Copying method and copier for film

US5253011A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Agfa-Gevaert NV · BE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Zahn
• Wilhelm Nitsch · Munich, DE
• Gunther Schnall
• Gerhard Benker · Pullach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 11, 1992
• Grant date: Oct 12, 1993
• Expiry date: Feb 11, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03B27/462
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A strip of exposed and developed film has a series of exposures and corresponding exposure identification numbers. The strip is conveyed through a scanning station on its way to a printing station. The exposures and identification numbers are scanned in the scanning station to produce output signals indicative of density changes. The signals are processed to generate groups of data which are combined into a data set. Each group includes the position of a respective exposure on the strip, the identification number for the exposure and the position of the identification number on the strip. Film transport is carried out in such a manner that scanning of the strip and processing of the resulting signals are completed before arrival of the strip at the printing station. A control unit uses the data set to position the exposures in the printing station and to print the exposures. The control unit also uses the data set to mark a copy of an exposure with the identification number of the exposure.