Photographic film having a mask bar code

Photographic filmstrip susceptible of recording an ordered succession of image frames, which comprises in a non-image frame area thereof a photographically recorded, latent image mask bar code. The mask bar code is indicative of the intended use of the photographic film. Photofinishing machines, prior to printing the film, guide the film past an optical bar code reader in order to extract the information necessary to determine the required graphics around a print during the printing of the film, in accordance with the intended use of the film. The invention is particularly useful for use in lens-fitted photographic film packages which are customized for use in special events and/or special locations, and provides photographic prints with graphics.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to photographic filmstrips comprising 
photographically exposed mask bar codes and a method for providing 
photographic prints with graphics. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Photographers usually carry a camera on trips, excursions or holidays, to 
take commemorative or souvenir pictures. However, because cameras are 
precision instruments and relatively massive and heavy, they are sometimes 
inconvenient to carry about. In addition to the inconvenience of carrying 
the camera, photographers often forget to take the camera with them. If 
photographers do not take cameras but decide to take pictures on a trip or 
the like, it is not feasible to buy a new, high-quality camera, as cameras 
are relatively expensive and are intended for a long use. 
Lens-fitted photographic film packages are available on the market which 
provide the opportunity of taking pictures even when no camera is 
available. Usually, these film packages comprise a film case fitted with a 
taking lens, an exposure mechanism which includes a film-winding mechanism 
and a shutter mechanism with their associated elements incorporated in the 
film case, and a film cartridge previously packaged in the film case. 
These film packages, after the exposure of all frames of the film, are 
forwarded to photofinishers without removing the film. There, film 
packages are opened, the exposed films are developed to make prints 
therefrom, and the film packages without the films may be scrapped. The 
prints, together with the developed films, are returned to the 
photographers. Such film packages make it easy to take pictures because 
there is no need for film loading or unloading. 
Usually, this type of lens-fitted photographic film package is provided 
with a 135-size film cartridge. By incorporating the 135-size filmstrip 
contained in a film cartridge (such as the 135-size photographic film 
cartridge defined by the standard ISO code 1007 1979 edition) in such film 
packages, the existing film processing systems can be used for lens-fitted 
film packages. 
A problem with film packages containing a 135-size film in a cartridge is 
that the exposed film has to be removed from the film package in a 
darkroom because during exposure, the film is withdrawn from the cartridge 
one frame for each exposure and, after the exposure of all frames of the 
film, all of the film is completely withdrawn from the cartridge and is 
not rewound. Such darkroom film handling is quite troublesome when a large 
number of films is to be processed at once, as in automatic photofinisher 
labs. If the film package is adapted to rewind the fully exposed film, and 
the fully withdrawn film is rewound into the cartridge, the film can be 
removed from the film package in daylight. However, rewinding the exposed 
film into the cartridge requires both a film rewinding mechanism which 
increases the manufacturing cost and also film winding before removing the 
film from the film package. Therefore, a film package containing a 
135-size photographic film, although providing for handling in daylight, 
decreases overall handling efficiency. 
Recently, lens-fitted 135-size film packages (also known as photographic 
film-incorporated cameras or single-use cameras) have been introduced 
which make it possible to remove easily an exposed film in daylight. Said 
film packages incorporate a rolled 135-size filmstrip and an empty film 
cartridge (such as a conventional 135-size film cartridge) in a 
light-tight film case of the film package, the rolled film being wound up 
in the cartridge by one frame every exposure. Due to the provision of the 
empty cartridge in the light-tight film case of the film package, when the 
exposure of all frames of the film is completed, the film is entirely 
within the cartridge. Therefore, the cartridge can be taken out very 
easily, without any need for film rewinding. The exposed film is removed 
from the cartridge and handled in the same manner as conventional 135-size 
film for development and processing, while the film case is scrapped. For 
economy, the film case that incorporates the roll of film, the cartridge 
and the necessary elements is made of plastic materials and is configured 
as simply as possible. The lens-fitted photographic film package as sold 
is enclosed in a thin cardboard or plastic external case with an 
ornamental pattern printed thereon. Examples of lens-fitted 135-size 
photographic film packages are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
4,758,852, 4,812,866, 4,833,495, 4,855,774, 4,884,087, 4,972,649, 
4,827,298, 4,882,600, and 4,901,097 and in EP 527,430. 
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,713 discloses a lens-fitted photographic 
film unit which is pre-loaded with unexposed photographic film. An 
exposure station is adapted to expose the film. A film-supplying chamber 
is disposed beside the exposure station for containing the unexposed film 
wound in a roll with a first film end wound internally in the roll. A 
film-take-up chamber is disposed on a side opposite to the film-supplying 
chamber with respect to the exposure station. A spool is rotatably 
contained in the take-up chamber, and the exposed film is wound up inside 
the film take-up chamber, after passage through a chamber entrance 
thereof, when the spool is rotated in a winding direction. An outer slot 
is formed in communication with the film take-up chamber for allowing the 
first film end to exit to an outside of the film unit when the film is 
rotated in an unwinding direction, which is reverse to the winding 
direction, after winding the entire film in the film take-up chamber. 
Accordingly, the exposed film is allowed to exit to the outside-the-film 
unit by an external operation after exposure, without the need of having a 
photographic cartridge. 
