JP2000241904A - Photographic printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute a printing device capable of realizing appropriate printing whether the surface of set negative film turns upward or downward. SOLUTION: The frame image of the negative film 1 is guided to a CCD sensor 21 by a lens 18 and converted into an electrical signal, and an image is printed on photographic paper 3 based on the electrical signal in this printing device. When the film 1 is set upside down, this set state is automatically discriminated and the image is set to an appropriate direction by digital processing, and also the focusing position of the lens 18 is adjusted by the driving of a motor 19 so as to correct the divergence of focus equivalent to the film base of the film 1.

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 provided with a film carrier on which a photographic film is set and an exposure unit for printing a frame image of the photographic film set on the film carrier onto photographic paper. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in a so-called digital printing apparatus that converts a frame image into an electric signal by a CCD image sensor or the like and prints the image on photographic paper based on the electric signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital printing apparatus having the above-mentioned construction, a photographic film photographed using a silver halide film of 135 size or the like is set on a film carrier in the same manner as a conventional printing apparatus. The frame image of the photographic film is guided to a CCD image sensor or the like via an optical lens and converted into an electric signal (photoelectric conversion). Further, based on the signal obtained by processing the electric signal, a light emitting element or the like is caused to emit light. The light beam from the light emitting element is guided to photographic paper to perform printing.

[0003]

The digital printing apparatus constructed as described above has the effect of being able to easily adjust the color tone, gradation, contrast, and the like by electrical processing. However, even if this digital printing apparatus is used, if the photographic film is erroneously set on the film carrier upside down, printing in a reversed state, that is, back printing occurs. And if you set it upside down, the current situation is that the photographic film is reset in the proper direction,
There is room for improvement in terms of labor.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to rationally increase the work efficiency when printing from photographic film.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, as described at the outset, a film carrier on which a photographic film is set and a frame of the photographic film set on the film carrier. In a photographic printing apparatus having an exposure unit for printing an image on a photographic paper, an optical lens for transmitting information of a frame image of a photographic film set on the film carrier, and information of the frame image from the optical lens are transmitted as an electric signal. And an image sensor for converting and taking out the photographic paper. The exposure unit is configured to perform exposure on the photographic paper based on a signal from the image sensor, and the photographic film set in the film carrier is printed on the photographic paper. Correction means for performing a process of converting the front and back of an image to be reversed and a process of sharpening an image printed on photographic paper. Located that point, its action and effects are as follows.

A second feature of the present invention (claim 2) is that, in claim 1, a discriminating means for electrically discriminating the front and back of the photographic film set in the film carrier is provided. A configuration in which the correction means performs a process of converting an image printed on photographic paper to face up when it is determined that the set photographic film is face-down, and a process of sharpening an image printed on photographic paper. The operation and effect are as follows.

A third feature of the present invention (claim 3) is that, in claim 2, the discriminating means performs discrimination between front and back sides based on a signal from a data sensor that reads data formed on a photographic film. The operation and effects are as follows.

A fourth feature of the present invention (claim 4) is that, in claim 2 or 3, when the photographic film set on the film carrier is determined to be face down by the determining means, the correction is performed. The sharpening process by the means is set so that the focal position of the optical lens is adjusted in the focusing direction by a shift corresponding to the thickness of the film base of the photographic film, and its operation and effect are as follows. It is on the street.

According to a fifth feature of the present invention (claim 5), when the photographic film set on the film carrier is determined to be face-down by the determining means, the correction is performed. The sharpening process by the means is configured to perform a process of sharpening an image of an image signal from the image sensor, and its operation, and
The effects are as follows.

[Action]

According to the first feature, even when the photographic film set on the film carrier is set upside down, a conversion process for turning the image printed on the photographic paper by the correction means upside down, Processing for sharpening an image to be printed on photographic paper can be performed. In other words, with this configuration, it is possible to obtain a print with the front facing regardless of whether the photographic film is set face up or face down with respect to the film carrier, and the photographic film is set face down with respect to the film carrier. In this case, the position where the image frame of the photographic film is formed deviates from the focal position of the optical lens by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the photographic film, and the image is slightly out of focus. By performing the sharpening process, the unclearness is eliminated.

According to the second feature, when the photographic film is set upside down with respect to the film carrier, the judging means judges that the photographic film is set upside down, and the correcting means sets the photographic paper. A conversion process is performed to make the image printed on the paper face up, and a process for sharpening the image printed on the printing paper is performed.

According to the third feature, since the contents of data such as a bar code and a magnetic track formed on a photographic film are read based on a signal from a data sensor to determine the front and back sides, accurate discrimination is made. Can be performed.

