JP2003066526A - Automatic photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic photographing device equipped with a means for informing a user who is waiting to use the automatic photographing device in playing, of the time required to finish the play in a mode capable of expecting the reduction of user's weariness during the waiting time. SOLUTION: The device is provided with a photographing booth for housing a subject, a photographing means, and a remaining time display device arranged so as to be viewed from outside the photographing booth and for displaying the remaining time till the end of the play, and several steps are respectively performed for a prescribed processing time in the automatic photographing device, and at least some of the steps are constituted so as to be finished with the processing time left, and in the case the step is finished with the processing time left, a time obtained by subtracting the remaining processing time at the step from the remaining time when the play is ended is displayed by the remaining time display device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic photography apparatus provided with a remaining time display device for displaying the remaining time until the end of play, and in particular, an interesting aspect is added to the display mode of the remaining time, whereby play The present invention relates to an automatic photography device that can reduce the boredom of a waiting user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an automatic photographic device for photographing an object in a photographing booth by a photographing means (camera) installed toward the photographing booth.

[0003] The automatic photograph taking apparatus executes a plurality of steps such as a photographing step for photographing a user, an editing step for editing a photographed image, or a layout step for laying out photographed images during one play. In many cases, in such an automatic photography device, in order to maintain a predetermined operating rate, the processing time of each step and the processing time required until the end of one play are appropriate. It is set to a different length.

[0004]

However, for the user waiting to play, which step is currently in progress because the photographing by the automatic photographing apparatus is performed in the photographing booth covered with curtains and the like. It was not possible to know from outside what it was and how long it took until the end of the play, and this tended to make the user feel bored or the waiting time was long.

According to the present invention, it is possible to expect the effect of reducing the feeling of boredom of the user during the waiting time for the user waiting for the play of the automatic photographing apparatus during the play, and the time until the end of the play. The problem is to provide a means for announcing.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is for installing a photographing booth for accommodating a subject and for adjoining the photographing booth to photograph the subject in the photographing booth. And a remaining time display device, which is arranged at a position visible from the outside of the shooting booth and displays the remaining time until the end of play, and a plurality of steps each having a predetermined processing time are executed. In the automatic photography device, at least a part of the plurality of steps is configured to be able to end with a processing time left, and when the step is ended with a processing time left, the remaining time display device, It is characterized in that a time obtained by subtracting the remaining processing time of the step from the remaining time at the end time is displayed.

According to the present invention, the remaining time until the end of the play can be grasped from the outside of the photographing booth, and in addition, when the step is finished with a preset processing time left, , It was initially planned because the remaining time of one play at the time of the end is subtracted from the remaining (undigested) processing time in that step, and the remaining time is displayed on the remaining time display device. It is possible to know from outside that the play time has been shortened.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a user waiting for a play while looking at the remaining time display device with a feeling of expectation that the play time will be shortened. Can be expected.

Further, in the automatic photography apparatus according to the claims of the present invention, the remaining time display device displays the remaining time until the end of the play in a manner in which the distribution assigned to each step of the remaining time can be identified. You can also do it.

According to the present invention, in addition to the above, it becomes possible to grasp the processing time assigned to each step and which step is currently being played, so that a user waiting for play becomes bored. It can be expected to reduce the feeling.

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

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an external perspective view of an automatic photography apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The automatic photograph taking apparatus 1 comprises a casing 10 and a photographing booth 20 provided adjacent to or connected to the casing.

The housing 10 is provided with a CCD camera 11 installed approximately in the center of the housing 10 and a display 12 for displaying an image taken by the CCD camera in real time.
And a set of a touch panel type monitor 13 and a touch pen 14 for displaying a captured image and performing image edit input and various selection inputs, and an operation for performing various input instructions such as zoom photographing of the CCD camera 11. A panel 15, a lighting device 16 for irradiating a subject in a shooting booth with appropriate light at the time of shooting, a speaker 17 for playing back guidance and instructions to users, or playing back music, and a used usage It is provided with a coin slot 18 for accepting a charge, a photo discharge port 19 for discharging printed photographic prints, and the like.

The shooting booth 20 is provided adjacent to or connected to the housing 10, and is a plate or sheet provided on the ceiling surface, the left and right side surfaces of the shooting booth 20, and the back surface which is a surface facing the housing. A shooting space is formed in a space surrounded by the housing 10, and an opening for a user to enter and exit is installed on one side surface or both side surfaces of the shooting booth. There is a curtain or accordion door for opening and closing.

Further, in the automatic photography apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the remaining time display device 80 is provided on one side of the photography booth 20.
Equipped with.

