JP2003025648A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which has the ease of use and can reduce consumption of a battery when image data is transmitted to the printer. SOLUTION: The printer has a connector for connecting a memory card in which images are recorded. The printer has a function of reading, selecting and printing image data to meet general purposes by a memory card control means, an image converting means, an image processing means, a printing control means and a printing management means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device capable of recording a photo-like image, and more particularly to a printer device characterized by an image input method from a memory card for recording an image by a digital camera or the like. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to improvements in full-color printing technology,
High-quality prints that are comparable to silver halide photographs have become possible. Sublimation type thermal transfer printers, which are typical of these printers, use an AV system that prints from video signals.
It has become established as a printer for youth. An ordinary video printer has a function of capturing a video signal output from a video movie in a frame memory,
The still camera has the feature that you can select and print your favorite shots from the video tapes of video movies.

Further, since the digital recording of the video movie itself is beginning to spread, the quality of the signal source for the printer is also improving.

However, against the background of these digital camera technologies, an input device called a digital still camera (DSC) has begun to rapidly spread as a tool for taking in high-quality still images to a personal computer more easily as if it were a camera. The range of input sources for printers is expanding.

Currently, there are various types of interfaces in DSC. Many have an interface for loading into a personal computer such as RS232C, and in addition have analog video output for displaying on a television monitor. Further, not only a non-volatile flash memory built in a memory for storing an image but also a removable memory card is increasingly used.

Initially, the DSC was positioned as an input device to be taken into a personal computer, but it is gradually changing from the personal computer to the concept of an independent digital camera, and the input image is processed with elaborate processing. In the case of finishing, it is possible to take it into a personal computer, process it, and print it, but there is an increasing demand for everyday printing as a normal camera to be directly connected to a printer for easy printing.

[0007]

In the conventional printer, D
The mode of inputting an image captured by an SC using an analog video signal is extremely high-speed for data transfer, for example, one image is transferred in 1/30 seconds in the NTSC system. However, since the interface is analog and the band of the color signal is narrow, there is a problem that it is not possible to print with the image quality making full use of the original DSC capability.

Further, in the case of using a digital interface, it is difficult to physically attach an interface having a large number of lines such as parallel to a small DSC, so that a serial interface such as RS232C is usually used. Limited to the interface, only one for transferring one image
There is a problem that transmission takes a very long time, such as about 0 seconds.

Furthermore, the conventional usage of a silver halide camera, that is, an image for one film (such as 24 or 36 images)
After taking a picture, if you put it in a lab store, you can get a simultaneous print of all cuts.To use it in a similar way, usually the frame memory of the printer has only one image capacity, so the camera Dozens of images stored in the memory are transferred for several tens of seconds and printed for several tens of seconds, which is repeated for several tens of images, during which time it is necessary for a person to operate the device. Therefore, there is a problem that it is very inconvenient to use.

This problem is inconvenient because even if the transfer rate becomes faster in the future, at least several tens of sheets have to be operated by a person every time one prints while recording.

Since the DSC needs to function for data transfer during printing, the DSC
There is also a problem that the battery of 1 is wastefully consumed and that the DSC cannot be used as a camera for photographing while printing.

Further, since the DSC and the printer need to communicate with each other until printing is completed, D
There is a problem that new shooting cannot be done using the SC, and it is necessary to move the DSC for a long time.
There is also a problem of consuming the battery.

Further, there is no standardized format for the digital direct interface between the DSC and the printer, and there is no choice but to become an interface specialized for a specific DSC, such as limited to in-house products.
There is a problem of poor versatility. Even if the interface can be unified in the industry, the number of pixels output by the DSC will increase year by year, making it difficult to specify the number of pixels. Therefore, a printer that can be used universally by many DSC users. There is a problem that does not happen.

Incidentally, as proposed by the present invention, by adopting the configuration of passing data to the printer by using the PC card, many of the above problems are solved, but the following new problems occur.

The user does not always want to print all the images corresponding to one film recorded on the PC card, and often wants to print some of them. This is especially true in the case of a method of additionally recording a previously photographed image without erasing it as the PC card becomes large in capacity. In such a case, there is a problem that the conventional printer configuration does not have a method for selecting an image to be printed.

