Agfa-gevaert Ag

Hans-Georg Schindler

Hans-Juergen Rauh

Helmut Treiber

Wilhelm Nitsch

Wolfgang Zahn

Gunter Findeis

Gerhard Benker

Leonhard Huber

Manfred Fursich

Hans-Jurgen Rauh

Juergen Brunner

Reimund Munch

Hermann Waibel

Hiroshi Takahashi

Lothar Prause

Rainer Deutsch

Magos Vasilios

Thomas Hagen

Klaus-P Hartmann

Stephan Thormann

In a device () for writing image information onto recording material (), several separate images (Bto B) are assigned to the image information. Marks (Mto M) that are assigned to the several images (Bto B) are applied to the recording material () with a marking means (). An output unit () is used for outputting the image information onto the recording material (). Using a first transport means (), the recording material () is transported in the area of the marking means (). A second transport means () serves to transport the recording material () in the area of the output unit (). The first transport means () and the second transport means () are designed such that the transport direction (TR) of the recording material in the output unit () can be set independently of the transport of the recording material () in the marking means ().

Device and method for writing image information onto recording material

Apparatus () for generating images includes a reading device (), an output device (), a sorting device () and a control device (). Image information of several images (Ato A, AX, AY) is read from input media and image data is produced that contains the read image information. The input media are assigned to several image production orders. Using the output device (), the image information that has been transferred to this device is output onto recording material. The input media are physically sorted in the sorting device () by order according to at least one prescribed criterion. Using the control device () the sequence for transferring the image data of images can then be determined in dependence upon the previously carried out sorting by order of the read input media.

Method and apparatus for generating images

Images being processed in a photographic laboratory system into different forms of output are automatically evaluated to determine for each image whether it is of sufficient quality to merit processing into a selected form of output. Each image is individually evaluated by determining a grade value for each of one or more characteristic properties of the image, by assigning a target value to each of the characteristic image properties relative to each available form of output, and by comparing the grade value to the target value for a selected form of output.

Method of automatically evaluating images being processed in a photographic laboratory system

A device for exposing image information which is recorded on a photographic original (,) and is to be exposed onto a light sensitive medium (,). An exposure assembly (,) is provided for outputting optical radiation which includes a plurality of adjustable area segments (,A,,B) for adjusting the light intensity in certain local adjustment regions. A beam path (,) is defined which directs the light to the light sensitive medium (,). The exposure assembly (,) is arranged at a fixed location in the beam path (,). An imaging sensor (,) capture a format of a region of the photographic original (,) containing to the image information to be copied. The device further includes a controller (,) for setting a local adjustment region of the exposure assembly (,) depending on the format of the region to be copied. The exposure assembly (,) can be adjusted so that the intensity of the emitted and/or transmitted optical radiation can be adjusted in the defined local adjustment region.

Device for exposing image information

A film containing first sections with narrower panoramic frames and second sections with wider normal frames is scanned to obtain density values. To distinguish the panoramic frames from the normal frames, the density values along two longitudinally extending strips near the edges of the film are checked for each film section. Each strip has a length equal to that of the respective frame, and the strips border the narrower panoramic frames but are located within the wider normal frames. The density distribution in each strip is compared with density distributions previously derived from the borders of panoramic frames.

Classifying film frames by size

A photographic color printer includes a color video camera for making specialty prints. A memory is provided to store different color compositions for printing light including an initial color composition and additional color compositions which surround the initial color composition. The memory also stores camera adjustment parameters for each additional color composition so that, when the color composition of the printing light is shifted away from the initial color composition, the camera can be adjusted to the new color composition. The camera is adjusted to the initial color composition by exposing the camera to light of this composition. Following such exposure, the camera is sequentially exposed to light of the various additional color compositions. The camera is adjusted to each additional color composition in order to obtain the camera adjustment parameters which are to be stored in the memory.

Photographic printing apparatus with video camera

A method and apparatus for the production of individual prints and index prints from films which contain recorded data regarding the circumstances surrounding the exposure of the individual pictures stored on the film. Recorded data on the film is read, the data being associated with an individual picture and concerning a desired print format for the individual picture. The recorded data is preferably stored magnetically, but may also be stored optically. The system produces an individual print of the individual picture having a format based on the read data. The system also identifies, by modification of an image of the individual picture formed on the index print, the region of the film printed on the individual print and of the regions not printed, based on the read data.

Process and device for the production of so- called index cards

A method and apparatus for producing prints of different formats from negatives in the form of strips. The negative images are printed in one reproduction scale on one section of a strip of stock during a first pass of the strip through the printing mechanism, the printing mechanism is readjusted, and the negative images are then printed in another, different scale on a subsequent section of the strip of stock during another pass of the strip through the printing mechanism.

Method and apparatus for printing photographs of different formats

A method of printing regular photographic prints on a strip of paper along with index prints--that is, prints with images that are smaller than those in the regular prints--from series of negatives on rolls of film. The smaller images are projected next to and one after another along the strip to produce an index print as wide as the strip. The regular prints and the index prints are printed at different points along the strip. The results of area-by-area measurements of the negatives obtained while the regular prints are being printed are exploited to control light quantities while the index prints are being printed. The distance the strip of paper advances from one printing point to the other is regulated to ensure that paper is advanced to the index print printing point once the last negative in a series has been projected onto the strip until the trailing edge of the last print arrives at the margin of the exposure area in the index print printing point. Further printing procedures are discontinued at the regular print printing point until the trailing end of a length of paper that is reserved for the index print associated with that series of negatives, and that must accordingly not be exposed to light, has crossed the edge of the exposure opening near the index print printing point.

Method and apparatus for producing photographic index prints

A filmstrip consisting of a series of coherent frames is passed through a copying station where images of the frames are projected onto an elongated band of copying paper to make proofs of the frames. The images are projected in such a manner that the relative orientations of the images are the same as the relative orientations of the frames.

Method of and apparatus for the production of photographic proofs

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.

Growing community of inventors

Holzkirchen, Germany

Hans-Georg Schindler