty-five percent of the amount of light required to be sensed for terminating the flash in low ambient light. Thus, for subjects within the maximum range of the flash, when ambient light is relatively low, a desired exposure is due primarily to flash light, and when ambient light is relatively high, a selected portion of the desired exposure is attributable to flash light which is, for example, twenty-five percent of the full-flash light output.

Electronic strobe flash apparatus for automatic fill-in and full-flash

A battery-powered electronic strobe flash apparatus has a flashtube, which produces radiation in proportion to the energy delivered to it. A transformer has a primary winding, connectable to the battery, for storing energy in the transformer and a secondary winding, connected to the flashtube, for delivering the stored energy to the flashtube when the primary winding is disconnected from the battery. An actuatable switch has a first condition for connecting the battery to the primary winding to saturate the transformer, and a second condition for disconnecting the battery from the primary winding, thereby causing a substantially constant amount of energy to be delivered to the flashtube, whereby a substantially constant amount of flashtube radiation is produced each time the switch is actuated.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Carl N Schauffele