The wide availability on the market of lens-fitted single-use film packages 
at low cost has resulted in the offer by manufacturers of lens-fitted 
single-use film packages which are differentiated by the intended uses. 
For example, it is possible to have in the marketplace lens-fitted 
single-use packages which are customized for special events (such as 
birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, contests, conventions, etc.) and/or 
special locations (cities, zoological gardens, recreation grounds, 
museums, etc.). Manufacturers can offer customized lens-fitted film 
packages simply by differentiating the cardboard or plastic case described 
above. 
Photographers may enjoy receiving prints for their pictures in which the 
image is comprised in a border frame remindful of the event and/or 
location. To that purpose, photofinishers can expose by contact in the 
photographic printing step the developed image frame with a suitable 
preformed mask and obtain a print with a border frame. Such an operation 
is quite troublesome when a large number of developed image frames are to 
be printed at once, represents the cost of an extra step, both in manually 
operated and in automated photofinishing machines, and reduces the overall 
printing efficiency. 
Photographic films in strips can give information to the photofinisher to 
take advantage of certain automated cost-saving features which allow the 
photofinisher to process the film at a reduced cost. For manually operated 
photofinishing machines, the top edge of the strip film comprises 
eye-readable information to enable the operator to properly print the 
film. For example, the eye-readable information on the top edge of the 
film includes the manufacturer's name, the type of film, the speed of the 
film, and a number assigned by the film manufacturer designating the type 
of film. For automated photofinishing machines, a so-called "DX" bar code 
is provided along the bottom edge of the film between every half-frame 
number. The DX bar code, which is between each of these numbers, specifies 
the National Association of Photographic Manufacturers (NAPM) number which 
designates the type of film. Automatic photofinishing machines, prior to 
printing the film, guide the bottom edge of the filmstrip past an optical 
bar code reader to extract information necessary to determine the type of 
film. Additionally, a frame number bar code can be included along the top 
or bottom edge of the filmstrip at every frame which is used for 
reordering prints. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,265 describes some standardized package bodies for 
producing different film packages, such as standard type, telephoto type 
and panoramic type film packages. To print the photographic film in 
accordance with the photography type of the film package in which the 
photographic film has been loaded, the photographic films and/or film 
cassettes containing the photographic films are provided with indicia as 
to the photography type of the associated film packages. Mechanically 
detectable data, such as mechanically readable punch codes, or optically 
readable dot patterns are disclosed as indicia on the film to obtain 
prints of the required size. 
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a photographic 
filmstrip having information relating to the intended use of the said 
photographic film. It is a further object to provide a method of forming 
graphics in a photographic print produced from said photographic film. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention describes a photographic filmstrip comprising a 
photographically recorded, latent image mask bar code. The mask bar code 
is indicative of the intended use of the photographic film. Photofinishing 
machines, prior to printing the film, guide the film past an optical bar 
code reader to extract the information necessary to determine the required 
border frame around a print during the printing of the film, in accordance 
with the intended use of the film. The invention is particularly useful 
for use in lens-fitted photographic film packages which are customized for 
use in special events and/or special locations, and provides photographic 
prints with graphics without the disadvantages discussed above. The 
photographically recorded, latent image bar code will exist within an area 
of the film which does not correspond to frames on the film in which 
images are to be exposed during use of the film. The frames where such 
images are to be exposed are initially free of any latent image which 
could be developed until such imagewise exposure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect, the present invention describes a photographic filmstrip 
comprising a photographically recorded, latent image mask bar code. The 
mask bar code is preferably recorded at one end of the photographic 
filmstrip, more preferably between the last image frame and the end of the 
photographic filmstrip. As employed herein, the term "mask bar code" 
refers either to a bar code which includes information relating to the 
intended use of the photographic film or eye-readable alphanumeric 
characters represented by the bar code. 
As is well known in the art, various bar code systems are used to label 
items for product identification or other purposes. Generally, a bar code 
symbol consists of a sequence of light and dark regions referred to as 
elements or bars. These elements are typically rectangular in shape and 
often have a variety of widths. An arrangement of elements represents a 
character and is determined according to a set of rules and definitions 
typically referred to as a "code". Among the known bar code systems, for 
example, "Interleaved 2 of 5", "Industrial 2 of 5", and "Code 3 of 9" use 
a bi-level bar code system, and "UPC" (Universal Product Code) and the 
like use a multi-level bar code system. Any one of these bar code systems 
can be used in this invention. In an embodiment described herein, 
"Interleaved 2 of 5" is used for the mask bar code. "Interleaved 2 of 5" 
consists of wide and narrow bars and blanks (spaces) alternately arranged; 
the wider bar or space representing a binary number in 1's and the 
narrower band or space representing a binary number in 0's. 
