JP2001201796A - Photographic printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute a photographic printing device capable of printing processing information by a processing means in addition to image information to be printed originally on photographic paper. SOLUTION: The processing device 7 is equipped with an ordinary printing means F printing the image information of photographic film 4 fetched by a scanner S on the photographic paper 1 and a set printing means G printing the result of processing performed optionally by the processing device 7 on the photographic paper 1, whereby printing can be performed to the photographic paper 1 in two kinds of modes.

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 print processing unit having an exposure head for printing photographic image information digitized on silver halide photographic paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a photographic printing apparatus configured as described above, there are apparatuses called digital printers and digital minilabs. In such a photographic printing apparatus, exposure to silver halide photographic paper is performed. Head and a developing tank for developing the exposed silver halide photographic paper.Image information of a photographic film captured by a scanner equipped with a CCD line sensor, etc. The image information is transferred to the exposure head to perform printing.

[0003]

Here, the operation performed by the operator when a request for print processing from a photographic film is received (when an order is received) at a DP shop in which the photographic printing apparatus having the above-described configuration is installed. If the photographic film is undeveloped, develop the photographic film, and then convert the information of the frame image into a digital signal with a scanner, and print the information of the frame image thus captured. Is performed, the information of the frame image is exposed to the photographic paper by the exposure head, and the exposed photographic paper is developed. When the processing is performed in this manner, the processing device provided in the photographic printing apparatus can store the number of processed photographic films and the number of printed sheets in each order as management information in a hard disk or the like. Further, a conventional photographic printing apparatus is provided with a display for displaying a frame image of a photographic film captured by a scanner, and this display can also display order management information.

[0004] However, the conventional photographic printing apparatus has no means for printing order management information, and there is also a demand for printing this management information. In particular, recently developed photographic printing devices use a general-purpose computer as a processing device, and there are devices that can perform processing required for image processing and printing with this general-purpose computer. Commercially available customer management software, accounting software, etc. can be installed on a general-purpose computer, and the processing results can be displayed on the display as needed. There was nothing. In the case of a computer equipped with a general-purpose computer, it is possible to print the processing results by connecting a commercially available printer. There are aspects that are difficult to realize.

An object of the present invention is to rationally configure a photographic printing apparatus capable of printing information processed by a processing means in addition to image information of a photograph to be originally printed on silver halide photographic paper.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print processing section having an exposure head for printing digital signal image information of a photograph on silver halide photographic paper. A normal print mode in which image information of a photograph is printed on silver halide photographic paper in the print processing unit, and information other than the image information of the photograph is printed on silver halide photographic paper in the print processing unit. The operation and the effect are as follows.

A second feature of the present invention (claim 2) is that, in claim 1, the information other than the image information of the photograph is composed of print information indicating the number of prints processed, the print size, the number of orders, and the like. The setting print mode is set so as to print the print information based on the print instruction information input from the input means. The operation and effect are as follows.

According to a third feature of the present invention (claim 3), in claim 1, the information other than the image information of the photograph is constituted by processing information obtained by processing based on information inputted from outside. At the same time, the setting print mode is set so that the processing information is printed based on the print instruction information input from the input means. The operation and effect are as follows.

A fourth feature of the present invention (claim 4) is that, in claim 3, the processing means is constituted by a general-purpose computer in the setting print mode, and the general-purpose computer is irrelevant to a photograph printing process. The software for performing the processing is executed, and the processing result is used as the processing information. The operation and the effect are as follows.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a display for displaying image information of a photograph to be printed on silver halide photographic paper in the normal print mode is provided. In addition, the processing form of the processing means is set to display information to be printed on the silver halide photographic paper in the setting print mode on the display, and the operation and effect are as follows. It is.

According to the first feature, in the normal print mode, the image information of the photograph is printed on the silver halide photographic paper by the print processing section, and in the set print mode, information other than the image information is printed. The processing unit prints on silver halide photographic paper. In other words, this photo printing apparatus utilizes the fact that characters and numbers can be printed by sending a digital signal forming characters and numbers to the print processing unit, for example. For the silver halide photographic paper that had only been used, information other than the image of the photo, specifically, information such as letters and numbers necessary to manage the order and graphs indicating the operation status of the photo processing device Information can be printed, and necessary information can be taken out in a form printed on silver halide photographic paper without connecting a special printer.

