JPH10282571A - Image compositing camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prepare a composited image having originality by changing the timing of making the moving state of a frame image displayed on a monitor screen into a still image state. SOLUTION: A frame image selecting picture is displayed on a monitor television set 17. Then, the frame image of a selected image pattern is displayed on the monitor television set 17. At this time, the frame image is displayed in the dynamic image state on the television set 17. In such a case, when a stopping button 25 is depressed, the frame image at this moment is displayed on the television set 17 as a still image and a player image picked up by a CCD camera 19 is overlapped with the frame image, to be displayed on the television set 17. When a decision button 14 is depressed, a count down voice is outputted from a speaker 18. Then, the player image at the moment counting becomes zero is kept in the still image state and overlapped with the frame image, to be displayed on the television set 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is installed in an amusement park, a department store game corner, or the like. The present invention relates to an image combining camera to be printed out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many image synthesizing cameras have been installed in amusement parks, game corners of department stores, and the like. The image synthesizing camera includes a camera for photographing a player, a memory in which a plurality of frame images (for example, the frame image includes a heart mark and an animal character) are stored in advance, and a frame image and a camera. And a printer that prints out a composite image obtained by superimposing a frame image and a video captured by a camera as a sticker or a business card.

When using the image synthesizing camera, the player first selects one favorite frame image from a plurality of preset frame images. When a frame image is selected, the selected frame image is output on a monitor screen. At the same time, an image of the player captured by the camera is displayed on the monitor screen. The player moves while watching the monitor screen,
Positions itself with respect to the frame image on the monitor screen. When the positioning is completed, the player presses the enter button. When a predetermined time elapses after the determination button is pressed, the photographing is completed, and a composite photograph in which the image of the player and the frame image are overlapped is printed out as a sticker, a business card, or the like from the printer.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, since the number of the frame images is only the number stored in the memory, the photographing pattern is limited in accordance with the number of the frames, and there is a problem that the original synthesized photograph lacks originality.

In addition, since the frame image is always displayed at the same position on the monitor screen, the frame image always appears at the same position on the finished composite photograph, and the interest of the composite photograph is lacking. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide an image synthesizing camera capable of producing an original synthetic image. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image synthesizing camera capable of creating an interesting synthetic photograph.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a composite photograph in which a player image photographed by a camera and a frame image prepared in advance is overlapped is photographed. A first display control means for displaying the frame image as a moving image on a monitor screen, and a frame displayed in a moving image state on the monitor screen by the first display control means, Second display control means for stopping the image on the monitor screen and displaying the image as a still image; and displaying the frame image brought into a still image state by the second display control means and the player image taken by the camera on the monitor screen. A third display control means for displaying the image as a superimposed composite image, and a state of the composite image by the third display control means. It is summarized in that with an output means for outputting the image in the monitor screen that the composite photograph.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the second display control means includes:
The gist of the present invention is to freeze the frame image in the moving image state based on the operation of the player.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or the second aspect of the present invention, the third display control means includes a step of partially dividing the player image and the frame image in a still image state. The gist is that the images are superimposed and displayed in a different manner.

[0010]

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an operation panel 12 is disposed in front of a main body 11 of the image synthesizing camera. The operation panel 12 is provided with a joystick 13, an enter button 14, a cancel button 15, and a stop button 25. A speaker 16 is arranged on the side of the operation panel 12.

A half mirror 17 is mounted in front of the upper part of the main body 11 with its mirror surface facing obliquely downward.
A monitor television 18 is provided in the main body 11 below the half mirror 17 with its screen facing upward. Accordingly, the image on the monitor television 18 is projected forward of the main body 11 via the half mirror 17.

A CCD camera 19 is provided in the main body 11 behind the half mirror 17 toward the front of the main body. The player P is located in front of the main body 11.
When the person stands, the person is photographed by the CCD camera 19 through the half mirror 17. A curtain 24 is hung in front of the main body 11 via a pipe 23. Therefore, when a person as the player P is photographed by the image combining camera, the person enters between the main body 11 and the curtain 24 and photographs toward the half mirror 17.

A print discharge box 20 is provided at a lower front part of the main body 11. Behind the print discharge box 20, a thermal type video printer 21 as output means is arranged. In the present embodiment, the print paper printed by the video printer 21 includes a print sheet and a release layer laminated on the print sheet, and the print sheet and the release layer are formed of an adhesive applied to the print sheet. Are adhered so as to be peelable. That is, in the present embodiment, the paper printed by the video printer 21 is a sticker.

