US 4,072,419 A · Frame count cuer for photographic film printers

Abstract

A frame count cuer for controlling the operation of a continuous photographic film printer either of the continuous motion or incremental motion type. As the "preprint" film and the overlaying "raw stock" are passed through the printer, a signal is generated corresponding to the quantity and direction of travel of the film drawn across the exposure aperture. A counter is incremented or decremented by the signal and provides an integral footage and frame count of the amount of film passing through the printer. The information from a punched scene length tape is used to set a storage unit to the desired scene length and the setting of the storage unit is compared with the counter by a coincidence detector. Upon coincidence, a cue signal is fed from the coincidence detector to the printer light valve control unit. The light valves are preset with the information obtained from a punched paper tape in accordance with the predetermined preferred light level and the hue for the scene to be printed. The frame count cuer includes a presettable cue advance unit to advance the cue signal by a predetermined number of frames to accommodate the inherent reaction time of the printer light valves. The entire frame count cuer is photon coupled to the photographic film printer to prevent inadvertent "noise" from being transferred to the cuer.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An apparatus for monitoring the passage of film through a photographic film printer and for controlling the operation of the printer in accordance with the monitoring information, wherein the printer includes a selectively controllable light source and a signal generator providing an output signal related to the quantity of film passing through the printer, comprising:

storage means for storing film frame addressing cuing information in integral units of length greater than a frame and in numbers of frames;
a bi-directional counter unit including a direction sensing means for connection with the signal generator providing an incremental or decremental count in said integral units of length and in numbers of frames of the film passing through the printer;
comparator means for comparing the information in said storage means with the count of said counter unit and providing an output cue signal to said printer upon the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and said counter unit wherein the comparator means includes a programmable means for selectively varying said information stored in said storage means to provide for the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and the counter unit either in advance of or after the information originally stored in the storage means;
and
selectively actuatable reset means connected to said comparator means to reset said bi-directional counter upon the occurrence of said cue signal.

2 more elements

A frame count cuer for monitoring the passage of film through a film printer and for controlling the operation of a selectively controllable light source on the printer in accordance with the monitoring information, comprising:

a signal generator on the film printer providing an output signal related to the quantity of film passing through the printer;
a control element bearing film frame cuing information;
reader means for reading the control element and providing a signal related to said cuing information in integral units of length greater than a frame and in numbers of frames;
storage means connected to the reader means for storing film frame cuing information read by said reader means in said integral units of length and numbers of frames;
direction sensing means connected to the signal generator providing a first signal for film passing through the printer in a first direction and a second signal for film passing through the printer in a second direction;
a counter unit connected to the direction sensing means for receiving said first and second signals from the direction sensing means to provide a count in integral units of length and numbers of frames of film passing through the printer;
and
comparator means for comparing the information in said storage means with the count of said counter unit and providing an output cue signal to said printer upon the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and said counter unit wherein the comparator means includes a programmable means for selectively varying said information stored in said storage means to provide for the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and the counter unit either in advance of or after the information originally stored in the storage means.

5 more elements

a signal generator on the film printer providing an output signal related to the quantity of film passing through the printer;
a control element bearing film frame cuing information;
reader means for reading the control element and providing a signal related to said cuing information in integral units of length greater than a frame and in numbers of frames;
storage means connected to the reader means for storing film frame cuing information read by said reader means in said integral units of length and numbers of frames;
direction sensing means connected to the signal generator providing a first signal for film passing through the printer in a first direction and a second signal for film passing through the printer in a second direction;
a counter unit connected to the direction sensing means for receiving said first and second signals from the direction sensing means to provide a count in integral units of length and numbers of frames of film passing through the printer;
and
comparator means for comparing the information in said storage means with the count of said counter unit and providing an output cue signal to said printer upon the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and said counter unit wherein the comparator means includes a first programmable means for varying said information stored in said storage means to provide for the occurrence of a predetermined relation between the storage means and said counter unit in advance of the information received from said reader means;
and.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Frame count cuer for photographic film printers

Life of this patent

Frame count cuer for photographic film printers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16