JP2001311993A - Photobooth - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photobooth which can shorten the time required for photographing and enables a user to take pictures smoothly without saving labor as far as possible. SOLUTION: This photobooth has a camera which photographs the user, a synthesizing section which synthesizes the frame image selected from a memory means storing the plural frame images and the user's image photographed by this camera, a printing means which prints one sheet of a body to be printed with the synthesized image synthesized by this synthesizing section and a display screen which displays guide images to urge the user to make the operation for forming the synthesized image. A selection screen to urge the user to make selection for a photographing range is displayed on the display screen described above. The camera described above carries out zoom-in or zoom-out according to the user's selection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photo booth for photographing a user and printing a composite image obtained by synthesizing a frame image with a user on a printing medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photographer's face has been taken with a camera.
In a photo booth in which the photographed image is printed on a print sticker by a printer or the like, the operation is performed by inserting a coin or a substitute coin, and an image photographed by a camera provided in the photo booth and a background or foreground or an auxiliary. There is known an image in which a composite image obtained by superimposing a target photograph is obtained. In printing by a printer, digital image data is printed as an image on a print sticker with color dots.

The above-mentioned recreational photo booth employs a print sticker with a pre-cut at a predetermined position, and employs a famous character or a playful frame image for the background, foreground, or auxiliary photograph, thereby encouraging young people. It has gained popularity at the center and has been widely used as a means of communicating with others, such as exchanging print stickers shot by oneself with others.

[0004]

In a conventional photo booth, various ideas have been elaborated in order to provide a user with a new type. For example, as described above, the number of types of frame images that can be selected by the user is increased, the synthesis processing is improved to alleviate the deterioration of image quality due to the synthesis of the frame image and the captured image, and in recent years, the user Various ideas have been elaborated, such as providing a type of shooting and printing this. On the other hand, in these photo booths, it is necessary for the user to move his / her body to an appropriate shooting position while watching his / her own image displayed on the display screen, and to shoot while maintaining this moved position and posture. Shooting is very troublesome, and it is easy to spend a lot of time before actually shooting.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a photo booth in which the time required for shooting can be reduced and the shooting can be performed smoothly with minimum effort for the user.

[0006]

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera for photographing a user, and a synthesizing section for synthesizing a frame image selected from a storage means storing a plurality of frame images with an image of the user photographed by the camera. And printing means for printing a composite image synthesized by the synthesizing unit on a single print medium, and a display screen for displaying a guide image for prompting a user to perform an operation for creating the synthetic image. A photo booth comprising: a selection screen that prompts the user to select a shooting range on the display screen, and the camera performs zoom-in or zoom-out according to the selection of the user. And

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera for photographing a user, and a synthesizing section for synthesizing a frame image selected from storage means for storing a plurality of frame images with an image of the user photographed by the camera. And printing means for printing a composite image synthesized by the synthesizing unit on a single print medium, and a display screen for displaying a guide image for prompting a user to perform an operation for creating the synthetic image. A photo booth provided, wherein the display screen displays an image prompting the user to select the number of users to shoot with the camera, and the camera displays the image in accordance with the number of the selected users. It is characterized in that zoom-in or zoom-out is performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera for photographing a user, and a synthesizing section for synthesizing a frame image selected from storage means for storing a plurality of frame images with an image of the user photographed by the camera. And printing means for printing a composite image synthesized by the synthesizing unit on a single print medium, and a display screen for displaying a guide image for prompting a user to perform an operation for creating the synthetic image. A photo booth provided with the camera, wherein the camera performs zoom-in or zoom-out to correct distortion of a captured user image.

[0010]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram for explaining the function of the photo booth.

