DE2818583A1 - Film strip frame marker - punches identification indents along edge of film strips for subsequent detection by other processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A film frame marking appts. is such that a film strip is transformed from a feed to a take-up spool, each frame positioned accurately and the film marked so that the mark can be detected by other processing equipment, e.g. film duplicating printers. A negative film (1) on a supply spool (2) is fed along a track (5) and round various feed and tensioning rollers (3, 4, 8, 9) onto a take-up spool (10). A punch solenoid (12) marks the edge of the film so that subsequent equipment can locate an indent. A film frame and frame interspace locator (16) is provided along the film track (5) and comprises photocells scanning at the film through narrow vertical slits. Film transport is by capstan and pinch wheel drive (6, 7).

Description

Method and device for attaching image marking

End Markings on Film Strips The invention relates to a Device for applying markings indicating the image or image field photographic film strips and a method for determining image positions on the film strip for proper marking and embossing.

A photographic copying machine generally includes facilities for the detection of notches in the film strip as well as devices for precise alignment of the individual images in a copying or exposure station according to the determined Notches. These notches are therefore usually used as reference marks for the copying process used. Recently, fully automatic copiers have been developed where determining the exposure conditions and the actual exposure on the basis of these reference marks, i.e. notches.

If. a photographic film of an exposure or copier station fed at a predetermined, regular rate will, it can happen that the individual image fields in this station are not precisely aligned are because the images are due to backlash and other glitches or irregularities in the camera's film transport mechanism, it does not always appear at a constant distance recorded on the filmstrip. This results in various difficulties such as incorrect determination of the copier exposure conditions, copying part of the image, etc.

The current, commercially available marking punches are advantageously suitable for film strips with images that have a relatively high overall density. However, these devices do not work well with strips of film that have incorrectly overlapping or irregular distances from one another Images are located because these markings in such film strips with irregular appearing images work incorrectly and thus to a faulty coding process to lead.

As a result, there is a need for an improved marking device.

The object of the invention is thus to create a marking device, not only for film strips with normal or regular image fields, but should work properly even with those with irregularly distributed image fields.

In the course of this task, the invention also aims to provide a Method for the precise determination of the positions of images or image fields the film strip.

This object is characterized by what is stated in the attached claims Features and wet names solved.

The following is based on a preferred embodiment of the invention the accompanying drawing explained in more detail.

1 shows a perspective illustration of a device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a section through, on an enlarged scale a marking station of this device, FIG. 3 a partially broken away, perspective illustration of a section for determining the image field, FIG Circuit diagram of a control circuit for the device according to FIGS. 1 and 5 to 8 partial representations of various photographic negative film strips.

Referring to Fig. 1, one of a plurality of strips is spliced Negative film strip 1 wound onto a supply reel 2. The tape will do it A tension roller 3, guide rollers 4, a guide plate 5, a transport roller 6 with Pressure roller 7, a guide roller 8 and a tension roller 9 for a take-up reel 10 guided. This tape transport mechanism is similar to that of magnetic tape devices.

The film strip or tape is transported at a constant rate Speed by the pulse or

Stepper motor driven transport roller 6 with pressure roller 7. This Stepper motor is controlled by the control signals from a controller shown in FIG controlled, the facilities for the detection of images as well as facilities for Has generation of stop signals and which will be explained in more detail later will.

On the take-up reel side of the guide plate 5 is a marking portion provided, according to FIG. 2, an electromagnetic solenoid 11, which is used for marking respectively.

Notch formation is excited by command signals, one from armature 11a of the solenoid driven rocker mechanism 12 and a marking punch 14 comprises, under the drive of a rocker arm member 13 by one in the guide plate provided hole is guided back and forth through it.

The rocker arm mechanism 12 also includes a shock absorber 15. On the side of the guide plate 5 located next to the supply reel is located an image determination section 16. The distance between the marking section and the image determination section 16 6 corresponds to more than the total length of a plurality of them Single images. The image determination section 16 serves to determine the density of the image fields as well as to determine the gaps between them and depending on the To deliver image densities signals. Referring to Fig. 3, the image determination section comprises 16 6 a mask plate 17 with essentially perpendicular to the direction of movement A. of the film arranged slots 17A, one arranged behind the mask plate 17 optical filter 18, a light source 19 arranged behind the optical filter, about a lamp, as well as photoelectric converter 20, which the light from the light source 19 received. Four slits 17A are formed in the mask plate 17, and correspondingly four photoelectric converters 20 are provided to these four slits 17A, which for measuring the optical or image density of the film, the one passing through the film Measure light. The image determining section 17 further comprises a light source 21 and a photoelectric converter 22, which are used to detect the individual Adhesive strips connecting film strips to one another are used. As photoelectric Converters 20 and 22 can be phototransistors, CdS photoconductors and the like.

be used. Instead of the lamps can be used as light sources 19 and 21 light emitting diodes can be used. In the Plate 17 Any number of slots 17A can be provided as required.

