JPH04310938A - Code information reader for photographic film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a code information reader for a photographic film which can read information recorded on a film with high density. CONSTITUTION:A bar code is irradiated by a light emitting element 17. Light transmitted through the bar code is condensed to a sensor 14 by a lens 16. A signal corresponding to the irradiated light quantity is outputted by the sensor 14. A slit plate 15 having a slit 15A whose width is narrower than the minimum bar width of the bar code is provided on the incident side of the sensor 14. Therefore, the sensor 14 is irradiated with only the light transmitted through the slit 15A and the bar code recorded with the high density can be read.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a code information reading device for photographic film, and more particularly to a code information reading device for photographic film that reads bar codes recorded on film by camera equipment or the like.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, there is a film system in which an object is photographed using a camera or the like, the image is recorded on a film, and the recorded film image is printed onto paper. Images captured under various conditions, such as differences in the light source shining on the subject during photography or when the same subject is photographed against different backgrounds, are printed onto paper, resulting in high-quality prints with good color reproducibility. In order to obtain these images, the conditions at the time of photographing must be reflected as information. Furthermore, it is desired to record various information on the film according to the user's wishes.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-214023 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 64-6933 disclose information such as shutter speed, aperture, date, time, location, title, whether shooting was performed under different light sources, etc. It has been disclosed that data is recorded on a film and used for determining the printing exposure amount.

[0004] As a method of recording and reading this data, there is a method of recording and reading code information using a bar code, in which the above data and information such as the shooting light amount value are recorded outside the screen of the film with a bar code, and the information recorded at the time of print printing is recorded. It reads the information and uses this information to produce higher quality prints.

[0005] Barcode reading is performed by placing a light source such as an LED and a detector such as a photodiode at a position conjugate to a lens, and moving the film. That is, the barcode recording section is irradiated with light from a light source, and the barcode is read out by determining whether it is a bar or a blank from a signal output from a detector according to the amount of light transmitted through the barcode recording section.

[0006]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, since the detector is irradiated with the light that has passed through the bar and the light that has passed through the blank, when the width of the bar is narrow, the signal output from the detector will not reach the blank. It becomes close to the transmitted signal. Therefore, the difference in the amount of transmitted light between the bar and the blank becomes small. Therefore, the range of the amount of transmitted light for identifying bars becomes narrower, which may result in poor reading.

In addition, in order to efficiently record a large amount of information using a barcode in the area above and below a photographed image or in the area between adjacent images, it is necessary to narrow the width of the bars and blanks of the barcode and increase the height of the barcode. It is necessary to record a lot of information at a high density. However, if the width of the bar and blank is narrowed and recorded at high density, the difference in the amount of transmitted light between the bar and blank for distinguishing the bar becomes smaller, leading to an increase in reading errors. The problem is that barcodes cannot be recorded.

The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a code information reading device for photographic film that can read optical information recorded at high density.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an irradiation means for irradiating light onto a barcode recording portion of a photographic film on which a barcode consisting of a bar and a blank is recorded; a light collecting means for collecting light transmitted through the barcode recording section of the film; a detector disposed on the light collecting side of the light collecting means and outputting a signal according to the amount of incident light; a slit plate having a slit that coincides with the length direction of the bar and disposed between the light focusing means and the detector such that the slit is located near the light focusing position of the light focusing means; There is.

[0010] Furthermore, it is further preferable that the width of the slit is narrower than the minimum width of a bar code bar or blank recorded on the film.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a bar code consisting of bars and blanks is recorded on the photographic film. An irradiation means irradiates light onto the barcode recording portion recorded on the photographic film. The light that has passed through the barcode recording section of the photographic film is focused by a focusing means. Also, the detector is
It is disposed on the light collecting side of the light collecting means and outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of incident light. A slit plate is arranged between the light focusing means and the detector and near the light focusing position of the light focusing means. This slit plate has a slit whose length direction coincides with the length direction of the bar.

[0012] Accordingly, the light that has passed through the barcode recording portion of the photographic film is focused near the slit by the light focusing means, so that only the light that has passed through the slit is incident on the detector. Here, for example, when the film is moved, the slit is irradiated with light that has passed through the barcode at a position corresponding to the movement of the film. Therefore, the detector outputs a signal with an amount of light depending on the position of the bar or blank of the bar code, and the bar code can be read.

Furthermore, by making the width of the slit narrower than the minimum width of the bar code bar or blank recorded on the film, only the light that has passed through each bar code bar or blank is sent to the detector. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the detector with an amount of light that makes it possible to clearly distinguish between bars and blanks of the bar code.

