JPH05257210A - Image recording and reproducing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable prompt recording and reproducing of an image even in case of emergency without requiring a density correct during the course of a series of image recording and reproducing by adjusting the intensity of exposing in accordance with a temp. change so that the image is reproduced at the prescribed density. CONSTITUTION:The density of the image to be reproduced increase at the light quantity at the time of the initial setting when the temp. rise of a developer exceeds a prescribed temp. range during the course of the execution of the recording and reproducing of a series of plural sheets of photosensitive films 19. A gradation table is changed in accordance with a temp. signal ST from a temp. sensor 22 in a density adjusting means 40 in such a case. Namely, the gradation table is so corrected that the density decreases. The photosensitive film 19 or which an image is reported by a laser beam 12 in such a manner, is transported to a reproducing section 30 by transporting rollers 23 and is successively progressed to a developing section 31, a fixing section 32, a washing section 33 and a drying section 34, where the film is processed and the visible image based on the image signal Sp is reproduced. This image is a imaged corrected in the density of the reproduced image by the temp. change of the developer and has the stable image density.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to recording an image on a photographic light-sensitive material by exposing the photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal and then developing the image to obtain an image. The present invention relates to an image recording / reproducing apparatus for reproducing

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Image recording apparatuses which expose a photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated based on an image signal and reproduce and record an image on the photographic light-sensitive material are used in various fields.

For example, an X-ray image is recorded using an X-ray film having a low gamma value designed so as to be suitable for subsequent image processing, and the X-ray image is recorded on the X-ray film.
Contrast, sharpness, and graininess can be obtained by reading a line image, converting it into an electric signal, performing image processing on this electric signal (image signal), and then reproducing a visible image on a photosensitive film using an image recording / reproducing device. A system capable of obtaining a reproduced image with excellent image quality performance has been developed (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-5193).

In addition, the applicant of the present invention has proposed radiation (X-ray, α
Radiation, β rays, γ rays, electron rays, ultraviolet rays, etc.) causes a part of this radiation energy to be accumulated, and then irradiation with excitation light such as visible light causes accumulation of stimulated emission depending on the accumulated energy. Using a fluorescent phosphor (stimulable phosphor),
A radiation image of a subject such as a human body is once photographed and recorded on a sheet-shaped stimulable phosphor, and this stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as laser light to generate stimulated emission light, and the obtained luminescence is obtained. A radiation image recording / reproducing system has been already proposed, which photoelectrically reads exhaust emission light to obtain an image signal, and outputs a radiation image of a subject as a visible image on a photosensitive film based on the image signal using the image recording / reproducing device. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 55-12429, 56-11395, 55-163472 and 56)
-104645, 55-116340, etc.).

This system has the practical advantage of being able to record images over a very wide radiation exposure area as compared to conventional radiographic systems using silver salt photography. That is, in the stimulable phosphor, it has been recognized that the amount of emitted light stimulated by excitation after storage is proportional to the radiation exposure dose over a very wide range, and therefore the radiation exposure dose varies depending on various imaging conditions. Even if the value fluctuates significantly, the amount of stimulated emission light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet is read by photoelectric conversion means with a reading gain set to an appropriate value and converted into an electric signal. Recording material such as photographic light-sensitive material,
By outputting a radiation image as a visible image on a display device such as a CRT, it is possible to obtain a radiation image that is not affected by variations in radiation exposure dose.

The image recording / reproducing apparatus used in the above-mentioned various systems records an image in the image recording section for exposing the photographic photosensitive material with light modulated according to the image signal to record the image. It is composed of a reproducing section such as an automatic developing machine for carrying out development, fixing, washing and drying of the photographic light-sensitive material while conveying the photographic light-sensitive material.

In the image recording / reproducing apparatus used in the above various systems, it is known that the density of the image reproduced / recorded on the photographic light-sensitive material is different depending on the internal temperature of the image recording section, and in order to stabilize the image density, A method of changing the intensity of light for exposing the photographic light-sensitive material according to the temperature in the image recording section (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-161269), the temperature of the developer and the development in the image recording / reproducing apparatus integrally connected to the developing apparatus A method for performing correction such as changing the time (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-29424)
No. 1), or the density of the image recorded and reproduced on the photographic light-sensitive material is detected, and based on this density, the intensity of light for exposing the photographic light-sensitive material on which the image is subsequently recorded / reproduced or the temperature or development of the developing solution. A method of making a correction such as changing the time (US Pat. No. 3,462,221) has been proposed.

[0008]

According to the method described above,
The density of the image can be corrected according to the change in the temperature inside the image recording apparatus, and an image with stable density can be obtained. However, since the density correction in the above-described method is performed every time when recording or reproducing an image on the photographic light-sensitive material, recording and reproduction are continuously performed on a series of a plurality of photographic light-sensitive materials. If the temperature of the developer in the reproducing section changes, the density of the image reproduced on the photographic light-sensitive material changes, and it is necessary to stop the device once during recording and reproduction to correct the density. Therefore, the work efficiency was lowered. Furthermore, in the method of changing the temperature of the developer described above, it is difficult to accurately adjust the temperature of the developer to the set temperature, and since it takes time for the developer to reach a predetermined temperature, This method cannot be used when an image is urgently needed due to an urgent case in the medical field.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention does not need to correct the density even when the temperature of the developing solution changes during recording and reproduction of a series of images, and the images can be immediately displayed in an emergency. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording / reproducing method and apparatus capable of recording / reproducing.

