JP2000296639A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enlarge and print a single reduced image by enlarging and printing a reduction image signal to a size of a single screen mode when the reduction image signal stored in an image memory is selected to be enlarged and displayed. SOLUTION: When a monitor display switching indication means 13 selects an enlarged display, a reduced image enlargement display process circuit 7 in a memory control circuit 5 reads out a reduction image signal of a divide area of an image memory 3, enlarges the signal and supplies to an output signal process circuit 4. When a print button 18 is depressed during the reduced image enlargement display, an operation control part 10 controls a print part 9, feeds a predetermined print paper and starts printing. The memory control circuit 5 sequentially reads out reduction image signals from the selected divide area of the image memory 3 and transfers to a print process circuit 8. The print process circuit 8 enlarges image signals by a print image enlargement process circuit 19 for prints in the reduced image enlargement display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer having a function of reducing a plurality of images, arranging the images, displaying the images on a monitor, and printing the images on a single sheet of paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional video printer is disclosed in
As described in JP-A-086198, a multi-image (screen) monitor that prints a plurality of reduced images side by side on a single sheet of paper is difficult to view, so that each image is enlarged and displayed one by one for easy viewing. An index indicating the print position of the image is also displayed.

[0003]

In such a conventional video printer, one of the reduced images can be enlarged and displayed for monitoring, but the print image is obtained by arranging the reduced images in the multi-screen mode. However, there is an inconvenience that it is not possible to print an image that is enlarged and displayed on a monitor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video printer capable of enlarging and printing one reduced image even in a multi-screen mode.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a video printer capable of enlarging and printing a reduced image when one reduced image is enlarged and displayed even in a multi-screen mode.

It is still another object of the present invention to make it easier to identify a selected state of a reduced image selected for enlarged display.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when a reduced image signal stored in an image memory is selected and enlarged and displayed in a multi-screen mode, the reduced image signal is enlarged to the size of a single screen mode. I started printing.

In the multi-screen mode, a divided area selected for enlarged display is displayed by displaying a frame surrounding the divided area, so that the divided area can be easily identified.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a video camera or a VTR.
And an image signal input terminal for inputting an image signal generated by a digital camera or the like, 2 decodes a video signal of the NTSC system or the like before storing the input image signal, and then performs signal processing such as adjustment and A / D conversion. An input signal processing circuit 3; an image memory 4 having a memory space for one screen;
Is an output signal processing circuit including a D / A conversion circuit and an encoder circuit for outputting an image signal read out from the image memory 3 to a monitor, and 5 is the input signal based on an instruction from an operation / control unit 10 described later. A memory control circuit for controlling the processing circuit 2 and the image memory 3 and a print processing circuit 8 and a frame signal generating circuit 14 to be described later; 6, a write / read control circuit for controlling writing / reading of the image memory 3; A reduced image enlargement display processing circuit that performs enlarged display control of a reduced image signal in a multi-screen mode stored in a reduced size, 8 is a print processing circuit, 9 is a print unit that conveys print paper and performs printing, and 10 is an instruction. Operation and control that includes switches, switch reading circuits, system control CPU, etc., and performs various operation inputs and control instructions , 11 is a multi-screen switching instructing means, 12 is a reduced screen selecting instructing means, 13 is a monitor display switching instructing means, and 14 is a frame signal for generating a frame signal for displaying the selected state of the reduced screen in a frame on the monitor screen. A generating circuit, 15 is an image signal output terminal for outputting an image signal to a video monitor (not shown), 16 is a memory button operated when instructing storage of an image (image signal) to be printed, and 17 is an image signal output terminal A memory image / input image switching button for switching an image signal to be output, a print button 18 for instructing a start of printing, and a print image enlargement processing circuit 19.

First, the normal single screen mode will be described.

From an image signal input terminal 1, an image signal such as a photographed image signal photographed by a video camera or a digital camera or a reproduced image signal of a VTR is input. An image signal input from the image signal input terminal 1 is decoded into an RGB signal in an input signal processing circuit 2, subjected to adjustment of hue and brightness, and further subjected to A / D conversion to generate a digital image signal. The input signal processing circuit 2 separates the video synchronizing signal and supplies it to the memory control circuit 5. The input signal processing circuit 2 supplies the generated digital image signal to the image memory 3 and the output signal processing circuit 4.

The output signal processing circuit 4 performs D / A conversion of the input digital image signal, converts the digital image signal into a video image signal, outputs the video signal from an image signal output terminal 15 to a video monitor (not shown), and displays a moving image on a monitor. Let it do.

Here, when the user presses the memory button 16 of the operation control unit 10 at the display timing of the display image to be printed while observing the display image on the video monitor,
The memory control circuit 5 performs write control for writing to the image memory 3 in synchronization with the synchronization signal input from the input signal processing circuit 2, and stores the input image signal at that time in the image memory 3.

When a memory image / input image switching button 17 of the operation / control section 10 is pressed to select and display a display image, the memory control circuit 5 executes the input image signal generated by the input signal processing circuit 2 or the image memory. A control is performed to selectively input the stored image signal read and reproduced from 3 to the output signal processing circuit 4, output the input image signal or the stored image signal to the image signal output terminal 15, and display the image signal on the video monitor. Specifically, in the input image display selection state, the memory control circuit 5 permits the output of the input image signal from the input signal processing circuit 2 and stops the output of the stored image signal to be read out and reproduced from the image memory 3 ( Prohibition), and in the stored image display selection state, control is performed to prohibit (stop) the output of the input image signal from the input signal processing circuit 2 and output (permit) the stored image signal read out from the image memory 3 and reproduced. .

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an image in the single screen mode. 2A shows an image (image signal) stored in the image memory 3, and FIG.
9 is a monitor display image at the time of selection of a stored image signal read out and reproduced from a monitor.

Here, when the print button 18 of the operation / control unit 10 is pressed, the operation control unit 10
Is controlled to feed a predetermined print sheet and start printing. In this printing, the memory control circuit 5 sequentially reads out image signals from the image memory 3 and transfers them to the print processing circuit 8, and controls a thermal head (not shown) mounted on the printing unit 9 to execute printing. Perform control. The print image at this time is a single image print as shown in FIG. 2C and becomes the same as the monitor display image, so that it can be confirmed on the monitor screen before printing.

Next, the multi-screen mode will be described.

When the multi-screen mode and the number of multi-screens are selected and instructed by the multi-screen switching instructing means 11, the memory control circuit 5 manages the memory space of the image memory 3 by dividing it into the number of multi-screens. The number of multi-screens can be set arbitrarily. Here, as an example, a case where four multi-screens are set will be described.

When the 4-multi screen is selected, the memory control circuit 5 generates a frame signal for displaying a frame having a size corresponding to one reduced screen obtained by dividing the screen into four areas on the monitor screen. The frame signal generation circuit 14 is controlled as described above. This frame signal is output to the image signal output terminal 15 by being superimposed on the image signal by the output signal processing circuit 4.

The frame displayed on the monitor screen at this time will be described with reference to FIG. The image memory 3 manages the four multi-screens by dividing the area into four areas a to d as shown in (a), and reducing the input image signal to a quarter size in each area. An image signal is stored. The frame signal generation circuit 14 outputs one divided screen (a
A frame signal for displaying a frame 31 of a size surrounding the area is generated. The monitor display screen at this time is as shown in FIG.

When the memory button 16 is pressed when the input image signal is (c), the memory control circuit 5
As shown in (d), the input image signal at that time is reduced to 1/4.
The write address of the image memory 3 and the bit selection control of the write image signal are executed so that the image data is written and stored in the area a of the image memory 3. When the writing of the reduced image signal to the area a is completed, the memory control circuit 5
Controls the frame signal generation circuit 14 to move the frame 31 to the area b. Then, when the memory button 16 is pressed again, the input image signal at that time is reduced to 1/4 size, written and stored in the area b, and the frame 31 is moved to the area c. When the memory button 16 is further pressed,
The image signal at that time is reduced to 1/4 size, stored in area c, and frame 31 is moved to area d. When the memory button 16 is further pressed, the input image signal at that time is set to 1
枠 size, stored in d area, and frame 31
Move to the area.

The image signals stored in the image memory 3 when the reduced image signals are stored in all the memory areas corresponding to the four multi-screens are as shown in FIG. f).

When the print button 18 is pressed, the operation / control section 10 controls the print section 9 to feed a predetermined print sheet, similarly to the print in the single screen mode described above. Start printing. Then, the memory control circuit 5 sequentially starts from the image memory 3.
The reduced image signal (data) is read and transferred to the print processing circuit 8, and the thermal head mounted on the print unit 9 is controlled to print. The print image at this time is a 4-multi-screen print image as shown in FIG. The boundaries of each reduced image area are, in this embodiment,
A simple break or margin of each reduced image signal is interposed.

Next, the enlarged display and the enlarged print of the reduced image in the 4 multi-screen mode will be described.

Each area of the image memory 3 has the contents shown in FIG.
It is assumed that a reduced image signal in the above-described four-multi-screen mode is stored as shown in FIG. This reduced image signal is the same as the image signal shown in FIG. The image displayed on the video monitor at this time is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the display is a 4-multi screen. The display position of the frame 31 at this time is the area a.

Here, when the reduced screen selection instructing means 12 is operated, the memory control circuit 5 moves the display position of the frame 31 to an arbitrary area so that an area to be enlarged and displayed can be selected. FIG. 4C shows a monitor display screen when the area c is selected. A frame 31 is displayed so as to surround the c area so that it can be confirmed on the monitor display screen that the c area is selected.

In this state, the monitor display switching instructing means 13
When the enlarged display is selected, the reduced image enlarged display processing circuit 7 in the memory control circuit 5 reads the reduced image signal in the area c of the image memory 3, enlarges it, and supplies it to the output signal processing circuit 4. The enlargement of the reduced image signal at this time is 1
A memory address and read control are performed such that data of one pixel is read twice in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, so that an image signal is output after being enlarged to four times the size. The monitor display image at this time is as shown in FIG.

When the print button 18 is pressed during the enlarged display of the reduced image, the operation / control section 10 controls the printing section 9 in the same manner as the above-mentioned printing, feeds predetermined printing paper, and starts printing. I do. Then, the memory control circuit 5 sequentially reads out the reduced image signals from the selected divided area (the c area in this example) of the image memory 3 and transfers them to the print processing circuit 8. The print processing circuit 8 performs the enlargement processing of the image signal by the print image enlargement processing circuit 19 during the printing during the reduced image enlarged display. In this example, since one reduced image of the image signal reduced to four multi-screens is enlarged to the size of a single screen (4 times), double enlargement processing is performed in each of the vertical and horizontal directions. . For this enlargement processing, various processing methods such as a method of arranging the data of one pixel vertically and horizontally by two dots or inserting an average value of the data of two pixels between them can be adopted.

The print processing circuit 8 supplies the enlarged image signal to a thermal head mounted on the printing section 9 to print. The print image at this time is shown in FIG.
As shown in (e), an image similar to the monitor display image is obtained.

FIG. 5 is a control flowchart for matching the monitor display image with the print image as described above.

As described above, the image memory 3 and the monitor display image are magnified by the reduced image signal selected to be the single screen display by storing the image signal in the single screen mode and the multi-screen display by storing the reduced image signal in the multi-screen mode. There is a display state. Then, the printing method is switched in conjunction with these display modes.

When printing is started, it is determined in step S1 whether the multi-screen mode is ON.

If it is determined in step S1 that the multi-screen mode is OFF, the flow advances to step S2 to execute the print processing in the single-screen mode.

If it is determined in step S1 that the multi-screen mode is ON, it is further determined in step S3 whether or not the monitor display is a reduced image enlarged display. Turn off the scaled-down image on the monitor display.
In the case of, printing in the multi-screen mode is performed in step SS4. Then, when the monitor display is ON, the process proceeds to step S5, and the enlarged print of the reduced image signal (data) of the area selected and enlarged and displayed at that time is performed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when using the multi-screen mode in which a plurality of reduced image signals are displayed side by side, one of the reduced images is enlarged and displayed to confirm the display image. Since the reduced image data corresponding to the monitor display image can be enlarged and printed, the monitor display image matches the print image, and the print image can be visually confirmed on the monitor screen. There is an effect that can be.

In this embodiment, a reduced image signal enlarging process for enlarging a reduced image signal stored in the image memory 3 in the multi-screen mode and displaying it on a video monitor is different from a reduced image signal enlarging process for printing. However, the present invention may be modified so that one processing circuit is shared.

As shown in FIG. 6, such a video printer is suitable for use in a dentist's video camera system. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 20 denotes a video camera for photographing the inside of a patient's mouth, reference numeral 21 denotes the aforementioned video printer, and reference numeral 21 denotes a video monitor.

This system is usually used in a 4-multi-screen mode, and each divided area is used for storing, displaying and printing a plurality of treatment parts and image signals for comparison before and after treatment. According to the present invention, since each reduced image signal of each divided area can be enlarged and displayed on a monitor and printed, one of a plurality of photographed treatment portions can be enlarged and displayed for easy viewing. Since the image checked and enlarged and displayed can be enlarged to the size of the single screen mode and printed, the use range of the stored image signal (data) is expanded. Further, since the monitor display image and the print image match, a user-friendly video camera system can be provided.

[0040]

According to the present invention, one reduced image can be enlarged and printed even in the multi-screen mode.

Also, in the multi-screen mode, the 1
When one reduced image is displayed in an enlarged manner, the reduced image can be enlarged and printed, so that the reduced image confirmed to be enlarged can be enlarged and printed.

Further, since the reduced image to be selected for enlarged display is displayed by a frame, the selected state can be easily identified and the usability is good.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video printer showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an image in a single screen mode in the video printer of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an image in a 4 multi-screen mode in the video printer of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a reduced image enlarged display and a print image in a 4-multi screen mode in the video printer of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a print control process in a 4-multi-screen mode in the video printer of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a dentist video camera system using the video printer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image signal input terminal, 2 ... Input signal processing circuit, 3 ... Image memory, 4 ... Output signal processing circuit, 5 ... Memory control circuit, 6 ... Write / read control circuit, 7 ... Reduced image enlarged display processing circuit, 8 ... Print processing circuit, 9 print unit, 10 operation / control unit, 11 multi-screen switching instruction means, 12 reduced screen selection instruction means, 13 monitor display switching instruction means, 14 frame signal generation circuit, 15 image Signal output terminal, 16: memory button, 17: memory image / input image switching button, 18: print button, 19: print image enlargement processing circuit, 20: video camera, 21 ...
Video printer, 22 ... Video monitor.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 5/76 H04N 5/907 B 5C076 5/907 B41J 3/00 Y 5/91 H04N 5/91 H F term (reference) ) 2C055 AA14 EE01 EE05 GG03 GG05 2C061 AP06 CQ25 CQ33 HH03 HJ06 HN19 2C087 AA04 AA18 BA04 BC02 BC05 BD06 BD09 CA03 5C052 AA11 AA17 AB04 EE02 EE03 FA02 FA03 FA04 FA03 GA03 FD01 FC03 FC08 GD03 GD07 GD09 GE04 GF01 GF04 5C053 FA04 FA27 KA03 KA08 KA19 KA24 KA25 LA01 LA03 LA06 5C076 AA14 AA19 AA21 AA22 CA02

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image signal input terminal for inputting an image signal;
An image memory having a memory space for storing an image signal for one screen of the image signal input from the image signal input terminal, and an original image signal is stored in a memory space for one screen of the image memory in a single screen mode. Alternatively, the memory space is divided into an arbitrary number (N) of areas, and a reduced image signal for N screens obtained by reducing the original image signal for one screen input from the image signal input terminal to 1 / N size is divided. Multi-screen switching means for selecting whether to store in the N memory areas in the multi-screen mode, a monitor signal output circuit for outputting the image signal stored in the image memory to the monitor, and a print for printing the image signal Multi-screen mode in a video printer with a multi-screen function and a print signal output circuit for outputting an image signal stored in an image memory to a printing unit. And a reduced screen selecting means for selecting any one of the reduced screens while outputting the reduced image signal stored in the image memory to the monitor, and enlarging the image signal of the selected reduced screen and outputting it to the monitor. A reduced image signal enlargement processing circuit; monitor display switching means for selecting display in the multi-screen mode or display in which the selected reduced screen is enlarged; and N prints on one print sheet when the multi-screen is displayed. When a reduced image is printed and any reduced screen in the multi-screen is printed during enlarged display, the print signal that enlarges the reduced image in the enlarged display to the size of one print sheet and outputs it to the print unit A video printer comprising a processing circuit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said reduced screen selecting means includes a frame signal generating circuit for generating a frame surrounding the reduced image display area on a monitor screen display, and a selection instructing means for moving a display position of said frame. A video printer, comprising: 3. The print signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the print signal processing circuit enlarges the reduced image signal by using a processing circuit shared with the reduced image signal enlargement processing circuit and outputs the enlarged reduced image signal to a printing unit. Video printer.