APPARATUS FOR UNCONFUSABLE DATING

Abstract: Apparatus for unconfusably dating images which are recorded on an advancable medium (1) and has a sensor means (6) which senses the advance of the medium. The sensing means is connected to a primary control unit (8) for controlling, via this unit, that the film has moved. The primary control unit (8) is connected to a secondary control unit (13) provided with a keyboard (15), memory (14) and display panel (16). The secondary control unit (13) is adapted for activating a dating means (11) comprising a single character indicator having a plurality of light segments. The light segments of the character indicator are activatable for projecting a character portion on the film (1) in response to data stored in the memory (14). The projection is controlled by the sensing means (10) to prevent incorrect dating by ensuring that a complete character is applied to the film after its advance by a given number of length sections, and also ensures that new characters are not projected before a given plurality of length sections have been sensed after terminated character projection. The dating means (11) is connected to the primary control unit (8) via an error detector (10), which senses the function of the light segments and on malfunction gives an error or stop signal.

Description: Apparatus for unconfusable dating Technical field The present invention relates to an apparatus for uncon- fusably dating images in conjunction with advancing the medium on which the respective image is to be recorded. Advancing is arranged for taking place by means of a motor, the shaft of which is connected to the driving shaft advancing the image medium. A logical unit is adapted for storing different data for the images and for controlling operation of the motor. Background Art In conjunction with photographing on photographic film it is known to introduce data on the film relating to the image which data is to be recorded thereon as the film is advanced. For this purpose, a camera is utilized which is provided with a character-generating display unit, this unit supplying necessary dating to the film in response to its actuation by a data storage memory. There is here utilized a plurality of stacked light-giving segments, which illuminate or remain unilluminated in response to the shape of the current character, with the object of illuminat¬ ing the film v/ith separate character parts during the advance thereof, these parts together forming the desired character, and finally the desire date, when the film is fully advanced for taking a photograph. It is also known to form photographic cameras with a display unit which, on illumination, gives a total projection of the whole of the desired date, possibly simultaneously with taking a photograph. When recording images in conjunction with examining a patient, it is of extreme importance that each image can be identified so that any risk of confusion is obviated. With known apparatus described above for dating images with character-form¬ ing display segments, there is a substantial risk of an erroneous¬ ly given date, or at least one which is difficult to identify. Thus, one or more of the segments in the stack can remain unilluminated or be illuminated on an occasion when the opposite function is intended, to form an incorrect character. Furthermore there is the risk that the film advance and segment activation is unsynchronous, so that characters formed will become unreadable, due to the segments overlapping or their becoming separated. With simultaneous projection of the total date, the mentioned disadvantages and risks are avoided, but a display unit for such dating, which can contain 16 characters or more use for patient- identification, will become voluminous and result in iat an otherwise easily handled camera becomes large and heavy. Disclosure of the invention The above-mentioned requirement of unconfusability for recorded dating is achieved in accordance with the invention with the aid of a means preventing activation of a dating means until the image recording medium has been advanced a predetermined lengt The dating means builds up the date character " by character, and is also adapted to stop the advance of the medium after a complet date is applied. The apparatus in accordance with the invention is suitable for image storage on different media such as magnetic tape and photographic film. The photographing technique which is usual today is well suited for accommodating an apparatus in accordance with the invention, especially when there are require¬ ments for increased numerical information. By forming the dating means as a single character indicator, with the light segments of which each and every one of all the required whole characters are reproduceable, there is obtained a compact and light means which can be mounted on the camera without the latter becoming difficult to manage. The character indicator is controlled in response to stored data and the film advance. Unconfusability is ensured by a complete character being generated each time the character indicator is activated. To ensure a uniform space between each character in a date, an optical transmitter/receiverunit is incorporated in the apparatus in accordance with the invention. The advance of the film can be sensed by this optical unit, e.g. by detecting the number of perforations along the edges of the film which pass the optical unit, or by detecting the number of teeth or differently coloured areas on a gear or sector wheel mounted on the shaft of the film advancing mechanism. A further check on unconfus¬ ability is achieved by an error detector connected to the character indicator, this detector sensing that the right number of light segments is illuminated in the character indicator. For this purpose, illumination of the respective light segments of the character indicator is preferably monitored by a monitoring circuit comprising a gate means, which indicates possible malfunction of the character indi¬ cator in response to criterion and actual values. Preferred embodiment The apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated on the accompanying drawings, where Figure 1 is a block diagram over the apparatus in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a more, detailed block diagram for a secondary control unit incorporated in the apparatus in Figure 1 and Figure 3 illustrates the principle for the functions of the character indicator and error detector. In Figure 1 there is shown the principle for obtaining unconfusable dating of images which have been recorded on a medium 1. The preferred embodiment of an apparatus for realiz¬ ing this principle includes an image recording medium 1 , in the form of a photographic film on spools 2, 3, one spool 3 being driven by a motor 4 via a movement translation device * A gear 5 is incorporated in this device. