JP2006154232A - Certificate photograph processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a certificate photograph processing device provided with a certificate photograph template function in which an arranging means is improved into a more flexible function to eliminate the waste of photographic paper and to be adaptable to an ordinary frameless print. <P>SOLUTION: The certificate photograph processing device is equipped with a ratio adjusting means which automatically enlarges/reduces the size of an image so that a face may be arranged in the predetermined size at the predetermined position in the frame of one certificate photograph, and automatically arranges the position of the face at the predetermined center position, and the arranging means which outputs the image obtained by arranging a plurality of images of one certificate photograph whose ratio is adjusted on an output medium of predetermined size as print data. The arranging means can adjust a margin between the images of a plurality of certificate photographs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention outputs, as print data, image data obtained by pasting an image such as a photographic image captured using a photographic image capturing device such as a digital camera or a film scanner into a layout template (hereinafter simply referred to as a template). The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus configured to be supplied to an apparatus.

  Conventionally, as an image processing device configured to paste an image such as a photographic image captured using a photographic image capturing device such as a digital camera or a film scanner into a template and supply it to an output device as print data, A photographic processing apparatus that prints the print data on a photosensitive material such as photographic paper and develops it, a system that prints it with a printer of a computer, a system that displays it on a display device, and the like are known.

  In particular, in the case of a photo processing device for ID photo (hereinafter simply referred to as ID photo processing device) configured to process image data including a human face image, the photo for ID photo is used. When pasting an image that contains a face image into the template, if you specify the top and chin positions of the face displayed on the display screen, the size and position of the face are determined for one ID photo frame. Ratio adjustment means for automatically enlarging / reducing the size of the image so that the face is positioned at a predetermined center position and the ratio adjustment in this way Arrangement means for outputting, as print data, a plurality of images of one ID photo arranged on an output medium such as photographic paper of a predetermined size. Hereinafter, the function realized by the ratio adjusting unit and the arranging unit is simply referred to as an “ID photo template function”.

In the template function as described above, when an image is arranged on a photographic paper of a predetermined size, it is controlled so that a margin is provided around each ID photo.
For this reason, since multiple ID photos are arranged on one photographic paper, when separating into ID photos one by one, it is necessary to cut twice between ID photos and ID photos. There was a problem that it took.
Further, when printing ID photos of different orders on the same photographic paper, one or a plurality of photo images taken as ID photos are arranged apart from each other to form a margin, and each photo Proof that it is possible to edit print data such that order specifying information for specifying which order an image belongs to is displayed in the margin portion in the vicinity of the photographic image A photographic image processing apparatus (Patent Document 1) has been proposed.

JP 2004-42556 A

As described above, if a margin is provided between the ID photo images, there is a problem that the photographic paper in the margin portion is wasted.
When a plurality of ID photos are arranged on a predetermined size of photographic paper, the print start position of the ID photo image is always controlled to be inside the edge of the photographic paper. There was a problem that printing (for example, studio photography) was not possible.
Furthermore, as described above, there is a problem in that it is not possible to make a normal borderless print (such as a studio photo), and it is necessary to cut out the margins at the edges of the four sides.
These problems occur because the photo processing apparatus for ID photo is always controlled by the ID photo template function as described above.
Therefore, among the ID photo template functions, the ratio adjustment means is inherited as it is, the arrangement means is improved to a more flexible function, and waste of photographic paper is eliminated, and a normal borderless print (for example, a studio photo) The present invention has been made for the purpose of proposing an ID photo processing apparatus that can cope with the above.

In claim 1 of the present invention,
The size of the image is automatically enlarged / reduced so that the face size and position are arranged at a predetermined size and position with respect to the frame for one ID photo, and the face position is set to a predetermined center. A ratio adjusting means for automatically arranging the position;
In an ID photo processing apparatus comprising an arrangement unit that outputs, as print data, an image of one ID photo whose ratio has been adjusted and a plurality of images arranged on an output medium of a predetermined size,
The arrangement means includes
The margin between images of multiple ID photos can be adjusted.
In the invention of claim 2,
The arrangement means can adjust a margin between images for a plurality of ID photographs and select whether or not to provide a margin and arrange the margin.
When the peripheral portion of the image is not plain, discontinuous portions are generated at the boundary between adjacent images if they are arranged without providing a blank space. Therefore, the discontinuous portions are likely to remain even when cut. Therefore, in such a case, it is preferable to provide a margin between the images for a plurality of ID photographs as in the conventional ID photographs. In this case, it is preferable that the size of the margin is adjustable and the size of the margin is a positive numerical value.
When the peripheral portion of the image is plain or close to plain, the waste of the output medium can be reduced by arranging without providing a margin. In this case, it is preferable that the size of the margin is 0 or a negative value, and the overlapping portion is one of the images.