Next, the electrical configuration of the image synthesizing camera according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
Controller 31 constituting first to third display control means
Is connected to a memory 22 composed of a ROM, a RAM and the like. The controller 31 is connected with a joystick 13, a decision button 14, and a cancel button 15 arranged on the operation panel 12. The controller 31 includes a speaker 16, a monitor TV 18, a CC
A D camera 19 and a video printer 21 are connected.
The controller 31 controls the speaker 16 and the monitor TV 1 based on the program stored in the memory 22.
8. Drive control of the video printer 21. The memory 2
2, a control program and a plurality of types of frame images F are stored.

The monitor television 18 displays a frame image selection screen (not shown) in which a list of image patterns of a plurality of types of frame images F that can be selected before the start of photographing is displayed. The player P operates the joystick 13 to move a cursor (not shown) on a desired image pattern, and presses the enter button 14 to select a pattern of the frame image F to be used for shooting. it can. The cancel button 15 is used to cancel the immediately preceding operation or to restart the shooting when the player P is pressed.
Is pressed. The video of the player P captured by the CCD camera 19 is displayed on the monitor television 18 as a player image PG described later.

The controller 31 superimposes the selected frame image F and the player image PG and outputs them as a composite photograph from the video printer 21. Here, the positional relationship between the frame image F and the player image PG will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the frame image F is arranged in front of the player image PG. That is, the portion of the player image PG that overlaps with the frame image F does not appear in the printed photo. When a desired image pattern is selected from the frame image selection screen, a frame image F corresponding to the selected image pattern is displayed on the monitor TV 18 as a moving image. .

Here, among a plurality of frame images F,
A moving image state of an image pattern will be described with reference to a storyboard in FIG. 5 taking one image pattern as an example. This storyboard represents a moving image pattern in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d). In this moving image pattern, the fireworks gradually rise, and the cat walks from the left side of the screen to the right side. Eventually, with the fireworks fully opened, several cats are displayed and the characters "Tamaya" are displayed.

The stop button 25 is connected to the controller 3
1 and a second display control means, and is a button to be pressed when the frame image F displayed in the moving image state on the monitor television 18 is stopped. That is, the frame image F on the monitor TV 18
When the frame image F becomes a favorite image of the player P while the player is moving, the player P presses the stop button 25, and the favorite image is displayed on the monitor TV 18 as a still image. It has become so.

Next, the processing operation of the controller 31 will be described with reference to FIG.
A description will be given based on the flowchart of FIG. First, in step 101, a frame image selection screen is displayed on the monitor TV 18. In the next step 102,
It is determined whether or not the player P has selected a desired image pattern from the frame image selection screen, and if it is determined that the selection has been made, the process proceeds to the next step 103.

In step 103, a frame image F of the selected image pattern is displayed on the monitor TV 18. At this time, the frame image F is displayed on the monitor television 18 in a moving image state. Next Step 10
In step 4, the control waits until the stop button 25 is pressed. Here, when the stop button 25 is pressed, the process proceeds to the next step 105. In step 105, the frame image F at the moment when the stop button 25 is pressed is displayed as a still image on the monitor television 18, and the player image PG captured by the CCD camera 19 is superimposed on the frame image so that the monitor television 1
8 is displayed.

In the next step 106, the process waits until the enter button 14 is pressed. OK button 1 here
When the button 06 is pressed, a countdown sound (“3.2.1”) is output from the speaker 16 in step 107. Then, in step 108, the player image PG at the moment when the count becomes zero is fixed (maintained in a still image state), and displayed on the monitor television 18 while being superimposed on the frame image F.

In step 109, it is determined whether or not the cancel button 15 has been pressed within a predetermined time. If so, the flow returns to step 105 to repeat the subsequent processing. On the other hand, if the cancel button 15 has not been pressed within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step 110. In step 110, the video printer 2
In step 1, the composite image on the monitor television 18 is printed out as a composite photograph, and the subsequent processing is temporarily terminated.

Next, the operation of the image synthesizing camera constructed as described above will be described. When taking a picture with the image synthesizing camera, first, the player P stands between the curtain 24 and the main body 11, as shown in FIG. Next, player P
Looks at the frame image selection screen displayed on the half mirror 17, and operates the joystick 13 and the enter button 14 to select a desired image pattern. Here, it is assumed that the player P has selected the image pattern shown in FIG.

When an image pattern relating to the frame image F is selected, the image pattern is displayed on the half mirror 17 as a moving image. Player P is half mirror 1
The user sees the frame image F in the moving image state shown in FIG. 7 and presses the stop button 25 when he / she wants to shoot in this image state. Then, a still image of the frame image F at the moment when the stop button 25 is pressed is displayed on the half mirror 17, and a player image PG captured by the CCD camera 19 is displayed.