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes an optical transmitter/receiver unit 6, which detects the number of passing teeth on the gear 5 during film advance. The optical unit 6 consists of a unit known per se, and transmits light L.. towards the gear teeth, this light __•• being reflected (l-.) to the optical unit 6 if a tooth is struck by the emitted light _L_.. In this way an electric pulse signal is obtained in the optical unit 6, and is fed to a primary control unit 8 incorporated in a logic unit 7 associated with the apparatus. The control unit 8 is connected to a regulating unit 9 for driving the motor 4, and the control unit 8 further- more receives signals from an error detector 10 0 The error detector 10 is connected to a character indicator 11 intended to project desired characters in the date which is to be recorded on the film 1. Projection is done via a lense system 12. The functions of the error detector 10 and character indicator 11 will be described in detail in conjunc¬ tion with Figure 3« The primary control unit 8 constitutes a stop which does not allow characters to be projected by the character indicator 11 before the film 1 has been advanced in a pre¬ determined mode. The primary control unit 8 also constitutes a stop against the projection of an erroneuous character. This is performed by its control of the motor in response to the number of teeth which have been sensed by the optical unit 6 and the actuation of the error detector 10. The primary control unit δ is further in two directions connection with a secondary control unit 13. The secondary unit 13 is in turn connected to a memory 14, a keyboard 15 and a display panel 16. Required dates can be stored in the memory 14 with the aid of the keyboard 15, the memory also storing information for indirectly controlling the regulating unit 9 of the motor 4, and directly controlling the display panel 16. The secondary control unit 13 is furthermore connected to the character indicator 11 for activating the latter in response to signals obtained from the optical unit 6 via the primary control unit 8, as well as signals from the memory 14« The character indicator 11 is activated for a given number of sensed teeth on the gear 5 for projecting current characters according to signals obtained from the memory 14. Simultaneous with this actuation, the memory 14 is stepped forward to be ready for reading out the next character in the desired date. After pro¬ jecting all the characters of the desired date, or as a result of error indication by the optical unit 6 or error detector 11, the logic unit 7 stops the whole apparatus. The display panel 16 is activatable by programming the memory 14 for checking that the dates fed in by the keyboard 15 and also for reading out from the memory 14 in conjunction with activating the character indicator 11. The secondary control unit 13 is shown in more detail by the block diagram shown in Figure 2. As will be seen from this block diagram, the secondary control unit 13 is built up about a central sequence control circuit 18 connected to the keyboard 15 and the primary control unit 8 for two-way communication. The sequence control circuit 18 has two inputs CLEAR and BACK and an output OUTPUT-ENAB-JΞ for communication with the keyboard 15» In this way, the sequence control circuit 18 can be caused to control the motor regulating unit 9 via the primary control unit 8, the sign display on the display panel 16 and the character applica¬ tions on the film 1 (Figure 1) via the character indicator 11. An address selector 19 can be activated via a terminal STORE/SCAIT on the sequence control circuit 18 for supplying to the memory 14 information A from a counter 20, indicating the number of characters on the display panel 16, or with informa¬ tion B from an address register 21 , which is in two-way informa¬ tion communication with the sequence control unit 18 for controlling what characters are to be transferred to the character indicator 11 and the display panel 16, and when these characters are to be transferred. The sequence control circuit 18 and counter 20 are controlled by an oscillator 22 via clock in¬ puts. The .keyboard 15 is connected to the memory 14 via a buffer 23 for data input. The buffer 23 is also connected to the sequence control circuit 18 to indicate data stored in the buffea The memory 14 is activated by a READ/WRITE output on the sequence control circuit 18, whereby data stored in the memory 14 is taken further, via driving circuits, to the character indicator 11 and/or the display panel 16. The driving circuits include a decoder 24 connected to the memory 14 and intended for activat¬ ing, in response to the current address, a single character driver 25 for the character indicator 11 and/or a segment driver 26 for the display panel 16. Said drivers 25, 26 are controll- able from the sequence control circuit 18. In the display panel 16 there are conventionally in¬ corporated a character drive unit 27 and a decoder 28. The decoder 28 is actuated by the counter 2"θ. O PI The data output of the memory 14 is monitored by a character sensor 29 to indicate lapsed character feed at the input NO SIGIΫ on sequence control unit 18. The error detector 10 is also connected to the single character driver 25 to sense malfunctions thereof. The error detector 10 feeds the segment driver 26, thus indicating such possible malfunctions. The sequence control circuit 18 incorporated in the secondary control unit 13 can to advantage constitute a micro- processor. In figure 3 there are schematically depicted three positions displaced in time for the film 1. Between each posi¬ tion there is a time corresponding to the predetermined number of teeth which are required for activating the character indicator 11 (Figure 1 ). The character indicator comprises a single unit 17 with a plurality of light segments A - G* in a mode known per se. numerical characters can be reproduced by the unit 