JPH03292055A - Picture recording reading and reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read color picture information from a photosensitive material through the use of a semiconductor light source obtained very easily by using the photosensitive material having a coloring characteristic in which absorption peak value is in existence at the outside of an infrared ray region. CONSTITUTION:A photosensitive material 36 has its sensitivity in a wavelength region alpha1 near 560nm being a visual region, a wavelength region alpha2 near 650nm and a wavelength region alpha3 near 750nm being the infrared ray region and a picture is recorded by the light in the above three wavelength regions and subject to development processing. The absorbing characteristic of the photosensitive material 36 is made correspondent with wavelengths of laser beams L1, L2, L3 of semiconductor lasers 14a-14c used for a picture reader 10. While an original 36 is subject to subscanning by a subscanning carrier means, the semiconductor lasers 14a-14c are sequentially driven under the drive of a control circuit 12. Color picture information is fed to a picture processing circuit 42 as an electric signal via photo transistors 40a, 40b. Thus, a signal corresponding to the color picture information recorded on the original 36 is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is an image recording/reading method for recording, reading, and reproducing color image information using a semiconductor light source using a photosensitive material whose coloring properties include absorption properties in the infrared region. Regarding the playback system.

[Prior Art] As a device for reading color image information, a CCD (Cha
There is a color image reading device that combines a color filter and a color filter.

In the case of this device, although it is possible to reduce the size and weight, the CCD
The disadvantage is that the resolution of the color image information obtained is limited by the number of pixels that make up the image. Therefore, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, a device using a plurality of CODs has been proposed, but this has the inconvenience of having to correct for differences in characteristics between the CCDs.

On the other hand, there is a color image reading device that uses laser light to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of CCDs. In this color image reading device, a color image original is scanned with a laser beam, and color image information is obtained from the reflected light or transmitted light. In this case, when a gas laser is used as the laser light source, there are problems in that it is expensive and the apparatus becomes large. Therefore, it is conceivable to use a semiconductor laser, which is small and whose drive can be easily controlled, in place of the gas laser.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, readily available semiconductor lasers usually have a limited wavelength of laser light, and therefore are unsuitable for reading color image information in their original state. Therefore, a method has been proposed in which the laser light output from a semiconductor laser is converted to a predetermined wavelength using a second harmonic generation element, and the color image information is read using the converted laser light. Yes (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-141051)
.

However, the second harmonic generating element etc. is susceptible to temperature changes,
The disadvantage is that the device is unstable against changes in the surrounding environment such as shocks, and countermeasures must be taken for the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording, reading, and reproducing system that is extremely simple in configuration and capable of stably reading color image information using a semiconductor light source that is easy to handle.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses a photosensitive material having color-forming properties having an absorption peak at least in the infrared region, and after imagewise exposing the photosensitive material, A development process is performed to obtain a dye image including at least an infrared absorption image, and a light beam from a semiconductor light source having a different wavelength corresponding to the absorption peak wavelength of the obtained dye image is applied to the photosensitive material after the development process. The dye image is read by irradiation and scanning, and the obtained image signal is used to record again on the recording material to obtain a visible image.

The light-sensitive material of the present invention has a color-forming property with an absorption peak in at least the infrared region, which means that it contains a dye-donating compound that exhibits absorption in the infrared region.

This dye-donating compound is used in conventional color photographic materials.
Color forming couplers commonly used as o-graphic rnaterials
oring coupler, or color diffusion transfer.
It may also be a compound that releases a diffusible dye as a result of development, such as those utilized in the technology of E.L.

In any case, a compound is used that can generate or release a dye having absorption in the infrared region as a result of development of the silver halide emulsion. Such compounds are known in the art, and for example, the compounds described in JP-A-1-185630 can be used.

In the present invention, such a dye-providing compound and a silver halide emulsion are used in combination. Here, using in combination means that a dye-providing compound is used in a silver halide emulsion layer (Si
lver valideemulsion 1ayer
) or in a layer adjacent to it.

