JP2006145806A - Photographic print system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a customer service function in a photographic print system further. <P>SOLUTION: The photographic print system comprises a photographic print device EP for forming a photographic print, based on image data taken in from an image holding carrier which holds image information, an image processing device 5 for correcting the image data taken in from the image holding carrier to the image data to be printed by the photographic print device EP, and an image data preserving device IS for storing and preserving the image data already corrected by the image processing device 5 for the purpose of forming a reprint. The printing system includes an incidental information preserving device DS for preserving the incidental information of an image recorded and held together with the image on the image holding carrier from the time before first photographic print forming processing at the first photographic print forming processing, and the incidental information of the image preserved in the incidental information preserving device DS is utilized at reprint processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus for producing a photographic print based on image data taken from an image holding carrier for holding image information, and image data taken from the image holding carrier to the photographic printing apparatus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic print system including an image processing apparatus that performs correction processing on image data for print processing, and an image data storage apparatus that stores and stores image data after correction processing in the image processing apparatus for reprint production. .

Such a photographic print system is a system in which image data such as a read image of a photographic film by a photographic film reader or a photographed image by a digital camera is input and a photographic print is produced based on the input image data.
In such a photographic print system, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1 below, it is not necessary to bring the original photographic film, memory card, or the like to a photographic print shop when ordering a reprint of a photographic print (reprint order). In this way, in order to facilitate the use of the customer, it is also performed to store the image data that produced the photographic print.

Regarding storing image data for reprinting, the following Patent Document 1 exemplifies a case where original image data before image processing is stored. It is also conceivable to store image data after completion of the correction processing by.
By doing this, when the first photo print is made, the operator performs the color adjustment work optimally, or the image data resulting from the synthesis of the template image according to the customer's request is stored as it is. A high-quality reprint equivalent to the first photographic print can be produced in a state where it is not necessary to perform a color adjustment operation again during the reprint process. Of course, when it is necessary to perform some image processing, it is also possible to perform image processing based on the stored image data.
Therefore, in a system for storing image data after image processing, it is only necessary to leave the image data, and conventionally, no other information has been stored.

JP 2000-354123 A

However, the conventional configuration described above does not necessarily have a sufficient function from the viewpoint of improving the customer service function in the photo print system.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to further improve the customer service function in the photo print system.

  According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a photographic printing apparatus for producing a photographic print based on image data taken from an image holding carrier for holding image information, and image data taken from the image holding carrier. An image processing apparatus that corrects image data for print processing by a photo printing apparatus, and an image data storage apparatus that stores and saves image data after correction processing by the image processing apparatus for reprint production In the photo print system, there is provided an auxiliary information storage device for storing the auxiliary information of the image recorded and held together with the image on the image holding carrier before the initial photo print preparation process at the time of the initial photo print preparation process, At the time of the reprint process, the supplementary information of the image stored in the supplementary information storage device can be used.

In other words, for example, text information included in the DPOF format or EXIF format, or image supplementary information such as magnetic recording information of the IX240 film is stored on the image holding carrier (memory card or photographic film) before the first photographic print production process. This information is recorded and held together with the image, and is used as appropriate in the production of the first photographic print. However, in the reprint, from the viewpoint of reproducing a photographic print equivalent to the first photographic print, Is not really needed.
However, for example, in the case where the customer does not want to reflect the information in the photographic print at the time of the first photographic print preparation, the information is not stored in the image holding carrier. In some cases, the supplementary information of the image contained in the image can be used in reprinting.
Therefore, the incidental information of the image originally contained in the image holding carrier is also recorded and saved so that it can be used at the time of reprinting.

According to a second invention of the present application, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, the auxiliary information of the image is stored in the image data storage device, and the image data storage device is used as the auxiliary information storage device. It is comprised so that it may be combined.
That is, for storing the information originally stored in the image holding carrier, it is necessary to store the image data and the incidental information of the image in the same device as long as the correspondence with the image is taken. There is no.
However, the data amount of the supplementary information of the image is usually extremely small compared to the data amount of the image data. Even if the image supplementary information is stored in the image data storage device, the image data The device configuration of the storage device is not increased, a dedicated device for storing the supplementary information of the image can be omitted, and data management is easy.

