JP2006142505A - Direct printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a direct printer which can perform narrowing search of an image on the basis of positional information added to a digital image, and further to provide a direct printer which can register photographing position information corresponding to positional information and can perform narrowing search of an image easier to use. <P>SOLUTION: GPS information is acquired from Exif information of image data in a card. Searching of the image, narrowing, classification and the like are carried out on the basis of the information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a direct printer that reads and prints an arbitrary digital image from a memory card on which the digital image is recorded.

  Conventionally, in order to print a digital image taken with a digital camera or the like with a printer, a method is generally used in which a digital image is stored on a hard disk on a PC, and then viewed, edited, and printed using software on the PC. Met.

  Moreover, recent printers have a card slot for inserting a memory card used in a digital camera or the like and an operation panel for receiving a print setting instruction from a user. Some have a function of printing a digital image on a card (so-called direct print function).

  A printer with such a direct print function (direct printer) can easily print image data from a digital camera or the like without using a PC, but in particular when a memory card containing a large number of image data is used. It was very difficult to find the image I wanted.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, there exists a direct printer that narrows down and searches an image from date information added to a digital image. However, the method of narrowing down and searching images from date information added to a digital image is convenient but not sufficient. (See Patent Documents 1 and 2)
JP 2004-51214 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-74468

  Digital images taken with a digital camera or the like are stored in the Exif format, which is a standard for image files for digital cameras, and as additional information if taken with a digital camera incorporating a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. Position information such as latitude and longitude can be recorded.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a direct printer capable of performing an image refinement search based on position information added to a digital image. That is. It is another object of the present invention to provide a direct printer capable of registering shooting location information corresponding to position information and capable of performing an image narrowing search that is easier to use.

  The present invention relates to a direct printer that reads and prints an arbitrary digital image from a memory card on which the digital image is recorded, and has a reading unit that reads the digital image from the memory card, and is added to the read digital image. Acquisition means for acquiring shooting location information from position information, search means for performing a search for searching for a digital image in a storage medium based on the acquired shooting location information of the digital image, and display means for displaying a search result of the search for a search. And a direct printer.

  Furthermore, the input means by which the user can input shooting location information, the storage means for storing the positional information added to the digital image in association with the input shooting location registration information, and the shooting location information of the acquired digital image are stored. A direct printer comprising search means for performing a search for narrowing down a digital image in a storage medium based on shooting location registration information.

  As described above, according to the direct printer of the present invention, an arbitrary digital image is read from the memory card on which the digital image is recorded, and in the direct printing for printing, the position information added to the read digital image is used. By acquiring shooting location information and classifying and searching for image data in the memory card from the shooting location information, the user can easily grasp and narrow down the contents of the image data in the memory card. Become.

  In addition, the user can input shooting location information data, and the location information added to the digital image and the text data of the input shooting location information are stored in association with each other, thereby making it easier to classify and narrow down image data. Is possible.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a direct printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. A direct print function for reading and directly printing image data of a predetermined standard stored in a memory card attached to a digital camera or the like. This corresponds to the case of an ink jet printer equipped with

  In the printer 100 shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a memory card slot into which a memory card such as a compact flash (registered trademark) in which an image taken by a digital camera (not shown) is stored is inserted. An operation panel 102 is provided with various operation keys. By instructing various operation keys according to an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 103, an operation screen, and a print setting screen, an image selection, image operation, print setting, and print instruction are performed. It is configured to be able to do.

  The printer 100 can print the image data on the memory card by setting the print on the operation panel 102 when the memory card on which the image data taken by the digital camera is recorded is inserted into the memory card slot 101. Yes, it is possible to print on a sheet, layout, quality, etc. in which image data is designated by a single printer without using a PC. Hereinafter, the printing process of the printer alone may be referred to as direct printing.

  Details of the direct printer of this embodiment will be described below.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the direct printer according to the embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to a basic configuration example of the printer 200.

  In FIG. 2, a printer 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 201 that calculates, determines, and controls data and commands, a communication interface 202 for communicating with a PC, a temporary storage area for various data, and a print buffer. A RAM 203 for use as a storage area, a ROM 204 as a read-only storage area for an operating system and other control programs, and a non-volatile memory (EEPROM) used as a storage area for printer engine information and shooting location registration information input by a user to be described later. 205, a printer engine 206 including an LF motor, a carriage motor, a print head, and various sensors, various buttons used for power-on, image display, image designation, various print settings, narrowing search described later, input of shooting location information, and the like LED, liquid crystal panel Operation panel 208 and operation panel controller 207 configured, a memory card controller 209 for reading out image data from the memory card, an image processing controller 210 including an image processing ASIC, and the like, and position information (latitude / longitude) And a position information database 211 for searching for a place name, a landmark name, and the like. Reference numeral 212 denotes a system bus.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a data processing configuration in the printer shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, a printer 300 has a printing function from a general personal computer and a direct printing function for printing image data on a memory card by the printer alone.

