JP2007171262A - Photo printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and surely select a desired control channel even when many control channels are set. <P>SOLUTION: A photo printer includes: a control channel management part that sets and manages the control channel provided to group a plurality of parameters for controlling the printing processing; and a button control part that sets and controls buttons separately linking with the control channels. At least one of the parameters included in the control channel linking with the button is displayed in the button, and the button linking with the control channel similar to the control channel linking with the button selected with an operation input is switched to a special display state so that the button may be discriminable as a similar button. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention sets a control channel management unit that sets and manages a control channel for grouping a plurality of parameters for controlling print processing using an input print source, and sets a button linked to each of the control channels. In addition, the present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus including a button management unit that manages a plurality of buttons and a GUI unit that displays the plurality of buttons on a monitor and generates various control commands based on operation inputs to the buttons displayed on the monitor.

  In order to set the parameters used when controlling the printing process in the photo printing apparatus, the setting items (parameters) of the print channel (control channel) and the print form (control channel), which are parameter aggregates for the specific print process A print setting function that displays the setting items (parameters) on the same screen of the monitor as the “simultaneous print channel / form” setting mode, and allows setting the print channel and print form items on this screen. A photographic processing apparatus is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this photo processing apparatus, a channel selection display unit for selecting a desired print channel from a plurality of types of channels set in advance through a print setting function, and a desired form from a plurality of types of preset formats A print form selection display section for selecting a print form, a selection channel content display section for displaying the contents of the selected print channel, and a selection form content display section for displaying the contents of the selected print form are displayed. Is done. When performing the print processing, the channel selection display unit divides the channel name, the type of paper magazine and negative mask to be used, the feed amount of the photographic paper, etc. into 135 films and 240 films, respectively, which are set in advance. By selecting a desired channel number from among the channels, a print channel to be used is selected.

  When selecting a preset print channel (control channel), instead of selecting a desired print channel from a list of print channels displayed as in Patent Document 1, a print channel including a plurality of parameters is selected. There has also been proposed a photo printing apparatus that employs a GUI (graphic user interface) that displays a start button to be linked on a monitor and starts a predetermined print process by selecting the start button (see, for example, Patent Document 2). ).

JP 2001-305670 A (paragraph number 0015-0017, FIG. 3) JP 2004-173046 A (paragraph number 0027, FIGS. 9 and 10)

Recently, diversification of photographic print sources (various memory cards used in photographic film and digital cameras), and diversification of output forms due to advances in digital printing technology (combination with text messages and other images, album-like prints, etc.) ), The printing process handled by the photographic printing apparatus is diversified, and the number of control channels handled has reached several tens to over 100 levels. In order to select a print channel for performing print processing conforming to the specification from such a large number of control channel groups, a number of control channels arranged in a list or a monitor screen as in the past are arranged. In the method of selecting from the buttons for use, there is a problem that not only the selection takes time but also a selection error is likely to occur.
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a photographic printing apparatus that can easily and reliably select a desired control channel even when a large number of control channels are set.

  A control channel management unit for setting and managing a control channel for grouping a plurality of parameters for controlling print processing using the input print source, and setting and managing a button linked to each of the control channels. A photo printing apparatus comprising: a button management unit; and a GUI unit that displays the plurality of buttons on a monitor and generates various control commands based on operation inputs to the buttons displayed on the monitor. Therefore, in the present invention, at least one of parameters included in the linked control channel is displayed on the button, and the button is linked to a control channel similar to the control channel linked to the selected button through the operation input. Special display that identifies the current button as a similar button It is switched to the state.

  According to the above characteristic configuration of the present invention, when one of the button groups displayed on the monitor screen is selected, only the button linked to the control channel similar to the control channel linked to the selected button is displayed. Is switched to a display form that can be distinguished from other buttons, for example, blinking or highlighting. Here, “similar” means that parameter values of some of the parameters included in the control channel are different. This makes it possible to visually recognize the presence of a control channel having a slight parameter difference with respect to the selected control channel, and to easily and reliably find a button linked to the desired control channel. In particular, even when there are a large number of control channels and as a result the number of buttons is large, it is possible to reach a desired button quickly and surely in a manner such as a narrowing search.