According to the second feature, the print information processed by the photographic printing apparatus, such as the number of prints, the print size, and the order number, is printed on silver halide photographic paper based on the print instruction information input from the input means. Can be done. That is, when print information is required, information required by the operator can be printed by inputting predetermined information from the input means.

According to the third feature, the processing information obtained by the processing based on the information input from the outside based on the print instruction information input from the input means can be printed on silver halide photographic paper. . That is, when processing information is required, information required by the operator can be printed by inputting predetermined information from the input unit.

According to the fourth feature, even when software for performing processing unrelated to the printing of a photograph is executed by a general-purpose computer, the processing result can be printed on silver halide photographic paper.

According to the fifth feature, in the normal print mode, processing can be performed while confirming image information of a photograph to be printed on silver halide photographic paper on the display. In the set print mode, processing can be performed in this mode. The information printed on the silver halide photographic paper can be confirmed on the display.

[Effects of the Invention] Therefore, by using the print processing section in a rational manner, it is possible to obtain, in a printed state, the processing information required by the operator in addition to the image information of the photograph that should be originally printed on the silver halide photographic paper. Thus, a photograph printing apparatus capable of performing the above-mentioned operations was rationally constructed. In addition, print information such as order details and total data processed in one day can be obtained in a print state at an arbitrary timing, and processing information unrelated to print processing can be obtained in a print state at an arbitrary timing. As a result, the processing result of the customer management software or the accounting processing software is obtained in a print state as processing information irrelevant to the print processing. Further, the information printed in either the normal print mode or the setting print mode is obtained. Can be confirmed on the display content of the display, and the processing is assured.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a printing unit A that performs an exposure process and a development process on a silver halide photographic paper (hereinafter, referred to as photographic paper 1), a process of information necessary for the printing unit A, and a printing process. The photographic printing apparatus is provided with an operation section B for transferring information to the section A. This photographic printing apparatus is also called a digital minilab, and the printing unit A transports the roll-shaped photographic paper 1 stored in two photographic paper magazines M, M into the apparatus and cuts it into a print size. At the same time, the photographic paper 1 cut in this way is exposed to the exposure unit Ex.
The photographic paper 1 after the exposure is sent to a developing section De having a plurality of developing tanks for development, and the drying section Dr
After drying, the sheet is sent to the upper surface of the apparatus, sent to the sorter 3 from the horizontal feed conveyor 2, and sorted and accumulated in order units. The operating section B is provided with a scanner S for converting a frame image of the photographic film 4 into a digital signal and a display 5 for displaying various information at an upper position of the desk-shaped object, and inputs information to the desk portion of the desk-shaped object. A processing unit 7 as a processing means for controlling the photographic printing apparatus, and an MO drive or an FD at an upper position of the processing apparatus 7.
An input / output unit 8 for inputting / outputting information from a storage medium such as a drive is provided. In this photographic printing apparatus, a print processing unit is constituted by the exposure unit Ex and the development processing unit De.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this photographic printing apparatus, a general-purpose computer is used as the processing device 7, and the processing device 7 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an I / O.
A signal system for controlling each of the exposure unit Ex, the development processing unit De, the drying unit Dr, the display 5, the console 6, and the input / output unit 8 is formed. The scanner S sends a light beam from a halogen lamp 10 as a light source to a dimming filter 11 and a mirror tunnel 12 to adjust the color distribution and intensity distribution of the light beam and supply the light beam to a photographic film 4 supported on a film carrier 13. And photographic film 4
The light transmitted through the frame image of
5 and a system for guiding the CCD line sensor 16 to R (red), G
The mirrors are arranged by arranging photoelectric conversion elements having filters of respective hues so as to take in in a state of being separated into three primary colors of (green) and B (blue) in three rows along the main scanning direction. By swinging the photographic film 4 or moving the photographic film 4, the image information can be continuously taken in the sub-scanning direction. The image information captured by the scanner S is stored in a frame memory, which is a RAM of the processing device 7, in a state where the image information is managed for each frame on an order basis.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the exposure unit Ex is provided with a photographic paper 1 from one of two photographic paper magazines M, M.
And a cutter 22 for cutting the photographic paper 1 from the introduction and transport mechanism C1 into a print size, and a print size as described above. A pre-transportation mechanism C2 having a large number of drive rotary type pressure rollers 24 for transporting the cut photographic paper 1 to an exposure position where the exposure head 23 is disposed; an exposure head 23 for exposing the photographic paper 1 to light; A post-conveying mechanism C3 having a number of drive rotary type pressure rollers 25 for sending out the photographic paper 1 exposed by the exposure head 23, and the photographic paper 1 conveyed by the post-conveying mechanism C3.
And a distributing mechanism C4 for distributing and sending the three to three rows of transport paths. The photographic paper from the distribution mechanism C4 is sent to the development processing unit De in a parallel state on a three-row conveyance path, and then is dried and sent out by the drying unit Dr. Although not shown in the drawings, the introduction transport mechanism C1, the cutter 22, the front transport mechanism C
2. Each of the post-transportation mechanism C3 and the distribution mechanism C4 is linked to an independently driven electric motor such as a stepping motor.