A control device 21 shown in FIG. 2 is installed inside the housing 10.

The control device 21 includes a CPU 23 interconnected by a bus 22, a ROM 24 for storing a basic program for controlling the CPU 23, a RAM 25 for recording work data of the CPU 23 and temporary data, and an interface (I / F). It is equipped with 26.

The interface 26 includes a hard disk 27, a CD-ROM 28, a CCD camera 11,
A liquid crystal display 12, a camera driving device 30 for controlling vertical movement and vertical and horizontal positions of the CCD camera 11, and an input device including a touch panel monitor 13 and a touch pen 14, an illuminating device 16, and a speaker 17. External devices such as the illumination control device 31, the sound control device 32, the coin processing unit 33, and the printer 34 are connected, and signals can be exchanged between the CPU 23 and these devices.

The CD-ROM 28 stores various programs for controlling the operation of the image processing apparatus, and the hard disk 27 stores the programs read from the CD-ROM 28 and various data used for editing a subject image. Is stored.

The touch panel type monitor 13 is a transparent touch panel laminated on a CRT monitor screen, and various inputs can be made by bringing the tip of the touch pen 14 into contact with the surface of the touch panel according to the image displayed on the monitor screen. Is possible.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the general operation of the automatic picture taking apparatus 1.

Upon receiving the predetermined coin detection signal from the coin processing unit 33, the control means 21 starts executing the following series of steps in accordance with the program installed in the hard disk 27.

That is, first, a photograph taking step (step S
1) is executed, and the control means 21 displays the photographing instruction screen 50 shown in FIG. 4 on the touch panel monitor 13.

In the photograph taking step, the explanation of the photographing operation for the user is displayed on the left side of the photographing instruction screen 50,
Photographing is performed according to zoom adjustment and shutter operation performed by the user using the operation panel 15 or the like.

A "retake" button 51 and an "OK" button 52 are displayed at the lower right of the image capturing instruction screen 50, and the touch pen 14 is retaken with the "retake" button 51.
By operating the above, the photographed image can be canceled, and by operating the “OK” button 52, the confirmation of the image and the storage in the RAM 25 are executed. Also, "O
By operating the “K” button 52 twice in succession, it is possible to end the photographing step at the time of the double operation regardless of the number of images confirmed so far.

Here, when the number of images that can be captured in the photography step and the processing time are predetermined, the photography step ends when the processing time elapses, but the processing time does not elapse. Even
It is possible to end the photography step by completing the capturing of a predetermined number of images or by operating the “OK” button 52 twice.

The remaining time 53 of the photo-taking step is displayed on the upper right of the screen 50, and the user is notified that the photo-taking should be completed within the time.

When the photographing step is completed under any of the above conditions, the image editing step (step S
2) is executed.

In the editing step, the editing screen 60 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the touch panel monitor 13 and the selection buttons 61 to 65 of various graffiti options are operated by the touch pen 14 so that the image taken in step S1 is displayed. You can enter edits.

Also in the editing step, the processing time is set in advance, and the editing step ends when the processing time elapses. However, by operating the end button 66 shown in the lower right of the editing screen 60 with the touch pen 14, It is also possible to end the editing step before the processing time has elapsed.

The remaining time 67 of the editing step is displayed below the end button 66, and the user is notified that photography should be completed within the time.

When the editing step is completed by the elapse of the processing time or the operation of the end button 66, the layout setting step (step S3) is subsequently executed.

In the layout setting step, FIG.
The layout screen 70 shown in FIG.
, And any one of layout options 71 to 74 can be selected with the touch pen 14.

In the layout setting step, the processing time is set in advance, and the layout setting step ends when the processing time elapses. However, the touch pen 14 operates the end button 75 shown in the lower right of the layout screen 70. Thus, the layout setting step can be ended before the processing time elapses.

Further, at the bottom of the layout screen 70, the remaining time 76 of the layout step is displayed, and the user is notified that photography should be completed within the time.

When the layout setting step is completed by the elapse of the processing time or the operation of the end button 75, the process proceeds to step S4, and the image edited in step S2 is processed according to the layout set in step S3. The image is printed and discharged as a photographic print from the photographic outlet 19 (step S4).

Of the above steps, during the execution of step S4, the user who has finished playing stands by outside the shooting booth 20, so that the automatic photo-taking device is practically operated by the user who is playing. It is occupied during the period in which steps S1 to S3 are executed, and the remaining time display device 80 of the automatic photography apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment displays the remaining time until the processing of steps S1 to S3 is completed. Is displayed.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the display mode of the remaining time display device 80.

