EP1266262A2

EP1266262A2 - Automatic photo-seal dispenser

Info

Publication number: EP1266262A2
Application number: EP01917348A
Authority: EP
Inventors: K. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho INAGE; Hyoe Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho TAMURA; H. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifidoudou-cho NISHIDAI; Koki Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho IMAI; T. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho MAEDA; Naoto Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho SIKI; K. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho KITOU; Y. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho SAWADA; K. Omron Corp. 801 Minamifudoudou-cho NIIMI
Original assignee: Omron Corp; Omron Tateisi Electronics Co
Current assignee: Omron Corp
Priority date: 2000-03-21
Filing date: 2001-03-20
Publication date: 2002-12-18
Also published as: WO2001071418A2; KR100451958B1; HK1048163A1; JP3226520B1; CN1365458A; KR20020021097A; TW472167B; CN1179239C; HK1048163B; JP2001337386A; WO2001071418A3

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide an automatic photo-seal dispenser which will provide optically uniform conditions throughout the entire region in the photo booth. Because it has a brightness adjustment means to adjust the brightness of the camera's output image, it will enable the image which the customer sees when he is considering a pose to match the actual image that will be photographed and printed as a photo-seal. The second illumination means to illuminate the subject of the photograph of this invention has a strobe box which illuminates the region to be photographed by means of a stroboscopic illumination unit contained in a box-like enclosure, a reflector panel which reflects the strobe light emitted by the device into the region to be photographed, and a diffusion panel which diffuses the strobe light into the region to be photographed.

Description

Automatic Photo-Seal Dispenser

Field of the invention

This invention concerns an automatic photo-seal dispenser, of the sort that one might find in an entertainment facility such as a game center, which dispenses a photo-seal. A photo-seal is a printed seal of an image captured by a digital camera and printed by a color printer. The automatic photo-seal dispenser according to this invention is usually installed in a photo booth.

Background of the invention

Heretofore, automatic photo-seal dispensers which are installed in entertainment facilities such as game centers, as mentioned above, use fluorescent or incandescent light as their illumination means when photographing the subject with a digital camera. The illumination is required continuously until the photograph is taken since the person to be photographed needs enough time to consider poses as his image is displayed on a monitor. Because of this reason, a fluorescent or incandescent light is usually used as the light source for the photograph.

For this reason it is almost impossible to obtain a sufficient quantity of light to produce a good photograph with a digital camera, so this scheme is unable to take full advantage of the capabilities of a digital camera. Furthermore, the brightness of the image to be printed must be corrected by software processing. Because the customer is unfamiliar with the processing which is needed, he will not easily be able to choose the optimal illumination level. Even though, as has been described, the brightness of the photo-seal can be corrected by a processing routine, the monitoring image on the monitor when the customer considers the pose and the actual print image which is actually photographed for printing a photo-seal are radically different. There is a demand, then, that the state of illumination when the customer considers the pose is the same one used when the image is actually taken.

If strobe light from a stroboscopic illumination unit is used only when the photo is actually taken, there is no light when the customer is considering a pose before taking the photo. This makes it difficult to consider a pose.

To enable a number of people to be in the photo booth, we need sufficient photo space and a sufficient camera field to encompass the poses of those people, and we need a light source which provides the optimal conditions throughout that area. However, with a group photograph, if someone thrusts his fingers or arm toward the camera to make a peace gesture or some other hand sign, his fingers or arm will cast a shadow on someone's face. Depending on how the people are positioned, there is always the possibility that someone's shadow will obscure another person's face. There is a need, then, for lighting which will eliminate such shadows.

Summary of the invention

The objective of this invention is to provide an automatic photo-seal dispenser with the following characteristics. It will provide optically uniform conditions throughout the entire region in the photo booth, comprising the space in which a number of peo^¬ ple can pose and the visual field of the camera. Because it has a brightness adjustment means to adjust the brightness of the camera's output image, it will enable the image which the customer sees when he is considering a pose to match the actual image that will actually be photographed and photo-sealed, even when the subject is lit by auxiliary (supplementary) lighting. It will be able to capture the optimal image to produce a high-quality photo-seal even when the quantity of strobe illumination gets lower. If the quantity of strobe illumination gets lower, it will detect this status in order to achieve the optimal image.

