Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CAMERA
Technical Field
The pxesent inVention relates to a camera and to a
method for using same for creatinq a data record carrier
on a photosensitive medium
Background Art
Heretofore various cameras and camera systems have
been proposed for imaging, photographing or recording data
in the form of light areas and dark areas on a photosensi-
tive medium with the light and dark areas corresponding toinformation data in binary form, i.e., the dark areas or
dots and the light areas corresponding to l's and O's (or
O's and l's).
Such photosensitive medium or negative or positive
can then be used as a data record carrier itself or can
be used as a mask for the printing of data record carri-
ers therefrom which can have transparent or translucent
and opaque areas, e.g., opaque background and transparent
dots, or reflective and non-reflective areas such as reflec-
tive background and non-reflective areas or dots.
Examples of cameras or photographic systems for op- -
tically recording data on a photosensitive medium are dis-
closed in the following U.S. patents:
U.S. PATENT NO. PATENTEE
3,179,924 Auyang et al.
3,198,880 Toulon
3,330,182 Gerber et al.
3,501,586 Russell
3,564,120 Taylor
3,624,284 Russell
3,765,743 Reaves et al.
3,806,643 Russell
3,898,629 Westerberg
3,983,317 Glorioso
4,094,010 Pepperl et al.
4,094,013 Hill et al.
;~` ''
~2~8~7
An early example of a photographic data storage sys-
I tem is disclosed in U~S. Patent No. 3,179,924. Here digi-
! tal data in the form of light areas and dark areas is stored on a strip of film 10.
Then, a photographic disk reproduction system for
television signals is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,198,880 and a device for exposing discrete positions of
a photosensitive surface to a variable density light beam
is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,330,182.
Further, it has been proposed in the Russell U.S.
- Patent No. 3,501,586 to provide dots of data in a spiral
track on a photosensitive medium in an analog to digital
to optical photographic recording and playback system.
The later Russell U.S. Patent Nos. 3,624,284 and 3,806,-
643 disclose similar optical systems for encoding binary
type data on a medium.
In U.S. Patent No. 3,564,120 it is proposed to pro-
vide an image construction system with arcuately scanning
_~,
` drop generators wherein an image to be reproduced is re-
petitively optically scanned along successive arcuate
lines and the density variations are converted to trans-
mittable digital signals.
In u.S~ Patent No. 3,898,629 directed to an apparatus
for scanning a data record medium, there is disclosed a
binary data recording system for recording binary infor-
mation in the form of dots on a photographic film using
a laser which directs a laser beam through a modulator.
--~ The modulated beam is transmitted through a hollow shaft
to a mirror which directs the light outwardly in a hollow
arm which is rotated about the axis of the hollow shaft
and which has at the end thereof another mirror for re-
~lecting light into a light path which is parallel spaced
from the axis of the hollow shaft and which light path
moves in a circular or arcuate path about the axis of the
hollow shaft. With this arran~ement, binary information
can be printed on a photographic plate which is movable
125~3~47
toward and away from the axis of rotation of the hollow
shaft.
U.S. Patent No. 3,983,317 discloses an astigmatizer
for a laser recording and reproducing system where data in
the form of groo~es are formed by a laser in concentric re-
cording tracks on a disk
Other optical data recording systems for an optical
multichannel digital disk storage system and/or for an op-
tical storage disk system with disk track ~uide sectors
are disclosed in U.S~ Patents Nos. 4,094,010 and 4,094,013.
Still further, laser systems for recording data in
digital format on a digital record such as a photographic
plate or reflective plate is disclosed on page 30 of the
Augustt 1979 issue of "LASER FOCUS".
The camera of the present invention utilizes a laser
and modulator with the laser beam being directed through
a hollow shaft to a mirror in a manner somewhat similar to
the system disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,898,629.
However, as will be described in greater detail here-
inafter, the camera of the present invention includes alight beam shaping and focusing assembly for creating a
light beam image bar that forms a building block for build-
ing rectangular or square half cells or full cells which
are utilized in the forming of recorded digital data bits
in a data bit stream in an arcuate track on a photosensi-
tive medium.
This application, being a divisional of Canadian
application seriàl number 447,241, filed February 13, 1984,
whlle `disclosing the invention in its entirety, contains
claims directed only to certain aspects of the invention~
~.25~47
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a
method for imaging or recording data on a photosensitive
medium comprising the step of: imaging the cross section
of a light beam at an aperture having a bar shape onto
said medium.
Also according to the invention there is provided
a photosensitive medium having bar images recorded thereon
by the method described above.