  As a preferable example of the special display form of the button similar to the selected button described above, the control channel linked to the similar button is made different from the control channel linked to the selected button. A configuration is proposed in which at least one of the existing parameters is highlighted. For example, only the type of color negative that is one of the photographic print sources (eg 240 film instead of 135 film (APS film)) is linked to a different control channel compared to the control channel linked to the select button. The button is regarded as a similar button, and in this button, characters representing the parameter “240 film” are highlighted (flashing, bold, reversed, etc.). As a result, the existence of a button similar to the selected button and the difference between the buttons become obvious at a glance, and a button linked to a desired control channel can be easily and reliably found.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of buttons is grouped with other buttons that differ by the parameter values of some of the parameters included in the linked control channel. Has been. In order to quickly find a button similar to the selected button, the number of parameters contained in the control channel linked to each button is compared and a predetermined number (preferably one or two) of parameters You can create a list by collecting different buttons but forming a group. In other words, each button belongs to several groups made up of buttons that differ only in one or two parameters, so if a particular button is selected, other than the group to which the selected button belongs. Can be quickly extracted as similar buttons. In particular, in photographic printing, a parameter that defines the print size is the most basic. Therefore, it is advantageous to group at least buttons that differ only in the parameter that defines the print size.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments using the drawings.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Photo printing device]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, image data is exposed to photographic paper P (an example of a sheet-like photosensitive material) inside a housing 10 that forms the main body of a photographic printing apparatus called a digital minilab. An exposure processing unit Ex, a vertical transport unit CV that transports upward in a state in which the photographic paper P from the exposure processing unit Ex is reversed, and development processing of the photographic paper P from the vertical transport unit CV And a drying processing unit Dr for drying the photographic paper P from the developing processing unit De. The photographic paper P dried by the drying processing unit Dr is discharged from the discharge unit 11 at the end of the housing 10. The discharged photographic paper P, that is, the photographic print P, is transported in the horizontal direction by the transport belt 12 and stored in any order on a plurality of trays 13A of the sorter 13 provided on the side of the housing 10. Note that the structure including the exposure processing unit Ex, the vertical conveyance unit CV, the development processing unit De, and the drying processing unit Dr is called a printing unit, and the configuration for print processing operation provided outside the housing 10 is as follows. It is called an operation unit.

[Operation section]
The operation unit functions as an operation terminal for an operator to acquire image data and perform operations necessary for print processing. The operation unit includes a print control unit formed of a general-purpose computer installed in the table unit 20. 21, a monitor 22 installed on the upper surface of the print control unit 21, a film scanner 23 for obtaining image data from a frame image of the developed photographic film F, two keyboards 24, and a mouse 25. Yes. On the front surface of the operation unit, there are provided various semiconductor storage media and a plurality of media drives 26 for accessing information between magnetic and optical recording media such as CD-ROM, DVD, and MO. Yes.

  The film scanner 23 irradiates the photographic film F supported by the film carrier 23a with the light from the light source arranged at the lower part, and guides the light from the photographic film F from the lens unit to the upper photoelectric conversion unit. By obtaining photoelectric conversion and A / D conversion of the frame image of the photographic film F in the unit, it is acquired as digital image data that is color-separated into three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). .

[Vertical transport unit, development processing unit, drying processing unit]
Although the specific structure is not shown in the drawing, the vertical conveyance unit CV receives the photographic paper P exposed by the exposure processing unit Ex by the pressure-bonding roller 15 and converts the posture of the pressure-bonding roller. The front and back sides are interchanged, and the sheet is conveyed upward along the guide rail 16 and functions to be sent out to the development processing unit De.

  The development processing unit De includes a development processing tank 30 in which a plurality of processing tanks including a color developing tank, a bleach-fixing tank, and a stabilization tank are integrally formed of a resin, and the photographic paper P supplied from the exposure processing unit Ex. Is provided with a transport mechanism 31 having a plurality of pressure-bonding type rollers. The drying processing unit Dr includes a plurality of pressure rollers 32 that convey the photographic paper P sent out from the development processing unit De, and a blower 33 that supplies dry air to the photographic paper P conveyed by the pressure roller 32. It has.