According to the fourth feature, when it is determined that the photographic film set in the film carrier is facing down, the focusing direction is adjusted by a shift corresponding to the thickness of the film base of the photographic film. Therefore, an image in focus is connected to the image sensor, and a print in an in-focus state is obtained.

According to the fifth feature, when it is determined that the photographic film set on the film carrier is face down, the image of the image signal from the image sensor is sharpened by performing processing for sharpening the image. Thus, a print with a clear outline can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] Therefore, when printing from a photographic film, a photographic printing apparatus capable of front-side and clear printing regardless of the direction of the front and back of the photographic film has been rationally constructed. It is. In addition, even if it is set without considering the front and back of the photographic film, it automatically enables proper printing of the front and back, enables accurate printing of the front and back of the photographic film and enables printing without error,
A printing device that performs clear printing by correcting the focus shift when the photographic film is set face down, and eliminates blurring even when the photographic film is set face down, It was reasonably composed.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a photographic printing apparatus. In this photographic printing apparatus, a film scanner unit A (of a film carrier) for converting a frame image of a 135-size negative film 1 as a silver halide photographic film into a digital signal. And a controller 2 to which a signal from the film scanner unit A is input, and a digital printing unit B (for printing an image on a photographic paper 3 from a paper magazine 3M based on the signal from the controller 2). An example of an exposure unit), a development processing unit C for developing the photographic paper 3 thus exposed, a monitor 4 on which information for displaying various processing information is displayed, and a console 5 for inputting various processing instructions. It has.

As shown in FIG. 3, the film scanner unit A adjusts the color distribution and intensity distribution of the light beam by using a halogen lamp 6 as a white light source, an ND filter 7, and a mirror tunnel 8, to thereby form the negative film 1. A plurality of rollers 9 which are provided with an illumination optical system A1 for irradiating, and which are synchronously driven via a timing belt or the like so as to sandwich and transport the negative film 1 from above and below, and a stepping motor type which drives these rollers 9 A first electric motor 9A, a negative mask 10 for determining a scanning area of the negative film 1, and a negative carrier portion A2 including an information sensor 12 (an example of a data sensor) for receiving a light beam transmitted from the light source 11 through the negative film 1. Further, it is configured to include an imaging optical system A3 and a photoelectric conversion unit A4.

The photographic paper 3 developed in the developing section C is subjected to a drying process, cut into a size corresponding to one frame image by a cutter (not shown), and discharged as a finished print. Ori, paper magazine 3
A transport system is configured such that the photographic paper 3 from the M is continuously transported from the digital printing unit B to the development processing unit C by a plurality of rollers 13 that are driven synchronously, and a stepping motor that drives the plurality of rollers 13 A second electric motor 13A is provided.

The imaging operation system A3 includes a sub-scanning oscillating mirror 16 for guiding a beam transmitted through the negative film 1, and an oscillating operation of the oscillating mirror 16 about an axis perpendicular to the transport direction of the negative film 1. A stepping motor type swing motor 17 to be moved, a single focus type reading lens 18, and a stepping motor type focusing motor 19 for adjusting the focal position of the reading lens 18 (an example of an optical lens). The photoelectric conversion unit A4 includes a reading lens 18
20 that splits the light beam from the prism into three directions, and three CCD line sensors 21r, 21g, and 21b through which the light beam from the prism 20 is guided through the red filter Fr, the green filter Fg, and the blue filter Fb, respectively. By providing (an example of an image sensor), it is configured to be able to take in in a state of being separated into three primary colors of a red component, a green component and a blue component. The respective CCD line sensors 21r, 21r
g and 21b are large numbers (for example, 5000) in the main scanning direction.
The CCD line sensor 21 is provided.
Each of the pixel signals from r, 21g, and 21b is generated as a continuous image signal through a sample-and-hold circuit (not shown), and the generated signal is converted to an A / D converter (see FIG. (Not shown) and converted into a digital signal of a predetermined number of bits (for example, 12 bits) and taken into the controller 2.

The engine of the digital printing section B includes a liquid crystal shutter system, a laser exposure system, and a CRT.
And a fluorescent tube method are known, but here, a line exposure print head 2 using a liquid crystal shutter method is used.
The light from the exposure print head 22 is guided to the photographic paper 3.

In this photo printing apparatus, an input / output system for the controller 2 has a control system as shown in FIG. That is, the controller 2 includes the CPU, the RO
A microcomputer system including an M, a RAM, an I / F circuit, and the like is configured as a core member. In this photographic printer, the front and back of the negative film 1 set in the negative carrier portion A2 are determined, and the negative film 1 is turned face down. The control operation according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 is set so as to perform appropriate printing without backburning even if is set.

