JP2003187552A - Index seal, and method and apparatus for preparing index seal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an index seal whose contents are easily recognized and checked even when adding digital image data to a recording medium or updating them, and to provide a method and an apparatus for preparing the index seal. <P>SOLUTION: The index seal 101 is stuck on a surface of a CD 100. Index images 103 indicating digital images recorded on the CD 100 are printed on the index seal 101. The surface of the index seal 101 on which the index images are printed and the surface at the opposite side consist of a material which can be re-stuck on the CD 100, and the index seal 101 is stuck at least on either the surface of the CD 100 or a recording surface. When stuck on the recording surface, the index seal 101 functions as a protective seal to protect the recording surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an index sticker, a method and apparatus for producing an index sticker, and more particularly, it can be attached to a disc-shaped recording medium having a digital data recording layer capable of recording a plurality of digital image data. Index seal, index seal making method and device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photographic film (hereinafter referred to as a negative film) which has been photographed by a camera is developed and then optically exposed on a photosensitive material (photographic paper) at a predetermined magnification in a laboratory. , This photographic paper is developed and returned to the customer along with the negative film.

[0003] The customer can make an order for reprinting by associating the returned image on the photographic paper with the image on the negative film.

By the way, in recent years, with the spread of personal computers (hereinafter referred to as personal computers), there is an increasing demand for digital image data of images taken by a camera. Therefore, in the laboratory, the image of the negative film is scanned, digital image data is created, recorded on a recording medium such as a CD or a DVD, and provided to the customer. As a result, the customer can take in the digital image data into his or her own personal computer, perform appropriate image processing, and print it.

However, only digital image data is recorded on the recording medium, and the contents cannot be visually confirmed. For this reason, an index print will be provided together with this recording medium. However, since the recording medium and the index print are separate entities, if they are stored separately, they cannot be collated or the collation is time-consuming. Will be required.

In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-8
Japanese Patent No. 6505 discloses that when digital image data is recorded on a recording medium, an index image of the recorded digital image data is directly printed and displayed on the surface of the recording medium so that the recorded content of the recording medium can be easily recognized. Techniques that can be done are disclosed.

[0007]

However, in the above prior art, since the index image is printed directly on the surface of the recording medium, additional digital image data is additionally recorded on the recording medium on which the digital image data has already been recorded. In such a case, it is difficult to properly arrange and print the previously printed index image and the index image to be added. Further, when updating (rewriting) the digital image data recorded on the recording medium, the digital image data recorded on the recording medium and the index image printed on the surface of the recording medium do not correspond to each other. There was a problem.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention makes it possible to easily recognize the contents of digital image data even when the digital image data is additionally recorded or updated on the recording medium, and the collation and the like can be simplified. It is an object to obtain an index seal, a method and a device for producing an index seal.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the index seal of the invention described in claim 1 has at least one surface of a disc-shaped recording medium having a recording layer capable of recording digital image data. And an index image corresponding to the digital image data recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium is printed.

According to the present invention, since the index image corresponding to the digital image data recorded on the recording medium is printed on the index print attached to the recording medium, the recorded contents of the recording medium can be easily confirmed. be able to. Further, the index sticker may be attached to any surface of the recording medium and can be reattached, so that digital image data may be additionally written on the recording medium,
When updating the digital image data recorded on the recording medium, a new index sticker may be newly created and attached, which allows flexible handling. In addition,
When the index sticker is attached to the recording surface having the recording layer of the recording medium, the recording surface can be protected and the case for housing the recording medium can be eliminated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, such an index sticker receives digital image data to be recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium, and the input digital image data is recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium. It is created by recording and generating an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data and printing it on the index sticker.

As the input digital image data,
For example, image data recorded on negative film, image data read from reflective originals such as photographic prints, image data captured by a digital camera, FD (flexible disk), CD, DVD, smart media, compact flash ( R), image data recorded on a recording medium such as a memory stick, and the like.

The input digital image data is recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium and an index image of the digital image data is generated. Then, the generated index image is printed on the index sticker.

As the index image, for example, an image obtained by reducing the original image to a predetermined size or the like is used, but an image obtained by extracting a feature of a predetermined main subject from the original image may be used.

