JP2000352771A - Image printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten customer's waiting time even when plural orders are continuously given. SOLUTION: This device is provided with an image input part IN for inputting an image to be printed, an image storage part IM for storing the inputted image, an editing processing part IE for performing the editing processing of a printing condition for the image stored in the storage part IM, and a printing part 5 for printing the image. In such a case, it is provided with a control part 10 capable of successively receiving input concerning the images of plural orders from the input part IN, and switching and executing two control modes, that is, an input processing mode in which the image is stored in the storage part IM so that it can be discriminated every order and a printing mode in which the editing processing and printing processing for the image stored in the storage part IM are executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input unit for inputting an image to be printed, an image storage unit for storing the input image, and printing conditions for the image stored in the image storage unit. The present invention relates to an image printing apparatus provided with an editing processing unit for editing an image and a printing unit for printing an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a customer brings in a photographed film or a memory card on which image data is recorded by a customer, the image is input from an image input unit and stored in an image storage unit. This is a device for performing printing processing by editing print conditions as necessary. Conventionally, printing an image in this manner involves inputting an image from an image input unit for each order, that is, one order unit, editing the printing conditions of the image, and printing the image. I was going.

[0003]

Therefore, in the above-described conventional configuration, when a print request is made by another customer after the above-described series of operations is started, the subsequent customer is requested until the processing for the preceding order is completed. Had to wait for it, which was inconvenient. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the waiting time of a customer even when a plurality of orders are continuously generated.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of orders from a customer are consecutive, an input processing mode is set, and an image of a plurality of orders is input from an image input unit. Inputs are sequentially received, and the input images for a plurality of orders are stored in the image storage unit so as to be identifiable for each order. When the input processing is completed for a series of orders, the control mode is switched from the input processing mode to the print mode, and editing processing of print conditions such as image color correction is required for images of a plurality of orders stored in the image storage unit. After going according to
Print in the print section. Therefore, since the information of the image to be printed is intensively received, the waiting time of the customer can be reduced even when a plurality of orders from the customer are continuous.

[0005] Further, with the configuration according to the second aspect, even when the control in the print mode is executed, the control in the input processing mode is performed in response to the instruction input from the manually operated interrupt command switch. Switch to control. That is, even after the reception of the image to be printed in the input processing mode is completed and the mode is shifted to the print mode, a new order from the customer may be generated. The user switches to the input processing mode only by inputting an instruction from the interrupt command switch, so that the customer can accept the order without having to wait so much.

Further, by providing the configuration according to the third aspect, in order to shift to the input processing mode during the processing in the print mode, the operator needs to operate the monitor displaying the operation guide during the printing operation. The transition can be made by instructing an interrupt instruction display that is displayed together with the display of a certain effect. That is, if an interruption process is performed so as to shift to the input processing mode during the editing process of the print condition, and the operation in the input processing mode is completed, the process returns to the original editing process. When it is unclear how much editing has been performed before entering the input processing mode, it may be difficult to restart the editing.On the other hand, it is displayed on the monitor that printing is in progress. Is in a state where the editing process of the print conditions of the image has been completed and the operator's work has been completed, so that the above-mentioned confusion can be avoided for the operator, and the device can be used conveniently. Become.

Further, with the configuration according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the print mode, control is further performed in the same size batch print mode, so that a plurality of images to be printed by the print unit are printed in the same print size. Images can be extracted and printed continuously. Therefore, even when images having different print sizes are mixed, the frequency of changing the printing paper such as photographic paper can be reduced, and the working efficiency can be improved.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the image printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the image printing apparatus IP includes a color printer 1 that prints an image by printing it on photographic paper, and a print control apparatus 2 that includes a general-purpose computer.
And a memory reading device 3 that reads image data of a memory card MC that stores an image captured by the digital camera DC. The image printing device IP reads image data stored in the memory card MC by the memory reading device 3 or reads an image of a photographic film by the film scanner 4 built in the color printer 1. Thus, the read image is printed by the print unit 5 of the color printer 1. Therefore, the memory reading device 3 and the film scanner 4 function as an image input unit IN for inputting an image to be printed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the print control device 2 includes a monitor 11 for displaying operation guides, a keyboard 12a and a mouse 12b, and an image storage unit for storing image data and the like fetched from outside. A hard disk device 13 as an IM is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the color printer 1 mainly includes a film scanner 4 for reading an image on a photographic film 20 and a photographic paper 21 for transferring the image.
And a printing unit 5 for printing on the print medium.