The exposure head 23 forms three rows of exposure lines on the photographic paper 1 so as to expose three primary colors of light of R (red), G (green) and B (blue) along the main scanning direction. During exposure, the photographic printing paper 1 is fed in the sub-scanning direction while synchronizing with the speed at which the photographic printing paper 1 is fed in the sub-scanning direction. A control mode is set such that the line-shaped data is read line by line, transferred to the exposure head 23, and the exposure head 23 is driven. The exposure head 23 is a fluorescent beam type, a liquid crystal shutter type, a DMD type or an F type.
Use of an OCRT or the like is possible.

In this photographic printing apparatus, a normal print mode for printing the image information of the photographic film 4 on the photographic paper 1 and a setting print mode for printing information other than the image information of the photographic film 4 on the photographic paper 1 are provided. It can be selected. That is, in the normal print mode, as described above, the process of setting the photographic film 4 on the scanner S and storing the image information of the frame image of the photographic film 4 in the frame memory as a digital signal in a state where the image information is separated into three colors is performed in advance. The image information stored in this manner is sent from the frame memory to the exposure head 23 to expose the photographic paper 1 of the size set at the time of order to the set number of sheets, and to the development processing unit De. After the drying process in the drying unit Dr, the data is accumulated in the sorter 3 in order units. In order to perform this process, the normal printing means F made of software is set in the processing apparatus. ing. In the setting print mode, as described above, image information other than the frame image information of the photographic film 4 is printed on the photographic printing paper 1. In order to perform the processing, the setting printing means G made of software is provided by the processing apparatus. 7 is set.

As shown in FIG. 4, the setting print means G includes a total print routine, a system information print routine, an application information print routine, and a hard copy print routine. The "total print routine" includes various subroutines. For example, in the "total print routine", the photographic printing apparatus is operated to start printing the image information of the photographic film 4 on the photographic paper 1, and to the console 6 for total print. The order number processed up to the point where the input for performing is performed, the print size and the number of prints in each order, or the totaling start time and totaling time, date and time information when the processing was performed, and if necessary Prints the total number of printed sheets on the photographic paper 1 as letters and numbers as order information. Ri, 1 by executing the "aggregate print" at the time of the completion of the print work of one day
The number of processes per day and the operability of the apparatus can be easily obtained.

"System information print routine"
(1) printing of real-time information, (2) printing of history information, (3) printing of alarm information,
(4) Support information printing and (1) real-time information printing
Information on the object designated by the console 6 such as the remaining amount of the photographic paper 1 in the photographic paper magazine M and the liquid temperature of the developing tank is displayed on the console 6.
Is to print the information of the timing specified by the operator on the photographic paper 1 at the timing specified by the console 6.
(2) The printing of the history information refers to a graph of the integrated value of the operation time of the photographic printing apparatus, the variation of the processing liquid in each of the plurality of processing tanks of the development processing unit De, and the processing for each processing tank. (3) Prints information within a lapse of time specified by the console 6 such as a state of liquid replenishment and a temperature change of the drying environment of the drying unit Dr. The printing of the alarm information is performed when the filament of the halogen lamp 10 is broken, when the developing solution greatly deviates from the target value, or when the photographic paper 1 of the photographic paper magazine M is consumed. Is a print that is performed to allow the operator to recognize an inappropriate location, the situation, and the current state when an unnecessary process is impossible. (4) The print of the support information is the processing device 7. Hard disk (not shown) and RO
M, information describing details of use of the photographic printing apparatus, information indicating an emergency measure, etc., based on input from the console 6 in the form of photographic paper in the form of characters or illustrations. 1 is to be printed. Note that (3) the timing for printing the alarm information may be set at the same time as the timing at which the proper processing is disabled, or if the development processing can be continued, the processing of one order is completed. It is also possible to set the time at which the alarm information has been set, or to display a message on which the alarm information can be printed on the display 5 and to perform the printing based on the input of information from the console 6.