Further according to the invention there is provided
a method for creating a data record on a photosensitive
medium using a camera, said method comprising the steps
of: generating a light beam from a fixed source, trans-
mitting said light beam to a final light beam path, rotat-
ing the final light beam path about an axis parallel spaced
from the final light beam path, shaping and fccusing the
light beam to h~ve a bar shape cross section which is di-
rected to the final light beam path and imaged onto a pho-
tosensitive medium, and modulating said liqht beam thereby
to intermittently image or record light beam bars defining
data in an arcuate path on the photosensitive medium.
Also according to the invention there is provided a
data record carrier made by the method described above.
Still further according to the invention there is
provided a camera for creatinq a data record on a photo-
sensitive medium, said camera comprising means for genera-
ting a light beam from a fixed source, means for transmit-
ting said light beam to a final light beam path which is
rotated about an axis parallel spaced from the ~inal light
beam path, means for shaping and f OCU5 ing the light beam
to have a bar ~hape cross ~ection which i~ directed to the
rotating final light beam patn and imaged onto a photosen-
sitive medium, rneans for modulating said light beam there-
by to intermittently image or record light beam bars defin-
ing data in an arcuate path on the photosensitive medium,and means for controlling said modulating means.
~2584D~7
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the data record carrier
constructed by the method of, and with the camera of, the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the lower left hand
corner of the data tracks formed on and in the substrate
of the data record carrier shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the center portion of
the data tracks shown in Fig. 1.
Fig~ 4 is a graph of the electrical signal generated
by the light energy transmitted or reflected or not trans-
mitted or not reflected across each cell of several cells
in one of the tracks shown in Fig. 2 with the correspond-
ing logic state stored in the cell indicated thereabove.
Fig. 5 is a view of 1/2 of a cell formed by imaging
or recording three bars by the camera of the present in-
vention onto a photosensitive medium.
Fig. 6 is a schematic, block, electrical, optical and
mechanical diagram of the camera of the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the camera of the
present invention mounted in a cabinet therefor.
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the light beam
shaping and focusing assembly of the camera of the present
invention.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an aperturè plate
that is mounted in the shaping and ~ocusing assembly shown
in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a top perspective view of the mechanical
and optical components of the camera of the present inven-
tion-
Fig~ 11 is a bottom prespective view of the mechani-
cal and optical components of the camera of the present
invention.
Fig. 12 is a flow chart of the camera controller
program utilized by ~he computer o~ the camera o~ the pres-
ent invention in imaging the data to be recorded on a photo-
sensitive medium
~25844L~
BEST MODE FOR CARRYINC; OUT THE INVENTION
¦ Referring now to the drawings in greater detail there
is illustrated in Fig. 1 a data record carrier 10~ The
data record carrier 10 includes a substrate 11 which can
be made from a number of different materials. For exam-
' ple, it can be made from paper, paperboard, coated enamel
i paper, plastic filament paper, vinyl, MylarTM, Kodalith
PanTM, Tri-X PanTM, dry silver, Tri-~ M' diazo, vesicular
material or print plates~
In one preferred embodiment, the substrate 11 is
made of film negative or positive material and a mask or
master of photosensitive material forming the data record
carrier 10 is made photographically with a camera 30 (Fig.
6) of the present invention to be described in greater de-
lS tail hereinafter. The data 12 is represented by transpar-
ent or clear areas and dark or opaque areas. A preferred
size of this master negative is approximately 4 inches by
6 inches, which is the standard size for microfiche nega-
tives.
2~ Once a mask data record carrier 10 has been made,
such mask can be xeproduced or utilized for printing in-
expensive data record carriers 10 on an inexpensive sub-
strate 11 material such as paper or paperboard material.
In the case of a data record carrier 10 which has a
substrate 11 made from ~hotosensitive material, data 12 is
optically encoded therein in the form of a plurality 13
of tracks 14 utilizing photographic techniques.
In this respect, and as will be described in greater
detail hereinafter, the camera 30 is utilized to create
cells 15 (Figs. 2 and 3) in each track 14 where each cell
15 has a predetermined length L (Fig. ~) along the direc-
tion of the track and a predetermined width W (Figs. 2 and
3) transverse to the direction of the track 14. Each cell
15 is transparent or opaque or portions thereof are trans-
parent or opaque to define a certain logic state in the
cell 15.
When a mask data record carrier 10 is made, such a
~2S8~47 .
I mask can be utilized for the printing of data record car-¦ riers 10 on a paper or paperboard substrate 11
¦ When the data 12 is printed, the cells 15 can be
either white or black to form reflective or non-reflective
cells 15 or half white and half black to form partially
reflective and partially non-reflective cells 15 to repre-
sent di~erent logic states, namely logic 0 or logic 1.
i The substrate 11 can also have printed thereon other
! pertinent data in a header section 16.