The film scanner 4 includes a light source 31a, a light control filter 31b, a mirror tunnel 31c, an image pickup optical system 32, and a photoelectric conversion unit 33 using a CCD sensor. The output signal of the photoelectric conversion unit 33 is sent to the controller 34 of the color printer 1 and
Is sent to the print control device 2 from the printer, but it is also possible to cause the print unit 5 to print the image under the control of the controller 34 itself without sending it to the print control device 2.

The printing unit 5 includes an exposure device 41 for exposing an image on the photographic paper 21, a development processing device 42 for developing the exposed photographic paper 21, and a magazine 40 for storing the photographic paper 21 in a roll shape. A photographic paper transport device 43 that transports the drawn-out photographic paper 21 to the development processing device 42 is provided. A paper cutter 43a that cuts the photographic paper 21 into a predetermined size and a back surface printing device 43b that prints predetermined information on the back surface of the photographic paper 21 are arranged in the middle of the conveyance path of the photographic paper conveyance device 43.

An exposure apparatus 41 includes an exposure head 41a having a shutter array composed of PLZT elements, and R, G, B
A light source 41b for switching the light of each color and supplying the light to the exposure head 41a, and performs so-called digital exposure printing in which an exposure amount is set for each pixel.

Next, the operation of printing an image by the image printing apparatus IP having the above-described configuration will be schematically described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 7 executed by the control section 10 of the print control apparatus 2. explain. The processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 indicates control of the input processing mode,
This is a control for receiving and processing an image brought in for printing from a customer. The form of the image brought by the customer may be a photographic film 20 or a memory card MC.
In the case of the photographic film 20, the image data read by the film scanner 4 of the color printer 1 is sent to the print control device 2, and in the case of the memory card MC, the image data is read by the memory reading device 3. This is sent to the print control device 2, and any of the input formats can be selected in advance.

Upon receiving a print request from a customer, the operator operates the keyboard 12a or the mouse 12b of the print control device 2 to activate the processing shown in FIG. One order is taken in the format (step # 1). Then, the screen display of the monitor 11 is changed to the image selection screen display shown in FIG.
2). In this image selection screen display, a guidance display of "Please select an image to be used" is displayed, and a plurality of frames (9 frames in the present embodiment) of the images captured in the image display area A1 on the left side of the screen are displayed. To the right of the "select image" button B1 for instructing to select all the images for one order, and the "specified image" for instructing to select and select some of the images for one order Button B
2, a print number input frame F1 for inputting the number of prints when all the frames have the same number of prints, and an image selection for confirming the selection of the image and instructing the end of the input processing mode for one order. "End" button B3
And a "return" button B4 for instructing that the image captured at that time is not to be printed. These buttons B1, B2, B3, B
4 are displayed by instructing and inputting their display positions with the mouse cursor, and the respective buttons B1, B2, B3, B4
It can be detected that the user pressed. Below, the monitor 11
The same applies to other buttons displayed on the screen.

At the left end of the image display area A1, an image switching button B5 for switching the image to be displayed to the image of the next nine frames or the image of nine frames previously displayed is displayed. Are arranged, and an individual print number input frame F2 for individually inputting the number of prints for each frame is displayed below each of the nine images displayed.

In the display screen shown in FIG. 8, while the operator has instructed and input the "select all" button B1 with the mouse 12b, he or she instructs or inputs the "end" button B3 or "specified image". When the user selects and instructs an image to be displayed in the image display area A1 in the state where the button B2 is input, and further inputs and inputs an "end" button B3 (step #
9) The setting data on the image selection screen display, that is, the information for specifying the selected image and the data on the number of prints are taken in (step # 10), and the image data to be printed for one order, the number of prints and the print size are obtained. Is stored in the hard disk drive 13 together with the information for identifying the order (step # 11), and the process is terminated.

