Agfa-gevaert Ag

Agfa-gevert, A.g.

Gunter Findeis

Wolfgang Zahn

Helmut Treiber

Berthold Fergg

Friedrich Jacob

Horst Bickl

Ernst Biedermann

Manfred Fursich

Siegfried Thurm

Klaus Weber

Bernhard Knor

Bernd Payrhammer

Heinz Meckl

Viktor Osegowitsch

Wilhelm Nitsch

Reinhard Nicko

Hans-Georg Schindler

Erich Schlick

Knut Oberhardt

Hans-Jurgen Rauh

Hans-Juergen Rauh

Konrad Bunge

Gerhard Kuhn

Eberhard Schulz

Josef Moseler

Reiner Scholz

Markus Fussel

Paul A Delabastita

Hans P Huber

A negative to be printed is masked. The mask, or an image of the mask in the plane of the negative, or both the mask and the image, have a low resolution of 0.1 to 2 line pairs per millimeter.

Method of and apparatus for masking a master for reproduction

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for copying transparencies to a light-sensitive material, the apparatus including an illuminator for illuminating the original, wherein the illuminator has a plurality of individually addressable pixels which can be switched to light or dark and which are controlled according to a raster image. The density values of the original are first determined with a predetermined spatial and gray-scale resolution and the raster image is subsequently generated from the density values of the original according to the error diffusion method.

Method and apparatus for copying transparencies to light-sensitive

Film frames are scanned preparatory to copying and a set of density values is generated for each frame. When a frame exhibits excessive contrast, a mask is calculated using the respective set of density values. The calculated mask is formed on an LCD or LED matrix which is in register with the frame. An image of the masked frame is then projected onto copy paper by a zoom objective. The mask has a size which is a function of the magnification factor and/or the mask-to-frame distance.

Method of copying transparent originals and photographic copier

A copying apparatus is adjusted in order to produce high-quality copies of transparent negatives or diapositives having excessive variations in brightness. The adjustment is performed using a reference master. The apparatus is properly adjusted when a copy of the reference master meets specific criteria.

Reproduction of transparent masters

An exposed and developed filmstrip and band of similar length are connected edge-to-edge. An address for each negative of the filmstrip is imprinted on the band in the form of a bar code adjacent to the respective negative. The negatives are scanned and exposure values are calculated for the negatives from the resulting data. The exposure values are used to make proofs, and the exposure values for each negative are then stored in a memory under the corresponding address. When an order for final copies of a particular negative is subsequently received, the address of the negative is read from the band and used to retrieve the respective exposure values from the memory. The final copies are thereupon made based upon the retrieved exposure values.

Method and arrangement for copying filmstrips

Light is passed through a negative located in a primary optical path and towards a band of copy material disposed in the path. A reflector is movable into the primary path so as to deflect the light into a secondary optical path. A mat, transparent plate is situated in the secondary path. The plate is situated in a plane which is a conjugate of the plane of the copy material with reference to the reflector when the latter is in the primary path. A sharp image of the negative is formed on the plate. Light passing through the plate is deflected into a tertiary optical path by a second reflector. The light entering the tertiary path is sensed by a video camera which then causes the image on the plate to be reproduced on a monitor for evaluation prior to copying.

Apparatus and method for copying photographic masters at variable

A photographic copying machine has a copying unit which must receive a web of unexposed photosensitive web material well above the floor level. The web material is confined in cassettes which must be lifted before they reach a level in which the web material which is confined therein can be drawn into the copying unit. In order to facilitate manual manipulation of a relatively heavy and bulky cassette, the latter is provided with handless and with one part of a separable coupling which constitutes a hinge and enables the person in charge to pivot the cassette to an upright position subsequent to manual lifting approximately to the chest level. If necessary, the pivoted cassette is thereupon pushed into a chamber of the copying unit. A cassette for reception and storage of freshly exposed photosensitive web material can be manipulated in the same way.

Photographic copying machine for use with mobile cassettes

A strip of originals is copied onto a band of copy material at high speed using a highly automated copier which measures the densities of the originals in the primary colors and calculates exposures from the densities. The calculated exposures for each original in each primary color are recorded. The band of exposed copy material is developed and the copies are evaluated. Unsatisfactory copies are marked. The band of copy material is subsequently cut into individual copies and the unsatisfactory copies, as well as the corresponding originals, are collected. These originals are recopied in a second copier which is far less sophisticated and expensive than the first copier. The exposures used to recopy an original are derived by applying correction factors to the recorded exposures for the original. By performing the recopying procedures, which are rather slow because they require manual operations, in a second copier, the output of the high speed copier can be maintained.

Copying method and arrangement for difficult-to-copy originals

A photographic copier has a first platform for supporting an original to be copied, and a second platform for supporting copy paper. A focusing system is disposed between the platforms and includes a plate which can be mounted at different distances from the platforms. The plate has a central opening which removably receives a tubular holder. The holder is supported in the opening by a ring which permits the position of the holder relative to the plate to be adjusted. Two lenses are removably mounted in the holder and serve to project an image of the original onto the copy paper. Different magnifications can be achieved in that the copier comes equipped with a variety of holders having different lengths, and a few selected lenses having different optical characteristics. The magnification is changed by simply interchanging holders and/or lenses, and adjusting the position of a holder to be used relative to the plate.

