JP2000002949A - Control method for photograph processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize a front printing function with which a photograph processor corresponding to an APS is provided even in the case of a film other than an APS film. SOLUTION: When the film set at an automatic negative film mask is the 135 m/m film, a mode is switched to the set mode and a title which is front- printed is selected from 100 kinds of titles (00)-(99). When the selected title is printed on a photographic paper and developed, title characters D2 such as 'Happy Birthday to you' are also displayed at the front surface of a finished print together with a taken photographic picture D1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus having a front print function for printing characters and figures together with a photographic image on the surface of photographic paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some high-performance single-lens reflex cameras and APS-compatible cameras have a function of taking pictures and recording characters and figures. There is a photographic processing apparatus having a function of reading out the information recorded in this way at the time of developing / printing processing and printing the information together with a photographic image in a predetermined area of photographic paper. The photographic processing apparatus in this specification means at least an apparatus having a function of printing a photographic image of a developed film on photographic paper.In general, when a developed film is set, the film Is printed on photographic paper, the photographic paper is developed, and the prints are sequentially discharged as cut prints for each frame. Further, the print information in the present specification refers to information selected to be printed as a title character from among various information recorded on a film or information input for that purpose. AP
In the case of an SPS-compatible photographic processing device, when the film to be processed is an APS film, a function of scanning a magnetic recording portion of the film and reading out magnetic information recorded on the film together with a photographic image is provided. I have. It has a so-called front print function of extracting print information from the read magnetic information, printing a photographic image on photographic paper, and printing the print information on the surface of the photographic paper.

[0005] This function will be schematically described with reference to FIG.
A magnetic head for the magnetic recording portion Fm of the film F corresponding to APS
Scanning is performed at 101, and the recorded magnetic information is read out as an electric signal. The obtained electric signal is analyzed by a processing circuit 102 using a microcomputer to obtain print information to be printed. This print information is supplied to the LED exposure head 103 to form a print pattern of, for example, 7 dots. The LED exposure heads 103 are provided at both edges of the width of the photographic paper, and an appropriate one is selected according to inversion / non-inversion of the photographic image. Since the print pattern exposed by the LED exposure head 103 is a latent image, the print pattern is developed together with a separately exposed photographic image in the development processing unit 104,
It is discharged as a photo print P. On the surface of the photo print P discharged in this manner, a photo image D
1 and the title character D2 "Otanjobiomedeto" is printed. Note that LE
In place of optical printing means such as a D exposure head, printing means such as thermal transfer printing or ink jet printing may be used.

[0004]

However, in a conventional APS-compatible photo processing apparatus as described above, the AP
If the film is not a film on which magnetic information is recorded, such as an S film, etc., although the photographic processing apparatus has a front print function, there is no magnetic information to be printed. And figures could not be printed. In addition, even in the case of APS film, when a magnetic recording cannot be performed by photographing with a low-performance camera, or when some or all of the recorded magnetic information cannot be read due to an external magnetic field or the like. Cannot print characters and figures using the front print function.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to effectively use the front print function of an APS-compatible photographic processing apparatus even in a case other than an APS film.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a photographic processing apparatus, comprising: a photographic processing apparatus having a front print function for printing characters and graphics together with a photographic image on the surface of photographic paper. In the control method, the mode is switched to a setting mode for inputting print information to be printed by the front print function, the print information is input by operating the input means, and control is performed so that the input print information is printed by the front print function. Things. Claim 2
Then, it is determined whether or not readable print information is recorded on the film to be processed. If the print information is recorded, the print information is read and printed by the front print function, and the print information is printed. If no print information is recorded, switch to the setting mode for inputting print information to be printed by the front print function, operate the input means to input the print information, and print the input print information by the front print function. I do. In claim 3,
In the setting mode, the print information is input by operating the input means and selecting one of the plurality of print information. According to the fourth aspect, in the setting mode, a plurality of print information is stored in a memory for each language, and when the input means is operated to select a language, the plurality of print information is also stored in the selected language. Control so that it can be switched accordingly.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A control method of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings of a photographic processing apparatus used in the method.