In the invention of claim 3,
The print data output by the arrangement means can be further selected from either a margin provided at the edge of at least one side of an output medium of a predetermined size or an arrangement without a margin. .
If a margin is provided on the edge of the output medium of a predetermined size, the same thing as a conventional ID photograph can be obtained. In this case, it is preferable to provide edge margin adjusting means for adjusting the size of the margin of the edge and to set the size of the margin of the edge to a positive numerical value.
If the output medium is arranged without a margin at one side edge, a borderless print (for example, a studio photo) whose ratio is automatically adjusted by the ID photo template function can be obtained. In this case, it is preferable to provide an edge margin adjusting means for adjusting the size of the margin of the edge and set the size of the margin of the edge to 0 or a negative numerical value.

In the invention of claim 4,
The arrangement means has a function of rotating the orientation of the image when placing the ratio-adjusted ID photo image on an output medium of a predetermined size.
Depending on the relationship between the size of the ID photo and the size of the output medium, whether the ID photo is placed vertically (upright) or rotated 90 degrees horizontally, the same output size is used. Since the number of ID photos that can be arranged on the medium is often different, in order to efficiently use the photographic paper, it is possible to find a suitable arrangement by changing the orientation of the ID photo. A suitable orientation can be automatically determined by simulating such processing.

  According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the size of the image is automatically enlarged so that the size and position of the face are arranged at a predetermined size and position with respect to the frame for one ID photo. A ratio adjusting unit that automatically arranges the position of the face at a predetermined center position and a ratio adjusted image for one ID photo are arranged on a predetermined size output medium for a plurality of sheets. In the ID photo processing apparatus provided with the arrangement means for outputting the print data as the print data, the arrangement means can adjust the margin between the images for a plurality of ID photographs, so that conventional print data with a margin is provided. Alternatively, print data with no margins can be obtained without waste of output media and labor.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the print data output by the arranging means further selects either one of a predetermined size output medium with a margin or an arrangement without a margin. Since it is possible, it is possible to select either print data similar to the conventional ID photo or borderless print (for example, studio photo) whose ratio is automatically adjusted by the ID photo template function.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the placement unit has a function of rotating the orientation of the image when placing the ratio-adjusted ID photo image on the output medium having a predetermined size. And an optimum arrangement according to the relationship between the size of the output medium and the output medium.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ID photo processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is the ID photo processing apparatus of the present embodiment,
An ID photo template function to be described later is realized and print data is output, and a control device 2 that controls each part of the ID photo processing device 1 and an image are formed based on the print data supplied from the control device 2. And an image forming unit 3 for outputting to an output medium such as photographic paper.

The control unit 2 includes a drive device 21 that can read and write image data from and to various removable storage media, and a hard disk 22 that stores programs and various data, and the image data recorded on the recording medium Can be read into the control unit 2 and stored in the hard disk 22. The control unit 2 includes input means 23 (for example, a keyboard and a mouse) for inputting various information such as an order number, print size and number of copies to the control unit 2 and includes print data. An output means 24 (for example, a liquid crystal display) for displaying various information is provided.
Further, the CPU includes a CPU in which a program configured to systematically control each unit and realize a predetermined ID photo template function is installed.

The image forming unit 3 includes, for example, an exposure unit that exposes photographic paper based on print data stored in a print data storage unit 203 (see FIG. 2) in the hard disk 22 of the control unit 2; The image forming apparatus includes a development processing unit that performs processing such as development, bleach-fixing, stabilization, and drying on the photographic paper on which a latent image of image data is formed by the exposure unit.
The image forming unit 3 can employ a color ink jet printer system.

  The control unit 2 is configured to control the exposure unit (including photographic paper conveyance control) in the image forming unit 3 and also to systematically control the development processing unit.

  As described above, the ID photo processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment uses the control unit 2 to edit the print data based on the ID photo image, and the image forming unit 3 is exposed based on the print data. The photographic paper is exposed by the unit, and further developed by the development processing unit, and an image of the ID photo based on the print data is formed on the photographic paper.

