JPH1051576A - Image processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To specify a printing method for printing out an image in a film by a simple method. A reading means for reading a document for setting a printing method, and a predetermined output medium for reading one or more images from a film on which a plurality of images are recorded based on the printing method set for the document. An image processing apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit that prints on an image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method for laying out a photographic image stored on a film, for example, as desired by a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a technique for simultaneously printing out a plurality of frames of a photographic image recorded on a film on one sheet of paper.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the layout and the like when printing the photographic image in the film on the paper must be manually designated from an operation unit of a computer, and the operation method is difficult. Was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and has as its object to designate, by a simple method, a printing method for printing out an image in a film.

It is another object of the present invention to easily set a detailed layout of an image to be printed out.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for setting a printing method.
Reading means (corresponding to the document scanner 19) for reading the login sheet 22);
Based on the printing method set for the original, one or more frames are read from a film (similarly corresponding to the film 4) on which a plurality of frames of images are recorded, and a predetermined output medium (also printed out from the printer 18). (Corresponding to paper).

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) In recent years, a photographic system has been proposed in which magnetism is applied to the side surface of a film to record information about the film. For example, it is mounted on a film cartridge 3 of the film reader shown in FIG. After being mounted, the film is read by the magnetic head 1 while the film is wound by the film take-up spool 5 while being fed by the rotation of the feed fork 8, and the image data is read by the film scanner 7.

The read image is printed out from the printer 18 under the control of the sub-computer shown in FIG. 2 and the main computer shown in FIG. The layout and size can be changed under the control of the main computer. 1 to 3 will be described later.

Further, using the above-mentioned photographic system, A4
A method of arranging and printing at least one photograph on a sheet of about the size is considered.

FIG. 7 shows an example of an arrangement of the print service. FIG. 7A shows an arrangement of prints of the same shape, and FIG. 7B shows an irregular arrangement in the arrangement. Fig. 7 is designed to add fun.
(C) is a photograph in which the size of a photograph to be further arranged is changed and irregularly arranged. As an advantage of such a print service, it is possible to save the trouble of re-pasting a completed photo to an album, and it is possible to make an album simply by binding the same.

[0011] In addition, in photographing that requires more advanced techniques, such as creating a photo book or an elaborate album, it is necessary to determine the position of the photograph of which frame of which film on which page. Therefore, a more voluntary system is required.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a signal reading unit which is a part of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnetic head for reading the photographing date and time data, 2 denotes a pressing pad of the magnetic head 1, 3
Is a film cartridge, 4 is a film having a magnetic recording portion, 5 is a spool for winding the film, 6 is a scanner, and the scanner 7 is composed of R, G, and B three-color line sensors. The sub-scan is performed by being sent.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a feeding fork for feeding the film, 9 denotes a film feeding gear unit, 10 denotes a fork for driving the spool 5, and 11 denotes a spool driving gear unit. Reference numeral 12 denotes a feed motor, which is connected to the feed gear unit 9 and the spool driving gear unit 11.

The film 4 is moved by the rotation of the feed motor 12, and photographing data magnetically recorded on the film 4 is read by the magnetic head 1 during the movement. At this time, an image recorded on the film 4 is read by the scanner 7.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a film reader a for processing magnetic recording data read by the magnetic head 1 and image data scanned by the scanner 7 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 1 and 7 are the magnetic head and scanner shown in FIG. 1, and 12 is a feed motor. Reference numeral 13 denotes a magnetic recording data reproducing circuit, which includes an operation amplifier circuit, an operational amplifier for signal amplification, and the like, but details thereof are omitted.

Reference numeral 14 processes image data, and is a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a main computer 20) shown in FIG.
And a sub-processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a sub-computer 14) for communicating with the computer. Reference numeral 15 denotes a motor for feeding.
It is a motor driver for driving. The film reader a is operated by the motor driver 15 and the magnetic recording data reproducing circuit 1 according to an instruction from the main computer 20 described later.
3 and transmits the image obtained by the film scanner 7 to the main computer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a system in which a plurality of the film readers a shown in FIG. 2 are provided, the film readers a1 to a4 are controlled, and a printout is performed based on images taken from the film readers a1 to a4. It is.

Reference numerals a1 to a4 denote film readers having the above-described configuration shown in FIG. 16 is a memory for storing digital image data read by the film reader a, 17 is a monitor for checking layout results, 18 is a printer for printing out an album print, and 19 is an instruction to a printer or scanner. A document scanner for reading a document to be given, and the main computer 20 control the above-described units.

The film server 21 is instructed by the main computer 20 to the film server 21 based on the data taken in from the document scanner 19,
Mount the film on each film reader.

FIG. 4 shows a dedicated document (login sheet 2) which can give an instruction to the computer 14 by being read from the document scanner 19.
2). The login sheet 22 includes a film number printing unit 23 indicating which film the login sheet corresponds to, an image printing unit 24 on which an outline of an image shown on the film is printed, and a print of any image. Mark part 25, which can be entered by filling in with a pencil etc.
In addition to the one-to-one marking, for example, an optional mark part 26 for printing all the space between the two marks or printing out all the images on the film is provided.

The login sheet 22 is obtained by a user as an index print when the film is first developed at a factory or the like, or is output by a printer in another mode in the present invention. Although the other mode is not described in detail, a layout such as a login sheet 22 in FIG.
6, and prints out the film number and all the images contained therein in the order of 1 to 25 of the image printing unit 24 in the form of the login sheet 22.

