JP2006352670A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera capable of printing a composite image created by freely laying out illustration images, characters and the like. <P>SOLUTION: An editing screen 60 is displayed on an LCD 16. The editing screen 60 is composed of a recorded image 61, an illustration image string 62 and a line type list 63. A user uses an operating pen 20 to operate a touch panel 49, thereby selecting and moving a desired illustration image out of the illustration image string 62. Thus, the desired illustration image can be laid out within the recorded image 61. Furthermore, the operating pen 20 is used to trace the touch panel 49, thereby laying out a handwriting character 72 within the recorded image 61. An editing image composed of the illustration image and the handwriting character 72 and the recorded image 61 are then composed to create the composite image and the composite image is printed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera with a built-in printer that can print a photographed image.

  In recent years, a game facility such as a game center has taken a picture of a player, and a printed image on a sticker sheet that is output by combining the photographed image with a prestored background or foreground image on the spot (registered) (Trademark) etc. are installed. Such a game device is widely used because of its simplicity. Software that can capture a captured image from a digital camera into a personal computer and print a composite image obtained by combining the captured image with a previously stored background or foreground image is also widely used.

However, when using the above-mentioned game machine or software, there is a problem that it cannot be used unless the game machine or personal computer is nearby. In order to solve such a problem, a digital camera having a built-in stick printer function is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). By using this digital camera, it is possible to take a photograph and print the photographed image on the spot regardless of the place where the user is. Further, in this digital camera, a composite image obtained by combining a background image or a foreground image stored in advance with a photographed image can be printed in the same manner as the above-described game apparatus and software.
JP-A-10-257427

  However, although the digital camera described in Patent Document 1 can synthesize a photographed image with a prestored background or foreground, it can synthesize characters, figures, illustrations, etc. input with a drawing tool or the like. There was a problem that I could not.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera capable of combining an illustration, a handwritten input character, figure or the like with a photographed image and printing.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a digital camera according to the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures a subject image, a display unit that displays an image captured by the imaging unit, and a printer that prints the image on a recording sheet. A digital camera comprising: a touch panel provided in front of the display unit; an image synthesis unit that synthesizes the edited image edited by the operation of the touch panel and the image; and synthesized by the image synthesis unit The synthesized image is printed on the recording paper by the printer.

  In addition, a storage unit that stores a plurality of illustration images in advance is provided, and the edited image is created by arranging the illustration image in the image by operating the touch panel in a state where the image is displayed on the display unit. It is preferable.

  Further, with the image displayed on the display means, handwritten characters and figures are arranged in the image by operating the touch panel, and the edited image is created.

  Further, it is preferable that a plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the display means, and the operation buttons are selected by operating the touch panel.

  According to the digital camera of the present invention, a composite image can be created by combining the edited image edited by the operation of the touch panel and the image captured by the imaging unit. It is possible to create and print a composite image by synthesizing an image with a character, a figure or the like input by a tool or the like. For this reason, a composite image can be created using illustrations, characters, figures, and the like that the user likes.

  In addition, a storage unit that stores a plurality of illustration images in advance is provided, and a composite image is created by placing a desired illustration image at a desired position by operating the touch panel while the image is displayed on the display unit. can do. For this reason, the user can perform an operation while confirming the composite image to be created.

  Furthermore, by operating the touch panel with the image displayed on the display means, it is possible to create a composite image by arranging handwritten characters and figures at desired positions. For this reason, the user can create a composite image by inputting his / her favorite characters and figures. Further, the operation can be performed while confirming the created composite image.

  A plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the display means, and when these operation buttons are operated, processing corresponding to each operation button is executed. For this reason, since it is not necessary to provide many operation buttons on the camera body, the manufacturing cost of the digital camera can be reduced.

  A digital camera 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with a photographing lens 12, an objective finder window 13, and a strobe light emitting unit 14 on the front surface of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped camera body 11. In addition, an eyepiece finder window 15 and an LCD 16 serving as a display means for displaying an image are provided on the back surface of the camera body 11. Further, a touch panel (see FIG. 4) 49 is provided on the surface of the LCD 16 as will be described later.

  A shutter button 17, a power button 18, and a storage unit 19 are provided on the upper surface of the camera body 11. In the storage unit 19, an operation pen 20 for operating the touch panel 49 is detachably stored.