In the embodiment shown in Fiq. 1, the data record
carrier 10 shown is utilized for storing informatiGn re-
lating to a parts list, price list, and other pertinent
data relative to a product sold under a particular model
number b~ a particular company~ Other data or a repeat
o the data in the header section 16 can also be printed
on the substrate 11 beneath the data 12 in the same man-
ner the cells 15 of each track 14 are printed as shown
at 18 in Fig. 1.
As will be described further in connection with the
description of Figs. 3 and 4, when the data record carrier
10 is formed on a photosensitive substrate 11, each cell
15 will have a given cell length L and a given cell width
W and will represent one form of logic, logic 0 or logic 1.
Such a cell 15 can be completely transparent or completely
opaque. In such a cell 15, there is no transition across
I the length of the cell and such cell is referred to as a
i non-transition cell and in this description will corres-
pond to a logic 0 data bit.
Then, for other cells, which will be characterized
as containing a logic 1 data bit, part of the cell extend-
ing in a direction transverse to the direction of the track
14 will be opaque and the remaining part of the cell ex-
tending transverse to the direction of the track 14 will
be transparent or vice versa. As a result, there is a
transition intermediate and typically midway across the
length L of the cell 15 from transparent to opaque or
opaque to transparent. As a result, an optical reader
~25E~ 7
having a light source which passes light directly, or via
fiber optics, to the substrate 11 of the data record car-
rier 10 as the reader is moving arcuately along a track 14
will sense no transition along a cell 15 len~th L but will
sense a transition (opaque to transparent or vice versa)
when there is a transition intermediate the edges of a
cell 15. Such optical information is converted ~o electri-
cal signals by a photosensor moving with the reading head
and sent to a microprocessor which has been programmed to
sense when there has been a transition over the length of
a cell 15 and to then generate a corresponding logic 0 or
logic 1 data bit of information which is supplied to a ran-
dom access memory.
It is important to note, however, that data is en-
coded in the form of a transition or a non-transition in
each cell 15 so that there is no lost space between the
cells 15 and the cells 15 can be made as small as present
technology permits.
Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be apparent that
each of the tracks 14 is arcuate and such tracks are cre-
ated by moving camera 30 in an arcuate path. Each of the
tracks 14 has the same radius and this radius is constant
over the length of the track 14. Also, each track 14 of
the plural i.ty 13 of tracks 14 are spaced apart from one
another a predetermined distance S (Fig. 3) with each
track 14 extending in an arcuate manner across the sub-
strate 11 of the data record carrier 10 so as to be ar-
ranged in a nested manner, again with each track lA hav-
ing the same radius.
In this way, the data record carrier 10 can be posi-
tioned on a carrier or transporter of a reader and once
proper alignment has been obtained, the data record carri-
er 10 can be indexed along an axis 20 which is co-linear
with a line that extends across the data record carrier 10
and is co-linear with a radial line that includes the
125~ 7
center of curvature of each data track 14.
In reading data from the data record carrier 10, a
rotating reader or scanner head will rotate over the first
track 14 on a rotation thereof picking up and reading the
data encoded on the track 14 and then while the reading
head or scanner is completin~ a revolution around its rotat-
ing axis~ the data record carrier 10 is indexed along the
line or axis 20 a distance C from the first track 14 to the
second track 14 and so on for each successive track 14.
When the data record carrier 10 substrate 11 is made
of a non-energy transmissive material, such as a paper or
paperboard material, and the data 12 is optically encoded
in the cells 15 ~y forming a non-transition logic 0 cell
15 with a fully reflective or fully non-reflective sur-
face and a transition logic 1 cell lS with a portion of the
cell 15 being reflective and another portion being non-
reflective, then the reader will be of the type which di-
rects light onto the surface of the data record carrier 10
and which has a sensor or sensor system adjacent the point
of light emission for sensing reflected light from reflec-
tive areas.
From empirical tests and experiments with different
substrate materials, differen-t sizes of substrates, differ-
ent cell widths, different cell lengths, and different
radii for the tracks a number a parameters have been de-
termined. For example, it has been determined that a very
useable data record carrier 10 is provided when the track
14 radius is between 4 and 18 inches and that a preferred
radius for each track 14 is somewhere between 8 and 12
inches. ---
~
, _ _ _ . . . . . _ . . . . .
Also it has been determined empirically that for atrack radius of between 4 and 18 inches, the arc subten-
ded by the track can be between 120 and 30.
More specifically, for tracks 14 having a radius of
somewhere between 8 and 12 inches, a preferred arc sub~
tended by the track 14 is G0 wherein at least 45 of the
arc of the track 1~ contains information data.