This invention is distinguished by the following. The photo- seal dispenser according to this invention installed in a photo booth has: a coin processing means to detect and process coins which are inserted; an input means to input an operating command; a first illumination means to illuminate the booth and an image, which continuously illuminates the subject of the photograph in a photo booth; a second illumination means, which illuminates the subject of the photograph while the print image is being captured; a camera which captures the image of the subject to be photographed; a display means to display the image or necessary information; a printer, which prints and outputs a photo-seal of the person or persons whose image was captured; and a control means to control these essential components.

This photo-seal dispenser in a photo booth works in the following fashion: when the customer inserts a coin, an operating command is input by the customer, the person or persons are illuminated by the first and second illumination means of illumination, and the camera captures their image. The image which is captured is displayed on the display means, and then a photo-seal is printed and output by the printer. The second illumination means, to illuminate the subject of the photograph, has a strobe box which illuminates the region to be photographed by means of a stroboscopic illumination unit contained in a box-like enclosure, a reflector panel which reflects the strobe light emitted by the device into the region to be photographed, and a diffusion panel which diffuses the strobe light into the region to be photographed.

The first illumination means includes commonly used lighting devices such as ordinary fluorescent or incandescent lamps, or it may include a combination of one of these with a strobe light. Such a combination may also be used as the auxiliary light source (supplementary illumination 9) . The camera includes digital cameras and digital video cameras. The diffusion panel for the strobe box may consist of more than one panel.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, two of the strobe boxes may be placed symmetrically to the left and right of the camera. The direction of the second illumination means may be selected so that a portion of the illumination from the strobe boxes on either side of the camera overlaps in the region to be photographed. In addition, the second illumination means may be provided above the region to be photographed which lights the subject from above.

In another preferred embodiment of this invention, a brightness adjustment means may be provided to adjust the overall brightness of the image output by the camera. This brightness adjustment means to adjust the brightness would adjust the brightness of the displayed image output on the display means and match that to the brightness level of the image that actually printed on the photo- seal so that there would be no discrepancy between the appearance of the image when the pose is approved on the display means and that when the image is actually printed as a photo-seal. The brightness adjustment means would also adjust the brightness of the photo-seal to an appropriate level when the quantity of strobe light is detected as insufficient at the moment the photo is taken.

Yet in another preferred embodiment of this invention, a service life detecting means may be provided to detect the service life of the stroboscopic illumination unit in the strobe box. The service life detecting means to detect the service life may consist of a counter which counts the number of times the strobe flashes and a comparing means to determine service life by comparing the number of flashes with a given number which predicts the service life. The service life detecting means to detect the service life may alternatively consist of a light sensor which receives the strobe light and outputs a signal according to the quantity of light received, and a comparing means which compares this output signal representing the quantity of light with a given value for quantity of light which was set to determine the service life. When the service life detecting means to detect the service life of the strobe light has done so, the information of the service life may be reported or displayed by a reporting means.

The constitutive elements of this invention described above may be combined insofar as that is possible.

With this invention, the second illumination means, which lights the subject for the print image (i.e., the image which will become the photo-seal) , is provided with a dedicated strobe box with a stroboscopic illumination unit, a reflector panel and a diffusion panel. This allows a uniform beam with a sufficient quantity of light to be produced. This device is much smaller than the umbrella-type reflectors normally used in studios, so automatic photo booths that use this dedicated strobe box can be made more compact and cheaper. In addition, the equipment requires a smaller space, so it can fit into a smaller area.

As was discussed above, the strobe box emits a sufficient quantity of light in a uniform beam. As a result, a number of people can pose in the photographic space which is the visual field of the camera. The strobe box provides optical conditions in that field characterized by a sufficient quantity of light which is uniform throughout the field. It eliminates shadows caused by extended fingers or by one person shadowing another, so that a high- quality photo-seal can be produced.

Because the second illumination means is provided in the higher position and -the illumination beam is emitted to the subject from overhead, the emitted light is scattered by the subject's hair producing a stereoscopic effect in the photograph. As a result, the photo-seal which is printed will reproduce the quality of the subject's hair in a highly satisfactory manner.