Further, the DSC of each company has a problem that the number of pixels of photographed image data is various and does not always match the number of pixels printed by the printer.

Further, since the DSCs of various companies are given various names such as how to name the image files of photographed images and the names of subdirectories for storing the files, the printers that can be used universally by the DSCs of each company are provided. There is a problem that it should not happen.

[0018]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a connector for connecting a memory card on which an image is recorded, card control means for controlling the memory card via the connector, File control means for reading a file in the memory card, image conversion means for converting the file read by the file control means into a simple image data format, and image processing for the image-converted image data Image processing means for converting to a printable data format, print control means for inputting the image-processed data and generating a head control signal, and one or more images to be printed and their order are determined by a predetermined procedure. However, at least the print management means for issuing an instruction to the file control means is provided.

Further, the memory card has a print management file at a predetermined location, and the print management means reads the print management file stored at the predetermined location of the memory card by using the file control means, and prints the print management file. If a management file exists, the file name to be printed is determined according to the contents set in the print management file, and a frame memory that has the function of displaying images on the monitor and a memory card are also stored. The print management means uses the file search means to search for files of a predetermined format in the memory card in a predetermined order from a predetermined location of the frame memory. The file is searched, the searched file is read out using the file control means, and the image is converted using the image conversion means. Is converted into the data, the stored in the frame memory is displayed on the monitor, the display was the image when the user selects only a configuration for printing the image using the print control unit image processing means.

Further, the image conversion means analyzes the header portion of the image file read from the memory card and extracts at least the number of vertical and horizontal pixels and a predetermined parameter necessary for expanding the compressed image, It is composed of means for expanding compressed image data into a bit image image by using a parameter, and scaling means for expanding / contracting the expanded bit image image to a size suitable for storing in the frame memory.

With the above configuration, an image taken by a DSC or the like having a function of recording an image on the memory card is taken out from the DSC as if it is a film, and is placed in the card slot of the printer. An image that can be inserted into the connector and is written in a predetermined file format in the memory card is first accessed by driving each signal line of the memory card in a predetermined sequence by the card control means to access the card. The control means reads out as a file, and the image converting means decodes the file format to read out as an image. The read image is converted into a printable data format by the image processing means, converted into a head drive signal by the head control means, and recorded by the head, whereby a desired image is obtained.

Further, the print management means is a print management file which is stored in advance at a predetermined location on the same card by the DSC and one or more images designated by the user using the user interface function of the printer and their order. Selects a file to be printed according to one or more images and the order thereof, and performs a printing operation.

Therefore, if the memory card is handed over to the printer after the photographing is finished, the DSC can perform the next photographing, and the DSC battery is not consumed for printing.

Further, if a plurality of prints are designated, printing can be automatically performed without any human operation until the end of printing. Further, it is possible to easily configure a system for printing from various DSCs of various companies by using a standardized format memory card.

[0025]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a connector for connecting a memory card in which an image file is stored, card control means for controlling the memory card via the connector, File control means for reading an image file, image conversion means for converting the image file read by the file control means into a predetermined image data format, and image processing for the image converted image data, and printing is possible. A printer device having an image processing means for converting to a different data format, a print management means for determining one or more images to be printed by a predetermined procedure, and giving an instruction to at least the file control means,
A printer device characterized in that the print management means automatically executes from the selection of the image file to the printing based on the control information described in the print management file stored in advance in a specific location of the memory card. It was done.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 200 is a digital still camera (hereinafter referred to as DSC), 201 is a removable memory card for storing image information taken by the DSC, 100 is a printer for printing pictures, 202 is a monitor connected to the printer, and 2 is a printer.
Reference numeral 03 is an image (photograph) printed by the printer 202.

In this system, the DSC 200 has a memory card 201 as a camera in a normal photographic system.
Corresponds to the film. Number 1 on memory card 201
After shooting 0 images, the user
The memory card 201 (film) is removed from No. 0 and attached to the printer 100. The printer 100 has a monitor 202.
Has a function of displaying an image on the memory card 201, and a function of displaying an image stored in the memory card 201 (hereinafter referred to as a browsing function) selects one or more images to be printed, and a cursor provided in the printer 100. Select using a key-like instruction function (equivalent to putting a mark on the film frame to be sent to the lab store).