[Exposure processing section]
After the exposure processing unit Ex pulls up one of the long photographic paper P (an example of a photosensitive material) accommodated in a roll shape in the two photographic paper magazines M by the pressure-feed type supply and conveyance roller 41, The sheet is fed out in the horizontal direction and delivered from the discharge roller 43 of the cutter unit 42 to the chucker C. The chucker C includes a chuck member (not shown) that can be switched between a holding state in which the photographic paper P is held and an open state in which the photographic paper P is opened. To move horizontally and transfer the leading end of the photographic paper P to the exposure unit G.

  In the exposure unit G, the exposure mode is set so that line exposure along the main scanning direction is performed by the exposure head Gh while conveying the photographic paper P in the horizontal direction (sub-scanning direction) by the exposure conveying mechanism. In the exposure transport mechanism, a first roller 45, a second roller 46, and a third roller 47, which can be switched between a crimping state and an open state, are arranged along the transport direction of the photographic paper P.

  As the exposure head Gh, phosphors in the form of dots are arranged in a line in three types of vacuum cases corresponding to the three primary colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue). However, instead of this, the liquid crystal type shutter that controls the irradiation of light rays from the light source in units of pixels is used for the photosensitive surface of the photographic paper P. Line exposure may be performed by guiding, or line exposure may be performed by scanning a laser beam of three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue).

  The exposure processing unit Ex controls cutting and conveyance of the photographic paper P in the exposure processing unit Ex, performs conveyance of the photographic paper P in the development processing unit De and management of the development processing liquid, and performs the drying process. A print controller 36 having a microprocessor for carrying the printing paper P and managing the temperature in the processing unit Dr is provided. The print controller 36 carries the exposure by carrying the printing paper P as follows.

[Exposure process]
When the exposure process for the photographic paper P is started, the chucker C is set at a standby position in the vicinity of the cutter unit 42, and in this state, the photographic paper P from any one of the photographic paper magazines M is supplied and transported roller 41. Then, it is fed out in the horizontal direction, passed through the part of the cutter unit 42, and delivered to the chucker C set at the standby position.

  The chucker C to which the photographic paper P has been delivered grips the vicinity of the front end of the photographic paper P and starts conveying in the horizontal direction. During the conveyance in the horizontal direction, the supply conveyance roller 41 and the discharge roller 43 are driven at a speed synchronized with the movement speed of the chucker C. When the length of the photographic paper P conveyed with reference to the cutting position of the cutter unit 42 reaches the print size, the conveyance of the photographic paper P is temporarily stopped, and the photographic paper P is cut by the cutter unit 42. After that, the chucker C is further moved in the horizontal direction, and the photographic paper P is delivered to the exposure transport mechanism.

  In this exposure / conveyance mechanism, the first roller 45 is set in an open state to receive the photographic paper P from the chucker C, and immediately after this acceptance, the photographic paper P starts to be conveyed by switching to the crimping state. After this conveyance is started, the second roller 46 is set in the open state to accept the photographic paper P, and immediately after this acceptance, the printing paper P is switched to the pressure-bonding state, and the exposure conveyance of the photographic paper P is started. The first roller 45 is set in an open state. Next, the third roller 47 is set to the open state to receive the photographic paper P. Immediately after the reception, the third roller 47 is switched to the press-bonded state, and in conjunction with this, the second roller 46 is switched to the open state. The exposure transport of the photographic paper P is continued.

[Control channel selection]
In addition to normal simultaneous printing, this photo printing device can perform various printing processes such as simultaneous printing at special print sizes, image composition printing with text messages and other images, and album-like printing with multiple frame images laid out. Since it is possible, a control channel in which a plurality of parameters (control parameters) required for execution control of each print process are grouped is set in advance. This control channel can be created and registered at any time. Therefore, when executing the printing process with this photo printing apparatus, it is necessary to select a control channel prepared in advance or create and register a new control channel and select it.