In the present invention, it is preferable to use at least three silver halide emulsion layers having different color sensitivities. For example, blue-sensitive emulsion (blue-sensitivity emulsion)
ve emulsion) and a dye-donating compound that exhibits absorption in the green wavelength region;
a layer consisting of a dye-donating compound that exhibits absorption in the red wavelength region, and a red-sensitive emulsion (red-sensitive emulsion);
green light-sensitive emulsion (green emulsion)
A red-sensitive emulsion (red-sensitive emulsion) and a dye-donating compound that exhibits absorption in the green wavelength region.
sion) and a dye-donating compound that exhibits absorption in the red wavelength region, and an infrared-sensitive emulsion (infrared).
Examples include photosensitive materials in which a layer consisting of a dye-donating compound (-sensitive emulsion) and a dye-donating compound exhibiting absorption in the infrared region are stacked.

Incidentally, in the present invention, the expression "photosensitive material" includes an image-receiving material that has received an image of a diffusive dye as a result of development processing.

[Function] In the image recording, reading and reproducing system according to the present invention, a photosensitive material having color-forming properties having at least an absorption peak in the infrared region is used. After imagewise exposing a color image to this photosensitive material, it is developed, and then the photosensitive material is scanned using a semiconductor light source that outputs a light beam with a wavelength corresponding to the coloring characteristics of the photosensitive material. Color image information including regions can be read directly. Also,
Image recording is performed again using the read image signal, and a visible image can be obtained.

[Example code] Examples of the present invention will be described below.

The image recording, reading and reproducing system of this embodiment basically consists of the following steps.

(Recording) Recording methods include recording using a so-called photo camera, scanning recording using three-color light beams, or slitting by irradiating the original with a line light source)I! There are ways to light up.

Examples of the spectral sensitivity characteristics and spectral absorption characteristics of the photosensitive material used for recording are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figure 1 has sensitivity in the visible range and has an absorption characteristic in the infrared region with a peak around 750W, while Figure 2 has sensitivity in the infrared region and has an absorption characteristic in the infrared region of 750W.
It has its peak around 810 degrees and 810 degrees.

Recording on the photosensitive material shown in FIG. 1 is preferably carried out by a photographic camera or by slit exposure. For recording on the photosensitive material shown in FIG. 2, scanning recording using three color light beams is preferable. As a recording apparatus of this type, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-226552, and this apparatus can also be used in the present invention.

(Development) Development methods for photosensitive materials on which images have been recorded are well known, and wet development, heat development, etc. may be employed as appropriate depending on the characteristics of the photosensitive material.

(Reading) FIG. 3 shows an image reading device for implementing the image recording, reading, and reproducing system of the present invention.

This image reading device 10 has semiconductor lasers 14a to 14c which are driven and controlled by a control circuit 12 and output laser beams LISL2 and LISL2.

In this case, for example, the semiconductor laser 14a has a wavelength of 810 nm.
The semiconductor lasers 14b and 14c have wavelengths of 750nrn and 67nm, respectively.
It is assumed that laser beams L2 and La of 0 nm are output.

Note that the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14c that output the laser beams L1, L2, and L3 of these wavelengths can be manufactured very easily by hand.

A laser beam is emitted on the laser beam output side of the semiconductor laser 14a,
A collimator lens 16a that generates a parallel light beam is disposed, and a cylindrical lens 18a and a reflecting mirror 20 are disposed at a predetermined distance from the collimator lens 16a. On the other hand, collimator lenses 16b and 16c are provided on the laser light output sides of the semiconductor lasers 14b and 14C, respectively, and cylindrical lenses 18b and 18c are provided at a predetermined distance from the collimator lenses 16b and 16C.

A guichroic mirror 2 is provided on the optical path of the laser beams L2 and L3 that pass through the cylindrical lenses 18b and 18C.
2a and 22b are arranged. At this time, the reflecting mirror 20 and the guichroic mirrors 22a and 22b have the same inclination angle, and guide the respective laser beams Ll, L2, and L to the same optical path 24. The guichroic mirror 22a transmits the laser beam L1 and reflects the laser beam L2, while the guichroic mirror 22b has a function of transmitting the laser beam Lt and L2 and reflecting the laser beam.