Further, as described in claim 3, a plurality of digital image data to be recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium and a plurality of management information relating to the digital image data are input, respectively, and based on the management information, Selects a specified type of digital image data, records the selected digital image data in the recording layer of the recording medium, generates an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data, and prints it on the index sticker. You may do it.

The management information includes data relating to digital image data such as a shooting date and a shooting location. Then, based on this management information, a predetermined type of digital image data is selected, for example, digital image data in which the shooting location is specified.

Then, the selected digital image data is recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium, and an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data is generated and printed on the index sticker. As a result, it is possible to collectively record specific types of digital image data on the recording medium.

Further, at least one of the remaining capacity of the recording medium and the number of recordable frames may be printed on the index sticker. Thus, the remaining capacity can be easily confirmed without setting the recording medium in the device and reading the contents.

An identification code indicating the correspondence between the recording medium and the index sticker may be recorded on at least one of the recording medium and the index sticker. As a result, even when the index seal is removed from the recording medium, it is possible to easily associate the index seal with the recording medium.

The layout of the index image may be changeable. That is, for example, when there are too many index images to be printed, the shape of the index images can be changed and the arrangement can be changed.
This makes it possible to flexibly deal with the case where there are too many index images to be printed.

Further, the above-mentioned index seal is, as described in claim 4, input means for inputting digital image data to be recorded on the recording layer of the recording medium, and the input digital image data for the recording medium. An index sticker creating apparatus including: a printing unit that prints on the recording layer, a creating unit that creates an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data, and a printing unit that prints the created index image on the index sticker. Can be created by.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a CD (compact disc) 100 as a recording medium according to the present embodiment. The CD100 is a so-called CD-R (compact disc rec
ordable) disk, and is a disk on which digital data can be additionally recorded. Further, the CD 100 is a donut type, and is normally rotated at a high speed with a circular hole 102 provided on a shaft as a reference to write and read digital data.

The index seal 101 according to this embodiment is provided on the front surface side (upper surface side in FIG. 1) of the CD 100.
Is pasted. An index image 103 representing a digital image recorded on the CD 100 is printed on the index sticker 101, the details of which will be described later. As a result, the contents can be easily grasped without reading the digital image data recorded on the CD 100 by the reading device or the like.

The back surface of the index sticker 101 opposite to the front surface on which an index image, which will be described later, is printed is made of a material that can be attached to the CD 100 a plurality of times. Index seal 101 is CD10
It may be attached to either the 0 surface or the recording surface side (the lower surface side in FIG. 1) having the recording layer, and when attached to the recording surface, it functions as a protective seal for protecting the recording surface. As a result, the recording surface can be protected without housing the CD 100 in a CD case or the like. In this case, C
When writing image data to the D100, the index sticker 101 is basically peeled off and loaded into the read / write device 104, but the index sticker 101 may be made of a recordable material even when it is attached. In this case, it is not necessary to peel off the index seal 101.

The writing surface of the digital data is the CD 10
The recording surface side is 0, and the recording surface is mounted in the mounting portion 106 of the read / write device 104 shown in FIG. 2 so as to face each other.

In this embodiment, the recording medium is a CD.
The case of a -R disc will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a CD-RW (compact disc rewritable) disc or a DVD-R (digital video disc recordable) capable of rewriting digital data.
Disc, DVD-RW (digital video disc rewrita
ble) disc, DVD-RAM (digital video disc)
random access memory) may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, a through hole 108 is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the loading portion 106, and the circular hole 102 is formed.
The rotary shaft 110 that fits in the is projected. Rotating shaft 11
0 is rotated at high speed by the rotation drive unit 112 shown in FIG.

A long hole 114 is provided in the radial direction from the vicinity of the rotary shaft 110, and a reading section 116 movable along the long hole 114 is provided. Reading section 11
Reference numeral 6 includes a reading head 118 and a head driving unit 120 that drives the reading head 118.

Here, the digital data is recorded by the reading head 118 while the reading unit 116 moves in the radial direction while the CD 100 is loaded in the loading unit 106 and rotated at high speed. .

The reading section 116 has a lid 122 that can be opened and closed.
Is provided. A thermal transfer printer unit 124 is built in the lid 122.