When the selection is completed and the print start is instructed, the printer 100 continuously prints the selected images. In this way, it is a system form that is familiar to the user and corresponds to the roles of a conventional camera and a lab store.

In the printer of this embodiment, a PCMCIA2.1 / JEIDA4.2 compliant PC card standardized as a memory card is used, and the file system in the card is MS-DOS compatible. The image file format has a high compression rate, a small file size, and can be read as standard by many PCs, so most DS
It uses the JPEG format, which is essentially the standard for C.

Further, the printer uses a sublimation type thermal transfer type engine, and the recording image size is A6. In addition, DSC of each company adopting memory card,
There are those that use full-size PC cards (ATA cards), those that use stamp-sized small cards such as CF (CompactFlash (registered trademark)) cards and SM (SmartMedia) cards, and CF cards,
By mounting both the SM card and the adapter card into a PC card size, it can be accessed as a PC card. Therefore, as a DSC printer, it is most versatile to prepare a PC card slot.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the inside of the printer 100. Each component is composed of hardware, firmware, or both.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a connector which constitutes a slot for mounting the memory card 201, and 102 denotes a connector 1.
01 is a card control unit for controlling a controller inside the memory card 201, 103 is a file control unit for accessing a file stored in the memory card 201 using the card control unit 103, and 104 is a file control unit 103. File search means for searching for all image files of a predetermined format stored in the memory card 201 by using 105, image conversion means for expanding compressed images,
Reference numeral 106 is a print management unit that controls the printing operation of the entire printer 100, 107 is a frame memory that writes the image data expanded by the image conversion unit, 108 is an image processing unit that converts the image data into a printable data format, 110
Is a head, 109 is a head control means for driving the head 110 based on the data processed by the image processing means 108, 1
Reference numeral 11 is a video processing means for reading out an image stored in the frame memory 107 and converting the video signal and writing the input video signal in the frame memory 107. Reference numeral 112 is a monitor connection terminal for sending the video signal from the video processing means 111 to a monitor. Is a video input terminal for inputting an external analog video signal.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the inside of the image converting means 105. Reference numeral 121 is an image information analysis means for analyzing a header part of the file and extracting necessary information, 122 is an image expansion means for expanding a compressed image of the file using the information analyzed by the image information analysis means 121, and 123 is image information. It is an enlarging / reducing means for enlarging / reducing the developed image to an optimum size for storage in the frame memory 107, using the pixel number information of the captured image extracted by the analyzing means 121.

Next, the operation will be described.

The card control means 102 is connected to the controller built in the PC card 201 through the PC card connector 101. Since the PC card adopts a standard IDE (ATA) specification hard disk interface protocol in a personal computer, the card control unit 102 controls each line by a driving and reading procedure based on the IDE interface.

Since the PC card adopts the MS-DOS-compliant file format, the file control means handles tracks and sectors in cluster (group of a plurality of sectors) units in accordance with MS-DOS, and
Each cluster is managed by a table called AT (File Allocation Table), and an arbitrary file is read / written from / in a file structure having a hierarchical directory using an arbitrary path name (directory name + file name).

FIG. 4 shows an example of a file system having a hierarchical directory structure. A subdirectory indicated by Dirx in the drawing can be created in the root directory to freely create a hierarchical directory structure.

Since this directory structure is usually created by the DSC, if the model of the DSC is limited, the directory structure is fixed, and the directory name and file name can be read out in a fixed manner. However, in the present embodiment, by utilizing the fact that PC cards are physically compatible and their file systems are standardized, various types of D
Since it is compatible with the memory card created by SC, each DS
An access method that does not depend on the location and file name of an image file that C can arbitrarily create and flexibly cope with an incompatible directory structure is provided.

An example is a method of allowing the user to explicitly specify a directory name and a file name as in the procedure of reading a PC card with a personal computer. The user specifies a certain directory using the user interface of the personal computer, displays the file name in that directory, if there is a subdirectory in it, further specifies it, and finally specifies the desired file name, The file is read by the procedure.