The marking section and the dilding section 16 work in such a way that a certain image is determined by the latter and the tJarkierungsabsciinitt makes a mark or notch on the film, according to one required for corning the detected image at the marking section Period of time following the image determination with the film in the marking section is stopped when the captured image has reached this. The control or the controller for performing these operations is illustrated in FIG. In this case, a detector 31 is provided for determining a splice 51 according to FIG. 5, namely in the form of a light emitting diode PD and a phototransistor PT.

When the detector detects the splice, the phototransistor switches PT to set a flip-flop FF1 through.

The output signal of the set flip-flop FF is sent to a signal processor 32 supplied with a microcomputer. For the flip-flop FF1 as well as the others, yet Flip-flops to be described can be element SN 7474 from Texas Instrurnents Co.

be used. An image detector 33 comprises a light source BP and a photoelectric detector PC facing each other and between them the negative film passes through.

The image detector 33 detects the difference in light intensity detected due to high density and low density zones on the negative film, and the signals thereby supplied are amplified in the image detector 33. The reinforced Signals are passed to the signal processor 32 via an analog / digital converter ADC. The drive circuit for the film drive motor PM associated with the transport roller 6 is coupled according to FIG. 1, comprises a flip-flop FF2, an AND gate Gl and a Pulse generator 35.

The motor PM is powered by the pulses generated by the pulse generator 35 Driven by the UlS element G1, which is triggered by the output signal of the set flip-flop FF2 is opened or switched through, which in turn is triggered by a signal from Signal processor 32 is set. The pulse generator 35 can be a quartz oscillator while the AND gate Gl is of the type SN 7408 from the company Texas Instruments Co. can act. The driver circuit 36 for the electromagnetic Solenoid 11 of FIG. 1 includes a flip-flop FF3, which is triggered by a signal from the signal processor 32 is set and a signal for the control or excitation of the solenoid 11 supplies. Certain sections such as driver circuits 34 and 35 and the signal processor 32, are controlled synchronously by clock pulses emitted by the pulse generator 35.

The reference numbers 37 to 41 denote a direct access or. Random memory of the microcomputer. A memory 37 is used to store the pulse count, which indicates the length of a gap between normal image fields, where this memory is deleted or freed when the left border of an image field, i.e. the leading end of a moving image field is detected. As "normal Image "is the one that has a comparatively high overall density. A memory 38 is used to store the pulse count for the lengths of the zones with high density, such as the zones 52 and 53 according to FIG. 5. A memory 39 is provided, in order to save the counted pulses, which correspond to the lengths of the zones with lower Specify density, for example the areas 54, 55 and 56 according to FIG. 5. A memory 40 is used for storing signals according to the boundary lines of the image fields. Another Memory 41 is used to store marking command signals as a result the signal processing in the signal processor 32 are supplied. As a random memory the device 2101 from Intel Co. can be used. The addressing of signals to the Spei The IEM section is performed by address signals from the signal processor 32 via a line decoder DEC, an input ~ interface IFIN and a Output interface IFOUT, which are provided in the random memory.

The addressing method is explained below.

When the film strip by the driver circuit 34 by a distance has been transported further in accordance with a pulse, the output signal becomes of the detector 33 discriminated or tapped. If this output signal as such is detected corresponding to a high density film section, the content of the memory 38 is written.

If, on the other hand, said output signal is corresponding as such When a film area of low density is detected, the contents of the memory 39 ewritten. Information corresponding to the right and left boundary lines of a Image field as well as information for the distance from the image determination station to the marking station are written into memory 40. The shipping information in the memories 40 and 41 is rewritten or rewritten when the Film strip is transported by one pulse. The content of the memory 37, which contains the pulse count corresponding to the length of a distance zone, is used at Advance the filmstrip by one pulse re-written. as Signal processor 32, the device 8080A from Intel Co. can be used.

The following is the operation of the controller described above explained in detail.

When the film strip is being transported, the splice 51 comes first at the image determination station, whereupon a blackened portion 57 arrives. The splice 51 is detected by the splice detector, its output signal processed as splice information in the signal processor 32 will. When the void 51 is detected, a first zone 54 of low density becomes detected by the image detector 33, its output signal via the analog / digital converter ADC is passed to the signal processor 32.

Upon detection of the sparse zone 54, a process of determination is performed the marker signal generation initiated.