A photo booth is a CCD for photographing a user.
A camera 1 comprising a camera; a connector 3 for detachably mounting a storage means 2 comprising a cassette having a ROM 2a for storing frame image data A for a plurality of frames; and a frame image data A selected from the storage means 2. A synthesizing unit 4 having a synthesizing circuit for synthesizing the image data B of the user photographed by the camera 1 and a printing medium composed of a single print sticker with the synthesized image data C synthesized by the synthesizing unit 4 5, a printing means 6 including a laser printer for printing on the display 5, a display screen 7 using a liquid crystal for displaying a guide image for urging the user to perform an operation for creating the composite image data C, and An operation unit 8 including a plurality of operation buttons for performing operations such as selection.
And The display of an image on the display screen 7 is controlled by the display drive circuit 7a.

On the display screen 7, it is possible to display a pose at the time of shooting for the user using character images of actors and idol singers. In many cases, the user is confused in the pose when taking a picture, or the pose becomes a single pattern. In this case, the user is prompted on the display screen 7 to pose like a model. The person becomes more likely to feel as if he / she is a model and is being photographed in a studio, and can provide more realistic photographing.

The ROM 2a of the storage means 2 is mounted on a circuit board in the cassette, and is a program relating to a series of guidance for urging the user to perform an operation for creating the composite image data C in addition to the frame image data A. Data, character image data, and sound data of voice and music are stored. The functions of the photo booth include a control unit 9 for executing the program, a RAM 10 having a work area for executing the program data, a sound reproducing circuit 11a for reproducing sound data as voice and music, a speaker 11b, and the like. A sound reproducing unit 11 and a storage unit 12 composed of a ROM in which various programs and data described later are stored.

Further, the photo booth has illuminating means 13 for illuminating the user when the user takes a picture. Lighting means 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a fluorescent lamp and a spotlight. A plurality of types of illumination patterns are stored in the storage unit 12 in advance, and are selectively turned on from among the plurality of illumination patterns by operation of the program data and the operation unit 8 by the user. Is done.

By using a fluorescent light, a spotlight or a flash as the illuminating means 13, the user can easily receive the feeling of being photographed in a studio.
It is possible to provide more realistic shooting.

Further, the photo booth is provided at a position facing the camera 1 and at a position behind the user to be photographed, and a plurality of background curtains 14 provided to be selectable by the user are provided so as to be freely raised and lowered. ing. The raising and lowering of the background curtain 14 is provided in a rolled state so that the user can manually perform the operation. The selection of the background curtain 14 may be performed in accordance with the selected illumination pattern or the like. On the display screen 7, it is also possible to display a guide image for introducing the best combination of the illumination pattern and the background pattern.

In the present embodiment, three cameras 1 are at a high position,
It is installed at each of the middle position and the low position, and is provided at a position facing each of a head position, a belly position, and a foot position where the user to be photographed is standing. That is, a plurality of cameras 1 having different photographing angles with respect to the user are provided. Then, the display screen 7 allows the user to select which camera among the plurality of cameras 1 is to be selected for shooting, that is, how much the shooting angle of the camera 1 with respect to the user is to be set. Is displayed. With this configuration, it is possible to shoot under various camera angles, and to give the user a very comfortable feeling as if a professional photographer is shooting the user in the studio. It becomes possible.

In this embodiment, the photographing angle of the camera with respect to the user is fixed, and a plurality of cameras having different photographing angles are installed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the camera is moved up and down by the user's selection. It is also possible to set the camera in a non-fixed state by changing the angle or changing the angle. In this case, it is not necessary to install a plurality of cameras, and the equipment cost can be reduced. As another embodiment, by moving the camera in the left and right direction, or by installing a plurality of left and right,
It is possible to increase the camera angle with respect to the photographer and provide the user with a realistic shooting atmosphere.

Further, each camera 1 in the photo booth of this embodiment can zoom in or zoom out to adjust the photographing focus. As for the zoom-in or zoom-out of the camera 1, a selection that prompts the user to select a shooting range such as whether to shoot only the face, the upper body, or the entire body on the display screen 7. A screen is displayed, which is performed in response to the user selecting this shooting range. The display of the guide image as described above, the selection and movement of the camera based on the user's selection input, and the like are executed by the program data according to the instruction of the control unit 9 based on the data on the zoom-in or zoom-out stored in the storage unit 12. It is done by doing.