After the subject, such as a customer's figure, is lighted by the first means of illumination for the customer to check the pose, the brightness adjustment means to change the brightness will adjust the image before it is output by the display means so that its brightness can match the brightness of the actually printed photo- seal. This system makes it easy to visually verify one's image, so it achieves a photographic result which is highly satisfying. At the same time, because this improvement reduces the probability that the photo will have to be retaken, it shortens the time that the customer will have to wait. It improves customer efficiency and so, from the point of view of game room management, allows earnings to be increased. Even if the quantity of strobe light should decrease, the brightness adjustment means to change the brightness can adjust the brightness to the appropriate level and produce a high-quality photo-seal .

Monitoring the service life of the stroboscopic illumination unit eliminates the chance that a photograph will be made under insufficient illumination because the service life detecting means always detects the service life of the stroboscopic illumination device. This allows high-quality photographs to be produced over a long period of time.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the automatic photo-seal dispenser according to this invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the front view of the automatic photo seal dispenser according to this invention.

Figure 3 illustrates the partial cross-sectional view of the automatic photo-seal dispenser according to this invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the strobe box according to this invention.

Figure 5 illustrates a cross-sectional front view of the strobe box according to this invention.

Figure 6 illustrates how the stroboscopic illumination unit illuminates in the strobe box. Figure 7 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the strobe box according to this invention.

Figure 8 is a block diagram of the control circuit provided for the automatic photo-seal dispenser.

Figure 9 is a flow chart of the automatic photo-seal dispenser logic .

Figure 10 is a block diagram of the brightness adjustment means .

Figure 11 is a block diagram of the brightness adjustment means, especially when the parameters to adjust the brightness are preset .

Figure 12 is a block diagram of the service life detecting means to monitor the service life of the strobe.

Figure 13 is a flow chart of the service life detecting means logic .

Figure 14 is a partial block diagram showing another example of how the stroboscopic illumination unit is started up.

Figure 15 is a partial block diagram showing another example of the service life detecting means.

Figure 16 is a partial block diagram showing the check process of the service life detecting means.

Figure 17 is a flow chart of the service life detecting means logic. Detailed description of the invention

The drawings show a photo booth installed with an automatic photo-seal dispenser 10 which might, for example, be found in an entertainment facility such as a game room. In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the automatic photo-seal dispenser 10 has two digital cameras, 11a and lib, at the upper and mid heights of the center of the booth. The upper height digital camera 11a is used to photograph the subject's upper body or face; the mid height digital camera lib is used to photograph the subject's entire body.

In the middle of the angled panel in the vertical center of automatic photo-seal dispenser 10 is display 12, which consists of a cathode-ray tube. In addition to displaying the photographic image, the display 12 displays the operating commands as well as edited images produced by customer's free writing on top of the photographed image. The surface of display 12 also has a touch panel which serves as an input device . The touch panel can be used to input data into the displayed image.

On the panel below display 12 are slot 13, into which the customer inserts the fee (in coin or paper currency) , and photo outlet 14, through which the photo-seal is issued. On the vertical panel below coin slot 13 is coin return 15.

To the right and left of the digital cameras 11 (11a and lib) are strobe boxes 17 (17a and 17b) , which serve as the second illumination means which illuminate the subject at the moment the camera 11 captures the customer's image for the photo-seal. On the outer sides of the strobe boxes are fluorescent lights 16, which are the first illumination means. They are always lighted in the booth and serve as the auxiliary means to illuminate the subject. Fluorescent lights 18, which can also be part of the first illumination means and serve as the auxiliary means to illuminate the subject from overhead, are on the left and right sides of the ceiling of the booth in region A, the space in front of cameras 11. Overhead fluorescent lights 18 are mounted on frame 19, which defines photographic region A.

Figures 4 and 5 show 17a, one of the aforementioned strobe boxes 17. Inside box frame 21 a stroboscopic illumination unit 22 is installed on the bottom of the box 21 and attached by means of an appropriate mounting member.