Following the detection of the less dense zone, it becomes high density Zone 52, which forms an image field, detected by the image detector 33. The at Passage of high density zone 52 generated by the imaging station Pulses are written into memory 38. If upon finding a low density Zone 55 is the number of counts or counting steps contained in memory 38 corresponds to a predetermined size (a size corresponding to a length of 36 mm in the case of a 35 mm Leica film), the high density zone 52 becomes viewed as a normal field of view. The time for the transport of the Zone 52 from the image determination station to the marking station in the signal processor 32 calculated. The result of this calculation is stored in the memory 41. Same Operation is performed for a high density zone 53. If the film has a Length corresponding to the number of pulses stored in memory 41 transported has been, the signal processor 32 provides a signal to reset the flip-flop FF2, whereby the U4D element G1 is blocked for switching off the motor PH and thereby the movie is paused. The signal processor 32 then delivers a signal for setting and resetting the flip-flop FF3, the punch 14 for marking of the film is driven back and forth once. Fig. 5b illustrates one on this way marked film.

Next, in conjunction with FIG. 6, the marking process is on written on a film strip with one or more imperfect image fields. A normal or faultless image field 60 can be based on that described above way to be established. Subsequently, a zone 61 of low density, i.e. the image line, determined, and the length of this zone 61 corresponding pulse number is in Memory 39 saved. If this number has a predetermined size (corresponding to a length of not more than 4 mm), the right boundary line of the zone 62 becomes higher Density, i.e. of the image field, viewed as the edge line of an image or image field. The number of pulses that are necessary is then calculated in the signal processor 32 is around this right border line from the image determination station to the marking station to transport. The result of this calculation is stored in memory 40. Referring to Fig. 6, the high density zone 62 represents a defective image determined in such a way that the number of pulses corresponding to this zone 62 is in the memory 38 stored and the count when a subsequent zone 63 is determined low density is terminated so that the count does not reach the predetermined size. On the other hand, the count stored in the memory 37 reaches the predetermined size corresponding to an image length of, as mentioned, 36 mm. Due to the aforementioned Parameter, the high density zone 62 is determined as the image field that is in its left Area contains an underexposed area. If the image field is defective, takes place the marking process based on that of the low density zone 61 or the signal supplied by the image line. More precisely: the content of the image edge information storing memory 40 is transferred to memory 41, and then a Command signal supplied to carry out the marking, so that the marking is on takes place at a point which is determined according to the position of the image line zone 61.

When the film strip is transported further, a high-density resp. Image field zone 66 and a low density or image line zone 67 were detected. Here becomes the boundary line between zone 66 and zone 67 as the left edge of the image Zone 66 is determined, and the corresponding image edge information is held in memory 40. If thereafter a left boundary line of an area 68 high density, i.e. a normal image field, is detected in the memory 37 contains the number of pulses the length of two image fields. On the other hand, the Pulses counted, which is the length between the left boundary line and the left Image edge of the high density zone 66 and the left image edge of the (subsequent) zone 68 indicate high density. At this count, the high density zone 66 is identified as Image field is determined, which has an underexposed area on its right side. The content of the memory 40 is transferred to the memory 41, whereby a check command signal is supplied so that the marking is carried out at one point on the filmstrip which has been determined on the basis of the position of the image line zone 67.

A subsequent high density zone 69 represents a defective image which has underexposed areas at both times. This is done through a count contained in memory 37 determines which of the length of the distance between corresponds to high density zones 68 and 70. A command signal for the marker is stored in memory 41 on the basis of the positional determinations of a normal image, namely, the high density zone 68, and another normal image, i.e., the zone 70 high density, saved. The film strip is here on that shown in Fig. 6b Way marked.

The following is the marking process on a with reference to FIG Filmstrips described the faulty images with underexposed areas on both sides or on one side of the respective image field in consecutive order Contains arrangement. Such a film strip is shown in Figure 7a. As Result of the measurement or determination of the defective images by means of the detector 33 received image information are in the signal processor 32 so processed that the irregular shapes of the image fields according to FIG. 7a in regular rectangular image field shapes according to FIG. 7b can be converted to ulu. After finding of a blackened leader section 71 by the detector 31, the boundary line and image edge information is stored in memory 40 in the manner previously described. When a zone 72 corresponding to a normal image is detected, the The image edge information contained in the memory 40 is processed in the signal processor 32. If one or more information about the edge of the image is determined which is part of a a certain distance away from a right image edge of the zone 72 image edge or correspond to several image edges, the information or Memory information 41.

The predetermined length is a single or a multiple the length of a normal image field, for example 38n mm in the case of 35 mm film, with n = an integer. In FIG. 7b, the border lines or image edges 73 are correct, 74 and 75 are the same as those of normal pictures. As a result, these image edges become corresponding information is stored in the memory 41. For the high density zones Without a normal picture edge, command signals are calculated in the signal processor 32 on the basis of the aforesaid boundary lines or lines stored in memory 41. Get edge information. Which characterize all the abnormal images shown in Fig. 7a Marking notches are therefore made on the filmstrip in the manner illustrated in Figure 7c appropriate.