~258447
Referring now to Fig. 2 there is illustrated therein
the beginning of the first six tracks 14 shown at the lower
left hand corner of the plurality 13 of tracks 14 on the
substrate 11 of the data record carrier 10 in Fig. 1.
Typically, at the beginning and at the end of each
traek 14, a leader 22 and a tailer 2~ are provided, each
composed of a series of non-transition logic 0 cells 15
where no transition occurs across the length L of each
cell 15. Thus, the length L of eaeh cell 15 would be
fully non-refleetive (or opaque) or fully refleetive (or
transparent) and would alternate that way until an address
portion of the track 14 is reached.
As shown in Fig. 2, the beginning of the track ad-
dress is shown with four logic 0 cells, the first one be-
ing a fully transparent (or transmissive) cell 15, the
next one being a fully non-reflective (or opaque) cell 15,
etc. through cell A. Then there is shown a transition
cell B which has the first portion thereof reflective
(transmissive) and a second portion thereof non-reflective
(opaque). The next cell C is a logic 0 cell and is fully
reflective (or transmissive). The succeeding cells 15
are a transition cell the first portion of which is non-
reflective (opaque) and the second portion of which is
reflective (transmissive) followed by another transition
cell 15 and then two non-transition cells 15.
It has been determined empirically that a useful cell
length L for optically encoded data is between 0.002 inch
and 0.020 inch. A cell length L which is preferred with
respect to high compacting of data and which provides a
sufficient cell length to facilitate encodin~ and reading
of the data 12 is approximately 0.006 inch. The width W
of each cell 15, which is not drawn to scale in Figs. 2
and 3, can be between 0.0007 inch and 0.010 inch. A very
suitable cell width dimension W in the direction extending
transverse to the direction of the track has been found to
be from 0.002 inch to 0.008 inch.
~sa~7
It has also been found empirically that a very suit-
able spacing S for the nested arcuate tracks 14 is a di-
mension which is 10 to 30 percent of the width W.
Thus, the spacing S taken along the center line or
axis 20 on which the tracks 14 are arranged or nested as
shown in Fig. 1 can be as small as 0.0002 inch.
As further empirical tests are made and advances are
made in microtechnology techniques, further compression
may be available. Presently a center-to-center track spa-
cing C of between 0.002 inch and 0. 011 inch with a track
width or thickness between 0.0015 and 0.008 inch have been
found empirically to be practical and workable dimensions.
It will be appreciated that the spacing between thetracks 14 at the beginning of the tracks 14 and at the
ends of the tracks 14 will be less than the spacing S in
the middle along line 20. In ~act, if one were to extend
the tracks 14 another 60, a total of 90~ from either side
of the line 20, they would converge toward each other and
eventually intersect. Thus, although the arcuate tracks
14 appear to be parallel spaced, they are, in reality,
equal radii tracks that are arranged in a nested array
with a spacing in one embodiment of between 0.007 and 0.010
inch from each other at the place (along the line 20) of
maximum spacing.
In Fig. 4 is shown a waveform 26 of the electrical
signal generated from an optical reading of the data in
the ~irst track 14 shown in Fig. 2. Here it is apparent
that a fully transmissive or reflective cell 15 corresponds
to a data bit of loyic 0 in that cell 15. Thus, starting
with a first cell 15 which is identified as cell A, there
is a ~ully non-trans~issive ~opaque) or fully non-reflec-
tive surface thereon on a substrate 11 such that there is
no transition across the length L of the cell as a reader
passes along that track 14 over that cell A and the loqic
of that data bit is logic 0.
Then, the next cell B iS partially transmissive or
reflective and partially non-transmissive or non-reflective
~258a~q
12
so as to cause a square waveform in signal 26 for cell B.
This corresponds to a logic 1 data bit as shown. The next
cell C is a non-transition cell C which is fully trans-
missive or fully reflective. The succeeding cells 15
j 5 shown in Fig. 4 are transition, transition, non-transition,
non-transition and non-transition.
It is to be appreciated that by establishing logic
in the form of a transition or non-transition over a given
cell length L, such as a cell length of 0.006 inch, the
optically encoded data 12 in the track 14 on or in the
substrate 11 of the data record carrier 10 can have a wide
degree of tolerance with respect to the sharpness or fuæzi-
ness of cell edges or the point of transition in the cell
lS. In other words, the data 12 can be tolerant of a lot
of noise. In this respect, it is not essential that a
transition take place within a very confined area of the
cell length L. As a result, the position of the cell edge
or the position of a transition in a cell or the sharpness
of either can vary up to at least 25% of the desired inten-
ded location of the cell edge or transition with the datastill being highly readable. In this respect, the begin-
ning of the non-reflective area of cell A could be 25~
to the left or right of the beginning edge of cell A and
the optical sensing and resulting electrical signal gener-
ated by the optical sensing would still be able to indicateto a microprocessor that there was no transition over the
major length of the cell and that therefore the data bit
stored in cell A is logic 0.
