JP2005318637A - Digital photographic printer and digital photographic print generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital photographic printer which has a high-speed and mininum cost image processing capability. <P>SOLUTION: A frame memory inevitably built in a scanner (for realizing its function) is shared with an image processing unit for use as a work area, and a picture processing capability of the image processing unit for printing function is used. Further, an operating unit includes an operating unit body, an input device, such as a keyboard, and a display, such as a CRT. An image processing command is entered at the input device, and the display displays a thinned image sent after a required image process and the commanded picture process are applied in an image processing circuit, or either of the thinned image read out from the frame memory or a simulated image generated by the control unit body from partial image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital photo printer having an image processing function.

Currently, printing of images taken on photographic films such as photographic films (hereinafter referred to as films) such as negative films and reversal films onto photographic materials, such as photographic paper, projects the film image onto the photosensitive material and exposes the photosensitive material to surface exposure. The so-called direct exposure method is the mainstream.
On the other hand, the applicant of the present invention has recently developed a printing apparatus that uses digital exposure, that is, digitally reads an image photographed on a film, performs various image processing, and records digital image data (digital data). Developed and put on the market a digital photo printer that scans and exposes a photosensitive material with recording light modulated in accordance with this image data, records an image (latent image), and develops and prints it. .

In digital photographic printers, the exposure conditions are determined by photoelectrically reading the film and performing color / density correction by image signal processing, so the exposure time per image is short and the exposure time is also short. Since the time is also constant according to the image size, printing can be performed more quickly than conventional surface exposure.
Moreover, editing such as image composition and image division, image processing such as color / density adjustment, and image processing can be performed freely, and finished prints that have been subjected to image processing and image processing can be freely selected according to the application. Can output. Further, conventional direct exposure printing cannot reproduce all images recorded on film etc. in terms of resolution, color / density reproducibility, etc., but it is recorded on film by a digital photographic printer. A print that reproduces almost 100% of the existing image (density information) can be output.

Such a digital photographic printer basically includes an image reading device (scanner), an image processing device, and an image recording device (printer).
In a scanner, reading light emitted from a light source is incident on a film to obtain projection light carrying an image photographed on the film, and this projection light is imaged on an image sensor such as a CCD sensor by an imaging lens. By photoelectric conversion, the image is read as an image signal (at high speed), A / D converted, and digital image data is subjected to various processing by the signal correction circuit as necessary. ) Film image data (image information) is stored, and the stored image data of one film is read from the frame memory and output to the image processing apparatus. Usually, in a high-speed scanner, a memory having a capacity capable of storing image data of a plurality of films is used as a frame memory, and reading image data of one film is stored and another film is stored. The image data can be read simultaneously.

The image processing apparatus first stores the image data transmitted from the scanner in the frame memory, then reads the stored image data from the frame memory, sets the image processing conditions according to the read image data, An image was displayed on the display of an operating device of an external personal computer connected via an interface circuit, and an examination and adjustment of image processing conditions and an instruction or simulation of image processing were performed as necessary. Thereafter, the image processing circuit applies the set image processing and image processing to the image data, and outputs the image data to the printer as output image data (exposure conditions) for image recording.
In the printer, first, image data transmitted from the image processing apparatus is stored in a frame memory. For example, if the apparatus uses light beam scanning exposure, a light beam is emitted according to the image data read from the frame memory. The light beam is modulated and deflected in the main scanning direction, and the photosensitive material (photographic paper) is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Then, exposure (printing) is performed to form a latent image, which is then subjected to development processing or the like according to the photosensitive material, and output as a finished print (photograph) in which an image photographed on the film is optimally reproduced.