However, for printers this approach is not the best solution. For printers whose only purpose is to simply select the captured image, in order to universally support DSCs of each company, do not be aware of the file structure that differs for each DSC of each company, and specify the file name and directory name. It is necessary to be able to access without seeing, that is, to be able to read regardless of the directory structure and where the image file exists.

File search means 104 of the present embodiment
Is a constituent requirement for this purpose. In FIG. 5, the file search means 104 selects a desired image file (file extension is “.jp” from the directory structure illustrated in FIG. 4).
g))).

The search first starts from the root directory and first looks for files from image01.jpg to image0m.jpg. Next, the subdirectory dir0 is found and the search target is moved to dir0. In dir0, from image11.jpg to image1n.j
Since the files up to pg are found and the subdirectory dir1 is found, the search target is moved to that directory. These series of operations are repeated. In addition, image21.jpg to image
After finding up to 2p.jpg, return to the parent directory step by step, find the files from image51.jpg to image5q.jpg, and exit.

Such a file search procedure is generally called a tree search and can be realized by using a recursive algorithm. In the present embodiment, this tree search is applied, and when the series of searches is performed, files having a file extension other than the extension corresponding to .jpg and other readable image formats are ignored.
Only the desired image file can be searched. Also, since the order of files searched does not change unless the tree search procedure is changed, the printer can construct a user interface equivalent to that in which files are sequentially arranged.

Therefore, the order of browsing in the printer is the predetermined order of the image files found by this search. If you want to access randomly,
It is good to assign serial numbers in the order in which they are found.

A management method of first searching all files and storing all path names of a plurality of searched target files is simple and effective. However, in the present embodiment, in order to reduce the memory capacity, the path name is not saved and the root directory is searched again as necessary. For example, 5
If the user wants to read the th file, the image files are counted while searching the tree from the root directory to obtain the path name of the fifth matching file.

The image file found in this way is
The file control means 103 reads out using the card control means 102 and sends it to the image conversion means 105. (In this embodiment, the case where the image file format is JPEG will be described.) The image conversion means 105 in FIG.
The image information analysis means 121 analyzes the header part of the given file, and develops parameters (XY) necessary for JPEG demodulation.
The number of pixels, a quantization table, a Huffman table, etc.) and other information necessary for the printer are taken out, and the image demodulation means 122 demodulates the JPEG data stored in the file using the parameters extracted by the image information analysis means 121. The enlarging / reducing means 123 is the image information analyzing means 1
21 is the number of XY pixels of the original image extracted by the frame memory 10
If the number of pixels does not match the number of pixels of 7, the image is enlarged or reduced to the number of pixels that can be optimally stored.

When the pixel aspect ratio of the JPEG image does not match the pixel aspect ratio of the frame memory, the enlargement / reduction ratio in the X or Y direction is changed. For example, the printing range of this printer is 640
The pixel is 480 pixels and the aspect ratio is 4: 3. When the number of pixels corresponding to BASE of Pphoto CD (768 pixels × 512 pixels and aspect ratio 3: 2) is input thereto, 768/640 = 1.2 and 512/480 = 1.0.
The larger one of 67 is adopted as the reduction ratio. In this case, 6
The size is reduced to 40 pixels × 426 pixels, and the image can be fit within the printing range without being cut off. Also, adopt the one with the smaller vertical and horizontal reduction ratio and cut the horizontal direction to 640 pixels,
It is also possible to use 640 pixels × 480 pixels.

By the operation described above, the image selected by the user interface is read into the frame memory.

Here, the print management means 106 corresponds to the user interface as described above and corresponds to the printer 1.
00 manages the whole. For example, as described above, every time the image searched by the file search means 104 is displayed, the user is asked to confirm whether or not to print, and when the user selects to print, it will be described later. The operation causes the next image to be displayed after printing.

When the user selects skip,
Display the next image without printing that image. Is performed.