In one embodiment of the present invention, a mask bar code was exposed 
onto a 135-size 27-exposure multilayer silver halide color photographic 
film which was spooled in a conventional 135-size film cartridge. To 
expose the bar code onto the end of the film, the film was pulled out of 
the cartridge until the physical end of the film was reached, without 
detaching the film from the cartridge spool. The mask bar code was exposed 
onto the film between the end of the film protruding from the cartridge 
and the position of the film corresponding to image frame number 27. The 
mask bar code was used to represent the number 000000000000010 in 
"Interleaved 2 of 5" format. After exposing the mask bar code onto the 
film, the film was rewound back into the cartridge. Subsequently, the film 
was loaded into a conventional photographic single-use camera, which 
incorporates the rolled 135-size filmstrip and the empty film cartridge, 
the rolled film being wound up in the cartridge by one frame every 
exposure. During the camera-loading operation, the film was positioned 
such that frame number 27 was in the film plane of the camera. When the 
exposure of all frames of the film was completed, the film was entirely 
within the cartridge. Thereafter, the cartridge was taken out from the 
camera easily, without any need for film rewinding. The exposed film was 
removed from the cartridge and processed according to the conventional 
photographic film development processes. The processed film had the mask 
bar code at frame 27A and the image frames between the start of the film 
and frame 27. In this embodiment, two rectangular lines were exposed onto 
the film, parallel with the mask bar code. In photofinishing operations, 
these two lines helped to ensure that the mask bar code, scanned by 
automatic film-notching equipment, would be interpreted as being a 
photographic single-use camera exposure. Hence, the film notch at the mask 
bar code was used in automatic printing equipment to indicate where the 
mask bar code was positioned and subsequently should be scanned. 
In this embodiment, the mask bar code was photographically recorded onto 
the photographic filmstrip after the film was spooled into the cartridge. 
As an alternative in the present invention, it is possible to 
photographically record the mask bar code onto the film during the 
spooling operation prior to insertion of the film into the cartridge. 
In addition to the mask bar code in accordance with the invention, the 
photographic filmstrip can contain, along the opposing longitudinal edges 
thereof, latent images of photographically recorded information, such as 
eye-readable symbols representing each frame number, the manufacturer, the 
manufacturer's film code number, type of film, speed of film, generation 
of the film manufacturer, which enable the manual printing of film by a 
human operator, as well as bar code images, such as the DX binary bar code 
indicating the type of film, the speed of the film, and the like, for 
automated photofinishing equipment. 
The bar coding system of the present invention is useful with any 
photographic film of film system which is known in the art or presently 
being developed. For example, the bar coding method of the present 
invention is useful in single use cameras (also known in the art as film 
exposure packages) and has obvious potential use in the recently announced 
Advanced Photo System (a new format for amateur film on a thinner 
polyethylene naphthalate base in a thinner cartridge). 
A photofinishing equipment particularly suitable for use with the 
photographic film of the present invention uses a digital printing system 
which allows most kinds of electronic image manipulation and photoprint. 
In this equipment, the exposed mask bar code present on the processed 
photographic film is scanned and used to determine the type of mask that 
should appear on the print in accordance with the intended use of the 
film. The image frames present on the processed photographic film are also 
scanned to produce an electronic image. A useful scanner is, for example, 
Kodak RFS 2035, Polaroid Sprint Scan or Nikon LS3510AF scanners. A PC 
workstation, containing in a memory (e.g., RAM or other memories, such as, 
for example, a disk, tape, CD, and the like) predetermined masks 
corresponding to each mask bar code, acquires, combines and manipulates 
the electronic image of both the selected mask and the images frames. The 
predetermined mask corresponding to each mask bar code can be further 
manipulated by the operator acting on the PC workstation. For example, the 
mask may comprise a border frame to be located around the perimeter of the 
image frame, graphic additions in the image frame area, or combinations 
thereof. As employed in the present invention, the term "graphics" refers 
to such predetermined border frame and/or manipulated computer generated 
additions to the image frame. The electronic image signals, which now 
consist of the image exposed by the photographer in the camera and the 
corresponding mask, are then transferred into printing equipment. 
In the present invention, every electronic printing system (either optical 
or thermal) with capability of providing continuous-tone full-color images 
from electronic image signals can be used. As an example of electronic 
optical printing system, the electronic image signals can be reconverted 
into light signals with a cathode ray tube and brought together to form a 
negative; by conventional means, this newly created negative is projected 
through a lens with very high light-transmitting capacity onto a 
photographic paper, which is conventionally processed to obtain 
photographic prints with border frames. Alternatively, the electronic 
image signals can be used to modulate, through an optical laser scanner, 
the image onto a photographic paper, which is processed as above. Optical 
electronic printers are available on the market, such as, for example, the 
SanMarco DOCSY 51 Printer and the Agfa DPS Cathode Ray Tube Printer, which 
provide prints from various digital image inputs such as Photo CD, floppy 
disk, video camera, scanned print/negative/transparency, and the like. 
These printers can also provide a combined optical-electronic printing, in 
which two different images input (i.e., a digital input represented by the 
mask corresponding to the scanned mask bar code, and a photographic input 
represented by the photographic image frame onto the photographic 
filmstrip) are printed in combination through a first digital exposure and 
then an optical exposure onto the photographic paper. As media for 
photographic prints which can be used for obtaining full-color images with 
graphics in accordance with the present invention, other conventional 
media can be used instead of the conventional, wet processed photographic 
paper, namely media for obtaining color images by dry processes. As an 
example of thermal electronic printing system, the electronic image 
signals can be printed through a thermal printer provided with thermal 
heads or laser using the dye diffusion thermal transfer system in which a 
thermal dye transfer donating material ("dye-donor") is brought into 
contact with a thermal dye transfer receiving material ("dye-receptor") 
and selectively, in response to the electronic signal defining the mask 
and the image, is heated with the thermal printing head or laser. Dye from 
the selectively heated regions of the dye donor is transferred to the dye 
receptor and forms the image thereon. Thermal electronic printers are 
available on the market, such as, for example, the Kyocera KTM 128 Thermal 
Printer. 