  As described above, in a system that handles digital image data such as a digital photo printer, because of its characteristics, a large amount of data is necessary especially for high-quality and high-definition images. Each of the image processing apparatus and the printer has a large-capacity frame memory. In a system comprising such a digital photographic printer, conventionally, an operator uses an operation device such as an external personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as a PC) to process various images while checking on a CRT display. For example, gradation correction, composition, image modification, etc. are performed. In other words, all or part of the image data of one frame read out from the frame memory of the image processing apparatus is stored in the memory in the external PC and stored in the memory in the PC. Various image processing processes are performed using the obtained image data, and the processed image data is returned to the image processing apparatus.

For this reason, when performing image processing in an operating device such as a PC, a large amount of image data must be processed, which takes a long time for processing, and even if the image reading by the scanner is fast, The entire digital photographic printer has a problem that high-speed processing cannot be achieved.
In addition, a high-capacity frame memory is required for each of the high-speed scanner, the image processing apparatus, and the printer that constitute the digital photo printer. Therefore, there is a problem that the cost of the entire digital photographic printer is increased.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and to perform a frame memory that is inevitably mounted on a scanner (for function implementation) when processing an image using an operating device such as a personal computer. A digital photo printer having an image processing function at high speed and at a minimum cost is provided by using it as a work area in common with an image processing apparatus and by using the image processing function of the image processing apparatus for a print function. There is.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image sensor that photoelectrically reads a document image, A / D conversion of the read image signal, and signal correction that performs a required signal correction on the obtained digital image data. A circuit, a frame memory for storing at least one of the corrected image data and the image processed image data, and an image processing circuit for performing required image processing on the image data stored in the frame memory A control circuit for controlling the image sensor, the signal correction circuit, the frame memory and the image processing circuit via a control bus, and image data connected to the control bus via an interface and stored in the frame memory An operation device for performing required image processing using the image processing circuit from the outside, and the image processing circuit The image data is processed by the image processing circuit and directly output, or the image data output from the frame memory through the image processing circuit or the image processed image data is printed. The present invention provides a digital photographic printer having a printer that outputs an image.

Here, the image data transmitted to the controller device is the thinned image data read from the frame memory, or a part of the image data read from the frame memory that has not been thinned, or the frame memory. The image data is preferably read out and thinned after frequency processing (LPF processing).
The operation device has an operation device main body, an input device such as a keyboard, and a display (display device) such as a CRT, and an image processing command is input from the input device. The thinned image transmitted after being read and subjected to the required image processing and commanded image processing in the image processing circuit is displayed, or the thinned or partial image data read from the frame memory From the above, it is preferable that the image is a simulated image created by the operation device main body.

In addition, it is preferable that an image processing function necessary for image processing instructed by an operator by the operation device is held in the control circuit as software.
Further, it is preferable that an image processing command by an operator is given from another operating device via a network.

  According to the present invention, when processing an image using an operation device such as a personal computer, the frame memory inevitably mounted on the scanner is shared with the image processing device and used as a work area. Since the image processing function of the image processing apparatus for the print function can be used, it is possible to provide a digital photo printer having an image processing function at a high speed and at a minimum cost.

  A digital photographic printer according to the present invention will be described in detail below based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a digital photographic printer of the present invention.
A digital photo printer 10 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 includes a scanner 12, an image processing device 14, and a printer 16. Images taken on a film F or the like by the scanner 12 are frame by frame. The image data is sequentially read and output to the image processing device 14, subjected to predetermined image processing by the image processing device 14, output to the printer 16 as image data for recording, and modulated by the printer 16 according to the image data. The photosensitive material is scanned and exposed with a light beam, developed, and output as a finished print.