Stroboscopic lamp 22a of the stroboscopic illumination unit 22 is mounted at an angle (approximately 30 degree) toward the interior of the box and an angle (approximately 5 degree) toward digital cameras 11. The first diffusion panel, panel 23, is placed above it to diffuse the stroboscopic light. The lamp 22A is mounted by means of an appropriate mounting member.

The first reflector panel, 24a, is mounted vertically in the center of back of the box 21 above the stroboscopic illumination unit 22. On top of panel 24a is the second reflector panel, 24b, whose top is inclined slightly forward, and on top of panel 24b is the third panel, 24c, whose top is inclined even further forward. These reflector panels 24 are flat, so each surface inclines slightly more than the one below it. However, as an alternative, a single curved panel (of composite resin) could be used.

The reflective surfaces of the reflector panels 24 (24a, 24b and 24c) and the interior walls (particularly the lateral walls) of box 21 are produced by coating them with white paint. The reflec- tive surfaces may also be coated with silver paint to produce a silver screen.

A second diffusion panel, 26, which uniformly diffuses the strobe light reflected by the front surface of the reflector panels 24, is placed on the front surface of the box 21. It is attached to box 21 by means of an appropriate mounting member.

The strobe box 17a configured as described above will direct its light toward the center of photographic region A. Stroboscopic illumination unit 22, which is inside the other strobe box 17b, is placed symmetrically on the other side of digital cameras 11, toward which it directs its light (at angle ) . As a result, the light emitted by both strobe boxes, 17a and 17b, is directed toward the center of photographic region A, as shown in Figure 6. The two beams overlap in the center of region A, lighting the subject uniformly from the left and right with ample illumination.

Placing stroboscopic illumination unit 22 on the bottom (in the floor) of the strobe box 17 insures that there will be sufficient distance between it and the second diffusion panel 26 to achieve uniform lighting.

Figure 7 shows another example of a strobe box 17. (Components which have the same function are given the same reference numbers.) In this example, stroboscopic lamp 22a of stroboscopic illumination unit 22 is placed in the vertical center of box 21. The reflector panels 24a, 24b and 24c are arranged vertically to simulate a curved surface. On the back of diffusion panel 26, which is directly in front of stroboscopic lamp 22a, is mounted (as by being glued) a reflector panel 24d which is the size of the region where the light from the lamp 22a is most intense. The reflector panel 24d is coated with silver paint so that it reflects the intense light from lamp 22a randomly. The second diffusion panel 26 diffuses the light uniformly.

Because the second illumination means is provided in the higher position and the illumination beam is emitted to the subject from overhead, the emitted light will be scattered by the subject's hair and will enable a stereoscopic effect in the photograph. As a result, the photo-seal which is printed will reproduce the quality of the subject's hair in a highly satisfactory manner.

Figure 8 shows the control circuits in automatic photo-seal dispenser 10. Control device 30 might, for example, consist of a CPU to process calculation and control routines, a ROM to store the programs and a RAM to store data needed for operations. It would then drive all these circuit devices.

Stroboscopic illumination unit 22 lights up the stroboscopic lamp 22a when it receives input in the form of a strobe start-up signal .

Digital cameras 11 consist of camera 11a, which, as mentioned above, photographs the subject's upper body or face, and camera lib, which photographs his entire body. When the customer indicates which camera he wishes to use, the photographic operation is begun. When a shutter signal is input to the chosen camera, it takes a photograph and outputs the signals (i.e., the image data) representing the photographed image.

In addition to displaying the photographed image, the display 12 displays the operating instructions as well as edited images produced by customer's writing on top of the photographed image. Input device 31 consists of a touch panel which is overlaid on the display 12. The customer can input data by touching locations which correspond to the displayed image. A keyboard could also be used as the input device.

Printer 32 turns the selected photographic image or an edited version of it into a color print and outputs it as a photo-seal.

In currency processing device 33, the coin slot 13 and coin return 15 are connected to each other. Device 33 determines the authenticity and value of the currency inserted and outputs a processing signal. Based on this signal, control device 30 allows the process to proceed if the correct amount of money has been inserted. If there is a need for change or the money must be returned, device 33 returns it via coin return 15. In addition to coins, the device can also process paper money.

