System and method for latent film recovery in electronic film development
AssigneeApplied Science Fiction, Inc.
InventorAlbert D. Edgar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Recovering the dye image on film in electronic film development following a latent holding stage obviates the problem common in prior art electronic film development of film image destruction. Recovery of the image is accomplished using a developing agent containing couplers to form a dye image. These dyes do not affect the infrared scans of the image. Upon complete development of the dye image, further dye formation is halted by the application of a coupler blocking agent, while silver development and electronic scanning may continue or halt. After halting dye formation, the film is stable for an arbitrary time in a latent stage and may be dried and stored. Following this latent stage, silver is removed from the film with a bleach-fix leaving a conventionally usable film image.
Claims42
A system for latent film recovery in electronic film development comprising:
- an application station configured to receive film and to apply a first developing agent to the film;
- at least one scanning station configured to scan the film after the first developing agent is applied to the film and under light that substantially avoids absorption by a dye image formed on the film;
- and
- a coupler inactivation station configured to apply a halting solution to the scanned film, whereby further dye coupling is substantially halted.
A system for latent film recovery in electronic film development comprising:
- means for exposing a color sensitive film containing silver halide to a first developing agent containing no couplers, where a silver image is formed from interaction between the first developing agent and the film;
- means for electronically scanning the film after the color sensitive film is exposed to the first developing agent;
- means for applying couplers to the film after a period of time following the exposure of the film to the first developing agent;
- and
- means for reducing the silver halide to silver in the presence of couplers.
A system for latent film recovery in electronic film development comprising:
- an application station configured to receive film and to apply a first developing agent that is substantially free of couplers to the film;
- at least one scanning station configured to scan the film after the first developing agent is applied to the film;
- and
- a coupler activation station configured to apply couplers to the film after at least one of the at least one scanning stations has scanned the film, whereby a dye image is formed on the film.
A dye image formed on film made by a process comprising the steps of:
- applying a first developing agent to the film, wherein the dye image forms on the film;
- scanning the film under light that substantially avoids absorption by the dye image on the film, and
- applying a halting solution to the scanned film, whereby further dye coupling is substantially halted.
A dye image formed on film made by the process comprising the steps of:
- applying to the film a first developing agent that is substantially free of couplers;
- scanning the film;
- and
- applying couplers to the film, whereby the dye image is formed on the film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.