[0014]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the photographic film code information reading device of the present invention is applied to a color photographic printing apparatus (printer) 20. As shown in FIG. 3, below the negative carrier 12 that conveys the negative film F to the printing section, there is a
A mirror box 18 and a lamp house 19 with a halogen lamp are arranged. A light control filter 40 is arranged between the mirror box 18 and the lamp house 19. As is well known, the light control filter 40 is composed of three color filters: a Y (yellow) filter, an M (magenta) filter, and a C (cyan) filter.

Above the negative carrier 12 is a lens 22.
, a black shutter 24 and a color paper 26 are arranged in this order, and the light rays emitted from the lamp house 19 and transmitted through the dimmer filter 40, the mirror box 18 and the negative film F are transferred to the color paper 2 by the lens 22.
6.

A two-dimensional image sensor 30 is installed in a direction oblique to the optical axis of the imaging optical system and at a position where the image density of the negative film F can be measured by dividing the negative image into a large number of parts. It is located.

The perforation of the negative film F is omitted, and at the position where the perforation existed, there is information indicating whether a strobe is used, information indicating the photographing light amount value (LV value), and information indicating that the photograph was taken, as shown in FIG. Information such as photographing time information indicating the month, day, and time is encoded and printed on the negative film F as a barcode B. The information indicating the use of a strobe has bit correspondence depending on whether or not the strobe is used, and the information indicating the LV value is encoded as the LV value at the time of photographing. Further, as the information at the time of photographing, the date of photographing (the year may be added) and the time of photographing are used, and this information at the time of photographing is encoded.

Note that the position where information is recorded onto the film is not limited to the position shown in FIG. The information may be recorded in this information recording section. Alternatively, a conventional negative film F with perforations may be used.

On the upstream side of the negative carrier 12, the sensor 14
A code information reading section 10 comprising a slit plate 15, a lens 16, and a light emitting element 17 is arranged. The light emitting element 17 irradiates the negative film F, and the lens 16 is disposed on the transmission side of the irradiated negative film F. A slit plate 15 and a sensor 14 are arranged in this order on the imaging side of the lens 16, and the slit plate 15 is shorter than the length of the barcode B and has a predetermined width, for example, from 5 μm to 50 μm.
It is formed by vapor-depositing metal such as aluminum onto a thin glass plate so as to have a slit 15A with a width of 0 μm that allows light to pass through. The slit plate 15 is
The slit 15A is arranged on the incident side of the sensor 14 so that the length direction of the slit 15A is perpendicular to the reading direction of the barcode B. Further, the sensor 14 and the slit plate 15 are arranged close to each other so that the incident light causes a diffraction phenomenon due to the width of the slit 15A and the amount of light irradiated to the sensor 14 does not change. The lens 16 images the barcode B recorded on the negative film F onto the slit plate 15. Therefore, the sensor 14 is disposed at a position where the negative film F passes between the sensor 14 and the light emitting element 17 and where the barcode B information recorded on the negative film F can be detected. The sensor 14 uses a photoelectric conversion element such as a photodiode, and the light receiving element 17 uses an L
A light emitter such as ED can be used. Thereby, the encoded barcode B can be optically read by the sensor 14.

The sensor 14 is connected to the input end of an amplifier circuit (AMP) 52, and the output end is connected to a comparison circuit (CMP) 54.
is connected to one of the input ends of the It should be noted that the other input terminal of the CMP 54 is connected to receive a reference voltage Vs by a power supply means (not shown). CMP54
The output terminal of is connected to the control circuit 28.

The control circuit 28 is composed of a microcomputer, and has a keyboard 3 for inputting data, etc.
2 are connected. A two-dimensional image sensor 30 is connected to the control circuit 28 . Further, the control circuit 28 is connected to control the dimming filter 40. The control circuit 28 also controls the motor 60 via the driver 56.
It is connected to the. The motor 60 is connected to each of the transport rollers 58, and when the motor 60 rotates at a constant speed, the transport roller 58 is rotated and the negative film F is transported at a constant speed in the S direction shown in FIG. .