In FIG. 7, the remaining time of steps S1 to S3 is, for example, a bar 8 including a plurality of lightning blocks 81.
2 to 84, each block 81 is provided corresponding to a predetermined unit time (for example, 5 seconds), and the blocks 8 to form the bars 82 to 84 of each step.
The number of 1's is provided in proportion to the processing time of each step.

Further, the display color of the block 81 is different for each step, or, as shown in the drawing, the name of each step is displayed for each of the bars 82 to 84 of each step, so that the process is being performed. It is possible to grasp the steps of.

Then, the control device 21 turns on all the blocks at the stage when step S1 is started, and turns off the blocks 81 constituting the bar of the step being processed one by one every time the unit time elapses. The remaining time display device 80 is controlled.

Therefore, in each step, if the processing time elapses without the end being selected during the processing,
After the unit time has elapsed, the bars 82 to 8 of the relevant step
The remaining time is displayed by monotonically extinguishing the lights of the blocks 81 constituting No. 4 one by one.

On the other hand, in one of the steps, when the end of the step is selected before the processing time elapses, the end is selected by turning off all the blocks 81 constituting the bars 82 to 84 of the step. The remaining time of one play at the time immediately before is subtracted from the remaining processing time in the step is displayed as a new remaining time.

As described above, the remaining time is different in a manner when the end of the step is selected before the processing time elapses in any step and when the processing time elapses without the end being selected. Since the display is performed, the user waiting for play can watch the remaining time display device 80 while expecting that the end of one of the steps is selected and the play time is shortened. It can be expected that the feeling of boredom during the time will be alleviated.

In the above embodiment, the processing time is set in advance for each step, but as another embodiment, the user can freely set the distribution of the processing time of each step. (If, for example, it is possible to shorten the processing time of the photography step by reducing the number of captured images for photography, etc., and add the reduced time to the processing time of the image editing step) It is advisable to redisplay the lengths of the bars 82 to 84 of the remaining time display device 80 in proportion to the set processing time of each step.

FIG. 8 shows another display mode of the remaining time display device 80. In the mode shown in FIG. 8, the remaining time of one play is displayed in digital seconds and the step being processed. By turning on the LED provided beside the display of
It is configured to indicate the step currently being processed.

Also in the case of the remaining time display device 80 of such a mode, it is possible to grasp the step being processed and the remaining time in the same manner as described above, and at any step, the processing is completed before the processing time elapses. When is selected, the remaining time obtained by subtracting the remaining time of the step is displayed at that time, thereby alleviating the feeling of boredom of the user waiting for play.

[0049]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a user waiting for play can grasp the time waiting for play and the step currently being processed from outside the shooting booth. It becomes possible, and if the end of that step is selected before the processing time elapses in any of the steps, the remaining time after subtracting the remaining processing time in that step will be displayed. It is possible to reduce the feeling of boredom of users who are waiting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an automatic photography device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an automatic photography device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the automatic photography device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a shooting instruction screen.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of an edit screen.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a layout screen.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display form of a remaining time display device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another display form of the remaining time display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automatic photography device 10 housing 11 CCD camera 12 display 13 Touch panel monitor 14 Touch pen 15 Operation panel 16 Lighting equipment 17 speakers 18 coin slot 19 Photo outlet 20 Shooting booth 21 Control device 22 bus 23 CPU 24 ROM 25 RAM 26 Interface 27 hard disk 28 CD-ROM 30 camera drive 31 Lighting control means 32 sound control means 33 Coin processing unit 34 Printer 50 Shooting instruction screen 51 "Retake" button 52 "OK" button 53,67,76 Time left 60 Edit screen 61-65 selection buttons 66, 75 Finish button 70 Layout screen 71-74 Layout options 80 Remaining time display 81 Lightning Block 82-84 bar

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A shooting booth accommodating a subject, a shooting means installed adjacent to the shooting booth for shooting the subject in the shooting booth, and a position visible from the outside of the shooting booth. And an remaining time display device that displays the remaining time until the end of play, and an automatic photography device that executes a plurality of steps each having a processing time determined, at least a part of the plurality of steps. Is configured to be able to end with the processing time left, and when the step is finished with the processing time left, the remaining time display device displays the remaining processing time of the step from the remaining time at the end time. An automatic photography device characterized by displaying the deducted time. 2. The remaining time display device displays the remaining time until the end of the play in a manner in which the distribution assigned to each step of the remaining time can be identified. Automatic photography device. 3. The plurality of steps include at least one of a photographing step of photographing a user, an editing step of editing a photographed image, and a layout step of laying out photographed images. The automatic photography device according to claim 1.