Next, the operation when the print management means 106 gives an instruction for printing will be described. The frame memory 107 sends the image data to the image processing unit 108 according to an instruction from the print control unit 106. The image processing means 108 uses the image data stored in the frame memory (in this embodiment,
Y defined by CCIR601, which is a JPEG standard,
The drive pulse width data of the head to be passed to the print control unit 109 is created from the Cb, Cr format). Image processing means 108
The processing content of is shown below.・ Conversion from Y, Cb, Cr to R, G, B R = Y +1.4 Cr --- (1a) G = Y-0.344 Cb-0.714 Cr --- (1b) B = Y +1.77 Cb- -(1c) ・ Inverse gamma correction from R, G, B to linear r, g, b without image gamma (normally 0.45) r = R ** 2.2 --- (2a) g = G ** 2.2- -(2b) b = B ** 2.2 --- (2c) ・ Conversion from r, g, b to three primary color density signals Dr, Dg, Db Dr = log (1 / R) --- (3a) Dg = log (1 / G) --- (3b) Db = log (1 / B) --- (3c) -Color correction masking process from Dr, Dg, Db (3 ×
Ink density signals C, M, Y
Conversion to (C, M, Y) t = [A] (Dr, Dg, Db) t --- (4) ([A] represents a 3 × 3 masking matrix, t represents transposition.) ・ Ink Converting the driving pulse width data Pwc, Pwm, Pwy necessary to obtain the density from the density signal Pwc = f (C) --- (5a) Pwm = f (M) --- (5b) Pwy = f ( Y) --- (5c) (f is a lookup table) Drive pulse width data Pw obtained by the above image processing
Head control means 109 based on c, Pwm, and Pwy
Generates a drive signal for pulse-width modulating the thermal head 110, transfers desired ink from the sublimation type ink film to the image receiving paper using the head 110, and prints a full-color image selected by the user.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The internal configuration of the printer 100 shown in FIG. 2 is the same, but the print management unit 106 that operates differently.
Will be described.

The print management means 106 has the following two print modes. In the first mode, the file search means 104 is used to sequentially search for a plurality of files on the directory tree shown in FIG. 4, and the file control means 103 and the image conversion means 105 are used for each of the files. Read out the image. However, in the present embodiment, the image conversion unit 105 reduces to a thumbnail image having a small image size according to an instruction from the print management unit 106, and a plurality of thumbnail images as shown in FIG. 7 are stored in the frame memory 107. It is displayed on the monitor 202.

The user designates a plurality of images to be printed by using a cursor key for a selection cursor such as a thick line frame of a thumbnail image on the screen, and the print management means 109 stores the number, path name or image number.

The print management means 106 reads again a plurality of designated images one by one using the file control means 103, and by the image conversion 105, the frame memory 107.
Then, the image is expanded to the full size and the image is printed using the image processing unit 108 and the head control unit 109. This series of processing is repeated for a plurality of selected files, and all the images selected by the user are continuously printed by viewing the thumbnail images.

In the selection of a plurality of files, the number of copies for each selected image can be set, so that the same processing as a request for printing at a laboratory store can be automatically performed.

In the second mode, the print management means 106 sets P
When it is confirmed that the print management file (PhotoLst.txt in the root directory of FIG. 3 in this embodiment) prestored in a specific location of the C card exists, it is written in this file. The process from file selection to printing is automatically executed based on the control information.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the contents of PhotoLst.txt. PhotoLst.txt is a text file, and the identifier indicating that it is a print management file is described in the first line. Subsequently, as shown in the figure, the full path name of the file name of the image to be printed and the number of printed sheets are described in one line. To specify multiple types of images, describe using multiple lines. Also, if the number of printed images is 1,
The description of the number of printed sheets can be omitted.

In this example, two image12.jpg, image2
Shows that one q.jpg and three image53.jpg are printed in this order.

When the print management means 106 confirms the existence of this file, the PhotoL
Open st.txt and memorize the contents of each line. According to this description content, a plurality of prints according to the description content of PhotoLst.txt are continuously executed by the same operation as the selection of a plurality of images by the thumbnail image described above.

The image to be printed and the number of sheets are registered in PhotoLst.txt with the DSC 200. When printing an image taken by the DSC 200, first, the recorded image is displayed on the liquid crystal display mounted on the DSC 200, the image to be printed is selected, and registration is performed by the user interface of the DSC 200. DSC20
0 creates a file called PhotoLst.txt when registration is executed for the first time, writes one line of information, and then adds one line each time another image is registered to add PhotoLst.txt. create.

The feature of the second mode of the present embodiment is that it is not necessary to browse the image using the monitor 202 of the printer 100, and all the processing is automatically executed as a batch processing only by inserting the card. It is in. Therefore, the printer 100 can freely print the specified image even when it is difficult to connect the monitor 202, for example, when the printer is taken out outdoors.

In the present embodiment, by having the above-mentioned two modes, it is possible to connect a monitor to an image to be printed while seeing a plurality of thumbnail images displayed on a large screen for use at home, for example. It has both the usability of making a decision and the convenience of being able to specify and use an image to be printed using the liquid crystal display of the DSC, even in an environment where the monitor cannot be taken outside. Further, in both modes, since a plurality of images can be designated collectively, it is possible to automatically print without requiring the user to operate during printing.

Next, the operation of the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The printer device of this embodiment has a digital interface using the memory card 201 and an analog interface of a conventional video printer.

FIG. 8 is an internal block diagram of the printer 100 in this embodiment. The configuration and the operation thereof have a video input terminal 113, and also have an operation of converting the image signal into a form in which the image processing unit 111 can store the image signal in the frame memory 107. It is the same as FIG. 2 except that it also has an operation of writing to the memory card 201 via the file control means 103, the card control means 102, and the connector 101.

The frame memory 107 of the circuit configuration of the printer 100 shown in FIG. 8 performs two operations.

The first function is to function as a buffer memory for printing the image read from the memory card 201, and to preview a full-size image or thumbnail image as an element of the user interface so that the user can print it correctly. It helps to select the right image. This function is realized by using the video output function of the video processing unit 111.

The second function is a function realized by using the video input function of the video processing means 111, and more specifically, a function of capturing a video signal such as NTSC connected to the video input terminal 113. is there. Since this function is a basic function originally provided in the analog video printer, detailed description will be omitted.

The analog video signal input from 113 is subjected to Y / C separation by the image processing means 111, RGB or Y
/ CbCr, A / D converted, and stored in the frame memory 107. The stored image can be printed by the same operation as described in the first embodiment.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the image captured in the frame memory 107 is converted into a predetermined file format by the image conversion means 105, and the file control means 103 stores it as a file in the memory card 201. Is. The image stored in the memory card 201 can be read into the frame memory 107 again by the same procedure as the image stored in the DSC 200, so that the function of saving the captured analog video signal is realized.

The functions of this embodiment can provide the user with an environment in which an analog video camera can be used as a material for a photograph with the same degree of freedom as the DSC 200. In other words, the image captured once with the conventional video printer is lost when the next image is captured, so if it is likened to a photo, the inconvenience of "you can print at the same time, but you can not print" can be solved. .

Further, a plurality of images can be captured and stored in the memory card in a lump, and can be printed later by the functions described in the first and second embodiments. It is possible to eliminate the need for the user to attend the printing for each sheet.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to add a slight function to the memory card input printer.
Not only the functions of the conventional video printer can be realized, but also all the functions that can be realized by printing from the DSC using the memory card 201 can be provided to the analog video input.

Therefore, the printer of this embodiment is
Not only can it widely support DSCs of various companies that support memory cards, but it can also print from analog video movies (including digital video movies) and DSCs that do not have memory cards.

In the embodiment, the description has been made assuming that the extension is .jpg. However, the extension is not limited to a particular type, and each file is opened and then based on the internal header information. The file format may be determined.

In the embodiment, the PC card is used as the memory card and the image file is JPEG. However, the memory card is only required to be removable and non-volatile to store the file. The memory card of the present application can be used in the same manner for an optical disk such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, and an MO, and almost all image files have header information and image information. Can be used in configurations.

Further, the file format written in the memory card 201 in the third embodiment does not have to match the JPEG standardly used by DSC, and may be a simpler format.