Figure 8 illustrates a filmstrip having some images on it superimpose or overlap, while other images have an irregular mutual Own distance.

The marking on such a film strip is done as follows: If a count contained in memory 38 at the time a Zone 81 low density or

of an image line is above a predetermined size, namely above a size corresponding to 36 now, a high density zone between low density Zones or image lines 81 and 82 are determined as an area in which overlap or superimpose two image fields. In this case, signals will be appropriate the image stroke areas 81 and 82 are stored in the memory 41.

A gap, that is, a low density zone between the edges of the image 84 and 85 is determined on the basis of image edge information obtained on the basis of the determination of the image edge 81 and one in memory 78 at the time the zone is detected 83 low density count contained is obtained.

In this way, according to FIG. 8b, regular markings can be made accordingly be attached to the various image fields on the filmstrip.

As explained in detail above, with the invention a method and apparatus for marking a filmstrip and for measuring or determination of image fields created, with the help of which film strips flawlessly can be marked not only normal image fields, but also different abnormal or

carry defective image fields because this is an image determination section and a marking section transports the image fields along a film transport beam, while information for high density areas, low density areas as well Boundary lines or image edges temporarily stored and processed and marking command signals generated and delivered to the Viarkierungsstation by processing.

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Claims (13)

Claims 1. Device for attaching image characterizing ilarkierungen on film strips, characterized by a Einricbtung (6, 7) for periodically transporting the film strips along a predetermined path means (12) for applying the markings to the filmstrip a device for determining images or image fields on the film strip for the delivery of image information, the marking device (12) and the detection or detector device along said path at a distance are arranged according to the length of several image fields so that the detector device the marking device is connected upstream, and by one with the transport device, the marking device and the detector device connected to a controller Signal processor (32) for processing the signals from the detector device, for Delivery of signals to the transport device to stop the film strip underneath Implementation of the periodic transport and delivery of other signals to the Marking device for marking the film on the basis of the Image information, with the filmstrips paused and marked when the detected image fields are introduced into the marking device. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gelcennzeicixnet Detector device in at least one light source for illuminating the film strips and at least one photoelectric transducer for measuring the throughput Has film strip of light passing through it. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the light source the film strip is illuminated with a beam of light, one of which is substantially perpendicular to the film strip movement direction lying extension. 4. device nac? Claim 1, characterized in that the detector device another light source to illuminate the filmstrip and another photoelectric one Transducer for receiving or measuring what passes through the film strip (s) Lich-ts and for the determination of the film strips under formation of a film tape having connecting adhesive strips. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the markings Notches are. 6. Method of determining the locations or positions of image fields on film strips for use in a marking device, characterized in that that the density of the film strips is measured, that on the basis of this measurement zones are higher Density and zones of low density, it is found that the lengths of the high- and low density zones are measured and that the positions of the image fields on the film strip by processing the results of the density determination and the Length measurement can be determined. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the determination process carried out in a first process becomes ~, in which then, if the high density zones have a predetermined length, each of these zones being normal images or image fields are determined and the location or position of these normal image fields is determined. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the determination process is carried out in a second process, in which, if another of the high-density zones has a shorter than the predetermined length, this other Zone is considered to be an abnormal or defective field of view and the location of this incorrect image field is determined based on the position of the normal image field will. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that if one of the zones has a different predetermined length, the boundary line therebetween Zone and a subsequent high-density zone as the front boundary line or front Edge of an image field is viewed while then when the length of this adjoining Zone is smaller than the predetermined length, this subsequent zone as defective Image field with an underexposed area on the right side thereof is determined. 10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that if one of the low density zones has a predetermined length greater than the other, an adjoining zone of high density has the predetermined length and the Total length of the high density zone preceding the low density zone, the zone low density and the subsequent high density zone twice the predetermined Length corresponds to said low density zone as abnormal or defective Image field is determined with an underexposed area on its front side. 11. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the determination process in a third process it is carried out that a normal image field is determined when one of the high density zones has a predetermined length that one Total length between a front edge of the normal image field and a rear edge Border line or a rear edge of the image or the other edge of the normal image Image field and a rear boundary line of a blackening zone at the front end of a Filmstrip is measured that the total length is divided into the predetermined length and that the position or positions of the image field or fields on will be measured on the basis of this subdivision. 12. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the determination process in a fourth operation, in which if one of the zones high density has a greater than a predetermined length, this zone than a Area is determined which two or more overlapping or superimposed on each other Contains images. 13. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the determination process in a fifth operation, in which if two zones higher Density, between which there is a zone of low density, each a predetermined one Have length and the low density zone is larger than the other predetermined one Length, the two high density zones than normal image fields on the filmstrip with abnormal image space (image line) can be determined.