The control device 30 also controls the brightness adjustment means 34, which adjusts the brightness of the image, and the service life detecting means 35, which monitors the service life of the strobe.

The brightness adjustment means 34 changes the overall brightness of the image captured by digital camera 11 and outputting the altered image. The brightness can be changed in two ways. The customer can input the change he desires or control device 30 can adjust the brightness of the image automatically. If the brightness is adjusted automatically, it can be adjusted to the brightness as it appeared on the display at the moment the customer selected the pose, when the booth was illuminated by fluorescent lights 16 and 18 (darker than with the strobe lights lit) , or to the brightness at the moment the strobe lights flashed. For an image whose RGB values (the three primary values of light) are expressed as 256 tones, the brightness adjustment would be executed by increasing or decreasing the tonal values of the original image. For example, the brightness of the original image might be enhanced by increasing its tonal values by ten. If the customer is indicating how he wants the brightness corrected, the input would correspond to a given tonal value. If the brightness values which can be selected increase by increments, the adjustment parameters for each increment can be determined ahead of time. The image can then be altered based on these adjustment parameters.

If the brightness is to be adjusted automatically, a reference value for tone is selected (for example, the brightness at the moment the image is printed) . The tonal values of the images (both the image used to choose a pose and the image which is to be printed out) are compared with this reference value. If the tone value of the captured image is inadequate when compared to the reference value, the tone of the image is adjusted. One of the reasons that the tonal value of a printed image will be darker than it should is that the quantity of light emitted by stroboscopic lamp 22a is decreasing. Thus monitoring the brightness of the image in terms of its tonal value allows to monitor the service life of lamp 22a as well. The adjustment parameters or the reference value may be stored in a memory unit (a RAM, for example) in control device 30, or it may be stored in external memory device 36, which will be discussed shortly.

The function of the service life detecting means 35, that of monitoring the service life of the strobe, consists of detecting the signal that the lighting capability is decreasing because an insufficient quantity of light is being emitted by stroboscopic lamp 22a of illumination device 22. For this reason the quality which has been specified for the photo-seal (for example, excellent quality) may not be maintained. This circumstance can be viewed as indicating that the service life of the strobe has been completed, and a signal representing detection is output. The end of strobe lamp 22 's service life can be detected using three methods. One is to use an accumulator circuit to count the number of times it flashes. A second method is to stipulate the quantity of light which should be emitted by lamp 22 and compare the quantity of light emitted when the photo is taken with this stipulated quantity. A third method is to check the tone of the RGB values for the overall brightness of the image. In this embodiment, an accumulator circuit counts the flashes.

In other words, service life detecting means 35, having the ability to detect the end of the strobe's service life, makes use of a counter which tabulates the number of times the strobe flashes. The counter keeps track of the strobe flashes by using the shutter signals output by control device 30. The accumulated value for the number of strobe flashes counted is stored in a designated area (i.e., memory unit) in external memory device 36.

The number of strobe flashes which indicates the end of the service life of strobe lamp 22a, or the predetermined number of strobe flashes, and the number of flashes at which the user and/or owner will be warned that the end of lamp 22a 's life is approaching and the lamp should be changed, are stored in a designated area (memory unit) of the external memory device 36.

The service life detection means 35, that of monitoring the service life of the strobe, works as follows. The accumulated number of strobe flashes is compared with the number of flashes at which the user/owner should be warned to change the lamp. If the actual number of flashes exceeds the number for the warning, a signal is output indicating that the user/owner should be warned. If the actual number of flashes exceeds the number for the service life of the lamp, a signal is output indicating that the photo booth can no longer operate. These output signals may be realized as follows. Control device 30 can cause a "Change strobe" warning or a "Strobe service life is up" warning to appear on display 12, or it can show these warnings on display 12 and additionally execute processing to prevent input device 31 from operating.

We shall next explain the processing executed by control device 30 of an automatic photo-seal dispenser 10 configured as described above to output a photo-seal, with reference to the flow chart in Figure 9.

When the customer inserts the specified amount of money into coin slot 13, a judgment is made based on a processing signal from money processing device 33 as to whether this is the correct amount of money. If the amount is judged to be correct, control device 30 permits input device 31 to operate (Step nl) .