  Further, a slot 21 in which a memory card for storing image data is detachably loaded is provided on the right side surface of the camera body 11. Further, as will be described later, a printer (see FIG. 4) 48 that prints an image on a sticker sheet 25 is built in the left end portion 11a of the camera body 11. Is provided with a discharge port 26 for discharging the sticker sheet 25 on which is printed.

  A lid 27 is provided on the back side of the left end portion 11a. The lid 27 is opened and closed when a roll in which the seal paper 25 is wound in a roll shape is loaded. Further, a cutter (not shown) is provided at the discharge port 26 described above, and the sheet paper 25 discharged from the discharge port 26 is cut by being pressed against the cutter.

  The digital camera 10 also has a recorded image editing mode in addition to a moving image shooting mode, a still image shooting mode, and a playback mode. In this recorded image editing mode, it is possible to create a synthesized image by synthesizing handwritten characters, illustration images, etc. with a recorded shadow image, and this synthesized image can be printed and output.

  The digital camera 10 does not include an operation button in addition to the shutter button 17 and the power button 18. Instead, a plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the LCD 16, and the user operates these operation buttons using the operation pen 20. For example, when the power of the digital camera 10 is turned on, the mode selection screen 28 shown in FIG. The mode selection screen 28 includes four selection buttons 29a to 29d for selecting four modes of a moving image shooting mode, a still image shooting mode, a recorded image editing mode, and a playback mode. The user selects a desired mode by operating any of the selection buttons 29 a to 29 d using the operation pen 20.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the digital camera 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the digital camera 10 includes a system controller 31 that is a control unit that controls the entire camera, and a ROM 31 a and a RAM 31 b that are storage units are provided in the system controller 31. . The ROM 31a stores a control program and various control data. Furthermore, the ROM 31a stores a plurality of illustration image data used in the recording image editing mode, line type data for handwritten characters, and the like. Further, work data is temporarily stored in the RAM 31b. The system controller 31 controls each unit based on a control program and various control data.

  In addition, a CCD image sensor 32 that is an imaging means for imaging subject light that has passed through the photographic lens 12 is disposed behind the photographic lens 12, and a CCD driver 33 is connected to the CCD image sensor 32. Yes.

  The CCD driver 33 inputs the vertical drive signal and the horizontal drive signal to the CCD image sensor 31 in accordance with the clock pulse input from the timing generator 34 and drives the CCD image sensor 31. The timing generator 34 is connected to the system controller 31. The system controller 31 controls the timing generator 34 to control the drive of the CCD image sensor 31 by generating clock pulses.

  Further, a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS) 35 and an amplifier (AMP) 36 are connected to the CCD image sensor 32. Thus, noise removal and amplification are performed on the imaging signal output from the CCD image sensor 31.

  Thereafter, the image signal from which noise has been removed and amplified is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A / D converter 37 and output to the image input controller 38 as image data.

  The image input controller 38 is connected to the system controller 31 via the data bus 39 and is controlled by the system controller 31. Further, a buffer memory 40 and a video memory 41 are connected to the image input controller 38 via a data bus 39. The system controller 31 controls the image input controller 38 to store the image data in the buffer memory 40 or the video memory 41.

  An image signal processing circuit 42 is connected to the system controller 31 via a data bus 39. While the captured high-resolution image data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 40, the image data Various image processing such as gradation conversion, white balance correction, γ correction, and YC conversion processing are performed.

  The video memory 41 temporarily stores image data having a low resolution when an image is displayed on the LCD 16, and the image signal processing circuit 42 performs simple image processing, simple YC conversion processing, and the like. . The image data stored in the video memory 41 is transmitted to the LCD driver 43 via the data bus 39. The LCD driver 43 performs signal processing on the image data so that the image can be displayed on the LCD 16 and causes the LCD 16 to display the image.

  In addition, a compression / decompression processing circuit 44 and a media controller 45 are connected to the system controller 31 via a data bus 39. The compression / decompression processing circuit 44 performs compression processing on the image data stored in the buffer memory 40 in a compression format such as the JPEG method. Further, the system controller 31 controls the media controller 45 to store the compressed image data in the memory card 46. The compression / decompression processing circuit 44 performs decompression processing on the compressed image data when reproducing the image data stored in the memory card 46.