The player P moves while watching his / her own image projected on the half mirror 17 so that the player P is positioned at an optimum position with respect to the frame image F. Then, when the optimum position is determined, the determination button 14 is pressed. Then, a countdown sound is output from the speaker 16, and
The player P determines his / her pose based on the countdown sound. When the countdown ends, the player image PG captured by the CCD camera 19 at the moment when the countdown ends becomes a still image and is displayed on the half mirror 17 together with the frame image F in the still image state.

When the player P likes the image projected on the half mirror 17, he presses the enter button 14. When the enter button 14 is pressed, the composite image shown on the half mirror 17 is printed out by the video printer 21. The printed photograph S (see FIG. 7) is discharged from the print discharge box 20 to the outside of the main body 11.

As described above, the photographing by the image synthesizing photographer is performed. In the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained by configuring the image combining camera as described above.

That is, before shooting, the monitor TV 18
The frame image F is displayed in a moving image state on the top, and the frame image F used in the current photographing can be determined with the frame image F at that moment as a still image when the stop button 25 is pressed. did.

As a result, even when shooting is performed using the frame image F having the same image pattern, by changing the timing at which the stop button 25 is pressed, the frame image F synthesized with the player image P has originality. As a result, the resulting photograph S also has a different atmosphere. As described above, since the frame image F in the moving image state can be made into a still image in a desired state by pressing the stop button 25, a photograph with originality can be created even when the image pattern of the frame image F is small. Can be.

In addition to the above effects, when the player P presses the stop button 25, the frame image F in the moving image state is replaced with the frame image F of the still image used for shooting.
Was switched to That is, in the present embodiment, when the desired image of the player P is obtained, the photographing can be performed using the frame image F by pressing the stop button 25. As a result, a more interesting photograph can be produced.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an image combining camera with a game function will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the hardware configuration for photographing the player according to the present embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, a television monitor 52, a first operation panel 53, and a second operation panel 54 are provided on a front surface of a body 51 constituting the image synthesizing camera of the present embodiment. On both operation panels 53 and 54, a joystick 55, an attack button 56, and an enter button 5 are provided, respectively.
7, a cancel button 58 and a stop button 59 are provided. Further, a CCD camera 74 is provided in the body 51.
Is provided toward the front of the main body. A print discharge box 62 is provided at a lower front part of the body 51. The same video printer (not shown here) as in the first embodiment is arranged behind the print discharge box 62.

The electric configuration of the image synthesizing camera according to the present embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, so that the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Next, a description will be given of the content of the game in the image composition camera according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a screen image displayed on the monitor television 52 after the game is started. A first character C1 and a second character C2 constituting the frame image F are displayed on the monitor television 52 so as to face each other. The first character C1 is the first operation panel 5
The operation changes in response to the operation of the joystick 55 on the third side or the like (for example, the state of FIGS. 9 to 10). On the other hand, the operation of the second character C2 changes in response to the operation of the joystick 55 or the like on the second operation panel 54 side (for example, the states of FIGS. 9 to 11). That is, in the present embodiment, two players P can play a game at the same time. When playing a game alone, the controller is an opponent.

That is, the two characters C1 and C2 displayed on the monitor TV 52 struggle, and the enemy character (the second character C2 becomes the enemy character in the first character C1, and the first character C2 in the second character C2). By knocking down the character C1 as the enemy character), the game becomes the winner. As a method of attacking / defending against the enemy character, the characters C1 and C2 perform attacks from the enemy character or attack the enemy character by operating the joystick 55 and the attack button 56. When a punch or a kick hits the enemy character with a good timing during an attack, a predetermined level of damage can be given to the enemy character. When the level drops to a predetermined value, the character knocks down (see FIG. 12).

Next, the processing operation of the controller according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this flowchart, the processing operation from the state in which the game is already started to the shooting is described.

First, in step 201, it is determined whether or not the stop button 59 has been pressed during the game. Here, when it is determined that the stop button 59 has been pressed, the process proceeds to the next step 202. On the other hand, when the controller determines that the stop button 59 has not been pressed yet, the game continues.

In step 202, the game being executed is interrupted, that is, the moving image on the monitor TV 52 is set as a still image. In the following step 203, the process stands by until the enter button 57 is pressed. Here, when the determination button 57 is pressed, the process proceeds to step 204,
The player P is photographed by the CCD camera 74. In the present embodiment, the profile of the player P is photographed in this step 204 (see FIG. 13). In step 205, the player image PG taken in step 204 is
Character C displayed on monitor TV 52
The images are displayed on the monitor TV 52 in place of the faces 1 and 2 (see FIG. 14). In the next step 206, the composite image displayed on the monitor TV 52 is printed out from the video printer 75 as a composite photograph, and the subsequent processing is temporarily terminated.