The customer selects the mode he wishes to use, either upper body/face or entire body (Step n2) , and he chooses a pose in photographic region A (Step n3) .

When he chooses his pose, he is illuminated by fluorescent lights 16 in the front of the booth and 18 on the ceiling. The lighting is thus not as bright as it will be when the strobe lamps 22a flash to take the picture. To remedy this, brightness adjust^¬ ment device 34 causes the image which appears on display 12 to have the same brightness as the image which will be printed out. The customer can thus check his pose using the same image as will be printed. When the customer has finished deciding on a pose, he operates input device 31, causing it to output a shutter signal to take the photograph.

The customer's choice of the mode and his inputting of the shutter signal causes whichever of digital cameras 11a or lib he has chosen to start up. The shutter signal is output to the digital camera 11 he has chosen.

Based on the shutter signal, digital camera 11 drives its shutter. At the same time, a start-up signal is output to stroboscopic illumination unit 22, which causes strobe lamp 22a to flash synchronously with the shutter signal (Step n4) .

When the shutter signal and the synchronous image signals (i.e., the image data) from digital camera 11 are input to control device 30, the image signals are output to display 12, and the photographic image is displayed. At the same time, the overall brightness of the photographic image is checked through a process which will be explained shortly (Step n5) , and the service life of strobe lamp 22a is checked through another process which will be explained shortly (Step n6) .

Next, the customer puts any drawings or words that he wants into the displayed image using input device 31, the touch panel. At the same time, if a change in the overall brightness (tone) of the photographic image has been input, an image will be displayed with the new brightness (Step n7) .

When the customer approves the image and inputs his decision via input device 31 (Step n8) , printer 32 is started up and the photo-seal is printed. It is output via print slot 14, and the processing is completed (Step n9) . The process by which the brightness of the image is checked in the Step n5 is executed as follows.

As can be seen in Figure 10, when the image photographed by digital camera 11 is subjected to brightness adjustment function 34 (Step n5) , the tone of the original image is analyzed, and this tone is compared with a reference value for tone which is stored in external memory device 36 (or in an internal RAM) . The quality of the tone of the original image is determined with respect to the reference value. If the tone is too light or too dark, it is corrected by increasing or decreasing it, and the adjusted image is output. This adjustment processing is executed in the same way as the adjustment done when the customer selected a pose lighted by fluorescent lamps 16 and 18.

The data representing increasing or decreasing the tonal value are stored. The data accumulated over time can be used to inspect how the original image had to be corrected. This will inform the user/owner when the quantity of light emitted by strobe lamp 22a starts to decrease.

If the customer indicates that he wishes to change the overall brightness of the image when he adds writing in the Step n7, the processing is executed as follows.

As can be seen in Figure 11, the parameters needed to adjust the tone, which represent incremental tonal values, are already stored in external memory device 3_.6 (or in an internal RAM) . When the customer uses input device 31 to enter a tonal value to change the brightness, the parameters to adjust the brightness which correspond to the indicated value are read out, and the tone is ad- to justed using these parameters. The edited image is then output. The service life of the strobe is checked in the Step n6 as follows. As is shown in Figure 12, the accumulated value for the number of strobe flashes counted for strobe lamp 22a is stored in designated area 36b of external memory device 36. The number of flashes which has been stipulated to be the expected service life of strobe lamp 22a and the number at which the user will be warned that lamp 22a is approaching the end of its service life and should be changed are stored in designated area 36a.

As can be seen in Figure 13, the accumulated number of strobe flashes (the accumulated value) is compared with the number representing the service life of the strobe (the service life value) . If the actual number of flashes (the accumulated value) exceeds the number representing the service life (the service life value) , it will be determined that insufficient light makes it impossible to continue producing good quality photo-seals. A signal will be output to prevent further operation, making the booth unable to accept input to print. A warning that the booth is out of order appears on display 12, for example, "Please replace strobe. Operation may resume after strobe is replaced." When he reads this, the customer notifies the clerk, who replaces strobe lamp 22a. The clerk uses input device 31 to enter the information that strobe replacement is completed. Based on this input, the accumulated number of strobe flashes (the accumulated value) which is stored is reset. The process returns to Start and the customer is permitted to proceed (Steps nil, nl2 and nl3) .