On the display screen shown in FIG. 8, when the operator inputs a "print size setting" button B13 (step # 4), the display on the monitor 11 is omitted, but is similar to that shown in FIG. (Step # 5). In the print size setting screen display, the print size can be input at a position corresponding to the print number input frame F1 and the individual print number input frame F2 in FIG. When the operator inputs a "SET" button displayed on the print size setting screen display (step # 6), the print size setting data input on the screen is captured (step # 7), and the capture is performed. The data of the previous print size is rewritten with the data, and the screen returns to the screen display of FIG. On the other hand, when the operator inputs a “return” button displayed on the print size setting screen display, the screen returns to the screen display of FIG. 8 without rewriting the print size data.
When the print size is not set on the print size setting screen display, a so-called L size is set as an initial value.

On the display screen shown in FIG. 8, when the operator inputs an instruction of a "return" button B4 (step #
3) The process ends without storing the image data in the hard disk device 13. As described above, even if one order of image data is received from the customer, editing processing such as color correction of the image and printing work are not immediately started, and the operator operates the mouse 12b or the like with the mouse 12b or the like as shown in FIGS. Only after the processing shown in (1) is started, the following work described above is started. Therefore, when print requests of a plurality of orders are consecutive, the operator can repeatedly activate the control of the input processing mode shown in the flowchart of FIG. Reference numeral 13 stores image data for a plurality of orders.

When the operator receives the print request from the customer as described above, the operator waits for the interruption of the print request, or transmits the received image to the color printer 1 at night when the print request has been received. Print. This operation is started when the operator operates the mouse 12b or the like to activate the print mode processing shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. In this process, first, the screen display of the monitor 11 is changed to the order selection screen display shown in FIG. 9 (step # 21).

In the order selection screen display, a guidance "Please select the order to be used" is displayed, an order information display area A2 for displaying information of the order for which the print request has been received, and a case where the number of prints is to be changed. Button B6 for changing the number of images, a color correction button B7 for correcting the color of the image data, and printing in the L size of the image data of each order stored in the hard disk device 13. "L-size batch print" button B8 for instructing control in the same-size batch print mode for extracting image data to be printed and printing continuously, and printing image data of each order stored in the hard disk drive 13. "Batch print" button B9 for instructing continuous printing regardless of size , 5 to ends the processing shown in FIG. 7 by "return" for returning to a previous state button B10 and is displayed.

When the operator instructs the "change number" button B6 in the state of the order selection screen display of FIG. 9 (step # 22), the display on the monitor 11 is omitted, but the input of the number of prints in FIG. The display is switched to the number change screen display of the same format (step # 23), and when the "set" button displayed on the number change screen display is input (step # 24), the number of prints set and input at that time is input. And changes the data of the number of prints previously input (step # 2).
5) Return to the order selection screen display shown in FIG. on the other hand,
When the "return" button displayed on the number change screen display is input (step # 26), the display returns to the order selection screen display shown in FIG.

When the operator inputs the "color correction" button B7 in the state of displaying the order selection screen shown in FIG. 9 (step # 27), the color correction screen shown in FIG. 10 is displayed on the monitor 11 (step # 28). ). In this color correction screen display,
In addition to displaying the guidance of "Please select an image to be corrected", a color correction data input frame F3 for instructing and inputting color correction of image data, and an image that can be subjected to color correction are displayed, and any of the images is displayed. Display area A3 for specifying
A "SET" button B11 for confirming the setting data instructed and input on the color correction screen display and a "RETURN" button B12 for returning to the original screen display of FIG. 9 without performing color correction. Is displayed.

In the color correction screen display of FIG. 10, when the operator selects an image as appropriate, inputs a color correction instruction, and then inputs a "set" button B11 (step #).
29), the input color correction setting data is fetched (step # 30), the image data is color-corrected based on the fetched setting data, and the display returns to the screen display of FIG. Accordingly, the control unit 10, the monitor 11, the mouse 12b, and the like of the print control device 2 constitute an edit processing unit IE that edits print conditions for images stored in the image storage unit IM. On the other hand, when the "return" button B12 is input in the color correction screen display of FIG. 10 (step # 31), the screen returns to the screen display of FIG. 9 without performing the color correction.