Accordingly, in another aspect the present invention relates to a method 
for obtaining photographic prints with graphics, wherein a photographic 
filmstrip comprising a photographically recorded, latent image mask bar 
code is imagewise exposed and processed to obtain a mask bar code and an 
ordered sequence of image frames, the mask bar code and the image frames 
are scanned by means of a scanner, the detected analog signals are 
processed and binarised by analog/digital converting means to obtain a 
sequence of digital images corresponding to the sequence of image frames, 
the obtained digital information is transferred to a host computer to 
select a mask corresponding to the bar code and combine the mask with each 
digital image, and the selected mask and the digital images are 
transmitted to an electronic printer to obtain an image print of each 
digital image with graphics corresponding to the selected mask. 
The photographic film comprising the mask bar code according to the present 
invention is useful as a photographic film loaded into photographic 
cartridges offered in the marketplace for particular events and/or 
locations. Example of photographic cartridges include 110-size film 
cartridges, 135-size film cartridges and film cartridges described, for 
example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,886, 5,296,887, 5,317,355 and 5,347,334. 
The photographic film comprising the mask bar code according to the present 
invention is particularly useful in so-called lens-fitted photographic 
film packages. Accordingly, in a further aspect the present invention 
relates to a lens-fitted photographic film package having an unexposed 
photographic filmstrip susceptible of recording an ordered succession of 
image frames loaded therein, said package comprising a light-tight film 
casing having an exposure station at which said film is photographically 
exposed, a film supply chamber disposed beside said exposure station which 
contains initially said filmstrip, before exposure, wound in the form of a 
roll, a film end being wound internally in said roll, a film take-up 
chamber disposed on a side of said exposure station which is opposite to 
said film supplying chamber, and externally operable film-winding member 
for winding the rolled film into the film take-up chamber, wherein the 
photographic filmstrip comprises in a non-image frame area thereof a 
photographically recorded, latent image mask bar code. 
A lens-fitted photographic film package particularly useful in the present 
invention comprises a light-tight film case made of plastic, having an 
exposure opening, a rolled photographic filmstrip disposed on one side of 
the exposure opening in the light-tight casing, a removable light-tight 
cartridge having a film-winding spool therein disposed on the other side 
of the exposure opening in the light-tight film case, and an externally 
operable film-winding member for winding the rolled film around said 
film-winding spool of the light-tight cartridge. The lens-fitted 
photographic film package can be assembled by the steps of withdrawing the 
film from the cartridge, photographically recording the mask bar code onto 
the film, winding the film in a roll, loading the rolled film and the 
light-tight film cartridge in separate respective receiving chambers 
formed in the lens-fitted photographic film package. It is also possible 
to expose the film to form the latent mask bar code before insertion of 
the filmstrip into the cartridge. This would combine the winding and 
rewinding steps. 
Another example of a lens-fitted photographic film package, which can be 
pre-loaded with an unexposed photographic film having the mask bar code, 
comprises an exposure station adapted to expose the film, a film-supplying 
chamber disposed beside the exposure station for containing the unexposed 
film wound in a roll with a first film end wound internally in the roll, 
and a film-take-up chamber disposed on a side opposite to the 
film-supplying chamber with respect to the exposure station. A spool is 
rotatably contained in the take-up chamber, and the exposed film is wound 
up inside the film take-up chamber, after passage through a chamber 
entrance thereof, when the spool is rotated in a winding direction. An 
outer slot is formed in communication with the film take-up chamber for 
allowing the first film end to exit the film unit when the film is rotated 
in an unwinding direction, which is reverse to the winding direction, 
after winding the entire film in the film take-up chamber. Accordingly, 
the exposed film is allowed to exit to the outside of the film unit by an 
external operation after exposure, without the need of having a 
photographic cartridge. 
The photographic film for use in the present invention can be any 
photographic element containing a silver halide as a light-sensitive 
substance. 
The silver halides used in the photographic element may be a fine 
dispersion (emulsion) of silver chloride, silver bromide, silver 
chloro-bromide, silver iodo-bromide and silver chloro-iodo-bromide grains 
in a hydrophilic binder. Preferred silver halides are silver iodo-bromide 
or silver iodo-bromo-chloride containing 1 to 20% mole silver iodide. In 
silver iodo-bromide emulsions or silver iodo-bromo-chloride, the iodide 
can be uniformly distributed among the emulsion grains, or iodide level 
can be varied among the grains. The silver halides can have a uniform 
grain size or a broad grain size distribution. The silver halide grains 
may be regular grains having a regular crystal structure such as cubic, 
octahedral, and tetradecahedral, or the spherical or irregular crystal 
structure, or those having crystal defects such as twin plane, or those 
having a tabular form, or a combination thereof. Particularly good results 
are obtained with silver halide grains having average grain sizes in the 
range from 0.2 to 3 .mu.m, more preferably from 0.4 to 1.5 .mu.m. 