That is, in this photographic printing apparatus, when performing printing, the developed negative film 1 is set in the negative carrier portion A1, and when printing a frame image to be printed, the operation console is used. 5 by operating the keyboard 5 (in the case of simultaneous printing, all frames are specified), while the negative film 1 is conveyed by the driving force of the first electric motor 9A, measurement is performed by the information sensor 12. The center position of the frame image formed on the negative film 1 is obtained from the density information of the image area of the negative film 1, and based on a signal from the information sensor 12,
As shown in FIG. 4, bar code information indicating the frame number formed on the side of the negative film 1 and bar code information indicating the film maker name and sensitivity are read by the information sensor 12 and set on the negative carrier portion A. When the front and back of the negative film 1 are determined, and when it is determined based on this determination that the negative film 1 is set to face up (appropriately), the focal position of the reading lens 18 is set to the standard. When it is determined that the negative film is set face down, the focus position of the reading lens 18 is corrected by driving the focusing motor 19, and the center position of the frame image reaches the center position of the negative mask 10 by this conveyance. Then, the first electric motor 9A is stopped to make the respective center positions coincide. In this state, the mirror 16 is oscillated by the driving force of the oscillating motor 17, and the pixel signals from the CCD line sensors 21r, 21g, 21b are transferred to three working areas ( Red information,
A process of writing the information into the areas for storing the green information and the blue information (steps # 101 to # 104) is performed.

As shown in FIG. 4, a bar code 1a indicating the frame number is formed on the outer side of one of the perforations of the negative film 1, and a bar code indicating the film manufacturer name and the sensitivity is formed on the outer side of the other perforation. 1b
Is formed, and when the negative film 1 is set upside down (upside down) with respect to the negative carrier portion 1A, the bar code 1 read by the information sensor 12 by the preprocessing is formed.
The formation areas of a and 1b are reversed, or data is read in the direction from the end code of the bar code to the start code. For this reason, it is determined that the negative film 1 is set in the reverse direction. I have. The control program for determining the front and back of the negative film 1 constitutes the determination means, and the program for correcting the focal position constitutes the correction means.

Next, in this state, the swing motor 17 is driven to swing the mirror 16, and the CCD line sensors 21r, 21g, 21g are synchronized with the swing speed.
b. Write signals from each of the three working areas of the memory (areas for storing red information, green information, and blue information, respectively), and further, based on the discrimination result of the front and back of the negative film 1,
When the negative film 1 is face up, data is sequentially read from the head addresses of the three working areas, color correction and brightness correction are performed, and then the three image areas (red information, green information, Area for storing each blue information)
To transfer the corrected data to
If the negative film 1 is facing backward based on the discrimination result of the front and back of the negative film 1, data is sequentially read from the rear end addresses of the three work areas, color correction and brightness correction are performed, and then the data is stored in the memory. By performing a process of transferring the corrected data to the three formed image areas, the corrected image data is stored in an appropriate direction with respect to the image areas (# 1).
05, # 106 steps). When the negative film 1 is set face down, there is a means for reading data by specifying the address in the reverse direction from the last address (decrementing the address) in order to obtain proper data. According to the present invention, the same result as in the case where the last one line of data taken out by the main scanning is read out, and then the immediately preceding one line of data is read out and the sub-scanning direction is performed in the reverse direction. , The address is selected and data is sequentially read out.

Next, a process of sequentially reading out the image data stored in the image area and displaying it on the monitor 4 (video RAM
And the like, and the image data stored in the image area is sequentially read out.
The digital printing unit B is driven while the photographic paper 3 is being conveyed by the drive of 3A to expose the photographic paper 3 (the digital printing unit B may be moved while the photographic paper 3 is stopped). The processing is continued as long as the frame image exists on the negative film 1, and is terminated when the frame image no longer exists on the negative film 1 (steps # 107 to # 109).

As described above, according to the present invention, the negative carrier portion A
Even if the negative film 1 is mistakenly inserted backward with respect to the negative film 2, the device automatically determines this state, and when the negative film 1 is set face down with respect to the negative carrier A 2 in this manner. Causes the inconvenience that the focus position of the reading lens 18 is shifted by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the film base of the negative film 1 and the focus cannot be adjusted. However, the focus position is automatically corrected by the focusing operation. In addition, it is possible to correct the face-down print in an appropriate direction by image processing and print out. Thus, when the negative film 1 is erroneously set face down as in a conventional printing apparatus, the trouble of taking out the negative film 1 and resetting it to face up is eliminated, and the print result is properly adjusted. It is nothing less than the processed one.