The thermal transfer printer unit 124 includes RGB
Three-color thermal transfer ink ribbon 126 and thermal transfer thermal head 128 (hereinafter referred to as thermal head 128)
It consists of and. This thermal transfer printer unit 12
4, the thermal head 128 is 1 along the base 129.
While recording the line (main scanning), the base 129 moves along the guide 130 (sub scanning). The main scanning and the sub scanning are performed by the driving unit 132 (see FIG. 3).
Is controlled by.

Here, in the state where the CD 100 is stopped and held at a predetermined rotation angle in the loaded state (basically, it may be stopped at any position), along the base 129 and the guide 130. An image can be printed on the surface of the index sticker 101 attached to the CD 100 by performing the main scan and the sub-scan of the thermal transfer head.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the read / write device 104 and the thermal transfer printer unit 124.

Data (digital image data) obtained by reading an image recorded on the negative film 138 by the film scanner 136 is input to the data input section 134.

In addition to the digital image data, the data input section 134 includes, for example, frame number data and film I.
Management information including D and the like is input. In the case of an APS film or the like, information recorded on the magnetic recording layer, such as date information and various shooting conditions, can be included in the management information.

The digital image data and management information input by the data input section 134 are stored in the data memory 140 and sent to the format forming section 142.

The data memory 140 is composed of a plurality of frame memories and is classified for each image frame.

In the data input section 134, when the input of the image of one negative film 138 is completed, the control section 144
An input end signal is sent to.

In the control section 144, the data memory 14
0, the head drive unit 120 and the rotation drive unit 112 of the reading unit 116 are controlled to perform recording processing of digital image data on the CD 100. Further, the control unit 144 sends a print start signal to the print display control unit 146 when the image writing is completed.

Further, the control unit 144 is provided with an operation unit 150 for performing an operation (input) relating to image writing, such as an operation for designating an image frame to be written and inputting various conditions relating to image writing. Further, for example, a display unit 152 for displaying an image for confirming the image input to the data input unit 134, an operation result, and the like is connected. As a result, not only the images recorded on one negative film 138 are collectively written to the CD 100, but also only the image frames designated by operating the operation unit 150 are written, or the images conforming to the designated conditions are written. It is possible to select and write only the frames, or to automatically select and write the image frames of the condition specified based on the management information and the like.

The format forming unit 142 determines the layout of the index image printed on the index sticker 101 according to the number of image frames to be recorded, and determines the address (printing position) on the index sticker 101 of each image frame. To be

In the print display control unit 146, the control unit 1
Upon receiving the signal from 44, the format forming unit 142
A drive signal is sent to the drive unit 132 to control the head thermal 128 to start thermal transfer printing on the surface of the index seal 101 attached to the CD 100.

In the present embodiment, the film scanner 136 and the read / write device 104 are separate components, but they may be integrated with the read / write device 104. The digital image data input to the data input unit 134 is not limited to the digital image data of the image recorded on the negative film 138 read by the film scanner 136. For example, it may be digital image data of an image read by a scanner for reading a reflective original such as a photographic print, digital image data of an image taken by a digital camera, or FD.
It may be digital image data recorded on a recording medium such as (flexible disk), CD, DVD, smart media, compact flash (R), or memory stick.

Further, in this embodiment, the function for writing the digital image data to the CD 100 and the function for printing the index image on the index sticker 101 are integrated, but they are separately configured. You may.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the control routine executed by the read / write device 104.

First, in step 200, the control unit 144
Thus, it is determined whether or not the CD 100 is loaded. This determination is made, for example, by detecting whether or not the lid 122 is closed. If the CD 100 is not loaded, the determination in step 200 is denied and C
Wait until D100 is loaded.

Here, the operator attaches a new (blank, unprinted) index seal 101 to the surface of the CD 100 brought in by the user, and the CD 1
When 00 is loaded in the read / write device 104, the determination in step 200 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 202, and the control unit 144 determines whether or not a data write start instruction is given. If the data writing start instruction has not been given, the determination in step 202 is denied, and the process waits until the data writing start instruction is given.

When the operator performs a predetermined operation for instructing the start of data writing, the determination in step 202 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 204, and the control section 144 causes the data input section 134 to display the film scanner 136. Then, it is determined whether the digital image data read from the negative film 138 has been input, that is, whether the input end signal has been received.

When the digital image data is not input to the data input section 134 and the digital image data is not stored in the data memory 140, that is, when the input end signal is not received, the determination of step 204 is made. It is denied and waits until digital image data is input.