Preparation of silver halide emulsions comprising cubic silver iodobromide 
grains is described, for example, in Research Disclosure, Vol. 184, Item 
18431, Vol. 176, Item 17644 and Vol. 308, Item 308119. 
It is known that photosensitive silver halide emulsions can be formed by 
precipitating silver halide grains in an aqueous dispersing medium 
comprising a binder, gelatin preferably being used as a binder. 
The silver halide grains may be precipitated by a variety of conventional 
techniques. The silver halide emulsion can be prepared using a single-jet 
method, a double-jet method, or a combination of these methods or can be 
matured using, for instance, an ammonia method, a neutralization method, 
an acid method, or an accelerated or constant flow rate precipitation, 
interrupted precipitation, ultrafiltration during precipitation, etc., can 
be performed. References can be found in Trivelli and Smith, The 
Photographic Journal, Vol. LXXIX, May 1939, pp. 330-338, T. H. James, The 
Theory of The Photographic Process, 4th Edition, Chapter 3, U.S. Pat. Nos. 
2,222,264, 3,650.757, 3,917,485, 3,790,387, 3,716,276, 3,979,213, Research 
Disclosure, Dec. 1989, Item 308119 "Photographic Silver Halide Emulsions, 
Preparations, Addenda, Processing and Systems", and Research Disclosure, 
Sept. 1976, Item 14987. 
One common technique is a batch process commonly referred to as the 
double-jet precipitation process by which a silver salt solution in water 
and a halide salt solution in water are concurrently added into a reaction 
vessel containing the dispersing medium. 
In the double jet method, in which alkaline halide solution and silver 
nitrate solution are concurrently added in the gelatin solution, the shape 
and size of the formed silver halide grains can be controlled by the kind 
and concentration of the solvent existing in the gelatin solution and by 
the addition speed. Double-jet precipitation processes are described, for 
example, in GB 1,027,146, GB 1,302,405, U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,326, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,046,376, U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,386, U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,935, U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,147,551, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,224. 
The single jet method in which a silver nitrate solution is added in a 
halide and gelatin solution has long been used for manufacturing 
photographic emulsion. In this method, because the varying concentration 
of halides in the solution determines which silver halide grains are 
formed, the formed silver halide grains are a mixture of different kinds 
of shapes and sizes. 
Precipitation of silver halide grains usually occurs in two distinct 
stages. In a first stage, nucleation, formation of fine silver halide 
grain, occurs. This is followed by a second stage, the growth stage, in 
which additional silver halide formed as a reaction product precipitates 
onto the initially formed silver halide grains, resulting in a growth of 
these silver halide grains. Batch double-jet precipitation processes are 
typically undertaken under conditions of rapid stirring of reactants in 
which the volume within the reaction vessel continuously increases during 
silver halide precipitation and soluble salts are formed in addition to 
the silver halide grains. 
To avoid soluble salts in the emulsion layers of a photographic material 
from crystallizing out after coating and other photographic or mechanical 
disadvantages (stickiness, brittleness, etc.), the soluble salts formed 
during precipitation have to be removed. 
In preparing the silver halide emulsions, a wide variety of hydrophilic 
dispersing agents for the silver halides can be employed. As hydrophilic 
dispersing agent, any hydrophilic polymer conventionally used in 
photography can be advantageously employed including gelatin; a gelatin 
derivative such as acylated gelatin, graff gelatin, etc.; albumin; gum 
arabic; agar agar; a cellulose derivative, such as hydroxyethylcellulose, 
carboxymethylcellulose, etc.; or a synthetic resin, such as polyvinyl 
alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, etc. Other hydrophilic 
materials useful known in the art are described, for example, in Research 
Disclosure, Vol. 308, Item 308119, Section IX. 
The silver halide grain emulsion can be chemically sensitized using 
sensitizing agents known in the art. Sulfur-containing compounds, gold and 
noble metal compounds, and polyoxylakylene compounds are particularly 
suitable. In particular, the silver halide emulsions may be chemically 
sensitized with a sulfur sensitizer, such as sodium thiosulfate, 
allylthiocyanate, allylthiourea, thiosulfinic acid and its sodium salt, 
sulfonic acid and its sodium salt, allylthiocarbamide, thiourea, cystine, 
etc.; an active or inert selenium sensitizer; a reducing sensitizer such 
as stannous salt, a polyamine, etc.; a noble metal sensitizer, such as 
gold sensitizer, more specifically potassium aurithiocyanate, potassium 
chloroaurate, etc.; or a sensitizer of a water-soluble salt of, for 
instance, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and the like, more specifically, 
ammonium chloropalladate, potassium chloroplatinate and sodium 
chloropalladite, etc.; each being employed either alone or in a suitable 
combination. Other useful examples of chemical sensitizers are described, 
for example, in Research Disclosure 17643, Section III, 1978 and in 
Research Disclosure 308119, Section III, 1989. 
The silver halide emulsion can be spectrally sensitized with dyes from a 
variety of classes, including the polymethyne dye class, which includes 
the cyanines, merocyanines, complex cyanines and merocyanines, oxonols, 
hemioxonols, styryls, merostyryls, and streptocyanine. 