Further, in the present embodiment, the camera is zoomed in or out according to the number of persons photographed by the camera 1. In this case, an image prompting the user to select the number of users to shoot with the camera 1 is displayed on the display screen 7, and the camera 1 zooms in or out according to the selected number of users. It is done automatically. This automatic zoom-in or zoom-out is also performed by executing the program data according to a command from the control unit 9. With this configuration, for example, when there are many photographers, the photographing procedure is simplified without the need for a device of the user such as a large number of people approaching the center to enter the photographing range,
The time required for shooting is also reduced, and the flow of use by the user is likely to be smooth.

In this embodiment, it is also possible to softly correct the photographed image of the user after zooming in or out by the camera 1. When taking a picture with the camera zoomed in or out, even if a wide-angle lens is used, the captured image is distorted up and down, resulting in a very unnatural image. Data such as a distortion size, a distortion shape, or a distortion area according to the degree of zoom-in or zoom-out of the camera is stored in the storage unit 12 in advance, and the program data is executed based on the data according to the selected degree. Is automatically corrected. With this configuration, the camera can be zoomed in or out to correct the distortion of the captured image so that the image looks natural.

Further, the above-described soft correction processing can be applied in various forms in addition to correction for distortion caused by zooming in or zooming out of a camera.

For example, a face-up image is created by partially picking up a normally shot image of a user and enlarging the picked-up image, or the skin color is made whitish by adjusting the brightness of the shot image. The image can be converted into an image desired by the user, such as making the image darker or darker, and the color tone can be slightly changed from that of an actual photographed image.

Next, the structure of the photo booth of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram for describing an outline of the overall layout of the photo booth of the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the photo booth of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing the photo booth of this embodiment.

The photo booth is composed of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped region. The vertical box-shaped photo booth main body 21 is installed in the inner part of the above-mentioned area, and a plurality of illumination means 13 are provided in a dispersed state around the main body 21. Lighting means 13
A fluorescent lamp 22 provided at a position behind the photo booth main body 21, on both sides, overhead and behind the photographer;
It consists of a spotlight 23 and a flash 24 provided in the upper part of the photo booth main body 21. Further, a plurality of background curtains provided at a position facing the camera 1 in the photo booth main body 21 and behind the user to be photographed and provided to be selectable by the user are raised and lowered by manual operation of the user. It is freely provided in a roll shape. The details of the photo booth main body 21 will be described.
On the front surface, the cameras 1 are provided at three positions of high, middle and low as described above. A display screen 7 for displaying a guidance image is provided below the high-position camera 1a. Below the display screen 7, a guide plate 25 on which a procedure for creating a print sticker using a photo booth is described is provided. To the right of the guide plate 25, a speaker 26 for displaying a guide image on the display screen 7 and reproducing a guide voice.
And a fee input port 27 for inputting a fee for using the photo booth. Further, below these, an operation unit 8 having a plurality of operation buttons for the user to operate is installed, and below this, the middle position camera 1 is provided.
b is installed. Further, a return port 28 for the fee charged from the fee input port and a discharge port 29 for discharging a print sticker as one printing medium on which the composite image is printed are provided below the port. Then, a low position camera 1c is provided below the camera.

Next, the flow of photographing the user using the photo booth in the present embodiment will be described, including the function of each component. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a flow up to photographing a user using the photo booth of the present embodiment.

