Patent ID: 7113627
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of locating a linear defect on a photographic element, the element having a useful imaging width and the defect aligned with length of the element, comprising the steps of: a) exposing a region of the element to create a latent image which is substantially uniform across the useful imaging width of the element; b) processing the latent image to produce a density signal; c) sampling the density signal with a photometric device; and d) analyzing the sampled density data in the widthwise direction to determine if there are regions where uniformity differs from that of the uniform exposure, if such differences are found they are defects, if muliple widthwise analysis indicates a defect in the same widthwise location then those defects are categorized as a linear defect, further comprising the step of employing the location of the linear defect in processing a digital image derived from the photographic element wherein the photographic element is a negative photographic film having a plurality of layers and the exposure is high enough to produce a latent image that is developable in all layers of the film and the exposure is low enough to produce a latent image that upon development allows detection of any additional density due to a defect.