The laser beams L+, L2 and L which have reached the same optical path 24 are guided to the polygon mirror 30 after being reflected by the reflecting mirrors 26 and 28. The polygon mirror 30 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the laser beams L+, L2 and L2 reflected through the polygon mirror 30 are reflected by the fθ lens 32.
Cylindrical mirror 3 for surface tilt correction
A photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as original 36) holding image information that has been reflected at 4 and then developed is main-scanned in the six directions of arrows. In this case, the original 36 is transported in the sub-scanning direction (direction of arrow B) which is substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction via a sub-scanning transport means (not shown), and below the original 36 there is a document extending in the main scanning direction. A light condensing bar 38 is provided. Photoelectric conversion elements, such as phototransistors 40a and 40b, are attached to both ends of the light condensing bar 38, and the phototransistors 40a and 40b are connected to the image processing circuit 4.
Connected to 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, upstream of the image reading device 10, there is an image recording device 50 for recording color image information on the document 36, and a developing process for the document 36 on which the color image information is recorded. A developing device 60 is connected thereto.

(Reproduction) An image reproduction device 70 for reproducing the color image information read by the image reading device 10 is connected downstream of the image reading device 10. Note that this image reproducing device 70 may be of any type as long as it can create a color hard copy from the read image signal. The image recording device 50, the developing device 60, the image reading device 10, and the image reproducing device 70 constitute an image recording, reading, and reproducing system from recording to reproducing color image information.

Here, the original document 36, that is, the photosensitive material 36, has sensitivity characteristics and color development characteristics shown in FIG. That is, this photosensitive material 36 is sensitive to a wavelength range α1 near 5(iQnrn) in the visible region, a wavelength range α2 near 650n+n, and a wavelength range α3 near 750nm in the infrared region (FIG. 2a). After an image is recorded using light in the three wavelength ranges mentioned above, this photosensitive material is developed to produce a wavelength range β1 near 670 nm, a wavelength range β2 near 750 nffl, and a wavelength near 810 nm in the infrared range. The absorption characteristics of the photosensitive material 36 are shown in the region β3 (FIG. 2b).The absorption characteristics of the photosensitive material 36 are as follows:
It is made to correspond to the wavelengths of L2 and Ls.

Next, the image recording, reading and reproducing system of this embodiment will be explained in more detail.

First, color image information is recorded on the original document 36 in the image recording device 50 . As the image recording device 50, for example, a device having the same configuration as the image reading device 10 described above can be used. In this case, the photosensitive material senses light in wavelength ranges α1, α2, and α3 to accumulate color image information.

Next, the photosensitive material (original 36) is processed by a developing device 60.
Perform development processing using . The developing device 60 performs wet development,
A predetermined development process such as dry development or heat development is performed depending on the photosensitive material. The original 36 is developed by the developing device 60 to develop color based on color image information. In this case, the absorption characteristics of the photosensitive material are as shown in Figure 2.
The characteristics include the infrared region, and the obtained color image information usually has a higher appearance than when the image was recorded on the document 36.

Next, the developed document 36 is loaded into the image reading device 10 and the reading operation is performed.

Therefore, the document 36 is transported by a sub-scanning conveyance means (not shown).
In FIG. 3, the control circuit 1 is
2, the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14c are sequentially driven. The laser beam L1 derived from the semiconductor laser 14a is made into a parallel beam by the collimator lens 16a, passes through the cylindrical lens 18a, is reflected by the reflection mirror 22, and is reflected by the respective gicroic mirrors 2.
2a and 22b to reach the reflecting mirror 26. The laser beam reflected by the reflecting mirror 26 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 2.
8 and enters the polygon mirror 30 through the fθ lens 3.
2, is reflected by a cylindrical mirror 34, and is irradiated onto a document 36.

On the other hand, laser light L2 emitted from the semiconductor laser 14b
Similarly, the light passes through the collimator lens 16b1 and the cylindrical lens 18b, is reflected by the gicroic mirror 22a, passes through the gicroic mirror 22b, and enters the reflection mirror 26. Therefore, laser light is the same as the laser light mentioned above.

The original 36 is irradiated through the optical path 24 through which the light passes.

Furthermore, the laser beam L derived from the semiconductor laser 14c
3 passes through the collimator lens 16C1 and the cylindrical lens 18C, is reflected by the gicroic mirror 22b, reaches the reflection mirror 26, reaches the cylindrical mirror 34, and is irradiated onto the original 36.