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below. A photographed negative film F that has been developed and has information recorded by the barcode B is placed in the printing processing device 20 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the code information reading section 10 for reading the barcode B includes a light emitting element 17, a lens 16, a slit plate 15, and a sensor 14. The barcode B irradiated with light emitted from the light emitting element 17 is imaged onto the slit plate 15 by the lens 16 . Then, the light passing through the slit 15A is transmitted to the sensor 1.
4, and the sensor 14 outputs a signal according to the amount of incident light. At this time, by rotating the motor 60 at a constant speed, the conveying roller 58 is rotated and the negative film F is rotated.
is transported at a constant speed. When the negative film F is conveyed, the sensor 14 outputs a signal according to the pattern of the barcode B. That is, as shown in FIG. 2(A), when the negative film F is conveyed in the S direction, the amount of light irradiated onto the slit 15A formed on the slit plate 15 due to the movement of the blank and bar of the barcode B is the amount of transmitted light corresponding to the bar and blank positions of barcode B. As shown in FIG. 2(B), this slit plate 15 has a length of the slit 15A, which is a portion through which light passes, is shorter than the length of the barcode B, and a width Ws of the slit 15A narrower than the smallest width W (W>W
s) has been done. For this reason, when the bar of the barcode B having the minimum width W is irradiated onto the slit 15A of the slit plate 15, the slit 15A of the slit plate 15 is blocked by the bar of the barcode B, and the light is not irradiated onto the sensor 14. The amount of light will be minimized. On the other hand, when the barcode B blank is irradiated onto the slit plate 15, the light that has passed through the barcode B blank is irradiated, and the amount of light irradiated onto the sensor 14 becomes maximum. Therefore, the difference in light intensity between each bar of the bar code B can be increased to a large extent between the blank and the bar. As a result, as the barcode B moves, the sensor 14 is irradiated with the amount of light transmitted according to the blank and bar of the barcode B, as shown in FIG. 2(C).
As the barcode B moves, a signal corresponding to the stripes of the barcode B is output from the sensor 14.

The signal output from the sensor 14 is AMP
52 and amplified at a predetermined amplification factor. AMP5
The signal amplified by 2 is input to the CMP 54 and compared with the reference voltage VS. The signal output from the CMP 54 becomes high level when it is larger than the reference voltage VS, and becomes low level when it is smaller. Therefore, CMP5
When the signal output from 4 is at a low level, it corresponds to the bar of barcode B. Further, the signal output from the CMP 54 is input to the control circuit 28, and the encoded information of the barcode B is converted into data for printing processing in the control circuit 28. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(C),
Since the difference in light intensity between the blank and the bar of barcode B can be large, the setting range of the reference voltage VS can be set wide, without causing reading errors due to voltage fluctuations due to changes over time, etc. Barcode B can be detected.

In this way, the slit plate 1 has a width WS of the slit 15A through which light passes through the slit plate 15, which is narrower than the minimum width W of the plurality of bars of the bar code B.
5 on the incident side of the sensor 14, the resolution for reading the barcode B can be increased. Thereby, the barcode B can be recorded at high density on the negative film F, and the amount of recorded information can be increased. Furthermore, a slit plate 1 is provided with a slit 15A narrower than the minimum width of the bar and blank of barcode B.
5, it is possible to make a large difference in the amount of light between each blank and bar of the bar code B, and therefore it is possible to make a large setting range for the reference voltage VS. Therefore, by recording at a high density, even if the difference in light amount between the blank and the bar becomes small, it becomes easy to distinguish between the blank and the bar.

[0026] In the above embodiment, an example was explained in which a negative film was used as the film, but the film is not limited to negative film, and reversal film for direct printing or other films may also be used. good.

[0027]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, since the slit plate is disposed between the condensing means and the detector,
Only the light that has passed through the slit is illuminated on the detector. Furthermore, by making the slit narrower than the minimum width of the barcode bars and blanks, even when reading barcodes recorded at high density, the detector is illuminated by the light that has passed through each bar and blank. In order to be
The effect is that blanks and bars can be easily distinguished and the amount of information recorded on the film can be increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of a code information reading device according to an embodiment.

[Figure 2] (A) is a diagram showing the relationship from the light emitting element of the code information reading unit to the sensor, (B) is a plan view showing the slit plate and the barcode, and (C) is a diagram showing the amount of light passing through the slit plate. This is the signal obtained from the sensor accordingly.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a photographic printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a negative film.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Code information reading section 14 Sensor 15 Slit plate 15A slit 16 Lens 17 Light emitting element 20 Photo printing equipment

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An irradiating means for irradiating light onto a barcode recording area of a photographic film on which a barcode consisting of bars and blanks is recorded, and a condenser for condensing light transmitted through the barcode recording area of the photographic film. an optical means; a detector disposed on the condensing side of the condensing means and outputting a signal according to the amount of incident light; and a slit whose length direction coincides with the length direction of the bar; A code information reading device for photographic film, comprising: a slit plate disposed between the light collecting means and the detector so as to be located near the light collecting position of the light collecting means. 2. The code information reading device for photographic film according to claim 1, wherein the width of the slit is narrower than the minimum width of a bar or blank of a bar code recorded on the film.