In FIG. 1 showing a main part of a photographic processing apparatus, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnetic head which scans a magnetic recording section Fm of an APS-compatible film F and reads recorded magnetic information as an electric signal. Reference numeral 2 denotes a keyboard, which is input means for inputting various operation information of the photo processing apparatus. The “PASS” key 21 and the “START” key 22 provided on the keyboard 2 also have a key function of selecting print information. Reference numeral 3 denotes a processing unit using a microcomputer, which analyzes an electric signal obtained by the magnetic head 1 and outputs print information to be printed, and selects print information when the keyboard 2 is operated. The functions are controlled by a processing program so as to realize various functions. Reference numeral 4 denotes a front print unit, in which LED exposure heads 41 and 42 are provided at both edges of the width of the printing paper P, respectively. The print information output from the processing unit 3 is supplied to a selected one of the LED exposure heads 41 and 42 to form a print pattern of, for example, 7 dots.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a developing section for photographic paper. Since the print pattern exposed in the front print section 4 is a latent image, the latent image is developed together with a separately exposed photographic image.
It is discharged as a photo print P. In this way, on the surface of the photographic print P discharged from the development processing unit 5, for example, the title character D2 of "Otami Biomedeto" is printed together with the photographic image D1.

Hereinafter, a processing program in the processing section 3 will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. First, whether or not to perform front print is set. If the front print is not set, normal film scanning and determination processing are executed. In the case of setting for front printing, the following processing is performed.

In step S1, a film is set on the auto-negative mask.
Determine whether it is a PS film or 135m / m film. APS
In the case of a film, in step S2, a photographic image of each frame is read by a scanner, and the magnetic recording unit of each frame is read by a magnetic head. Then, the mode is switched to the setting mode, and information (including print information) read from the magnetic recording unit is displayed as in the setting mode screen shown in FIG. This setting mode is used when the data is not recorded in the magnetic recording unit even if the film is an APS film (a cheap AP film).
It is also used when data is not read (for example, when data is lost due to external magnetism) or when data cannot be read (for example, when shooting with an S camera). This setting mode can be used at any time irrespective of the type of film and during the determination of a photographic image.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the selection number [1] of the title character is displayed on the first line of the setting mode screen.
7] is displayed, and the language selection number [6] is displayed on the second line.
] And the language corresponding to the selection number [Japanese 1]
Is displayed, and the date [1998/3/2
] Is displayed, and the time [11:11] is displayed on the fourth line. On the next line, [printing information], which is print information of the front print corresponding to the selection number [17] of the title character, is displayed as the title character, and on the next line, [all frames] indicating the current state is displayed. Correspondence / correspondence to each frame] is displayed. On the bottom line, keys [PASS] and [START] for instructing vertical movement of the cursor and a key [YES] for instructing selection are displayed.

In step S3, the selection numbers of the title characters are [00] to [9] as shown in FIG.
9] can be selected from 100 types. Pressing the [PASS] key increases the number, and pressing the [START] key decreases the number. When the [YES] key is pressed when the desired number is displayed, the selected number is determined. The selection number may be directly input using the numeric keypad of the keyboard. In addition,
Every time the selection number of the title character is changed, the character in the print information column of the front print is changed in conjunction therewith.

The language selection number can be selected from 13 types [1] to [13] as shown in FIG.
The number selection method is the same as described above. When you select a language,
The notation of the title character is also changed to the notation of the corresponding language. That is, the title character table can be switched according to the language selection. Generally, at the time of shipment from the factory, the language of the delivery destination of the product is set in advance. Enter the date and time using the numeric keypad. If the mode is switched to the setting mode before judging the image of the negative film set on the auto negative mask, the character of [All frames] is displayed to indicate that the setting is for all frames of the film to be processed. If the mode is switched to the setting mode in the middle of the work of sequentially highlighting or displaying the frames of the film to be processed and indicating each frame of the film to be processed, it indicates that the setting is an individual setting for each frame of the film to be processed. For this purpose, the characters "corresponding to each frame" are highlighted or selected and displayed.