According to a third aspect of the present application, in addition to the configuration of the first or second aspect, text data stored in the incidental information storage device is rewritten to the image surface side or back surface of a photographic print. It is configured to print out to the side.
That is, in the image holding carrier, for example, text data such as an image shooting date or a comment input by the photographer is often recorded as incidental information of the image, and is reflected in the photo print at the first printing. Even if the information has not been received, the supplementary information can be printed out as a front print or a back print on a photographic print in order to be able to specify the origin of the image.
The photographic print referred to here includes not only a general photographic print in which a single image is printed on one sheet but also a so-called index print in which a large number of reduced images are printed on one sheet.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the incidental information of the image originally contained in the image holding carrier is also recorded and saved so that it can be utilized during reprinting, thereby further improving the customer service function in the photo print system. It came to.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus configuration of the image data storage device does not increase in size, and a dedicated device for storing the incidental information of the image can be omitted. It is possible to avoid complication of the apparatus configuration as much as possible.
According to the third aspect of the invention, even if the information is not reflected in the photo print at the time of the first printing, the incidental information composed of text data can be specified so that the origin of the image can be specified. Can be output as a front print or a back print on a photo print, so that the customer service function of the photo print system can be improved.

Embodiments of a photographic print system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The photo print system DP exemplified in the present embodiment is known as a so-called digital minilab system, and as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, an image holding carrier (specifically, holding image information) Image input device IR for capturing image data from developed photographic film, memory card, magneto-optical disk, CD-R media, etc.) and photographic paper 2 based on the image data captured by image input device IR A photographic printing apparatus EP for producing a photographic print by printing processing and an image data storage apparatus IS for storing and saving image data input for producing a photographic print for reprint production are connected to a network. .

[Schematic configuration of image input device IR]
As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the image input device IR includes a film scanner 3 that is a photographic film reading device that reads a frame image of a photographic film, a control device 4 configured by a personal computer, and a film scanner 3. And an image processing device 5 for correcting the image data taken from the image holding carrier into image data for print processing by the photographic printing device EP.
The film scanner 3 supports reading of IX240 film capable of magnetically recording the incidental information of images composed of various data in addition to reading of normal photographic film such as 135 size film and 110 size film. The magnetic information reader 3a for reading the magnetic recording information of the IX240 film is incorporated.
The control device 4 includes an external input / output device 4a having a memory card reader, a magneto-optical disk drive, a CD-R / RW drive, etc., a simulated image simulating a finished print image, and various control information. A monitor 4b to be displayed, a console 4c and a mouse 4d are connected.

The external input / output device 4a can take in image data from each drive provided, and can record image data or the like on a medium corresponding to each drive.
An image taken from the image holding carrier by the external input / output device 4a is also sent to the image processing device 5 through the control device 4, and is corrected to image data for print processing by the photo printing device EP. .
The image processing apparatus 5 has a function of performing a correction process for synthesizing a template image in addition to a function of executing various correction processes such as color correction and sharpness.
As the correction processing conditions such as color correction, standard correction processing conditions are set in advance according to the image holding carrier of the image data supply source. Based on the correction processing conditions, the operator console 4c or the mouse 4d The standard correction processing conditions can be corrected by the input operation.

[Schematic configuration of image data storage device IS]
The image data storage device IS is configured as a server having a large-capacity hard disk device, and can store and save a large amount of image files.
The image data storage device IS of the present embodiment stores and saves image data input from the image input device IR via the network.

[Overall configuration of photo printing apparatus EP]
As shown in FIG. 1, a photographic printing apparatus EP includes an image forming apparatus EX, a development processing apparatus PP that develops photographic paper 2 on which an image is formed by exposure on the image forming apparatus EX, and a housing. There is provided a photographic paper transporting system PT for transporting the photographic paper 2 drawn out from the photographic paper magazine 6 disposed in the body to the development processing apparatus PP by a number of transport rollers 9 and the like.
Although not shown, a sorter is provided outside the housing of the printing apparatus EP to sort the photographic paper 2 that has been developed and dried by the development processing apparatus PP for each order. The photographic paper 2 discharged from the discharge port is conveyed to the sorter by the conveyor 10.
Further, in the middle of the conveyance path of the photographic paper conveyance system PT, a cutter 11 that cuts the long photographic paper 2 drawn out from the photographic paper magazine 6 into a set print size, and the photographic paper 2 is distributed to a plurality of conveyance rows. And a back print unit 13 for printing various kinds of information on the back side of the photographic paper 2.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus EX]
The image forming apparatus EX is configured as a laser beam exposure type mainly including an image forming head 14 that forms an exposure image on the photographic paper 2 and a print control device 15 that controls the image forming head 14.
The image forming head 14 is attached so that an intermediate position in the conveyance path of the photographic paper 2 cut to the set print size is an image formation position, and is orthogonal to the photographic paper conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) at the image formation position. The laser beam is scanned in the direction (main scanning direction).
The laser beam emitted from the image forming head 14 is controlled by the print control device 15 based on image data input from the image processing device 5 through a dedicated communication line or image data input from the control device 4 via a network. It is intensity modulated.
By scanning the photographic paper 2 transported and driven by the photographic paper transportation system PT with the laser beam whose intensity is modulated as described above, an image is exposed and formed on the photographic paper 2, which is a development processing apparatus. When developed with PP, it is finished as a photographic print.