The cyanine spectral sensitizing dyes include, joined by a methine linkage, 
two basic heterocyclic nuclei, such as those derived from quinoline, 
pyrimidine, isoquinoline, indole, benzindole, oxazole, thiazole, 
selenazole, imidazole, benzoxazole, benzothiazole, benzoselenazole, 
benzoimidazole, naphthoxazole, naphthothiazole, naphthoselenazole, 
tellurazole, oxatellurazole. 
The merocyanine spectral sensitizing dyes include, joined by a methine 
linkage, a basic heterocyclic nucleus of the cyanine-dye type and an 
acidic nucleus, which can be derived from barbituric acid, 
2-thiobarbituric acid, rhodanine, hydantoin, 2-thiohydantoin, 
2-pirazolin-5-one, 2-isoxazolin-5-one, indan-1,3-dione, 
cyclohexane-1,3-dione, 1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione, pyrazolin-3,5-dione, 
pentane-2,4-dione, alkylsulfonylacetonitrile, malononitrile, 
isoquinolin-4-one, chromane-2,4-dione, and the like. 
One or more spectral sensitizing dyes may be used. Dyes with sensitizing 
maxima at wavelengths throughout the visible and infrared spectrum and 
with a great variety of spectral sensitivity curve shapes are known. The 
choice and relative proportion of dyes depends on the region of the 
spectrum to which sensitivity is desired and on the shape of the spectral 
sensitivity desired. 
Examples of sensitizing dyes can be found in Venkataraman, The chemistry of 
Synthetic Dyes, Academic Press, New York, 1971, Chapter V, James, The 
Theory of the Photographic Process, 4th Ed., Macmillan, 1977, Chapter 8, 
F. M. Hamer, Cyanine Dyes and Related Compounds, John Wiley and Sons, 
1964, and in Research Disclosure 308119, Section III, 1989. 
The silver halide emulsions can contain optical brighteners, antifogging 
agents and stabilizers, filtering and antihalo dyes, hardeners, coating 
aids, plasticizers and lubricants and other auxiliary substances, as for 
instance described in Research Disclosure 17643, Sections V, VI, VIII, X, 
XI and XII, 1978, and in Research Disclosure 308119, Sections V, VI, VIII, 
X, XI, and XII, 1989. 
The silver halide emulsion can be used for the manufacture of multilayer 
light-sensitive silver halide color photographic elements, such as color 
negative photographic elements, color reversal photographic elements, 
color positive photographic elements and the like, the preferred ones 
being color negative photographic elements. 
Silver halide multilayer color photographic elements usually comprise, 
coated on a support, a red-sensitized silver halide emulsion layer 
associated with cyan dye-forming color couplers, a green-sensitized silver 
halide emulsion layer associated with magenta dye-forming color couplers 
and a blue-sensitized silver halide emulsion layer associated with yellow 
dye-forming color couplers. Each layer can comprise a single emulsion 
layer or multiple emulsion sub-layers sensitive to a given region of 
visible spectrum. When multilayer materials contain multiple blue, green 
or red sub-layers, there can be in any case relatively faster and 
relatively slower sub-layers. These elements additionally comprise other 
non-light sensitive layers, such as intermediate layers, filter layers, 
antihalation layers and protective layers, thus forming a multilayer 
structure. These color photographic elements, after imagewise exposure to 
actinic radiation, are processed in a chromogenic developer to yield a 
visible color image. The layer units can be coated in any conventional 
order, but in a preferred layer arrangement the red-sensitive layers are 
coated nearest the support and are overcoated by the green-sensitive 
layers, a yellow filter layer and the blue-sensitive layers. 
Suitable color couplers are preferably selected from the couplers having 
diffusion-preventing groups, such as groups having a hydrophobic organic 
residue of about 8 to 32 carbon atoms, introduced into the coupler 
molecule in a non-splitting-off position. Such a residue is called a 
"ballast group". The ballast group is bonded to the coupler nucleus 
directly or through an imino, ether, carbonamido, sulfonamido, ureido, 
ester, imido, carbamoyl, sulfamoyl bond, etc. Examples of suitable 
ballasting groups are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,572. 
Said non-diffusible couplers are introduced into the light-sensitive silver 
halide emulsion layers or into non-light-sensitive layers adjacent 
thereto. On exposure and color development, said couplers give a color 
which is complementary to the light color to which the silver halide 
emulsion layers are sensitive. Consequently, at least one non-diffusible 
cyan-image-forming color coupler, generally a phenol or an 
.alpha.-naphthol compound, is associated with red-sensitive silver halide 
emulsion layers, at least one non-diffusible magenta image-forming color 
coupler, generally a 5-pyrazolone or a pyrazolotriazole compound, is 
associated with green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers and at least 
one non-diffusible yellow image-forming color coupler, generally an 
acylacetanilide compound, is associated with blue-sensitive silver halide 
emulsion layers. 
Said color couplers may be 4-equivalent and/or 2-equivalent couplers, the 
latter requiring a smaller amount of silver halide for color production. 
As is well known, 2-equivalent couplers derive from 4-equivalent couplers 
since, in the coupling position, they contain a substituent which is 
released during coupling reaction. 2-Equivalent couplers which may be used 
in silver halide color photographic elements include both those 
substantially colorless and those which are colored ("masking couplers"). 
The 2-equivalent couplers also include white couplers which do not form 
any dye on reaction with the color developer oxidation products. The 
2-equivalent color couplers include also DIR couplers which are capable of 
releasing a diffusing development-inhibiting compound on reaction with the 
color developer oxidation products. 