17, but it is also conceivable to utilize a character indi¬ cator whereby letters and other characters can be given. The illumination of the character indicator's respective light segment is then preferably monitored by a monitoring circuit including a gate means which, ia response to criterion and actual values, indicates possible malfunction of the character indi¬ cator. With the apparatus in accordance with the invention - there is obtained complete security against any confusion of the dates for different photographic images. The individual characters are ensured equidistant spacing from each other due to the optical transmitter/receiver unit 6, and the illumina- tion or lack of illumination of a segment of the character indicator 11 results in the error detector 10 sending a warning signal or automatically stopping the apparatus. Different modifications are conceivable in the apparatus without departing from the inventive concept. Thus, the light beam L_. transmitted from the optical transmitter/receiver unit 6 can be directed towards the perforated edge which is usual on the film 1. In this mode there is obtained a reflec- tion of each portion between the perforations and a reliable indication as to the length of film advanced. Alternatively, instead of said optical transmitter/receiver unit, Hall elements, magnetic pickup means or the like can be utilized. Monitoring of the function of the character indicator's light segments A-G* can be made even more secure by introducing a circuit in the error detector 10 which can sens a short circuit and/or light intensity. O_-.?I

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for unconfusably dating images ' in conjunc¬ tion with the advance of a medium on which the respective image is to be recorded, said advance being adapted for execution by a motor (4), the shaft of which is connected to the drive shaft of the medium, there being a logic unit (7) which is adapted for storing separate date for the images and for controlling the motor drive, characterized by a means (6) adapted for preventing activation of a dating means (11) until the medium (1 ) is advanced a predetermined length, said dating means (11) being adapted for forming the date on the images character by character and for stopping the advance of the medium (1) after completed dating. 2 β Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where the medium constitutes a photographic film (1 ) mounted on spools (2, 3) in a camera, one spool (3) being driven by the motor (4)* and said camera being provided with a character generating display means (11) for said dating of respective image, characterized in that the sensing means (6) comprises a film position sensor adapted for preventing incorrect projection of the respective character by ensuring a uniform activation of the display means (11) via the data — storing logic unit (7), said display means (11) comprising a single character indicator only with a plurality of light segments, said indicator being adapted for projecting a complete character in response to stored data and advanced film length, to form a complete date on the film (l). 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the film position sensor (6) comprises an optical transmitter/ receiver unit adapted to sense each separate opening and/or space between such openings in the longitudinal feed perforations with which the film (1 ) is provided. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the film position sensor (6) comprises an optical transmitter/ receiver unit adapted for sensing teeth in a gear (5), or differently coloured areas on a sector wheel mounted on the shaft of the motor (4) or spool (3). 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the display unit (11) comprises said character indicator and a projecting means (12) for providing a complete character on the film (1 ) during its advance, for forming one of a plurality of complete characters comprising the date on an image re¬ produced onto the film. 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 5, characterized in that the display unit (11) is connected to the logic unit (7) via an error detector (lθ) adapted to sense the correct function of the character indicator's segments (A-G) and for malfunction provide an error indication signal and/or a signal stopping the motor (4) drive. 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each light segment (A-G*) of the character indicator (11) is monitored by a monitoring circuit comprising a gate means adapted for indicating, in response to criterion and actual values, possible malfunction of the character indicator. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the logic unit (7) comprises a primary control system (δ) for regulating the motor (4) drive in response to the optical transmitter/receiver unit (6) and the error detector (lθ) of the display unit (11), as well as a secondary control unit (13) Connected to the primary control unit (8) and adapted for activating the display unit (11) on reception of activating signals from the optical transmitter/receiver unit (6), the secondary control unit (13) being connected to a key¬ board (15) for reading data into a memory (14) connected to the secondary control system, said data comprising the date for each individual image which is to be reproduced on the film (1 ), there being a display panel (lδ) connected to said secondary control unit (13) for displaying data being lodged in the memory (14) and/or current date being applied to the film (1 ). 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the secondary control system (13) comprises a sequence control circuit (18) which is two-way connected to the keyboard (15), to the primary control unit (8) and to an address register (21^ the memory (14) for data read out to the display unit (11) and/ or the display panel (16) being activatable from the sequence control unit via a read/write terminal and a store/scan terminal which actuates an address selector (19) for feeding the memory either with information from the reproduction panel (16) or with information from the address register (21 )♦ 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the sequence control circuit (lδ) comprises a micro¬ processor.

Inventors: STENBERG L
Applicants: SINUS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AB, STENBERG L
Application year: 1980
Main classification: G03B41
IPC codes: G03B17