Pako Corporation

Janis Pone

Ronald C Laska

A photographic reprint system utilizes film segments or strips which are attached to an elongated tab. Information relating to the printing of each frame, including the desired print quantity, the color balance setup to be used in printing the frame, and exposure corrections used in printing that frame are stored sequentially in a storage medium such as a floppy disk. After the tab with attached film segments has been prepared, it is taken to a photographic printer where the tab with attached film segments is advanced sequentially and the film frames are printed. This printing is based upon information which is retrieved sequentially from the storage medium. The photographic printer includes displays for displaying the print quantity, color balance setup, and exposure corrections for each frame. In addition, the printer includes a display for displaying the order number, strip number, and frame number corresponding to the information retrieved from the storage medium. The displayed information permits the operator to monitor the operation of the printer and assists in resynchronization after a loss of synchronization has occurred.

Photographic reprint system with information display

A photographic reprint system includes a preparation station at which film segments or strips are attached to an elongated paper tab. Holes are punched in the tab to indicate the location of each film frame to be printed. Information relating to the printing of each film frame, including the desired print quantity, is stored sequentially in a storage medium, such as a floppy disk. In addition, the desired print quantity is printed in human readable form on the tab. After the tab with attached film segments has been prepared, it is taken to a photographic printer, where the tab with the attached film segments is advanced sequentially and the negatives are printed. Prior to the printing of each film frame, the desired print quantity which was stored in the storage means is retrieved and displayed. If the desired print quantity exceeds a predetermined number of prints, the printer waits for verification from the operator before printing. This permits the operator to check the desired print quantity being displayed with the print quantity which has been printed on the tab, to check the desired print quantity with the print quantity indicated on the original order form or order envelope, and to check the film frame to make certain that it is clean and in printable condition. The operator then provides either a signal initiating printing of the desired print quantity, or a signal which causes the printer to pass the film frame without printing. Alternatively, the operator may cause a different quantity to be made.

Photographic reprint system with large print quantity verification

A photographic reprint system includes a preparation station at which film segments or strips are attached to an elongated tab. Indicia (typically in the form of holes) are formed in the tab to indicate the location of each film frame, to signify the end of the film segment, the end of a customer order, and the end of a reel. Information relating to the printing of each film frame, including the number of holes in the tab adjacent that frame, is stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk. At a photographic printer, the tab and attached film segments are advanced sequentially to a print gate, where printing occurs based upon the data which is sequentially retrieved from the storage medium. A first hole sensor located upstream of the print gate counts the number of holes in the tab as each frame is advanced to the print gate, and this number is compared with the stored number which has been retrieved from the storage medium. Even if the numbers disagree, however, the film frame is still printed, but the number of holes is also counted by a second hole sensor adjacent the print gate. If the number of holes sensed by the second sensor also disagrees with the stored number, further operation of the printer is inhibited and the operator is required to resynchronize the system. If, on the other hand, the number of holes sensed by the second hole sensor agrees with the stored number, operation of the printer is permitted to continue without interruption.

Photographic reprint system with dual indicia sensor for synchronization

A photographic printer has a first set of negholds for use with first-run production printing, and a second set of negholds for use with reprint production printing from film segments attached to an elongated paper tab. The first set of negholds includes one neghold for each of the commonly used sizes of photographic film, such as 110, 126 and 135. Similarly, the second set of negholds includes a neghold for each of these same common film sizes. Circuitry associated with the neghold indicate to the printer control whether a first-run neghold or a reprint neghold is being used. The photographic printer has stored a first set of calibration values for use with the first set of negholds and a second set of calibration values for use with the second set of negholds. Based upon the indication from the circuitry associated with the negholds, the photographic printer automatically selects which set of calibration values are to be used. Selection of the particular calibration values from either the first or second set of values is determined by the color balance setup.

Photographic reprint system with reprint neghold indication

A photographic reprint system utilizes an elongated paper tab to which film segments or strips are attached. Information relating to the printing of each film frame of the segments attached to the tab is stored sequentially in a storage medium such as a floppy disk. This information includes the selected color balance setup and a film size or format code indicating the size of the film segment. After the tab with attached film segments has been prepared, it is taken to a photographic printer, where the tab with the attached film segments is advanced sequentially and the negatives are printed. The printing is based upon information which is sequentially retrieved from the storage medium. Among the information contained in the selected color balance setup is a film size code indicating the size of film for which the color balance setup is used. The photographic printer compares the film size code from the selected color balance setup with the film size code retrieved from the storage medium. If the two film size codes do not correspond, this indicates an error condition, and operation of the printer is halted or other action consistent with automatic printer operation is taken.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Janis Pone