Method and apparatus for using monochrome images to form a color image

A medical diagnostic color imaging system for use with a medical diagnostic scanning device that provides an output having a plurality of electrical signals respectively representing different color image components of a subject scanned by said device, said system comprising:

• input means for providing electrical signals representing different color image components of a subject scanned by said device,
• a film holder configured and arranged to hold a piece of monochromatic film, and
• means responsive to said input means for exposing a plurality of record image components on different areas of a piece of film in said holder, each of said record image components comprising a record image of a different one of said signal components.

A method of medical diagnostic color imaging for use with a medical diagnostic color scanning device that provides an electrical output having electrical signals respectively representing different color image components of a subject that is scanned by the device, said method comprising the steps of:

• employing the output of said scanning device to form on a piece of monochromatic film a plurality of mutually spaced monochromatic image components that respectively represent said different color image components,
• processing the film to fix the monochromatic image components thereon, and
• forming on a viewing medium a plurality of mutually superposed projected images of said monochromatic image components of said processed film, said step of forming comprising projecting each of said images with a different spectral content so as to combine the projected monochromatic images of different spectral content on the viewing medium to form a single multi-color image of the scanned subject.

A viewing system for displaying color images comprising:

• a piece of film having a set of monochromatic image components thereon, said film having a plurality of mutually spaced image areas in an array of areas having columns 1 and 2 and rows 1, 2 and 3, said set of image components comprising image components representing three different colors that collectively define a first image, the components of said set being positioned on said film in areas thereof identified respectively as column 1, row 1, column 2, row 2, and column 1 row 3.

An optical film record for storing first and second color images comprising:

• a sheet of monochromatic film having first and second sets of image components arranged in an array of image components, said array including columns 1 and 2 and rows 1, 2 and 3 of image components,
• said first set of image components comprising first, second and third monochromatic image components respectively representing first, second and third color components of a first image,
• said second set of image components comprising first, second and third monochromatic components respectively representing first, second and third color components of a second image, whereby said sheet of monochromatic film stores image components of two color images.

A color adapter for a monochromatic camera having a monochromatic cathode ray tube, means for feeding electrical signals representing an image of an object to be recorded to said cathode ray tube, a film holder for holding a piece of monochromatic film, and shuttered lens means for selectively exposing on different areas of said film images presented on said cathode ray tube at selectively different times, said adapter comprising:

• means for providing first, second and third color component electrical signals collectively representing a color image of an object,
• means for sequentially transmitting said color component signals to said cathode ray tube, and
• means synchronized with the transmitting of said signals to said cathode ray tube for sequentially exposing mutually separate areas of said film to said cathode ray tube to create on said monochromatic film separate image components of the respective color image component signals.

A method of color imaging a subject represented by a plurality of electrical signals respectively representing different monochromatic color components of said subject, said method comprising:

• employing said signals to form on a piece of monochromatic film a plurality of mutually spaced monochromatic image components respectively representing said different monochromatic components,
• processing said film to fix said monochromatic image components thereon, and
• projecting images of said fixed monochromatic film image components on a display medium in mutual superposition and each with a different spectral content, whereby projected monochromatic images of different spectral content are combined on the display medium to form a single multi-color image of the subject.

A viewer comprising:

• projection means including a lens board having a first
• first, second and third lenses on said lens board having projection axes and positioned in column 1, row 1, column 2, row 2 and column 1, row 3 respectively of an imaginary lens array having columns 1 and 2 and rows 1, 2 and 3, when said lens board is in said first position, and
• means for mounting said lens board for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the axes of said lenses from said first position to a second position that is turned 180.degree. with respect to said first position.

A method of forming an optical color record of an object comprising the steps of:

• providing monochromatic signals respectively representing different color components of an image of said object,
• employing said signals to produce on a common piece of monochromatic film mutually separated monochromatic images of respectively different ones of said color components with a first predetermined nominal relative positioning, wherein the maximum deviation of actual relative positioning of any two of said monochromatic images from said nominal relative positioning is not greater than a deviation that would cause a visibly discernable misregistration of said color components when said monochromatic images are displayed upon a viewing screen in mutual superposition by a viewer constructed and arranged to provide a mutually superposed display without visibly discernable misregistration of images having said nominal predetermined relative positioning.

A method of forming an optical color record of an object, wherein the record comprises a plurality of monochromatic record images that are arranged to be displayed upon a viewing screen by a viewer that displays in mutual superposition and without visibly discernable misregistration a plurality of record images having a predetermined nominal relative positioning, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing three monochromatic signals respectively representing three different color components of an image of said object,
• employing said signals to produce on a common piece of monochromatic film a plurality of mutually separated monochromatic record images of respective ones of said color components with an actual relative positioning, wherein the maximum deviation of said actual relative positioning of any two of said monochromatic images from said nominal relative positioning is not greater than a deviation that would cause a visibly discernable misregistration of said color components when said monochromatic images are displayed by said viewer.

A method of displaying a color image of an object comprising the steps of:

• providing on a common piece of monochromatic film a plurality of mutually separated monochromatic images of respective ones of different color components of said object, and
• displaying said monochromatic images in mutual superposition upon a viewing screen with a deviation of positioning of any two of said monochromatic images from a precise mutual registration that is not greater than a deviation that causes a visibly discernable misregistration of said two monochromatic images on said viewing screen.

An optical color record for use with a viewer that displays in mutual superposition and without visibly discernable misregistration three record images having a predetermined nominal relative positioning, said optical record comprising:

• a sheet of monochromatic film, and
• three mutually separate record images formed on said film, said images respectively representing individual ones of three color components of an object, at least two of said images having an actual relative positioning that deviates from a nominal relative positioning by a maximum deviation that would cause a visibly discernable misregistration when said images are displayed in mutual superposition by said viewer.