Christopher D Hansen

US Patent:

6707557, Mar 16, 2004

Filed:

Jan 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/753431

Inventors:

Richard D. Ball - Austin TX
Mark S. Bishop - Austin TX
Marc C. Digby - Austin TX
Christopher P. Hansen - Indianapolis IN
Philip E. Cannata - Austin TX

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

G01N 2186

US Classification:

356444

Abstract:

One aspect of the present invention is a system for estimating sensor and illumination non-uniformities. The system comprises a first light source, and a first sensor operable to capture light reflected from a first side of film illuminated by the light source while the film has a developer chemical applied thereto and processing circuitry coupled to the first sensor. The processing circuitry is operable to capture a first plurality of readings from the sensor responsive to light reflected from an unexposed region of film to determine a first set of non-uniformity data and adjust image data obtained from the film in response to the first set of non-uniformity data. In a further embodiment, the processing circuitry is further operable to dim the first light source for at least a portion of the time that the sensor is being used to sense the unexposed region of the film. The processing circuitry may also capture a second plurality of readings from the sensor while the first light source is dimmed to determine a second set of non-uniformity data and adjust image data obtained from the film in response to the second set of non-uniformity data.

US Patent:

6788335, Sep 7, 2004

Filed:

Dec 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/746859

Inventors:

Marc C. Digby - Austin TX
Christopher P. Hansen - Indianapolis IN
Jon Isom - Austin TX
G. Gregory Mooty - Austin TX

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

H04N 718

US Classification:

348 96, 348 97

Abstract:

One aspect of the invention is a method for signal modulation adjustment. The method comprises illuminating a reference target and a region of film with a first light source for a first time interval. The method further comprises capturing image data from the film in response to a first amount of light reflected from the film with a first sensor for a first integration time. The method also comprises approximately simultaneously producing a first reference output in response to a first amount of light reflected from the reference target in a field of view of a reference sensor. More particularly, the method further comprises adjusting the data in response to the reference output. In a further embodiment, the method comprises adjusting an output illumination level of the first light source in response to the first reference output before a next time interval.