Likewise, if the transition in a transition cell such
as the cell B occurs somewhere to the right or left of the
middle of the cell B~ up to at least 25~ on eithe~ side of
the middle of cell B, there will still be a transition over
the length L (timewise and distancewise) of cell B to in-
dicate to a microprocessor that a logic 1 data bit is
stored in cell B.
As a result, by utilizing the optical transition or
1258a~4~7
13 _ ___-
non-transition across a cell length L for encoding logic
values in the cells 15, i.e., a logic 0 or logic 1, a very
efficient and effective data record carrier 10 is provided.
Further in this regard, cell spacing is not required
S since the microprocessor is only concerned with the transi-
tion. Thus a series of logic 0 cells 15 are defined by
alternating fully reflective (transmissive) and fully non-
reflective (non-transmissive) cells 15 and transition cells
15 for the other form of logic, namely logic 1, are identi-
fied by any cell where there is a transition between a re-
i flective (transmissive) area and a non-reflective (non-
transmissive) area within a cell 15 across the length L of
the cell 15.
Additionally, and as noted above, since transitions
are being sensed within a cell 15, the cell edge for a
non-transition cell 15 or the position of transition with-
in a cell 15 for a transition cell lS need not be precise
and fuzziness and inaccuracy in the position of such tran-
sition can be tolerated at least up to 25% of the intended
location of the cell edge or position of transition within
the cell 15. This makes the optically encoded data very
tolerant to noise and very tolerant of errors in printing,
or even inaccuracies in the location of prin~ing o~ a cell
edge or transition in a cell 15. The data record carrier
10 is also tolerant of substrate dimensional changes, such
as, but not limited to, thermal, chemical, or mechanical
changes. It is also tolerant of localized or universal
changes to the substrate, such as, for example, changes
due to moisture.
In creating a data record carrier 10 one will first
select a track spacing C and then a track path on the sub-
strate 11 which is deined by the radius ~ the track 14
and the arc to be subtended by the track 14.
Next a cell length L in the airection of the track
14 is selected for each bit of data to be stored in each
cell 15 on each track 14. Then a cell or width or track
width dimension W transverse to the direction of the track
1 25~44~7
14
14 is selected.
Then, one selects a non-transi~ion cell 15 for one
form of logic, such as logic 0, to be stored in each non-
transition cell lS and a transition cell 15 for the other
form of loaic, e.g., logic 1, to be stored in each other
transi~ion cell for the other form of logic, e.g., logic 1.
Next dependin~ upon the data to be encoded, a com-
puter 32 (Figs. ~ and 7) associated with the camera 30
(Fig. 6) for makina a ~ata record carrier 10 on film or
photosensitive material is programmed to direct or not di-
rect a light beam, such as a laser light beam, onto the
film emulsion while the laser l.ight beam is rotating
through the specified arc to be subtended by the track 14.
After a first track 14 is formed or encoded, the cam-
era 3b is indexed a trac~ spacing C and the above proce-
dure is repeated.
In practicing the method for printing a data record
carrier 10 of alternating reflective and non-reflective
areas for cells 15 on a substrate 11, a mask or master of
photosensitive material is utilized to print alternating
dark or non-reflective areas and light or reflective areas
-- on the paper substrate 11.
- Also it is to be noted that it is imma~erial whether
the printing is identical to the mask or master or the re-
verse of the mask or master since it is the occurrence of
a transition over a cell length L which is important and
not whether the cell 15 is light (white) or dark, i.e.
reflective or non-reflective.
Furthermore, the camera 30 can be used for direct
exposure of a final data record, if copies are not needed.
In accordance with the teachings of the present in-
vention, there is provided a method for photographically
creating a data record on a photosensitive medium ~e.g.,
substrate 11~ and a camera 30 for carrying out the method.
The camera 30 and its method of use are described below
in detail in connection with the description of Figs. 5-
12.
~ 25~
In accordance with the method and with reference to
Fig. 5, each half cell portion of a cell 15 will be crea-
ted from focused rectangula~ images or bars 34 which each
havP a height H (Fig. 5) that extends transverse to the
path of each track 14, i.e., has a height H equal to the
width W of the cells 15, and a thickness T.