  In the photo print according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to simplify such control channel selection using a graphic interface, a group of buttons linked to each control channel is arranged as a print processing initial screen. The print processing selection screen 50 is displayed on the monitor 22.

  Parameters defining the control channel include “print size (L size, 2L size, cabinet size, postcard, A4 size, etc.)”, “photo print form (no white border, with white border, etc.)”, “output” Form (only photo print, with index print, with CD-R recording medium, etc.), “Input source (135 negative film, 240 negative film, memory card type, etc.)”, “Print system (automatic print, pre-judge print, etc.) As an example.

  For example, if the control channel linked to the selected button contains a parameter specifying 135 film as the input source and a parameter specifying pre-judge printing as the printing method, this control channel is determined. Then, scanning of the film is started in the film scanner 23, image data having the number of pixels suitable for the print size is acquired, and then a pre-judge screen listing a plurality of frame images is displayed on the monitor 22, and the pre-judge screen is displayed. Manual correction can be performed for each frame image on the judge screen. Further, the print data for the final frame image is transmitted to the print controller 36. The print controller 36 controls the exposure processing unit Ex, the vertical conveyance unit CV, and the development processing unit De to perform the print processing. I will continue. In addition, when a parameter that prescribes storage on the CD-R is included, image data of the set number of pixels is transmitted to the media drive 26, and the image data is recorded on the CD-R. .

  Thus, the exact selection of the button linked to each control channel is important in performing this photo processing. In order to easily and reliably select this important button, a button linked to a control channel similar to the control channel linked to the button selected through the print processing selection screen 50 is referred to as another button. Characters and figures indicating different parameters are highlighted so that they can be distinguished from buttons. Of course, the similar button itself may be highlighted so that it can be identified.

A mechanism for highlighting a character or figure indicating a parameter different from the selection button in a button similar to the button selected on the print processing selection screen 50 will be described below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 shows functional blocks relating to the identifiable display of the similar buttons described above, among the microprocessor systems constructed in the print control unit 21. Here, a control channel management unit 61 for setting and managing a control channel for grouping a plurality of parameters for controlling print processing using the input print source, and a button linked to each control channel are set. A button management unit 62 that manages them, a GUI unit 63 that displays these buttons on the monitor 22 and generates various control commands based on operation inputs to the buttons displayed on the monitor, a control channel management unit 61, A print management unit 64 that controls each component based on a control command given from the GUI unit 63 is a main component.

  The GUI unit 63 is connected to the operation input processing unit 65a in order to appropriately accept an operation input by the operator through the keyboard 24 and the mouse 25, and further, video control is performed to display various graphic images related to the operation on the monitor 22. It is connected to the part 65b.

  The print management unit 64 is necessary for the next processing on the image data read by the film scanner 23 or the media drive 26 in order to execute the print processing based on the control channel determined through the print processing selection screen 50. An image data input unit 66 that performs preprocessing and transfers it to a memory or other functional elements, and a multi-frame display screen for captured frame images using reduced images of captured frame images based on the image data developed in the memory are used. A pre-judge processing function for controlling the pre-judge work, and a function for performing image processing on the shot frame image developed in the memory based on a command set in the pre-judge work or an automatically determined command. Based on the image processing unit 67 and processed image data that has been processed, a print suitable for the exposure head Gh A generation unit 68 that generates data and transfers it to the print controller 36, and formats a raw photographed image, an edited photographed image, etc. into a format for writing to a CD or DVD according to the customer's request, and stores it in the media drive 26 It is connected to the image data output unit 69 to be transferred.

  The print controller 36 performs a drying process from the supply conveyance roller 41 of the exposure processing unit Ex of the photographic paper P in order to output the photographic print P based on the print data obtained by the printing process defined by the determined control channel. A conveyance control unit that manages the entire conveyance across the pressure roller 32 of the section Dr, an exposure control unit that controls the exposure head Gh to expose image data onto the photographic paper P, and a development processing solution in the development processing tank 30. The temperature management and liquid level management are performed, and the development / drying control unit that controls the temperature of the drying processing unit Dr is controlled.