  The communication interface unit 301 controls an external interface such as a USB and exchanges data with an external device such as a personal computer.

  When the communication interface unit 301 receives print data from an external device, the printer controller 302 generates print data according to the received print command, and the printer engine unit 303 executes print processing. The printer engine unit 303 executes print processing using print data generated by the direct printer controller unit 304 during direct printing.

  The printer 300 includes an operation panel 208 including various buttons, LEDs, and a liquid crystal panel as a user interface. The operation panel controller unit 306 controls the various buttons, LEDs, and the liquid crystal panel.

  The memory card controller unit 305 reads image data from the memory card inserted in the memory card slot. The position information added to the image data is also read.

  When position information is added to the image data, the position information search unit 307 obtains shooting location information such as a place name and a landmark name from the position information database 308 based on the position information read by the memory card controller unit 305. get. Further, the shooting location information registration unit 309 searches for the shooting location registration information corresponding to the read position information, and if it exists, acquires the shooting location registration information. Based on the acquired shooting location information, images in the memory card are classified, and a narrowing search is performed.

  The shooting location information registration unit 309 stores the shooting location input in the operation panel controller unit 306 in the nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 205 as shooting location registration information in association with the position information of the image data.

  The direct print controller unit 304 acquires the selected image data from the memory card controller unit 305 and print data when the position information search unit 307 performs a narrow search when the print start button is instructed on the operation panel 208. Is generated.

  The image data of the present embodiment is, for example, digital image data taken with a digital camera, stored in the Exif format, which is a standard for digital camera image files, and latitude / longitude information of GPS (Global Positioning System). A directory tag for is defined. When shooting with a digital camera with a built-in GPS device, position information such as latitude and longitude can be recorded.

  In the direct printer according to the present embodiment, the position information database 308 is built in the printer main body. However, for example, the position information database 308 may be configured outside the printer as a WWW server on the Internet. In this case, an interface unit (network communication unit) with an external database may be further provided.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining the detailed configuration of the operation panel 202 of the printer 200 shown in FIG.

  In the operation panel 400 shown in FIG. 4, reference numeral 401 denotes a power key which is instructed when the printer is turned on / off.

  Reference numeral 402 denotes a selection / decision button that is instructed when various items displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 are selected / determined or when image data displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 is viewed. It is also instructed when selecting the result of narrowing, which will be described later, when changing the narrowing condition, and when inputting data of shooting location information.

  Reference numeral 403 denotes a print start button which is instructed when starting direct printing. When the print start button 403 is instructed, the image data selected by the narrowing search is printed in the print mode or paper / print setting designated by the menu button 407 or the paper / setting button 408.

  Reference numeral 404 denotes a print cancel button which is instructed when canceling direct print processing.

  Reference numeral 405 denotes an enlargement / reduction button which is instructed when an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 is enlarged.

  Reference numeral 406 denotes a liquid crystal panel. When the user confirms an image and setting items displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 and operates the selection determination button 402, the display image can be viewed, the print image can be selected, the print mode, and the like. Setting, selection of narrowing results, and input of shooting location information.

  A menu button 407 is instructed when a selection screen for selecting a print mode, for example, an all-image print mode, an image designation print mode, an index print mode, or a layout print mode is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406. In the print mode selection screen displayed by the instruction of the menu button 407, the print mode can be selected by instructing the selection determination button 402. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of a selection screen displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 when the print mode is selected.

  A paper / setting button 408 is instructed when a selection screen for selecting various items such as paper size, paper type, print quality, date position, and the like is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406. In the selection screen for various settings such as paper displayed by the instruction of the paper setting button 408, the user can select various settings by instructing the selection determination button 402. FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper size selection screen which is one of selection screens displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 when various settings such as paper are selected.

  Reference numeral 409 denotes a shooting location information button which is instructed when shifting to a mode for displaying and registering shooting location information (character string) corresponding to position information added to image data. In the character input screen displayed by the instruction of the shooting location information button 409, the shooting location information (character string) can be input by instructing the selection decision button 402.

  Reference numeral 410 denotes a refinement search button, which is instructed when a refinement search of image data in the memory card is performed using position information added to the image data.

  Hereinafter, various functions related to image data refinement search in the printer of this embodiment will be described.