The display screen 7 displays a demonstration screen stored in the storage unit 12 in advance. The user is required to use the photo booth at the entrance 2
7 is charged with a predetermined fee. Then, a predetermined guidance image is displayed on the display screen 7, and thereafter, the user performs an input operation according to the guidance image. First, a selection display as to whether or not to select continuous shooting is performed on the display screen 7, and the user performs an operation of selecting whether or not continuous shooting is necessary by operating the operation unit 8 according to the selection. Next, on the display screen 7, a display prompting selection of which of the three cameras 1 of the high position, the middle position, and the low position to use for photographing is performed, and the user photographs himself at a low angle. The camera 1 to be used is selected in consideration of whether the camera is to be photographed from above or from above. Further, a display for selecting the number of users to be photographed on the display screen 7 is performed. The user operates the operation unit 8 to select the number of photographers in response. At this time, when photographing alone, the process proceeds to the next step. However, when a plurality of persons are selected, the camera 1 is automatically set so that the plurality of persons are printed in focus on one sticker. Is zoomed out. Next, the display screen 7 displays a message prompting the user to select a shooting range as to which part of the user is to be photographed, and the user performs an operation in consideration of, for example, whether to zoom in on the face or photograph the whole. A selection operation is performed by the unit 8. If the selected photographing range is the entire user, zoom-in or zoom-out of the camera 1 is not performed.
If one wants to automatically zoom in or shoot from a distance, the camera 1 is automatically zoomed out. Further, on the display screen 7, a selection display for prompting selection of the illumination unit 13 used for photographing is performed. The selected illumination means 13 is turned on at the time of photographing. For example, when the number of times of shooting is plural, such as continuous shooting, a plurality of lighting patterns can be selected so that different lighting patterns are turned on for each shooting. Next, on the display screen 7, a selection display prompting selection of the background curtain 14 to be used is performed. The user selects the background curtain 14 displayed on the display screen 7.
Desired background curtain 14 by manual operation while referring to
Lower. Then, a selection display of the number of stickers to be created is performed on the display screen 7, and the user selects the number of stickers by operating the operation unit 8. Finally, a display prompting selection of a frame image to be combined with the image captured by the camera 1 is displayed on the display screen 7. A plurality of types of frame images are displayed over a plurality of screens, and can be appropriately selected according to the number of times of photographing. After these operations are completed, shooting is automatically started. The series of guidance images and progress are performed based on program data, character image data, and sound data of voice and music stored in the ROM 2a of the storage means 2. At the time of photographing, zoom-in or zoom-in of the camera 1 and lighting of the illumination means 13 are performed based on the content selected in accordance with the above guidance. The photographed image is temporarily stored in the RAM 10 and then selected according to a predetermined program with the frame image and the synthesizing unit 4.
And printed by the printing means 6 on the printing medium 5. The above-described distortion correction by zooming in or zooming out of the camera 1 is automatically performed according to the selected condition, and the image is printed on the printing medium 5 in a corrected state. Further, for other soft image corrections, after photographing the user and displaying a sample of the composite image on the display screen 7, the image is turned white or black by a selection operation of the operation unit 8 by the user. Corrections can be made. At this time, a display prompting the user to correct the image is displayed on the display screen 7, and the user performs a selection operation along the display as necessary.

In this photo booth, a pose image for photographing is displayed to the user on the display screen 7 immediately before photographing. As an example of a pose image, a character such as an idol singer or a famous athlete poses in a crossed arm or a scene of a dance. According to such a configuration, the user is urged to pose like a model on the display screen 7, and accordingly, the user himself becomes a model and is urged to pose from a professional photograph and is taken in the studio. This makes it possible to provide a more realistic sense of photography, and also offers suggestions of interesting and cool poses that the user himself cannot think of.

Conventionally, it was necessary to re-photograph all of the composite images taken in the case of continuous shooting, even if some of the composite images were unsatisfactory. After the photographing is completed, all the composite images can be checked on the display screen, and if the composite image is not desired by the user, re-photographing can be performed, and the composite image can be partially replaced.

Next, another embodiment will be described. The photo booth of this embodiment is a touch panel on which the operation unit of the above-described photo booth can write an image by a user's hand or finger operation. Then, an additional image is written by a user's hand or finger operation with a touch panel on a primary synthesized image obtained by synthesizing the selected frame image and an image of the user photographed by the camera by the synthesizing unit, and the synthesized image is synthesized. To obtain a secondary composite image and print it on one printing medium.