  The scanner 12 includes a reading optical system 18, a CCD sensor 20, a signal correction circuit 22, and a frame memory 24 shared with the image processing apparatus 14, which is one of the features of the present invention. The captured images are photoelectrically read by the CCD sensor 20 frame by frame as digital image data for each of the three primary colors, subjected to necessary signal correction by the signal correction circuit 22, and then stored in the frame memory 24. The reading optical system 18 is used to form an image of one frame photographed on the film F on the CCD sensor 20, and the light source 25, the variable aperture 26, and the image photographed on the film F are R (red). A color filter plate 27 having three color filters of R, G and B for separating the three primary colors of G, (green) and B (blue), and capable of rotating any color filter on the optical path; A diffusion box 28 for making the reading light incident on the film F uniform in the surface direction of the film F; and an imaging lens 29 that forms an image on the CCD sensor 20 through which the projection light that passes through the film F and carries an image is formed. Have

  The CCD sensor 20 is an area sensor that photoelectrically reads each color component of one frame image taken on a film as an image signal, and can image and read one frame of the film. The signal correction circuit 22 is obtained by an amplifier 30 that amplifies the image signal read by the CCD sensor, and an A / D converter 31 that converts the amplified analog image signal into a digital image signal by A / D conversion. And a correction processing circuit 32 that performs signal correction and conversion processing such as offset correction, dark correction, LOG conversion (density signal conversion) by LUT (lookup table), and shading correction on the digital image data.

The frame memory 24 is one of the features of the present invention, and has a capacity capable of storing image data for three colors of R, G, and B for at least one frame, and is corrected by the signal correction circuit 22. The image processing apparatus 14 has a function of storing image data that has been subjected to various types of image processing, and is shared by the scanner 12 and the image processing apparatus 14. Here, when the capacity of the frame memory 24 is one frame, the frame memory 24 may store either one of image data read by the scanner 12 and image data processed by the image processing device 14. However, the frame memory 24 has a capacity of two frames or more, and writing of the read image data by the scanner 12 and reading of the read image data by the image processing device 14 are performed by the image processing device 14 (for processing). (Reading of image data or writing of processed image data) and reading of processed image data for transmission to the printer 16 may be performed simultaneously.
Note that the CCD sensor 20, the amplifier 30 of the signal correction circuit 22, the A / D converter 31, the correction processing circuit 32, and the frame memory 24 are sequentially connected by an image data bus (image bus) 33 in this order. The reading optical system 18, the CCD sensor 20, the signal correction circuit 22, and the frame memory 24 are each connected to a control data bus (control bus) 34.

In such a scanner 12, the reading light emitted from the light source 25, adjusted in light quantity by the variable aperture 26, passed through the color filter plate 27, adjusted in color, and diffused in the diffusion box 28 is incident on the film F. , The projection light carrying the image photographed on the film F is obtained.
The projection light is imaged on the light receiving surface of the CCD sensor 20 by the imaging lens 29 and is read photoelectrically by the CCD sensor 20. An output signal from the CCD sensor 20 is amplified by an amplifier 30, converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter 31, and subjected to the above-described various correction processes by a correction processing circuit 32 having a LOG conversion LUT and the like. The signal is stored in the frame memory 24 as R, G, B image data of an image photographed on the film F, read out, and sent to the image processing device 14.

The scanner 12 performs such image reading three times by sequentially inserting the three color filters R, G, and B of the color filter plate 27, so that one frame image photographed on the film F is R. , G and B are separated into three primary colors and read.
In the illustrated apparatus, an image is read at a low resolution in order to determine the aperture amount of the variable aperture 26, set image processing conditions, etc. prior to the main scan for obtaining image data to be output to the printer 16. A pre-scan may be performed. That is, the scanner 12 performs image reading (output of image data) six times in total by reading one frame image, and the frame memory 24 stores pre-scan image data (low resolution data) and main scan data (high resolution data). It may be stored.
When the reading of one frame is completed, the film F is fed by one frame by a feeding means (not shown), the next frame is conveyed to the reading position, and the stored image data is read from the frame memory 24 by the image processing device 14. If the storage area (capacity) of the frame memory 24 is writable, or if the capacity of the frame memory 24 is large and there is a writable storage area, the next frame is read.