[Photo print production operation]
Next, a photographic print production operation in the photographic print system DP having the above configuration will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 2 and 3 executed by the control device 4 in charge of management of the print operation.
The control device 4 executes “initial input operation processing” as a standard standby state (step # 1), and inputs the setting items common to the entire print processing of one order on the monitor 4b. Screen display is performed to accept an input operation from the mouse 4d or the console 4c.
The input operation items at this time include designation of an image supply source, designation of so-called index print production conditions, designation of whether or not to perform so-called front print for photo printing, and film scanner 3 and photo printing apparatus EP. The input operation items for setting the operation state are displayed.

Specifically, the designation of the image supply source is designation of whether the image data is taken in from the film scanner 3, the external input / output device 4a, or the image data storage device IS.
Specifically, the designation of the index print production conditions includes designation of how many index prints are produced, and what information is printed on the index print together with the reduced image. In the index print, the information to be printed together with the reduced image of the image for producing the photographic print is the accompanying information of the image recorded and held together with the image from the original (that is, from before the first photographic print production). It is obtained from the above, and any text data can be designated and printed out from the obtained incidental information.
As the supplementary information of the image, specifically, information magnetically recorded on the IX240 film, information recorded as a DPOF file on a memory card on which a photographed image of a digital camera is recorded, or EXIF in the image file There is information recorded as information, and includes information such as shooting dates, shooting conditions, and various comments.

When the operator completes the input operation to the necessary setting items in the “initial input operation process” and instructs the start of image capture, the capture of the image to be printed is started (step # 2).
In the above “initial input operation process”, when it is set to take an image from a photographic film, reading of a frame image of the photographic film is started by the film scanner 3, and when the reading target is an IX240 film The magnetic recording information of the photographic film is also read by the magnetic information reader 3a.
The read image data is sequentially sent to the image processing device 5, and the magnetic recording information (an example of the incidental information of the image) of the read IX240 film is sequentially sent to the control device 4.
On the other hand, in the “initial input operation process”, when the setting is made so that the image is taken in from the memory card set in the external input / output device 4a, the memory card set in the external input / output device 4a. Processing for transferring the image data to the image processing device 5 via the control device 4 is started.
At this time, if the DPOF file is included in the memory card or the EXIF information is included in the image file, the control device 4 takes out the data of the incidental information of these images and is provided in the control device 4. Temporarily stored in a hard disk device or the like.

As described above, capturing images from photographic film or memory cards is a common procedure when receiving a first photo print production request from a customer. For an image for which a photo print production order has been received, when the reprint production order has been received, the image data stored and stored in the image data storage device IS in the above-mentioned “initial input operation process”. When set, the process of transferring the image data of the image data storage device IS to the image processing device 5 via the control device 4 is started.
At this time, for the image to be reprinted, if the supplementary information of the image is stored and saved in the image data storage device IS, the supplementary information data of the image is taken out and provided in the control device 4. Temporarily stored in a hard disk device or the like. This makes it possible to use the supplementary information of the image stored in the image data storage device IS also used as the supplementary information storage device DS during the reprint process.

When the image data of the image to be printed is taken into the image processing device 5, the “image correction input operation process” is started (step # 3).
In this “image correction input operation process”, the operator determines whether or not the finish is correct when the image processing apparatus 5 performs correction processing by applying standard correction processing conditions prepared in advance for each type of image supply source. This is a process of performing an input operation for determining and correcting the correction processing conditions of each image from the standard correction processing conditions as necessary.
For this reason, on the monitor 4b, the finished print when the correction processing condition set at that time is applied is simulated, and the resulting image is displayed.

In the “image correction input operation process”, when the operator completes a necessary input operation such as an input operation of color correction information and inputs an instruction to start printing, the control device 4 corresponds to the image to be printed. It is determined whether or not the accompanying information of the image exists (step # 4). If the accompanying information of the image exists, the above-mentioned “initial” is set so that the supplementary information of the image is printed on the photo print of each image. When set in the “input operation process” (step # 5), the image is combined with the image on the image surface side of the photographic print and printed together with the correction process condition input by the operator in the “image correction input operation process” above. The auxiliary information data of the image to be transmitted is sent to the image processing apparatus 5 (step # 7).
On the other hand, when the supplementary information of the image does not exist (step # 4), or when the supplementary information of the image exists, it is not instructed to print it out on the photo print ( In step # 5), only the correction processing conditions input by the operator in the “image correction input operation processing” are sent to the image processing apparatus 5.

