JP2000098500A - Photograph printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To have a photosensitive material printed with always good image quality with any image data by properly changing resolution by the kinds of the image data and decreasing the transporting speed of the photosensitive material and enhancing the resolution thereof when the high image quality is requested for the image to be printed. SOLUTION: This photograph printer has an exposure means 9 for executing the exposure of the image data, a transporting means 8 for supplying the photosensitive material to the exposing means 9 at the prescribed speed and a control means 16 connected to the exposure means 9 and the transporting means 8. The control means 16 sends the resolution preset in accordance with the image information as a control signal to the transporting means 8 so that the photosensitive material is supplied to the exposure means 9 at the transporting speed corresponding to the image information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus, and more particularly, to an improvement in an exposure apparatus having a plurality of shutter mechanisms arranged in a line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a photographic printing apparatus of this type, a photosensitive material such as photographic paper is subjected to an exposure process based on image data picked up by an optical reader including an image pickup device such as a CCD charge-coupled device. Is performed.

The light from the light source unit is split into three colors by a filter wheel, supplied to an exposure device via an optical fiber cable, and exposed to a photosensitive material by a transfer exposure type shutter array employing, for example, PLZT. Processing is performed.

That is, a photosensitive material is conveyed to an exposure unit at a predetermined speed, and a digital image is exposed in color sequence by using the shutter array based on the image data. Was.

At this time, since the photosensitive material is supplied to the exposure unit at a constant feed speed in accordance with the processing capacity of the shutter array, the resolution in the feed direction (sub-scanning direction) is constant. Therefore, if the resolution of the shutter array (main scanning direction) is, for example, 300 DPI, the resolution of the photosensitive material in the feeding direction (sub-scanning direction) is also exposed at 300 DPI and printed. That is, the ratio of the resolution in the main scanning direction to the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is set to 1:
It was set to 1 and was exposed.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned conventional apparatus has a problem that it cannot sufficiently cope with a case where high quality is required for an image to be printed depending on the type of image data. For example, even when high image quality is required, such as when characters are mixed in image data, the resolution of the shutter array (main scanning direction) is 300
With DPI, the resolution in the feed direction (sub-scanning direction) is also 3
Exposure at 00 DPI. For this reason, there have been problems such as the printed image becoming unclear and the edge portion of the character appearing jagged.

For this reason, it is conceivable to perform the exposure process while always maintaining a high resolution in the feeding direction (sub-scanning direction) of the photosensitive material. However, in this case, since the feeding speed of the photosensitive material is reduced, a long time is required for image processing, and a problem that the processing capacity of printing is reduced occurs, which cannot be an essential solution. Was something.

Therefore, the present invention is to change the resolution appropriately according to the type of image data. For example, when high quality is required for an image to be printed, the resolution is increased to increase any image data. The purpose is to always print with high quality image quality.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an exposure unit for exposing image data and a photosensitive material supplied to the exposure unit at a predetermined speed. And control means connected to the exposing means and the conveying means. And the control means includes:
A resolution set in advance based on the image information is sent to the transport unit as a control signal, and the photosensitive material is supplied to the exposure unit at a transport speed corresponding to the image information.

[0010] Thus, the resolution is changed by the control means based on the image information, and the photosensitive material is supplied to the exposure means at a transport speed corresponding to a preset resolution.
Exposure processing is always performed at the best resolution. For example, as in the case where characters are mixed in the image data,
When high image quality is required, the quality of the image to be printed is improved by lowering the conveying speed of the photosensitive material and increasing the resolution.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a photographic printing apparatus.
At an upper portion of the apparatus main body 1, a magazine 3 for storing a photosensitive material 2 as a sheet-like processing object in a roll shape is arranged. The photosensitive material 2 is supplied from the magazine 3 into the apparatus main body 1. In the apparatus main body 1, the photosensitive material 2 is
After being cut to a predetermined length by the cutter 4 arranged on the conveyance path, the sheet is sent to the conveyance device 6 by the guide rollers 5, 5,.