The image processing apparatus 14 reads out from the frame memory 24 of the scanner 12, performs predetermined image processing on the transmitted image data, and outputs the processed image data to the printer 16. The frame memory 24 shared with the scanner 12 is used. An image processing circuit 36, a CPU 38, a personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as a PC) (main body) 40, a PC interface (circuit) 42 for connecting the PC (main body) 40 to the control data bus 34, It has a CRT 44 and a keyboard 46 connected to the PC 40.
In the illustrated digital photo printer 10, one scanner is connected to the image processing device 14, but the number of scanners (image reading devices) used in the present invention is not limited to one, and two scanners. Alternatively, a plurality of more scanners may be connected. In addition to a scanner that reads a film F (transparent document) as shown in the drawing, a scanner that reads an image of a printed matter or a photograph may be connected.
Further, the number of printers connected to the image processing apparatus 14 is not limited to one, and a plurality of printers may be connected.

The image processing circuit 36 reads the image data read by the scanner 12 and stores it in the frame memory 24, performs the required image processing, and generates image data for recording by the printer 16. The processing circuit is combined.
In the illustrated example, the image processing circuit 36 sequentially reads out image data of a predetermined unit according to the recording order by the printer 16, for example, color / gradation processing for correcting the color and / or gradation of the image, and image enlargement. Each process of scaling processing for reduction, compression and expansion of the dynamic range of image data, and sharpness processing (outline emphasis) is preferably performed by pipeline processing.

  Note that the image processing circuit 36 can also receive an image processing command input from the keyboard 46 to the PC 40 by the operator from the PC 40 and perform a required image processing process under the control of the CPU 38. Further, the image processing circuit 36 can output the processed image data directly to the printer 16 for printing, or can return the image data to the frame memory 24 for storage. The image data returned to and stored in the frame memory 24 may be read again and simply passed through the image processing circuit 36 and directly output to the printer 16 to be printed. After image processing or image processing is performed, the image may be output to the printer 16 and printed. Here, the image processing circuit 36 performs a required image processing (necessary for output to the printer 16) and a desired image processing processing (instructed by an operator or the like) having processing functions (hardware). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and all or some of the processing functions, particularly the image processing function, may be configured by software.

The CPU 38 is connected to the reading optical system 18, the CCD sensor 20, the signal correction circuit 22, the frame memory 24, and the image processing circuit 36 via the control data bus 34, and controls them. For example, when processing the image data in the image processing circuit 36, the CPU 38 creates a density histogram or the like from the image data (for example, prescan image data) stored in the frame memory 24, and calculates the image processing conditions. Set in the image processing circuit 36. That is, the image processing by the above-described image processing circuit 36 is performed according to the image processing conditions set by the CPU 38.
In the image processing apparatus used in the present invention, the setting of image processing conditions is not limited to that using pre-scanned image data, and image processing conditions may be set using main-scanned image data.
The CPU 38 also controls the image processing circuit 36 when causing the image processing circuit 36 to execute an image processing command instructed by the operator from the keyboard 46 via the PC main body 40. The CPU 38 may also be configured to control the printer 16.

  The PC main body 40, the PC interface 42, the CRT 44, and the keyboard 46 constitute a personal computer system that is an operation device of the present invention, and an operator can input an image processing command to the PC main body 40 using the keyboard 46. The PC main body 40 may be configured to display on the CRT 44 an image processing command input by the operator using the keyboard 46, and to display images before and after processing such as image processing and image processing. . The PC main body 40 transmits the input image processing command to the CPU 38 via the PC interface 42, and the CPU 38 reads out the image data from the frame memory 24, and performs the image processing given by the command as an image processing circuit. 36 may be configured to be executed, or the PC main body itself may be configured to perform an image processing process given by a command.