Typically, each half cell created by the camera 30
on the photosensiti~e medium will comprise 3 to 6 bars
34 and can comprise up to 15 bars when it is desired to
have low density (large physical size) cells 15~
The height H o~ each bar 34 can vary between 0.0015
inch and 0.008 inch~ The thickness T of each bar can vary
between 0.0002 inch and 0.002 inch.
In Fig. 5 there is shown a half cell with a length
of L/2 which is made up of three bars 34 that overlap
such that the length L/2 is less than the thickness T
times three. This enables one to make certain that the
half cell is made solidly transparent (or opaque when
printed from the photosensitive medium) over the length
L/2. However, it has also been found empirically that
good half cell images are also obtained with abutting/
~uxtaposed bars 34. Also one suitable bar thickness T
is 0.0006 inch.
Referring now to Fig. 6 there is illustrated there-
in a block or schematic layout of the camera 30 which isconstructed and operated in accordance with the teachings
of the present invention~ Although referred to herein as
a camera 30, the apparatus comprising same can be referred
to as a system for photographically creating images on a
photosensitive medium.
A feature of ~he camera 30 shown in Fig. 6 is the
provision therein of a stationarily mounted laRer 36 which
supplies laser light to a rotationally mounted image shap-
ing and focusing assembly 38. As shown, assembly 38 in-
cludes a wheel, disk or circular platform 40 (hereinafter
disk 40) which is rotatably mounted on a table 42 (Figs.
10 and 11) that is mounted in a cabinet or housing 43
(Fig. 7) of the camera 30 and which is driven by a wheel
or disk motor 44.
~L2S8q.~7
16
The disk 40 has a hollow sleeve 46 fixed to the un-
derside 48 thereof and concentric with the center of the
disk 40 and about a central opening 50 therein~ Tllis
sleeve 46 is rotatably journalled in a larger cylinder
52 (Fig. 10) which is fixed to and wllich extends above
the table 42 (Fig. 10). In the drawings the sleeve 46 is
shown as extending up to and being fixed to the underside
of the disk 46 around the opening 50. However, in a pro-
totype, the sleeve 46 actually extends through and a~ove
the disk 40 and is fixed thereto.
The lower part of the sleeve 46 extends through an
opening (hidden from view in Fig. 10) in the table 42 and
is rotatably mounted beneath the table 42 by a bearing 54.
With the hollow sleeve 46 rotatably mounted in the
cylinder 52, an axial path is provided for a light beam
56 from the laser 36, which is mounted on the underside
of the table 42, to the image shaping and focusing assem-
bly 38.
;~.i As shown in Fig. 6, the light beam 56 of coherent
light travels from the laser 36 through a modulator head
58, which functions as an electrical light shutter that
is driven by a modulator 60 and controlled by computer 32,
to a mirror 62. The mirror 62 is adjustably mounted as
shown in Fig. 11 and directs the reflected light beam 56
toward the axis 63 of rotation of the sleeve 46 and disk
40 and to and through a variable density filter 64, common-
ly referred to as wedge 64, driven by a motor 66 controlled
by computer 32. The intensity can be varied at the recor-
ding medium, for example, between 1 x 103 foot candles and
1 x 101 foot candles. The wedge or filter 64 is used to
adjust or vary the intensity of the light beam so that an
altered light beam 56a of a desired in~ensity is then di-
rected from the wedge 64 to and through aperture 68 in a
light shielding plate 70 and to an adjustably mounted mir-
ror 72 positioned under the sleeve 46 where the light beam
56b intersects the axis 63 of rotation of the sleeve 46.
The plate 70 serves to block out all but the light
1258~7
17
beam 56_ passing through the aperture 68, i.e~, all the
diverging light, and directs the light beam 56_ to the
mirror 72.
The mirror 72 then reflects the light beam 56b up-
wardly to a mirror 74 ~ixedly mounted over the opening 50and forming part of the image shaping and focusing assembly
38 which further includes a cylindrical lens 76, a shaping
aperture 78 in a plate 80 received in a holder 81, a fur-
ther fixed mirror 82 and a ~inal lens focusing system 84
having an adjustment or focusing collar 85 (Fig. 10) all
` mounted in spaced apart relationship on disk ~0.
As shown, the light beam 56_ is directed to and
through the cylindrical lens 76 which divergently oblon-
gates the beam 56b to fully and uniformly illuminate the
lS shaping aperture 78 with a beam 56c which is divergently
oblongated. A divergent shaped beam 56d from the aperture
78 is then dircted to the mirror 82 which is situated over
the final lens focusing system 84.
According to the teachings of the present invention
20 the aperture 78 has a width of 0.001 to 0.010 inch and a
height of from 0.010 to 0.040 inch. One preferred width
is 0.003 inch and one preferred height is 0.010 inch.