  Further, a strobe device 47, a printer 48, a touch panel 49, and an image composition processing unit 50 are connected to the system controller 31 via a data bus 39. The system controller 31 controls the strobe device 47 to emit strobe light from the strobe light emitting unit 14 toward the subject.

  The printer 48 is, for example, a TA (Thermo-Autochrome) printer, and includes a thermal head and a light fixing LED. The above-mentioned sticker paper 25 is a color heat-sensitive recording paper in which three heat-sensitive color-developing layers are stacked. When heated, the three colored primary colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow are developed and fixed by irradiating with ultraviolet rays. Is done. In addition, the seal paper 25 is configured such that a plurality of small piece seals coated with an adhesive on the back surface are arranged on a long substrate paper so as to be peeled off. It is stored in. The printer 48 pulls out the sheet paper 25 from the roll, performs thermal recording and optical fixing, and discharges the sheet paper 25 on which an image is recorded from the discharge port 26.

  Further, the touch panel 49 is provided on the display surface of the LCD 16 as described above. The touch panel 49 detects the contact position when touched by the user. As this touch panel 49, an analog capacitive coupling system, a 5-wire analog resistive film system, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave system, a 4-wire analog resistive film system, or the like can be used. It is preferable to use an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave type touch panel capable of displaying an image.

  The touch panel 49 detects a contact position and outputs contact position information to the system controller 31. When the touch panel 49 is touched by the user while a plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the LCD 16, the system controller 31 acquires contact position information from the touch panel 49, and any operation button is based on the contact position information. It is determined whether has been operated. The system controller 31 executes processing corresponding to this operation button.

  When the recorded image and the edited image edited by the user are stored in the buffer memory 40 in the recorded image editing mode, the image composition processing unit 50 synthesizes these images into one image data.

  Further, the shutter button 17 and the power button 18 are connected to the system controller 31, and when an operation signal is acquired from these, processing corresponding to each operation signal is executed.

  Next, the recorded image editing process of the digital camera 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power button 18 is pressed and the digital camera 10 is turned on, a mode selection screen 28 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed. When the user touches the touch panel 49 using the operation pen 20 and selects the operation button 29c, the recording image editing mode is set. Thereafter, the system controller 31 controls the media controller 45 to read a recorded image recorded on the memory card 46.

  The system controller 31 displays the editing screen 60 shown in FIG. The editing screen 60 includes a recorded image 61 read from the memory card 46, an illustration image sequence 62, and a line type list 63. The illustration image sequence 62 is composed of a plurality of illustration images, and the line type list 63 is composed of a plurality of line types.

  In addition, a return button 64 and a feed button 65 are displayed above and below the illustration image sequence 62. By operating these buttons 64 and 65, the illustration image sequence 62 scrolls to display another illustration image. Is displayed. Similarly, a return button 66 and a feed button 67 are also displayed above and below the line type list 63. By operating these buttons 66 and 67, the line type list 63 scrolls and another line is displayed. The seed is displayed.

  In the recorded image 61, a return button 68, a forward button 69, an edit completion button 70, and an end button 71 are displayed.

  The user uses the operation pen 20 to operate the return button 68 or the feed button 69 to switch the recording image 61 in the editing screen 60 and select a desired recording image. At this time, the selected recorded image 61 is stored in the buffer memory 40.

  Thereafter, an edited image is created by the user. The user selects a desired illustration image from the illustration image sequence 61 and moves it to a desired position in the recorded image 61 while pressing the operation pen 20 at the position where the desired illustration image is displayed. Thereafter, when the operation pen 20 is released from the touch panel 49, a desired illustration image is arranged at a desired position. It should be noted that any number of illustration images may be arranged on the shooting screen. In this case, the above-described operation may be repeated. The same operation may be performed when moving the illustration image arranged in the recorded image 61. Note that the illustration image may be enlarged and reduced.

  In addition, when the handwritten character 72 is added to the recorded image 61, the user selects a desired line type from the line type list 63 using the operation pen 20, and then uses the operation pen 20 on the recorded image 61. By tracing the touch panel 49, the handwritten character 72 is displayed in the recorded image 61.