Incidentally, in order to display images before and after image processing and image processing on the CRT 44 and to perform image processing on the PC main body 40 itself, the image processing circuit 36 directly from the frame memory 24 or from the frame memory 24. The image data sent to the PC main body via the image processing (with or without image processing or image processing by the image processing circuit) is stored in the frame memory 24 or processed by the image processing circuit. Low resolution image data thinned out from data, partial image data read out from the frame memory 24 without being thinned out, or read out from the frame memory 24 and frequency processed by an image processing circuit or the like It is preferable that the image data is subjected to thinning processing after (LPF processing). By doing so, various processes such as display on the CRT 44 in the PC main body 40 and processing in the PC main body 40 itself can be quickly performed.
Further, the CRT 44 functions as a display device that displays various types of processing by the PC main body 40, image processing processing, or images before and after the image processing. The display device used in the present invention may be any device capable of outputting a soft copy image such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD) or a plasma display in addition to the CRT 44. The keyboard (KB) 46 functions as an input device for inputting various processing commands and various data to the PC main body 40. Examples of the input device used in the present invention include an input device such as a mouse in addition to a keyboard.

  In the present invention, the image data fetched from the CCD sensor 20 is temporarily held on the frame memory 24, and the image data is read from the frame memory 24 to be thinned (low resolution) image data (coarse, reduced image). Then, it is sent directly to the PC 40 via the PC interface 42 and displayed on the CRT 44. Alternatively, the image data read from the frame memory 24 is subjected to predetermined processing by the image processing circuit 36, and then returned to the frame memory 24 for storage, and is converted into thinned-out image data, which is converted to the PC 40 via the PC interface 42. And displayed on the CRT 44. Note that the thinned image data to be transmitted to the PC 40 may be read out by being thinned out from the frame memory 24, or all image data may be read out and thinned out by the image processing circuit 36.

  An image processing command (instruction) for the image displayed on the CRT 44 in this way is input to the PC 40 from the keyboard 46 by the operator (operator). Next, an image processing instruction is sent from the PC 40 to the image processing device 36 (and the CPU 38). The image processing device 36 reads the image data of the image displayed on the CRT 44 (controlled by the CPU 38) from the frame memory 24, and performs image processing instructed by the read image data. The processing result of the image processing obtained in this way is returned and stored in the frame memory 24 at the same time as the processing, and is thinned out, sent to the PC 40 via the interface circuit 42, and displayed on the CRT 44.

  When the operator gives an OK (printing, that is, exposure / development) instruction to the PC 40 with an input device such as the keyboard 46 by looking at the image displayed on the CRT 44, the instruction is sent from the PC 40 to the CPU 38 and the image processing circuit. The image processing circuit 36 reads the image data of the image that has been transmitted to 36 and controlled by the CPU 38, and sends it to the printer 16 as it is (without any processing). The printer 16 exposes and develops the image according to the sent image data, reproduces the print image, and outputs the print as a hard copy image. If the operator does not give an OK instruction for the image displayed on the CRT 44, the image processing circuit 36 inputs an image processing instruction input by the operator (operator) and stores it in the frame memory 24. The reflection and the display on the CRT 44 are repeated until an OK instruction is issued from the operator.

  In the above-described example, the processing result of the image processing performed by the image processing circuit 36 is reflected in the frame memory 24 at the same time as the processing. However, the present invention is not limited to this and is separately stored in the frame memory 24. The processing result may be reflected, or the processing result is not reflected in the frame memory 24 for each image processing process until an OK instruction is issued from the operator, and the processing result is displayed in the frame memory after the OK instruction is issued. 24 may be reflected. Here, when the processing result is not reflected in the frame memory 24, the image processing performed in the image processing circuit 36 according to the operator's instruction does not need to be performed on all the image data read from the frame memory 24, and the CRT 44 It may be configured to apply only to the thinned image data sent to the PC 40 for display on the screen, and the image processing applied to the image for which OK is output is applied to all the image data read from the frame memory 24. Alternatively, it may be configured to output directly to the printer 16 or may be configured to output the data to the printer 16 after returning to the frame memory 24 and storing it.

  In each of the above-described examples, an instruction for image processing by the operator to the image displayed on the CRT 44 is sent from the PC 40 to the image processing circuit 36 and the CPU 38, and the instructed image processing is performed by the image processing circuit 36. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and using the thinned image data sent to the PC 40 for display on the CRT 44, the instructed image processing is simulated on the PC 40, and the simulated image is displayed on the CRT 44. You may comprise. Then, the simulation may be repeated until an OK instruction is issued by the operator. In this case, when OK is displayed on the image displayed on the CRT 40 in the PC 40, an instruction for image processing applied to the display image is sent from the PC 40 to the image processing circuit 36 and the CPU 38, and the instructed image processing is performed. The image processing circuit 36 is preferably configured to apply to all image data read from the frame memory 24.

  The instructed image processing is reflected in the frame memory 24, that is, applied to all image data read from the frame memory 24 in the image processing circuit 36 in response to an operation by the operator. You may comprise so that background may be performed. Of course, also in these cases, the operator views the image displayed on the CRT 44, gives an OK instruction, and the contents of the frame memory 24 reflect the image processing added to the image displayed on the CRT 44 before the printer. 16 is preferably output. Further, the entire image data once read from the frame memory 24 or a part of the image data or the thinned image data is stored in the PC 40, the image processing process instructed by the PC 40 itself is performed, and the processing result is returned to the frame memory 24 and stored. Of course, it may be configured to do so.

  Furthermore, in the above-described example, the image data that has been subjected to the instructed image processing that is output for printing is the entire image data of one frame (one frame) read from the frame memory 24. The present invention is not limited to this, and may be a part of one frame, an aggregate of a plurality of frames, or various edits. In such a case, the image data of the image for which the operator has given an OK instruction and the image data to be returned to the frame memory 24 and stored again is used for processing by the PC 40 or displayed on the CRT 44. It may be the thinned image data used for this. For example, image processing is performed on the reduced image data thinned frame by frame, such as index printing in the Advanced Photo System (APS), etc., and the thinned reduced image data obtained by the operator's OK instruction is stored in the frame memory. It may be configured to generate one index print image in the frame memory 24 by repeating the storage in the frame memory 24. Of course, in this case, the contents of the image processing applied to the thinned and reduced image data for which the operator has given an OK instruction are stored in a memory (not shown) of the PC 40 or the CPU 38 and stored on one sheet. It is preferable to use a full-size print when outputting from the printer 16.

  In the above-described example, an instruction for image processing by an operator is input from the keyboard 46 to the PC 40 constituting the digital photo printer 10 of the present invention. You may comprise so that it may give from operating devices, such as another PC.

As described above, the image data is read from the frame memory 24 in the image processing device 14, processed by the image processing circuit 36, or supplied to the printer 16 immediately after passing through the image processing circuit 36 without being processed. The output image data is output to the printer 16 and is output as a print image by the printer 16. An embodiment of the printer 16 used in the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a publicly known device such as a thermal development transfer printer, a thermal printer, a pressure printer, an electrophotographic printer, etc. Wet and dry printers can be used.
In the printer 16 shown in FIG. 2, processed image data output from the image processing device 14 is transferred to the driver 50 of the printer 16 and D / A converted. The driver 50 drives an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) 54 of the image exposure unit 52 so as to modulate the light beam according to the D / A converted image data.

  The image exposure unit 52 scans and exposes the photosensitive material Z by light beam scanning, and records an image of the image data on the photosensitive material Z. The image exposure unit 52 is formed on the photosensitive material Z as conceptually shown in FIG. Each of a light source 56R for emitting a light beam in a narrow band corresponding to the exposure of the R photosensitive layer, a light source 56G corresponding to the exposure of the G photosensitive layer, and a light source 56B corresponding to the exposure of the B photosensitive layer. Light source of light beam, AOMs 54R, 54G and 54B that modulate the light beam emitted from each light source according to the recorded image, polygon mirror 58 as an optical deflector, fθ lens 60, and sub-scan conveyance of photosensitive material Z Have means.