In the photo booth of this embodiment, a display screen is displayed such that the primary composite image is erased by the additional image by a user operation.
As a result, on the display screen, the photographed image at the position written by the user is erased, and instead, a frame image as a background image is displayed on the front side,
This is a form in which a shot image is erased by using an eraser, and it is possible to restore the order of the frame image and the shot image. Note that such display can be performed for software image correction.
2 is performed according to the program stored.

Further, in the photo booth of this embodiment, the printing means can apply the lane / pearl color twice to the additional image written by the touch panel and print it. By printing a large glitter and pearl color twice, it is possible to print a beautiful glossy finish, and it is possible to provide a printing medium that has an impact on the user. As a printing unit, a laser printer or the like can be used as in the above embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, a frame image is described as an image to be selected by the user. Alternatively, a background image can be selected. In this case, the image printed on the printing medium is a composite of a background image, a captured image, and a frame image, or a composite of a background image, a captured image, a frame image, and an additional image written by a user. It becomes possible.

Further, in the present invention, even in cases other than the user's continuous shooting, after shooting a plurality of times, the shot image is displayed on a display screen, and the user selects a desired one from among them. You may. According to such a configuration, it is possible to provide a user with an experience of photographing an actual model, such as photographing a plurality of times for one photographing and selecting a good one from among them. Becomes

[0036]

According to the present invention, it is possible for a user to select a photographing range according to his / her own intention. For example, an image in which the user zooms in to zoom in on the user's face is photographed. For example, the user can zoom out of the camera to photograph the whole body of the user, and obtain a print target on which a composite image of his or her preference is printed.

According to the present invention, the camera automatically zooms in or out by simply selecting the number of persons to be photographed. For example, when there are many persons to be photographed, a large number of persons try to enter the photographing range. The photographing procedure is simplified without the necessity of the user to stop in the middle, etc.
The time required for shooting is also reduced, and the flow of use by the user is likely to be smooth.

According to the present invention, it is possible to correct the distortion of a captured image by zooming in or zooming out of the camera so that the image looks natural.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram for explaining functions of a photo booth according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram for describing an outline of an overall layout of the photo booth of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a photo booth of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing a photo booth of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a flow up to photographing a user using the photo booth of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 camera 2 storage means 5
Printed object 6 Printing means 7 Display screen 8
Operation unit 13 Lighting means 14 Background curtain

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A camera for photographing a user, a synthesizing unit for synthesizing a frame image selected from storage means storing a plurality of frame images and an image of the user imaged by the camera, and the synthesizing unit A photo booth including a printing unit that prints the composite image synthesized in step 1 on a single printing medium, and a display screen that displays a guide image that prompts a user to perform an operation for creating the composite image. A photo booth, wherein a selection screen for prompting the user to select a shooting range is displayed on the display screen, and the camera performs zoom-in or zoom-out according to the selection of the user. 2. A camera for photographing a user, a synthesizing unit for synthesizing a frame image selected from storage means storing a plurality of frame images and an image of the user photographed by the camera, and a synthesizing unit. A photo booth including a printing unit that prints the composite image synthesized in step 1 on a single printing medium, and a display screen that displays a guide image that prompts a user to perform an operation for creating the composite image. There is displayed on the display screen an image prompting the user to select the number of users to shoot with the camera, and the camera zooms in or out according to the number of the selected users. Photo booth characterized by performing. 3. A camera for photographing a user, a synthesizing unit for synthesizing a frame image selected from a storage unit storing a plurality of frame images and an image of the user photographed by the camera, and a synthesizing unit. A photo booth including a printing unit that prints the composite image synthesized in step 1 on a single printing medium, and a display screen that displays a guide image that prompts a user to perform an operation for creating the composite image. A photo booth, wherein the camera performs zoom-in or zoom-out and corrects a distortion of an image of a photographed user.