If the recorded magnetic information cannot be read even for an APS film, the mode is switched to the setting mode and the input of each data is requested. In this case, the input is performed in a state of [all frames]. Thereafter, in step S4, a photographic image of each frame scanned and read is displayed, and determination is sequentially performed for each frame. Here, it is determined whether or not printing can be performed while viewing the photographic image of each frame on a monitor, and when correction is necessary, a keyboard is operated to input a correction value and the like. If it is desired to change the print information in step S5,
When the setting mode is switched again, it can be changed at any time. In this case, the input is made in the state of [corresponding to each frame]. In this way, when the determination of all frames and the selection of print information are completed in step S6, the printing / developing process of the film is started. In this printing / developing process, the selected print information (for example, [Goldfish]) is printed together with the photographic image, so the title of [Goldwood] is printed on the surface of the printed print together with the photographed image. Is also displayed.

Next, if the film set on the auto-negative mask is 135 m / m film, the mode is switched to the setting mode in step S7, and an input is requested in the state of "all frames" in step S8. . Then, the photographic image of each frame is read by a scanner. And
In step S9, a photographic image of each frame scanned and read is displayed, and determination is sequentially made for each frame. In step S10, if it is desired to change the print information input in the state of "all frames", the mode can be changed at any time by switching to the setting mode again. In this case, the input is made in the state of [corresponding to each frame].
In this way, in step S11, when the determination of all frames and the selection of print information are completed, the printing / developing process of the film is started, and characters such as [Otamibiomedeto] are displayed together with the photographed image. The print is obtained.

Even if the film is 135 m / m film, if magnetic information is written by being photographed by a high-performance camera, it is processed by the front print function as in the case of the APS film. In this way, the front print function is realized even for 135 m / m film, and the same data (font pattern, etc.) and the hardware configuration (LE) as the print information used for APS film.
D exposure head), the front print function can be realized even with 135 m / m film without any additional memory or hardware configuration.

It should be noted that instead of optical printing means such as an LED exposure head, printing means such as thermal transfer printing or ink jet printing may be used.

[0019]

According to the method of the first aspect of the present invention, print information to be printed by the front print function can be input by operating the input means, so that the front print function can be used regardless of the type of film. it can. According to the method of claim 2, even if there is no readable print information, it is possible to switch to the setting mode and input, so that the APS film on which no magnetic recording has been performed, the APS film which has been recorded but could not be read, or the APS The front print function can be used even for a film having no print information recorded thereon, such as a 135 m / m film other than the film.

According to the method of the third aspect, when inputting print information, it is only necessary to select any one of a plurality of print information, so that the input operation of the print information can be performed smoothly. According to the method of the fourth aspect, when the language is selected, the displayed print information is also switched to the corresponding language notation, so that there is no need to switch the language information separately, and excellent operability can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of a photographic processing apparatus used for a method of controlling a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a part of a flowchart showing a main part of a processing program in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a part of a flowchart showing a main part of a processing program in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a part of a flowchart showing a main part of a processing program in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a part of a flowchart showing a main part of a processing program in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a setting mode screen.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a plurality of print information.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing selectable languages.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a front print function of a conventional APS-compatible photo processing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Magnetic head 2 Keyboard 3 Processing part 4 Front print part 41, 42 LED exposure head 5 Photographic paper development processing part P Photographic print F Film Fm Magnetic recording part D1 Photographic image D2 Title character

Claims (4)

[Claims] In a control method of a photo processing apparatus having a front print function for printing characters and figures together with a photographic image on the surface of photographic paper, a setting mode for inputting print information to be printed by the front print function is switched. Operating the input means to input print information, and printing the input print information by the front print function. 2. A method of controlling a photographic processing apparatus having a front print function for printing characters and graphics together with a photographic image on a surface of photographic paper, wherein print information readable on a film to be processed is recorded. If the print information is recorded, the print information is read out and printed by the front print function, and if the print information is not recorded,
A photograph processing device for switching to a setting mode for inputting print information to be printed by a front print function, operating input means to input print information, and printing the input print information by the front print function; Control method. 3. The control of the photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the setting mode, the print information is input by operating the input means and selecting one of the plurality of print information. Method. 4. In a setting mode, a plurality of print information is stored in a memory for each language, and when a language is selected by operating an input means, the plurality of print information is also stored in the selected language. Claims 1, 2, and 3 that are switched according to
A method for controlling a photographic processing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.