The most useful cyan-forming couplers are conventional phenol compounds and 
.alpha.-naphthol compounds. Examples of cyan couplers can be selected from 
those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,369,929; 2,474,293; 3,591,383; 
2,895,826; 3,458,315; 3,311,476; 3,419,390; 3,476,563 and 3,253,924; in 
British patent 1,201,110, and in Research Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 
1989. 
The most useful magenta-forming couplers are conventional pyrazolone-type 
compounds, indazolone-type compounds, cyanoacetyl compounds, 
pyrazo-lotriazole-type compounds, etc., and particularly preferred 
couplers are pyrazolone-type compounds. Magenta-forming couplers are 
described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,600,788, 2,983,608, 3,062,653, 
3,127,269, 3,311,476, 3,419,391, 3,519,429, 3,558,319, 3,582,322, 
3,615,506, 3,834,908 and 3,891,445,in DE patent 1,81 0,464, in DE patent 
applications 2,408,665, 2,417,945, 2,418,959 and 2,424,467; in JP patent 
applications 20,826/76, 58,922/77, 129,538/74, 74,027/74, 159,336/75, 
42,121/77, 74,028/74, 60,233/75, 26,541/76 and 55,122/78, and in Research 
Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
The most useful yellow-forming couplers are conventional open-chain 
ketomethylene-type couplers. Particular examples of such couplers are 
benzoyl-acetanilide-type and pivaloyl acetanilide-type compounds. 
Yellow-forming couplers that can be used are specifically described in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,875,057, 3,235,924, 3,265,506, 3,278,658, 3,369,859, 
3,408,194, 3,415,652 3,528,322, 3,551,151, 3,682,322, 3,725,072 and 
3,891,445, in DE patents 2,219,917, 2,261,361 and 2,414,006, in GB patent 
1,425,020, in JP patent 10,783/76 and in JP patent applications 26,133/72, 
73,147/73, 102,636/76, 6,341175, 123,342/75, 130,442/75, 1,827/76, 
87,650/75, 82,424177 and 115,219/77, and in Research Disclosure 308119, 
Section VII, 1989. 
Colored couplers can be used which include those described, for example, in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,476,560, 2,521,908 and 3,034,892, in JP patent 
publications 2,016/69, 22,335/63, 11,304/67 and 32,461/69, in JP patent 
applications 26,034/76 and 42,121/77 and in DE patent application 
2,418,959. The light-sensitive silver halide color photographic element 
may contain high molecular weight color couplers as described, for 
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,211, in EP Pat. Appl. No. 27,284 and in DE 
Pat. Appl. Nos. 1,297,417, 2,407,569, 3,148,125, 3,217,200, 3,320,079, 
3,324,932, 3,331,743, and 3,340,376, and in Research Disclosure 308119, 
Section VII, 1989. 
Colored cyan couplers can be selected from those described in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 3,934,802; 3,386,301 and 2,434,272, colored magenta couplers can be 
selected from the colored magenta couplers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
2,434,272; 3,476,564 and 3,476,560 and in British patent 1,464,361. 
Colorless couplers can be selected from those described in British patents 
861,138; 914,145 and 1,109,963 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,722 and in 
Research Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
Also, couplers providing diffusible colored dyes can be used together with 
the above-mentioned couplers for improving graininess, and specific 
examples of these couplers are magenta couplers described in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,366,237 and GB Pat. No. 2,125,570 and yellow, magenta and cyan couplers 
described in EP Pat. No. 96,873, in DE Pat. Appl. No. 3,324,533 and in 
Research Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
Also, among the 2-equivalent couplers are those couplers which carry in the 
coupling position a group which is released in the color-development 
reaction to give a certain photographic activity, e.g., as development 
inhibitor or accelerator or bleaching accelerator, either directly or 
after removal of one or further groups from the group originally released. 
Examples of such 2-equivalent couplers include the known DIR couplers as 
well as DAR, FAR and BAR couplers. Typical examples of said couplers are 
described in DE Pat. Appl. Nos. 2,703,145, 2,855,697, 3,105,026, 
3,319,428, 1,800,420, 2,015,867, 2,414,006, 2,842,063, 3,427,235, 
3,209,110, and 1,547,640, in GB Pat. Nos. 953,454 and 1,591,641, in EP 
Pat. Appl. Nos. 89,843, 117,511, 118,087, 193,389, and 301,477 and in 
Research Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
Examples of noncolor-forming DIR coupling compounds which can be used in 
silver halide color elements include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
3,938,996; 3,632,345; 3,639,417; 3,297,445 and 3,928,041;in German patent 
applications S.N. 2,405,442; 2,523,705; 2,460,202; 2,529,350 and 
2,448,063; in Japanese patent applications S.N. 143,538/75 and 147,716/75, 
in British patents 1,423,588 and 1,542,705 and 301,477 and in Research 
Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
In order to introduce the couplers into the silver halide emulsion layer, 
some conventional methods known to those skilled in the art can be 
employed. According to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,322,027, 2,801,170, 2,801,171 and 
2,991,177, the couplers can be incorporated into the silver halide 
emulsion layer by the dispersion technique, which consists of dissolving 
the coupler in a water-immiscible high-boiling organic solvent and then 
dispersing such a solution in a hydrophilic colloidal binder under the 
form of very small droplets. The preferred colloidal binder is gelatin, 
even if some other kinds of binders can be used. 