[1. (Shooting location information display function)
A display function of shooting location information in the printer of this embodiment will be described. 6 shows a display function of shooting location information, and 2. It is a figure which shows the processing flow of the registration function of imaging location information.

An image for which shooting location information is desired to be displayed is selected using the liquid crystal panel 406 and the selection determination button 402, and the shooting location information button 409 is designated. The memory card controller unit 305 reads position information from the GPS directory tag in the Exif format from the image data (S601). If location information exists, for example
GPSLatitudeRef: N
GPSLatitude: 35/1, 33/1, 5000/100
GPS LongitudeRef: E
GPS Longitude: 139/1, 41/1, 700/100
It is possible to read out latitude / longitude information such as

  The position information search unit 308 uses the read latitude / longitude information to acquire shooting location information such as a place name and a landmark name from the position information database 309 (S602). In the case of the above latitude / longitude information, the shooting location information of “Tokyo AA-ku BB3Chome” can be acquired.

  The position information search unit 308 displays the acquired shooting location information on the liquid crystal panel 406 (S603). In the case of the above example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the shooting location information of “Tokyo AA-ku BB3 chome” is displayed.

  Further, the position information search unit 308 also searches the shooting location information registration unit 310 (S602), and when the latitude / longitude information of the image data is close to the latitude / longitude information registered in the shooting location information registration unit 310, The shooting location information registered in association with the latitude / longitude information is also displayed (S603). For example, when the shooting location “company” is registered for the latitude / longitude information, two shooting location information of “Tokyo AA ward BB3 chome” and “company” are displayed as shown in FIG. The

In the shooting location information display state, when the determination button of the selection determination button 402 is instructed, the screen returns to the display screen of the selected image (S605). If the shooting location information button 409 is designated again, the shooting location input mode is entered (S606). (Details are explained in [2. Shooting Location Information Registration Function])
If the position information does not exist in the image data, a message “GPS position information does not exist in this image” is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 (S604), and the screen returns to the display screen of the selected image.

[2. (Recording location information registration function)
Above 1. When the shooting location information button 409 is instructed in the shooting location information display state (FIG. 8A), the shooting location input mode is entered (S607), and a character input screen is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406.

  On this screen, arbitrary shooting location information (for example, “company”) is input using the up / down / left / right / decision buttons of the selection decision button 402 and other buttons.

  When the shooting location information button 409 is instructed again (S608), the shooting location information registration unit 310 registers the input shooting location information in the nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 205 together with the latitude / longitude information of the image data (S609). .

Above 1. In the case of latitude / longitude information, as shown in the first line of FIG.
E, 139, 41, 0700, N, 35, 33, 5000, “Company”
Is registered.

  Subsequently, when searching for a shooting location or narrowing search of image data having position information in the vicinity of latitude / longitude information registered in this image data or nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 205, the image data is acquired from the position information database 309. The shooting location registration information registered in the non-volatile memory (EEPROM) 205 is used together with the shooting location information for display and narrowing down conditions.

[3. (Filtering search function using shooting location information)
A narrowing search function using shooting location information in the printer of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a narrowing search function using shooting location information.

  When the search refinement button 410 is instructed, the memory card controller unit 305 reads latitude / longitude information from the Exif format GPS directory tag for all image data in the memory card (S701).

  The position information search unit 308 acquires shooting location information such as a place name and a landmark name from the position information database 309 using the read latitude / longitude information for all image data in the memory card (S702). Above 1. In the case of image data having latitude / longitude information used in the shooting location information display function, the shooting location information of “Tokyo AA-ku BB3Chome” is acquired.

  The position information search unit 308 also searches the shooting location information registration unit 310, and if the latitude / longitude information of the image data is in the vicinity of the latitude / longitude information registered in the shooting location information registration unit 310, the latitude / longitude The shooting location registration information registered in association with the information is also acquired. In the case of the above latitude / longitude information, the shooting location registration information of “company” is acquired from the shooting location information registration content of FIG.