Photographic copier

A strip of exposed and developed color film is transported through a transparency measuring system. The transparency of each frame of the film strip in the three primary colors is measured at a multiplicity of regions. The transparency values are converted to density values which are processed to generate a set of data characteristic of the film strip and indicative of the color compositions of the scanned regions. The characteristic set of data and the density values for the individual regions are used to determine whether or not a respective region contains a color dominant. For each frame, the amounts of copying light in the primary colors are established from the density values of those regions which are free of color dominants and have a neutral gray color composition. The amount of copying light in each of the three primary colors is calculated so that the regions of the original having a neutral gray color composition are copied neutral gray. In order to ensure that the copying material registers the copying light in the same manner as the measuring system registers the transparency measuring light, the measuring light is filtered so as to match the spectral sensitivity of the measuring system in each primary color to the spectral sensitivity of the copying material in the same color.

Copying method and arrangement for colored originals

A film has a series of exposed and developed negatives. Each negative is scanned at a multiplicity of regions, and the densities of each region in the three primary colors are measured. A blue/red density differential is derived for each region by subtracting the red density of a respective region from its blue density. The neutral density of each region is calculated, and every region is assigned a coordinate on a plot of blue/red density differential versus neutral density. According to one embodiment, the blue/red density differential for each region having a neutral density equal to or greater than a limiting value is then subtracted from the blue/red density differential given by a characteristic curve for the film. The differences obtained in this manner are analyzed, at least for selected negatives, and the minimum difference for each selected negative is determined. The region corresponding to the minimum difference is that region of a negative having the maximum blue density. The blue/red density differential for the region of maximum blue density is compared with a pair of reference values derived from respective reference curves representing blue/red density differential as a function of neutral density. Based on the results of this comparison, each selected negative is classified as to whether it was exposed by artificial light or natural light, and is assigned an appropriate color correction factor for copying. Another embodiment is employed if the characteristic curve is found to lie near one of the reference curves. Here, the steps of subtracting blue/red density differentials and analyzing the resulting differences are omitted, and all negatives of the film are immediately classified as having been exposed by artificial light.

Method of copying color exposures

A method of copying a colored original involves measuring the transparency of localized regions of the original in each of the three primary colors. Three localized transparency ratios for each region are formed from the transparency values for the different colors. Three corresponding average transparency ratios for the original as a whole are computed from the localized transparency ratios. Each average transparency ratio is compared with a statistical average of similar ratios obtained from a large number of average originals. If an average transparency ratio of the original to be copied deviates from the corresponding statistical average by more than a predetermined amount, the number of each of the localized transparency ratios lying inside and outside of a predetermined range about the corresponding average transparency ratio of the original is counted. When the number outside of a predetermined range exceeds the number inside, a color dominant is assumed to be present in the original. Otherwise, a color tinge is assumed to be present. The original is copied using a correction factor which depends upon whether a color dominant or a color tinge is present. An alternative method summing the differences between the localized transparency ratios and the respective average transparency ratios of the original is also presented.

Method of and arrangement for copying a colored original

A color copying apparatus having a photoelectric color exposure control device is calibrated by making a copy of a calibrating original, which includes a gray stepped wedge, on a photographic copying material using an exposure determined by the photoelectric color exposure control device and assumed to be proper for achieving the desired density values in the developed image of the calibrating original. The density of the developed image of the gray stepped wedge is then measured in order to obtain actual density values, which are compared with corresponding desired density values. Finally, the photoelectric color exposure control device is adjusted for achieving the required exposure correction as determined during the comparison of the actual and desired values. The calibration is performed for each of the individual values so that correction of the control device is also achieved for each of the corresponding colors.

Method of and an arrangement for calibrating a color copying apparatus

A copier has a movable housing which accommodates a support for an original to be copied, a source of illumination for the original, a lens system for forming an image of the original and a support for photosensitive material which is to receive the image. The housing has an opening in one of its sides and carries a hinged lid for lighttight sealing of the opening. A reflector is pivotally mounted inside the housing in the vicinity of the opening and can be moved between an operative position in which it intercepts the image from the lens system and an inoperative position in which it does not. When an image of normal size is required, the reflector is in its inoperative position and the image is projected onto the photosensitive material located inside the housing. When an image of large size is required, the reflector is brought into its operative position and the opening in the housing is uncovered. The reflector can then project the image through the opening and onto a large sheet of photosensitive material held on a wall or other suitable support.

The condition of a photographic copying and associated developing machine for prints of color photographic negatives is evaluated by exposing a calibrating sample onto a first portion and by making a test exposure with preselected exposure data onto a second portion of photographic paper in the copying machine. The two portions of photographic paper are then developed in the developing machine, and the thus obtained developed prints are monitored in the copying machine by comparing their densities in various colors with preselected reference densities. The results of comparison are indicative whether the machines operate satisfactorily, whether the copying machine requires one or more adjustments, or whether the developing machine is in need of at least one adjustment. The adjustment or adjustments can be effected automatically or upon examination of the results of comparison by an attendant.

Growing community of inventors

Sauerlach, Germany

Gunter Findeis