TH8024A - A self-encoding/decoding data exchange system on film using magnetic field markings recorded on the film. - Google Patents

Abstract

A transparent magnetic layer is incorporated as an additive layer into color photographic film. Data exchange between different film users, such as film manufacturers, camera users, distributors, and developers, is achieved via a number of longitudinal magnetic lines on the film, beginning and ending at the start and end of each frame. Each line holds the recording and reading of a specific set of parameters associated with the corresponding frame. The line for the developer is located in the image area of each frame, while the line for the camera is placed along the edge of the film between the punched holes. These holes are spaced at regular intervals. All data is recorded onto the film using a new self-clocking system, which provides a completely self-clocking signal to enable automatic simultaneous data transfer between different users without requiring the film to be passed at the same or consistent speed during processing and recording.

Claims (7)

1. Long film, a light-sensitive photographic film, is arranged in a magnetic recording system within a camera for processing and printing by an improved read/write system. It consists of a transparent magnetic layer and parallel longitudinal recording lines magnetically recorded within that layer. These recording lines contain encoded field regions, and the film can be passed through at different speeds compared to the magnetic recording and reading methods in the camera and processing equipment, while allowing for reading of previously recorded data by another device. 2. An improvement to claim 1 in which each such line of record begins and ends within a specific frame of reference. Each such line of record also consists of the first and second elements of a three-part sequence coded in binary form to represent, respectively, the start and stop checks. 3. In the developing and printing system using long film, which has a series of frames arranged sequentially, an improved system incorporates a transparent magnetic layer. This layer contains a self-clocked recording and reading pathway within it, creating parallel developing and printing units along the length of each frame. Start and stop detectors are positioned at the beginning and end of each recording, respectively. Each of these features has a pre-defined set of binary bits recorded by its own clock. 4. An improvement to claim 3, in which the developing and printing path also includes a measurement path, which, whenever the entire binary bit component is read from any such record, measures when the film is passed through the developing and printing path in the opposite longitudinal direction to where the record was previously recorded. 5. In a developing and printing system consisting of (a) a long photographic film modified to fit into the camera box for light entry into the arranged frames within, and (b) a developing and printing path for developing and printing the said film after being taken by the said camera, with improvements, the said film contains a transparent magnetic layer, and the developing and printing system contains a path for detecting whether self-clocked data has been recorded in the magnetic layer, which is a parallel longitudinal recording from the camera; a path for self-clocking the data encoded in the magnetic layer to create parallel longitudinal recordings from the developing and printing unit in each frame; and for providing start and stop detectors at the beginning and end of each such recording, respectively. Each of these features contains a set of binary bits encoded by a defined self-clocking signal. 6. An improvement to claim number 5, whereby the said developing and printing pathway includes a pathway for measuring the components of the entire binary bit set when read from any such record to measure the film being passed through the said developing and printing pathway in the longitudinal direction opposite to where the record was previously recorded. 7. The improvements under claim 1 also include a number of holes perforated along the said layer. Such holes are located at least along the first longitudinal edge of the film. The location of such holes is unique in that each such sequence of frames is near the longitudinal edge area of the film where the holes are arranged, such a record consists of a parallel longitudinal magnetic record, recorded by the camera with a magnetic recording system in the magnetic layer in the longitudinal edge area of the film between the holes that represent information encoded by the clock signal itself, and a parallel longitudinal developing record, recorded by the developing unit with a magnetic recording and reading system into the magnetic layer in the camera's light-accessible area of each such sequence of frames. Such developing record consists of information encoded by the clock signal itself, where the film may be passed at different speeds. When compared to the read-only recording methods in such cameras and developing and printing equipment, while allowing the previously recorded data to be read by another device (7 claims, 3 pages, 15 images).