The transport device 6 is provided with a feed roller 8 for supplying the photosensitive material 2 to the exposure unit 7, and the feed roller 8 controls a feed speed based on a control signal from a control device described later. It can be changed step by step.

Further, the exposure unit 7 is provided with an exposure device 9 as shown in an enlarged detail in FIG.
Light from 0 is transmitted via the optical fiber cable 11. The exposure device 9 includes an exposure head 12 having a shutter array structure including a plurality of optical shutters in a line shape employing PLZT, and an image captured by an optical reader including an image sensor such as a CCD charge-coupled device. The photosensitive material 2 is exposed based on the data.

Here, the light source device 10 includes a lamp 13 as a light source, and a filter wheel 15 for separating light from the lamp 13 into three colors (RGB) through a mirror tunnel 14. Is transmitted to the exposure unit 7.

The feed roller 8 and the exposure device 9
Is connected to a controller 16 as a control device disposed in the apparatus main body 1, and the controller 16 is connected to a ROM 17 as a storage device having information such as a resolution set in advance based on image information. ing.

The controller 16 is connected to an input device 18 such as a personal computer or a digital camera as image information input means, and receives, for example, image data, print size, and image information such as the presence or absence of character information. Upon receiving the information, a feed speed corresponding to a resolution set in advance based on the image information is sent to the feed roller 8 as a control signal.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 19 denotes a guide plate for guiding the photosensitive material 2, and reference numeral 20 denotes a transport roller for the photosensitive material 2.

Next, the operation of the controller 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the photograph printing process is performed, step 1
In (S1), when image information such as image data, print size, and character information is input from the input device 18 to the controller 16, in step 2 (S2), the image reduction ratio is 1.5 times or more. Is determined. here,
The image reduction ratio is a value obtained by dividing the number of dots of the image data sent from the input device 18 by the number of image dots necessary for printing when the image data is printed on a photosensitive material at, for example, 300 DPI.

If the reduction ratio is larger than 1.5 in step 2, the process proceeds to step 3 (S3), the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is set to 600 DPI, and the image data is resized. 600 on feed roller 8
Sends a low-speed drive signal for DPI and converts image data to 600D
Exposure processing is performed at PI.

In step 2, the reduction ratio is 1.
If it is smaller than 5 times, the process proceeds to step 5 (S5), where it is determined whether a character is included in the image data. If the image data contains characters,
Image processing is performed in the same steps as when the reduction ratio is larger than 1.5 times. That is, in step 3, the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is set to 600 DPI, and the image data is resized.
Sends low-speed drive signal for I and 600 DPI image data
Exposure processing is performed.

On the other hand, if no character is included in the image data in step 5, the process proceeds to step S6 (S6), the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is set to 300 DPI, the image data is resized, and in step S7 (S7), A high-speed driving signal for 300 DPI is sent to the feed roller 8, and image data is exposed at 300 DPI.

As a result, when a high print quality is required, such as when characters are mixed in the image data, the feed speed of the feed roller 8 is reduced and the feed direction (sub-scanning direction) is reduced. By increasing the resolution of (1), it is possible to perform the exposure processing while increasing the print quality.

Here, the processing capacity in the sub-scanning direction will be examined when the print size is 4 inches × 6 inches and the size of image data and the presence or absence of character information are changed.

For example, when there is no character in the image data, a comparison is made between the case where the size of the image data is 1600 × 2400 dots and the case where the size of the image data is 2400 × 3600 dots. In the former case, since the reduction ratio is 1.3 times and the reduction ratio is smaller than 2, the exposure processing is performed at a resolution of 300 DPI in the sub-scanning direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the photosensitive material 2 is subjected to the exposure processing at the same ratio between the resolution in the main scanning direction and the resolution in the sub-scanning direction. On the other hand, in the latter case, the resolution is doubled and the reduction ratio is larger than 1.5 times, so that the exposure processing is performed at a resolution of 600 DPI in the sub-scanning direction. In that case, as shown in FIG. 5, the exposure processing is performed in a state where the resolution in the main scanning direction is set to half the resolution in the sub-scanning direction.

