GB1570884A - Photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film - Google Patents

Photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1570884A
GB1570884A GB401876A GB401876A GB1570884A GB 1570884 A GB1570884 A GB 1570884A GB 401876 A GB401876 A GB 401876A GB 401876 A GB401876 A GB 401876A GB 1570884 A GB1570884 A GB 1570884A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
film
information
speed
dots
applying
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB401876A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aeronautical and General Instruments Ltd
Original Assignee
Aeronautical and General Instruments Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aeronautical and General Instruments Ltd filed Critical Aeronautical and General Instruments Ltd
Priority to GB401876A priority Critical patent/GB1570884A/en
Publication of GB1570884A publication Critical patent/GB1570884A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B17/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
    • G03B17/24—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B27/00—Photographic printing apparatus
    • G03B27/32—Projection printing apparatus, e.g. enlarger, copying camera
    • G03B27/52—Details
    • G03B27/521—Arrangements for applying a supplementary information onto the sensitive material, e.g. coding
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B2217/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
    • G03B2217/24—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor with means for separately producing marks on the film
    • G03B2217/241—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor with means for separately producing marks on the film with means for producing composite exposures, e.g. exposing an image and a border, producing identity cards
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B2217/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
    • G03B2217/24—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor with means for separately producing marks on the film
    • G03B2217/242—Details of the marking device
    • G03B2217/243—Optical devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03B2217/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
    • G03B2217/24—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor with means for separately producing marks on the film
    • G03B2217/246—Details of the markings

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Camera Data Copying Or Recording (AREA)