  The illustration image and the handwritten character are arranged in the recorded image 61 by the above operation. Thereafter, the system controller 31 determines whether or not the edit completion button 70 has been operated.

  If it is determined that the edit completion button 70 has not been operated, the process waits until the edit completion button 70 is operated. If it is determined that the edit completion button 70 has been operated, the edited image 80 including the illustration image and the handwritten character 72 is stored in the buffer memory 40. As shown in FIG. 7, the image composition processing unit 50 composes a recorded image 61 and an edited image 80 stored in the buffer memory 40 to create a composite image 81.

  Thereafter, the system controller 31 controls the compression / decompression processing circuit 44 and the media controller 45 to perform compression processing on the data of the composite image 81 and record it in the memory card 46.

  At the same time as saving the composite image 81 data, the system controller 31 controls the LCD driver 43 to display the selection screen 90 shown in FIG. On this selection screen 90, operation buttons 90a and 90b for selecting whether or not to print the composite image 81 are displayed.

  When the operation button 90 a is operated, the system controller 31 controls the printer to print the composite image 81 and discharge the sheet paper 25 from the discharge port 26. Thereafter, the editing screen 60 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed again. When the operation button 90b is operated, the editing screen 60 is displayed without performing the printing process.

  Thereafter, the system controller 31 determines whether or not the end button 71 has been operated. If it is determined that the end button 71 has not been operated, the recording image editing process described above is repeatedly executed. If it is determined that the end button 71 has been operated, the recorded image editing process ends.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the edited image composed of the illustration image and the handwritten character is combined with the recorded image has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and only the illustration image and the handwritten character are edited. An image may be constructed.

  Furthermore, although the case where the touch panel 49 is operated using the operation pen 20 has been described as an example in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the user may operate the touch panel 49 with a finger. However, when the size of the LCD 16 provided in the digital camera 10 is small, it is difficult to operate the touch panel 49 with a finger, so it is preferable to operate using the operation pen 20.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the image composition processing unit 50 is provided has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image composition processing may be performed by a program without providing the image composition processing 50. In this case, a program for image composition processing may be stored in the ROM 31a in the system controller 31.

  Furthermore, although the case where a handwritten character is created by the operation of the touch panel 49 in the above embodiment has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and the foreground or background image, the illustration image, or the figure is operated by the operation of the touch panel 49. Etc. may be created.

  In the above embodiment, the case where a recorded image and an edited image are combined to create a combined image has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and editing is performed before recording captured image data on a memory card. A composite image may be created by combining with an image.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the sticker sheet is used has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any printable document may be used as long as it can be printed by a printer built in the digital camera.

  In the above embodiment, the digital camera has been described as an example. However, the present invention may be applied to a digital video camera capable of taking a still image or a mobile phone with a camera.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the front side of a digital camera. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the back side of a digital camera. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode selection screen. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of a digital camera. It is a flowchart explaining a recorded image edit process. It is explanatory drawing which shows an edit screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the synthesis | combination of a recording image and an edit image. It is explanatory drawing which shows a selection screen.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital camera 16 LCD
20 Operation Pen 25 Sticker Paper 28 Mode Selection Screen 29a-29d, 91a, 91b Operation Button 48 Printer 49 Touch Panel 50 Image Composition Processing Unit 60 Edit Screen 61 Recorded Image 62 Illustration Image Sequence 63 Line Type List 72 Handwritten Character 80 Edited Image 81 Composition Image 90 selection screen

Claims (4)

In a digital camera comprising an image pickup means for picking up a subject image, a display means for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup means, and a printer for printing the image on a recording paper,
A touch panel provided in front of the display means;
Image synthesis means for synthesizing the edited image edited by the operation of the touch panel and the image;
A digital camera, wherein the synthesized image synthesized by the image synthesizing unit is printed on the recording paper by the printer.   A storage means for storing a plurality of illustration images in advance is provided, and the edited image is created by arranging the illustration images in the image by operating the touch panel in a state where the image is displayed on the display means. The digital camera according to claim 1.   3. The edited image is created by placing handwritten characters and figures in the image by operating the touch panel in a state where the image is displayed on the display means. Digital camera. 4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the display means, and the operation buttons are selected by operating the touch panel.

Images