If the comparison yields the information that the accumulated number of strobe flashes (the accumulated value) has not yet reached the number representing the service life of the strobe (the service life value) , a determination is made as to whether the accumulated number of strobe flashes (the accumulated value) has reached the value at which the user is warned to replace the strobe (the warning value) (Step nl4) . If it has, a signal is output to indicate that the user/owner should be warned to replace the strobe. A message is delivered via display 12 so that the user will know he needs to find a replacement for the strobe, for example, "The strobe is nearing the end of its predicted service life. Please find a replacement." When he reads this display, the customer will notify the clerk that he needs to find a new strobe (Steps nl4 and nl5) .

The message that the strobe needs to be replaced will continue to appear each time a customer uses the booth until the number of flashes reaches the number representing the service life of the strobe (the service life value) . The strobe may be replaced while the message is displayed.

If strobe lamp 22a is not to be replaced, the number of strobe flashes is cumulated and the process goes to step n7 (Steps nl6 and nl7) .

If strobe lamp 22a is replaced when the message to get ready to replace the strobe is displayed, and the clerk enters, via input device 31, that strobe replacement has been completed, the accumulated number of strobe flashes (the accumulated value) stored in memory unit 36b is reset based on this input (Step nl8) and the process goes to step n7.

Because the service life of lamp 22a in stroboscopic illumination unit 22 is monitored in this way, it is not possible to continue taking pictures when the quantity of light decreases to the point where it is no longer sufficient. This design insures that photo-seals of high quality will continue to be produced over a long period of time. Here the information about the service life of strobe lamp 22a and the warning to change the strobe are given via display 12; however, it would also be acceptable for this information to be conveyed directly to the clerk via a monitor or light.

Figure 14 shows another example of how stroboscopic illumination unit 22 may be started up. A strobe 41 is an integral component of digital camera 11. On the side of stroboscopic illumination unit 22 is a photo detector 42, which detects the light from strobe 41 and outputs a start signal to illumination unit 22. The strobe 41 flashes when it receives a shutter signal from control device 30. When photo detector 42 detects this flash, illumination device 22 is actuated and strobe lamp 22a flashes. In this way stroboscopic illumination unit 22 can be actuated.

Figure 15 shows an alternative way to check the service life of the strobe in the Step n9. In this example, the quantity of light is stipulated which will determine that the service life of strobe lamp 22a is finished. Then the quantity of light emitted when the photo is taken is compared with this stipulated quantity to detect the end of the lamp's service life.

In this example, a photo detector 43 is provided to detect the quantity of light emitted by strobe lamp 22a. A signal representing the value of the current flowing through strobe lamp 22a as detected by the photo detector 43 and is output to the service life detecting means 35, which detects the service life of the strobe.

As is shown in Figure 16, the service life detecting means 35, to detect the service life of the strobe, has a means to compare current values . The current value which indicates that strobe lamp 22a 's service life is up (the service life value) and the current value which indicates that the user should be warned to replace the lamp (the warning value) are stored in designated area 36c of external memory device 36.

As is shown in Figure 17, device 34 to detect the service life of the strobe compares the signal representing the current value from strobe lamp 22a as detected by photo-detector 43 (the sensor value) with the current value which indicates that strobe lamp 22a 's service life is up (the service life value) . If the sensor value is below the service life value (Step n21) , it determines that there is not a sufficient quantity of light available to continue producing high-quality photo-seals. It outputs a signal to prevent further operation, making the booth unable to accept input to print. A warning that the booth is out of order appears on display 12 (Step n22) , for example, "Please replace strobe. Operation may resume after strobe is replaced. " When he reads this, the customer notifies the clerk, who replaces strobe lamp 22a. The clerk uses input device 31 to enter the information that strobe replacement is completed (Step n23) . The process returns to Start and the customer is permitted to proceed.