  In the control channel management unit 61, as shown in FIG. 5, the parameter value of each parameter included in the control channel is set as an attribute value for each control channel. The parameters include input media, print size, surface quality, number of prints, index print, media output, print method, and the like. For example, in the control channel “001”, the name is “service print”, the input medium is “color negative 135”, the print size is “89 × 127”, and the surface quality (printing paper characteristics) is “1”. Has been. Further, a button ID is included as one of the attribute values of each control channel. The button ID defines each button displayed on the print processing selection screen 50. The button attribute value defined by the button ID is set and managed by the button management unit 62. For example, the button ID “1011” is set through the button setting screen 70 as shown in FIG. In the example of the button setting screen, a button image setting area 71 for setting an image of the entire button and a display item setting area 72 for setting items to be displayed on the button are laid out. The display item setting area 72 lists the values of parameters defined by the control channel to which this button is linked, and the parameters checked in the left check column are displayed on the print processing selection screen 50. Displayed in correspondence with the buttons. Parameters that cannot be displayed in the button display area due to space are displayed in a separate window by moving the mouse over the button. The emphasis setting button 73 arranged in the display item setting area 72 is used here in order to set an emphasis display method for distinguishing from other buttons when it is regarded as a button similar to the selected button. An emphasis setting screen (not shown) is called, and through this emphasis setting image, emphasis display is set such that the color of the button is changed, the display character indicating the parameter is bolded, or blinking.

  Further, the button management unit 62 manages the button group linked to the set control channel by grouping buttons different from each other by only one parameter among the parameters included in the linked control channel. . As schematically shown in FIG. 7, for example, the group A is composed of buttons linked to control channels that differ only in the print size of parameters included in the control channel. In addition, groups B, C,... Are formed from a group of buttons linked to control channels that differ only in any one of the parameters. Therefore, each button (button ID) other than a button linked to a fairly special control channel belongs to a plurality of groups. By referring to such a group affiliation list, the button manager 62 controls the control channel similar to the control channel linked to the button selected on the print processing selection screen 50 (in this embodiment, only one parameter value). Buttons linked to different ones) can be easily extracted as similar buttons. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the GUI unit 63 identifies a similar button on the print processing selection screen 50 from the extracted button ID of the similar button, and identifies the display form of the similar button from other buttons. The display is switched to a possible special display form as set on the emphasis setting screen such as color change or blinking. As a result, the operator can recognize the presence of all buttons similar to the button temporarily selected and clicked for selecting a desired control channel on the print processing selection screen 50 together with the display of the difference. The button can be found reliably and easily.

1 is an external view showing an example of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention. Schematic explanatory diagram of the photo printing apparatus according to FIG. Monitor screen showing an example of the print processing selection screen Functional block diagram for explaining the print processing function in the print control unit Data structure diagram explaining the data structure of the print channel Monitor screen showing an example of the button setting screen Explanatory drawing explaining grouping of buttons Print processing selection screen showing an example of the display form of selection buttons and similar buttons

Explanation of symbols

22: Monitor 50: Print processing selection screen 61: Control channel management unit 62: Button management unit 63: GUI unit 64: Print management unit 70: Print processing selection screen P: Printing paper (photo print)

Claims (4)

A control channel management unit for setting and managing a control channel for grouping a plurality of parameters for controlling print processing using the input print source, and setting and managing a button linked to each control channel. In a photo printing apparatus comprising: a button management unit; and a GUI unit that displays the plurality of buttons on a monitor and generates various control commands based on operation inputs to the buttons displayed on the monitor.
The button displays at least one of the parameters included in the linked control channel, and the button linked to the control channel similar to the control channel linked to the button selected through the operation input is similar. A photo printing apparatus characterized by being switched to a special display form that can be identified as a button. In the special display mode, at least one parameter different between a control channel linked to the similar button and a control channel linked to the selected button is highlighted. The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1. Each of the plurality of buttons is grouped with another button that is different in parameter values of some of parameters included in a linked control channel. The photographic printing apparatus according to 2. 4. The photo printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein only the parameters that define the print size are grouped with different buttons.

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