Further, the thumbnail image is the image conversion means 10
Although it is realized by using the reduction function of 5, the image conversion means 1
When decompressing the compressed image of 05, for example, JPEG demodulation
It is rational to use only the C component to directly obtain a reduced image of 1/8 size.

[0082]

As described above, the printer device of the present invention, when combined with the DSC for the user, becomes a familiar home print system corresponding to the roles of the conventional camera and the laboratory shop. It has the effect of being able to interface digitally with high image quality to a similar system using a computer, and it takes much time to transfer one image as compared with a printer that is directly digitally connected to a DSC using another digital interface. It is a solution to the problem. In addition, the printer has a unique effect that it is possible to print a plurality of sheets without a user's assistance after collectively instructing images to be printed while browsing and confirming.

Further, since the DSC file format of each company is almost converged to JPEG, it does not work only in combination with a specific DSC like other digital interfaces, and it is very versatile. effective. Further, when printing an image from a memory card recorded by a DSC of each company, the user can sequentially determine the image to be printed while viewing the image without the user having to be aware of the directory structure or file name of each company. Has the effect. Furthermore, the main purpose is to display each image displayed as a browser (player) one by one, with the function that you can print the image you like at that time and thumbnail display of multiple images taken by DSC. A function to specify multiple images and the number of copies at once from among them, and to print multiple images according to the specification, or to monitor the captured images with the DSC that took the image and specify the image to be printed at that time, It has an unprecedented effect that one or more specified images can be automatically printed even when the monitor is not connected to. Further, even when printing from an analog video signal as a video printer, functions equivalent to images from a DSC such as printing and batch printing can be realized, and versatility for a wider range of input devices can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a system configuration using a printer device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of image conversion means.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a memory card directory structure.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a directory search procedure.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of a print management file.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of monitor display of thumbnail images.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a printer device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 printers 200 Digital Still Camera (DSC) 201 memory card 202 monitor 203 Print sample 101 connector 102 card control means 103 file control means 104 file search means 105 image conversion means 106 print management means 107 frame memory 108 image processing means 109 head control means 110 heads 111 Image processing means 112 Monitor connection terminal 121 Image information analysis means 122 Image demodulating means 123 Enlarging / reducing means

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 4, 2002 (2002.10.
4)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Claims]

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masaki Ito             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shigeo Sakagami             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Michiharu Uematsu             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2C187 AD07 AE01 BF19 CC06 CC09                       CC11 CD17 DB09 DB28 GC10                 5C052 AA01 AA11 AA17 AB03 AB04                       AB05 AC08 CC01 CC11 DD02                       EE08 FA02 FA03 FA05 FC08                       FD03 FD07 FD13 FE04 GA02                       GA04 GA05 GB01 GB06 GC03                       GE04 GE08                 5C053 FA04 FA05 FA08 FA27 GA11                       GB36 HA29 KA01 LA01 LA03

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A connector for connecting a memory card storing an image file, card control means for controlling the memory card via the connector, file control means for reading the image file, and the file control means. Image conversion means for converting the read-out image file into a predetermined image data format, image processing means for performing image processing on the image-converted image data to convert it into a printable data format, and printing A printer device having one or more images determined by a predetermined procedure and at least a print management unit for giving an instruction to the file control unit, wherein the print management unit is stored in advance in a specific location of a memory card. Based on the control information described in the print management file, the process from selecting the image file to printing is automatically executed. Printer and wherein the. 2. A connector for connecting a memory card storing an image file, card control means for controlling the memory card via the connector, file control means for reading the image file, and the file control means. Image conversion means for converting the read-out image file into a predetermined image data format, image processing means for performing image processing on the image-converted image data to convert it into a printable data format, and printing A printer device having one or more images determined by a predetermined procedure and at least a print management unit for issuing an instruction to the file control unit, wherein the print management unit is configured to connect the memory card to the connector. Based on the control information described in the print management file stored in advance in a specific location of the memory card Printer apparatus characterized by performing all the processing as a batch process automatically. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the print management file is confirmed, the print management unit automatically executes from the selection of the image file to the printing.