JP2005280052A - Image printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image printer capable of ensuring user-friendliness while solving the problems of cost and space when inputting a character. <P>SOLUTION: The image printer comprises a means 46 for receiving data from a portable telephone, a means 42 for compounding an image to be printed based on data received by the data receiving means 46, and a means 48 for printing the image compounded by the image compounding means 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image printing apparatus capable of printing an image taken by a user.

  There is known an image printing apparatus that captures image data captured by a user and prints an image of the image data when the user inputs a fee. Such an apparatus is installed in a storefront of a store or an accommodation facility in a sightseeing spot, and is configured so that a user can capture image data taken with his / her digital camera and print the image with a built-in printer. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-197177 A

According to the conventional image printing apparatus, there may be a case where character input means for entering the date and place on the photograph to be printed is required. As the character input means, there are means such as a hardware keyboard or a software keyboard such as a touch panel or a pen touch.
However, although the hardware keyboard is easy for the user to operate, there is a problem that the cost increases due to an increase in the number of parts, and a certain amount of space is required. There is also a management problem that it is easy and waterproof must be controlled so that water does not enter.
On the other hand, the software keyboard does not increase the number of parts, and the cost increase is suppressed, and it is not necessary to secure a space for the keyboard, but there is a problem that it is difficult for the user to operate.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image printing apparatus capable of satisfying both cost and space problems and usability when inputting characters.

According to the image printing apparatus of the present invention, data receiving means for receiving data from a mobile phone, image combining means for combining images to be printed based on the data received by the data receiving means, and the image combining Printing means for printing an image synthesized by the means.
By adopting this configuration, it is possible to use a mobile phone for inputting character data, so that it is not necessary to provide hardware or software keyboard as character input means in the image printing apparatus itself. In addition, since the user performs character input using a mobile phone that is familiar to the user, the operability of character input is also excellent. That is, with this configuration, it is possible to provide an image printing apparatus that is low in cost, does not require a large space, and has excellent character input operability.

Further, the money control means for calculating the amount of money inserted from the money insertion slot for inserting money and executing change of payment is provided, and the money control means detects that a predetermined amount of money has been inserted. Thereafter, the image synthesizing unit and the printing unit may be operated.
That is, according to this configuration, it is possible to provide an apparatus that automatically sells photographs, stickers, and the like on which images are printed.

  Further, the image synthesizing means may synthesize the characters of the character data received from the mobile phone by the data receiving means and the image of the image data received from the mobile phone by the data receiving means.

  The image composition means composes a character stamp by combining the character of the character data received from the mobile phone by the data reception means and a predetermined image as the background of the character, and the character stamp and the data reception The means may synthesize the image of the image data received from the mobile phone.

  According to the image printing apparatus of the present invention, since characters can be input from a mobile phone that the user is familiar with, the operability is very good. In addition, since the image printing apparatus does not require a hardware keyboard or software keyboard for character input, a low-cost and compact image printing apparatus can be provided.

The data receiving means is ready to receive data from the standby time. The data receiving means receives image data from a mobile phone or a digital camera via infrared rays or a recording medium (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as media). The user selects an image to be printed from the data received by the data receiving means.
When the user inputs a predetermined fee, the image composition means can be operated. Even in this state, the data receiving means can receive data and receives character data from the mobile phone.
The image synthesizing unit forms the character data received by the data receiving unit as the user's arbitrary size and color and as the user's arbitrary typeface, and places the image selected by the user on the background of the character. Thus, the character is formed as a character stamp that can be pasted at an arbitrary position of the captured image.
The image composition means creates a composite image to be printed by pasting a character stamp at an arbitrary position of the user on the image.
The created composite image is printed by a printer as printing means.

The appearance of the image printing apparatus is shown in FIG. 1, and the appearance configuration of the image printing apparatus 20 will be described.
The casing 21 of the image printing apparatus 20 is loaded with a display unit 22 for displaying an image, an operation unit 24 having switches and the like operated by the user, and a money slot 26 for the user to insert money. A payout opening 29 through which change to money is paid out, a printed output outlet 27 from which printed matter is output, a media reading unit 28 into which various media for recording data built in a digital camera or a mobile phone are inserted, and an infrared light receiving unit 33 is provided.