When the operator inputs an "L-size batch print" button B8 in the state of the order selection screen display of FIG. 9 (step # 32), the image data of each order stored in the hard disk device 13 is changed to L-size. An object to be printed on a plate is extracted (step # 33), and transmitted to the controller 34 of the color printer 1 to start printing (step # 34). Simultaneously with the transmission of the image data, the screen of the monitor 11 is switched to the "printing" screen display of FIG. 11 (step # 35). This "print"
In the middle screen display, a guidance “L-printing is being printed” is displayed, a “Cancel” button B14 for instructing the color printer 1 to stop the printing operation, and transmission of image data to the color printer 1 is performed. A "return" button B15 operated when performing color correction of image data to be printed next, etc., in parallel with the transmission of image data to the color printer 1, and accepts a print request for the next next order. "Next input" button B1 to be operated
6 is displayed.

In the screen display of FIG. 11, when the operator inputs an instruction of a "return" button B15 (step # 3)
6) The display on the monitor 11 is switched to the order selection screen display of FIG. 9 so that the image data to be printed next can be corrected in parallel with the transmission of the image data to the color printer 1. In the screen display of FIG. 11, when the operator inputs an instruction of the "stop" button B14 (step # 37), a print stop command is transmitted to the color printer 1 (step # 38), and the process is terminated. . In the screen display of FIG. 11, when the operator inputs an instruction of the “next input” button B16 (step # 4)
0), in parallel with the transmission of the image data to the color printer 1, the control of the input processing mode shown in FIG. 4 is started (step # 41), and a new print request can be accepted. Therefore, the control in the print mode is performed by the "next input" button B16, which is an interrupt instruction display, and the control unit 10 functioning as the instruction detecting means CS for detecting that the interrupt instruction display has been instructed by the operator. A manual operation type interrupt command switch IS for switching to control in the input processing mode when executing is configured. Then, when the transmission of the image data to be printed to the color printer 1 ends (step # 39), the processing ends. [Another Embodiment] Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be listed. In the above-described embodiment, the hard disk device 13 is illustrated as the image storage unit IM, but the image storage unit IM may be configured by another storage unit such as a semiconductor memory or a magneto-optical disk. In the above embodiment, the manually operated interrupt command switch IS is constituted by the “next input” button B16 or the like displayed on the monitor 11, but may be provided as a normal mechanical switch or the like on the keyboard 12a or the like. good.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the so-called L-size print size is continuously printed in the same-size batch print mode is exemplified.
For example, the present invention may be applied to other sizes such as a so-called 2L plate. Further, a configuration may be adopted in which image data for a plurality of orders are divided into groups of the same print size, and prints of the same print size are continuously printed for each group. In this case, the color printer 1
It is desirable to print preferentially from a group that can print at the size of the photographic paper 21 set in the printer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an image printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 CS instruction detecting means B16 Interrupt instruction display IE Edit processing unit IM image storage unit IN image input unit IS Interrupt command switch 5 Print unit 10 Control unit 11 Monitor

Claims (4)

[Claims] An image input unit for inputting an image to be printed, an image storage unit for storing the input image, and an editing process for editing print conditions for the image stored in the image storage unit And an image printing apparatus provided with a printing unit for printing an image, wherein the image storage unit is configured to be able to store images of a plurality of orders, and sequentially from the image input unit for the images of the plurality of orders. An input processing mode in which an input can be received and can be stored in the image storage unit so as to be identifiable for each order; and a print mode in which the editing process and the printing process are performed on the image stored in the image storage unit. An image printing apparatus comprising a control unit for switching and executing the two control modes. 2. The control section switches to control in the input processing mode in response to receiving an instruction input from a manually operated interrupt command switch while performing control in the print mode. 2. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured. 3. A monitor for displaying operation guidance is provided, wherein the interrupt command switch is an interrupt instruction display displayed on a screen display on the monitor screen indicating that a print operation is being performed by the print unit; 3. The image printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an instruction detecting means for detecting that the interrupt instruction display is instructed by the operator. 4. The control unit is configured to be capable of extracting images of the same print size from a plurality of images to be printed by the printing unit and executing control in a batch printing mode of the same size for continuously performing print processing. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein