The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 26, 1997
Thomas E Kocher, Rochester, NY (US);
Kwok L Yip, Webster, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
In a photothermographic laser imaging system including a laser printer for exposing photothermographic media to digital data, a thermal processor for thermally developing the exposed media to render a visual image of the digital data, and a densitometer for reading the density of the visual image; a method for maintaining calibration of the system comprising the steps of: exposing by means of the laser printer successful photothermographic media with digital data and simultaneously with the digital data, density patches on an edge of the media representing minimum density, D.sub.min, and mid density, D.sub.mid ; reading with the densitometer the D.sub.min and D.sub.mid density patches of successive media developed by the thermal processor for a predetermined number of media or over a predetermined interval; averaging the read D.sub.min and D.sub.mid values to obtain average D.sub.min and D.sub.mid values; comparing the averaged D.sub.min and D.sub.mid values with preferred D.sub.min and D.sub.mid values; and if the comparisons are within tolerances, determining that calibration is maintained, but if the averaged D.sub.min value is greater than the preferred D.sub.min value, adjusting the processing temperature of the thermal processor down, and/or if the averaged D.sub.mid value is less than the preferred D.sub.mid value, adjusting the processing temperature of the thermal processor up, or if the averaged D.sub.mid value is greater than the preferred D.sub.mid value, adjusting the processing temperature of the thermal processor down.