The "application print" installs commercially available non-photographic print processing software such as customer management software and accounting software for the processing apparatus 7, and prints the processing result on the photographic paper 1. The operation mode is the same as that of a general-purpose computer, and a process is performed based on data input from the console 6 or the input / output unit 8, and the operator performs processing based on the processing progress and the processing result displayed on the display 5. The user selects necessary information and prints the selected information on the photographic paper 1.

In the “hard copy print”, when the processing is performed in the setting print mode (the processing may be included in the normal print mode), the content displayed on the display 5 is displayed on the display 5. The print is performed on the photographic paper 1 in the form as it is, and the photographic paper 1 is printed at a necessary timing by performing a predetermined input from the console 6.
Is printed.

That is, in the present invention, in addition to printing the image information of the photograph using the exposure head 23 provided in the photograph printing apparatus, the printing includes information from the information related to the photograph print to the information not related to the photograph print. It is possible to print on the paper 1. For example, when the printing by the total print routine is executed at the end of each day, the purchase time and the purchase amount of the photographic paper 1 are determined based on the consumption of the photographic paper 1. This makes it possible to easily determine the timing of replenishment of the processing solution necessary for the development processing. In the system information print routine, when real-time information is printed, a signal from a sensor disposed in each section of the apparatus is printed on the photographic paper 1 to facilitate the detection of an abnormal portion. In addition, when the history information is printed, not only the replacement time of the halogen lamp 10 can be determined based on the operation time, but also the development processing liquid with respect to the number of processed photographic paper 1 can be determined. The amount of developing solution to be prepared can be accurately determined based on the amount of wastewater consumed, and when alarm information is printed, it is possible to accurately grasp inappropriate locations and inappropriate situations, and When the support information is printed, the display is displayed to confirm the support information displayed on the display 5. 5 proper operation and on the basis of not feel the hassle of printed support information look into, is also intended to allow the operation error-free in emergency. When the application print is executed, the execution result of an application (software) irrelevant to the photographic print process installed in the processing device may be printed on the photographic paper 1 and stored in a convenient state. It becomes possible, and when hard copy printing is performed as needed, accurate information can be recorded without taking the trouble of leaving the display contents of the display 5 in a memo. In particular, in the present invention, when the processing device 4 is considered as a general-purpose computer, a system including the exposure head 23, the development processing unit De, and the drying unit Dr can be regarded as a printer. What we can use in relation is realized only by software setting.

[Other Embodiments] In addition to the above embodiment, the present invention prints image information stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or MO, such as image information captured by a digital camera. It is also possible to apply to a photographic printing device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic printing device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a photographic paper transport system of an exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a photo printing device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a setting print unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Silver halide photographic paper 5 Display 6 Input means 7 Processing means 23 Exposure head

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A photographic printing apparatus comprising: a print processing unit having an exposure head for printing photographic image information digitized on silver halide photographic paper, wherein the photographic image information is subjected to the print processing. And a setting print mode in which information other than the image information of the photograph is printed on silver halide photographic paper by the print processing unit. Photo printing equipment. 2. The information other than the image information of the photograph includes print information indicating the number of prints, the print size, the number of orders, and the like, and the print information based on print instruction information input from input means. 2. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting print mode is set to perform printing. 3. The information other than the image information of the photograph is composed of processing information obtained by processing based on information input from the outside, and processing information based on print instruction information input from input means. 2. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting print mode is set so as to perform printing. 4. The processing means comprises a general-purpose computer in the setting print mode, executes software for performing processing unrelated to photo print processing on the general-purpose computer, and outputs the processing result to the processing information. 4. The photographic printing device according to claim 3, wherein: 5. A display for displaying image information of a photograph to be printed on silver halide photographic paper in the normal print mode, and information to be printed on silver halide photographic paper in setting print mode is displayed on the display. 2. The processing mode of said processing means is set to perform
The photographic print device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.