Next, the operation of the image synthesizing camera with the game function configured as described above will be described. During the game,
When the image displayed in the moving image state on the monitor television 52 becomes a favorite image scene, the player P quickly presses the stop button 59. Then, the image at the moment when the stop button 59 is pressed is displayed on the monitor television 52 as a still image. Next, player P is C
The profile of the user is photographed by the CD camera 74. When the photographing of the profile of the player P is completed, the profile image (still image) is a frame image (character C1) in a still image state.
(Or C2)) The image is replaced with the face of F and displayed on the monitor television 52 as a composite image.

When the user likes the composite image displayed on the monitor TV 52, the player P presses the enter button 14 and prints out the image. The game and the photography are performed as described above.

In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained by configuring the image synthesizing camera with the game function as described above. -By pressing the stop button 59 during the game, the game screen of the moving image becomes a still image, and the character C1 (or C2) in the still image state
The player image (profile) PG photographed by the CCD camera 74 is replaced with a part (face part) of the image, and the image is printed out.

That is, in the present embodiment, the game image is used as the frame image F used for shooting. This allows
In the present embodiment, a photograph having originality and interestingness can be created without separately preparing the frame image F.

By combining the player image PG with the game image, the player P can enjoy an atmosphere as if he / she actually appeared in the game, and can make a more interesting photograph.

The player image PG captured by the CCD camera 74 and a part of the frame image F in a still image state (characters C1,
(The face portion of C2) is displayed. Thereby, the frame image F is displayed on the entire surface of the monitor TV 52.
Can be displayed. That is, there is no need to provide a space for displaying the player image PG in the frame image F. As a result, the degree of freedom in the design of the image pattern of the frame image F is increased, and a more interesting frame image F can be created. As a result, a more interesting composite photograph can be created.

The above embodiments of the present invention may be embodied instead of the following. In each of the above embodiments, the player P is the stop button 2
By pressing the buttons 5 and 59, the frame image gift is changed from a moving image to a still image. However, the stop buttons 25 and 59 are omitted, and regardless of the operation of the player P,
The controller 31 may randomly embody the frame image in the moving image state as a still image.

In the second embodiment, the face of the player P captured by the CCD camera 74 and the face of the character C1 (C2) are exchanged by the controller.
The player image PG may be incorporated at an arbitrary position on the frame image F displayed on the monitor television 52 by operating the members 3 and 55, and may be combined.

[0048]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by changing the timing at which the frame image displayed on the monitor screen is changed from the moving image state to the still image state,
Even in the case of using the same frame image, it is possible to form an image pattern having a different arrangement pattern and take a photograph with a different taste. Therefore, even when the number of owned frame images is small, it is possible to produce a composite photograph having originality and fun.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, the timing of changing the frame image from the moving image state to the still image state can be performed based on the player's operation intention. Therefore, the player can take a picture using his favorite still image (frame image) as he or she wants, and can create a more original and interesting photograph.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention, the composite image is displayed in a superimposed manner by partially replacing the player image and the frame image. Unlike the conventional case, it is not necessary to provide an empty space for the player image in the frame image in advance, and as a result, the degree of freedom in the design of the image pattern of the frame image is expanded, and the more interesting frame image is provided. Can be created, and a more interesting composite photograph can be created.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image synthesis camera according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the image combining camera.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image synthesis camera.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between images.

FIG. 5 is a storyboard diagram showing a frame image in a moving image state.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing contents of a controller.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a photograph printed out.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an image combining camera with a game function according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a game image (frame image) in a game start state.

FIG. 10 is a frame image diagram showing a state in which the first character has moved from the state of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a frame image diagram showing a state where the second character has moved from the state of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a frame image diagram showing a state where the first character knocks down the second character.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a player image captured by a CCD camera.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a composite photograph printed out.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of a controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

17 ... Monitor TV as monitor screen, 19,7
4 ... CCD camera as camera, 21 ... Printer as output means, 31 ... Controller constituting first to third display control means, 25, 59 ... Stop button constituting display control means of die 2, S ... Composite photo, P: player, PG: player image, F: frame image.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image synthesizing photographer for photographing and outputting a composite photograph in which a player image photographed by a camera and a frame image prepared in advance overlap each other, wherein the frame image is displayed as a moving image on a monitor screen. First display control means, second display control means for causing the frame image displayed in a moving image state on the monitor screen by the first display control means to be frozen on the monitor screen and displayed as a still image, Third display control means for displaying a frame image brought into a still image state by the second display control means and a player image taken by a camera as a superimposed composite image on a monitor screen; and the third display Output means for outputting, as a composite photograph, an image on the monitor screen brought into a composite image state by the control means. For example was the image synthesis camera. 2. The image compositing camera according to claim 1, wherein the second display control means freezes the frame image in the moving image state based on an operation of a player. 3. The image synthesizing camera according to claim 1, wherein the third display control means superimposes and displays the player image and the frame image in a still image state partially.