  Each light beam emitted from the light source 56 (56R, 56G, 56B) and traveling at different angles enters the corresponding AOM 54 (54R, 54G, 54B). Each AOM 54 receives R, G, and B drive signals corresponding to the recorded image from the driver 50, that is, the image data supplied from the image processing device 14. The incident light beam is transmitted according to the recorded image. Modulate intensity.

  Each light beam modulated by the AOM 54 is incident and reflected at substantially the same point of the polygon mirror 58, deflected in the main scanning direction (in the direction of the arrow x in the figure), and then predetermined by the fθ lens 60 at a predetermined scanning position z. The light beam is adjusted so as to form an image with the beam shape, and enters the photosensitive material Z. The image exposure unit 52 may be provided with a light beam shaping unit and a surface tilt correction optical system as necessary.

On the other hand, the photosensitive material Z is wound in a roll shape and is loaded at a predetermined position in a light-shielded state.
Such a photosensitive material Z is pulled out by a drawing roller (not shown), and is held at the scanning position z by a pair of conveying rollers 62a and 62b arranged with the scanning position z constituting the sub-scanning unit interposed therebetween in the main scanning direction. Is sub-scan transported in the sub-scanning direction (arrow y direction in the figure) orthogonal to the.
Since the light beam is deflected in the main scanning direction, the photosensitive material Z conveyed in the sub-scanning direction is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed by the light beam, and transferred to the photosensitive material Z from the main scanning image processing apparatus 14. An image (latent image) of the recorded image data is recorded.

The exposed photosensitive material Z is then carried into the developing unit 66 by the conveying roller pair 64 and subjected to development processing to be a finished print P.
Here, for example, if the photosensitive material Z is a silver salt photographic photosensitive material, the developing unit 66 includes a color developing tank 68, a bleach-fixing tank 70, washing tanks 72a, 72b, 72c and 72d, a drying unit and a cutter (not shown). The photosensitive material Z is subjected to predetermined processing in each processing tank, dried, and then cut into a predetermined length corresponding to one print by a cutter, and output as a finished print P.

  The digital photographic printer of the present invention has been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described example, and various improvements and changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a digital photographic printer according to the present invention, conceptually showing a scanner portion. FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of the digital photographic printer shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital Photo Printer 12 Scanner (Image Reading Device)
14 Image processing device 16 Printer (image recording device)
18 Reading Optical System 20 CCD Sensor 22 Signal Correction Circuit 24 Frame Memory 25 Light Source 26 Variable Aperture 27 Color Filter Plate 28 Diffusion Box 29 Imaging Lens 30 Amplifier 31 A / D Converter 32 Correction Processing Circuit (LUT)
33 Image data bus (image bus)
34 Control data bus (control bus)
36 Image processing circuit 38 CPU
40 Personal computer (PC)
42 PC interface 44 CRT
46 Keyboard (KB)
50 driver 52 image exposure unit 54R, 54G, 54B AOM (acousto-optic modulator)
56R, 56G, 56B Light source 58 Polygon mirror 60 Fθ lens 62a, 62b, 64 Conveying roller pair 66 Developing section 68 Color developing tank 70 Bleach fixing tank 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d Flushing tank F Film Z Photosensitive material P Print

Claims (1)

An image sensor that photoelectrically reads a document image, a signal correction circuit that performs A / D conversion on the read image signal, and performs necessary signal correction on the obtained digital image data, and corrected image data and image processing A frame memory for storing at least one of the image data, an image processing circuit for performing a required image processing on the image data stored in the frame memory, the image sensor, the signal correction circuit, and the frame A control circuit for controlling the memory and the image processing circuit via a control bus, and an image data stored in the frame memory connected to the control bus via an interface, using the image processing circuit from the outside. An image processing device is connected to an operating device and the image processing circuit via an image bus. A printer that outputs image data processed by a processing circuit and directly output, or image data output from the frame memory via the image processing circuit or image processed image data, as a print image; Digital photo printer.

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