The size of the image data is 1600 × 2
When there are characters in the image data with 400 dots,
Compare with no characters. In the former case, since there are characters, exposure processing is performed at a resolution of 600 DPI in the sub-scanning direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the photosensitive material 2 is subjected to the exposure processing at the same ratio between the resolution in the main scanning direction and the resolution in the sub-scanning direction. On the other hand, in the latter case, since there is no character, exposure processing is performed at a resolution of 300 DPI in the sub-scanning direction. In that case, as shown in FIG. 5, the exposure processing is performed in a state where the resolution in the main scanning direction is set to half the resolution in the sub-scanning direction.

That is, when there are characters in an image, the photosensitive material must be exposed to light at a resolution of 600 DPI in the sub-scanning direction. However, when there are no characters in the image and the reduction ratio is small, the print image does not cause any problem even if the image quality is relatively low, and the print image is printed even when the exposure process is performed with the resolution in the sub-scanning direction set to 300 DPI. There is no loss of image quality. 4 and 5
As is clear from the comparison, when the exposure processing is performed with the resolution in the sub-scanning direction increased, the printed image becomes finer and a good quality image is obtained. For example, the jaggedness of the edge portion of the character is eliminated, and a smooth image can be obtained.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, the controller 1
Under the control of No. 6, the photosensitive material is exposed at a feed speed corresponding to a preset resolution based on image information such as the image reduction ratio and the presence or absence of characters. Therefore, when high quality is not required for an image to be printed, the feed speed of the feed roller 8 is increased to increase the print processing capability. On the other hand, when high quality is required for the image, such as when the image reduction ratio is large or when there are characters, the resolution in the sub-scanning direction (feed direction) is increased by reducing the feed speed of the feed roller 8. Exposure and printing can maintain high quality images. Therefore, the feed speed of the feed roller 8 is appropriately changed according to the image data to be printed, and the image to be printed can always be maintained at a high quality.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, an exposure apparatus for exposing image data, a transport apparatus for supplying a photosensitive material at a predetermined speed to the exposure apparatus, and the exposure apparatus and the transport apparatus are provided. The control device sends a control signal to the exposure device and the transport device based on the image information, and processes the image at a predetermined resolution and a predetermined feed speed. Therefore, the control device performs the exposure process at a transport speed corresponding to a preset resolution based on image information such as the image reduction ratio and the presence or absence of characters. For example, when high quality is required for an image to be printed, the feed speed of the feed roller 8 can be reduced to maintain a high quality image to be printed. Therefore, by appropriately changing the resolution, that is, the feed speed of the feed roller 8 in accordance with the type of the image data and performing the exposure process, it is possible to maintain a high quality image to be printed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state where an exposure process is performed on a photosensitive material by light from a light source unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of image processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a dot state exposed on a photosensitive material when the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is equal to the resolution in the main scanning direction.

FIG. 5 shows the resolution in the sub-scanning direction as 2 which is the resolution in the main scanning direction.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a dot state exposed to a photosensitive material when the magnification is doubled.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 photosensitive material 8 feed roller 9 exposure device 10 light source unit 12 exposure head 16 controller 18 input device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. Exposure means for exposing image data, transport means for supplying a photosensitive material to the exposure means at a predetermined speed, and control means connected to the exposure means and the transport means. The control means sends a resolution set in advance based on image information to the transport means as a control signal, and supplies the photosensitive material to the exposure means at a transport speed corresponding to the image information. A photo printing apparatus characterized in that: 2. A photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is connected to input means for inputting image information such as image data, print size, character information, and the like. 3. The photograph according to claim 1, wherein said exposure means comprises a shutter array having a plurality of optical shutters in a line, and performs exposure processing based on image information. Printing equipment. 4. The transport means is controlled by the control means.
2. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a feed roller for changing a conveying speed of the photosensitive material stepwise based on the image information.