When the current value from strobe lamp 22a as detected by photo detector 43 (the sensor value) is compared with the current value which indicates that strobe lamp 22a 's service life is up (the service life value) in the Step n21, if the sensor value exceeds the service life value, device 35 determines that the photo^¬ graph may be permitted. It then compares the sensor value with the current value which indicates that the user should be warned to replace strobe lamp 22a (the warning value) (Step n24) . If the sensor value is below the warning value, it outputs a signal to indicate that the user should be warned to replace the strobe. A message is delivered via display 12 so that the user will know he needs to find a replacement for the strobe (Step n25) , for example, "The strobe is nearing the end of its predicted service life. Please find a replacement." When he reads this display, the customer will notify the clerk that he needs to find a new strobe

(Steps nl4 and nl5) .

In this way service life detection means 35 can detect the quantity of light emitted by the strobe and monitor its service life.

While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it should be apparent that many modifications can be made to the present inventions without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly the invention is not limited by the foregoing description or drawings, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is ;

1. A photo-seal dispenser comprising: a currency processing means to detect and process currency that is inserted; an input means to input an operating command; a camera which captures an image to be photographed; a first illumination means which continuously illuminates an image ; a second illumination means, which illuminates the image while said camera captures the image; a display means to display the captured image and/or necessary information for operation; a printer, which prints and dispenses a photo-seal of the captured image captured by said camera; and a control means to control various functions of said photo- seal dispenser; wherein when the customer inserts currency and inputs an operating command, said first and second illumination means illuminates the image, thereafter said display means displays said captured image, and said printer prints said captured image to be dispensed as a photo-seal; and wherein said second illumination means is installed in a strobe enclosure, said strobe enclosure comprising: a stroboscopic illumination unit; at least one reflector panel which reflects the strobe light emitted by said stroboscopic illumination unit; and a diffusion panel which diffuses and emits said reflected strobe light to a region to be photographed.

2. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said photo-seal dispenser is provided with a pair of said strobe enclo- sures which are placed symmetrically to the left and right of said camera .

3. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 2, wherein a portion of said diffused strobe light emitted from said strobe enclosures overlaps in the region to be photographed.

4. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said strobe enclosure emits said strobe light from overhead so that a stereoscopic image can be photographed by said camera.

5. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said stroboscopic illumination unit is provided at the bottom of said strobe enclosure, and a plurality of said reflector panels face toward the region to be photographed.

6. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said stroboscopic illumination unit is provided at the center of said strobe enclosure, and a plurality of said reflector panels face toward the region to be photographed.

7. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said first illumination means is ordinary fluorescent or incandescent lamps .

8. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a brightness adjustment means to adjust the overall brightness of the image captured by said camera.

9. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 8, wherein said brightness adjustment means adjusts the brightness of the image displayed on said display means to match the brightness level to be actually printed on a photo-seal so that there would be no discrep- ancy between the appearance of the image when the image is approved on said display means by the customer and the image actually printed as a photo-seal.

10. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 8, wherein said brightness adjustment means adjusts the brightness of the photo- seal to an appropriate level when the quantity of strobe light is detected as insufficient at the moment said camera captures the image to be photographed.

11. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a service life detecting means to detect the service life of said stroboscopic illumination unit.

12. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said service life detecting means comprises a counter which counts the number of times the strobe flashes, and a comparing means to determine the service life by comparing the number of flashes with a given number which predicts the service life.

13. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said service life detecting means comprises a light sensor which receives the strobe light and outputs an output signal according to the quantity of light received, and a comparing means which compares the output signal representing the quantity of light with a given value for quantity of light which is set to determine the service life.

14. A photo-seal dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said service life detecting means reports a result of the detection by displaying on said display means or other reporting means.

15. A photo-seal dispenser comprising: a camera; a display; a printer; a first illumination source that continuously illuminates an image ; a second illumination source that illuminates the image when the camera captures the image; and a brightness adjustment controller that adjusts the brightness of an image displayed on said display to correspond to an image printed on said printer.

16. A method for creating a photo-seal comprising: illuminating an image with a first light source; illuminating the image with a second light source while capturing the image with a camera; displaying the image for view by a customer; and adjusting the brightness of a the image printed for the customer to correspond to the brightness of the image viewed by the customer .