Here, the absorption characteristics of the original 36 (photosensitive material) are shown in FIG. While absorbed, laser beams L2 and L3
The light passes through the original 36 and reaches the condensing bar 38. Therefore, this color image information is transmitted to the phototransistors 40a, 40
The signal is sent to the image processing circuit 42 as an electrical signal via the signal line b. Further, in a portion where the absorption characteristic of the photosensitive material is in the wavelength range β2, the laser beams L1 and L similarly reach the phototransistors 40a and 40b.

By sequentially driving the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14C in this manner, a signal corresponding to the color image information recorded on the original document 36 is obtained. Next, these signals are processed by the image processing circuit 42 to obtain image signals corresponding to the three primary colors, cyan, magenta, and yellow.

As described above, the color image information recorded on the document 36 is transmitted to the semiconductor laser 1 for reading the color image information.
The laser beams outputted from 4a to 14C are accumulated in a photosensitive material having absorption characteristics corresponding to the wavelengths of , La and Li. Therefore, the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14c
As such, those in the red and infrared regions can be selected, which are very readily available. Further, it is no longer necessary to use an expensive conversion element with unstable characteristics such as a second harmonic generation element for converting the wavelength of the laser beam L+, Lz or laser beam as an optical system. As a result, extremely inexpensive and highly accurate image reading becomes possible.

As shown in FIG. 5, the photosensitive material has sensitivity in the wavelength range rrsT2 and T3 including the red to infrared region, and has absorption characteristics depending on the wavelength of the laser light from the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14C to L3. wavelength range, β1, β2, β
It is also possible to use . In this case, recording and reading of color image information including the infrared region can be performed using the same semiconductor lasers 14a to 14C.

Next, the color image information read by the image reading device 10 is reproduced as a visible image by the image reproduction device 70. In this case, the color image information can not only be displayed on a CRT or the like, but also reproduced on a recording sheet such as an ordinary film. Note that if a photosensitive material on which a visible image is formed by the laser beams of the semiconductor lasers 14a to 14C to L3 is used as the recording sheet, the image reproducing device 70 can have the same configuration as the image reading device 10 shown in FIG. be able to.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, by using a photosensitive material having color-forming characteristics with an absorption peak in the infrared region,
Color image information can be read from the photosensitive material using semiconductor light sources that are very easily available.

A desired color image can then be reproduced from this color image information. In this case, in a system using the semiconductor light source, there is no need to convert the wavelength of the light beam output from the semiconductor light source, so the configuration becomes extremely simple.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 are explanatory diagrams of characteristics of photosensitive materials used in the image recording, reading, and reproducing system according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the image recording, reading and reproducing system according to the present invention. 10... Image reading devices 14a to 14C... Semiconductor laser 36... Original (photosensitive material) 50... Image recording device 60... Developing device 70... Image reproducing device FIG, 1b 00 00 800 ℃）OOnm Wavelength 00 00 00 00nm Wavelength Wavelength

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Using a photosensitive material having color-forming properties with an absorption peak at least in the infrared region, after imagewise exposing this photosensitive material, a predetermined development process is performed to obtain a dye image including at least an infrared absorption image; The dye image is read by irradiating and scanning the photosensitive material after the development process with light beams from semiconductor light sources each having a different wavelength corresponding to the absorption peak wavelength of the dye image obtained, and an image signal is obtained. An image recording, reading and reproducing system characterized in that a visible image is obtained by recording on a recording material again. (2) In the image recording, reading and reproducing system according to claim 1, the photosensitive material has spectral sensitivity peaks at at least three wavelengths in the visible range, and the dye image has peaks in spectral sensitivity at at least three wavelengths in the infrared range and at least one wavelength in the visible range. An image recording, reading and reproducing system characterized by having absorption peaks at two wavelengths. (3) In the image recording, reading and reproducing system according to claim 1, the photosensitive material has a peak of spectral sensitivity in the infrared region as well as the visible region, and the dye image has a peak of spectral sensitivity in the infrared region and at least two wavelengths in the visible region. An image recording, reading and reproducing system characterized by having an absorption peak at one wavelength. (4) The image recording, reading and reproducing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the semiconductor light source for reading the dye image is used as a light source for re-recording based on the read image signal. Image recording reading and playback system.