Telecine device that utilizes standard video camera circuits

Abstract

A telecine device that replays such movie films as 8 millimeter, 16 millimeter and 35 millimeter format film, automates interpolation of the different frame rates between film and video signals by comparing film pulses with video signal pulses and controlling a stepping motor to advance the frames, and utilizes standard video camera circuits to output the images into analog video signals or digital video signals in a variety of formats.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Japan Patent Application (Published) 2005-252418 STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable REFERENCE TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED SEPARATELY [0003] Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Cinema projectors for certain film formats, particularly 8 millimeter film, have not been manufactured since the 1980s. To date, the only options for replaying 8 millimeter film were to use projectors that had had more than 20 years pass since their manufacture or to pay a fee to a video conversion service to convert the film to a video or DVD format. Cinema projectors that are more than 20 years old tend to be aged and decrepit, most are likely to suffer from some malfunction and official support from the most manufacturers is no longer available. In short, even if a member of the general public possesses the film, they do not have any means of projecting the film when their projector breaks down. Moreove...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] By comparing the replay speed of a movie film such as 8 millimeter, 16 millimeter, 35 millimeter movie film (film replay pulse) with the video frame signal (video frame pulse) or the video field signal (video field pulse), it generates a pulse (hereafter called the stepping motor control pulse) and uses the stepping motor control pulse to control a stepping motor to advance the frames at the right speed, and automatically interpolates the difference in frame rates (frames per second) and replays in real time. Then utilizes standard video camera circuits to output the film images into analog video signals or digital video signals. By allowing for the adjustment of the film drive mechanisms and the dimensions of the optical components as well as the control programs, it is easily able to produce telecine device that support multiple film formats.

Problems solved by technology

Cinema projectors that are more than 20 years old tend to be aged and decrepit, most are likely to suffer from some malfunction and official support from the most manufacturers is no longer available.

In short, even if a member of the general public possesses the film, they do not have any means of projecting the film when their projector breaks down.

Moreover, only high-priced commercial telecine equipment is available for converting the film into the video signal format, making it difficult to obtain substitute equipment for the film projectors.

Furthermore, none of the recording frame rates for film—there are various formats at 16, 18 or 24 frames per second-correspond to the frame rates for video signals (the NTSC format is 30 frames per second, the PAL and SECAM are 25 frames per second), making it useless to simply replace one film frame with one or two video signal frames.

Thus, the processes that interpolate at the stage when the images are converted to a video signal cannot use standard video camera circuits without modification, making it necessary to develop specialized circuits and low-cost production is therefore limited.

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