Description

(54) PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING AUXILIARY INFORMATION ON PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM (71) We, AERONAUTICAL & GEN ERAL INSTRUMENTS LIMITED, of 40 Purley Way, Croydon CR9 3BH a British Company, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method b'y which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for use in photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film.
It is a requirement of modern airborne photographic reconnaissance equipment to be able to record data regarding aircraft position, velocity etc. at the time the photograph was taken. These data are required to be recorded on the film, taking up some part of the picture or picture margin. The presently accepted data format is a pattern of dots, the presence or absence of a dot having significance in the information being recorded. For example, a dot in a particular position may mean a height of one thousand feet for the aircraft at the time the picture was taken.
There may be no less than sixty-four dots in a complete pattern; some configurations require several times this number of dots.
The particular configuration being used requires particular dot sizes and spacings.
There are two methods currently used to produce these patterns. The first method is an encapsulated block of sixty-four light emitting diodes in the format of the required dot pattern, the block is held in contact with the film and the diodes are pulsed electrically at the time of exposure of the film. The pulsed diodes emit light which exposes the film. The second method uses a cathode ray tube in contact with the film and the required pattern is produced electronically on the tube face, thereby exposing the film.
One complication is that in modern airborne photographic reconnaissance equipment the film is made to move at a variable speed which is proportional to the speed of the aircraft divided by the height of the aircraft during each exposure, in order that the image remains substantially stationary relative to the film during the exposure.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of photography in which photographic film moves at a variable speed and in which means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography senses the instantaneous speed of the film and applies the information to the film progressively at a variable rate which is maintained by said means substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film whereby the information is applied to a given film length which is substantially independent of the speed of the film.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for use in photography comprising first means for moving photographic film at a variable speed and second means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography, wherein said second means is adapted to sense the instantaneous speed of the film and to apply the information to the film progressively at a variable rate and to maintain said rate substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film.
Applying the information progressively to the film enables the means for doing it to be smaller than if the information had to be applied to the film all at once.
The means for sensing the instantaneous speed of the film may be a rotatable member adapted to rotate at a variable speed maintained proportional to the instantaneous speed of movement of the film and to cause the production of a series of electrical pulses at a variable rate maintained proportional to its instantaneous speed of rotation.
If the information relates for example to a certain frame or a limited group of frames on the film, the rotatable member may be adapted and arranged to rotate a predetermined amount, for example, once, per frame or limited group of frames and to produce the whole series of electrical pulses during the predetermined amount of rotation.
The means for applying the information progressively to the film may comprise a group of individually controllable light sources arrayed in one or more rows across the path of the film.
The light sources may for example be the ends of light conductors such as optical fibres associated with respective individually controllable lamps (the term "lamp including such devices as light-emitting diodes).
The light sources may be adapted and arranged to be pulsed for applying the information as dots to the film and/or to be continuously energised for controlled periods of time inversely proportional to the speed of movement of the film for applying the information as lines of controlled length on the film.
If the light sources are sufficiently closely spaced and are sufficiently finely controlled, the apparatus may be capable of applying information on the film in the form of alphanumeric characters.
It is conceivable to use a small cathode ray tube as the means for applying the information to the film, (by exposing the film to the image on the screen of the cathode ray tube,) but individual light sources are preferred for reasons of greater simplicity.
The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the drawings filed with the provisional specifica tion, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus for re cording information on photographic film in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a photographic film having alphanumeric information recorded thereon by means of a modification of the apparatus of Figure 1.
The apparatus which is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings comprises a supply reel 11 and a take-up reel 12 for photo graphic film 13 on which pairs of exposures 14 are recorded in airborne photographic reconnaissance equipment (much of which is not shown). The take-up reel 12 is driven at a variable speed by means of an electric motor 15 which is controlled by means not shown so that the speed of the film 13 during exposures is proportional to the speed of the aircraft divided by the height of the aircraft.
The film 13 passes between a pair of rollers 16a and 16b. Roller 16a drives a rotatabl disc 17 through a gear train 18 at a variable rotational speed which is maintained proportional to the instantaneous linear speed of the film 13. The disc 17 is provided near its periphery with sixteen apertures 17a, through which light from a lamp 19 can fall on a phototransistor 20. The roll 16a and gear train 18 are adapted so that the disc 17 makes one complete revolution for each exposure frame of the film 13, so that the phototransistor 20 produces sixteen output pulses per exposure frame, the variable pulse rate being maintained proportional to the instantaneous speed of movement of the film 13. The pulses from phototransistor 20 are applied to an electronic pulse-shaping circuit 21.
The apparatus also comprises a memory 22 for storing auxiliary digital information which is required to be recorded on the film 13 relating to each pair of exposure frames 14. In combination with memory 22 are a device 23 for writing information into memory 22 and a device 24 for reading information from memory 22 to be recorded on the film 13. The device 24 is connected to a device 25 which controls illumination of four lamps 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d. Each of lamps 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d co-operates with a respective one of four fibre optic transmission paths 27a, 27b, 27c and 27d, the lower ends 28 of which are arranged in a row transversely of the film 13, so that simultaneous momentary illumination of all four lamps 26 produces a row of four dots such as dots 29 extending across the film. Each pulse from the phototransistor 20 into the pulse-shaping circuit 21 produces a "clock pulse" which is applied from circuit 21 to the device 25 to cause momentary illumination of which ever of the four lamps 26 is keyed by the device 25 under the control of device 24. More particularly, memory 22 stores the information for each exposure frame or pair of frames as sixteen binary "words" of four bits each. Each word in turn is read from memory 22 by the device 24 to selectively illuminate one or more (or none) of the lamps 26 when the next clock pulse is produced by the circuit 21, so that information is recorded on the film 13 in a pattern of four columns of dots along the film, with up to sixteen dots in each column, that is to say, a matrix of dots in selected positions on the film 13, the possible positions extending in sixteen rows across the film 13 and four columns along the film 13, the dots being applied row-by-row.
Because the variable rotational speed of the disc 17 is maintained proportional to the instantaneous linear speed of the film 13, the spacing-out of the rows of dots along the film is substantially independent of the speed of movement of the film 13.
Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates a photographic film on which alphanumeric information has been recorded by means of apparatus, not shown, which is similar to the apparatus of Figure 1 except that the number of lamps and light-transmission paths has been increased, and the clock pulse rate has also been increased, to increase the density of the dots on the film. Figure 2 shows each row as comprising up to eight dots, and each column as having a similar density of dots, so that alphanumeric data on the film can be easily read.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of photography in which photographic film moves at a variable speed and in which means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography senses the instantaneous speed of the film and applies the information to the film progressively at a variable rate which is maintained by said means substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film whereby the information is applied to a given film length which is substantially independent of the speed of the film.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the information relates to a certain frame or limited group of frames on the film.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the information takes the form of a matrix of dots in selected positions on the film, the possible positions of the dots extending in rows across the film and columns along the film.
4. Apparatus for use in photography comprising first means for moving photographic film at a variable speed and second means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography, wherein said second means is adapted to sense the instantaneous speed of the film and to apply the information to the film progressively at a variable rate and to maintain said rate substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for sensing the instantaneous speed of the film is a rotatable member adapted to rotate at a variable speed maintained proportional to the instantaneous speed of movement of the film and to cause the production of a series of electrical pulses at a variable rate maintained proportional to' its instantaneous speed of rotation, the pulse rate in use controlling the rate of application of information to the film.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the information relates to a certain frame or a limited group of frames on the film. and wherein the rotatable member is adapted and arranged to rotate a predetermined amount per frame or limited group of frames and to produce the whole series of electrical pulses during the predetermined amount of rotation.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the means for applying the information progressively to the film comprises a group of individually controllable light sources arrayed in one or more rows across the path of the film.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the light sources are the ends of light conductors associated with respective individually controllable lamps.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the light sources are adapted and arranged to be pulsed for applying the information as dots to the film and/or to be continuously energised for controlled periods of time inversely proportional to the speed of movement of the film for applying the information as lines of controlled length on the film.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the light sources are so closely spaced and controllable that the apparatus is capable of applying information to the film in the form of alphanumeric characters.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the means for applying the information progressively to the film comprises a cathode ray tube.
12. A method of recording information on photographic film substantially as described with reference to the drawings filed with the provisional specification.
13. Apparatus for use in photography substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (13)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. photographic film on which alphanumeric information has been recorded by means of apparatus, not shown, which is similar to the apparatus of Figure 1 except that the number of lamps and light-transmission paths has been increased, and the clock pulse rate has also been increased, to increase the density of the dots on the film. Figure 2 shows each row as comprising up to eight dots, and each column as having a similar density of dots, so that alphanumeric data on the film can be easily read. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A method of photography in which photographic film moves at a variable speed and in which means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography senses the instantaneous speed of the film and applies the information to the film progressively at a variable rate which is maintained by said means substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film whereby the information is applied to a given film length which is substantially independent of the speed of the film.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the information relates to a certain frame or limited group of frames on the film.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the information takes the form of a matrix of dots in selected positions on the film, the possible positions of the dots extending in rows across the film and columns along the film.
4. Apparatus for use in photography comprising first means for moving photographic film at a variable speed and second means for applying auxiliary information to the film during the photography, wherein said second means is adapted to sense the instantaneous speed of the film and to apply the information to the film progressively at a variable rate and to maintain said rate substantially proportional to the instantaneous speed of the film.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for sensing the instantaneous speed of the film is a rotatable member adapted to rotate at a variable speed maintained proportional to the instantaneous speed of movement of the film and to cause the production of a series of electrical pulses at a variable rate maintained proportional to' its instantaneous speed of rotation, the pulse rate in use controlling the rate of application of information to the film.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the information relates to a certain frame or a limited group of frames on the film. and wherein the rotatable member is adapted and arranged to rotate a predetermined amount per frame or limited group of frames and to produce the whole series of electrical pulses during the predetermined amount of rotation.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the means for applying the information progressively to the film comprises a group of individually controllable light sources arrayed in one or more rows across the path of the film.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the light sources are the ends of light conductors associated with respective individually controllable lamps.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the light sources are adapted and arranged to be pulsed for applying the information as dots to the film and/or to be continuously energised for controlled periods of time inversely proportional to the speed of movement of the film for applying the information as lines of controlled length on the film.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the light sources are so closely spaced and controllable that the apparatus is capable of applying information to the film in the form of alphanumeric characters.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the means for applying the information progressively to the film comprises a cathode ray tube.
12. A method of recording information on photographic film substantially as described with reference to the drawings filed with the provisional specification.
13. Apparatus for use in photography substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB401876A 1977-02-16 1977-02-16 Photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film Expired GB1570884A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB401876A GB1570884A (en) 1977-02-16 1977-02-16 Photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB401876A GB1570884A (en) 1977-02-16 1977-02-16 Photography and recording auxiliary information on photographic film