As the display unit 22, a display device such as an LCD or a CRT can be considered. The operation unit 24 and the display unit 22 may be integrated to form a touch panel. Furthermore, a pen touch may be employed.
In order to be able to read media of various standards, the media reading unit 28 is formed with a plurality of media insertion openings 31 that match the size of each media. Examples of media include smart media, compact flash, memory stick, xD picture card, and the like that are commonly used in digital cameras and mobile phones.

An internal configuration of the image printing apparatus 20 is shown in FIG.
The overall operation of the image printing apparatus 20 is comprehensively controlled by a control unit 40 including a central processing unit such as a CPU. The control unit 40 operates by reading and executing a control program stored in advance in a storage device (ROM or the like) (not shown).
Further, the control unit 40 can activate and execute image composition software capable of image composition stored in advance in a storage device (hard disk or the like) (not shown). For this reason, the control unit 40 constitutes the image composition means 42.

Connected to the controller 40 is an infrared receiver 46 having an infrared receiver 33 for receiving data from a mobile phone and a receiver circuit 45 for amplifying the received signal and shaping the waveform. Note that data transmitted from the mobile phone includes both image data p and character data c.
Further, the above-described media reading unit 28 is also connected to the control unit 40, and data recorded in the medium can be transferred to the control unit 40.

  The control unit 40 is connected to a money control unit 44 that detects that a predetermined fee has been inserted into the money insertion slot 26. When the money control unit 44 detects that a predetermined fee has been inserted, the money control unit 44 outputs a detection signal a to the control unit 40. Upon receiving the detection signal a, the control unit 40 starts an operation for image printing.

The operation unit 24 is also connected to the control unit 40, and the content operated and instructed by the user is input to the control unit 40.
The display unit 22 is connected to the control unit 40. The display unit 22 displays an image synthesized by the control unit 40 and an image such as contents for instructing the user how to operate.

  The combined image data b generated by the image combining unit 42 of the control unit 40 is output to the printer 48 which is a printing unit. The printer 48 is loaded with normal paper and sticker paper, and can print the composite image of the composite image data b on the normal paper or sticker paper according to the user's selection.

The control unit 40 is connected to a storage unit 50 in which various pasting image data such as a character stamp background image to be pasted on the image, a normal stamp, or a frame are stored in advance.
The image synthesizing unit 42 of the control unit 40 extracts image data for pasting such as a stamp and a frame selected by the user from the storage unit 50, and synthesizes the stamp and the frame with an image photographed by the user. it can.
A character stamp is an image in which characters of character data received from a mobile phone and a background of the characters are integrally formed. A frame is an image that is a frame-like decoration arranged around an image to be printed.

Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the image printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the user transfers image data p of an image to be printed from the mobile phone by infrared rays.
In the image printing apparatus 20, the infrared receiving unit 46 receives the image data p and transmits the image data p to the control unit 40 (step S100).

Next, the user inputs a predetermined fee. The money control unit 44 detects that a predetermined amount has been inserted from the money insertion slot 26, and outputs a detection signal a to the control unit 40. After confirming the payment by the detection signal a, the control unit 40 activates the image editing means 42 and starts an image editing operation (step S101).
The controller 40 may be provided with a timer (not shown), and the image compositing means 42 may be operated to limit the time during which image compositing is possible.