The operation of the above-described image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 5 as an operation flowchart of the main computer 14 in FIG.

First, in step # 1, an image on the login sheet 22 is read from the document scanner 19, and data on which position on the login sheet 22 is marked is read. Next, in Step # 2, it is determined which film of which film is to be printed,
The judgment result is stored in the memory 16.

In step # 3, the necessary film is mounted on any of the film readers a1 to a4 based on the information of the judgment result in the memory 16 stored in step # 2. In step # 4, the memory 16
Based on the information of the motor driver 15 and the information of the magnetic recording data reproducing circuit 13, the image (one or more) of the specific frame of the film is read by the film scanner 7.
And print out from the printer 18.

Next, in step # 5, it is determined whether or not there are still frames to be printed out, and printing is repeated until there are no more frames to be printed.

In this embodiment, each frame in the film is printed in a print mode in which one sheet is printed per sheet, and a normal reduced layout in which a plurality of frames are printed on one sheet as shown in FIG. Print mode for output in the form of

In this embodiment, the mark part 25 on the login sheet 22 can be read by OCR or the like.
If the number is entered in a 0-base number format, the number of each photographic image can be specified, and two identical photographs can be printed on one page. Also, in the case of one-sheet one-frame printing, it is possible to designate as many sheets as necessary for each frame.

(Second Embodiment) In this embodiment,
A technique of further expanding the technique of the designated print using the login sheet 22 in the first embodiment and printing out an arbitrary print image in an arbitrary layout such as b and c in FIG. 7 will be described. The configuration of this system
1, 2, 3, and the description of the first embodiment are omitted.

An additional login sheet according to the present embodiment is shown at 27 in FIG. In the present embodiment, the login sheet 22 is the same as that in FIG.

The log-in sheet 27 is composed of a layout notation section 28 and a writing section 29.
0 is constituted by a film number writing section 31 and a film frame writing section 32. Characters written to the writing unit 30 are output by the document scanner 19 to the O
CR reading is enabled.

The user refers to the login sheet 22 and refers to the layout No. displayed on the layout notation section 28. No. of the piece to be placed at the position of No. And piece N
o. Is written to the writing unit 27.

This document (login sheet 22,
The method of performing the printing operation by reading the document 27) from the document scanner will be described with reference to the flow of FIG.

In step # 1, the images on the login sheets 22 and 27 are read from the document scanner 19. In step # 2, the data on the login sheets 22 and 27 is determined based on the read document (the login sheet 27 is determined after the OCR analysis), so that the frame of which film is printed on which part of the layout. Is determined, and the determined result is stored in the memory 1.
6 is stored.

In step # 3, the film is loaded on the film reader a1 based on the data stored in the memory 16.
To a4. In step # 4, based on the data stored in the memory 16, the necessary frames are printed out on any one of the layouts 1 to 6 in which the layout is determined.

In step # 5, it is determined whether there are still frames to be printed out. If so, in step # 6, it is determined whether the next frame is to be placed on the same layout. For example, in # 7, the printed paper is set again.

(Third Embodiment) Instead of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, only the layout notation 28 in the login sheet 27 in FIG. Layout document 3
The layout numbers 1 to 6 in 3 are the login sheets 22
It is also possible to print out according to the order of reading from.

Furthermore, the layout document 33 may be read, and the images printed out one by one may be read to specify the correspondence between the layout number and the image.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing method is set by preparing an original for setting the printing method and reading the original with a scanner. Can easily specify the printing method.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration of a signal reading unit.

FIG. 2 is a configuration of a film reader a that processes data read by a signal reading unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a device for controlling and printing out a film reader a.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a login sheet shown in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing operation steps of the apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a login sheet shown in the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an example of an album print output according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing operation steps of the device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a log-in sheet entry example according to the third embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 16 Memory 17 Monitor 18 Printer 19 Document Scanner 20 Main Computer 21 Film Server a1 to a4 Film Reader

Claims (12)

[Claims] A reading means for reading a document for setting a printing method; and reading at least one image from a film on which a plurality of images are recorded based on the printing method set on the document. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that prints on an output medium. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing method is the number of prints. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing method indicates which frame image is to be printed from within the film. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing method indicates at which position on a predetermined output medium an image of a frame in the film is to be printed. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing method indicates at which position on a predetermined output medium an image of which frame in the film is to be printed. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit can read an image from a plurality of films when printing on one output medium. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit has a plurality of reading units used for reading. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reading means has an OCR function. 9. The image according to claim 1, wherein the film optically records the image and has a magnetic recording portion for magnetically recording information for setting the printing method. Processing equipment. 10. A document for setting a printing method is read, and one or more images are read from a film on which a plurality of images are recorded based on the printing method set for the document, and the read image is output to a predetermined output medium. An image processing method characterized by printing. 11. A document for setting a printing method for printing one or more images on a recording medium on which a plurality of images are recorded, and a reduced image of the one or more images is displayed. An image processing apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an image; and image forming means for reading one or more images from the recording medium based on a printing method set on the document and printing the image on a predetermined output medium. . 12. A document for setting a printing method for printing one or more images on a recording medium on which a plurality of images are recorded, and a reduced image of the one or more images is displayed. And reading one or more images from the recording medium based on a printing method set for the original and printing the image on a predetermined output medium.