[0010]

According to the image recording / reproducing method of the present invention, a photographic light-sensitive material is exposed by light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and the photographic light-sensitive material on which the image is recorded is recorded. In an image recording / reproducing method for reproducing an image by developing with a developing solution, the temperature of the developing solution is measured so that the image can be reproduced at a predetermined density on the photographic light-sensitive material regardless of the change in the temperature. In addition, the intensity of the light exposed to the photographic light-sensitive material is adjusted based on the change in the temperature.

Further, the first image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention has an image recording section for performing image recording by exposing the photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal, and the image recording section. In an image recording / reproducing apparatus comprising a reproducing section for reproducing an image by developing a recorded photographic light-sensitive material with a developing solution, temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the developing solution and outputting a temperature signal, Density adjusting means for adjusting the intensity of light exposed to the photographic light-sensitive material based on the temperature change so that the image can be reproduced on the photographic light-sensitive material at a predetermined density regardless of the temperature change. It is characterized by being provided.

Further, the second image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image recording section for exposing the photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and the image recording section for recording the image. In an image recording / reproducing apparatus comprising a reproducing section for reproducing an image by developing a recorded photographic light-sensitive material with a developing solution, temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the developing solution and outputting a temperature signal, A gradation table that stores the relationship between the temperature of the developing solution and the gradation of the image to be reproduced at the time of initial setting, and if the temperature of the developing solution changes by a predetermined temperature range or more, Accordingly, the gradation table is corrected on the basis of the temperature signal, and gradation table correction means for adjusting the intensity of the light exposed to the photographic photosensitive material is provided.

[0013]

The image recording and reproducing method and apparatus according to the present invention are
Image recording / reproducing method and apparatus for reproducing an image by exposing a photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and developing the photographic light-sensitive material on which the image is recorded with a developing solution At, the temperature of the developing solution is measured, and the intensity of the light exposed to the photographic light-sensitive material based on the temperature change is measured so that the image can be reproduced on the photographic light-sensitive material at a predetermined density regardless of the temperature change. I adjusted it. Therefore, the density of the image recorded on the photographic light-sensitive material can be adjusted according to the change in the temperature of the developing solution, and an image having a stable density can be reproduced.

As the density adjusting means of the first image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention described above, a gradation table storing the relationship between the temperature of the developing solution and the gradation of the reproduced image at the time of initial setting of the apparatus. When the temperature of the developing solution changes by a predetermined temperature range or more, the gradation table is corrected based on the temperature signal according to the change of the temperature, and the intensity of the light exposed on the photographic photosensitive material is adjusted. It is preferable to use a gradation table correction means.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an image recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image recording section 10 for recording an image on a photosensitive film 19, and a photosensitive film 19 on which an image is recorded in the image recording section 10. And a reproducing unit 30 for performing the developing process of. The reproducing section 30 develops the photosensitive film 19 conveyed by the conveying means 23, and therefore has a developing section 31 having a developing solution controlled to a predetermined temperature, a fixing section 32 for fixing the developed photosensitive film 19, Fused photosensitive film 19
Washing section 33 for washing with water and the washed photosensitive film
It comprises a drying unit 34 for drying 19. The developing section 31 is provided with a temperature sensor 22 for measuring the temperature of the developing solution, and the temperature signal S _T measured by the sensor 22 is input to the density adjusting means 40. The density adjusting means 40 stores a gradation table representing the relationship between the amount of light and the density as shown in the graph 50 of FIG. This gradation table can record an image having an optimum density on the photosensitive film 19 with respect to the temperature of the developer when the image recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is initialized.

First, in the image recording section 10, an image is recorded on the photosensitive film 19 as follows.

Laser beam emitted from laser light source 11
Reference numeral 12 denotes a lens 13 and an acousto-optical light modulator (hereinafter referred to as "AO
Call M ". ) 14, lens 15, and further reflected and deflected by a rotating polygon mirror 16 which rotates at a high speed in the direction of arrow C,
Photo film 19 via fθ lens 17 and reflection mirror 18
Main scanning is repeatedly performed on the top. Further, the photosensitive film 19 is conveyed (sub-scanned) by the conveying means 20 in the arrow Y direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning.

Here, the AOM 14 has the above-mentioned density adjusting means.
When 40 is connected and the temperature of the developing solution in the developing section 31 has not changed from the temperature at the time of initial setting, the density adjusting unit 40 sets the image based on the image signal S _D on the photosensitive film 19 as the initial setting. The AOM is driven based on the input image signal S _D so as to be reproduced and recorded at the current density and with reference to the gradation correction table (graph 50 in FIG. 2) at the time of initialization stored in the density adjusting means 40. Then, the intensity of the laser beam 12 is modulated.