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GB1570884A true GB1570884A (en) 1980-07-09

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Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0053640A1 (en) * 1980-12-04 1982-06-16 Interval Eizo Yugen Kaisha A computerized control for aerial photography
EP0054762A1 (en) * 1980-12-19 1982-06-30 Firma Carl Zeiss Digital-marking camera attachment
FR2512220A1 (en) * 1981-09-02 1983-03-04 Omera Segid Electronic data inscription for aerial photography film - has character generator for adjusting all possible symmetry transformations of characters, interface and optical encoder
FR2518769A1 (en) * 1981-12-22 1983-06-24 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) On-film data symbol recording for photographic camera - uses LED facing film at entrance to transport passage and providing data sequence from memory
EP0121836A2 (en) * 1983-03-26 1984-10-17 METEOR-SIEGEN Apparatebau Paul Schmeck GmbH Copying machine with typing apparatus
FR2651898A1 (en) * 1989-09-12 1991-03-15 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) Method and apparatus for the optical writing of signs, especially alphanumeric characters, on a photographic film
US5349627A (en) * 1992-02-26 1994-09-20 Planmeca Oy Method and apparatus for marking a film in a dark room

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0053640A1 (en) * 1980-12-04 1982-06-16 Interval Eizo Yugen Kaisha A computerized control for aerial photography
EP0054762A1 (en) * 1980-12-19 1982-06-30 Firma Carl Zeiss Digital-marking camera attachment
FR2512220A1 (en) * 1981-09-02 1983-03-04 Omera Segid Electronic data inscription for aerial photography film - has character generator for adjusting all possible symmetry transformations of characters, interface and optical encoder
FR2518769A1 (en) * 1981-12-22 1983-06-24 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) On-film data symbol recording for photographic camera - uses LED facing film at entrance to transport passage and providing data sequence from memory
EP0121836A2 (en) * 1983-03-26 1984-10-17 METEOR-SIEGEN Apparatebau Paul Schmeck GmbH Copying machine with typing apparatus
EP0121836A3 (en) * 1983-03-26 1984-12-12 Meteor-Siegen Apparatebau Paul Schmeck Gmbh Copying machine with typing apparatus
FR2651898A1 (en) * 1989-09-12 1991-03-15 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) Method and apparatus for the optical writing of signs, especially alphanumeric characters, on a photographic film
US5349627A (en) * 1992-02-26 1994-09-20 Planmeca Oy Method and apparatus for marking a film in a dark room

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PS Patent sealed
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee