Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8123358 | Motion picture watermarking technique Watermarking of a motion picture release print occurs by providing on at least one soundtrack at least one tone of a particular frequency on at least one location unique to the release print. Typically, placement of the particular frequency tone occurs on location(s... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8113659 | Visual film identification A method for identifying film includes locating a visual identifier proximally to perforations on a film length. Preferably, the visual identifier is located between perforations on the film proximal to an edge distal from a soundtrack on the film. ... | 02/14/2012 |
| 7403708 | Tracking an image-recording medium using an identifying mark and film encodement An image-recording medium and methods and apparatuses for providing the image-recording medium are provided. In accordance with the method, the image-recording medium is segmented and at least one identifying mark that identifies each segment of the image-recording ... | 07/22/2008 |
| 6755531 | Motion picture code evaluator and billing system A motion picture code evaluator applicable to motion picture codes such as a scalability code, PB frame code and multi-object code is to be provided. Disclosed is a motion picture code evaluator for evaluating, on a motion picture receiver for receiving via transmis... | 06/29/2004 |
| 5751398 | Motion picture digital sound system and method A digital time code is printed in an area of a motion picture film, between the normal analog optical sound track and the picture frames, that is exposed along with the sound track when a print is made. This area is partially redeveloped, and normally res... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5565912 | Film positioning system using dual perforation sensors A method and apparatus for controlling the positioning of a filmstrip in a film scanning gate using signal states derived from a pair of spaced film sprocket holes or perforation ("perf") sensors on either side of the film scanning gate in conjunction wit... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5532773 | Method and apparatus for indexing and retrieval of a continuous visual image medium The present invention is a method of applying variable, momentous production information to each frame of a continuous visual image medium at the instant of use or after use, without interfering with the formation or display of the normal visual image on ... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5432586 | Photographic printing apparatus and automatic cutter A photographic printing apparatus in which images recorded on a photographic film are printed onto a photographic paper as printed images of print sizes of different aspect ratios and in which a printed photographic paper is conveyed distances correspondi... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5386255 | Motion picture digital sound system and method with primary sound storage edit capability A digital sound system for motion picture films employs a digital time code on the film to trigger the transfer of sound data from a digital audio store to a FIFO memory. The digital audio data is read out from the FIFO memory and played back in the theat... | 01/31/1995 |
| 5229810 | Film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks on film A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a photographic film strip. Information exchange between various users of the film such as, for example, the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher, is f... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5218388 | Film monitor for use in automating movie theater operation A motion picture film monitor structured and operated in the film path of a film projector, having a plurality of film support rollers for supporting the film as it passes adjacent a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors includes at least one pro... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5194892 | Film information exchange system with virtual identification codes A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a photographic film. Information exchange between various users of the film, such as the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher, is carried via plural l... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5160949 | Digital cue system for a motion picture projection system A digital cue system for use with a motion picture projector permits activation of control functions in time synchronization with the passage through the projector of indicia or cues attached to the motion picture film. Each cue comprises one or more cue ... | 11/03/1992 |
| 5155510 | Digital sound system for motion pictures with analog sound track emulation A signal conditioner is provided for the output of a digital sound source in a dual digital/analog motion picture theater sound system so that the digitally derived audio signal emulates the analog sound track signal. This allows the digital source to be ... | 10/13/1992 |
| 5130745 | Film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks on film A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a photographic film strip. Information exchange between various users of the film such as, for example, the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher, is f... | 07/14/1992 |
| 5080479 | Automatic implanting of identification data in any recorded medium A method of using only the audio track, for automatically implanting (in both forward and reverse printing) sequential identification film numbers as an integral part of the film, (both new and existing), with no change to the film or printing process and... | 01/14/1992 |
| 5029313 | Photofinishing apparatus with film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks on film A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a color negative film. Information exchange between various users of the film--such as (for example) the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher--is carr... | 07/02/1991 |
| 5023637 | Film marking apparatus A still camera having a marking mechanism for forming a message or title along one edge of each picture taken by the camera. The marking mechanism is preferably a dot matrix printer synchronized with the motor that advances the film after each picture-tak... | 06/11/1991 |
| 5021820 | Order entry process for magnetically encodable film with dedicated magnetic tracks A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a color negative film. Information exchange between various users of the film--such as the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher--is carried via plural longitudinal magnetic ... | 06/04/1991 |
| 4983991 | Method and apparatus for marking a film in an X-ray apparatus The inventon relates to a method and apparatus for marking or recording patient-related information and other necessary data in connection with X-ray imaging on a certain section of a film (6) by using a marking apparatus (2) which is movable relative to ... | 01/08/1991 |
| 4977419 | Self-clocking encoding/decoding film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks on film A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a color negative film. Information exchange between various users of the film--such as (for example) the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher--is carr... | 12/11/1990 |
| 4965627 | Film information exchange system using dedicated magnetic tracks on film with virtual data indentifiers A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a color negative film. Information exchange between various users of the film--such as (for example) the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher--is carr... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4938585 | Method and apparatus for high speed recording of images and of information associated with the images A method of high speed recording of images and of information associated with the images by means of a motion picture camera (10) for high speed shooting, the camera being equipped with an image pulse generator, and the method comprising the following ste... | 07/03/1990 |
| 4860037 | Film cassette with magnetic film leader A film cassette contains a film spool which is rotatable in an unwinding direction to propel a filmstrip including an integral film leader out of the cassette and is rotatable in a winding direction to wind the filmstrip including its film leader back int... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4811042 | Method and apparatus for recording and using exposure data in a photographic system A method of operating a photographic camera to provide exposure information in association with a latent image picture frame includes the step of automatically providing a nominal exposure for the picture frame. An operator-selected exposure is provided f... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4659199 | Apparatus for use in coding spliced film Apparatus for marking the edge of a film particularly for identifying head and tail sections of film strips joined by a splice comprising a holder with a channel-like film guide in which the film may be inserted for longitudinal movement and a hole for a ... | 04/21/1987 |
| 4504130 | System for recording a time code signal on motion picture film An apparatus and related method for recording a continuous digital time code on motion picture film as it is advanced intermittently by a motion picture camera. The apparatus controllably adjusts the time durations of the successive bits of the signal it ... | 03/12/1985 |
| 4370409 | Film identification method A film identification method comprises the steps of providing an undeveloped photographic film with first exposure identification indicia positioned adjacent to the exposure zone of the film, and providing the film with second exposure identification indi... | 01/25/1983 |
| 4360579 | Apparatus for preventing fogging of intermediate film in microfiche recording systems An apparatus and methods for producing a transmission barrier for inhibiting propagation of light into still unimaged transparent portions of microfiche recording system intermediate film strips by light-piping action are described. The barrier serves to ... | 11/23/1982 |
| 4244289 | Apparatus for marking strip material This invention relates to apparatus for marking strip material such as cinematographic film, the apparatus comprising means for feeding the film from a film supply station to a film take-up station via a printing station, means for feeding a tape carrying... | 01/13/1981 |
| 4150882 | Identification code generator for high speed motion picture photography A method and apparatus for generating a variable pulse width code of at lt three binary coded decimal digits at a rate sufficiently greater than the film speed of a movie camera to cause a single light source in the camera to record in a continuous seque... | 04/24/1979 |
| 4018947 | Method for edge marking recordable webs The Disclosure is directed to a new method of edge marking recordable webs such as audio and/or video tape. A running tape length is initially established between supply and take-up reels. The running path length is intermittently displaced, parallel to t... | 04/19/1977 |
| 3967887 | System for controlling projection of image information recording media A pair of signals optically different in consistency is placed on an image information recording film to be projected. A projector is provided with at least a pair of light detection elements in a position where signals may be detected. The difference bet... | 07/06/1976 |