Moreover, the control part 2 in this embodiment can be incorporated in a reception apparatus as shown in FIGS. Alternatively, it can be realized by a personal computer in which a predetermined application program is installed to realize an ID photo template function to be described later.
Further, the control unit 2 can be incorporated in the self-standing outdoor type ID photo box together with the image forming unit 3.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a block configuration of each unit for realizing the ID photo template function in the control unit 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

The control unit is composed of the following functional blocks.
A template data recording unit 201 records standard dimensions of various ID photographs.
Reference numeral 202 denotes an image data storage unit for ID photographs, in which image data including face photographs input from various recording media is captured and stored.
A print data storage unit 203 is an area in which print data generated by a print data generation unit 209 described later is stored.
A photographic paper size setting unit 204 sets the size of the photographic paper to be used.
Reference numeral 205 denotes an ID photo format setting unit, which uses the input means 23 to determine the format of the ID photo, the number of sheets, and the like, whether to provide a margin on the edge of the photographic paper, and a margin between the ID photo images. Whether to provide or not is set.
Reference numeral 206 denotes a ratio adjusting unit, and the size and position of the face are arranged at a predetermined size and position with respect to a frame for one ID photo based on the standard recorded in the template data storage unit 201. As described above, the size of the image is automatically enlarged / reduced, and the face position is automatically arranged at a predetermined center position. At this time, the face size (the position of the upper end and the chin) may be provided with a function of automatically recognizing, but it is convenient to manually specify it by operating the input means 23.
207 is an arrangement unit, and the ID photo format setting is performed on an output medium having a predetermined size set by the photographic paper size setting unit 204, with an image corresponding to one ID photo adjusted by the ratio adjusting unit 206 being set. A configuration in which a plurality of sheets set in the unit 205 are arranged is output as print data. At this time, it is possible to perform arrangement according to the presence / absence of a margin and the orientation of the image with respect to the photographic paper.
The image data storage unit 202, the print data storage unit 203, the photographic paper size setting unit 204, and the ID photo format setting unit 205 are set in predetermined areas in the hard disk 22.
The ratio adjusting unit 206 and the arranging unit 207 constitute a print data generating unit 209, and the print data generating unit 209 is realized by the CPU that operates according to a predetermined program.

Next, the operation of the placement means 207 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, in step S1, with respect to the size of the photographic paper set by the photographic paper size setting unit 204, the format such as the type and number of ID photos set by the ID photo format setting unit 205, and the photographic paper The setting of whether or not to provide a margin at the edge of the image and whether or not to provide a margin between the ID photo images is confirmed. With the above settings, an area in which the ID photo image can be arranged is obtained. Here, it is checked whether or not the set number of sheets can be arranged from the size of the photographic paper and the number of identification photographs. If possible, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not possible, a setting change is requested and the process returns to step S1.
In step S2, the image of one ID photo is arranged at the upper right of the arrangementable area.
In step S3, it is checked whether or not the next image can be arranged under the one ID photo image arranged in step S2. If possible, the next image is arranged in step S2. If impossible, the process proceeds to step S4.

  In step S4, it is checked whether the next image can be arranged on the left side of the arranged image. If possible, the next image is arranged in step S2. If impossible, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the set number of sheets is compared with the number of sheets already arranged by the above processing, and it is checked whether or not the number of sheets to be printed still remains. , The number of photographic paper is increased by 1, and the processing from step S2 is repeated. If not, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the number of photographic papers required by the above processing is stored.
Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S8, in which it is checked whether or not processing has been performed as to whether the image can be arranged by rotating the orientation of the photographic paper. If not, the process proceeds to step S9. If performed, the process proceeds to step S10.
In step S9, it is checked whether or not the image can be arranged with the orientation of the photographic paper rotated. If it cannot be arranged, the process returns to step S7, and if it can be arranged, the process returns to step S2 to check the arrangement.
In step S10, the required number of photographic papers is compared based on the number stored in step S7 when the orientation of the photographic paper is portrait and landscape. The print paper is generated with the photographic paper set in the direction of.

  Based on the print data generated in this way, the image forming unit 3 forms an image of the ID photo on the photographic paper.

As described above, the orientation of the photographic paper is changed and the number of images to be arranged is checked, so that the set number of ID photos can be printed on a smaller number of photographic paper than before.
By using the ratio adjustment means provided in the ID photo processing apparatus, the whole body image of the person is specified within a predetermined frame of the photographic paper by designating the upper end of the entire image of the person and the toes. Therefore, not only the ID photo but also the whole body photo can be appropriately arranged.

Next, the receiving apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described as the ID photo processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.
In FIG.
The liquid crystal display device 120 having a touch panel on the display surface is provided on the upper surface of the housing 110 of the receiving device 100, and the reading device 130 is provided on the front surface of the liquid crystal display device 120 on the upper surface of the housing 110.
The reading device 130 includes various recording media such as a multimedia card, memory stick, smart media, compact flash (registered trademark), CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, MO, and ZIP. A drive unit for reading and writing is arranged, and a USB connection port and an infrared communication device are also provided.
Further, a receipt issuing device 140 for issuing a receipt is provided on the front side of the housing 110.
In FIG.
The touch panel type liquid crystal display device 120 includes a liquid crystal unit 121 and a touch panel unit 122 formed to overlap the screen of the liquid crystal unit 121. When the surface of the touch panel unit 122 is touched with a human finger or the like, touch information including a touched state and touched position information is output.

The control unit 124 recognizes touch information input from the touch panel unit 122 and converts it into instruction information, and performs filter processing based on photographic image information input from the reading device 130, An image processing unit 142 that performs trimming processing and a template processing unit 143 that pastes a photographic image input from the reading device 130 into a template are provided.
The control unit 124 includes a CPU including a semiconductor memory and a hard disk device, and the touch panel recognition unit 141, the image processing unit 142, and the template processing unit 143 are realized by the CPU that operates according to a dedicated program. Reference numeral 140 denotes a receipt issuing device.
In the above configuration, the touch panel unit 122 corresponds to the input unit in FIG. 1, and the control unit 124 corresponds to the control unit 2 in FIG.

An example of ID photo template processing by the ID photo processing apparatus having the above configuration will be described.
If the size of the photographic paper to be used is 127 mm x 89 mm and the size of the ID photo is 40 mm x 50 mm, the margin size of the photographic paper margin is 3 mm, as before, between the ID photo images. In the case where the margin is 3 mm both vertically and horizontally, when the photographic paper is set horizontally and the ID photo is set vertically, only two ID photo images can be arranged as shown in FIG.
However, even for photographic paper of the same size, the margin size of the photographic paper edge is set to 0 mm, the margin between the images of the ID photo is set to 1 mm vertical and 3 mm vertical, and the photographic paper is set to be vertically long. If the ID photo is set to be vertically long, four ID photo images can be arranged as shown in FIG.
Therefore, when four ID photographs are required, two photographic papers are necessary in the conventional case. However, according to the present invention, one photographic paper is sufficient, and the cost of the photographic paper is reduced. The effect that it can be halved is obtained.
Note that the margin margin adjustment range is in the range of −1 mm to +3 mm, and when the value is negative, the margin margin is output without any margin. The adjustment range of the margin between the ID photo images is in the range of 0 mm to +3 mm.

It is a block block diagram of the ID photo processing apparatus of this invention. It is a functional block block diagram of the principal part of the said ID photograph processing apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the principal part of the said ID photograph processing apparatus. It is a block diagram of the reception apparatus as an Example. It is a block block diagram of the said acceptance apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example which can arrange | position only 2 sheets with a prior art. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example which can arrange | position four ID photographs according to this invention.

Explanation of symbols

2 Control unit 206 Ratio adjusting unit 207 Arranging unit

Claims (4)

The size of the image is automatically enlarged / reduced so that the face size and position are arranged at a predetermined size and position with respect to the frame for one ID photo, and the face position is set to a predetermined center. A ratio adjusting means for automatically arranging the position;
In an ID photo processing apparatus comprising an arrangement unit that outputs, as print data, an image of one ID photo whose ratio has been adjusted and a plurality of images arranged on an output medium of a predetermined size,
The arrangement means includes
An ID photo processing apparatus characterized in that a margin between images of a plurality of ID photos can be adjusted. The arrangement means includes
2. The ID photo process according to claim 1, wherein a margin between images of a plurality of ID photos is adjusted to select whether or not to provide a margin and arrange it. apparatus. The print data output by the arrangement means can be further selected from either a margin provided at the edge of at least one side of an output medium of a predetermined size or an arrangement without a margin. The ID photo processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ID photo processing apparatus is one of the above. The arrangement means includes
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a function of rotating the orientation of the image when the ratio-adjusted ID photo image is placed on an output medium having a predetermined size. The ID photo processing apparatus described in 1.

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