[Other Embodiments] In the present invention, besides the above embodiment, it is also possible to set a control mode as shown in a flowchart of FIG. 6, for example. That is, the first motor 9A is driven by the intermittent signal until the integrated value described above is reached, so that the negative film 1 is conveyed and the center of the frame image coincides with the center of the negative mask 10, and the swing motor 17 is driven in this state. The mirror 16 is swung, and the CCD line sensor 21r,
Signals from each of 21g and 21b are written into three working areas (areas for storing red information, green information, and blue information, respectively) of the memory, and based on the discrimination result of the front and back of the negative film 1, the negative film 1 is turned upside down. In the case of, the data is sequentially read from the head addresses of the three work areas, color correction and brightness correction are performed, and then the three image areas (red information, green information, and blue information stored in the memory are stored). The processing for transferring the corrected data to the area to be processed is performed, and based on the discrimination result of the front and back of the negative film 1, if the negative film 1 is facing backward, the rear end addresses of the three working areas are set. After sequentially reading the data, performing color correction and brightness correction, and transferring the corrected data to the three image areas formed in the memory, the image data can be properly oriented with respect to the image areas. Corrected image data is stored (# 201 to # 203 steps). Next, a filter process for sharpening the image stored in the image area is performed, the image area is overwritten, and the image data stored in this image area is sequentially read out to monitor 4.
(Eg, transferring data to a video RAM), sequentially reading out the image data stored in the image area, and driving the second electric motor 13A to transport the photographic paper 3 to the digital print section B. Drive photographic paper 3
, And these processes are continuously performed as long as the frame image exists on the negative film 1, and the process is terminated when the frame image no longer exists on the negative film 1 (# 204 to # 207). Steps).

That is, by setting the control mode in this manner, a clear image print can be obtained without adjusting the focal position of the reading lens 18.

Also, in the present invention, when writing image data from a negative film set upside down to the memory, the mirror is tilted in the reverse direction to reverse the sub-scanning direction. It is possible to adopt a configuration in which the reversal process due to the transfer of the data need not be performed, and can be applied when printing from a positive film as a photographic film.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a photographic printing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram showing a control system.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a path through which a light beam from a light source is guided.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a negative film.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing print control.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating print control according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 photographic film 3 photographic paper 12 data sensor 18 optical lens 21 image sensor A2 film carrier B exposure unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 2H106 AA72 AB04 BA01 BA22 BA26 BA62 2H110 AA21 AC14 BA16 CB22 CB31 CB41 CB71 5B057 BA02 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB01 CB08 CB12 CB16 CC01 CD01 CE17 DA07 DC08 5C062 AA01 AB03 AB MM03 MP08 PP80 TT02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A film carrier (A2) on which a photographic film (1) is set, and an exposure section (B) for printing a frame image of the photographic film (1) set on the film carrier (A2) onto a photographic paper (3). B), comprising: an optical lens (1) for transmitting frame image information of a photographic film (1) set on the film carrier (A2).
8), and an image sensor (21) for converting the information of the frame image from the optical lens (18) into an electric signal and extracting the signal, and based on the signal from the image sensor (21), the photographic paper (3) The exposure section (B) is configured so as to perform exposure to the photographic film, and the front and back of the image printed on the photographic paper (3) from the photographic film (1) set in the film carrier (A2) are reversed. A photographic printing apparatus comprising a correction unit for performing a process and a process for sharpening an image printed on a photographic paper (3). 2. A discriminating means for electrically discriminating the front and back of a photographic film (1) set on the film carrier (A2), wherein the discriminating means uses the film carrier (A).
If the photographic film (1) set in (2) is determined to be face-down, the image printed on the photographic paper (3) is converted to face up, and the image printed on the photographic paper (3) is sharpened. 2. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographic printing apparatus is configured to cause the correction means to perform the processing. 3. A photograph according to claim 2, wherein said discriminating means is configured to perform a discrimination process between front and back sides based on a signal from a data sensor (12) for reading data formed on the photographic film (1). Printing device. 4. When the determining means determines that the photographic film (1) set on the film carrier (A2) is face down, the sharpening process by the correcting means is performed by the optical lens (18). 4. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the focal position of the photographic printing device is set so as to be adjusted in the focusing direction by a shift corresponding to the thickness of the film base of the photographic film (1). 5. When the determining means determines that the photographic film (1) set on the film carrier (A2) is face-down, the sharpening processing by the correcting means is performed by the image sensor (21). 3) a process for sharpening an image of the image signal from the image signal.
Or the photographic printing device according to 3.