Next, the user inputs characters using a mobile phone, and transfers the character data c of the entered characters using infrared rays. Examples of character input using a mobile phone include input by mail creation, input using a memo function, and other methods such as using the contents already registered in the address book as character data.
In the image printing apparatus 20, the infrared receiving unit 46 receives the character data c and transmits the character data c to the control unit 40 (step S102). The timer described above may be stopped during character data transmission.
The control unit 40 converts the transmitted character data c to a file and identifies the corresponding character (step S104).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 40 calculates a size that can arrange the characters based on the characters identified from the transmitted character data c. Then, the control unit 40 secures an area corresponding to the calculated character size in the storage area in the control unit 40 (step S106).
Next, the control unit 40 determines the typeface and color of the character (step S107). The font and color are selected by the user from a plurality of samples stored in advance in the storage unit 50. That is, the control unit 40 causes the display unit 22 to display examples of typefaces and colors, and allows the user to select and determine with the operation unit 24.
Next, the control unit 40 determines the background of the character (step S108). The background is selected by the user from among a plurality of samples stored in advance in the storage means 50. That is, the control unit 40 displays an example of the background on the display unit 22 and allows the user to select and determine by operating the operation unit 24. Note that there is no particular background for characters.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 40 synthesizes characters with the background determined in the previous step to create a character stamp 56 (step S110).
In this embodiment, the characters “XX plateau cherry-blossom viewing tour” are data received from the mobile phone, and the character stamp 56 is created based on the characters.

Next, the created character stamp 56 is arranged on the image, the position of the character stamp 56 can be moved by the user, and the user determines which position of the character stamp 56 is arranged in the image 55 (step S112, FIG. 5). (See the dotted line part).
The character stamp 56 can be moved by the user operating the operation unit 24. The user moves the character stamp 56 to a position that seems to be optimal, and then determines the position of the character stamp 56 via the operation unit 24.

And the control part 40 synthesize | combines the character stamp 56 with the taken-in image 55 (refer step S114, FIG. 6).
The control unit 40 transmits the composite image data b of the generated composite image to the printer 48 and prints it on the sheet designated by the user (step S116).

In the above-described embodiment, only the character stamp 56 is combined with the image input by the user. However, the image that can be combined with the image input by the user is not limited to these.
For example, it is preferable that a stamp (not shown) of only an image not containing characters can be combined with an image input by the user. The stamp may be a heart-shaped mark, a star-shaped mark, and various other marks and patterns.
Further, the image synthesizing unit 42 may operate so as to synthesize a character input by the user into a frame instead of a stamp.
Furthermore, when the operation unit 24 employs touch pen input, characters (so-called graffiti) input by the user with a pen can be combined with an image input by the user.

By installing the image printing apparatus of the present invention at a store such as a convenience store or a department store, a user who does not have a printer can use it to print data taken instead of his own printer.
In addition, by installing an image printing device at a souvenir shop in a tourist area or in an accommodation facility such as a hotel or ryokan, tourists can immediately print photos taken at each tourist spot without any hassle. Therefore, it is thought that tourists will be pleased rather than printing after returning from sightseeing.
In addition, by storing various images according to the characteristics of each tourist spot in the background of frames and stamps stored in advance, it is possible to provide a unique photograph for each tourist spot.
Furthermore, the image printing apparatus can be installed in an amusement park, an amusement park, a game center, or the like and used for amusement.

  While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. .

1 is an external view showing an external configuration of an image printing apparatus of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of an image printing apparatus. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image printing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the synthetic | combination character stamp. It is explanatory drawing which shows the place which has arrange | positioned the character stamp on the image. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the produced synthesized image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Image printing apparatus 21 Housing | casing 22 Display part 24 Operation part 26 Money insertion slot 27 Print output outlet 28 Media reading part 29 Discharge outlet 31 Media insertion opening 33 Infrared light receiving part 40 Control part 42 Image composition means 44 Money control part 45 Reception circuit 46 Infrared receiver 48 Printer 50 Storage means 55 Image 56 Character stamp a Detection signal b Composite image data c Character data p Image data

Claims (4)

Data receiving means for receiving data from a mobile phone;
Image combining means for combining images to be printed based on the data received by the data receiving means;
An image printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints an image synthesized by the image synthesis unit. A money control means for calculating the amount of money inserted from a money insertion slot for inserting money and executing a change of payment;
2. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the money control means detects that a predetermined amount of money has been inserted, the image composition means and the printing means are operated. The image composition means includes
3. The image printing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data receiving means combines the characters of the character data received from the mobile phone and the image of the image data received from the mobile phone by the data receiving means. apparatus. The image composition means includes
A character stamp is formed by combining the character of the character data received from the mobile phone by the data receiving means and a predetermined image as the background of the character,
The image printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character stamp is combined with an image of image data received from the mobile phone by the data receiving unit.

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