The resulting shaped light beam 56d is then reflec-
ted by the mirror 82 through the final lens focusing sys-
tem 84 which preferably has a magnification of l/S and a
resulting imaged final light beam 56e which has been re-
duced by a factor of five from the beam 56d is directed
onto a photosensitive medium such as a film, plate, or
photosensitive paper 86 supported on and carried by a
30 ~ilm carriage 88 drive by a carriage motor 90. Stated
otherwise, the cross section of the light beam 56d at the
aperture 78 is imaged (b~ the 1/5 magnification of li~ht
beam 56d) on the photosensitive medium 86.
In operation, photosensitive medium 86 is inserted
35 through a slot 92 (Fig. 8) in the cabinet 43 onto the car-
riage B8. The computer 32 can then be operated to cause
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,.
18
the motor 90 to position the carria~e 88 for an arc of
photographing - recording of data - by the camera 30 on
the medium 86. The computer 32 knows when to start each
track 14 by the sensing of the position of the lens sys-
tem 84 of ~le camera 30. This is accomplished by sensinga siqnal from a magnet/switch assembly 94 comprising a
magnet 9~ mounted on the disck 40 and a ~Iall effect switch
98 mounted on a leg or post 100 (Fig. 6) which generates
a signal when the magnet ~6 passes same. Then, upon re-
ceiving the signal, the computer 32 knows where the lenssystem 84 is located and can operate the mo~ulator 60 to
cause exposure of a predetermined number of predetermined
sized bars 34 in a desired sequence to form a stream of data
bits in tracks 14 on the photosensitive medium 86 as will be
described further below in connection with the description
of Fig. 12.
As shown in Fig. 6, an interface circuit board 102
is provided for coupling a computer power supply 103 to
?~ an A.C. source thereby to supply power to the computer 32
which in turn supplies power to a power relay 104 that
supplies the wheel or disk motor ~4, the modulator 60
and a laser high voltage power supply 1~6, all of which
are conventional.
The computer 32 can be realized by a single computer
Doard having a microprocessor and the laser 36 can be real-
ized by a helium-neon continuous gas laser.
It will be understood that after a track 14 has been
photographed or recorded on the photosensitive medium ~36,
the computer 32 will operate the carriage motor 90 to ad- ~
vance the carriage 88 a distance equal to a desired center-
to-center distance C (Fig. 3) between adjacent tracks to
position the photosensitive medium 86 for the r~cording
or photographing of the next track.
Referring now to Fig. 7 the cabinet 43 in which the
camera 30 is mounted has a top opening 107 therein sur-
rounded by an upstanding rim 108 that extends upwardly
from a marginal top wall portion 109 and that is adapted
to receive a cabinet cover (not shown) thereon.
lZS~ 7
19 _ ....
Fig. 8 is a side view of the image shaping and fo-
cusing assembly 38 and shows the opening 50 in table 42
through which the light beam 56b passes upwardly to im-
pinge upon mirror 70 where it is reflected as shown to cyl-
indrical lens 76 then through aperture 78 in a removable
- and replaceable plate 80 to a mirror B2 where it is re-
flected downwardly through lens system 84 from which it
exits as light beam 56e.
One plate 80 is shown in Fig. 9. Again the aperture
10 78 in plate 80 can have a height between 0.010 and 0.040
incll and a width between 0.001 and 0.010 inch. The par-
ticular siæe aperture 7B chosen will depend on the size
of the bars 34 to be photographed - recorded on the film
negative 86 or other photosensitive material.
Turning now to Figs. 10 and 11 it will be apparent ,
that the carriage 88 includes a film holder 110
(Fig. 11) received in a compartment 111 mounted on a plat-
form 112 which travels on side rais 114 mounted on the
sides of table 42 by means of depending wheels 116. The
carriage 88 is moved forwardly and rearwardly by rotation
of a rotor (nct shown) which is mounted in motor 90 and
which has a threaded bore that is received on a fixed
threaded shaft 118. This causes the motor 90, and the
carriage 88 on which it is mounted, to move inwardly or
outwardly of to or from the center of the table 42, i.e.,
axis 63 (Fig. 6).
The table 42 has three upwardly extending legs or
posts 100, 120 and 122 which extend upwardly from table
end 124 (Fig~ 11) and corners 126 and 128, respectively
of table 42 and which fit beneath and can be secured to
the underside of the marginal top wall portion 109 (Fiy.
8) of the cabinet 43 (Fig. 7) and three alternately ar-
ranged downwardly extending legs or posts 132S 134 and
136 which depend from table end 138 and table corners
35 140 and 142 (Fig. 11) of table 42 respectively to the
floor (not shown) of cabinet 43 and can be fixed thereto.