When the digital image data is input to the data input unit 134 and the digital image data is stored in the data memory 140, that is, when the input end signal is received, the process proceeds to step 206 and the control unit 144.
Reads the digital image data and management information stored in the data memory 140.

Then, in the next step 208, the control section 144 reads the digital image data input to the data input section 134 and stored in the data memory 140,
The image is displayed on the display unit 152. Thereby, the operator can confirm the image of the input digital image data.

In the next step 210, the control section 144 performs a process of selecting image frames to be recorded on the CD 100 from the input digital image data. Specifically, for example, while the operator confirms the image displayed on the display unit 152, the operator performs an operation of selecting an image frame ordered by the order sheet brought in by the user. Accordingly, the control unit 144 notifies the print display control unit 146 of the selected image frame, for example, by frame number data included in the management information. When all the images recorded on the negative film 138 are recorded, the process of step 210 can be omitted.

At the next step 212, the controller 144
Detects the remaining capacity of the loaded CD 100 and performs a corresponding process based on the remaining capacity. Specifically, for example, the total of the capacities of the selected image frames is compared with the detected remaining capacity, and when the capacity is insufficient, a warning message is displayed on the display unit 1.
Processing such as displaying at 52 is performed.

In the case where the CD 100 is a rewritable recording medium such as a CD-RW, when overwrite is instructed, that is, all the already recorded data is erased and the selected image frame is recorded. Is instructed to, the processing of step 212 can be omitted. Further, the images already recorded on the CD 100 may be displayed on the display unit 152 as a list so that unnecessary image frames can be selected and deleted.

At the next step 214, the controller 144
Displays the digital image data of the selected image frame on CD1
The recording process is performed on the recording surface No. 00. That is, CD1
00 is rotated at a high speed by driving the rotary shaft 110, and the reading head 118 is driven in the radial direction from the axial direction to the outer circumferential direction by the head driving unit 120, while the reading head 118 writes digital image data. When the writing of the image is completed, a print start signal and a signal for designating the selected image frame are output to the print display control unit 146.

In step 216, the print display control section 146 instructs the format forming section 142 to form a layout including the index image of the image frame designated by the control section 144. As a result, the format forming unit 142 forms an index image corresponding to the digital image data recorded on the CD 100, and forms a layout in which the generated index image is arranged at a predetermined position. Specifically, for example, the size and arrangement of the index image to be printed are determined based on the area of the printing surface of the index sticker 101 and the number of selected image frames to form the layout.

In the next step 218, the print display control unit 146 operates the thermal transfer printer unit 124 to print the index image on the index sticker 101 with the formed layout. That is, while the image data for each one line (one main scan) is sent to the thermal head 128, the thermal head 128 is moved in the main scanning direction and also in the sub scanning direction by the driving unit 132 (note that one main scanning is performed). The sub-scan may be step-driven for each scan, or the main-scan may be performed while the sub-scan is being transported at a constant speed. In this case, since the layout (address of each index image) is determined in advance, the writing start position, the writing end position of each main scanning line, the writing pause area for avoiding the circular hole 102, etc. are automatically set. Controlled.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the index image 103 is printed on the index sticker 101. When returning the CD 100 to the user, the index sticker 101 may be peeled off from the surface of the CD 100 and attached to the recording surface to be returned. As a result, the recording surface can be protected and the CD case can be eliminated.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the CD 10
When the digital image data is additionally written or updated to 0, the index image is printed on the index sticker 101 that can be attached to the CD 100 each time, so that the digital image data is additionally written to the recording medium,
Even in the case of updating, the contents can be easily recognized, and collation and the like can be simplified.

When the index sticker 101 on which the index image is already printed is attached to the CD 100, the empty area is detected and the index image of the image data to be added to the detected empty area is printed. You may

The remaining capacity of the CD 100 after recording the image data may be detected, and the detected remaining capacity may be printed on the index sticker 101. Alternatively, the number of recordable frames may be detected and printed on the index sticker 101. As a result, the remaining capacity or the number of remaining frames can be easily checked by looking at the index sticker 101, and it is not necessary to load the CD 100 and read the contents.

Also, the CD 100 and the index seal 1
An identification code representing the correspondence of 01 (for example, negative film 138
The film ID) may be recorded on the CD 100 and the index sticker 101. In this case, the CD
The area 100 may be printed in a region where the index seal 101 is not attached. As a result, even if the index seal 101 is peeled off from the CD 100,
It can be easily associated. In addition, in CD100,
When the identification code peculiar to the CD is previously given (for example, printed), the identification code may be detected and printed only on the index sticker 101.

When the number of recorded image frames is large and the printing area is insufficient, for example, the shape of the index image is changed from a rectangular shape to a circle or an ellipse, or a main subject (for example, a person) is feature-extracted. Only the extracted main subject may be printed. As a result, more index images can be printed. Further, the maximum number of printable index images may be set in advance, and the index images to be printed may be evenly selected by a predetermined algorithm. For example, the index images may be evenly selected from the shooting dates based on the shooting date information included in the management information so that the printed index images are not biased to a specific shooting date. In this way, the layout of the index image can be freely changed. Further, the index seals 101 may be attached to both sides of the CD 100.

Further, the digital image data is not limited to still image data, and may be an audio file attached or moving image data. In this case, if the input digital image data is digital image data of an image captured by a digital camera or the like, and if it is digital image data with a sound file or digital image data of a moving image file, it is A mark that indicates that there is,
A mark indicating that the data is moving image data may be printed together with the index image. This makes it possible to easily confirm that the data is a data with a voice file or moving image data.

By the way, there are cases where it is desired to combine images recorded on a plurality of CDs 100 into one CD for each specific category. For example, there is a case where it is desired to combine images taken at a specific place (Disneyland etc.) into one CD. In this case, the images recorded in sequence from the plurality of CDs 100 are read and displayed on the display unit 150 as a list, and the operator selects an image at a specific place designated by an order sheet (or index print may be used). The selected image may be written to a new CD. In addition, the user records information designating the selected image frame on an FD (flexible disk),
This may be replaced with an order sheet. As a result, the image frame to be recorded can be automatically selected by reading the contents of the FD with the read / write device.

In addition, GPS (Global Positioning System)
m) In the case of an image taken by a camera with a function, the management information can include position information such as latitude and longitude. In such a case, the position information of the designated specific place may be compared with the position information included in the management information, and an image with which the position information matches may be selected and recorded.
As a result, the images in the specific category can be put together on one CD.

In this embodiment, the thermal transfer printer unit 124 prints an image on the surface of the index seal 101, but an ink jet printer may be used. Alternatively, the index seal 101 may be used as a photosensitive material, the surface thereof may be exposed to a laser or the like for development processing, and a paste material may be applied to the back surface to form an adhesive surface. As a result, the index sticker can be created by using the same process as the photographic print, and can be created at low cost. Further, the present invention may be applied to a case cover that is housed in a CD case.

[0070]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when digital image data is additionally recorded or updated on a recording medium, the content can be easily recognized, and collation and the like can be simplified. It has an excellent effect of being able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a CD to which an index seal according to the present embodiment is attached.

FIG. 2 is a schematic external view of the read / write device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the read / write device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control routine executed by the read / write device according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 CDs 101 index seal 103 index image 104 read / write device 136 film scanner 138 negative film 140 data memory 142 format formation section 144 control unit 146 Print display control unit 150 control panel 152 display

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Shigenori Moriuchi             2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Fuji Photo             Shin Film Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A disc-shaped recording medium having a recording layer capable of recording digital image data, which can be attached to at least one surface of the recording medium and corresponds to the digital image data recorded in the recording layer of the recording medium. Index stickers featuring printed index images. 2. The method for producing an index sticker according to claim 1, wherein digital image data to be recorded is input to a recording layer of the recording medium, and the input digital image data is recorded in a recording layer of the recording medium. A method for producing an index sticker, which comprises recording and generating an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data and printing the index image on the index sticker. 3. The method of creating an index seal according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pieces of digital image data to be recorded on a recording layer of the recording medium and management information about the digital image data are input, Based on the above, a predetermined specific type of digital image data is selected, the selected digital image data is recorded in the recording layer of the recording medium, and an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data is generated. A method for producing an index sticker, which comprises printing on the index sticker. 4. The index seal creating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input means inputs digital image data to be recorded on a recording layer of the recording medium, and the input digital image data is the recording medium. Recording means for recording on the recording layer, a generating means for generating an index image corresponding to the recorded digital image data, and a printing means for printing the generated index image on the index sticker. Index seal making device.