Another type of introduction of the couplers into the silver halide 
emulsion layer consists of the so-called "loaded-latex technique". A 
detailed description of such technique can be found in BE patents 853,512 
and 869,816, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,214,047 and 4,199,363 and in EP patent 
14,921. It consists of mixing a solution of the couplers in a 
water-miscible organic solvent with a polymeric latex consisting of water 
as a continuous phase and of polymeric particles having a mean diameter 
ranging from 0.02 to 0.2 micrometers as a dispersed phase. 
Another useful method is further the Fisher process. According to such a 
process, couplers having a water-soluble group, such as a carboxyl group, 
a hydroxy group, a sulfonic group or a sulfonamido group, can be added to 
the photographic layer, for example, by dissolving them in an alkaline 
water solution. 
Useful methods of introduction of couplers into silver halide emulsions are 
described in Research Disclosure 308119, Section VII, 1989. 
The layers of the photographic elements can be coated on a variety of 
supports, such as cellulose ester supports (e.g., cellulose triacetate 
supports), paper supports, polyester film supports (e.g., polyethylene 
terephthalate film supports or polyethylene naphthalate film supports), 
and the like, as described in Research Disclosure 308119, Section XVII, 
1989. 
The photographic elements may be processed after exposure to form a visible 
image upon association of the silver halides with an alkaline aqueous 
medium in the presence of a developing agent contained in the medium or in 
the material, as known in the art. The aromatic primary amine 
color-developing agent used in the photographic color-developing 
composition can be any of known compounds of the class of 
p-phenylendiamine derivatives, widely employed in various color 
photographic process. Particularly useful color-developing agents are the 
p-phenylendiamine derivatives, especially the N,N-dialkyl-p-phenylene 
diamine derivatives wherein the alkyl groups or the aromatic nucleus can 
be substituted or not substituted. 
Examples of p-phenylene diamine developers include the salts of: 
N,N-diethyl-p-phenylendiamine, 2-amino-5-diethylamino-toluene, 
4-amino-N-ethyl-N-(.alpha.-methanesulphonamidoethyl)-m-toluidine, 
4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(.alpha.- hydroxy-ethyl)-aniline, 
4-amino-3-(.alpha.-methylsulfonamidoethyl)-N,N-diethylaniline, 
4-amino-N,N-diethyl-3-(N'-methyl-.alpha.-methylsulfonamido)-aniline, 
N-ethyl-N-methoxy-ethyl-3-methyl-p-phenylenediamine and the like, as 
described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,552,241; 2,556,271; 3,656,950 
and 3,658,525. 
Examples of commonly used developing agents of the p-phenylene diamine salt 
type are: 2-amino-5-diethylaminotoluene hydrochloride (generally known as 
CD2 and used in the developing solutions for color positive photographic 
material), 4-amino-N-ethyl-N-(.alpha.-methanesulfonamidoethyl)-m-toluidine 
sesquisulfate monohydrate (generally known as CD3 and used in the 
developing solution for photographic papers and color-reversal materials) 
and 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(.beta.-hydroxy-ethyl)-aniline sulfate 
(generally known as CD4 and used in the developing solutions for color 
negative photographic materials). 
Said color-developing agents are generally used in a quantity from about 
0.001 to about 0.1 moles per liter, preferably from about 0.0045 to about 
to about 0.04 moles per liter of photographic color-developing 
compositions. 
In the case of color photographic materials, the processing comprises at 
least a color-developing bath and, optionally, a prehardening bath, a 
neutralizing bath, a first (black and white) developing bath, etc. These 
baths are well known in the art and are described, for instance, in 
Research Disclosure 17643, 1978, and in Research Disclosure 308119, 
Sections XIX and XX, 1989. 
After color development, the image-wise developed metallic silver and the 
remaining silver salts generally must be removed from the photographic 
element. This is performed in separate bleaching and fixing baths or in a 
single bath, called blix, which bleaches and fixes the image in a single 
step. The bleaching bath is a water solution having a pH equal to 5.60 and 
containing an oxidizing agent, normally a complex salt on an alkali metal 
or of ammonium and of trivalent iron with an organic acid, e.g., 
EDTA.Fe.NH4, wherein EDTA is the ethylenediaminotetraacetic acid, or 
PDTA.Fe.NH4, wherein PDTA is the propylenediaminotetraacetic acid. While 
processing, this bath is continuously aired to oxidize the divalent iron 
which forms while bleaching the silver image and regenerated, as known in 
the art, to maintain the bleach effectiveness. The bad working of these 
operations may cause the drawback of the loss of cyan density 5 of the 
dyes. 
Further to the above-mentioned oxidizing agents, the blix bath can contain 
known fixing agents, such as, for example, ammonium or alkali metal 
thiosulfates, Both bleaching and fixing baths can contain other additives, 
e.g., polyalkyleneoxide compounds, as described, for example, in GB patent 
933,008 in order to increase the effectiveness of the bath, or thioether 
compounds known as bleach accelerators. 
While the invention has been described in detail by specific reference to 
preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that variations and 
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the invention.