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Preferably, and as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the
side edges 144 and 146 of the table 42 have U shaped
grooves 148 and 150 therein to receive a diamond (square)
cross section rail 114 which is fixed thereon. The wheels
116 are grooved and ride over an outwardly extending edge
of a respective rail 114.
As shown in Fig. 10 an antibacklash tension cable
and negator cable tensioner assembly 151 is mounted on
table 42 and connected to carriage 88 for preventing over-
shoot or undershoot of carriage 88 when it is moved bymotor 90. Also a Hall effect sensor and magnet assembly
152 is mounted o~ table 42 and carriage 88 for sensin~
when the carriage is in its "home" position farthest from
the axis 63 and in ~osition to receive a film holder 110.
In use of the camera 30, the wheel or disk motor 44
is driven at a speed which will rotate disk 40 at 10~ to
140 revolutions per minute. One preferred rotation is
120 rpm or 2 cycles or revolutions per second.
The number of bars 34 to a half cell can be 1 to 15
as stated above and the time increment for recording or
photographing bar 34 is in integral multiples of 0.125
microsecond. The length of each half cell, i.e., L/2,
can be varied by varying the number of bars 34, the fre-
quency of the imaging of the bars 34, the si~e of the ap-
erture 78 and the amount of overlap of the bars 34.
With respect to the frequency of photographing orimaging of the bars 34, such frequency, namely the time
of the start of imaginy the next bar 34 can vary from 0.125
microsecond up to 255 x 0.125 microsecond or 31.87 micro-
seconds. The off time minimizes smearing, i.e., the carryover of imaging due to the In~in~ camera lens ~stem 84,
which smearing is preferably kept to 10~ of the thickness
T or less for each bar 34.
Then the camera 30 is operated in the manner indi-
cated in Fig. 12. In this respect, Fig. 12 shows a proto-
col or flow diagram for operating the camera 30 which is
as follows:
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! 21
STEP 1. The power is turned on in power supply 103
to energize the computer 32.
STEP 2. The controller program for camera 30 then
starts by first '`homing" the carriLl~c 88 to its "home"
¦5 position Earthest from the axis 63 of rotation of disk
¦40. This is sensed by Hall effect sensor and magnet
, assembly 152.
IAlso the wedge or variable density filter 64 is
brought to its "home" position.
10Preferably, a terminal (not shown) is coupled to
the computer 32 via an RS 232 serial interface line
mounted on the panel 102 so that the so-called main
menu lists other menus available.
STEP 3. At this step the desired aperture 78 is
15 chosen and the plate 80 containing same is inserted into
the holder 81 (Fig. 10) therefor.
STEP 4. Power is supplied to the power relay 104
via an operator input to the computer via the terminal
~- for energizing wheel or disk motor 44 and laser supply
20 106.
STEP 5. In this step the data to be photographed,
imaged, or simply recorded on the photosensitive medium
or other photosensitive medium is inputted to the RAM or
downloaded into the RAM of the computer 32 from another
25 computer through one of the RS 232 serial interface lines.
STEP 6. Here the camera 30 settings that must be
input by the operator via the terminal are inputted. These
settings include (a) the number of coded data groups per
line of track, which groups can vary from 3 to 21, (b)
30 the wedge or filter 64 setting which controls the light
intensity, and (c) the track spacing C which can typically
vary between O.OQ2 and 0 008 inch Also, as shown, other
camera settings can be adjusted such as bars 34 per
half cell, cell length L, the ove~lap of bars 34 and
1:Z 5~3~47
22
' the time interval or frequency hetween bar imaging~ All
! the needed settings are grouped on one menu.
STEP 7. lIere the operator inserts the film holder
110 through slot 92 in cabinet 43 and into compartment
111 and the holder "dark slide" is withdrawn.
STEP 8. In this step a vacuum system (not shown)
associated with the carriage 88 is actuated to apply a
I vacuum via a vacuum hose attached to holder llO for
¦ applying a vacuum to the underside of the sheet of photo-
sensitive material 86t in the holder 110.
STEP 9. Here the terminal operator instructs the
computer 32 to proceed to operate the camera to record
~ human-readable information, such as the header section 18
I and then to image or record the stream of desired data
bits, cells 15, in each track 14.
From the foregoing description it will be apparent
that the method of imaging or recording data on a photo-
sensitive medium and the camera of the present invention
provide a number of advantages, some of which are de-
scribed above and others of which are inherent in theinvention.
Also modifications can be made to the method and
camera of the present invention without departing from
the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the scope
of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated
by the following claims.