In this embodiment, an example in which the following shooting location information is read from 10 pieces of image data in a memory card is used. (ID number (serial number in memory card), latitude / longitude, shooting location information)
001, E, 139, 41, 0700, N, 35, 33, 5000, “Tokyo AA-ku BB 3 chome: Company”
002, E, 139, 41, 0600, N, 35, 33, 4600, "Tokyo AA-ku BB 3-chome: Company"
003, W, 118, 24, 1400, N, 34, 04, 1800, “United States”
004, E, 139, 40, 1200, N, 35, 35, 3800, "Tokyo, AA-ku CC 3-chome"
005, E, 139, 38, 3900, N, 35, 35, 3400, “HH 3-chome, GG-ku, FF City, Kanagawa Prefecture”
006, E, 139, 38, 3800, N, 35, 35, 3500, “HH 3-chome, GG ward, FF City, Kanagawa Prefecture: Home”
007, E, 139, 40, 1500, N, 35, 35, 3800, "Tokyo AA-ku CC 2 chome"
008, E, 139, 46, 1200, N, 35, 40, 4100, “DD1 EE 1-chome, Tokyo”
009, E, 139, 38, 2000, N, 35, 27, 1100, “Kanji 2-chome, II City, Kanagawa Prefecture”
012, E, 139, 41, 1000, N, 35, 33, 5200, "Tokyo AA-ku BB 3-chome: Company"
The position information search unit 308 groups the image data in the memory card for each shooting location using the read shooting location information (S703). The granularity for grouping at this time is assumed to be prefectures (outside the country level). This classification granularity can be changed depending on the product shipment destination, and for example, it can be a prefecture (outside the country level) for a product for Japan and a state (a country level for outside) for a product for the United States.

  The position information search unit 308 displays the search results grouped as described above on the liquid crystal panel 406 (S704). In the case of the above 10 image data, as shown in FIG. 10A, the shooting locations are classified into four groups of “Tokyo”, “United States”, “Kanagawa”, and “Frence”, and narrowed down for each group. Displays the number of copies. For each group, image data representing each (image with a small ID number) is displayed.

  When the determination button of the selection determination button 402 is instructed on the search result display screen (FIG. 10A) (S705), since the search result is not selected, narrowing down based on the displayed search result is performed. Without stopping, the narrowing search process is terminated.

  In the search result display screen (FIG. 10A), the search result can be selected by instructing the up and down buttons of the selection determination button 402 (S706) (S707). For example, when the down button is designated, the shooting location: “Tokyo” is selected as shown in FIG.

  When the determination button of the selection determination button 402 is instructed on the search result selection screen (FIG. 10B) (S705), since the search result is selected, the image corresponding to the selected group is displayed. Narrowing can be performed (S710). In the subsequent operation, only the narrowed-down image is an operation target. For example, when the all-image print mode is selected by the menu button 407, the narrowed-down image can be printed.

  Further, by instructing the left and right buttons of the selection determination button 402 on the search result selection screen (FIG. 10B) (S708), the granularity for grouping in the image corresponding to the selected group is reduced. Further refinement can be performed by changing the coarse / fine (S709). For example, when the right button is instructed, the image data classified as “Tokyo” is classified into the “municipalities” level at the time of classification and further grouped (S703). As a result, as shown in FIG. 10C, the images are further classified into two groups of shooting locations: “AA ward” and “DD ward”, and are displayed together with the number of images narrowed down for each group (S704).

  Also in the search result display screen (FIG. 10C), the search result can be selected with the up and down buttons of the selection determination button 402 and the search result can be further narrowed down with the left and right buttons, as described above. .

  In addition, when there is image data in which shooting location information registered in association with latitude / longitude information is acquired from the shooting location information registration unit 310, the registered shooting information is registered in the first refinement search. It is also possible to classify by content. In the above image data, when the refinement search button 410 is instructed, grouping by classification such as “company” and “home” is also performed as shown in FIG.

  If the position information does not exist in the image data and the narrow search button 410 is instructed, a message “GPS position information does not exist in this image” is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 406 (S711).

It is a figure which shows an example of the printer which shows one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a data processing configuration in the printer shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a detailed configuration of an operation panel of the printer illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows an example of the display by the liquid crystal panel of the printer which concerns on this invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the printer according to the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the printer according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the display by the liquid crystal panel of the printer which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the imaging | photography location registration information in the printer which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the display by the liquid crystal panel of the printer which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 Direct Printer 101 Memory Card Slot 102 Operation Panel 103 Liquid Crystal Panel

Claims (2)

In a direct printer that reads and prints a digital image from a removable storage medium,
Reading means for reading a digital image from a removable storage medium;
Acquisition means for acquiring shooting location information from position information added to the read digital image;
Search means for performing a refinement search of the digital image in the storage medium based on the shooting location information of the acquired digital image;
Display means for displaying the search results of the refined search;
A direct printer comprising: The direct printer further includes:
An input means by which a user can input shooting location information;
Storage means for storing the positional information added to the digital image in association with the input shooting location registration information;
Search means for performing a narrowing search of the digital image in the storage medium based on the shooting location information of the acquired digital image and the stored shooting location registration information;
The direct printer according to claim 1, further comprising:

Images