When the image processing device 5 receives the correction processing conditions and the like of each image from the control device 4, the image processing device 5 executes the correction processing according to the correction processing conditions and also receives an instruction to print the accompanying information of the image. Then, text data of the supplementary information of the image is combined with the corrected image to generate image data for printing, and when the generation is completed, the control device 4 is notified of the completion.
When the control device 4 receives the signal that the generation of the image data for printing has been completed (step # 8), when the image supply source is other than the image data storage device IS, that is, the first photo print production request. (Step # 9), the image processing device 5 receives the corrected image data from the image processing device 5 and instructs the image data storage device IS to record and save it (step # 9). In addition to 10), the image data storage device IS is also instructed to record and store the accompanying information of the image (step # 11). That is, the image data storage device IS is also used as the incidental information storage device DS for storing the incidental information of the image. In the print processing for the first photo print production request, if it is set to print out all of the auxiliary information of the image on the image surface side of the photo print, the auxiliary information of the image is not necessarily required. Need not be stored in the incidental information storage device DS.
Thereafter, the image processing apparatus 5 is instructed to send the generated image data for printing to the photo printing apparatus EP for printing (step # 12).
When a reprint process is performed to capture image data from the image data storage device IS and produce a photographic print, a signal to the effect that generation of image data for printing has been completed is received from the image processing device 5 ( Step # 8) Immediately, the image processing apparatus 5 is instructed to send the generated image data for printing to the photographic printing apparatus EP for print processing (step # 12).

The above processing is repeated until all the images to be printed of one order are completed (step # 13).
When processing has been completed for all the images of one order (step # 13), the image processing apparatus 5 is instructed to prepare image data for the index print of that order and cause the photographic printing apparatus EP to perform printing processing (step # 13). 14). At this time, in the above-mentioned “initial input operation process”, when it is set to print out the supplementary information of the image in the index print, the supplementary information of the set item is used as the image data of the index print. Instruct to synthesize.

By handling the incidental information of the image as described above, for example, in the “initial input operation process” described above, the shooting date and comment information (title information) that are part of the incidental information of the image are included in the index print. If the image data is set to be printed, as shown in FIG. 4, the index print 21 includes the reduced image 22 of each print image and the accompanying information of the image including the shooting date and the comment. The text data 23 is printed on the image surface side.
Further, by storing the auxiliary information of the image in the image data storage device IS, at the time of the first photographic print production process, only the reduced image 22 and the number of extra print fields are printed on the index print 21. Even at the time of reprinting, the index print 21 including the text data 23 of the auxiliary information of the image as shown in FIG. 4 is used by using the auxiliary information of the image stored and stored in the image data storage device IS. Can be made and provided to customers.
This also applies to the handling of the supplementary information of the image in the photographic print of each image. By storing the supplementary information of the image in the image data storage device IS, the first photographic print production process is performed. Is ancillary information of the image that has not been printed on the image side of the photographic print, but at the time of reprinting, the image information stored in the image data storage device IS is used to store individual images. It can be additionally printed on the image side of the photo print and provided to the customer.

[Another embodiment]
Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be listed.
(1) In the above embodiment, the incidental information of the image recorded and held together with the image on the image holding carrier before the first photographic print production processing is printed on the image surface side of each image photographic print or index print. However, the back print unit 13 may be configured to print out the back side of the photographic print.
(2) In the above embodiment, the case where the auxiliary information of the image is stored and saved in the image data storage device IS together with the image data after the correction processing is illustrated. For example, the auxiliary information of the image is stored in the control device 4. The image data storage device IS and the incidental information storage device DS may be configured as separate devices by storing and saving in a hard disk device provided.
(3) In the above embodiment, the laser beam exposure type photo printing apparatus EP is exemplified as the photo printing apparatus EP. However, the print format of the photo printing apparatus EP can be variously changed, for example, PLZT type light Various print formats such as other exposure formats such as a shutter array method, and print formats that do not depend on exposure such as an inkjet method can be used.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a photo print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart concerning embodiment of this invention The flowchart concerning embodiment of this invention FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of index printing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

5 Image processing device DS Attached information storage device EP Photo printing device IS Image data storage device

Claims (3)

A photographic printing apparatus for producing a photographic print based on image data fetched from an image holding carrier that holds image information, and a process for printing image data fetched from the image holding carrier by the photographic printing apparatus. A photo print system provided with an image processing device that performs correction processing on the image data and an image data storage device that stores and saves image data after correction processing in the image processing device for reprint production,
An auxiliary information storage device is provided for storing the incidental information of the image recorded and held together with the image on the image holding carrier before the first photo print production process at the time of the first photo print production process,
A photo print system configured to be able to use the supplementary information of the image stored in the supplementary information storage device during reprint processing.   2. The photo print system according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary information of the image is stored in the image data storage device, and the image data storage device is also used as the supplementary information storage device.   3. The photographic print system according to claim 1, wherein text data stored in the auxiliary information storage device is printed out on the image side or back side of the photographic print during reprint processing.

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