On the other hand, in the image recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the developing solution may rise during recording / reproducing of a series of a plurality of photosensitive films 19. There is no problem if the temperature rises only slightly, but if the temperature rises beyond a certain temperature range, the density of the reproduced image will rise with the light amount at the initial setting. In this case, the density adjusting means 40 changes the gradation table based on the temperature signal S _T from the temperature sensor 22. That is, when the temperature of the developer rises, the gradation table is corrected so that the graph 50 is moved in the direction of the arrow E, or as shown in the graph 52, the density at the same light amount as in the initial setting becomes smaller. ..

When the temperature of the developing solution drops below a certain temperature range because the apparatus has not been used for a long time, the density of the image reproduced when the light amount at the initial setting remains unchanged. Will decrease. In this case, in the density adjusting means 40, the gradation table is moved so as to move the graph 50 in FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrow D or to increase the density at the same light amount as in the initial setting as shown in the graph 51. to correct.

Here, the above-mentioned certain temperature range is
For example, in the graph showing the relationship between the density and the developer temperature, the graph shows the temperature fluctuation width corresponding to the width of 0.1 density fluctuation when exposed with the same light amount.

The photosensitive film 19 on which an image has been recorded by the laser beam 12 as described above is conveyed to the reproducing section 30 by the conveying rollers 23, and the developing section 31, the fixing section 32, and the washing section 3
3. While proceeding to the drying section 34, development, fixing, washing with water and drying are carried out in order, and a visible image based on the image signal S _D is reproduced. This visible image is a visible image in which the image density is stable because the density change of the reproduced image due to the temperature change of the developer is corrected.

The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be applied, for example, in the medical field even when an image is required immediately due to an urgent case. That is, conventionally,
Even when I needed an image immediately, I had to wait until the developer reached the proper temperature after switching on the device.
By using the image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to correct the gradation table even when the developing solution is at a low temperature, and obtain an image having a density suitable for the temperature.

In the embodiment described above, the intensity of the light scanned on the photographic light-sensitive material is adjusted by correcting the gradation table, and the density of the image recorded on the photographic light-sensitive material is adjusted to the temperature of the developer. However, the means for adjusting the light intensity is not limited to this, and any other means such as a variable filter may be used.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the apparatus for recording by scanning the photosensitive film with the light beam modulated on the basis of the image signal has been described, but the image displayed on the CRT is formed by the image forming lens system. The present invention can also be applied to an apparatus for exposing a photosensitive film via a light source, or an apparatus for modulating light emitted from a light source by a liquid crystal shutter array or matrix and exposing the photosensitive film to record an image.

[0028]

As described above in detail, since the image recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention reproduces an image at a predetermined density on a photographic light-sensitive material regardless of the temperature change of the developing solution,
Even if the temperature of the developing solution changes during the reproduction and recording of a series of a plurality of photographic light-sensitive materials, an image having a stable density is recorded and reproduced without interrupting the work.

Further, even in the case of a sudden illness, it is possible to record and reproduce the image immediately without having to wait until the temperature of the developing solution rises.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relationship between light intensity and density.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image recording / reproducing apparatus 10 Image recording section 19 Photosensitive film 22 Temperature sensor 30 Reproducing section 31 Developing section 32 Fixing section 33 Washing section 34 Drying section 40 Concentration adjusting means S _D image signal S _T temperature signal

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image for reproducing an image by exposing a photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and developing the photographic light-sensitive material on which the image is recorded with a developing solution. In the recording / reproducing method, the temperature of the developing solution is measured, and the photographic light-sensitive material is based on the temperature change so that the image can be reproduced on the photographic light-sensitive material at a predetermined density regardless of the temperature change. An image recording / reproducing method, characterized in that the intensity of light exposed to light is adjusted. 2. An image recording part for exposing a photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and a photographic light-sensitive material on which the image recording has been performed in the image-recording part by a developer. In an image recording / reproducing apparatus comprising a reproducing section for reproducing an image by developing, temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the developing solution and outputting a temperature signal, and the photographic light-sensitive material for the photographic light-sensitive material regardless of a change in the temperature. An image recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising density adjusting means for adjusting the intensity of light exposed to the photographic light-sensitive material based on a change in the temperature so that the image is reproduced at a predetermined density. 3. An image recording section for exposing a photographic light-sensitive material with light modulated according to an image signal to record an image, and a photographic light-sensitive material on which the image recording is performed in the image-recording section by a developer. In an image recording / reproducing apparatus including a reproducing unit for reproducing an image by developing, temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the developing solution and outputting a temperature signal, and the temperature of the developing solution at the time of initialization are reproduced. A gradation table storing the relationship between the gradation of the image and the gradation of the image, and the gradation table based on the temperature signal according to the change of the temperature when the temperature of the developing solution changes by a predetermined temperature range or more. The image recording / reproducing apparatus is provided with a gradation table correcting means for correcting the light intensity and adjusting the intensity of the light exposed on the photographic light-sensitive material.